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corroded-hellfire · 8 months ago

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As You Wish - Eddie Munson x Reader, Part 9

Collaboration with the one and only Dr. @munson-blurbs 💛

Summary: Eddie's finally moving into a place of his own. It's fun and exciting but at the same time, it makes things more real for the boys.

Note: It is here! A happy As You Wish Wednesday to you all

Warnings: talk of divorce, Brittany

Words: 7.4k

[As You Wish masterlist]

Eddie usually hated his government name. He’s Eddie, not Edward; the latter too formal and a reminder of when he’d get reprimanded at school.

But today, as the ballpoint pen glides over the paper, he’s never been happier to be Edward Munson.

“All right,” the leasing manager chirps, procuring a key from her back pocket, “congratulations on your new apartment, Mr. Munson.”

“Thank you.” It’s bittersweet; his first place without Brittany, without his boys as permanent fixtures. But he no longer needs to couch surf or rely on anyone else. This is his place, and though it’s not quite the house he once lived in, it’s home.

The Harrington household is in its usual state of controlled chaos when Eddie arrives. His sons are running around with Steve and Nancy’s three oldest kids on their front lawn, so engaged in a rousing game of freeze tag that they don’t even notice the car pulling up.

You spot him right away, greeting him with an excited wave. One arm stays wrapped around Mia, who offers a big smile when she sees her favorite uncle.

“Ryan! Luke! Dad’s here!”

The boys grumble, clearly upset about their game being cut short, and the Harringtons cheer triumphantly.

“We won! We won!” Theo cheers.

Luke shakes his head. “No, we’re just pausing until next time.”

“Nuh-uh! You guys forfeit, which means we win!”

You sigh. “We’ll call it a tie,” you decide, not waiting for a reply. Nancy comes out of the house to pay you, scooping up her youngest.

“Did we avoid a fight?” She whispers to you.

“Barely,” you confirm, tucking the bills into your front pocket. “I’m hoping to make our escape before it escalates.”

Nancy nods. “Godspeed.” She ushers Natalie, Theo, and Danny back into the house, bidding Eddie and his boys farewell, but not before Luke sticks his tongue in his friend’s direction.

“Saw that,” Ryan mutters. So did you, but you lack the energy to reprimand the youngest Munson, so you act oblivious.

This evening was the final celebration of your birthday week—the cherry on top that it seemed the boys wouldn’t let you go without: them treating you to a McDonald’s date. Ryan and Luke had both chipped in some pocket change they had in a piggy bank or hidden underneath a mattress. Though, you wouldn’t be surprised if Luke scrounged some of his from between couch cushions and between seats in his dad’s truck as well.

With their donations appreciated, Eddie pocketed the money and told everyone to order whatever they wanted. That’s dangerous territory with the two rugrats around, but it’s a special occasion.

The order in total managed to fit on four trays, which the guys said they had handled and would head off to find a table while you wait for the milkshakes at the counter.

As you rest your hip against the cool metal island that contains condiments and utensils, you hear familiar giggles coming from the tables around the corner. They bring an instant smile to your face. There’s a lot of turmoil going on in these kids’ lives right now, so the fact that they get to have these moments of peace and joy with their dad is very important. It’s part of the reason you told Eddie that it might be better to take Ryan and Luke shopping for their new rooms on his own. None of the three Munson men were having this, though. Every single one of them trusted your opinion far more than anyone with an XY chromosome in your little gang.

“Milkshakes?”

The worker’s voice pulls you out of your head and you give her a polite smile as you pick the cardboard carrier up off the counter, holding two vanilla shakes for you and Ryan, a chocolate for Eddie, and a strawberry for Luke. You set off in the direction the previous laughter came from and just as you turn the corner are greeted by the sight of the back of your boyfriend’s head in all its curly glory. Thing One and Thing Two are on the other side of the table throwing fries at one another, trying to catch them in their mouths.

“Come on, try me,” Eddie says, tilting his head back a bit. Ryan throws a fry first, but it bounces off his father’s cheek. Luke then throws a fry that is way too long and was never going to make it across the table. You watch in silence as the boys make a few more valiant attempts, Ryan able to sink one in eventually. The shakes are getting melty now though, so it’s time to barge in on their game.

When you walk over to the table and set the drink caddy down, you notice Eddie’s expression goes from playful to remorseful. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take your brain long to make the connection that this is something Brittany probably would’ve berated him for in the past—acting like a child and goofing around with the boys. It’s preposterous to even think of, really.

Instead of assuring Eddie with comforting words, you just slide onto the red vinyl booth next to him and nudge his arm with your elbow.

“My turn.”

Juxtaposed with the fun dinner you just had is the quiet car ride back to Brittany’s house to drop the boys off. Seeing the two happy little moods dampened weighs on Eddie’s heart, so he tries to get them engaged in another fun topic.

“Are you guys excited to pick out stuff for your new rooms tomorrow?” he asks, grinning at them through the rear-view mirror.

“Do I get, like…a new bed?” Luke asks.

“Sure do,” Eddie says as he flips the blinker on to turn into his old neighborhood. “And whatever kind of sheets you want to put on it.”

“Can I get ones with Spider-Man? Or Batman? Or Spider-Man and Batman?”

Eddie chuckles. “We’ll see what they have.”

That seems to satisfy Luke, at least for the moment, which is all you need. Eddie takes a deep breath as he pulls up to Brittany’s house—his former house. That twinge of pain never seems to dissipate, even though the end of his marriage was inevitable, the loss still hurts. Ryan doesn’t give him much time to dwell on things, though.

“Can I get a PlayStation for my room?”

Eddie barks a laugh and rubs a hand over his eyes. Before he can open his mouth to say no, Luke has to add his own outlandish request.

“Can I get a dog?!”

Your boyfriend just looks at you, silently begging you to take over before his patience completely runs out.

As you unbuckle your seatbelt, you casually announce, “No additional living beings until further notice.”

Luke grumbles, but ultimately relents, climbing out of his booster seat and running up to the door where Brittany is waiting.

“Mom!” Ryan and Luke yell out in unison. The older boy’s enthusiastic grin falters a bit when he notices the fakeness in his mom’s smile, but the younger boy thankfully remains oblivious.

“We’re gonna pick out stuff for our new rooms tomorrow!” Luke chirps.

Brittany’s perfectly plucked brows pinch together in a mix of confusion and her usual perpetual annoyance. “Tomorrow?” she asks, her voice far from genuine. “I thought we would spend tomorrow together, guys.”

“Britt, you said tomorrow you had that work thing, remember?” Eddie reminds her, a smug smile on his face. They both know damn well she just wanted to get out of taking the boys to the toy store when Luke originally asked the other day.

Brittany glares at Eddie but Luke shrugs and walks away.

“Another time, Mom.” He says casually, and something inside you breaks. You can feel it in Eddie, too. Luke’s unbothered attitude is too natural, like he’s accustomed to his mother constantly breaking their plans.

Speaking up will only incur the wrath of Brittany, so you stay silent, leaving Eddie to maneuver the rest of the awkward conversation.

“See you guys tomorrow,” he calls out to his sons, giving a cordial wave to Brittany. She doesn’t return it, closing the door in your faces.

Eddie turns to you. “That could have gone worse, I guess.”

You scoff. “Yeah, she could’ve turned into one of those Demogorgon things from your D&D campaigns.”

“Now that would be entertaining.” He takes your hand in his, his rings pressing against your fingers.

The car ride home will almost certainly involve a discussion about the way the boys’ faces fell when they saw Brittany and how to undo the damage of her bailing on plans. But for now, you take the moment to relish the love between you and Eddie.

“Look at that lamp! It looks like a jellyfish!”

