#Wooyoung ff

[dollerin]

DIETPEPSI ⋆˚࿔ JWY

ׂ ִ 𝓟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑠. 𝖻𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝖾𝗇’𝗍 𝗌𝗎𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗄𝗂𝗌𝗌．． 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗁𝖾 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍. • 𝐩. 𝖻𝖾𝗌𝗍𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽!wooyoung 𝗑 𝑓.𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝐠. 𝑠𝑢𝑔𝑔𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒, 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝓈 𝐰. 𝗉𝗁𝗒𝗌𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗅 𝗍𝗈𝗎𝖼𝗁, 𝗄𝗂𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀, 𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗈𝖿 𝗁𝗂𝖼𝗄𝗂𝖾𝗌, 𝑒𝑡𝑐. | 𝐃𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐊.

the radio was the only other sound playing in the background other than the occasional hums coming from wooyoung. you both were pressed against each other in the back of his corvette, lips attached to one another.

it was supposed to be a regular summer evening where you and your best friend went for a drive, blasting your music as loud as you could and living life like you were still teenagers. that was the plan, not this.

you knew this wasn’t supposed to happen. friends aren’t supposed to kiss. friends aren’t supposed to touch each other the way wooyoung touched you. but neither of you could help it.

the kiss became more intense, wooyoung gripped the sides of your thighs, pulling you closer—if that was even possible. his tongue dragged across your bottom lip, tasting the faint hint of diet pepsi you’d been taking sips of only an hour ago.

“woo,” you tried to say his name in between kisses, but he was too distracted. his lips traveled from your lips, to your cheek, and down to your neck within a few seconds.

“w-wooyoung,” you called him again, letting out a shaky breath. he hummed in response, lips attached to your neck, probably creating a mark.

your fingers tangled in the back of his long hair, gripping onto him like you were about to lose the last bit of sanity you had.

“we can’t do this.”

“why not?”

“because we’re friends.”

“so what?” he chuckled lowly, his hand coming to squeeze your cheeks together lightly, pulling you in for another kiss.

he pecked your lips once, “friendship won’t change the way i feel about you, love.”

💌 ──── something quick before i head to bed :p inspo by addison rae’s ‘diet pepsi’

[mi-rae07]

Jung Wooyoung : Save Me

Pairing : Jung Woo-young (Ateez) and named character (Ruby Bennett)

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Synopsis : Wooyoung is a bartender, known for his charming personality and pretty looks. Ruby is the CEO of a tech company, known for being nonchalant and cold. Except she is also a superhero, saving the lives of countless others while remaining to be anonymous. And then wooyoung does something wrong, and ruby's personal life is at risk of mixing up with her superhero one. What is she going to do? Especially when she knows that wooyoung's life is now in danger too?

__________________________

Mary : ruby, you're 30. don't you think it's high time you…

Ruby : settled down? Yeah, no. I do not want to settle any time soon, so please, just let go of this topic.

Mary : the people talk.

Ruby : the people always talk.

Mary : you're not listening, daughter. The people think the reason you're not marrying is because you have what they thought your father once had, reproductive issues.

Ruby : and why would that matter to me?

Mary : it matters everything. Because if you do not have a child, this company of yours will have no heir. It will be at risk of being taken by anyone, and you know what that sort of a power can do to someone.

Ruby sighed, leaning back against her chair. Her mother made sense, as she mostly always did. But it was sense that ruby hated, she hated having to marry someone just for the sake of it. Plus, she had her own problems that no one knew about, not even her mother.

Ruby : fine, tonight 8pm.

Mary smiled, feeling content at having managed to convince her daughter finally.

Mary : you're going to be glad you made this choice, daughter.

Ruby : one can hope.

____________________________

Ruby clicked a button as the bookshelf in her office room turned around, revealing a doorway that led to a secret room ruby had built herself a decade ago. Ruby walked down the staircase as the door shut behind her, lighting up the room automatically. And soon enough ruby was walking past her suit prototypes that she had denied herself, needing something better. But they were memories, the suits, memories of the battles she had fought for the city without anyone knowing who the masked woman actually was.

And that gave ruby power, because she lived two lives. Both equally powerful and respectable, both equally rewarding and damaging. It took work, but it was fulfilling work. Plus the insect had chosen to bite her out of everyone else, she didn't have much of a choice here.

Ruby sat in front of the large computer as she went through the data files of future threats that the city could face, her red colored eyes running along the list intently.

The red eyes were a giveaway of the power inside her body, and ruby was not born with it. She was, in fact, born with boring black eyes. But one day, the day ruby turned 20, she had been bitten by an alien insect that had caused her to change. She had turned from CEO of America's best tech company to a superhero that ruby didn't know could exist. It took her time to adapt, 3 years as a matter of fact but it was worth it. Because she now knew what her body was capable of and she knew how to use her powers.

But the powers had effects on her physically. Like how her iris suddenly turned from black to red almost overnight. Ruby had told everyone she just started wearing contact lenses, and now she was known for it. And then there are also more problems, bigger ones. Like how her upper left thigh has a red ring around it now that glows once she harnesses her powers. That was what kept her away from men, because how was she going to explain this ring around her skin? Tattoos didn't glow.

Ruby sighed as she realized that she was probably going to have to fight tonight, considering that this guy who was planning to rob a bank was being so open about it in his laptop word document, and ruby had been able to hack into it.

Well, ruby supposed she was going to have to be Cinderella for her date tonight.

__________________________________

Wooyoung : the lady wishes to what?

San : wooyoung-ah, you keep doing this to them, they're going to keep wanting you.

Wooyoung : to the point they're willing to…pay me on a daily basis to be their boyfriend?

San : you have them under your spell, young-ah.

Wooyoung : san-ah, doesn't she have a husband?

San : she does.

Wooyoung : so, what, she wants me to play Moth to a flame by Weeknd or something?

San chuckled as he said

San : imagine.

Wooyoung let out a breath, leaning back against the bar kitchen counter as he eyed the place. He had been working in this high-end bar for 4 whole years now, and he'd had his share of rich women going crazy for him with the way he's able to seduce them into doing almost anything. But this? A million dollars just for a month of doing nothing but be someone's boyfriend.

Wooyoung's mother would be horrified.

Wooyoung : just…tell the ma'am I'll think about the offer.

San : wait, actually?

Wooyoung : of course not! But I need her to get off of my back for tonight because we have some big person attending today for the first time.

San : who, Ruby Bennett?

Wooyoung : yes, yeah something like that.

San sighed and nodded before saying

San : you should be glad you have a bestfriend like me, wooyoung-ah. What ever would you have done without me?

San had been wooyoung's only friend for a long while before wooyoung joined this bar and became famous for it. San's parents too had migrated from Korea illegally long back ago, and that bonded both wooyoung and san. Wooyoung chuckled, ruffling san's hair as he whispered

Wooyoung : forever grateful for you, my love.

____________________________

Ruby walked inside the bar with an annoyed face, her bodyguards walking right behind her and all the security of the bar focused only on her. Ruby looked around the expensive looking bar, trying to find the man with blonde hair that her mother had set her up with. And soon ruby had found him, walking towards the table he was sitting on before saying

Ruby : John Thomas, I presume?

John quickly stood up at that, his eyes sparkling at the sight of ruby as he said

John : miss bennett!

Ruby nodded, pulling out a chair as she sat on it before john could do that for her. John soon sat down as well, a wide smile on his face as he said

John : so! We finally meet.

Ruby : hmm.

John : did you have a great day?

Ruby : I did, until you invited me to this bar.

John was about to say something when the waiter came up to them, him looking right at ruby before saying

??? : the ma'am is finally here, then. Poor sir's been waiting for an hour.

Ruby looked up at the waiter, her eyes running along the man. He was pretty, too pretty to her own liking. And that smile on his face, ruby didn't know whether she hated it or loved it.

Ruby : are you the waiter?

??? : why yes I am.

Ruby : then take the damn order and leave.

The waiter raised his eyebrows at ruby, looking somewhat offended. But before he could say anything more john quickly interrupted them, giving both his and ruby's order to the man. Ruby's eyes ran along his arms, his shirt sleeves pulled up till his elbow to have his veins on full display. He's popular here, ruby knew it with the way the ladies in the bar were literally oggling him. And he was different, ruby thought, probably Asian.

??? : do you need something, ma'am?

John : I gave you her order.

??? : you did, she didn't.

John : you-

Ruby : I'll have a salad as well.

The waiter nodded with a smile before giving both of them a small bow, that seemed almost sarcastic in a way. He gets worse, ruby thought.

??? : 15 minutes, sir and ma'am.

Ruby watched as the waiter turned around and left, john sighing as he asked ruby something. But ruby's eyes remained trained on the waiter as he turned around halfway through, giving ruby a small smirk before disappearing behind the doors.

God fucking damn it.

_________________________________

Ruby had been half way through her dinner when she felt the band around her thigh suddenly vibrate, the feeling rushing through ruby's body. That only meant one thing, danger. Someone was here.

Ruby looked up at john who was eating his dinner quietly now, his eyes looking towards the dance floor. She had to leave, or she was going to put this innocent man in danger as well.

Ruby : excuse me while I use the restroom.

John : oh, sure-

Ruby got up as she looked around, her eyes landing on a group of 3 men that were rushing up to her from a bit far away. Ruby quickly turned around, walking towards the kitchen knowing there'd be a back entrance there. Soon ruby had opened the door to the kitchen, finding it empty. And that was when she realized, this wasn't the damned kitchen.

But she was sure she saw the waiter from earlier walking towards here?

Ruby quickly turned around at the sounds of quick footsteps, the sight of the 3 men from earlier entering the empty room falling upon her. Ruby let out a breath, there was no way out of this now. She just had to be as quiet as possible about this.

But before ruby could do anything a figure rushed past her, knocking one of the men down before kicking the other right in his face.

Ruby : what the fuck.

The waiter from before blocked the punch from the other man before kicking him off his feet, punching the last man right in the face as he fell down as well, groaning. The waiter turned around to face ruby, a smirk on his face as he said

??? : you're welcome.

Ruby looked forward as she heard the footsteps of more men heading towards their direction, this man had just fucked it all up for her.

Ruby : you fucking idiot.

??? : excuse me, what-

Ruby cut the waiter off as she held his arm, dragging him outside the room as she rushed towards the actual kitchen where chefs were moving inside and outside continuously.

??? : miss bennett, you have to let go of me-

Ruby : you've made this all worse, so you're going to shut up and follow me.

??? : I've made what worse-

The waiter cut himself off as he turned around, realizing what the problem was. Ruby rushed past the chefs and workers inside the kitchen as she stepped out through the backdoor, clicking on her car key as a distant roar was heard. The waiter frowned as ruby suddenly paused on her tracks.

??? : wait, that's it? Aren't we supposed to escape or something?

Ruby did not answer. Because before she could a car raced up to them, coming to a stop right in front of both ruby and the waiter as she got into the car and said

Ruby : we are.

The waiter looked around at the expensive sports car he would probably have died for as a teenage boy, finding it amusing how one didn't even have to drive it by oneself.

??? : holy fuck.

The waiter quickly jumped into the car, ruby pressing onto the accelerator as the car rushed past the group of men with a roaring sound.

??? : who the hell are they! No, actually, who the fuck are you!

Ruby : you already know who I am.

??? : no, why are you being chased by a bunch of men!

Ruby : what is your name again?

??? : uh, Jung Wooyoung.

Ruby : okay, listen, wooyoung. Remember when you kicked those men's asses back in that room a few minutes ago?

Wooyoung : I just thought you needed help-

Ruby : yeah, I didn't then. But I will now. Help from getting you killed.

Wooyoung : killed!

Ruby : yes, killed.

Before wooyoung could say anything more ruby took a sharp turn towards the left lane, that causing wooyoung to screech as he held onto his seat for dear life. Wooyoung turned around, realizing the men were now chasing after them in their own car.

Wooyoung : oh no no no, they're behind us!

Ruby : of course they are.

Wooyoung looked back at ruby and the way she was driving so skillfully while going at such insane speeds, her face calm and composed still. In normal situations he would have found this hot, but this was far from anything normal.

Wooyoung : miss bennett, have you done this before?

Ruby scoffed, pressing harder on the accelerator as she turned the car to the side in order to block the other car behind them.

Wooyoung : you're only a CEO, you aren't supposed to…to-

Ruby : have a car chase? Yeah, this is how it works out here.

Wooyoung let out a breath as ruby shifted the car to the other side again, in order to block the enemy car from swooping in. and as wooyoung turned to face ruby once again, her red eyes focused forward and her one hand wrapped around the steering wheel, covered in expensive rings, wooyoung figured why so many people swooned over Bennett tech's CEO.

Wooyoung : can't you uh…go sl-slower?

Ruby : we're being chased, jung wooyoung. Slower means being dead.

Wooyoung : but why are they so angry at you!

Ruby : classified.

Wooyoung : what-

Wooyoung let out a yelp as ruby took a sharp turn, the car stopping suddenly into the side of an abandoned lane, the sides covered with forests. Wooyoung felt his breathing pause as ruby turned off the car headlights, rendering the entire lane completely dark.

Wooyoung : what-what the hell are you doing?

Ruby : hiding in plain sight, wooyoung. Those men will be stupid enough to think I'd rather continue the car chase than pull something like this.

Wooyoung : well I'd rather you do that too, actually.

Ruby : what?

Wooyoung : what if uh, what if someone attacks us?

Ruby : someone already has, wooyoung. And now we're waiting for that someone to go by so that we can escape the chase-

Wooyoung : no, not that. Here, like right now.

Ruby : what, are you afraid of the dark?

Ruby had meant that as a joke, leaning back against her seat with a small smile. But as she realized wooyoung wasn't answering, her smile disappeared.

Ruby : wooyoung?

Wooyoung : miss bennett, take me back to the bar, please.

There was the hard part.

Ruby : I cannot do that, you're going to have to remain with me until I figure out who it is exactly that you pissed off today.

Wooyoung : no. no no-

Ruby : trust me, it's not going to be that bad. You're just going to have to remain hidden in my family house.

Wooyoung : and who lives in your family house-

Ruby : no one. And as a matter of fact, it is located right inside these forests.

And that was when wooyoung actually realized, he was fucked.

_______________________________

[jujitto]

⠀ㅤᓭི༏ᓯྀㅤ ㅤㅤ𓂂⠀ Bonnie & Clyde ! — jung wooyoung « 𝟤.𝟤𝗄 »

★ ! 𝗌𝗒𝗇𝗈𝗉𝗌𝗂𝗌 · we don't need money to feel good cause you're the ridе or die, the rest of my lifе. don’t need a party to feel high. We're like the modern version of bonnie and clyde.

★ ! 𝗉𝖺𝗂𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌 · criminal!wooyoung x criminal!reader

★ ! 𝗀𝖾𝗇𝗋𝖾 · angst, fluff, bonnie & clyde au!

★ ! 𝗐𝖺𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌 · robbery, murder, suggestive hints toward intimate themes.

In the flickering neon red light, you could barely see him. But you could make out the smell of his cologne. A hint of something exotic, like cardamom and cedar. The smell filled the room, and you took it in deeply, letting it permeate your soul. You'd missed that smell.

"You're late," you say to him as he steps through the mist into the center of the room. The neon lights cast a red hue across his face and body, and reflected in his eyes.

"I am never late. I arrive exactly when I mean to," he replies, flashing a smirk. "Well, you are later than I would have liked," you say, blowing out the smoke of your cigarette into his face.

"Yes, but the night is still young," you roll your eyes at his statement as you stand, putting out the cigarette. You walk around him in a slow circle, assessing his body and form, stopping in front of him and looking him directly in the eye, "I guess the night is still young."

His hands reach out and wrap themselves around your waist, pulling you against his body. "I missed you," he tells you before bringing his lips to your neck. You tilt your head back, allowing him access. "Did you?"

"Yes, you know I did," his lips trail up your neck to your jawline. His hands slide down your body, coming to rest on your ass.

"And what exactly did you miss?" you ask him, placing your hand on his cheek. He stops his kissing and stares into your eyes, "You, the smell of your hair, the feel of your skin against mine, the sound of your voice, and the way you say my name."

“You mean like this? Wooyoung, Woo-yung-ah," you say, dragging out the syllables. He groans and leans in, kissing you deeply. Your lips are soft and supple against his. He pulls away from the kiss, his lips inches away from yours. You close the gap between them, kissing him again. He lifts you up, and you wrap your legs around his waist. He carries you over to the bed and places you gently down on it.

"I missed the feeling of you," he says, his hand resting on your hip. "Did you?"

"Mmmm-hmmm." He kisses you again, more deeply, his hand trailing up your stomach, to the edge of your dress. His fingers dance along the hem before slipping underneath the fabric. You grab his hand as you pull away. “Not so fast," you say with a smirk. "I've waited all day for this. For you."

"And now you must wait a little longer," you say, caressing his lower lip with your thumb as he rolls his eyes, kissing the inside of your wrists softly. "Tease," you chuckle. "You love it," he smirks, kissing your hands as he looks into your eyes. "I love you."

"I know." You look at each other for a moment, both smiling. You've known each other for years. You've been friends/secret lovers for years. But this, this was something else. “We have something to do first, remember?” He rolls his eyes. "Right. Business."

"Business," you say, walking to the table you were sitting at earlier. You sit down, cross your legs, and light up another cigarette. "So, what have you got for me?" He asks, taking the seat across from you.

"The layout of the place," you say, sliding him a piece of paper. "You've already been there?" He smirks and nods. "I have."

"And what do we have waiting for us there?"

"Three guards, all armed," you say, sliding him a photo you took. He hums, assessing the photo. "With?" You slide him another photo of the guard, holding what looks to be a pistol. "Pistols. Two .45's and a 9mm. Standard issue."

"And how will we deal with these guards?" You smirk, sitting back in your chair as you blow smoke from your cigarette. "How would you like us to?"

"Take them out as quietly as possible."

"And why would I want to do that?" You ask him, a mischievous grin on your face. "Because we need to keep things quiet, and not draw any attention." He hums and taps his nails on the table. "And why would I want to keep things quiet and not draw any attention? You know I'm all for the thrills and chase,” you say, standing up. He smirks.

"I know. I'm just asking." You walk over to him, placing your cigarette between his lips. He takes a drag before passing it back. You smile and take the cigarette, putting it out in the ashtray.

"So what do I have in it for me if I keep things quiet and not draw any attention?" He smiles a wicked smile. "Whatever you desire." You bite your lip, staring at him. "Oh, I like the sound of that. But I'm not sure you'll be able to live up to it." He raises an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Hmmmm. Maybe. I'll think about it." You turn and start to walk away. He reaches out, grabs your arm, and spins you around, kissing you passionately. You kiss him back, wrapping your arms around his neck. You pull away slightly, your noses touching. "Well, I guess that'll do for now."

"For now." He replies, kissing you again. You kiss him back, before pulling away, "You know, you're not half bad." "Not half bad? What kind of review is that?" He says, pretending to be offended. “A good one. An honest one.”

"Oh really, only good, not great?" You chuckle, shaking your head as you trail your fingers across his jaw. "Mmmm... maybe, depends on how tomorrow goes." He raises a brow playfully. "Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow." You say, winking at him. "Fine. Tomorrow." He says, releasing you from his grip. You smile, running your hands over his shoulders, and fixing his jacket. "Now, go get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And don't call me that." You say, pushing him playfully. "Alright, alright." He says, chuckling, walking to the door. "See you tomorrow, then."

"Until tomorrow." You say, watching him leave. "Tomorrow." The door closed behind him, and you walked to the bed, falling onto it. You had a lot to prepare for tomorrow and not a lot of time.

By the time you pulled up to the building the next day, the sun had already begun setting over the horizon. The biggest heist was just about to begin.

"Ready?" He asked you. You smiled and nodded, pulling out your weapons.

"Always." You said with a wink, getting out of the car and making your way over to the front door. With a smirk, you kicked the door open and started firing.

It didn't take long before the first two guards were dead. You made your way deeper into the building and were just about to make your move when you felt the barrel of a gun pressed against the back of your head.

“Two-timer, huh?" you say, turning around slowly, your hands raised. You smile as you come face to face with the third guard. "I'd prefer, 'loyal to the job.'"

"Loyalty is such a funny word especially when you say you’d help us with our plans," you say, tilting your head to examine him. Three things you notice: the twitching of his eye, his unsteady hand, and the way his mouth turns into a grimace.