It seems as if every other thing that Luke sees as the four of you walk up and down the aisles of the store catches his eye. If his new room incorporated all these new interesting finds of his, the small bedroom would look like the storage space of an eccentric car enthusiast who has an odd pension for nautical memorabilia.

“I thought you wanted a Hot Wheels room,” Eddie says for what feels like the fortieth time.

“I do, that lamp just looks cool,” Luke says. “Hey! Can I get one of those rugs that looks like there are roads on it so I can drive my cars all around?”

“If we see one,” his dad tells him.

Luke may only be five, but he already has expensive tastes. Ryan seems to be the opposite on this shopping trip—he doesn’t seem to know what he wants. None of the movie or character themed bed sets thrilled him, and there wasn’t a sport or activity he wanted highlighted. The only things the elder Munson brother had in the cart so far were a set of two black bookshelves to hang on the walls and a package of glow in the dark stars to stick to his ceiling.

On the other hand, Luke had already collected Hot Wheels sheets, Hot Wheels curtains, a nightstand that looked like three tires stacked one on top of the other, a stuffed German Shepherd (since he can’t get a real dog, he said), a Scooby Doo calendar, and a set of four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle posters. The young boy had also tried to add an espresso machine to the cart, which was immediately halted by both you and Eddie.

“What in the world do you need an espresso machine for?” you had asked.

“For when I have guests,” Luke replied simply.

“Oh, right,” Eddie said, raising his eyebrows. “Because I think that much caffeine is exactly what Mia Harrington needs.”

Luke scoffed and rolled his eyes as if his dad thought he was stupid. “Well, I wouldn’t give any to a baby.”

You pinch the bridge of your nose between your thumb and forefinger, massaging gently. As grateful as you are that you have this opportunity to shop with Eddie and his boys, you can’t deny that your patience is swiftly draining.

“Luke, why are you pouting?”

The voice doesn’t belong to you, Eddie, or even Ryan. No, this shrill, weasley voice could only belong to one person.

Brittany stands before you, a gaudy pocketbook tucked underneath her arm. Her lips curl into what you can only consider an attempted smile, though it still makes your insides curdle.

“C’mere.” She motions to her youngest son, pulling him into a too-tight hug. You watch him squirm out of her grasp.

“Britt,” Eddie says through gritted teeth, “I thought you were busy today.”

Brittany shrugs nonchalantly, as though she hasn’t just completely derailed your afternoon. “Moved some things around.” She grins at Ryan and Luke. “What are we buying today?”

We. Like she was paying for any of it.

You swallow your frustration and shoot her an equally feigned smile. “Luke’s getting stuff for his Hot Wheels room, and Ryan still needs a reading lamp.”

“I wanted a race car bed, but Daddy said it was too ‘spensive. So, I’m gonna get Hot Wheels sheets instead,” Luke proudly announces.

Brittany furrows her brows in mock confusion. “But how can you have a Hot Wheels room with a regular bed?” She cocks her head, looking at Eddie. “I mean, you can’t splurge a little? I’m sure you have a guitar you could pawn.”

Eddie bites his lower lip so hard that you swear you see a speck of blood form. He’s holding himself back; being in public and in the presence of his kids keeps him from launching into an expletive-laden tirade.

“I’m not pawning a guitar for a bed he’s going to outgrow in a few years. Especially not when we came up with a good compromise.” His tone is terse, clipped.

Brittany rolls her eyes. “I’m sure the court will love to hear that,” she mutters under her breath, still loud enough for you and Eddie to hear. The boys, luckily, have dashed ahead.

Your instinct is to bite back with a snarky comment about the court being much more interested in every important event she’s missed, but you restrain yourself. This isn’t your battle to fight, and any remark will just make Eddie’s life harder. Instead, you act as though she hadn’t said a word as you all catch up to the kids.

Not one to be ignored, Brittany turns to her oldest son. “What about you, Ry? What did you pick out?” Her frown deepens when Ryan shows her the three items in the cart belonging to him. “That’s it? It’s like they forgot about you!”

“We didn’t—” you start, watching hurt seep into Ryan’s eyes, but Eddie quickly squeezes your hand. Don’t play into it. You know her comment stung him, too, and that it was even more difficult for him not to defend himself.

There was no need for either of you to say anything, because Ryan is ultimately the one who speaks up.

“I’m still deciding what I want. No one forgot about me—not like how you forgot about my holiday concert.”

Brittany’s cheeks go beet red, her jaw clenched. “You know what? I need to get going now, anyway.” She glares at Eddie. “Drop them off at my house when you’re done.” With that, she walks away.

Your gaze immediately drops to Ryan, who just stands there as though shocked by his own comeback. “I…I didn’t mean to…” Tears well up in his eyes, and he blinks them back before they can stain his cheeks. “She just…”

Eddie puts one hand on his shoulder. He takes a deep breath, looking up, and you know he’s weighing his options. He can harp on Brittany’s insufficiencies, or he can do the right thing. Be a role model.

“I know, bud. It’s hard. Especially when we’re angry.” He gives a soft smile. “You’ve got that Munson temper—quiet till it boils over. But you can apologize to Mom when you see her later.”

Ryan nods somberly.

Eddie glances at you for help, and you carefully oblige. “That doesn’t mean that it’s okay for her to miss your concerts,” you say. “But you can talk about how it makes you feel before those emotions get to be too much.”

“Maybe we should go home,” Eddie says, but Ryan shakes his head. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” Ryan swipes at his misty eyes. “I wanna pick out a bed. Maybe one that has the drawers underneath.”

You grin. “More storage space for books?”

Ryan nods, and Eddie grins. “Whose kid is this? Certainly too smart to be mine.”

You want to ask him what he kept stored in his bedroom drawers, but refrain at the last second. Perhaps some things are better left unknown.

Just one aisle over, Ryan’s attention snags on a bed that has his eyes widening.

“It has a desk, too!” he says, taking off towards the bed at the end of the aisle.

“Whoa!” Luke echoes, following behind his big brother.

You slip your hand into Eddie’s as he pushes the cart forward with the other hand. Even though the boys are preoccupied with the piece of furniture, you keep your voice low.

“I’m so proud of how you handled that,” you tell your boyfriend. “I was ready to scoop Ryan into my arms and comfort him and tell him everything is okay, but you did the right thing.”

Eddie sighs and gives your hand a small shake. “Shit. When did I become a grown up?” With another, more dramatic sigh, Eddie shakes his head. “Gotta fix that.”

Before you can ask what he means, he leans over and licks up the side of your face, tongue flat and hot against your skin. You squeal, taken by surprise and duck your head down away from him.

“You’re a child!” you say through a heavy bout of laughter.

“Damn straight, baby.”

When you look up ahead, the boys are now watching you two, your squeal having gained their attention.

“You guys know that your dad is bonkers?” you ask with a playful smirk on your face.

“Uh huh!” Luke declares proudly. “We’re the Goof Troop!”

“Oh, are we?” Eddie questions. He spins the cart out of his way, like a car doing donuts, and hoists Luke up, throwing him over his shoulder. “I think you’re the goofiest of the goofs.”

Luke laughs as his orange t-shirt rides up his back. You adjust it for him before leaving the two guys with the matching curls to their antics and join Ryan over by the bed.

“You like this one, huh?” You wrap an arm around the elder brother’s shoulders and give a gentle squeeze.

Ryan nods. “I wanted a desk in my old room. I mean, the room at the old hou—uh, Mom’s house. But my room is too small for one. But this is perfect! I crawl up top, there’s my bed! I come back down, it’s a desk!”

His excitement is palpable, and you can’t help but lean in and press a kiss to the top of his head. God, you’d give this kid the world if you could. Luke too, of course. They’re both such great kids and it’s moments like these where you realize just how lucky you were to meet this family.

Brittany’s abrupt departure, while welcome, also means that the boys will be accompanying you and Eddie while you pick out his furniture. Or, as Luke so aptly puts it, “the boring stuff.”

The youngest Munson lasts all of six minutes before he starts whining. Your patience has already worn thin from Brittany’s antics, and you have to take a deep breath before you respond.

“Luke, we picked out your stuff, now it’s Daddy’s t—”

Tears well up in his eyes. “But I don’t wanna! I wanna go home!”

You and Eddie share a glance. Between your schedule and his, there are few opportunities for you to shop together. You’re trying to remember what days you’ll be free when you hear Ryan pipe up.

“We should play The Price is Right!” He exclaims. “Y’know, that show we watch when we’re home sick? We can guess the price of Dad’s furniture and see who gets the closest.”

Luke ponders this for just a moment before nodding emphatically. You and Eddie exhale twin sighs of relief, and you make a mental note to thank Ryan later.

The boys guess on everything from bed sheets to sofas, with Luke’s answers only getting more outlandish. There’s no way he thinks a TV stand costs $80 million…right?

Eddie chuckles as he watches his sons over his shoulder. They’re looking up at a chandelier, Ryan’s lips pursed, and Luke with his head tilted to the side like a confused puppy. Your boyfriend shakes his head in amusement as he faces forward again, pushing the now-heavy cart further down the aisle.

“I kinda like that lamp,” Eddie says, taking a closer step to the display sets blinding you with their high wattage all aimed in your direction. “Oh shit, that’s nice, too. Babe, what do you think?”

Coming up beside him, you loop your arm through his and press a few kisses to his shoulder.

“Sweetheart, it’s your apartment,” you remind him. “You deserve to make this place your own.” Giving a soft shake of your head, you wrinkle up your nose in a way that Eddie finds adorable. “You don’t want your girlfriend playing interior decorator.”

Eddie raises his eyebrows and angles his head down to meet your eyes. “Am I allowed to ask for my girlfriend’s opinion?”

“Of course.”

“Okaaay,” Eddie says, playfully pulling you in front of him so he can wrap his arms around your middle and run the tips of his calloused fingers over the soft material of your pink shirt. “So, girlfriend, which of the two lamps do you like better?”

The one that first caught Eddie’s eyes was a simple, basic design, but who really needs more than that? The black, twisting metal that twines up to an off-white lampshade is elegant and something you can absolutely see being in Eddie’s new living room. The second lamp is a little more ostentatious, though it’s certainly pretty. The silver body of the lamp resembles an hourglass, rounded edges topped off with a round white lampshade. It’s nice, but not something you can see Eddie being really happy with.

“I like the first one,” you tell him.

“That’s the one I was leaning towards,” he says. Eddie presses a kiss to your cheek before unwinding his arms from around your body so he can grab two of the lamp boxes to add to the cart. “Come on, shortstops. Keep up.”

The boys trail at a small distance, calling out numbers and pointing at various objects on shelves they’ll never be able to correctly identify prices on. With one hand, Eddie pushes the cart forward, and he lays his other hand, large and warm, against the small of your back as you walk.

“Now, this next part in particular is what I really want your opinion on.” Eddie’s words are just above a whisper and the ghosting of his lips against the shell of your ear sends a chill down your spine. There’s no need for you to look, you already know your boyfriend is smirking at the reaction he has on you.

You turn the corner with the cart and when you see the next aisle, your face feels warm. Of course this is what he wants your input on the most. The bedding department.

“What exactly would you like my help with?” you ask, feigning as much innocence as you possibly can.

The aisles of bed linens, bed frames, mattresses, and pillows seem to stretch out for a mile before you. You don’t see this ending without Eddie severely working you up.

“Well,” Eddie says with a shrug, far too innocuous for the thoughts you know are running through his mind. “We found things for the boys’ rooms, but none for mine yet. And since I’m really hoping you’ll be spending a good amount of time in my bedroom, I’d like you to be comfortable there.”

“Sounds reasonable enough.” You don’t meet his eye, instead strolling closer to the mattresses, to get a better look at them.

“Oh, yes!” you hear Luke cheer as his black and blue sneakers squeak on the linoleum floor. “I’m gonna guess all the beds right!”

Ryan follows along behind his little brother, shaking his head. He looks at you and mouths no he’s not. A chuckle rumbles your chest as you watch the boys walk further down the aisle, inspecting a shelf of body pillows.

“What kind of mattress do you prefer?” you ask Eddie. “Firm? Soft? Somewhere in the middle?”

“I—” he cuts himself off, brow wrinkling as he looks down at the scuffed white floor beneath his boots. “I don’t actually know.”

“No?” you ask, curiosity burning inside of you. He’ll explain if he wants to, but you’d never push.

He shakes his head. “I had a hand-me-down mattress when I lived with Wayne. Brought that same mattress when Jeff and I got a tiny ass apartment on the edge of Hawkins. After that I moved in with Brittany and we just used the one she already had. We got a new mattress when we moved into the house, but Brittany went out and picked it out herself. I didn’t see it until I went to sleep on it that night. It’s the same one there now.”

“So that mattress has a few good memories then,” you tease, giving him a gentle smirk. “Let’s test out what you like then.” You take a seat at the foot of the bed on the nearest mattress and hold out your hand to Eddie.

He parks the cart between two adjacent mattresses and climbs on the mattress next to you. The two of you situate yourselves as if you were going to go to bed, to sleep.

“This feels…” Eddie shifts his position, adjusting his shoulders to make himself more comfortable. “It’s a little hard.”

“I think so, too,” you agree. “Onto the next.”

After testing half a dozen beds, you and Eddie have deduced that he likes softer mattresses, but not too soft. With one goal achieved, now it’s time to find the most comfortable of the semi-soft mattresses.

“Okay, this might be the best one we’ve laid on,” Eddie says after four attempts. “I really like this.”

“This is nice,” you concur. “One more test.”

Eddie turns his head to look at you in question, but it clicks soon enough as you cuddle up to his side and rest your head on his chest. It’s the exact position the two of you lay in quite frequently, and you have to make sure that this bed is accepting and supportive of that.

“I mean, I can think of another test,” Eddie says as he wraps his arm around you. “But I don’t think they’d let us do that in the store.”

With a girlish giggle, you press a kiss to Eddie’s chest and push yourself into a seated position.

“What’s your verdict?” you ask.

Dark chocolate eyes gaze up at the ceiling as Eddie adjusts his position on the bed once more. Then, he slips his eyes closed and rolls onto his side, which is his most common sleeping position.

“Yeah,” he says, opening his eyes. “I’m gonna go with this one.”

“And this one is…thirteen thousand dollars!” Luke calls as he and Ryan run over. Luke face plants on the bed and Ryan plops down next to his brother on his bottom.

“He tried guessing the price of a lady’s dog,” Ryan says.

Luke lifts his head, blue eyes wide as he pulls his shoulders up towards his ears.

“She was carrying him in a little doggy bag! It looked like she was buying him!”

“This is the one you’re getting?” Ryan asks, ignoring his little brother completely. The older brother bounces slightly as he sits, testing out the springiness.

“Yep,” Eddie says as he pushes himself up from the bed. “Just have to get some sheets for it now. You two stay here and watch the cart, okay? We’re just gonna be right over there looking at the linens.”

“Okay,” Ryan says.

“Aye aye!” Luke gives his dad a salute before going to sit up near the pillows.

Eddie laces his fingers with yours, tugging you over to where bedsheets lay wrapped in their plastic coverings. “Gonna need your help for this one, baby.”

“Eds,” you protest, “this apartment is for you and the boys. I don’t wanna—”

Your boyfriend leans in and silences you with a kiss. “While I appreciate that…you and I are gonna be the ones getting well-acquainted with these sheets. I wanna make sure you’ll be comfy laying on them…or kneeling on them.” His eyes twinkle mischievously. “Don’t want those pretty knees getting scratched up while you’re riding me.”