"Plans change," he says, barely keeping eye contact with you. "Mine didn't," you say, smirking at him as you take a few steps back before popping one in his head.

You hear the sound of the bullet ricochet off the wall. The man falls to the floor, a bullet hole in the center of his forehead. You walk over to the fallen man, taking his gun from his limp hand.

“Backstabbing asshole,” you say, fixing your lipstick in the glossy reflection of his blood. You stand before continuing the job you're there for. You walk through the halls of the bank, stopping at the door at the end. You kick it open, a wicked smile on your face.

"You're late," Wooyoung says, looking at you.

"I'm always early, you're just punctual. Plus had to take out a rat. You wouldn’t want us to get caught, would you?" you say, smiling, your makeup still looking good regardless of the blood splatter on your cheek.

"Of course not," he says, standing up, walking over to you. He looks down at the blood splatter on your cheek, reaching out, he wipes it off with his thumb.

"Thank you," you say, looking into his eyes. "No problem," he replies, giving you a quick kiss on the lips. You smile and nod, pulling away.

"We've got work to do," you say, walking past him into the vault. You make your way to the main depository, stopping in front of the huge safe. "Alright, let's see what we've got here."

"What do you think? Should we blow it?" Wooyoung asks, examining the lock. "I don't know. Seems like a waste of good explosives," you say, tapping your nail on the metal.

"How about this? We pick the lock, then rig the explosives, so that if anyone comes after us, we can blow it," you suggest. He nods, "I like it."

"I thought you might," he says, kneeling in front of the safe. He pulls a set of tools from his jacket pocket and begins working on the lock. You watch him as he works, his hands moving quickly and efficiently.

You can't help but admire his skills. He's always been good with his hands. Even when he wasn’t picking locks, his hands were good with other things too.

"You're staring," he says, not even looking at you. "Am not," you say, leaning against the wall beside him. "Are too."

"Well, are you going to crack this safe or are we going to keep bickering like a married couple?" you ask as he chuckles. "Patience is a virtue, my dear," he says, not missing a beat.

"You know I've never been the patient type."

"Oh, I know," he says, a smile on his lips. You sit in silence for a few minutes, the only sound being the clicking of the lock and the occasional humming from you.

Finally, the door opens, and the contents are revealed. "Wow," you say, stepping into the safe. There are stacks of money, gold bars, and jewels. It's enough to set you up for life.

"I knew there was a reason I was keeping you around."

"And here I thought it was because you liked me," he says, putting away his tools. You smirk and turn to him, wrapping your arms around his neck, "There's that too."

"Is that right?"

"It is." You lean in and kiss him deeply. He wraps his arms around your waist, pulling you close. The kiss is passionate, full of desire and longing. When you finally pull away, you're both breathless. "You're good at that."

"You're not so bad yourself," he says, a smile on his lips. You chuckle, patting his cheek. “Let’s get these explosives set up and the money out of here before the cops show up.”

"Aye, aye, Captain," he says, mock saluting you. You roll your eyes and shake your head, "Let's just get this done."

"Aye, aye." They set up the explosives, rigging them to blow if anyone tries to come after them. Once the explosives are set, they start loading the cash and valuables into their getaway vehicle. As they load the final bag into the back, the sirens get louder and louder.

"That's our cue," Wooyoung says, getting into the car. You get in and close the door. "Let's get the hell out of here."

"Aye, aye, Captain," he says, speeding away from the bank. The sound of sirens fills the air, and you know you're in for a wild ride.

The police are in hot pursuit of them. Their sirens wailing, the red and blue lights flashing. The car careens around corners, swerving through traffic. The cops are gaining on them, and it's not looking good.

"Hold on tight," Wooyoung says, pressing his foot down on the accelerator. The car picks up speed, but the cops are still on their tail.

"They're not going to stop, are they?" you chuckle, shaking your head. “Nope,” you say as you lean out the window firing off shots at the cops.

"They're not," he says, pushing the car even faster. The sound of the sirens is getting closer and closer. "We've got to lose them."

"I'm working on it," he grunts. "Work faster." He takes a sharp turn down a side street, the tires squealing. The car fishtails, but he manages to regain control.

"I've always liked a challenge," you say, reloading your gun. "Good, because this is about to get even more interesting," he says, a smile on his lips. "Oh yeah? How so?"

"We're going to jump the bridge," he says, his eyes glinting mischievously. Your eyes widen as you look at him, noticing the smirk on his lips.

"Jump the bridge? Are you kidding me?" you exclaim, staring at him. He just laughs and continues speeding down the road. The sound of the sirens is still blaring, and the cops are close behind.

"Crazy? Maybe. But we're gonna make it. Just hold on tight and trust me," he says. You let out a chuckle, rolling your eyes. "If we die, I'm going to haunt your ass."

"Deal," he says, speeding up, the car roaring as he pushes it to its limits.

The sound of the engine and the wind in your hair is exhilarating. You can't believe you're doing this, but you know if there's anyone who can get you out of this alive, it's Wooyoung.

They reach the bridge, the car careening towards the edge. You feel your heart pounding in your chest, the adrenaline pumping through your veins. Wooyoung floors the gas pedal, and the car launches off the bridge, flying through the air.

"WOOYOUNG!" you scream as you plummet towards the water below. The sound of your heart pounding is deafening, and you can barely hear anything else. The air rushes by you, and you feel weightless, suspended in time and space. It's an incredible feeling.

"Told you we'd make it," Wooyoung says with a smirk. "Shut up and drive." You race down the highway, leaving the cops in the dust.

"This is why I keep you around. Because you're crazy just like me,” you say, looking out the window to see the cops didn't follow you over the bridge.

"And here I thought it was because of my stunning personality and dashing good looks," he says with a wink.

"Keep dreaming, sweetheart," you say, playfully shoving him. "So what's the plan now? We're not heading back to the hideout, are we?"

"Nope. We're going somewhere a little more...private."

"Oh yeah? And where might that be?"

"It's a surprise," he says with a grin. "I love surprises."

"I know you do."

You continue driving until you arrive at a secluded lake house. It's beautiful and peaceful, and the perfect place to relax after a successful heist.

"Welcome to our temporary home," he says, getting out of the car. "This is perfect," you say, looking around. The view is incredible, and the house is secluded enough to allow you to relax and enjoy each other's company without worry.

"Only the best for my girl," he says, kissing your forehead. "And only the best for you." You spend the rest of the night celebrating your success. You drink and dance and make love under the stars.

You wake up surrounded by money and rose petals. Him lying beside you asleep. You chuckle as you reach out to grab a stack of bills, counting them.

"You're not thinking of leaving me, are you?" He asks sleepily.

"Why would I ever leave someone who keeps me this rich and happy," you say with a chuckle, kissing him softly. "Good. Because I'd hate to have to hunt you down," he says, smiling as he kisses you again.

"You couldn't hunt me down if you tried."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Maybe." He pulls you closer, his lips trailing along your neck. "Don't think you can seduce your way out of this one," you say, sighing as he kisses your neck. "Is it working?"

"Maybe." You chuckle softly. The sun is rising over the lake, bathing everything in a soft golden light. You're wrapped up in each other's arms, your bodies tangled together. It's a perfect moment.

"So, what's next?" You ask, playing with the rose petals. "Whatever we want. The world is our oyster," he says which has you rolling your eyes playfully. "You always say that."

"And it's always true." You lay there, watching the sunrise and enjoying each other's company. You don't have a care in the world.

You are living your life, the way you want to. You are young, and you are reckless, and very much in love. Nothing can stop you.

"I love you, you know that?" He says kissing you as you chuckle, running your fingers through his hair. “I know. I love you too."

"Good. Now come here." He says, pulling you on top of him, the money and rose petals falling onto the floor.

The morning sun shines brightly through the windows, bathing everything in a warm glow. You make love, and laugh, and revel in the joy of being alive. Nothing can stop you.

Not the law, not society, not even death.

You're invincible, and you're going to live your life the way you want to, damn the consequences.

NEWS REPORT: Still at large are the notorious criminal lovers, Jung Wooyoung and Y/n Y/l/n. These two are believed to be responsible for the recent string of high-profile bank robberies. Authorities are urging the public to contact the police if they have any information about the couple's whereabouts. The news broadcast ended as the picture of the two lovers, standing outside the bank flashed on the screen alongside their mugshots.

"Look at us. We're famous." You say with a chuckle as you turn to face him. "Yeah, they sure are painting us as the villains." He says as you roll your eyes. "Well, we are criminals."

"True. But I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Me neither." You say, kissing him deeply. "Now, where were we?"

"Right about here." He says, kissing you again. You spend the rest of the day basking in each other's company, planning your next heist.

You knew nothing could stop you. Except for maybe the Feds. And even then, you'll go down fighting. For you are the wild ones, and you'll never stop being wild. Because nothing can stop the modern-day Bonnie and Clyde.

[hwashotcheeto]

𝑰 𝑾𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒂 𝑩𝒆 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔

BadBoy!Wooyoung X masc!prep!reader

Summary: You have to say good bye to the boy who lit up your world.

WC: 2.2k

CW: Angst, crying, hugging, kissing, mentions of sex, homophobic time period (70s-80s)

AN: This hurt so bad to write, but I couldn't get it out of my head. Homophobia/transphobia is so fucking awful.

But I still hope you all find a way to enjoy my painful ideas. I'm gonna go lay down and cry now.

Tag List: @cherrycel @mxnsxngie @malldreamprincess @asjkdk

Late August is a time like none other, especially the summer after high school. It’s not quite Autumn but not quite Summer either. It’s warm enough to wear t-shirts and shorts, but not cold enough to wear sweaters and pants. The perfect temperature to just go enjoy life. 

To drive down the highway with your friends right at sunset, when the sun’s almost disappeared behind the horizon line, and the gorgeous oranges and pinks are thrown across the skies like a desperate painter, stretching towards the growing, inky black night. 

Laughing with your friends as you blast your music, singing along badly, laughing at how awful you all are, slapping each other’s arms. 

It felt like how teen summer should be. 

“We should stop by the drive-in!” One of your friends suggested. It was met with uproarious agreement, and that’s exactly where you ended up. 

The car stopped under one of the awnings, and your friends all took turns clamoring to order their food. You elected to wait until they were done to place your order, deciding to avoid being talked over and misheard. 

You learned your head against the cool glass of the car and looked around the drive-in. There were other groups of teenagers hanging out as well, in and around their cars. There were some families and couples as well, all laughing and having a good time. 

Your eyes came back to the building, and your gaze landed on an all too familiar man. 

Black slicked back hair, sunglasses on his head, eyes that could kill if they wanted to. He had not just his ears, but his eyebrow pierced too. He wore all black, with chains around his neck. 

His black leather jacket sat on his shoulders as he leaned against the drive-in wall, a cigarette between his lips. 

You gulped as your eyes ran over Wooyoung’s body. Your breath caught in your throat when his eyes landed on yours. He froze for a moment before he put out the cigarette. You felt your heart crack inside your chest. 

“Hey man,” your friend nudged your shoulder. “What do you want?” The whole car was staring at you, waiting for your answer. 

“Oh, I’m not very hungry,” you mumbled. “Just get me a drink.” 

“Are you sure-Hey!” 

Your friends called after you as you got out of the car, but you weren’t listening. 

Wooyoung. One of the stereotypical “bad boys” of your high school. He skipped class, he broke the law. He wore black clothes, he wore chains, he flirted with all the girls in school. 

And then there was you. A boy. 

You didn’t care for Wooyoung. You kept up with your studies. You were productive, trying to do better for you and your classmates. You even considered running for student president, but you decided it was too stressful on top of everything else you were doing. 

You’d flirted with a few girls in the school, kissed a few, but nothing ever clicked. Nothing felt like how all the books said it would, it never felt special like the movies showed. 

Until you and Wooyoung were tangled up. 

You never wanted anything to do with him. You didn’t dislike him, you two were just opposites. You cared about school and your future, and Wooyoung cared more about himself and his pleasures. 

But if you didn’t care, then why did you get butterflies when you saw him? Why did your body get hot? Why did your heart flutter? 

Why did you silently beg him to look up at you and shake the stray strands of hair out of his eyes to properly look at you before he’d give you a little smile and go on talking to his friends? 

If you didn’t want Wooyoung, why did you two end up together after school in an empty classroom? 

As you stood in front of him at the drive-in, with his head tilted back against the wall as he looked at you, you were thinking back to that moment. 

You thought of the moment where Wooyoung trapped you against the classroom door and locked it, and his lips hovered over yours. You didn’t push him back. And when he kissed you, you kissed him back. 

And fireworks exploded all around you. This was the moment. This was the magic moment when you realized why the girls never felt right. Your heart swelled and your limbs felt like jelly. You had to wrap your arms around Wooyoung to stay standing. 

You whimpered when his hands locked around your waist and he pushed you further against the door, kissing you harder, deeper. It was Wooyoung’s magic moment too, and he never wanted it to end. 

So all the uncomfortable feelings with every girl he fucked wasn’t supposed to happen? Sure, it felt good, but he thought that every uncomfortable feeling was supposed to be there. After all, isn’t sex for pleasure a sin? Of course it wouldn’t feel perfect. 

But it did that day. It felt better than it ever did before. For both of you. Every kiss, every touch, it was euphoric. When Wooyoung kissed down your neck, he was lighting a fire in you. When his hands ran over your skin and gripped onto you, it was like he was meant to be there. 

It could never have been one time. Not when the world felt right when you two were together. 

The next thing you knew, you were sneaking out to meet up with Wooyoung. You’d walk down the street to where Wooyoung was waiting on his motorcycle for you. You’d sit behind him, hug him tight, and you two would disappear into the night. 

You’d find some secluded place to divulge in your sinful fantasies all over again. Wooyoung’s house, a park, anywhere that you two were hidden from the hateful world. 

Somewhere where Wooyoung’s lips could blissfully press against yours. Where your hands could run through his hair. Where you two could be one. 

And when it was over, he held you. You laid on Wooyoung’s chest as he held you close. He’d rub your back as you two would recover. He’d make sure you were okay afterwards. He’d kiss over the hickies that you’d cover up tomorrow with your clothes. 

It went on for months. Months that you’d secretly meet up with each other. Eventually, sex became a bonus instead of the main event. You both would just cuddle, and talk, and kiss. Laying in Wooyoung’s bed and just talking about anything with some kisses thrown in the mix. 

Wooyoung wasn’t just a good for nothing, fucked up boy. That was part of him, but not all of him. He did care about more than himself, because he went out of his way to spend time with you. He picked you up, he took care of you, he listened to you. 

He never smoked around you. He always put it out when he saw you. 

He let you wear his jacket when you were cold. 

He kissed your neck in the spot you liked. He held your hands when you were pinned under him. 

One day, he even surprised you with flowers. Just like the books and movies promised someone like him would do. 

But you weren’t in his arms right now. You weren’t all over his pretty lips. You hadn’t been in months. 

Wooyoung finally lifted his head off the wall as he turned to you, pulling his hands from his pockets. 

“Why’d you disappear?” He asked. You gulped nervously as you shifted around. You knew this was coming. “You ignored me at school. You never even gave me a chance.” He leaned a little closer as you looked down, not being able to look him in the eyes anymore. 

Wooyoung looked around for a moment before he grabbed your arm and pulled you behind the wall of the drive-in, trapping you against the bricks and leaning close to you. 

“I waited for an hour every night,” he growled, the smoke on his breath washing over your lips and going up into your nose. “Every goddamn night, I waited for you. And you didn’t give me anything.” 

Your heart cracked in your chest again. Your nose burned as tears threatened to form in your eyes. 

“Did you not want me anymore?” He continued, “Did you think that if you ignored me long enough, I’d disappear? That you could walk away from me?” 

“You did it to every other girl in the school,” you shot back. 

“But not with you.” Wooyoung’s eyes turned glassy as the snarl in his face disappeared. “Never with you, baby. I could never do that to you.” 

The tears finally formed in your eyes as his words finally shattered your heart. 

“I didn’t want to,” you breathed desperately, your chest heaving as you tried to keep the tears away. 

“But you did.” Wooyoung swallowed back his tears as he gripped onto the wall beside your head. “But you left me and ignored me-” 

“My parents found out,” you sobbed, the tears spilling down your cheeks. 

Wooyoung’s face fell. His knees buckled and he nearly fell to the ground. His worst fear had come true. It’d been a theory he had from the moment you stopped seeing him and started ignoring him. 

But he still prayed to the god who condemned him every night that it wasn’t that. That you just weren’t interested, that you didn’t want him. He could accept a taste of his own medicine, no matter how bitter it was or how long it took to swallow. 

But knowing that it was unwilling, that you wanted to see him but couldn’t, drove a knife through his heart. 

Wooyoung grabbed you and pulled you into his chest, hugging you tighter than he ever had before. You hugged him back, trying to keep your sob quiet as you spilled them into his chest. 

More than anything, you wanted to run away with Wooyoung. Forget everything and jump back on his motorcycle and disappear into the night like you’d done so many times before. To be happy with the only person who’d lit up your life forever. 

But your parents were waiting for you the last time you were with Wooyoung. They knew you’d been sneaking out, and forced you to tell them where you were going. 

They threatened to disown you if you kept seeing Wooyoung, that they wouldn’t help you go to college. They threatened to take away your whole life. 

Unless you stopped seeing the man who made you happiest. 

You hated it. You hated that you couldn’t have both. You cried into your pillow for hours. Guilt ate you alive every time you ignored Wooyoung at school. 

But here you were. Crying in his arms because all you wanted was to be with him. And that’s all he wanted. To take you awake and keep you for himself. 

“We can still leave,” Wooyoung whispered onto your hair. “We can run away.” 

“No we can’t. I can’t.” You pulled back to look up at him. “I have my family, and school-” 

“Your family doesn’t give a shit about you.” Wooyoung reached up and held your face, pulling your lips close to his. “If they loved you, they wouldn’t keep us apart.” 

“Most of the world hates us, Wooyoung,” you protested as you leaned into his hand, relishing in the warmth. 

“Not all of them do,” he murmured, leaning his forehead on yours. You closed your eyes as you did, and so did he, as he leaned in and pressed his lips to yours in the sweetest, softest kiss he’d ever given you. 

It hurt. It hurt so fucking bad. Your body felt like it was on fire. Your heart felt like it was being wrenched out of your chest. Your throat closed up and burned. 

The last kiss you’d ever get from your lover. 

You both reluctantly pulled away and looked at each other. Tears ran down both of your faces as your chests heaved. 

There was only one ending to this story. 

“I wanna be yours,” Wooyoung breathed against your lips, sniffling after. You nodded as you held his hand that was still holding your face. 

“I do too.” 

But you couldn’t. You couldn’t make it work. Not now. You both knew it. 

So Wooyoung swallowed hard before he pressed another kiss to your forehead as he held your face in his hands. Another long, loving kiss, before he whispered onto your skin: 

“In another life, sweetheart.” 

You nodded as another wave of tears ran down your face. You held his face and kissed his cheek, inhaling the last of his familiar cigarette and cologne scent. 

“In another life, Wooyoung.” 

In another life, years from now. Your souls would hopefully find each other again. 

And live the life you’re meant to live. 

It took all the strength you could muster to pull out of his arms. Wooyoung almost didn’t let you go. He helped you wipe your tears before he finally took his hands off you for the last time. 

Your skin screamed his name as you craved to be back in his arms. But you made yourself walk away. One step at a time. 

You didn’t tell your friends what happened. You couldn’t. 

You watched in agony as Wooyoung drove away on his motorcycle. 

You’d never see him again.

Thank you for reading! Please reblog if you enjoyed! 💜

This is a work of fiction written by me. This does not represent the idol(s) in any way. Any re-upload is not allowed and will be reported.

[green-agent]

Fate?

Previous - Next

BREWING LOVE NEXT DOOR (masterlist) chapter 2

Jung Wooyoung x neighbor!oc (Yujin)

Synopsis: because of her mother who loved coffee, Yujin had an unhealthy obsession with caffeine. Feeling down? Coffee. Feeling great? Coffee. Passed a test? Yay coffee. Failed a test? Naur, coffee. Her friends joked about her having more caffeine In her veins than blood.Now, after leaving her hometown and coming to Seoul, she was excited to study in KQ University. Will she die of shock after finding out that the handsome barista was her neighbor? Will she realize why people actually have crushes on baristas? Will she be able to confess?

Genre: fluff, crack, barista au, uni au, neighbors au

warning: slight Seongjoong? Yujin thinks Seonghwa is mother, frat party but labelled as Thanksgiving party, let me know if I missed something.

word count: 1k

note: I'm sorry for all the pov shifts and scene changes 😞 but hey, Chapter 2 is here. The story's just starting!

Nobody's POV

7:30

Yujin was late, not only for her classes but also for the new club she had applied to in University.

Today, the president of the club wanted to introduce the freshmen to the older students. And as a fellow freshman, Yujin was supposed to be early. Something that she most definitely wasn't.

Grabbing her things, she ran out the door. Bag in one hand, she carefully locked the door as she clumsily put her shoes on.

As she sat down in the room, she couldn't help but bite the inside of her cheeks, a habit she had. Right then, A slightly shorter boy, probably a University Junior, spoke up.

“Hello, our fellow university classmates and juniors, I'm Kim Hongjoong, the president of this club. I hope you guys will have a good time here…”

His hair was two toned, half black half white. Pretty cool.

He spoke more about himself and the club, also introducing the new ones to the vice president, Park Seonghwa. Another gorgeous man. Yujin had to resist the urge to say ‘mommy?’ Cus' he felt so…mother

But as Hongjoong carried on about the club, Yujin's eyes caught a beautiful sight. The beautiful sight was sitting across the room.

The barista from the cafe…he was chatting with a guy. Blond haired guy, to be exact…his hair looked like the boy the barista joked with, maybe he was the same person?

Yet, Yujin was regretting the fact that she didn't take a good glance at his name tag. What was his name!?

“Thank you!”

Yujin's new cheerful downstairs neighbor, Shin Ryujin, beamed at her.

When Yujin was about to go upstairs, she noticed that Ryujin was having trouble with putting some boxes up the stairs, so she decided to help. Plus, She hadn't met all of her new neighbors yet, but Ryujin was definitely a good one.

As the two girls were talking, Yujin saw a figure walk up the stairs. No way…

“What happened?”

Ryujin asked, confused as to why Yujin suddenly stopped talking.

Hearing her, Yujin came out of her little confusion. She turned to Ryujin and asked,

“The guy who just walked up, who was he?”

“Oh that? That's Wooyoung, Jung Wooyoung. Why? Did you get a crush on him?”, Ryujin teased.

“...no, I just saw him at the cafe, Refresh and Recharge. Then I also saw him at uni today, in my club meeting. I was just wondering…”

Yujin drifted off, well, only the first word was a lie.

Ryujin nodded, “hmm, yeah. He is a Barista at the cafe. He's also your neighbor”

“huh!?” Yeojin kinda whisper-yelled.

Confused, Ryujin mumbled, playing with her own fingers, “did you not know that or something…”

Yujin's POV

As I sat on my bed, I just did a quick review of everything I found out.

The boy I had a teeny tiny smol little crush on…is not only my clubmate and uni senior…but also my fucking neighbor!? Like a literal next door neighbor.

That's a lot to take in. Should I talk with him? I mean, he's only a doorbell away…

But then again, what would I talk to him about? That hey, bro. Nice to meet you, I think I got a crush on you cuz you're gorgeous. Please don't think I'm weird.

Yeah, he'd definitely think I'm weird. And his gorgeous face tells me he probably already has a girlfriend.

What if it's the other female barista in Refresh and Recharge Cafe? I mean, she was pretty, sounded polite. She seemed very lovable.

But hey! We improved a little bit. I now know his name. Jung Wooyoung, it's cute, if you ask me. Wooyoung.

Nobody's POV

And like that, Yujin spent a whole month going to Refresh and Recharge, trying to focus on her studies. She had to agree, Hongjoong and Seonghwa were a great duo, just one thing, they argued like an old married couple. A sophomore told Yujin that they were a very ‘parents’ typa friends.

She spent a lot of time in the evening, trying to figure out if she should ring her next door neighbor's bell or not.

She always got rejected by her own brain with things like ‘he probably worked very hard today, you should let him rest’ and ‘he’s also a student, he might be studying’.

It wasn't until November.

As her doorbell rang, she quickly fixed her clothes before opening the door. It was another fellow neighbor of hers, Karina.

“Hey Yujin! I wanted to invite you to the Thanksgiving party in my apartment. All of our neighbors are coming so I'd be glad if you came too.” Karina happily suggested.

Yujin had never been to this type of Thanksgiving party yet, so she accepted happily.

“Yeah, I'd love to”

Nobody's POV

I'd love to, my ass.

Now while she actually sat at the party, she realized she had nothing to do.

A cup of orange juice was in her hand as she stared mindlessly at the wall. Randomly playing with her own fingers once in a while.

Even Ryujin was having a fun time with her boyfriend.

After coming to the party, Yujin realized that it wasn't actually the typical thanksgiving party, it was nothing like a thanksgiving party. It was more of a typical university frat party.

Everyone was dancing crazily, some random couple making out in the corner. And Yujin could swear she saw someone drink alcohol in the other corner.

So when a hand tapped on her finger, she kinda freaked out, yelling, “WHAT THE FU-”, and then slapping her own hand on her mouth after seeing who it was.

The barista, the really handsome barista. Her university clubmate, and her neighbor…Jung Wooyoung.

Again, the mole under his eye made her choke on air, it was so…attractive.

He gave a little smile as he sat down in the chair in front of her, still maintaining a comfortable distance.

“If I heard the birdies right, you must be Yujin. Am I right?”

Taglist: @dinossaurz

Dividers: @cafekitsune

Banners: From Pinterest

Send an ask or dm me to get on the taglist! And I'd prefer if you commented on the masterlist instead of chapters 🤗

[hwashua-luv]

A Chance to Remember

Ilsan basked in a warm golden hue from the late-summer sun. A heady mix of flowers in full bloom and cut grass scented the air, reminding all in a place that would be evocative of days where life was much simpler. On a pleasant and quiet neighborhood road, with oaks whispering in the intermittent breeze, resplendent homes painted in vibrant hues surrounded one with an open front porch. This was where Y/N and Jung Wooyoung had passed many summer days growing up.

Today, however, would be a little different. This marked the last summer day before Y/N left to attend college in another city. That familiar feeling of bittersweetness lingered in the atmosphere as Y/N and Wooyoung sat upon the steps of the porch, where the soft creaks of the old wooden boards had become a comforting rhythm beneath them.

Wooyoung, all tousled hair and easy smile, sprawled on the steps beside Y/N, looking perfectly comfortable, his height crunched down to match Y/N's. Both were dressed quite casually, the warmth of the day calling for just such an event: Y/N in a sundress, Wooyoung in nothing but a simple t-shirt and shorts. They'd just been out together for a leisurely lunch and now had flopped lazily down in the sun to bathe in the dregs of post-meal contentment, reminiscing about shared former glories.

"I can't believe you're really leaving," Wooyoung said, his voice laced with a sadness he tried to veil with a playful grin. "Who's going to keep me out of trouble now?"

Y/N chuckled and shook their head. "You'll manage. Besides, I'm sure you'll have plenty of new friends to take my place."

"I suppose," he said, turning toward her. His eyes, which were always warm brown and sparkling with some kind of mischief, were smudged now with something else—something a bit more earnest. "But it won't be the same."

For a brief moment, all deprecating remarks were dulled down and only bared feelings toward each other lingered in the air. Y/N could not help but let her heart flutter a bit under the intensity of his gaze, and glanced away to focus on the horizon far away, where the sky gave in to fields of green.

"You know," Y/N said, trying to keep her voice light, "I remember the first day we met. You were absolutely certain that you could out-climb me on the jungle gym."

Wooyoung laughed, a bright, real sound. "You were sure that I couldn't. That's what I remember best—how you kept taunting me about it until I finally gave in."

"And you turned out to be the winner," she said, her eyes twinkling with memory. "I was so pissed off, but kind of respected your determination."

"I see," Wooyoung replied as he lay back on his elbows, looking up at the sky. "So you finally admit that it was my superior climbing skills after all."

"Not really," smirked Y/N. "It was your stubbornness and your laugh that did it. I never expected to make a friend that day, but I did."

The silence between them was comfortable, accentuated only by children at play on the next block, the steady hum of lawn mowers in the distance, and the first tentative chirr of crickets."Do you remember once that summer break we tried to build a treehouse?" Wooyoung all of a sudden broke the quietness with, his eyes gleaming with the delight of that memory.

Y/N laughed, nodding. "How could I forget? We spent days up there, and it was barely standing by the time we finished. I think we just wanted an excuse to hang out more."

"Yeah, we really didn't know what we were doing," Wooyoung confessed, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Those were some of our best days. I felt like we could do anything as long as we were together."

Pink and orange tinted the sky now, the sunset falling on everything, making everything look alive. Y/N looked up at Wooyoung, and her heart was now thumping in her chest. His eyes had the reflection of the setting sun, very much making them more beguiling.

"Wooyoung, there is something I've meant to say to you," Y/N spoke softly, her voice low.

He turned to look at her. "What is it?"

Y/N drew in a deep breath, just trying to still the storm of both nerves and anticipation inside her. "I've been thinking about how much you mean to me. More than just a best friend. And now that I'm leaving, I realize that I don't want to leave things unsaid."

Wooyoung's gaze softened, and he reached out, touching Y/N's hand with a gentle hold. "I felt it too. I was just too scared to say anything."

The world paused between them; the only sounds breaking the stillness were the rustling of the leaves in the trees by the evening breeze. Y/N felt her pulse race in her ears as Wooyoung moved nearer, warmth from his hand enveloping hers.

Slowly—almost as if afraid to break the spell—Wooyoung leaned in. Y/N's breath caught in her throat as her eyes fluttered shut, their lips meeting in a tender kiss. It was a gentle, explorative kiss that spoke so much about years of friendship and a budding kind of love. Sweet, the kiss was a promise that could be, and when they pulled apart, they smiled.

"I guess I needed to do that before you left," Wooyoung said softly, his voice now overflowing with emotion.

Y/N nodded in response, and her heart felt bloated from the happiness. "Me too."

They sat there for some time, holding each other close, the sunset casting its final rays across the sky. The impression was that they felt they were the only two people on earth, their past and future fusing into a beautiful dance of possibilities.

They knew that their friendship had developed into something more. Y/N and Wooyoung watched the first twinkling of stars up in the dusky sky, signaling the beginning of a brand new chapter, full of promises and hope, though colored by the mystery of what was to come.But at this moment, they both wanted to stay, tastes of late summer ripe on their tongues, and in the warmth of an incipient new love.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿

Word count: 1016

Author's note: The same one-shot has been posted on Wattpad (hwashua-luv). Requests are also open <3

All rights reserved. © 2024 hwashua-luv

All works written by me do not copy, translate or repost my works without my given consent.

[kairoot]

SEND HAND PICS ? ──── 에이티즈

ׂ ִ 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬．𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗂𝗇，𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗂𝖾𝗏𝖾 𝗁𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗉𝗂𝖼𝗌 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖻𝗈𝗒𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲． — 𝐩. 𝖺𝗍𝗓 𝗑 𝑓．𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋 — 𝐠. 𝑡𝑒𝑥𝑡 𝑎𝑢，𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝，𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑘 — 𝐰. 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖿𝖺𝗇𝗂𝗍𝗒，𝗉𝖾𝗍𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗌，𝗃𝗈𝗄𝖾𝗌．

✉️ ──── 𝗀𝗈𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝖽𝖾𝖺 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗆𝗒 𝖻𝖻 @wonsdoll 💋 𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘴 + 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 !

• • •

[cocobeanncteez]

ATEEZ Reactions Masterlist

Unless specified, I write a mix of idol!ateez and non-idol!ateez for reactions.

You breaking up with him as a prank.

You run away. (Mafia!Ateez)

You dancing with another male idol in front of him on a show.

You want to take a break after an argument. 

You faint.(idol!reader)

Saying something hurtful to you during an argument.(Mafia!Ateez)

You catch him cheating on you.

Your friend tries to flirt with him.

Overhearing and misunderstanding something you said.

Rumors of you dating another idol. (idol!reader)

Disapproving of you smoking. 

You make out with your co-star for a movie/drama.

Your ex wants you back. 

You ask him to buy pads. (Text version)

You get injured.(celeb!reader)

You ignore him as a prank.

Watching an erotic movie with you.

Finding a positive pregnancy test (but it isn’t yours).

You come home late after an argument. (Mafia!Ateez)

You’re his bestfriend and you kiss him/he kisses you. 

“I had a dream about you . . . you were my sleep paralysis demon.” (Text Version)

You call him a “friend.”

You tell him to sleep on the couch after an argument.

He accuses you of cheating on him. (Mafia!Ateez)

Sitting on their lap during a bumpy car ride.

He finds out you’re a spy from his rival gang. (Mafia!Ateez)

You prank him with lyrics. (Text version)

Someone hitting on you. (Mafia!Ateez)

He finds out that he has a child. (Mafia!Ateez, Dad!Ateez)

He gives you an inkigayo sandwich. (Idol!Reader)

You wearing their clothes.

Being on the same show as you. (idol!reader)

You being affectionate/horny when drunk.

You’re his / he’s your wallpaper.

You kiss him out of the blue.

Confessing your / his feelings after an arranged marriage. (Mafia!Ateez, arranged marriage au)

His child interrupts him during a meeting / work. (Mafia!Ateez, Dad!Ateez)

You’re his love interest for a movie/drama.

Leading him/you on as a prank.

[arilevenatz]

Heart At Sea

Pairing: Pirate!Wooyoung x reader

Genre/trope: Fluff, pirate au

Word count: 14.4k

Warnings: Self-harm, scars, whipping, Imk if I missed any!

AN: Finally woo gets his fic! I'm so excited to finish all 8 fanfictions of the members! I've had so much fun writing this. Also yes I did cry while writing this thank u very much. I just love wooyoung being so sweet and he's extra sweet to mc. I think everybody deserves a wooyoung in their life

Masterlist

On the island of Seagrove, YN was known as the pharmacist's daughter. Her days were spent behind the counter of her father’s small shop, nestled near the docks. With her sleeves rolled up and her hair tied back, she sorted herbs, prepared remedies, and greeted customers with a quiet confidence.

Her father often ventured into the wild parts of the island, gathering rare plants and ingredients, leaving YN to tend the store. Though young, she had learned much from him—how to grind herbs into powders, mix tinctures, and recognize the faintest symptoms of illness. To the townsfolk, she wasn’t just a girl helping her father; she was a steady hand they could rely on.

The shop itself was simple but full of life. Shelves lined with glass jars and wooden boxes gave the space a calming scent of lavender and eucalyptus. The faint hum of the bustling harbor outside mixed with the occasional jingle of the shop’s bell, marking each new customer’s arrival.

A few townsfolk trickled into the small shop as the morning sun cast golden light through the windows. YN greeted each one with a warm smile that seemed to brighten the entire room.

“Good morning, Mr. Harris!” she chimed as an elderly fisherman stepped inside, clutching his back. “Here for the ointment again?”

“Aye, lass. This old spine of mine doesn’t let me forget it,” he grumbled, though his face softened at her cheerful demeanor.

YN bustled behind the counter, quickly grabbing a small jar of salve. “This should help, just like before! And don’t forget to warm it a little before applying—it works better that way,” she reminded him with a wink.

As he handed over a few coins, another customer entered—a young mother with a baby on her hip. “YN, do you have more of that chamomile tea? It’s the only thing helping my little one sleep these days.”

“Of course, I do!” YN said, her voice filled with enthusiasm. She fetched the tea leaves from a neatly labeled jar and handed them over. “Make sure to steep it for just a few minutes—too strong, and it might be a bit bitter.”

The mother smiled gratefully, the weight of her exhaustion easing just a bit under YN’s sunshine-like warmth.

One by one, people came and went, leaving the shop not just with their medicines but with lighter hearts. YN’s genuine kindness and optimism were infectious, and her presence made the small shop a place of comfort for everyone who stepped through its doors.

Every day, YN spent her hours in the shop, tending to customers with her signature warmth and energy. From sunrise until late afternoon, she ground herbs, mixed tinctures, and offered advice to anyone who came through the door. Her genuine care for others made her beloved in the town of Seagrove.

The shop’s bell jingled throughout the day, announcing each visitor. Sometimes it was a sailor seeking relief for a sore shoulder, or a mother in need of remedies for her child’s fever. YN treated them all with the same unwavering kindness, her cheerful voice and bright smile a constant in their lives.

When the day quieted, YN carefully closed the shop, counting the coins she had earned and tucking them into a small leather pouch. Slinging her basket over her arm, she walked the familiar cobblestone streets back to her home, greeting everyone along the way.

“YN! Thank you for the tea yesterday—it worked wonders!” called a baker as she passed by.

“Anytime! Let me know if you need more,” YN replied, waving with a grin.

The townsfolk adored her. To them, YN wasn’t just the pharmacist’s daughter—she was the heart of their little island, always ready to brighten someone’s day. As she reached her modest home, the warm glow of lantern light spilling from the windows, YN felt content. She had done her part for her community, as she did every day.

Aboard the Halazia, the sea stretched endlessly around the sleek black ship as it cut through the waves like a predator on the hunt. The crew was busy at work, each man fulfilling his role with precision honed through years of sailing under Captain Hongjoong’s command.

On the quarterdeck, Hongjoong stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his sharp eyes fixed on the horizon. His captain's coat billowed in the salty breeze, and a faint smirk played on his lips. “How much longer, Navigator?” he called without turning his head.

“Two hours at most, Captain,” Yunho replied from the helm, his hands steady on the wheel. His calm demeanor matched his confidence in guiding the Halazia through the labyrinth of islands and open waters.

Below deck, Yeosang organized his medical supplies in the dimly lit infirmary. The ship’s rocking didn’t bother him as he meticulously sharpened his tools and checked the cleanliness of bandages. He always prepared for the worst—life aboard a pirate ship demanded it.

Meanwhile, San was in the armory, inspecting the blades and sharpening the cutlasses. His focus was intense, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous energy. As the battle master, he made sure that every weapon on board was in top condition.

On the main deck, Mingi oversaw the crew, his booming voice carrying over the sound of the waves. “Secure those ropes properly! I don’t want to see slack before the next storm!” His role as boatswain made him responsible for the ship’s upkeep, and he took it seriously.

Wooyoung emerged from the galley with a knife in one hand and a basket of freshly cut fruit in the other. “Anyone hungry? I’m not making this twice!” he called out, his mischievous grin suggesting he’d already eaten more than his share.

Down by the cannons, Jongho stood inspecting the weapons that were his pride and responsibility. He ran his hands over the barrels, checking for cracks or defects, and tested the ammunition. Each cannon was polished and ready to fire at a moment’s notice.

Above them all, Seonghwa moved seamlessly between tasks, keeping the crew in line and ensuring the captain’s orders were carried out. As quartermaster and first mate, he was Hongjoong’s right hand and the ship’s enforcer. His sharp gaze missed nothing.

The Halazia wasn’t just a ship; it was a well-oiled machine, and its crew was a family forged by countless battles and storms. Today, however, their mission had a specific target—the peaceful island of Seagrove.

The island of Seagrove had always been a neutral land, a safe harbor for travelers, traders, and even the occasional pirate crew. Its position in the Azure Archipelago made it an essential stop for ships to restock supplies and repair damages, but the island’s policy of neutrality demanded careful diplomacy.

When the Halazia docked at Seagrove, the townsfolk took notice immediately. The sight of its dark sails and ominous figurehead was enough to send a ripple of unease through the streets. While it wasn’t unusual for the infamous crew to stop by, the knowledge of their ruthless reputation made the air feel heavy.

“Looks like the Halazia is back,” muttered an old fisherman, his eyes narrowing as he watched the crew disembark.

“Better keep your heads down,” his companion whispered. “They may not cause trouble, but it doesn’t mean they won’t if given a reason.”

The townspeople moved cautiously, their smiles forced and voices hushed. They weren’t hostile, but they walked on eggshells around the crew, offering a nervous politeness that thinly veiled their fear.

The crew of the Halazia, however, carried themselves with practiced nonchalance. They strode through the cobblestone streets as though they owned them, their weapons gleaming in the sunlight and their gazes sharp.

“Do you think they’re just here to restock?” a shopkeeper murmured.

“They always are,” another replied. “But you never know with pirates. Best to stay out of their way.”