You shove him away playfully. “Behave,” you warn, thumbing through the linen options.

“Yes, ma��am,” Eddie mumbles under his breath, though it’s hard to take that promise seriously when it’s followed by a pinch to your ass.

Eddie grabs a set of dove gray sheets and a matching comforter from the shelf and turns to head back towards the boys. Before the two of you reach the end of the aisle though, your boyfriend stops short and looks to you with eyes wide as saucers.

“Can I get Star Wars sheets?”

As much as Eddie tries to hold in his laughter, a snort breaks though. You shake your head in bemusement as you pass him by and head towards the arguably more mature Munsons.

“Okay, so.” Steve stands with his hands on his hips as he addresses his two oldest kids along with Eddie’s boys. “Any box marked with this word,” he points to where FRAGILE is written in black Sharpie, “is not for kids to carry.”

Luke furrows his brow. “Why not?”

Before Steve can answer, Theo speaks up. “Because it says the F-word,” he says matter-of-factly.

“No, it does not!” Steve sputters.

“There’s an F right there,” Luke points out. “See?”

Steve sighs. “Yes, that is an f-word, but it says ‘fragile,’ not—never mind.” He shakes his head. “Just don’t touch it.”

Across the room, Eddie grimaces as his uncle tries to lift a coffee table. “Old man,” Eddie calls out. “Put that down before you hurt yourself. My goal is to avoid the emergency room at all costs.”

Wayne shakes his head. “I’m not just gonna stand around while everyone else works,” he protests.

Eddie runs his fingers through his hair, wincing when he snags them on a knot.

“I didn’t wanna have to bring out the big guns…” He grins at Wayne’s puzzled expression before calling out to his sons. “Ryan! Luke! Grandpa wants to hear all about that cartoon you’re obsessed with.”

Luke bounds over with Ryan right behind him. “Okay, so there’s a cat and a dog, but they’re stuck together where their butts would be!” He cackles at this.

“And Cat is scared all the time, but Dog is crazy,” Ryan chimes in. “And he’s always getting Cat into trouble.”

Eddie throws his uncle a wink, a silent I warned you, and slides his arm around your waist.

“Thank God for shitty kids’ shows,” he murmurs.

You roll your eyes. “Pretty sure I’ve caught you watching that ‘shitty kids’ show’ on more than one occasion. Even without the boys there.”

Pressing a smacking kiss to your temple, Eddie whirls around to see Lucas, Max, and Dustin struggling with the sofa. “That’ll stay our little secret,” he says before darting off to help them.

A few hours later, once the moving van has been unloaded and furniture and boxes have been placed in their respective rooms, the whole group finds themselves in the living room. The youngest Munsons sit on the floor next to their Uncle Dustin. Wayne rests on the couch, sandwiched between Eddie and Steve. You, Lucas, and Max pull up some folding chairs. Each of you has a slice of pizza on a paper towel, since no one wanted to unpack the plates.

Pressing on his knees, Eddie stands up. “Before we dig in, I’d just like to offer a toast.” He raises his beer bottle, and everyone does the same—root beer for the boys, of course. “To the best moving crew this town has ever seen. May we never have to do this again.”

Everyone nods in agreement, bottles clinking before the room goes quiet. The only noise is the sound of pizza being devoured.

You look at Eddie, trading exhausted smiles. Today was long, but it was one huge step closer to your future together. No matter how strongly sleep beckoned you, you wouldn’t trade this for the world.

Once all that remains of the pizzas are the few crusts left behind in the box, everyone starts to head out. Eddie makes sure to thank each of them again when they say their goodbyes.

Wayne is the last one there besides you and the boys. The older man yanks his keys free from his back pocket and jingles them in his hand as he walks towards the front door.

“This is a nice place you got here, Ed.”

It doesn’t matter how old he is, hearing praise from Wayne still makes Eddie feel like a little boy making his father proud. He can’t help but smile as he shuffles over to his uncle.

“It is pretty nice, isn’t it?” Eddie looks around, taking in the dark green walls that he can’t wait to fill up with silly photos of the boys and pictures of your beautiful face to greet him every morning. A blank slate, his to do what he wants with.

“I’m proud of ya, son,” Wayne says, clapping Eddie on the shoulder. “You were dealt a rough hand but you’re making it through alright.”

“Doing my best,” Eddie admits with a shrug.

“That’s all anyone can,” Wayne says. “I’ll see you later, kid. Where my boys?”

As if waiting for their cue, both Luke and Ryan rush at Wayne, arms open and ready to receive their goodbye hugs.

“Bye, Grandpa!” Ryan says as he’s squeezed in the older man’s arms.

“Remember,” Luke says when it’s his turn to get hugged, “Catdog is on Nickelodeon, not Cartoon Network.”

“I’ll try to remember that,” Wayne says with a hearty chuckle. Next, those wise blue-gray eyes are aimed your way and before you even realize it, you’re going in for a hug.

Being hugged by Wayne is like cuddling up with a cherished childhood teddy bear after you’ve had a bad day. It feels safe, warm, and loving. It’s as obvious as Luke’s love for Hot Wheels where Eddie learned how to be a good father. Wayne might like to make people think he’s rough around the edges, but you’ve learned in a short time that he’s Mr. Softy when it comes to anything involving his family. But who can blame him when his family is Eddie, Luke, and Ryan?

“You take care, doll,” Wayne says, giving you a soft pat on the back before pulling away. “And let me know if any of these three get out of line.”

“Us?” Luke asks, voice an octave higher than usual as he gestures to himself. “Never!”

“Uh huh,” Wayne hums with a rumbling laugh. He ruffles the smallest boy’s curls before heading out the door.

You, Eddie, and the boys leave a few minutes later—not without arguing with Luke about using the bathroom. Ryan and Luke climb into the backseat, and after double-checking that they’re securely buckled in, you slide into the passenger seat.

Eddie shifts the gears from park to reverse, and you keep your hand atop his. The ride back to Brittany’s is fairly quiet, with no bickering from the brothers. Apparently, a long day of unpacking boxes and bothering their grandpa has worn them out.

It isn’t until you’re a few blocks away from the house that Luke speaks up.

“Dad, what’s for dinner tonight?”

Eddie keeps his eyes on the road as he answers. “You’re, uh, gonna have to ask Mom about that,” he says evenly.

“Can you ask her not to make fish sticks? I hate those.”

A lump forms in Eddie’s throat. He thought the boys both understood what the living situation was going to be. Sometimes it’s easy to forget Luke is only five with the larger than life personality he has or that Ryan is only seven when Eddie’s pretty positive the kid is smarter than he is. Eddie silently prays that he won’t have to explain the separation time and time again because he doesn’t think he has the strength to repeatedly let his sons down. Because that’s what he’s doing, right? Breaking their little hearts by telling them things are changing whether they like it or not.

It seems like aspects of it they like—like you being around more and being their father’s girlfriend. But it’s hard for them to grasp that in order for that to happen, they have to have Mom live in one place and Daddy in another. Eddie’s sure that the three of them not all waking up in the same house everyday is killing him more than it is them.

“Luke, buddy,” Eddie starts. “I’m not eating dinner with you tonight. We’ll eat dinner together when you stay at my place.”

Ryan leans forward. “Is Mom gonna eat with us there, too?”

You catch the sadness in Eddie’s face. The two of you know that it isn’t healthy for the boys to grow up in a home with parents who don’t want to be together, but that doesn’t mean the divorce is easy. You give Eddie’s hand a small squeeze of support.

“Guys, Mom and I don’t live together anymore. She lives at the house, and I live at the apartment.”

“Oh.” Realization hits Ryan. “So…you and Mom are gonna be separate forever?”