Even as the Halazia crew wandered the town, visiting taverns or inspecting the market stalls, the people of Seagrove remained wary. Neutral land or not, the presence of the crew was enough to keep everyone on edge.

The Halazia crew spread across Seagrove, blending into the island’s usual bustle, though their presence kept the townsfolk on alert. Conversations among the crew were as varied as their personalities, with each man displaying his unique quirks.

In the marketplace, Wooyoung strolled between the stalls, his sharp eyes scanning the goods. He held up a peculiar-looking fruit, turning it in his hands.

“Think this is edible?” he asked, tossing it to Mingi, who had wandered over.

Mingi caught it effortlessly, giving the fruit a skeptical glance. “Edible, sure. But are you willing to test it first?”

Wooyoung grinned. “I’ll pass. Maybe I’ll give it to Yunho—he’s got the stomach for weird stuff.”

Nearby, Yunho overheard and called out, “Don’t think I didn’t hear that, Wooyoung! You’re not slipping anything strange into my food again!”

Wooyoung shrugged innocently. “Last time it was harmless! How was I supposed to know it’d turn your tongue blue?”

Down at the docks, Jongho was inspecting a stack of cannonballs that had just been unloaded from the ship. San leaned against a post nearby, watching him with a smirk.

“You check those like they’re treasure,” San teased.

“They might as well be,” Jongho replied, not looking up. “A bad cannonball could cost us a fight. I’m not taking chances.”

San crossed his arms. “You’re too serious. Maybe you should come spar with me later. Get rid of some of that tension.”

Jongho raised an eyebrow, finally meeting San’s gaze. “Spar? With you? You just want an excuse to show off.”

San grinned wider. “Maybe. But if you’re scared, just say so.”

“Sure.” Jongho rolled his eyes but didn’t rise to the bait.

In a quiet corner of the town square, Seonghwa and Hongjoong stood under the shade of an awning, observing the crew as they mingled with the townsfolk.

“They’re behaving themselves,” Seonghwa said, his tone neutral.

Hongjoong smirked. “As they should. We don’t need unnecessary trouble here.”

Seonghwa glanced sideways at his captain. “You say that now, but when have we ever left Seagrove without some kind of incident?”

Hongjoong chuckled. “Fair point. Let’s hope this time is different.”

In the shaded alleyway near the market, Yeosang stood at a herbalist’s stall, quietly inspecting bundles of dried plants. His sharp eye quickly sorted the useful from the unnecessary.

“These are poorly dried,” he remarked, holding up a brittle bundle of valerian root.

The herbalist, a wiry older man, looked startled. “I—I’m sorry, sir, but that’s all I’ve got right now.”

Yeosang sighed softly, placing the bundle back. “I need quality. If it crumbles before it’s used, it’s worthless.”

From behind him, Yunho approached with an easy grin. “Always so picky, Yeosang. It’s like you expect perfect conditions out here in the middle of nowhere.”

Yeosang didn’t glance back, his hands moving to inspect another jar. “A surgeon doesn’t get second chances, Yunho. The better my supplies, the better I can keep the rest of you alive.”

Yunho leaned against the stall, arms crossed. “Fair point. Still, you could try to lighten up a bit. It’s not all life and death.”

Yeosang turned to him, an unreadable expression on his face. “For you, maybe.”

Meanwhile, Wooyoung spotted Yeosang as he walked away from the stall. “Hey, doc!” he called out, jogging to catch up.

“What is it, Wooyoung?” Yeosang asked, his tone even.

Wooyoung waved a bright yellow fruit in front of him. “You think this could kill someone if I cook it wrong? Or should I give it to the captain and find out?”

Yeosang raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “It’s a mango, Wooyoung. Unless you’re planning to drop it on his head, I doubt it’ll harm anyone.”

Wooyoung grinned. “Good to know! Maybe I’ll add it to dinner tonight. Think the captain likes tropical flavors?”

“I think the captain has more pressing concerns than your culinary experiments,” Yeosang replied, though a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he walked away.

In the distance, Hongjoong watched the exchanges with quiet amusement. Seonghwa, standing beside him, noticed his expression.

“Just as I thought they were behaving. They’re restless,” Seonghwa remarked.

Hongjoong nodded. “Let them stretch their legs. We’ll need them sharp soon enough.”

Seonghwa tilted his head. “And where does that leave us?”

Hongjoong’s gaze drifted toward the apothecary shop again. “For now? Let them play. But keep an eye on Yeosang. He always finds trouble where no one else is looking.”

Seonghwa chuckled. “That’s because he’s too clever for his own good.”

Hongjoong stood at the edge of the marketplace, his sharp gaze fixed on a small shop nestled between two larger buildings. The apothecary. It wasn’t his first visit, though his trips there were rare and purposeful. The shopkeeper had proven useful in the past, supplying him with everything he needed, no questions asked.

He turned to Wooyoung, who was busy juggling a few apples he’d “borrowed” from a stall.

“Wooyoung,” Hongjoong called, his voice firm.

Wooyoung caught the apples mid-air and grinned. “Yes, Captain? Need me to charm someone, or are we raiding the tavern early?”

Hongjoong smirked. “Neither. You’re coming with me to the apothecary. I need someone to carry what I buy.”

Wooyoung pouted dramatically, tossing one of the apples back into a basket. “What, I’m just your pack mule now?”

“Call it an extension of your scavenger duties,” Hongjoong replied, already heading toward the shop.

Wooyoung sighed, but his grin quickly returned as he jogged to catch up. “Fine, fine. But if they’ve got anything interesting, I’m keeping it.”

The bell above the door jingled as they stepped into the apothecary. The air inside was heavy with the earthy scent of dried herbs and freshly ground powders. Shelves lined every wall, filled with jars, bottles, and bundles of various remedies and ingredients.

YN stood behind the counter, her hands busy organizing a set of vials. She looked up at the sound of the bell and froze for a moment. It wasn’t every day the captain of the Halazia walked into her shop.

Hongjoong’s sharp eyes scanned the room before landing on her. He stepped forward, his coat swaying slightly. “You’re the pharmacist’s daughter,” he said, more a statement than a question.

YN straightened, her sunshine-like demeanor returning despite the intimidating presence before her. “That’s right. My father’s away, but I can help you. What do you need?”

Wooyoung leaned against the counter with a grin, glancing around the shop. “This place smells great. Got anything fun for a bored pirate like me?”

YN raised an eyebrow, but before she could reply, Hongjoong spoke. “Focus, Wooyoung.” He turned back to YN. “I need these.” He handed over a neatly folded piece of parchment with a list of items.

YN took it, her eyes scanning the list. Some of the ingredients were rare, but she recognized most of them. “I should have everything you need. Give me a moment.”

As YN moved around the shop, gathering items, Wooyoung leaned closer to Hongjoong and whispered, “She’s surprisingly cheerful for someone dealing with us.”

Hongjoong smirked but said nothing, his eyes following YN as she worked efficiently, placing jars and packets on the counter.

When she returned, she began explaining each item. “This powder needs to stay dry, and the tincture should be kept cool. And this—” she paused, holding up a small vial, “—is very potent. Use it sparingly.”

Hongjoong nodded, impressed by her knowledge. “You know your trade well.”

YN smiled warmly. “It’s my job.”

Once everything was packed, Wooyoung grabbed the bundle, pretending to stagger under its weight. “Oh no, Captain, it’s so heavy! What if I collapse under the strain?”

YN stifled a laugh, while Hongjoong rolled his eyes. “Stop complaining, or I’ll make you carry more.”

As they turned to leave, Hongjoong paused at the door, glancing back at YN. “Tell your father our deal still stands. I’ll be back when I need more.”

Just as Hongjoong and Wooyoung stepped toward the door, YN's curiosity got the better of her. She cleared her throat and asked, “What deal?”

Hongjoong stopped mid-step but didn’t turn around immediately. Wooyoung, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow and shot YN an amused look. “Curious, aren’t we?” he teased, leaning against the counter again.

Hongjoong slowly turned to face her, his expression unreadable but his eyes sharp. “Your father and I have... an understanding. He provides certain items I need, no questions asked. In return, I ensure that no harm ever comes to this shop or your family. A fair trade, wouldn’t you say?”

YN blinked, trying to process his words. “So, you’re protecting us? That’s what this is about?”

Hongjoong’s lips curved into a faint smirk. “You could say that. But don’t mistake it for charity. It’s business.”

Wooyoung chimed in, his tone light but with an edge of truth. “Think of it as an investment. The captain doesn’t waste time on things—or people—that aren’t worth it.”

YN frowned slightly, crossing her arms. “We don’t need protection. Seagrove is neutral ground.”

Hongjoong stepped closer, his voice dropping just enough to be serious but not threatening. “Neutrality doesn’t stop trouble from finding its way here. Pirates, mercenaries, kingdoms—they don’t care about rules when desperation strikes. Your father knows this. That’s why he agreed to our deal.”

YN held his gaze, feeling a mix of defiance and unease. She wanted to argue but couldn’t deny the truth in his words. “Fine,” she said, her voice steady. “But if this is about protection, it works both ways. You might find yourselves needing supplies when no one else will sell to you.”

Hongjoong’s smirk deepened, his eyes glinting with approval. “Smart girl. Your father taught you well.”

With that, he turned and pushed the door open. Wooyoung gave YN one last playful wink as he followed the captain. “See you around, sunshine,” he said before the door closed behind them, leaving YN standing there with a mixture of curiosity and newfound wariness.

She looked down at the counter where the parchment list lay. Her fingers brushed against it as her mind raced with questions. Whatever deal her father had struck with the Halazia crew, it was clear this wasn’t just a simple exchange of goods.

After the encounter at the apothecary, Wooyoung couldn’t help but find his thoughts drifting back to YN. There was something about her—a bright, carefree energy that contrasted so sharply with the rough, unpredictable life aboard the Halazia. Her genuine warmth had lingered in his mind longer than he expected, and before he realized it, he found himself making excuses to return to the shop.

A few days later, the bell above the apothecary’s door jingled again. YN looked up from where she was sorting herbs, her face lighting up when she saw Wooyoung standing there, leaning casually against the doorframe with his usual mischievous grin.

“You again,” she said, her tone teasing but friendly. “Didn’t you stock up enough last time?”

Wooyoung shrugged, stepping further inside. “Captain wanted to make sure we didn’t miss anything important. And, well...” He paused, picking up a small jar of dried lavender from a shelf and inspecting it idly. “I thought I’d keep you company. Can’t have you getting bored all alone in here.”

YN laughed, a bright, cheerful sound that filled the small shop. “Bored? Hardly. This place is always busy. Besides, I’m pretty sure pirates don’t come back just to check on someone.”

Wooyoung placed the jar back and leaned on the counter, his grin never fading. “Maybe not, but I’m not like most pirates.”

YN raised an eyebrow, her hands moving automatically as she arranged some vials. “Oh? So what makes you different, Mister Pirate?”

He smirked, resting his chin on his hand. “Well, for one, I appreciate good company. And two...” He trailed off, letting her fill in the rest.

Despite her initial resolve not to get too involved with the Halazia crew, YN found herself smiling. His playful energy was contagious, and she couldn’t help but be drawn into the banter. “You’re smooth, I’ll give you that,” she said, shaking her head.

Wooyoung chuckled. “Smooth enough to get a discount?”

She laughed again. “Not a chance.”

Over the next few weeks, Wooyoung started appearing more frequently. Sometimes he claimed he was running errands for the crew; other times, he didn’t even bother with an excuse. Each visit felt a little more natural, as though he was slipping into the rhythm of her world.

At first, YN kept her guard up. She reminded herself that he was a pirate, part of a crew that carried a reputation for chaos. But Wooyoung’s charm was disarming, and her naturally talkative, sunshine-like personality quickly overshadowed any hesitation.

He’d sit on a stool by the counter, chatting with her about everything and nothing. She’d tell him about the townsfolk, the busy days at the apothecary, and the little joys of living on Seagrove. In return, he’d share stories from the sea—some clearly exaggerated, others tinged with surprising honesty.

One day, as YN handed him a small satchel of herbs, she said with a grin, “You know, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you’re just here for the company.”

Wooyoung took the satchel, his smile softening. “Maybe I am. Got a problem with that?”

She shook her head, laughing. “Not really. Just don’t scare off my other customers, okay?”

Despite herself, YN found that Wooyoung’s presence didn’t feel like an intrusion. In fact, it felt oddly... comforting. And though Wooyoung never said it outright, he started looking forward to the quiet moments in the apothecary, away from the noise and chaos of life aboard the Halazia.

For now, neither of them thought too hard about what this strange, unexpected connection might mean. They simply enjoyed the moments they had, both of them quietly grateful for the fleeting peace they found in each other’s company.

Over time, Wooyoung became a regular sight in the apothecary. He would stroll in with his usual grin, plop himself onto the old wooden stool by the counter, and watch YN work.

At first, he was content just to chat, but as the days passed, he started offering to help.

“Here, let me do that,” he said one afternoon, stepping behind the counter and shooing YN away as she struggled with a particularly heavy crate of supplies.

She raised an eyebrow at him but stepped aside. “Are you sure you’re not just looking for an excuse to stick around?”

Wooyoung shot her a wink as he effortlessly lifted the crate onto a shelf. “What can I say? I’m a man of many talents.”

Soon enough, he became more than just a fixture in the shop. He started assisting her with customers, surprising her with how quickly he learned.

An older woman entered one day, asking for a salve for joint pain. Wooyoung, leaning casually on the counter, chimed in before YN could answet.

“Second shelf on the left,” he said, pointing. “Green jar with the brown lid. That’s the one you want.”

The woman looked at him, then at YN, who nodded in confirmation. “He’s right.”

The woman smiled and handed over her coins, muttering something about how “helpful young men” were hard to find.

After she left, YN crossed her arms and gave Wooyoung an appraising look. “You’re actually pretty good at this.”

He smirked. “Told you. Many talents.”

Not all of his interactions in the shop were so lighthearted, though. Occasionally, a customer would walk in with an attitude—someone trying to haggle too aggressively or speaking to YN with unnecessary harshness.

One such day, a burly man stormed in, slamming a few coins on the counter. “This isn’t enough,” he growled, pointing at a small pouch of medicine YN had just handed him. “You’re overcharging.”

YN opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, Wooyoung stood up from his stool and stepped forward, his usual playful demeanor replaced by something far more dangerous.

“She gave you the price,” Wooyoung said, his voice low and sharp. “Take it, or leave.”

The man turned to Wooyoung, clearly unimpressed. “And who do you think you are?”

Wooyoung’s grin returned, but this time it was anything but friendly. He leaned forward, his voice dropping even lower. “I’m someone you don’t want to mess with. Now, are you going to take the medicine and go, or should we make this... interesting?”

The man hesitated, clearly weighing his options. After a tense moment, he snatched the pouch from the counter and stormed out, muttering under his breath.

YN let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “You didn’t have to do that,” she said softly.

Wooyoung shrugged, sitting back on the stool and spinning it lazily. “Nobody talks to you like that while I’m here. That’s a rule.”

YN smiled despite herself. “I don’t know whether to thank you or scold you for almost starting a fight in my shop.”

Wooyoung grinned. “Thank me, obviously.”

And she did, though she didn’t say it out loud.

With each passing day, Wooyoung’s presence in the shop felt more natural, like he belonged there. The townsfolk began to notice, too, casting curious glances when they saw the pirate helping YN arrange shelves or handing a bag of herbs to a customer. Some whispered about it, others just smiled knowingly.

And though YN had told herself not to get too involved with the crew of Halazia, she couldn’t deny that having Wooyoung around made her days a little brighter—and a lot more entertaining.

It was an ordinary evening aboard the Halazia when Seonghwa walked into the captain’s quarters, a folded letter in his hand. His expression was calm, but there was an edge of seriousness that made Hongjoong look up from the maps spread across his desk.

“What is it?” Hongjoong asked, leaning back in his chair.

Seonghwa handed him the letter without a word. As Hongjoong unfolded it, his sharp eyes scanned the neatly written words. It was from the pharmacist on Seagrove, a message laced with urgency.

“They’re coming back,” Hongjoong muttered, reading aloud. “The same goons who wanted his land before. He says they’re planning to create trouble, maybe worse. He’s asking us to protect his daughter while he’s away.”

Seonghwa crossed his arms, nodding. “It seems they’re waiting for the perfect moment, knowing the island has no real enforcement.”

Hongjoong leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers against the table. His mind worked quickly, weighing the situation. The pharmacist had been a valuable ally, and they owed him for the resources he’d provided in the past. Letting this go unanswered would be a stain on their reputation—and, truthfully, Hongjoong didn’t enjoy leaving favors unpaid.

He looked up at Seonghwa. “We can’t ignore this. We’ll need to send someone to keep an eye on her.”

Before Seonghwa could respond, the door swung open, and Wooyoung strolled in, as casual as ever. “Someone say watch over her?” he asked, leaning against the doorframe with a knowing grin.

Hongjoong arched an eyebrow at him. “Eavesdropping now, are we?”

“Not eavesdropping. Just walking by,” Wooyoung said innocently, though his smirk betrayed him. “So, what’s the plan? I’m assuming it involves our little sunshine at the apothecary.”

Seonghwa sighed. “It’s serious, Wooyoung. The pharmacist says trouble’s coming her way, and she’ll need protection while he’s gone. This isn’t just a casual errand.”

Wooyoung’s grin faltered slightly, his playful demeanor softening. “I know that. And that’s why I’m volunteering.”

Hongjoong studied him for a moment, noticing the uncharacteristic determination in his eyes. “You’re volunteering? That’s a first.”

Wooyoung shrugged, though there was no hiding the slight tension in his posture. “She’s a good person, Captain. She doesn’t deserve to deal with scum like that. Besides, I’ve been spending the most time with her. Makes sense for me to step in.”

Hongjoong exchanged a glance with Seonghwa, who gave a small nod. Finally, the captain leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Fine. You’ll handle it. But keep a low profile—no unnecessary fights unless it’s unavoidable. And if you need backup, you call for us immediately.���

Wooyoung grinned, his confidence returning in full force. “You got it, Captain. Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

Later that evening, Wooyoung gathered a few essentials before heading toward the apothecary. As he walked through the dimly lit streets of Seagrove, his mind raced with thoughts of YN.

He didn’t know why, but the idea of something happening to her lit a fire in him that he couldn’t ignore. Maybe it was her kindness, her unshakable warmth, or the way she always smiled, even when dealing with stubborn customers. Whatever it was, he wasn’t about to let anyone take that away from her.

When he reached the shop, the bell jingled softly as he stepped inside. YN looked up from the counter, surprised to see him.

“Wooyoung? You’re back already?” she asked, a smile tugging at her lips.

He nodded, his usual playful grin softening into something more genuine. “Yeah. Looks like I’ll be sticking around for a while.”

Her brows furrowed slightly. “Why? What’s going on?”

Wooyoung hesitated for a moment before leaning against the counter, his voice gentle. “Your dad sent us a letter. Said some people might cause trouble while he’s gone. So... I’m here to make sure they don’t.”

The morning sun bathed Seagrove in a warm glow as YN stepped out of the apothecary with a basket in hand, ready to run her errands. She hummed softly to herself as she walked down the cobblestone streets, her mind focused on the list of things she needed.

But she wasn’t alone.

Though his footsteps were silent and his movements careful, YN could feel the weight of a gaze following her. She smirked to herself, pretending not to notice as she turned a corner, heading toward a quieter part of town.

When the street became deserted, she abruptly stopped and turned around, catching Wooyoung mid-step. He froze like a child caught sneaking sweets, his wide eyes meeting hers.

“So,” YN began, tilting her head and walking backward to keep her eyes on him. “You’re basically a bodyguard now?”

Wooyoung let out a small sigh, shaking his head as he caught up to her. “Careful, you’ll trip if you keep walking like that,” he said, his tone light but protective.

“I’m serious,” she pressed, ignoring his warning. “Isn’t this what bodyguards do? Follow people around, stay hidden, and swoop in dramatically when there’s trouble?”

Wooyoung chuckled, crossing his arms as he walked beside her. “Something like that. But I wouldn’t call myself a bodyguard. More like a... pirate with a purpose.”

YN laughed at that, the sound echoing through the quiet street. “A pirate with a purpose? That sounds so noble for someone like you.”

“Hey,” he said, feigning offense. “I’m plenty noble when I need to be. Like right now. I’m literally protecting you.”

“From what?” she asked, her voice full of innocent curiosity. “There’s no one around.”

Wooyoung glanced around, his eyes scanning the surroundings instinctively. “You’d be surprised. Trouble doesn’t announce itself, you know. One second everything’s fine, and the next... well, it’s not.”

YN stopped walking backward and faced him fully, her brow furrowed. “You really think something’s going to happen?”

Wooyoung’s expression softened, and he shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. But your dad was worried enough to ask for help, and I’m not taking any chances.”

She blinked, surprised by the sincerity in his tone. For all his jokes and playful attitude, there was something reassuring about knowing he took her safety seriously.

“So... what do I call you now? Protector Wooyoung? Sir Wooyoung?” she teased, a playful glint in her eyes.

He rolled his eyes, though a smile tugged at his lips. “Just Wooyoung is fine, sunshine. Now, can we please focus on where you’re walking? If you trip, I’m not carrying you back.”

YN laughed again and turned to continue her errands, her steps lighter than before. Despite the strangeness of being followed, she couldn’t help but feel a small sense of comfort knowing that, no matter what, Wooyoung was there.

A few days passed without incident, though the air felt charged, as if something unseen was brewing. YN went about her routine with Wooyoung never far behind, always lurking in the background or perched casually on her shop’s stool, keeping watch.

But then, late one night aboard the Halazia, a lowly pirate messenger arrived with urgent news.

Hongjoong sat in his quarters with Seonghwa when the messenger was brought in. The scruffy man, clearly uneasy in the presence of the infamous captain, fumbled with his words but got the message across clearly:

“The goons you’ve been watchin’ out for... they’re plannin’ to hit the apothecary. Heard it straight from one of their lot.”

Hongjoong’s face darkened as he leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. “When?”

“Soon,” the messenger replied. “Could be tonight, could be tomorrow. They’re waitin’ for the right moment.”

Hongjoong dismissed the man and turned to Seonghwa, who stood silently by his side. “We can’t risk it,” the captain said. “The girl’s too vulnerable in the shop. Wooyoung needs to bring her here—now.”

Seonghwa nodded. “I’ll send the word.”

At the apothecary, YN was cleaning up for the night when Wooyoung walked in, his expression unusually serious.

She glanced up at him and immediately noticed the shift in his demeanor. “What’s wrong?” she asked, setting down the jar she was holding.

“We need to leave,” Wooyoung said, his voice firm but calm.

Her brow furrowed. “Leave? Why? What’s going on?”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “The goons your dad was worried about... they’re planning to attack the shop. Captain’s orders are to get you to the ship where you’ll be safe.”

YN’s eyes widened. “The ship? Halazia? You can’t be serious.”

“I’m dead serious,” Wooyoung said, stepping closer. “It’s not safe here, YN. I can protect you better if you’re with us.”

She hesitated, looking around the shop she’d grown up in. “But... what about the store? What about my father’s work?”

Wooyoung softened, placing a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll make sure nothing happens to it. But right now, you’re what matters. We can’t replace you, sunshine.”

Her heart skipped at the unexpected tenderness in his words, but the gravity of the situation quickly pulled her back. She nodded, her resolve hardening.

“Alright,” she said, her voice steady despite the fear creeping in. “Let me grab a few things.”

Wooyoung watched as YN quickly packed a small bag with essentials—some clothes, a few jars of medicine, and a small book she seemed hesitant to leave behind.

As they stepped out into the cool night, Wooyoung’s eyes scanned their surroundings, his hand resting on the hilt of his dagger. The streets were quiet, but he knew better than to trust the stillness.

“Stay close,” he whispered, his voice low but firm.

YN nodded, clutching her bag tightly as they made their way through the town toward the docks.

The journey felt longer than it should have, every shadow and faint sound putting them both on edge. But eventually, the silhouette of the Halazia came into view, its sails swaying gently in the night breeze.

As they approached the gangplank, Wooyoung turned to YN, his usual grin making a rare appearance despite the tension. “Welcome to the Halazia, sunshine. You’re about to meet the best—and most chaotic—crew in the seven seas.”

As soon as YN stepped onto the deck of the Halazia, she froze, her wide eyes taking in the sheer majesty of the pirate ship. The towering masts, the intricate ropes, and the faint smell of saltwater mixed with wood—it all felt surreal, like she’d stumbled into one of her dreams.

Her fear of ships and the open sea had always held her back from venturing onto one, but now, standing here, it felt like that fear had melted away, replaced by pure wonder.

“This is... amazing,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the gentle creaking of the ship.

Wooyoung, who had been following her with her bag slung over his shoulder, smirked as he watched her light up like a child discovering a new world. “You act like you’ve never seen a ship before,” he teased, though his tone was soft.

“I haven’t,” YN admitted, turning to him with an excited grin. “Not like this! I mean, I’ve seen them from the shore, but actually being on one? It’s completely different!”

She wandered across the deck, her fingers brushing against the railings and ropes, her eyes darting to every detail—the cannons lined up neatly, the sturdy wheel, and the faint reflection of the moonlight on the water below.

“This is incredible,” she said again, more to herself than to Wooyoung. “I never thought I’d actually step foot on a ship.”

Wooyoung chuckled as he trailed behind her, carrying her things without complaint. “Well, you’re lucky this isn’t just any ship. You’re standing on the Halazia, the finest vessel on the seas.”

YN turned to him, her eyes sparkling. “The finest, huh? You don’t seem very humble about it.”

“Why should I be?” he said with a grin, leaning casually against a mast. “The Halazia deserves to be shown off. Just like me.”

YN rolled her eyes but couldn’t help laughing. She turned her attention back to the ship, climbing a few steps to the raised quarterdeck and looking out over the bow. The gentle rocking of the ship made her heart race, but it wasn’t fear—it was exhilaration.

“You look like a kid in a candy shop,” Wooyoung said, his voice carrying a mix of amusement and fondness as he watched her.

She spun around, leaning against the railing with a bright smile. “I feel like one. This is so much better than I imagined.”

Wooyoung’s smirk softened into something more genuine as he watched her. He wasn’t sure what it was about her—maybe the way her excitement was so contagious, or the way her wide eyes seemed to find magic in everything—but seeing her like this made him forget, even for a moment, the dangers that had brought her here.

“Alright, sunshine,” he said, breaking the moment. “As much as I’d love to let you explore all night, you’ll need some rest. The captain will want to speak with you in the morning.”

YN nodded, reluctantly tearing herself away from the view. “Okay, fine. But I’m not done exploring. You’ll have to show me everything tomorrow.”

Wooyoung laughed. “Deal. But for now, let me show you where you’ll be sleeping. Come on.”

He led her below deck, still carrying her things as she followed him with the same wide-eyed wonder. And though the weight of what lay ahead lingered in the back of his mind, Wooyoung found himself smiling, content in the moment.

When Wooyoung led YN to a small cabin below deck, she stepped inside and immediately felt the silence pressing in around her. The cozy space was nothing like her home, with its small wooden bed, a lantern casting soft light, and the faint creaking of the ship filling the air.

“Here you go,” Wooyoung said, setting her bag down by the bed. “It’s not much, but it’s cozy enough. You’ll be safe here.”

YN nodded, clutching her arms tightly. “Yeah… it’s nice.” But her voice wavered slightly, betraying her unease.

Wooyoung raised an eyebrow, noticing the way her eyes darted around the room and how she hesitated to step further in. “Something wrong?” he asked, leaning casually against the doorframe.

She shook her head quickly, forcing a smile. “No, no, it’s fine. I’m just… not used to being alone, that’s all.”

His smirk faded as he studied her. “You’re scared, aren’t you?”

Her shoulders slumped, and she let out a small sigh. “A little. Back home, I always stayed with my aunt when my dad wasn’t around. I’ve never really been by myself at night. It’s… it’s just something I’m not used to.”

Wooyoung frowned, leaning in the doorway with his arms crossed. He could see the fear in her eyes, the way she fidgeted nervously. It wasn’t something he was used to—seeing someone so openly vulnerable. Most people tried to hide their fears around pirates, but YN was an open book.

“You know,” he started, his voice softening, “I could always stick around for a bit. Keep you company until you fall asleep. That way, you’re not completely alone.”

YN’s eyes widened. “You’d do that?”

“Of course,” he said with a shrug, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “I’m your bodyguard, remember? Can’t let anything happen to you, even if it’s just a bad dream.”

A small smile tugged at her lips, and she nodded. “Okay. Just until I fall asleep.”

Wooyoung pulled a chair over and sat down near the bed, leaning back comfortably as YN hesitantly climbed under the blankets.

For a while, the only sound was the gentle creak of the ship and the distant crash of waves. YN lay on her side, her gaze fixed on Wooyoung, who seemed completely at ease, his legs stretched out and arms crossed behind his head.

“You’re really not going to leave, are you?” she asked quietly.

“Not until you’re out like a light,” he replied with a grin.

She chuckled softly, the sound easing some of the tension in the room. “Thank you, Wooyoung.”

“Anytime, sunshine,” he said, his voice dropping to a soothing tone.

Slowly, her eyes began to droop, the sound of the ship and the comforting presence of Wooyoung lulling her into a sense of safety she hadn’t expected to feel. And true to his word, he stayed right there, watching over her until her breathing evened out and she drifted into sleep.

The next morning, Wooyoung leaned against the doorframe of YN’s cabin, watching her stretch and yawn as she woke up. Her face was lit with the same cheerful glow he’d come to recognize, her fear from the night before seemingly forgotten.

“Morning, sunshine,” he greeted with a teasing grin. “Sleep well?”

YN sat up, her hair slightly messy, and nodded enthusiastically. “Like a baby. I guess ships aren’t so scary after all!”

He smirked, stepping aside to let her step out. “Told you you’d be fine. Now come on, let’s get some food. The others are already up.”

As they walked toward the breakfast hall, YN’s natural curiosity bubbled over. “So… aren’t you ever scared the ship’s going to sink?” she asked, tilting her head.

Wooyoung snorted, looking at her like she’d just said the most ridiculous thing. “Scared? Me? Sunshine, this ship is sturdier than a fortress. She’s not going anywhere.”

“But what if a giant wave crashes over it?” she asked, her eyes wide with imagined catastrophe.

“Then we ride the wave,” he answered smugly.

She hummed thoughtfully before hitting him with another question. “What if a whale bumps into it? Wouldn’t that cause trouble?”

He gave her an incredulous look. “A whale? Do you think whales just swim around bumping into ships for fun?”

She giggled, shrugging. “I don’t know! Maybe they’re curious.”

Wooyoung rolled his eyes, but the fond smile tugging at his lips gave him away. “Alright, sunshine, what’s next? Got any more doomsday scenarios for me?”

“Many. What about sharks? Aren’t you worried they’ll try to bite through the hull?”

Wooyoung stopped walking, staring at her for a moment before bursting into laughter. “Sharks, YN? Biting through the hull? What kind of stories has your dad been telling you?”

She shrugged with a playful pout. “I don’t know! I just thought… maybe it could happen!”

He shook his head, still grinning as they resumed walking. “I promise you, sharks don’t want to eat wood. You’re safe.”

“What about storms?” she asked next, her voice full of innocent curiosity. “Have you ever been caught in one? Like, a huge one that flips the ship upside down?”

Wooyoung gave her an exaggeratedly serious look. “Oh, sure, all the time. And we just flip her back over and keep sailing.”

YN gasped. “Really?!”

He laughed, ruffling her hair as they walked. “No, sunshine, not really. But we’ve weathered storms before. This ship’s been through it all.”

As they reached the breakfast hall, YN slowed down, looking up at him. “One more question,” she said, her tone quieter but still curious.

“Shoot,” he replied.

“Have you ever been scared on this ship?”

For a moment, Wooyoung paused, his grin fading into something softer. “Maybe once or twice,” he admitted. “But not because of the ship. Because of what might happen to the people on it.”

YN blinked, surprised by his honest answer, but before she could ask more, Wooyoung opened the door to the hall with a dramatic flourish.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he announced loudly, “the sunshine of the seas has arrived!”

As YN stepped into the breakfast hall, the chatter of the crew quieted, and all eyes turned toward her. Though most of their expressions were neutral or curious, the sheer presence of eight men in one room felt overwhelming. She froze for a moment, clutching Wooyoung’s shirt from behind like a lifeline.

Wooyoung glanced over his shoulder, noticing how she shrank behind him. He let out a soft laugh but didn’t comment, allowing her to use him as a shield.

“Don’t be shy,” he teased lightly, his tone warm. “They don’t bite. Well… maybe San does, but only if you get on his bad side.”

“Hey!” San called from across the room, earning a chuckle from the others.

Hongjoong, seated at the head of the table, gave her a reassuring smile. “Good morning, YN. Don’t let them intimidate you. They’re loud, but they’re harmless.”

She nodded shyly but didn’t let go of Wooyoung’s shirt. The rest of the crew exchanged glances, some amused, some curious.

“Alright, alright,” Wooyoung said, clapping his hands to break the awkward silence. “Let’s get the introductions out of the way so sunshine here can relax.”

He stepped aside, gently nudging YN forward, though she still kept close to him.

Hongjoong stood first, his presence commanding yet calm. “I’m Hongjoong, the captain of this ship. You’ll be safe here, YN. If there’s anything you need, let me know.”

Next was Seonghwa, who gave her a polite nod. “Seonghwa, the quartermaster and first mate. Welcome aboard.”

Yunho, the navigator, grinned warmly. “I’m Yunho. I make sure we don’t get lost. Nice to meet you, YN!”

Yeosang, the quiet surgeon, gave her a small smile. “Yeosang. If you ever get hurt, come to me.”

San leaned back in his chair, flashing a mischievous grin. “San, the battle master. Don’t worry, I only bite if provoked.”

Mingi, the boatswain, waved enthusiastically. “Mingi! I keep the ship in shape. You’re gonna love it here!”

Wooyoung gave her a playful nudge. “And you already know me, your personal bodyguard and scavenger extraordinaire.”

Finally, Jongho, the master gunner, nodded firmly. “Jongho. I handle the cannons. Welcome to the Halazia.”

The introductions helped ease her nerves, and soon enough, the crew’s warm smiles and lighthearted jokes began to make her feel more comfortable.

“Thank you,” she said softly, glancing around at the group. “It’s nice to meet all of you.”

“Now that we’ve got that out of the way,” Wooyoung said, guiding her to a seat at the table, “let’s eat. Sunshine needs to keep her energy up, after all.”

As the crew returned to their meals, YN slowly started to join the conversation, her natural warmth and curiosity shining through. By the end of breakfast, she wasn’t hiding behind Wooyoung anymore—instead, she was laughing along with the rest of the crew, feeling like she might actually belong.

After breakfast, Wooyoung led YN back out onto the deck. The crew had dispersed to their duties, leaving the ship relatively quiet. He decided it was the perfect time to give her a small tour—not of the whole ship, but just the places he knew she’d actually need.

“Alright, sunshine,” Wooyoung said, walking ahead of her with a slight bounce in his step. “Since you’ll be with us for a while, you should know your way around—at least enough so you don’t get lost.”

YN’s eyes sparkled with excitement, her earlier shyness completely replaced by her usual sunshine-like demeanor. “Okay! Show me everything!”

“Not everything,” he corrected with a chuckle. “Just the essentials. Come on.”

He started with the main deck, pointing out where the crew stored extra supplies and how to tell which ropes were safe to touch—“Don’t go pulling random ones unless you want to drop a sail on your head,” he teased.

YN followed closely, hanging on to every word he said, her excitement growing with every little thing he explained. She’d occasionally gasp or ask a question, her enthusiasm contagious.

“This is where the weapons are stored,” Wooyoung said, gesturing to a small hatch near the mast. “But you probably don’t need to mess with that. Leave the fighting to us.”

“Noted,” YN said with a grin. “No weapons for me. I’ll stick to not breaking anything.”

They moved below deck next, where Wooyoung showed her the mess hall, the kitchen (“Wooyoung’s kingdom,” as he called it), and a few storage rooms.

When they reached the small infirmary, YN gasped. “Oh, it’s so organized!”

“Yeosang keeps it that way,” Wooyoung said with a shrug. “Don’t mess with his stuff, though. He’ll know.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” she said, her eyes wide as she peeked inside.

Finally, Wooyoung led her back up to the quarterdeck, where the ship’s wheel stood. YN looked out over the vast ocean, the sun sparkling on the water like diamonds. Her grin grew even wider, and she spun around to face him, her hands outstretched.

“This is amazing, Wooyoung! I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s like a whole new world!”

Wooyoung leaned against the railing, watching her with a soft smile. Her joy was so genuine, so unfiltered, that it tugged at something deep in his chest. He’d spent years on this ship, but he’d never seen it through someone else’s eyes like this.

“Glad you like it,” he said, his voice quieter than usual.

YN turned back to the ocean, leaning against the railing as the wind played with her hair. “I can’t believe I was scared of this. It’s beautiful.”

Wooyoung found himself staring, his heart doing something strange—something he didn’t quite understand. He’d been around plenty of people, but there was something about YN’s presence that felt… different.

Shaking off the thought, he smirked and nudged her lightly. “Well, sunshine, you’re part of it now. Welcome to the Halazia.”

She looked up at him with a radiant smile. “Thanks, Wooyoung. I think I’m going to like it here.”

He didn’t say anything, but as they stood there, watching the endless expanse of ocean together, he couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, he was starting to like it even more now too.

As they leaned against the railing, watching the endless stretch of blue, YN broke the comfortable silence with a quiet question.

“Are you scared of the ocean?”

Wooyoung glanced at her, slightly taken aback. “Why do you ask?”

She shrugged, her fingers lightly tracing the wood of the railing. “It’s just… it’s so big. And unknown. You don’t really know what’s down there. I’m scared of it. Always have been.”

Wooyoung’s gaze softened as he watched her. For all her bright and cheerful energy, there was a vulnerability in her words that struck him.

“I’m not scared of it,” he said after a moment. “But I get why someone might be.”

YN turned to look at him, her eyes searching his face. “You don’t think about it? How deep it goes? How it could just… swallow you up?”

Wooyoung chuckled softly, leaning his elbows on the railing. “I guess I’ve been around it so long, I don’t think about it that way anymore. The ocean’s unpredictable, sure, but it’s also… home. It’s dangerous, yeah, but it’s beautiful too.”

“Beautiful and dangerous,” she echoed, looking back at the waves. “I guess that makes sense.”

He glanced at her, his tone softening. “But it’s okay to be scared of it, you know. Everyone’s scared of something. The important thing is not letting it stop you from living.”

YN nodded slowly, his words sinking in. “I guess that’s why you’re here, huh? To make sure I don’t let my fear stop me?”

Wooyoung smirked, his usual teasing tone returning. “Exactly. Think of me as your very own fearless tour guide of the seas.”

She laughed, the sound light and free, and for a moment, her fear seemed to fade. “Thanks, Wooyoung. You’re not as scary as you pretend to be.”

“Don’t let the others hear you say that,” he said with a wink. “I have a reputation to maintain.”

YN smiled, her earlier worry replaced by warmth. Maybe the ocean was still scary, but with someone like Wooyoung by her side, it didn’t feel quite so overwhelming.

As the day passed, Wooyoung found himself growing increasingly aware of YN’s presence. Whether it was her soft laughter when she found something amusing, the way she tilted her head with curiosity at every little thing he showed her, or even the quiet moments when she was simply taking in the ship’s vastness—he couldn’t help but feel something stirring within him.

It wasn’t just her cheerfulness that got to him. It was the way she spoke with an honesty that seemed so rare, the way she made everything feel a little brighter, even in the vastness of the open sea.

At one point, YN was sitting on a crate near the mast, her feet swinging lightly as she hummed to herself. Wooyoung had been organizing some ropes nearby, but his hands slowed as he glanced over at her. She was just sitting there, doing nothing in particular, and yet he found himself staring.

What is wrong with me? he thought, shaking his head.

“Wooyoung?” her voice cut through his thoughts, and he turned to see her looking at him with her usual wide-eyed curiosity.

“Yeah?” he asked, quickly snapping out of his daze.

“Why are you staring at me?” she asked bluntly, tilting her head.

He blinked, caught off guard. “I wasn’t staring.”

She gave him a look that clearly said she didn’t believe him. “You totally were. Do I have something on my face?”

“No!” he said quickly, waving his hands. “I was just… lost in thought.”

“About what?”

“Stuff,” he replied vaguely, avoiding her gaze as he returned to the ropes.