Forever. Eddie had promised Brittany forever that day at the altar, and now they’d reached a much different definition of that word.

It’s funny how the same word is so full of promise and excitement, blooming with life and warmth when he says it to you, but shriveled up and desiccated when presented by his sons in this context.

“Yeah. That’s what happens when people get divorced—they stop living together. But you will always have a home at Mom’s, and you’ll always have a home with me. They just won’t be the same home.”

There’s only silence as Luke and Ryan process the information. Neither you nor Eddie are used to them being so quiet; the million follow-up questions you’d anticipated never arise.

The floodgates burst when Eddie pulls into Brittany’s driveway, before the seatbelts can even be unfastened.

“I d-don’t wanna leave!” Luke cries, tugging his knees to his chest. “I don’t want Dad to live at the ‘partment!”

Your heart lurches. There’s nothing to say or do—he’s disappointed, and rightfully so. As much as you love Eddie, as glad as you are that he’s yours, you wish he and his sons didn’t have to deal with the pain of this divorce.

Eddie helps Luke out of the car, then Ryan. The older boy is fighting back tears of his own.

“I know this change is hard,” Eddie says to both kids, “but we’ll get used to it. I promise.”

Luke shakes his head, his curly mop of hair tangling. “No! I don’t wanna get used to it! I want you to live here again!”

“I know,” Eddie repeats, exhaling. “I wish I could make it easier.” He kisses each of his boys on the forehead and turns to you.

Ryan and Luke follow his gaze. They look even younger, smaller somehow, when they’re sad. All you want is to protect them from all of the bad in the world.

You open up your arms, enveloping them in a hug. “We’ll see you guys super soon, okay?”

It isn’t okay, and you’re sure Luke is about to tell you that. But then the front door swings open.

“Good, you boys are home. Wait. What’s wrong? What’s going on?” Brittany looks from the heartbroken boys in your arms over to Eddie in question. She doesn’t give anyone a chance to reply before her eyes snap back to the boys and she demands, “What’s wrong? Luke?”

The five-year-old turns out of your arms and buries his face in his father’s t-shirt. His small sniffles and sobs are heart wrenching, and you find yourself holding onto Ryan a little tighter out of reflex. Ryan rests his head against your body. The feeling of his shoulders heaving dials up your instinct to comfort, so you card your fingers through the boy’s honey brown curls.

Eddie is doing his best to comfort Luke as well. One ringed hand rubs up and down Luke’s small back, while the other cups the back of the boy's head as he cries. The pain lashing through your heart is nearly unbearable—you can’t even begin to imagine how bad it is for Eddie.

“He was a little confused about having two places to live now,” Eddie explains to Brittany. “He, uh, doesn’t want me living at the apartment.”

Brittany, to your surprise, stays quiet. She simply nods her head and crosses her arms over her chest.

“Do you want to go inside, Luke?” Ryan speaks up from your arms, standing up straight so he’s no longer leaning against you for support.

Still sniffling, Luke turns from Eddie’s torso and nods at his big brother, his left fist coming up to rub at his eye.

Ryan nods and steps out of the circle of your arms to offer his little brother his hand. Luke grips it tightly, like it’s a lifeline and he’s scared Ryan is going to be the next one to live somewhere else.

The two make their way into the house and the gazes of you three adults on the porch follow them until they’re out of sight.

Letting out a pained sigh, Eddie rubs his hands over his face. He hardly gets those two seconds of reprieve because Brittany immediately snarls at him.

“So, you just explained it all to him without me? Without even telling me?”

The look you register on Eddie’s face first is shock, but it disappears after half a second, used to this insanity and savagery from his ex.

“What did you want me to do?” Eddie sounds exhausted. Mentally, now, in addition to physically from moving furniture all day. “He was upset, did you want me to have him hold on so I could have you come over to the apartment? Get into the car with us?”

She probably wouldn’t have anyway, you say to yourself.

“Now I have to deal with him being upset,” Brittany complains.

You’re seeing red. The world is painted in crimsons and scarlets and it’s a good thing Eddie speaks up first, because something would’ve come out of your mouth that you would’ve ended up regretting later.

“He’s your son,” Eddie argues, seething anger present in his voice as well. “That’s part of your job. You should want to comfort him when he’s upset.”

With one last roll of her eyes and a loud scoff, Brittany steps back into the house and slams the front door behind her.

Eddie takes a few breaths before he lets out a pained chuckle and turns away from the house.

“I hate her so fucking much,” he says.

Your boyfriend takes a deep breath and turns to you. The pain in his eyes steals the breath from your lungs. That agony morphs into a look you can’t interpret at first. No, it’s still pain, just a different kind. He speaks up before you can ask about it.

“This shit isn’t easy,” he says. The tone of his voice makes it click for you. Part of him thinks you’re going to walk away from all of this. Now that the emotions are raw on a different level, he thinks you’re going to change your mind about this. About him.

But he’s crazier than Brittany is if he thinks you’re going to leave his side for even a moment.

“I know,” you answer him with a shrug of your shoulders. “But I’m not going anywhere, Eds. I’m here for you—all three of you.”

The plug is pulled on that pain and worry, and it all disappears down the drain to make room for the love and gratefulness that fills him up now. A small smile even curls one corner of his mouth up.

“Have I told you that I love you lately?” he asks.

“Not in the last…” you peer down at your watch before meeting his gaze once more, “hour or so. So, I think you’re due.”

Eddie steps forwards and presses a soft kiss to your forehead.

“I love you,” he whispers. “Come on. Let’s go home.”

His voice faltered slightly on the word “home,” but you don’t let him dwell on that. You slip your arm around his waist and start walking towards the car. “Oh, I forgot to tell you,” Eddie says as the two of you step into the driveway, “I got that bottle of champagne I bought for your birthday that I left at the Harrington’s. Figured it could be used to celebrate the new place. But, shit, I think I’m going to need something a whole lot stronger than champagne when we get back.”

#eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x y/n #older!eddie #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fan fiction #eddie munson fic #dad!eddie #eddie munson imagine #AYW #AYWS

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chimivx · 5 months ago

Text

That one fucked you over last year, this one is fucking you over this year, you had no idea she was involved with him, someone over here has been lying to you, you didn't mean to end up in that ones bed, he told you he loved you... Does anyone even trust anyone anymore?

👫 -> college!teez x fem!reader/oc {frat/sorority} #️⃣ -> 10k (part TEN of ten) ‼️ -> 18+, sexual content, drugs/alcohol, college life, all the drama, heavy angst, infidelity adjacent moments, mean boys, mean girls, mentions of anxiety/depression… IF I MISSED ANYTHING PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

{ there are names & faces in here that come from NMWID <3 }

october 8th ~ tuesday ~ 8:21 a.m.

Back pressed against the flat painter's grey wall, you were sat on top of the island counter, your knees tucked into your chest, the marble of the countertop cool beneath your bare feet. Arms wrapped around your legs, you clutched your cell phone, stomach dropping every time it buzzed. Heavy eyes scanned over every message you received, from Yunho, from your dad, from Keeho. Sleep was impossible. After the day you had yesterday your mind was unable to relax, your muscles so tense you felt like you were on speed.

The front door swung open, Tori stepping in with her hand on her purse and the other attached to another hand. Messy blonde hair and thin wired glasses followed her in, well, had to duck through the doorway to follow her in. His face fueled the nausea settling within your chest, but when he spotted you, he smiled, his eyes softening yet expressing his apologies all at once.

He had a coffee carrier in his other hand, the one not clinging to his girlfriend. Cozy, both of them, they wore hoodies and sweats, like you, but theirs actually belonged to them. You wore Wooyoung’s, and Mingi took notice straight away.

“Rora,” he whispered, looking to the couch, finding Seonghwa still snoozing away. Tori released him, your best friend heading back for the bathroom down the hall across from you. Mingi came to your side, it only took him two strides. Setting the very tall, very large coffees down on the other end of the counter, he wiggled one out and offered it to you. “Tori got this one for you,” he said, his raspy voice as gentle as it could be.

Peeking at the side of the cup where the Blend logo was, where Theo’s handwriting was scribbled on the side, he checked the label and smiled, proud of himself. Reoffering it to you, you couldn’t not take it from him. You wouldn’t be able to stomach the sugar or the caffeine, but if this was his way of apologizing you didn’t want to miss the way he blinked happily as you wrapped your hand around the cup.

Acquiring a coffee for himself, he took a sip and cringed. “Tori’s,” he coughed, successfully making you laugh. Swapping it for another, he checked the label this time before taking a drink. “This place is nice,” he said, looking from Seonghwa asleep on the small couch to the tan cabinets behind him lining the walls of the kitchen.

“It is,” you said, voice above a whisper so as to not disturb the snoring boy on the couch. “He only moved in Friday, but, it’s a start.” Mingi looked at you, trying so hard to not show off his inner turmoil, but the boy was incapable. Every emotion gets written on his face, his subtitles whether or not he shared his thoughts. “No,” you answered his unspoken question, and he nodded straight away. “He’s just a friend.”

A friend you weren’t sure you could be just friends with. Not after all you’ve been through together. You stayed here last night, and you slept in his bed, but it wasn’t weird, Tori was there. She slept next to you and Wooyoung took the floor while Seonghwa and Soul shacked up in the living room. The older boy was still asleep, but the younger one had a class to get to, one he couldn’t avoid because you were very much awake, and Soul was going to listen to you.

The five of you have been together since yesterday, and by the looks of it, you weren’t going to be parting ways any time soon. Somehow you and Wooyoung were able to find a chunk of time to yourselves while the others went on their ways to gather what they needed for the next day, Tori bringing you an outfit and necessities from ITZ.

On the couch Seonghwa slept on now, you and Wooyoung sat on opposite sides with three feet of empty space between you. The kiss was wrong, and both of you could feel it. From the moment you parted from one another, that first look, it should’ve been it, but it wasn’t. Sure, it was overdue. Sure, you both needed to get it out of your system. Sure, it was heated in the moment, emotions getting the best of everyone, but it wasn’t right.

And it scared you.

Every moment spent with any boy thus far, you’ve had that content, this is supposed to happen feeling, and every single one of those boys screwed shit up, or they weren’t telling you the truth. Now, with this boy, with Wooyoung, who really seemed like he was telling the truth, it should feel right. It was legitimate.

You think.

Easily pulling the words out of you, Wooyoung heard it all, and he agreed with you.

You couldn’t trust him. Not like that. Not yet.

As much as it hurt him, he understood.

“How can I not?” he had said to you. “I get it. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”

He took his vow extremely seriously, to the point that it was comical. When everyone had come back and you were circled around the living room, take out containers and empty cans scattered about the space, if you got too close he’d pretend to pull a wall up between you. If you were laughing and grabbed onto him in some way, he’d flash you some sarcastically stern eyes and gently return your hands back to you.

Even when he gave you the sweats you wore, he pulled them from a suitcase on his floor and said, “Here, bro, I want them back.”

This was how it was going to go until who knows when.

Boundaries. As much as you wanted to slip out of bed last night and crawl into the blankets he was wrapped up in on the floor, you didn’t. Boundaries. A word he used when you were talking on the couch, where he told you all about yourself with his psychology brain and started to analyze why sex was your choice of poison, a coping mechanism for you.

A conversation thankfully interrupted by Tori bursting through his door.

You were your father, but you weren’t your father.

“Friends,” Mingi huffed. “I remember when me and Tori were friends.”

“It’s not like that,” you said, keeping your eyes on him. He sipped his coffee and settled himself along the counter.

Looking up from his cup, only his disgustingly sweet brown eyes, he asked within a whisper, “Like you and Yunho?” He may as well have reached out a giant hand and smacked you upside the face. “We never got to talk before any of this.”

“Yeah, well, there’s nothing to say now, Mingi,” you said. A lack of feeling took over your body, fingers holding the warm cup going numb, the tightness within your chest furthering, yet going unnoticed.

Looking away from you, down at his cup, he twisted it on the counter and pursed his lips, thinking. Anything could come out of his mouth, and you’re not sure you were ready to hear any of it. The sheer mention of his name drove a stake through your heart, the pain numbing the nerves further, your body, your brain, trying to protect itself from whatever he was going to say. Trying to protect you from the month you’ve endured.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

You weren’t expecting that.

Shifting his gaze back toward you, he shook his head. “I didn’t know what he was doing. He hasn’t said much to me either.” Waiting a moment for you to take in his words, he continued on. “After Tori told me about you two he spilled it all, and he was nervous about it, telling me he knew what it looked like ‘cause he was publicly associated with Mina, and now so many people knew what you guys were doing… Had been doing.”

You didn’t dare interrupt him.

“I didn’t know they were hooking up,” he muttered, dropping his head, “Rora,” he shot it back up toward you, eyes fierce, “If I knew I would’ve said something the day Tori told me about you.”

“Yeah, you would’ve,” Tori said, emerging from the hallway.

Mingi stood up straight and held open an arm for his girlfriend to swoop under. Sliding a hand around his back and over his chest, she melted into him as much as he melted into her. She fit perfectly under his arm, wedged against his broad chest. Their eyes said things to the other that you couldn’t place, that you couldn’t understand. Remnants of the rendezvous they were returning from most likely, though they’ve always watched one another this way. Stars in their eyes. A love so honest and true it brought tears to your eyes.

Tori about leapt out of his hold when you brushed them from your cheek. “Wait, ah, why!?” She didn’t raise her voice, but she did slip out of Mingi’s arms and move to your side, putting both her hands around one of your ankles, leaning over the counter.

Wiping at your eyes, you laughed of all things, confusing her. “I hate him,” you whispered, a smile creeping onto your lips as you looked from her to Mingi. “I hate him.” Mingi bobbed his head, letting it hang as he kept his focus on his girl. “I thought Wooyoung started this mess. I put the blame on him for so long, thinking it was his fault that I got with Yunho, that I started to like him, and that caused all these problems…” Tori and Mingi waited with baited breath. Shaking your head ever so slightly, you laughed once more. “Whole time it was because of him… because of Yunho.”

How long before Yeji and Wooyoung were you falling for him without realizing?

How long before you ostracized Wooyoung had you been embarrassing yourself, chasing after someone who didn’t even want you at all, without realizing?

Wooyoung wasn’t to blame.

Unfortunately neither was Yunho.

It was you.

Lost in dusty brown hair and big brown eyes, charmed by banter that made you feel seen in more ways than one. The warmth of his arms, the way he’d bury his face in your neck, pressing kisses there when it got too quiet. Listening to you when you’d mumble endlessly about your dad, how you weren’t sure you’d make it through the year this time, allowing him to ease your worries with just the touch of his gentle hands.

He’d seen every side of you, the good, the bad, the ugly, the tears, the obnoxious body rocking laughter, and you believed him when he told you he’d loved it. That he loved you.

The months since May, a disaster in the making. Torture.

You’d let him in, thinking he’d be the one, he understood you in every way, how could it possibly go wrong? The one who dove headfirst into everything, the one who immersed himself completely in everything he’s ever loved, the one who moved with his heart first and his brain second.

Yunho wouldn’t do this to you. Your Yunho wouldn’t hurt you.

Yet here you were, tears streaming down your cheeks with a knife in your chest and one in your back.

You’re starting to wonder if you ever really knew him at all.