She frowned a little but didn’t press him further. Instead, she hopped off the crate and walked over to him, standing by his side. “You’re weird,” she said with a laugh, nudging him lightly.

“Thanks, sunshine,” he muttered, though there was no bite in his tone.

As the day wore on, Wooyoung couldn’t shake the strange feeling. It wasn’t a bad feeling—just… unfamiliar. He found himself smiling more than usual, his mind wandering whenever she was near.

By the time the sun began to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, Wooyoung was leaning against the railing, watching YN as she marveled at the view.

She turned to him, her face lit up with excitement. “Is it always this beautiful?”

He nodded slowly, though his eyes weren’t on the horizon—they were on her. “Yeah,” he said softly, his voice barely audible. “It is.”

And for the first time in a long while, Wooyoung found himself wondering if the ocean was truly the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

A few weeks had passed since YN stepped onto the Halazia, and in that time, the ship had somehow begun to feel like home to her. She leapt around the deck with her usual cheerful energy, helping wherever she could, whether it was Wooyoung in the kitchen, Yeosang in the infirmary, or even Seonghwa and Hongjoong with their work.

“Hold this for me, YN,” Seonghwa said one afternoon as he handed her a map while he adjusted the compass in his hand.

“Like this?” she asked, holding it up as if she were presenting a prized treasure.

Seonghwa chuckled. “Perfect.”

When she wasn’t assisting Seonghwa, she was often seen pestering Yeosang in the infirmary, her endless questions making him both amused and slightly exasperated.

“What does this do?” YN asked, pointing to a jar of some strange salve.

“It’s for burns,” Yeosang replied patiently, though he didn’t miss the way she scrunched her nose at the smell.

“That smells awful!” she exclaimed.

“It’s medicine,” Yeosang said with a small smile. “Not everything can smell like roses.”

She laughed and quickly moved on to the next question, her curiosity never-ending.

And then, of course, there was Wooyoung.

She spent the most time with him, naturally. Whether it was helping him in the kitchen or following him around during his scavenger tasks, she was always by his side, her bright personality lighting up even the dullest moments.

But for Wooyoung, those weeks had been… confusing.

The strange feeling he had whenever he looked at her had only grown stronger. It was there in the way his heart would skip when she laughed, or the way he’d find himself looking for her whenever she wasn’t around.

“Wooyoung!” YN called out one morning, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“Yeah?” he asked, turning to see her balancing on the railing, arms stretched out for balance.

“Look! I’m not scared anymore!” she said, beaming.

“Get down before you fall!” he scolded, rushing over to steady her.

She laughed, hopping down with ease. But not without Wooyoung holding onto her. “I wouldn’t have fallen. You’d catch me anyway, right?”

Wooyoung sighed, shaking his head, though there was a small smile on his lips. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re grumpy,” she shot back with a grin, poking his arm.

He rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the warmth that spread through him. She had that effect on everyone, he realized—not just him. She had somehow charmed the entire crew, even the usually reserved Yeosang and the ever-serious Seonghwa.

But for Wooyoung, it was different. The way he felt when she was near wasn’t just fondness or friendship. It was something more, something that made his chest tighten and his heart race.

And as he watched her skip off to bother Hongjoong about something, laughing and smiling as if the world was nothing but sunshine, Wooyoung realized he was in trouble.

Big trouble.

That night, like every other, YN was tucked into the small bed they’d arranged for her in one of the crew’s spare quarters. Wooyoung sat on the floor near the door, leaning back against the wooden wall, his legs stretched out comfortably. It had become their nightly routine—talking about anything and everything before she drifted off to sleep.

“Wooyoung,” she started, her voice soft and a little drowsy already, “why do you like being a pirate? Isn’t it scary, always running into danger?”

He chuckled, resting his head against the wall. “Nah. It’s what I’m good at. And besides, it’s exciting. Who doesn’t like a bit of adventure?”

She smiled faintly, her eyelids heavy but still determined to stay in the conversation. “I think it’s cool… but I’d be too scared to fight. I’d probably just hide behind you.”

“You already do that,” he teased with a grin.

“True,” she murmured with a sleepy laugh. “You’re good at making me feel safe, though.”

His heart clenched a little at her words, but he kept his tone light. “Of course I do. That’s my job, sunshine.”

For a while, they continued their usual back-and-forth, her words growing slower and quieter with each passing minute. Wooyoung found himself doing most of the talking, filling the silence as she nodded off.

Then, mid-sentence, he heard her breathing even out. He paused, looking over at her. She had fallen asleep while he was talking, her head resting on the pillow, her face peaceful and relaxed.

A soft smile spread across his lips as he watched her, the moonlight filtering through the small window casting a gentle glow on her features.

“She’s cute,” he muttered to himself before he could stop the thought.

It hit him then, like it had been building up for weeks and finally clicked into place—he was falling for her. Hard.

But Wooyoung knew one thing for sure: even if it was love, he wasn’t going to say anything. She was his friend, his sunshine in an otherwise stormy world, and the last thing he wanted was to burden her with his feelings. She had enough to worry about, and he wasn’t about to make things harder for her.

Instead, he sighed quietly, leaning his head back against the wall as he closed his eyes. If staying silent meant she could keep smiling and talking his ear off every night, then he’d take that. For now, just being close to her was enough.

Wooyoung stood up quietly, ready to leave her room and let her sleep peacefully like every other night. But as he turned to glance back at her one last time, something caught his eye.

Her blanket had slipped down, revealing her arms—usually hidden under long sleeves. He moved closer, intending to fix the blanket like he always did, making sure she was comfortable.

But then he saw it.

His breath hitched as his eyes fell on her wrists, faintly illuminated by the pale moonlight. There were marks and scars, some faint and others deeper, etched into her skin like silent memories of pain.

Wooyoung froze, his heart tightening painfully in his chest.

No… he thought, his mind racing. She’s always smiling. Always happy.

He couldn’t reconcile the sunshine YN he knew—the one who laughed at his jokes, who skipped around the ship with boundless energy, who asked him silly questions every day—with the person who bore these scars.

For a long moment, he just stood there, staring at her sleeping form. She looked so peaceful, so innocent, and yet those scars told a story he didn’t know—a story she had never shared with him.

He clenched his fists, a wave of emotions crashing over him. Anger, sadness, confusion. How could someone as bright as her carry so much pain? And why hadn’t she told anyone?

Wooyoung gently pulled the blanket back up, covering her arms again. His hand hovered for a moment before he stepped back, his movements slow and deliberate as if he might wake her.

He sat back down on the floor, his back against the wall, his thoughts a chaotic mess. He replayed every interaction they’d had, every laugh, every smile. Had he missed the signs? Had she been hiding this from everyone the whole time?

And yet, despite the questions and the pain in his chest, one thought rang louder than the rest.

I’ll protect her.

Whatever she had been through, whatever had caused those scars, Wooyoung silently vowed that she would never have to feel that kind of pain again. Not as long as he was around.

The morning came with the usual rhythm of life on the Halazia. The crew went about their tasks, the sounds of footsteps and distant laughter filling the ship. YN, as always, was a ball of energy. She skipped onto the deck, her bright smile lighting up the day as she greeted everyone she saw.

“Good morning, Wooyoung!” she called, waving cheerfully as she spotted him leaning against the railing.

He smiled back, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Something had shifted within him since last night, and even though YN seemed like her usual, bubbly self, he couldn’t stop the protectiveness that now gnawed at his chest.

As she wandered off to help Yeosang in the infirmary, Wooyoung found himself watching her closely, more vigilant than ever. His heart felt heavier, knowing the scars she carried beneath her sunshine exterior. He couldn’t let this eat him up inside—it was too much.

Without thinking too much about it, he made his way to the captain’s quarters.

Hongjoong was seated at his desk, a map spread out before him as he carefully marked their next route. He glanced up when Wooyoung knocked and motioned for him to enter.

“What is it?” Hongjoong asked, leaning back in his chair as he crossed his arms.

Wooyoung hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to put his swirling thoughts into words. But this was Hongjoong—his captain, his guide, his second guardian. If there was anyone he could trust, it was him.

“It’s about YN,” Wooyoung began, closing the door behind him.

Hongjoong’s brow furrowed slightly. “What about her? Is she alright?”

“She is,” Wooyoung said quickly. “At least… I think she is. But…” He trailed off, running a hand through his hair.

“But what?” Hongjoong pressed, his tone serious now.

Wooyoung took a deep breath and looked down at the floor. “Last night, I… I saw something. She always wears long sleeves, and I never thought much of it, but her blanket slipped, and I saw her wrists.”

Hongjoong didn’t say anything, but the sharpness in his eyes told Wooyoung to continue.

“They’re scared,” Wooyoung said quietly. “Like… she’s been through something. Something bad. And she’s always smiling, always acting like she’s fine, but I don’t think she is, Captain. I don’t think she ever was.”

Hongjoong leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk as he processed Wooyoung’s words. “And you’re telling me this because…?”

“Because I don’t know what to do,” Wooyoung admitted, his voice almost breaking. “I want to protect her, but I don’t know if I’m doing enough. I don’t want her to feel like she’s alone. And—” He hesitated, swallowing hard before continuing. “I care about her, Captain. More than I probably should.”

For a moment, the room was silent, the weight of Wooyoung’s words hanging in the air.

Hongjoong studied him carefully, his expression unreadable. Then he sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Wooyoung, you’ve always been someone who cares deeply about the people around you. That’s one of your strengths. But you need to tread carefully here.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Hongjoong said slowly, “that YN isn’t just anyone. She’s someone who’s clearly been hurt before, and if you push too hard or too fast, you might end up hurting her even more.”

Wooyoung nodded, his fists clenching at his sides. “I’d never hurt her.”

“I know you wouldn’t,” Hongjoong said, his tone softening. “But she might not be ready to talk about whatever’s happened to her. You have to be patient. Be there for her, but let her come to you when she’s ready.”

Wooyoung exhaled shakily, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. “I just… I hate the thought of her suffering alone.”

Hongjoong gave him a small, understanding smile. “You’re doing more for her than you realize, Wooyoung. Just keep being her friend, her safe place. That’s what she needs most right now.”

Wooyoung nodded again, his resolve strengthening. “Thank you, Captain.”

As he left the room, Wooyoung felt a little lighter, though his heart still ached for YN. He would take Hongjoong’s advice to heart. He would wait, be patient, and let her set the pace. But in the meantime, he’d keep being the one thing she could always count on: her protector, her friend, and her silent guardian.

Wooyoung stepped out onto the deck, the salty breeze ruffling his hair as his eyes scanned for YN. He spotted her near the railing with San and Jongho, her arms waving animatedly as she spoke. The two men stood there, half-amused, half-bewildered, listening to whatever silly tangent she was on this time.

“Wait, wait, let me get this straight,” San said, holding up a hand to stop her. “You’re asking me if a sword can cut through a cannonball?”

“Yeah!” YN exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “I mean, they’re both metal, right? So if you hit it hard enough…”

San burst into laughter, clutching his stomach. “You’ve been reading too many stories, kid.”

Jongho, who had been leaning against the railing, shook his head but couldn’t hide the faint smirk tugging at his lips. “Even the sharpest blade would shatter before it cut through solid iron.”

“Aw,” YN pouted, crossing her arms. “I thought pirates could do anything!”

San laughed harder, wiping a tear from his eye. “We’re not magicians, sunshine.”

Wooyoung stood off to the side, watching the scene unfold. A warm smile crept onto his face as he saw how easily YN interacted with them now. When she’d first come aboard, she’d been hesitant, hiding behind him whenever the others were around. But now, here she was, chatting away with San and Jongho like they’d known each other forever.

It felt good to see her like this—happy, carefree, and finally warming up to the crew.

“You’re really curious about everything, aren’t you?” Jongho said, his deep voice carrying a hint of amusement.

“Of course!” YN said brightly. “I’ve never been on a ship before, so I want to learn as much as I can. Like… do you guys ever get scared of storms? Or, oh! What happens if someone falls overboard? Do you just throw them a rope, or—”

“Whoa, slow down,” San said, holding up his hands. “One question at a time, sunshine!”

Wooyoung chuckled softly as he approached them, leaning casually against the mast. “Looks like you’ve been keeping my brothers busy.”

YN turned to him with a beaming smile. “Wooyoung! Did you know San once fought off five guys by himself?”

San puffed out his chest, clearly enjoying the attention. “It was six, actually.”

“Here we go,” Jongho muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes.

Wooyoung laughed, shaking his head. “Don’t let him fool you, YN. He probably tripped over a barrel and took them all down by accident.”

“Hey!” San protested, but YN was already giggling, her laughter light and infectious.

As they continued talking, Wooyoung couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. She wasn’t just his sunshine anymore—she was becoming theirs, too. And that made him happier than he could put into words.

The gentle sound of the waves lapping against the ship provided a soothing background as Wooyoung and YN sat on the deck. The sun was beginning to set, casting the sky in shades of orange and pink. YN was carefully folding a piece of parchment, her tongue poking out slightly in concentration as she tried to perfect the origami bird Mingi had taught her.

Wooyoung watched her with a soft smile, his elbow resting on his knee as he sat cross-legged beside her. He loved seeing her like this—calm, happy, and free to express herself.

“Wooyoung,” she suddenly said, looking up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Let’s play a game.”

“A game?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes! It’s simple. One person asks a question, and the other has to answer truthfully. No skipping. Deal?” She held out her pinky finger, a playful smile tugging at her lips.

Wooyoung chuckled and linked his pinky with hers. “Deal.”

The game started innocently enough, with lighthearted questions that made them both laugh.

“What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done?” she asked.

“Once, I fell off the ship during training and blamed it on a loose rope,” Wooyoung admitted, grinning sheepishly.

She burst into laughter, nearly dropping her origami. “You didn’t!”

“I did. Yunho still hasn’t let me live it down,” he said, shaking his head.

When it was Wooyoung’s turn, he asked, “What’s your favorite food?”

“Anything sweet,” she answered easily. “The sweeter, the better!”

The game continued, each question becoming a little more personal, a little more revealing. Wooyoung learned that YN’s favorite color was blue because it reminded her of the ocean and that she used to dream of being an adventurer before life tied her to the store.

Then, as the playful banter lulled, Wooyoung asked the question that had been weighing on his heart.

“Where are the scars from?”

As soon as the question left Wooyoung’s mouth, YN froze, her body stiffening as if all the air had been sucked out of the room.

“W-what?” she stammered, her voice shaky, eyes darting to her hands in panic.

“Your wrist,” Wooyoung said, his voice softer this time but unwavering. “I saw the scars. Tell me what happened.”

Her heart raced, her palms growing clammy as she clutched the half-folded paper bird. She couldn’t face him, couldn’t answer the question. Without another word, YN shot up from her spot and darted away, her footsteps echoing across the deck.

“YN!” Wooyoung called after her, but she didn’t stop.

She didn’t know where she was going, her mind clouded with panic, but her feet carried her to Seonghwa’s quarters. She knocked quickly before opening the door, her chest heaving as she stepped inside.

Seonghwa was seated at his desk, a book in his hands, but he looked up at her abrupt entrance. He immediately noticed her pacing back and forth, her hands trembling as she fidgeted with the sleeves of her shirt.

“YN,” Seonghwa called gently, setting the book down and standing up. “What’s wrong?”

“I—” she started, but the words caught in her throat. She stopped pacing and turned to him, her eyes wide and glassy with unshed tears.

“YN,” he said again, walking over to her slowly, his voice calm and reassuring. “Breathe. Tell me what’s going on.”

“I…” She hesitated, her mind racing. She couldn’t tell him about her wrists, couldn’t tell him about the scars, but she didn’t know how to explain the storm of emotions swirling inside her.

Seonghwa waited patiently, his arms crossed but his gaze kind. When her bottom lip quivered and her eyes spilled over with tears, he stepped closer and placed a steady hand on her shoulder.

“Whatever it is, you don’t have to carry it alone,” he said softly. “You can tell me, YN.”

Her shoulders shook as she wiped at her eyes with the back of her sleeve, trying to compose herself. “It’s just… it’s too much,” she finally whispered.

“Too much?” he prompted, his voice careful, coaxing.

She nodded, her voice trembling. “I—I don’t know how to explain it. Everything’s just… overwhelming.”

Seonghwa nodded in understanding, guiding her to sit on the edge of his bed. “Take your time,” he said, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and handing it to her.

She clutched the fabric tightly, sniffling as she stared at her lap. “I just… sometimes I feel like I can’t keep up. Like I’m trying so hard to be happy, to be… me, but it’s exhausting.”

Seonghwa crouched down in front of her, resting a hand on her knee. “You don’t always have to be the sunshine, YN. It’s okay to feel tired. It’s okay to need help.”

YN's chest rose and fell rapidly, her breath coming in shallow gasps as the weight of her emotions overwhelmed her. Her hands trembled as they clung to Seonghwa’s forearm, her grip so tight it felt as though she was holding onto him for dear life.

Seonghwa didn’t flinch, didn’t pull away. Instead, he stayed perfectly still, a steady anchor in the storm of her panic. He knelt in front of her, his calm presence a stark contrast to her spiraling emotions.

“YN,” he said softly, his voice like a gentle tide. “Breathe with me. In through your nose, slowly… and out through your mouth.”

She shook her head, her tears streaming freely. “I—I can’t,” she choked out, her voice cracking.

“You can,” Seonghwa reassured her, his tone unwavering. “I’m right here. Just focus on me. Look at me, YN.”

She hesitated but finally met his gaze, her teary eyes locking onto his calm, reassuring ones.

“That’s it,” he murmured. “Now, follow my breath. In… and out.”

She tried, mimicking his slow breathing, though her breaths still hitched with sobs. Her fingers dug into his arm, and he didn’t so much as wince. Instead, he reached up with his free hand and gently dabbed at her tears with the handkerchief, his movements deliberate and careful.

“It’s okay to cry,” he said softly, his voice unwavering. “It’s okay to feel scared. You don’t have to apologize for how you feel.”

Her sobs quieted slightly, though her grip on his arm remained as strong as ever. She clung to him as though letting go would cause her to crumble entirely.

Seonghwa stayed patient, his calmness never faltering. He wiped her tears every so often, his hand moving with the same care as someone handling something fragile. “You’re safe here,” he reminded her. “Nothing’s going to hurt you. Not while I’m here.”

His words were like a lifeline, grounding her enough to slow her racing heart. After a few moments, her breathing began to even out, the tightness in her chest loosening bit by bit. She loosened her grip on his arm but didn’t let go entirely, her fingers still clutching him lightly as she hiccupped through her tears.

“Better?” he asked softly, his eyes searching hers.

She nodded weakly, her voice barely above a whisper. “Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” he replied gently. “You’re not alone, YN. You never will be.”

Though her tears hadn’t fully stopped, a flicker of warmth spread through her chest at his words. Seonghwa’s presence was steady and unwavering, and in that moment, she felt just a little bit lighter.

After leaving Seonghwa’s room, YN made her way to her quarters. Her steps were slow, her mind a swirl of emotions she couldn’t quite pin down. She opened the door quietly, her gaze immediately landing on Wooyoung sitting cross-legged on the floor near the door, as he always did at night. His head lifted when he saw her enter, concern evident in his eyes.

“YN, I—”

“Don’t,” she interrupted firmly, her voice steady despite the whirlwind inside her. She stood before him, her hands trembling slightly as she reached for the hem of her sleeves.

Wooyoung’s eyes widened slightly, and he opened his mouth to say something, but she silenced him with a look. Slowly, she rolled up her sleeves, the fabric slipping upward to reveal the scars etched into her wrists.

Wooyoung’s breath hitched as he saw them up close for the first time, the pale lines stark against her skin. His heart ached, a heavy weight settling in his chest as he looked at her, at the vulnerability she was showing him.

“This is what you wanted to know, right?” YN said, her voice soft but laced with a mix of courage and apprehension. “You wanted to know where the scars came from. Well… here they are.”

Wooyoung stood slowly, his movements careful as if afraid any sudden action might scare her away. He didn’t say anything at first, his gaze flicking from her wrists to her face.

The silence lingered for a while before YN took a shaky breath, her fingers twisting together in her lap. She stared at the floor, her voice barely above a whisper as she finally began to speak.

“My mother…” she started, pausing to collect her thoughts. “She wasn’t… normal. She was cruel. A maniac, really. She’d punish me for anything and everything—spilling a drink, speaking too loudly, even just… existing.”

Wooyoung sat perfectly still, his gaze fixed on her, his heart breaking with every word.

“And her punishments,” YN continued, her voice trembling, “they weren’t like what most kids go through. She didn’t yell or ground me. She… she used a whip. Always on my wrists. Always in the same place. I can still feel it sometimes, even now.”

Wooyoung’s fists clenched at his sides, but he didn’t interrupt, letting her speak at her own pace.

“My father tried to stop her,” she said, her voice cracking slightly. “He did everything he could, but she didn’t care. She was… relentless. And then, one day, she just… overdosed. Died right there in the house.”

She swallowed hard, her hands shaking as she rubbed at her sleeves. “You’d think I’d feel relief, right? That the nightmare was over. But I didn’t. I fell into this… dark hole. A part of me hated her, but another part of me missed her. I was so confused, so… lost. And that’s when it started.”

Wooyoung’s breath caught in his throat as she glanced at her wrists, her voice quieter now, as if she were confessing a sin.

“I started hurting myself,” she admitted, tears welling up in her eyes. “At first, it was just to feel something—anything other than the emptiness. But then it became… addictive. Like I couldn’t stop. Every time I felt overwhelmed or scared, it was my way of coping. It felt like the only thing I could control.”

Her voice broke, and she wiped at her cheeks, the tears now falling freely. “I hate it. I hate what I’ve done to myself. But it’s so hard to stop. Even now, there are days when the urge comes back, and I have to fight it with everything I have.”

Wooyoung moved closer, his heart heavy as he watched her crumble in front of him. “YN…” he said softly, his voice laced with pain and understanding.

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of vulnerability and shame. “I didn’t want you to know,” she whispered. “I didn’t want anyone to know. I thought I’d be fine keeping it to myself, but now… now I don’t know.”

“You don’t have to do this alone anymore,” Wooyoung said firmly, his voice steady despite the emotions swirling inside him. “You have me. You have Seonghwa, the captain… all of us. You’re not alone, YN. Not ever again.”

Her lips quivered, and for a moment, she looked like she wanted to argue, but then she nodded, the smallest bit of relief shining through her tears. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Wooyoung reached out, hesitated for a moment, and then gently placed his hand over hers. “You’re stronger than you think,” he said softly. “And I’ll remind you of that every day if I had to”

For a moment, she saw nothing but sincerity and warmth in his eyes. “I’ve already burdened Seonghwa enough tonight,” she said with a small, forced laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

“You’re not a burden,” Wooyoung said immediately, his voice firm. “Don’t ever think that. Not to him, not to me, not to anyone.”

The corner of her lip twitched upward, a small, grateful smile breaking through. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Wooyoung nodded, his expression softening. “Always.”

Without another word, she sat down on the edge of her bed, and Wooyoung returned to his spot on the floor near the door. The air between them was quieter now, but it wasn’t heavy. It felt lighter, like a silent understanding had settled between them.

And for the first time in a long while, YN felt a small sliver of peace.

The following days on the ship were like a fresh breeze in YN’s life. The weight she had carried for so long didn’t feel as heavy anymore. She laughed more, her usual sunshine-like personality shining even brighter now that the storm inside her had started to clear. She could feel it—she wasn’t alone anymore.

Wooyoung noticed the change in her, and it made his heart swell with pride and affection. She still leaped around the ship like a child, asking silly questions and sometimes pestering the others for answers. But now, there was something different about her—the way her laughter came from a place of genuine joy, the way her smiles reached her eyes.

And Wooyoung… he couldn’t stop looking at her. Every time she smiled, every time she glanced his way, his heart raced. He knew what it was now, that feeling that had been growing inside him from the moment he met her. He loved her.

She had become his light, his reason to be better, his reason to fight. And though he wasn’t brave enough to say it aloud, he showed it in every little thing he did. Whether it was sitting outside her door at night to keep her company or silently slipping her favorite snacks into her bag, his love for her shone through his actions.

For YN, Wooyoung had become her pillar, her safe place. She loved the feeling of knowing someone had her back, someone who cared for her as deeply as he did. It was something she’d never had before, and she treasured it more than anything.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon and painted the sky in hues of gold and crimson, YN sat on the deck, her feet dangling over the edge. Wooyoung sat beside her, his usual playful demeanor softened by the quiet moment.

“Thank you,” she said suddenly, her voice carrying a softness that made Wooyoung turn to look at her.

“For what?” he asked, tilting his head.

“For being here,” she replied, her eyes fixed on the endless ocean before them. “For being my friend, for being my… everything.”

His heart skipped a beat, and he smiled softly. “You don’t have to thank me for that, YN. I’ll always be here for you. Always.”

She turned to him then, her eyes shining with gratitude and something deeper. “You’ve made me feel… safe. Happy. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this before.”

Wooyoung’s breath caught in his throat, but he didn’t say anything, afraid he might ruin the moment. Instead, he reached out and gently took her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze.

And in that quiet moment, with the ocean stretching endlessly before them and the stars beginning to appear in the sky, they sat together, content in the knowledge that they had each other.

For YN, it was the start of a new chapter, one where she wasn’t defined by her scars but by the happiness she was finally allowing herself to feel.

And for Wooyoung, it was enough to simply be by her side, loving her quietly but completely, knowing that she was his light just as much as he was hers.

[starillusion13]

Hi do you know any woosan fics?? 😘

WOOSAN x Reader FIC RECS

Kindly MDNI coz all are SMUT so kindly keep yourself away from here (but if anyone has any soft or fluffy aus on Woosan please recommend it to me, I haven’t read one and I want to read so bad…I will add them here on the list after reading it)

If you want to read mine:

Winning Dessert - @starillusion13

Our Girl - @starillusion13

And now the recs I would love to read again:

2k sleepover event - @cheollipop

Hard Hours - @cheollipop

There, there, Kitty - @cheollipop

One more rep - @cheollipop

Knockout - @igbylicious

DJANGO - @last-words-ofashootingstar

Hard Hours - @wooyoungmybelovedhusband

Party of Three - @cybrsan

Two is better than one - @kuromiiy

Behave - @bibittybopittybadbxtch

Love Language - @hwallazia

Fucking sense into you - @theysaidhush

Like a CHAMP - @shinestarhwaa

Whichever way(Series) - @igbylicious

11:30 pm - @mingis-lightbulb

What are friends for? - @anyamaris

Air freshener - @beenbaanbuun

Blue Bird - @seonghwaddict

Welcome to the agency - @nirvanawrites111

the leaders - @atzfilm

Three Hearts as ONE - @cybrsan (its not a SMUT but an apocalypse au but so pathetic and nice😭)

[dollerin]

HUSBAND!WOOYOUNG

ׂ ִ 𝓟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑠. 𝗐𝗈𝗈𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗌 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗁𝗎𝗌𝖻𝖺𝗇𝖽. • 𝐩. wooyoung 𝗑 𝑓.𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝐠. 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝘧𝘧，𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝 𝐰. 𝗉𝗁𝗒𝗌𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗅 𝗍𝗈𝗎𝖼𝗁, 𝗄𝗂𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀, 𝑒𝑡𝑐. | 𝐃𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐊.

reblogs + feedback = appreciated.

husband!wooyoung who helps you move into your new home after coming back from the honeymoon, carrying all of the heavy things inside and not letting you lift a finger.

husband!wooyoung who leaves all of the decorating up to you because he absolutely adores your creativity, and just anything you do in general.

husband!wooyoung who loves to help you wind down after work, and loves giving you massages, making sure to rub anywhere that’s bothering you.

husband!wooyoung loves to cook meals for you, sometimes even packs lunch for you or reminds you to eat good and stay hydrated.

husband!wooyoung who only has eyes for you, constantly reminding you how much he loves you, whether it’s verbally, physically, or anything else.

husband!wooyoung who’s like your fun-sized koala, clinging to you almost everywhere you go and will whine if you tell him to move.

husband!wooyoung who’s super touchy, and loves the feeling of your skin on his.

husband!wooyoung who occasionally invites himself to your showers, claiming it’ll save water.

husband!wooyoung who would much rather talk things out when you argue, but gives you your personal space if you need it.

husband!wooyoung who’s super adventurous and likes to surprise you with the most random trips—big and small.

husband!wooyoung who wakes you up in..different ways; either with soft kisses, whispered ‘good mornings’ or jumping on you and yelling in your ear.

husband!wooyoung who uses you as his favorite pillow and absolutely loves when you play in his hair, running your fingers through the strands or massaging his scalp.

husband!wooyoung who has random dance breaks with you everywhere—the kitchen, the bathroom while you’re brushing your teeth, in the store, etc.

husband!wooyoung who is the most dramatic person ever when he’s sick, demanding 24/7 cuddles, spoon-feeding and constant kisses because “your love is the only cure”, and the whole time he has a mild cold.

💌 ──── I js foreshadowed my next fic somewhere in here lol

[mi-rae07]

Jung Wooyoung : As Good As You Were (Part 1/4)

Pairing : Jung Woo-young (Ateez) and named character (Shin Naeun)

_____________________

Synopsis : Naeun saved wooyoung's family years ago by agreeing to hold up their failing company, in return for wooyoung's hand in marriage. She wanted a stable life, a loving husband, kids, and her work at the company as CEO. While wooyoung wanted to travel the world, fall in love with an artist somewhere and continue his career in photography. The corporate life was not for him. Until Naeun married him, shackling him into a life he had always hated, and so began wooyoung's hatred for his own wife. And three years later, it still continues.

But will it stay this way forever? Or will Naeun's love for wooyoung make him change?

___________________

Naeun entered her house after having had a terrible day at work, feeling like she could fall on the floor right this second and go to sleep. She lazily took off her shoes, walking towards the living room as she almost flinched at the sight of wooyoung sitting on the couch with a blank face. Naeun frowned, turning on the lights as she asked

Naeun : why aren't you asleep yet, young-ah?

Wooyoung didn't even bother looking at his wife as he said in a low tone

Wooyoung : couldn't.

Naeun sat next to wooyoung on the couch, wooyoung immediately feeling annoyed and uncomfortable, which naeun noticed. It hurt her, as it always had for the past 3 years, but she could never blame wooyoung, not when she loved him with all her heart. This marriage of theirs was forged, forged for the sake of lifting wooyoung's family's company from it's ruins. And naeun had enough and more money and connections to make that possible. Hence why wooyoung's father offered naeun his son's hand in marriage, and she accepted it despite knowing how much wooyoung hated her. She didn't know why he hated her, but he always had.

Naeun : do you need help?

Wooyoung : no, just let me be.

Naeun looked away, wishing wooyoung would ask her to sleep with him someday in hopes to get rid of his insomnia. Knowing wooyoung's hate towards her, naeun had always kept her distance from wooyoung in order to not make him uncomfortable, and hence they had different rooms. Except wooyoung didn't know naeun would sneak into his room at night just to stare at him sleeping.

Naeun : I…I heard magnolia tea helps with insomnia-

Wooyoung : I don’t want your tea.

Naeun : well you don't have to have…mine. I can order it from some place outside or ask someone else to make it for you.

Wooyoung : at 2am?

Naeun : it doesn't matter to me if it's for you, wooyoung.

Wooyoung rolled his eyes, looking away as he said

Wooyoung : stop with all the façade, naeun-shi. I do not really care.

Naeun : it's not…never mind.

Wooyoung leaned against the sofa, closing his eyes as he inhaled deeply. Naeun looked at the man she could basically die for, wishing she could have what every other woman seemed to get from their partners, love, reassurance, or even just smiles.

Naeun : can you give me a hug?

Wooyoung opened his eyes at the absurd request, looking at naeun with a sharp gaze.

Naeun : n-no?

Wooyoung : what the hell are you-

Naeun : no I uh-it's fine, doesn't matter.

Naeun stood up from her place, picking her bag up as she whispered

Naeun : call me if you need anything, good night.

Naeun turned around and left, climbing up the stairs knowing wooyoung wouldn't say anything back to her. Every night for 3 years she had wished him goodnight and he would only look at her with an annoyed gaze, looking as if he wished she would disappear. And so she was used to it now, as she was to everything else.

Naeun plopped down on her bed with a shaky breath, not even bothering to change her clothes as she stared up at the ceiling. She ran her hands through the sheet around her, feeling it empty as it always had been for her. There was no one who had ever held her close, showered her with love or even told her some words of appreciation. She had been alone her entire life.

Naeun closed her eyes as she felt a tear escape from the corner of her eyes, scrunching the sheet with her hand as she tried going to sleep.

_________________________

Naeun walked down the stairs next morning, fixing her suit properly. She walked into the kitchen and noticed wooyoung cooking, knowing he was only cooking for himself as he always was. And so naeun opened the fridge, pulling out a cold salad as she picked up the spoon and started eating it quickly.

Wooyoung turned around, eyeing the cold salad with disappointed eyes as he asked

Wooyoung : what the fuck is that?

Naeun looked up at wooyoung, feeling a smile spread on her lips at his question. Wooyoung rarely ever asked her questions, she felt happy when he would so much as talk to her without her somehow forcing him to.

Naeun : cold salad!

Wooyoung didn't understand why naeun was feeling so cheerful about it.

Wooyoung : how the hell do you have that and be happy with it?

Naeun : I don't have food to enjoy it, I have food just so I can have energy and not die. It has no other value to me than that.

Wooyoung stared at naeun, not finding it normal for someone to not eat anything they actually liked despite being this rich.

Naeun : that's why I don't have a favorite food, it's all just bland to me.

Wooyoung stared at naeun as she smiled, going back to eating her food. Wooyoung sighed, turning around to his pancakes as he flipped them over. Shin naeun was more different than he thought she was.

__________________________

Naeun sighed as she leaned against the chair in her office, picking up her phone as she called up wooyoung. She always would, every single day, to make sure he was fine. Sometimes he picked up, sometimes he didn't. She wished he would today, her work was even more tiring this afternoon.

Wooyoung : what is it?

Naeun felt a smile spread on her lips at his voice as she asked her usual question

Naeun : did you have your lunch, woo?

Wooyoung : no.

Naeun : wooyoung-ah, it's 2pm, go have something to eat. It's unhealthy-

Wooyoung : I'll have it when I want to. Are you done?

Naeun : don't you…wanna know if I ate?

Wooyoung : what difference does that make to me?

Naeun sighed, tapping her heels under the table as she said

Naeun : okay then. Have a good day at work! I'll see you back at home.

Wooyoung cut the call without saying anything more, making naeun let out a breath as she kept the phone away. She wished someone cared. Just as she was about to go back to work, the door opened, revealing her mother-in-law. Naeun's eyes widened as she stood up, bowing.

Naeun : eomma, hello. I didn't realize you'd be visiting today.

Wooyoung's mother chuckled and entered the room, closing the door behind her as she said

Mrs jung : aigoo, you're my daughter, you don't have to be so formal. Sit back down, I've brought you your favorite.

Naeun : kimchi rice?

Mrs jung : indeed.

She placed the packet on the desk before sitting opposite naeun, opening the packet for her with a smile.

Mrs jung : was that wooyoung on the phone?

Naeun : it was.

Mrs jung : let me guess, you called him first again.

Naeun smiled, mumbling a thank you as she started eating the rice. She didn't have a favorite food and found all food mostly bland, but since she noticed eating her food made wooyoung's mother happy, naeun ate it obediently.

Mrs jung : when are you going to tell him what you feel, naeun-ah.

Naeun : he probably already knows, eomma.

Mrs jung : then why isn't he saying anything?

Naeun : because he has nothing to say. Your son doesn't really love me, eomma, it's already known. He's just doing all this because he has to.

Mrs jung : you deserve so much better.

Naeun : I don't want anything better, I love your son. Whether he loves me or not, it doesn't matter to me.

Wooyoung's mother smiled and was about to say something when she paused, coughing hard. Naeun looked up from her food, eyeing her mother-in-law worriedly.

Naeun : eomma? Are you-

Naeun cut herself off as she saw mrs jung's eyes slowly closing, making naeun stand up as she rushed to her mother-in-law's side.

Naeun : oh no no, no don't close your eyes.

But it was too late, she had already gone unconscious.

_________________________

Wooyoung rushed into the hospital, panting as he stopped right in front of the emergency room. Wooyoung was about to push the door open when he felt someone hold his arm, pulling him back.

Wooyoung : let me go!

Naeun : no, you can't enter right now, wooyoung. Please, wait for a while.

Wooyoung breathed heavily, glaring at naeun before asking in a harsh tone

Wooyoung : did you do something to her?

Naeun looked at wooyoung with hurt eyes, taking her hand away from wooyoung's as she said

Naeun : wooyoung. How could I ever.

Wooyoung : how would I know, hmm? You married me when I didn't want to, you forced us together. How would I know the other things you must be capable of?

Naeun : stop.

Wooyoung : she was with you last, wasn't she?

Naeun : wooyoung! I've only ever cared for you and loved you even when I was at my worst. For you to think that I would ever do something to harm your own mother!

Wooyoung : I do not trust you, shin naeun.

Naeun : then don't!

Wooyoung stared at naeun as she looked away, clenching her hands as she said

Naeun : it's not like you've ever trusted me in the first place. You've never loved me, never cared for me, never so much as talked to me. Every single time I try to, you look at me with those eyes of yours, the one that makes me feel like shit. I'm trying, wooyoung, I'm fucking trying even when I can't anymore.

Wooyoung : and that's my fault? You wouldn't have had to try so hard if you didn't fucking marry me!

Naeun : I didn't have a choice, wooyoung! Your company-

Wooyoung : I do not fucking care about that company, let it burn to hell for all I care!

Naeun : I-

Wooyoung : god just stop talking for fuck's sake. I'm tired of your bullshit, naeun, fucking done and tired. At this point I wish I would've just gone bankrupt years ago.

Naeun flinched at that, wondering whether she was that bad. So bad to the point it was better going bankrupt than being with her.

She looked up as she heard the door opening, a few doctors stepping out as wooyoung rushed to them, asking questions. As soon as naeun heard the fact that her mother-in-law was okay, she turned around, walking out of the hospital without saying anything more.

She shut the car door behind her, putting her hands on the steering wheel as she banged her head against it with a small sob.

Why was it so hard for someone to love her? Why was she the only one who kept trying?

___________________________

Wooyoung looked up as he heard his mother groan, quickly holding her hand in his as he whispered

Wooyoung : eomma?

Mrs jung : son.

Wooyoung : are you alright? Should I call the doctor-

Mrs jung : no, no I'm fine. Where's naeun?

Wooyoung : I don't know.

Mrs jung : wooyoung, she's your wife.

Wooyoung : she left, eomma. I didn't have time to find her out while you were lying here.

Mrs jung : did you tell her something?

Wooyoung : no.

Mrs jung : don't lie to me.

Wooyoung sighed as he said

Wooyoung : fine, I did. I asked her whether she did something to you, whether that was the reason you were here. Among…many other things.

Wooyoung's mother let out a disappointed scoff, taking her hand away from wooyoung's as she said

Mrs jung : do you ever not feel ashamed, wooyoung? Not once? For how you're treating that poor woman?

Wooyoung : poor woman? Eomma, she forced me to marry her, do you not remember? I wanted to travel the world, continue my career as a photographer. Instead she married me, shackled me to that stupid company that I wanted to escape from and ruined my dreams. You want me to treat her as a princess for all that she has done?

Mrs jung : she married you to save our family name-

Wooyoung : I didn't want that, eomma. I told her I didn't need it, and yet she went along with it anyway.

Mrs jung : that was your father's choice, wooyoung, not hers. He asked her to marry you in return for her resources.

Wooyoung : she could've declined that offer, she had a choice too. Instead she was selfish and took the wrong one.

Mrs jung : I will never win with you, my son. Only you can tell yourself what's right and what's not. I've tried, for years I've tried to tell you to value your wife and love her while you can. One day, you'll lose her and you'll regret everything. And then you'll come to me, crying and begging for the forgiveness that is not mine to give. And when that day comes, I'll know I've lost not only my daughter, but also my son.

______________________________

Wooyoung walked into the living room hours later after having made sure his mother was taken care of at the hospital, realizing that naeun was lying fast asleep on one of the sofas, her figure looking uncomfortable and her work clothes still not changed. Her face was red, she had cried. And after all that, she was still waiting for him?