“It’s all my fault.” Your whisper, half lost in the air, had Tori’s fingers tightening. With a tilt of her head she tried to give you some sort of assurance, that it wasn’t your fault, that you didn’t cause all of this, that the entirety of everybody in both houses was equally fucked, but it didn’t work. “I started this.”

“Aurora, you didn’t-”

You cut her off. “But, I did,” you gulped, “All of it. I didn’t see it, what I was feeling, and it pushed him away, and got him involved in Yeji’s stupid plan, and now he’s here instead of living at ATZ like he wants. I don’t have the other one like I thought I would ‘cause I was too fucking stupid to-”

“Ro,” his voice was stern, yet incredibly soft. Three heads turned to the hall where he came from, sleepy eyed with messy waves on top of his head. It took nothing for your heart to pathetically reach for him, it’s latest fix appearing on the scene with impeccable timing. Taking his time to get to you, avoiding Mingi, he said, “Don’t do this to yourself.”

“He’s right,” Tori said, breathing through a laugh at everyone's surprise toward her agreeing with Wooyoung, the boy she’s been pestering since yesterday.

“He is,” Mingi muttered. Wooyoung turned his chin, him and his former brother sharing a look, one of understanding after it was washed of all hostility. Within seconds it was decided that it was okay Mingi was in the room, in his apartment. After all, if Seonghwa could sleep on the couch, Mingi should be allowed to stand in the kitchen.

Never had there been any animosity between the two, not unless Yunho was standing beside his best friend. Wooyoung and Mingi shared a civility for one another, two brothers burdened with the same purpose, to work, to serve beneath the freshly revealed terror of their beloved hierarchy. Mingi, clueless to all that had gone down behind the scenes, something Wooyoung had always been aware of, he’d always be welcomed here. As long as he was cool in your book. And Tori’s.

“We’re just gonna all agree?” Seonghwa mumbled from the couch, his head buried in a pillow from Wooyoung's bed. Sitting up, pushing his hair back from his forehead, the way he could wake up so criminally beautiful, entirely illegal. Sleep filled his eyes, but in the purest way possible. His pale skin not even flush with any color yet, so clear and fresh. “Wooyoung’s right?”

Tearing your eyes from Aphrodite on the couch, Tori’s own gaze eating him alive, you blinked at Wooyoung. “He’s been right all week.”

Seonghwa rose to his feet and stretched his arms over his head, his t-shirt lifting the slightest, a strip of golden skin you’ve had in your hands before making an appearance above his sweats that hung too low on hips. He laughed as he did, then threw his hands by his sides and joined everyone at the counter.

“Congratulations,” he said to Wooyoung, tipping his chin down to speak to him as he fit himself in the space between the two of you. Reaching for the coffee in your hands, he twisted it to read the label. “What are you drinking?” Wooyoung settled his brows over his eyes and watched him closely.

“Something I don’t think I should drink,” you said, then glanced at Tori with a, “Sorry.” Something she brushed off with a sure shake of her head.

“Perfect,” Seonghwa smirked at you, then took the tall cup from your hands and sipped the sweetened coffee like it’d been made just for him.

“Seonghwa?” you questioned, and every head turned toward you, the three of them already eyeing how the boy moved anyway. His dark eyes locked in on yours, him answering you with his softened gaze.

He spilled so much truth to you, about Yunho, about Yeji, about Soul, but there was one thing he had forgotten to mention. One thing that now, on top of anything, was something you needed to know most. You’ve known him as long as Yunho, this would make or break it all, and you asked him in front of everyone.

“That night,” you began, and watched the gears turn in his head back to that first week. “Now that I know you were assigned a job,” you paused, expecting him to snap back with something, but he didn’t, “I just need to know if what we did was all a part of the plan.” Tori planted a hand over her mouth, Mingi equally fixed on the conversation before him. Wooyoung wore a blank expression, staring down at the counter.

“No.” He spoke with a carefulness, a need to be gentle. “It wasn’t in the plan. I wasn’t given instructions, that happened on its own.” No one moved. “Consensually,” he added, a brow perking up, “Between friends. I hope.” The smile that bled onto your face took too long that he uttered, “Aurora,” ungodly fast with a brush of panic.

“Yeah,” you whispered. “As much as you caused problems, I needed that then, I guess.” Wooyoung shot you a look over Seonghwa’s shoulder, one that brought up your conversation from yesterday. “Shut up,” you breathed, rolling your eyes while he snickered.

When you looked back at Seonghwa, he was smiling at you. “It won’t happen again,” he said quietly, then gave a look to the boy behind him.

Wooyoung, confused, looked from him to you, then back to him, and said, “Don’t look at me, that’s her choice.”

Tori scoffed. “Who are you?” Her entire perception of the boy had changed within the last twenty four hours.

Wooyoung grilled her with his gaze, until he smiled. “Someone with a false rep you were forced to believe in.”

In awe, she slowly looked over to you, her lips parted. Checking every one of her friends around her, she whispered, “Are we all brainwashed?” and soft laughter filled the air. “I’m serious,” she said, looking up at Mingi who shrugged.

“I sure feel it,” you muttered. “It makes me feel for these new students joining us. It’s unfair. They’re gonna be ruled by these asshats, manipulated and traumatized.” Tori nodded along as you spoke. “Yeji said from the start, she wanted like minded girls in the house, similar to herself, to Mina. Girls she thinks she’ll be able to walk all over, and use.” Gesturing toward the boys, you added, “She and Mina, her right hand, making sure you guys were recruiting boys that were easy to manipulate as well, I just… It’s awful, and disgusting, and it hurts to know that they’re walking into these chapters expecting success, and family, but they’re going to get the exact opposite.”

The way they watched you, the way their eyes held ounces of hope, it brought the tears back.

“I mean,” you laughed between breaths, “What kind of fucked up mess did we allow her to create?” Seonghwa finally cracked, his lips tightening in frustration. “She’s still over there, after all of this, and she will find a way out of it. She was able to weasel her way in, who’s to say she won’t try anything to keep her place?” Wooyoung’s smile was small. “She’s gone this far, and now that she’s been found out I guarantee you she has plan after plan already set to ensure that she comes out on top.”

You and Seonghwa shared a look, one full of words he couldn’t say to you, but you knew.

“We go today,” you said, and his smile grew. Looking over at Tori, to Mingi, then to Wooyoung, his eyes full of pride, you took a breath. “We do it today.”

“Damn,” Mingi mumbled, acquiring the attention. Glancing from Tori to you, he said, “You really should’ve been president, Rora.”

Opening your mouth to answer him, you’re cut off by your phone ringing in your hand, the incessant buzzing stealing all of your focus. Turning the screen toward yourself, letting your friends fall into a quiet chatter of their own, you pull your brows into the center of your forehead as you read ‘Instagram’ across the top of your phone.

The buzzing stopped quick enough, taking you to your home screen where you’re faced with four messages in the app. Swiping into your dm’s, your stomach flipped. You’ve never tapped on a thread faster.

[@chan_1007]: Hey aurora, easier to find you on here instead of asking my sister for your number. We’re heading up to nasara today to get mina but you probably already know this.

[@chan_1007]: I heard all about your talk with my dad. It was kind of crazy when he came home yesterday. They decided they were gonna go there today pretty quick. I have to give you my thanks though. For proving to them once again that the problem child is not me and in fact my sister. Lol.

[@chan_1007]: Think I’m telling you this cause I hope I’ll see you there. Its just me my dad and my mom. Wonwoos in school. Sunoo has a kid. Leaves me to be stuck in a car with her for over an hour. Wish me luck. Hope after all this your life gets better. Im sorry for my sister. See you soon.

He was who called you. All of those messages were sent two hours ago, but like the others, you ignored them, barely giving them a proper read. The last one he sent came right before he called you to get your attention.