"One day, you'll lose her and you'll regret everything. And then you'll come to me, crying and begging for the forgiveness that is not mine to give"

Wooyoung walked closer to her, kneeling on the floor as he stared at her. He could still never wrap his head around as to why naeun had agreed to help someone like him, her family had no ties of connection to his, and he didn't even know naeun until the day she offered to help them. Why then…why did she help them then?

Naeun : wooyoung?

Wooyoung flinched as he realized naeun was now awake, her slowly sitting up on the sofa with sleepy red eyes. Wooyoung opened his mouth and was about to say something when she quickly said

Naeun : I'm sorry.

Wooyoung : what?

Naeun : for what I said today afternoon, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said things like that to you when your mom was lying in the hospital. Your eyes they're…they're beautiful. And when you look at me, no matter how your eyes are or-or whatever I still love it. I didn't mean what I said, so please don't stop looking at me. I'm so sorry.

Wooyoung felt his heart drop at how naeun sounded, a wife was begging her husband to so much as look at her? All naeun said today afternoon was true, all of this was wooyoung's fault. It was him who hadn't loved her, trusted her or cared for her even when she'd given her entire life to him. It was him who should be apologizing, instead she was doing it.

Wooyoung : naeun, you don't have to be sorry.

Naeun looked visibly taken aback.

Wooyoung : none of this is your fault, I shouldn't have talked to you like that.

Naeun : um, what?

Wooyoung : what you said was true, I haven't been a husband to you at all, let alone a good one. While you've done your duties the best as you can in return for nothing. You should never have to apologize to me, naeun.

Naeun : I didn't do those things out of the duty for you, wooyoung, I did it because of love. Because I love you.

Wooyoung felt the breath leave his body, his eyes wide. He could utter nothing, she had never told him she loved him like this, although he almost always knew.

Naeun : I have always loved you, since the second I married you. I offered that…that help out of the love for you. And I agreed to marry you for the same reason. And I thought maybe after we married and spent some time together you'd love me too but I suppose I wasn't good enough for that-

Wooyoung : how could you love someone like me? When I've given you nothing-

Naeun : if you love someone because of what they give you then that isn't really love, wooyoung. What I have for you is immaterial, you don't have to give me anything for me to love you. Ever, this isn't a business deal.

Wooyoung pressed his lips together, his eyes lowering not knowing what to say. Naeun sighed, patting wooyoung's back as she said

Naeun : it's okay, you don't really have to say anything to me, young-ah. I know that you feel nothing of that towards me, and I am fine with that. As long as I can love you, I'm okay with you not loving me the same.

Naeun stood up as wooyoung watched his wife walk away to her room, her figure slouched from how tired she was and the bad position she had been sleeping in. wooyoung let out a shaky breath, falling back against the sofa as he shut his eyes.

She deserved much better, maybe he should just become better? Maybe he should just give her a chance?

_____________________________

[iannmin]

00:00 — s.mg | 송민기

word count: 0.7k pairing: newlywed mingi x pregnant reader

a/n: wrote this fic because it felt like something mingi would actually do :(((( feel free to leave a comment! love you atinys <3

🤎🩶🤍🤎🩶🤍🤎🩶🤍🤎🩶🤍🤎🩶🤍🤎🩶🤍🤎🩶🤍

୨୧ ‘ masterlist ‧˚₊•┈┈┈┈୨୧┈┈┈•‧₊˚⊹

You’re in the kitchen, preparing for Chuseok. The rich, savoury aroma of doenjang jjigae fills the air, mingling with the subtle scent of sesame oil from the side dishes you’re making. The bubbling broth and rhythmic chop of the knife create a soothing backdrop as you work.

As you reach for another piece of tofu, you feel a sudden yet delicate flutter in your belly—a sensation so gentle it almost feels like a dream. Your hand instinctively moves to your stomach, pressing lightly against the fabric of your cardigan. A soft gasp escapes your lips, a mix of surprise and joy. Just then, Mingi’s hurried footsteps approach, and the sliding door to the kitchen opens with a soft thud. He appears in the doorway, concern etched on his face. His eyes quickly find you, and when he sees your hand on your belly, he rushes over, his movements quick but careful, as if afraid to disturb you. “Jagiya, are you okay?” he asks, his voice thick with worry, brows furrowing.

You smile softly, reaching up to straighten his brows. “I’m fine, the baby just kicked, that’s all.” Relief washes over his features, quickly replaced by awe. “The baby… kicked?” he repeats, his voice barely above a whisper, filled with wonder and disbelief. You nod and guide his hands to rest gently on your belly. His palms are warm and slightly rough from working on his music all day, a comforting contrast to the delicate fluttering within.

Mingi’s hands are tentative at first, his fingers lightly grazing your stomach as if afraid to press too firmly. He bends closer, his breath warm against your skin. Then, with a playful whisper, he murmurs, “Fix on”. Almost immediately, the baby responds with a gentle kick, a soft nudge that makes Mingi’s eyes widen in surprise. His gaze locks on the spot where he felt the movement.

The unexpected response makes you both burst into laughter. You exchange a look of sheer disbelief, the joy and wonder in your eyes mirroring each other’s. “Did you feel that?” you ask, laughing as you try to catch your breath. “I did!” Mingi exclaims, his voice filled with amazement. “I can’t believe it. Our baby actually responded!”

You both laugh, the sound light and full of happiness. The sheer joy of the moment makes it feel like time stands still, the laughter echoing through your small kitchen, mingling with the comforting aroma of the stew. Mingi’s fingers continue to trace the spot where the baby kicked, his touch tender and full of awe. He leans in, pressing a soft, lingering kiss just below your navel. His breath is warm against your skin, and you can feel the depth of his emotion through that simple gesture.

But then, his protective instincts kick in. Mingi straightens up, concern replacing the wonder in his eyes. “You’ve been standing too long,” he says firmly, guiding you toward the dining table. “You need to rest. I’ll take care of the stew. Please, just sit down and relax.” 

“Mingoo, it’s just a little kick,” you laugh softly, trying to ease his worry as he helps you sit. “I’m not going to break.” He’s already grabbing a cushion from the couch and carefully placing it behind your back, then lifting your feet to set them on another cushion on the floor. “You need to take it easy,” he insists, his tone softening. “I’ll get you some yulmu-cha. Something warm and good for you and the baby.”

Watching him move about the kitchen with such care, your heart swells with affection. “You’re amazing, you know that?” you say softly as he hands you a steaming cup of tea. Mingi kneels beside you, taking your hand in his. “I just want to make sure you are safe…both of you are safe,” he says, his voice heavy with emotion. “I want to protect you, to take care of our little family… always.” Who knew that such a tough-looking man was actually a softie?

You laugh, light and full of love, and rest your head on his shoulder in a teddy bear hug, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath your cheek. In that moment, surrounded by the warmth of your small apartment and the love that fills it, you know that everything will be alright—as long as you have each other, you have everything you need.

[yeostars]

When ATEEZ members realise they're falling in love with you

(with a touch of descriptions abt seasons!)

©yeostars 2024™

♡ Hongjoong .ᐟ

• For hongjoong, the realisation that he's falling for you arrives like the first rush of summer heat- the undeniable warmth rising from deep within, stirring something he can't quite ignore, no matter how hard he tried to. He felt protective of you for some reason, the feeling of wanting to protect you from everything and anything bad arose from within him because he was there with you at your lowest- knowing your deepest fears, your deepest struggles & all the betrayals you had ever gone through.

• At first, he brushed off the feeling merely as a sense of responsibility, being your close friend- as someone who should obviously be looking out for you. But he knew it was deeper than that. Every time he stood closer to you, shielding you from any minor inconvenience - he felt the fire within himself grow.

• You are his summer's heartbeat, a fierce, unquenchable flame that fuels his every step. The moment he realised this, he knew with a certainty that anchored him, that he would bear the darkest of storms for you. You are the center of his warmth, and he finds himself wanting to guard and protect that light forever. If you are in his presence, he wants to be reliable enough for you to always lean on him.

♡ Seonghwa .ᐟ

• Seonghwa falls for you as gently & quietly as the blooms of spring- just like the cherry blossom petals unfurling one by one in the gentle morning light. It begins with the simplest things, your smallest actions- the sound of your voice resonating in his ears, the way your laughter being his remedy fills the room, the warmth in your gaze whenever you look at him, that seems to chase away the darkest of his shadows.

• He feels it in every single moment he spends with you, each small gesture or action by you never goes unnoticed by him. It was like the gentle opening of flowers that he didn't even notice taking root. Just how your warm gaze affects him enough to be reciprocating it with eyes full of love and adoration towards you that does not go unnoticed by any of your mutual friends and acquaintances. He is not afraid to full on display his affection for you.

• All these fleeting moments of adoration towards you gathered together- he finds himself surrounded by an entire garden, each blossom and it's petals a reminder of you. You are indeed the season that took him by surprise, unfolding his heart in a warmth that he didn't know he'd been waiting for. Now, he can't imagine his world without your light.

♡ Yunho .ᐟ

• For him, falling for you was like stepping in a field of summer wildflowers. It was merely just like a dream, you were just like a dream to him- & he dreamt as much as wanting to be your lover boy in such dreams. Every word and every glance exchanged with you felt like sunshine on his skin. He felt his life bloom with vibrant colour - as if you were painting his dreams with vibrant colours merely by your presence. Every conversation Yunho has with you feels like a melody to him, each shared silence a verse.

• You were like the scent of lavender and warmth, the scent of you lingering even when he's alone- leaving him wrapped in the essence of you long after you've left. He finds himself dreaming about doing everything with you, you being his and only his. He's become a lovesick fool to the point he smiles so widely while sleeping sometimes because he's dreaming of you.

• One lazy afternoon- he realises that you are his summer itself - a season of pure light and boundless joy, bearing the kind of warmth he wishes he could hold onto forever. His realisation hits him to the point dreaming about you is just not enough. As if like a silent prayer & a quiet hope- he wonders if perhaps, just maybe- he could be your sunshine and sunlight too, basking in each other's glow like an endless beautiful summer day.

♡ Yeosang .ᐟ

• He realises that he's falling for you as if by surprise, just like the first melt of ice at winters end- a thaw that starts slowly and unfurls in subtle ways. You are the gentle warmth that begins to seep through the cracks, every smile, every word, every glance exchanged with you softening the barriers he had always kept carefully guarded around you.

• Its like you are the only one who can have him this way. He keeps himself guarded around people usually, but he just can't control himself and his emotions when it comes to you. Gradually, as he realised his true feelings towards you, he wanted nothing more than to let you know about them because that was only fair to you. He feels like its an honour to fall for someone as perfect (in his eyes) like you.

• In quiet moments, he finds himself thinking of you, feeling his heart slowly surrender like a frozen lake thawing under the warm spring sun. It's the way he smiles uncontrollably just at the thought of all the moments you spend together. His biggest weakness is your infectious laughter. As you laughter rings out, yeosang feels something inside him shift, as if the last fragment of ice inside him giving away. Although his vulnerability terrifies him, he finds himself unable to turn away from you, the light you shine upon him- and he's drawn to you with a longing as natural as the changing of seasons.

♡ San .ᐟ

• One golden evening, as the sky burned with the shades of amber and crimson, he realised he was indeed, falling for you when he found his gaze lingering on you, mesmerized by the soft light in your eyes. He found you so beautiful, both inside and out. Anyone who noticed his gaze full of longing and admiration towards you, could see the undeniable love he possessed for you. For him, the biggest miracle in his life was meeting you.

• He's enchanted by the way you move through his world, each small gesture adding poetry to his life. Him already being a hopeless romantic, you make him a utter, lovesick romantic, more than he already is by nature. You are the dawn light, the blush of morning that turns his daily life into something precious. He catches himself wanting to hold onto and cherish every ephemeral, delicate moments with you.

• His heart was drawn towards yours, as if by a strong, magnetic force. He realised his world grew brighter around you & he was willing to do anything to keep you close to him forever. He hoped that his presence made your days brighter, too. Like the final blaze of autumn before winter's sleep, he realised that his heart was truly all in, captured by the colours you bought into his life.

♡ Mingi .ᐟ

• Mingi realises it gradually, just like the first quiet flakes of winter drifting from the sky, settling gently on a field yet untouched. There's no urgency, no whirlwind- just the soft fall of something light and unanticipated, a feeling that lands within a hush. A feeling that lands in the midst of his chaos- a calm stillness, much needed peace within his chaos and inner conflicts.

• He notices it in the way his heart slows and warms when you smile, as though the world around him has stilled just to let him listen to that tender beat. Mingi has his own inner conflicts going on within him but when it comes to you- his feelings are clear & it's not a problem to be solved. Just like frost itching delicate patterns on glass, his thoughts on you are crystallised- clear & intricate, filling the quiet spaces of his soul.

• At first, he's bewildered, wondering why he finds himself seeking your presence in subtle ways, a quiet urge to linger by your side. But as winter deepens, so does his clarity. You are his secret ember in the heart of the cold, a quiet glow that warms his season of silence. Be it if he's in your presence or while he's thinking about you, his heart beats with the slow beauty of a snowflake, each memory of you unique and Infinite, and he wants to make even more precious memories with you.

♡ Wooyoung .ᐟ

• It strikes Wooyoung suddenly, like the first exhilarating rush of spring rain- a burst of freshness that leaves him laughing and soaked, a rush he couldn't have prepared himself for. Just like the first flowers of spring burst through the soil, he noticed his heart blossoming when you were near.

• At first, he tries to shake this newfound feeling away, telling himself it's nothing more than a spark of sunshine in his chest, a passing thrill. But the way he reacted to anything and everything you do- his playful boyishness around you was unlike his usual self with anyone else. You and your presence make his ordinary moments special. You made his life livelier and full of joy without even realising it. Every time he teased you, each time you hid the cutest pout on your face as a reaction to his relentless teasing, each time your laughter bubbled up like a spring brook, he feels the same kind of vibrant rain cascading over him, washing away his resolve.

• He realises that he's willingly caught in it, happily drenched in this newfound feeling. Now, he finds himself hoping the downpour never stops, each drop a reminder that he's caught up in something he never wants to escape.

♡ Jongho .ᐟ

• For Jongho, love seeps in like the golden light of autumn, warm and soft but tinged with a bittersweet richness that he can't quite ignore. When the autumn leaves began to fall, he felt something shift- as if his heart , too, was shedding its guard like the trees shed their leaves.

• He has always kept his emotions close- shedding them with careful control, like a tree releasing its leaves. But with you, he feels his defenses slowly giving away, each leaf falling from his guarded branches. It scares him sometimes, how comfortable he is in your presence, he's even more scared to loose you if he ever decides to confess to you & it doesn't quite go well. But if you have taught him anything, it is to be fearless and brave when it comes to love. He finds himself lingering in your presence, captivated by your beauty, your smallest gestures, your smile.

• With you, he begins to release the hold he's kept, opening to every tender pang that vulnerability brings. And although it unsettles him at first, he finds a quiet grace in believing that you are indeed the one he had been searching for his entire life, so why shy away from facing true feelings now? The way he sought your warmth in the cooling air, he knew that he was beginning to cherish the soft presence of your love, like a favourite sweater in October.

[green-agent]

Should I make 'Brewing Love Next Door' a series or a oneshot? This is hard for me 😭

But the story wouldn't really change, It would just be more... explained✨ in the series. I dk tho, it will take time.

- Annie <3

[hwashua-luv]

Playful Secrets

Classroom 304 buzzed with the usual chatter of students, but today there was a particular buzz centered around one person—Jung Wooyoung. Known for his effortless charm and magnetic smile, he was the quintessential playboy of Seongnam High School. Everyone knew that Wooyoung had a reputation for being charming, elusive, and, above all, incredibly attractive.

You, Y/N, were not one to get swept up in the high school drama that surrounded him. You preferred to stay under the radar, focusing on your studies and hanging out with a small, close-knit group of friends. But today, as you walked into the classroom, your day was about to take a turn.

"Hey, Y/N!" Wooyoung's voice cut through the din as he flashed a dazzling grin in your direction. You barely knew him, but his attention was hard to ignore. You gave a small, polite wave and took your seat, trying to ignore the flutter of nervousness in your stomach.

Despite your efforts to remain unremarkable, Wooyoung seemed determined to change that. He made his way over to your desk, leaning casually against the edge. His presence was magnetic, and you could feel the eyes of your classmates on you.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked, pointing to the empty seat next to you. His tone was light, but there was an unmistakable glint of curiosity in his eyes.

You hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. "Sure, I don't mind."

As Wooyoung took his seat, a few whispers and exchanged glances rippled through the classroom. It wasn't every day that the school's most eligible bachelor took an interest in someone as quiet as you.

The bell rang, signalling the start of class. Your focus was on the teacher, but you could feel Wooyoung's gaze occasionally drifting in your direction. You tried to concentrate, but it was hard to ignore the fact that he was sitting so close.

When the lunch bell rang, you packed up your things and headed towards the cafeteria, hoping to avoid any unnecessary interaction. But as luck would have it, Wooyoung caught up with you in the hallway.

"Hey, Y/N! Mind if I join you for lunch?" he asked, his smile as effortless as ever.

You were about to decline politely when your friend Sora appeared beside you. "Oh, Y/N, I've been looking for you! Let's go to the usual spot."

Wooyoung's eyes sparkled with mischief as he looked at Sora. "Mind if I tag along?"

Sora looked surprised but then shrugged. "Sure, the more, the merrier."

You led the way to a quieter corner of the cafeteria where you usually ate. As you settled into your usual seats, you couldn't help but feel a bit on edge with Wooyoung sitting across from you. He was effortlessly charming, engaging in light banter with Sora and your other friends, but you found it difficult to relax.

"So, Y/N," Wooyoung began, breaking the friendly chatter. "What do you like to do for fun?"You hesitated, not used to being the center of attention. "I like reading and painting," you said softly.

Wooyoung's eyes lit up. "Really? That's pretty cool. What kind of books do you read?"

Before you could respond, Sora jumped in with a playful smirk. "Y/N has a pretty eclectic taste. She's into everything from fantasy to classic literature."

Wooyoung leaned in slightly, his expression genuine. "I'd love to hear more about it sometime. Maybe you could recommend a book or two."

Your cheeks flushed slightly at the attention. "Sure, I can do that."

As the lunch period continued, you began to relax a little. Wooyoung's charm wasn't as overwhelming as you initially thought, and he genuinely seemed interested in your interests. You found yourself laughing at his jokes and enjoying the conversation more than you had anticipated.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of classes and homework. When the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, you were surprised to find Wooyoung waiting by your locker.

"Hey, Y/N," he greeted, his tone casual but his smile warm. "Got any plans for tonight?"

You shook your head, puzzled. "Not really. Why?"

Wooyoung's eyes twinkled with mischief. "I was thinking about checking out that new art gallery downtown. I heard they have a pretty cool exhibit right now. Thought you might be interested."

You were taken aback. "An art gallery? But why—"

Wooyoung cut you off with a grin. "Just thought it would be fun. Plus, I'm curious to see what kind of art you're into."

You couldn't help but be intrigued. "Alright, sure. I'd love to go."

The evening found you and Wooyoung at the art gallery, strolling through the various exhibits. His easygoing demeanour made it easy to forget the reputation he had at school. You found yourself genuinely enjoying the evening, discussing art and sharing your thoughts on the pieces you saw.

As you approached a particularly captivating painting, Wooyoung leaned in close. "You know, I really didn't expect to have this much fun tonight. You're pretty cool, Y/N."

You blushed slightly, glancing at him. "Thanks, Wooyoung. I'm glad you're enjoying it."

The night continued with a mix of insightful conversation and lighthearted banter. By the time you were heading back home, you found that you were more comfortable around him than you had ever thought possible.

As you said your goodbyes at your front door, Wooyoung gave you a warm smile. "Thanks for coming with me tonight. It was nice to get to know you better."

You returned the smile, feeling a sense of contentment. "Yeah, it was really fun. Maybe we could do this again sometime?"

Wooyoung's grin widened. "I'd like that."

With that, he waved and turned to leave. You watched him walk away, a mix of surprise and satisfaction bubbling within you. Maybe there was more to Wooyoung than his playboy reputation suggested. And maybe, just maybe, you were starting to look forward to seeing where this new connection might lead.

As you closed the door and headed inside, you couldn't help but feel that tonight had been the start of something unexpectedly wonderful.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿

Word count: 984

Author's note: The same one-shot has been posted on Wattpad (hwashua-luv). Requests are also open <3

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