[@chan_1007]: We’re leaving soon. Are you here?

“Holy shit,” you pushed from your lips and shoved your phone into Tori’s face. “We have to go, now.” Her eyes scanned the messages at lightning speed. She was always a faster reader than you were.

“Holy shit,” she parroted, her wide eyes gawking up at you.

“Uh, I think we need to go too,” Mingi grumbled, a sadness pooling within his demeanor as he looked up from his own phone. Seonghwa and Wooyoung seemed to already know what it was before he even said it aloud. “Vernon got called up, he’s packing right now.”

Wooyoung tapped his hand on the counter and took an audible breath. “I’ll take us,” he looked at the boys, then you and Tori, “You guys go together.” He narrowed his eyes and nodded toward you. “We’ll meet later and you’ll tell us when we’re charging the capital.”

A laugh came out of you before you agreed with him and the group dispersed, rushing to ready themselves for the day about to ensue.

Charging the capital. It was unintentional. A history joke.

But it hurt.

october 8th ~ tuesday ~ 9:58 a.m.

Along the curb sat a van, one unknown to you and Tori as you pulled up to ITZ where some girls were scattered along the porch, their curious eyes darting all over as Chaeryeong, Yuna and Ryujin carried bags from the house. Pressing your nose to the glass as Tori parked behind the van, you scoured the lawn for a gorgeous face, but you couldn’t spot him.

“There’s no way this is happening,” Tori murmured, having done so the entire ride over here. You both had changed into jeans, your respective boy's hoodies still on your top halves. October was chilly, fall was finally setting in. “How the fuck, how the fuck?”

You were afraid to speak, that if you did you would either be sick or spew words you genuinely didn’t mean. Energy buzzed within you, some sort of excitement tangoing with the resident nausea you’ve come to know and hate. The girls were carrying her things out of the house. She was leaving. They were taking her home, her family. This felt extreme.

You wanted her family’s understanding, you didn’t mean to take this away from her, her dream of attending Nasara like her father before her. Continuing on a legacy, one her parents worked hard to build for her. As much as you wanted her to eat it, as much as you longed to see the girl who kept the only boy you’ve loved away from you… You couldn’t place the feeling.

You wanted to blame her. You wanted to put it all on her, everything that had to do with Yunho, it was so easy to point the fingers and say it was her fault, she ruined what the two of you had, you couldn’t. She took part in it, she also took part in a huge plot against your life, but she wasn’t to blame for Yunho’s assholery.

Now that this was happening, what would even come of them?

Yunho didn’t know she had been conspiring against you the whole time, if his words held any truth, if the friendship you shared before any of this held any meaning, you were dying to know what he would do. There wasn’t a chance in hell he had another shot with you. No, everything between you and Yunho had been laid out in front of you at the dinner when he didn’t speak up for himself, or you, when you threw the truth Mina already knew into her face.

Part of you prayed his karma would be the loss of you both.

But, how terribly beautiful would it be if he was stuck with all that shit for the rest of his life?

Tori turned off the car, still grumbling her disbelief for the day before her when the front door opened and that gorgeous face rushed out, a bag thrown over his back. Every girl outside broke their necks, their whispers growing in numbers. Chan had no idea. He carried Mina’s stuff toward the van where your sisters were walking back from. He shot them a smile, not seeming the least bit distraught about what was happening. Ryujin and Chaeryeong nodded toward him, but Yuna, oh Yuna, she smiled back, spinning around as she got further from him, almost tripping over her own feet. Ryujin had to grab her by the shirt to get her inside.

“He’s prettier in person,” Tori said under her breath, and you shot her a smile. “Don’t even.” She laughed. “He followed you on Instagram, and he’s dming you. I don’t know if you’re cooking up revenge or what, but if you decide to mess with her brain like she did yours, I am so Team Fuck Mina’s Brother.”

Smacking her arm with a cackle, you groaned. “I am not. No more drama.” She pouted. “No more! Let’s go,” you said with a shake of your head, yanking the door open.

The second you’re spotted by one, you’re spotted by them all. Heading toward the van with Tori close behind you, you ignored the whispers that now spread because of you and directed your attention to Chan who tossed the bag he carried into the back of the van. When he spun around to tend back to the house, you swear Tori held her breath, the boy's gaze fawned over both of you. Bright eyes and the happiest of smiles.

“Hey, Chan,” you said.

“Aurora,” he sighed, then smiled at Tori. “Hey.”

“Hi,” she said above a whisper. Nowhere within the breath did it insinuate I have a boyfriend.

“This is insane,” you said to him, hoping to keep the conversation between the three of you. “I didn’t expect any of this to happen.”

Chan screwed up his face and scoffed. “You don’t know my parents,” he said. “As soon as they talked about it they planned this. It’s her own fault, don’t worry about that part.”

“But, because of what I said…”

He put a hand on your shoulder. Willing your body to relax, you prayed he wouldn’t notice how your breath caught in your chest with how close he had gotten. “It’s not you. She had to switch high schools because of shit like this, Aurora. Because she’s a problem causer. They had some sort of agreement, her and our parents, that if she kept a clean slate while she was here, keep her grades up, she could stay. She broke both of those. So, she’s done.”

“Holy shit,” Tori mumbled for the umpteenth time.

Chan popped his brows and laughed at her. “Tell me about it.”

“How are you so calm about this? It’s your sister,” you said.

“She is my sister,” he nodded, “But, she’s a psychopath, and her shit catches up to her. We have a cousin who’s just as crazy, they’re like best friends. Rose went through this place, ITZ, Mina thought she could do the same. Rose wasn’t able to make it her bitch like she wanted, Mina wanted to try to do what she couldn’t.”

“Crazy,” Tori whispered.

“Clinically insane,” Chan corrected her with a wink, and brave of him to do so, but he clearly didn’t recognize the power he held, he could’ve knocked her unconscious. “I’m glad you’ll be free from her reign of terror,” he said to you. “But screw you for giving her back to me.”

“Sorry,” you smirked, patting his hand on your shoulder before he took it back and chuckled to himself. “Keep in touch,” you said, gesturing between you, ignoring Tori’s giggle. “I’d like to know more about this past our parents all shared.”

“I promise,” he said, then looked toward the house when the door opened. “Here she comes,” he breathed, waving you away. “You don’t wanna deal with this. Not right now.” Parting from him with a smile, you and Tori started toward the house, taking the long way to the porch, letting Mina pass by with her father behind her.

Tori placed herself closer to Mina on purpose, ready to lunge. Hurt was laced throughout her expression, and you couldn’t even begin to pretend to know how she must feel. This girl she’s grown closer to, has shared so much with within a short month, about the both of you… Tori gave her all when it came to people she cared about, and it was no secret that Mina had become one of them. On the outside of it all, used as a pawn in the game of Mina and Yeji, this had to be killing her too.

Soobin found you first. The lawyer dressed like he would be for work, a button down and slacks, his glasses on the tip of his nose. Nothing more than a subtle nod was given to you. With his hands in his pockets, tight lipped, he glanced between you and Tori and dipped his chin. Those pointed brown eyes though, they spoke to you, the father within them. They reiterated his words from your meeting yesterday.

You have his support.

Thank you for coming to me first.

At the end of the day he was a father first. Figures he would pull his daughter out of school when you and your friends were plotting to blow it wide open.

Like Chan had told you, this was her getting what she deserved. She didn’t need to be punished academically. This family knew what to do.

“Oh, they are all hot,” Tori whispered.

“Unfortunately,” you whispered back.

“You met that yesterday?” she breathed. “DILF.”

The front door to ITZ opened one more time. A five foot something in bell bottom jeans that clung to her thighs perfectly stepped out onto the porch. Yanking it shut, she flipped her very long, very natural hair over her shoulder and turned to skip down the stairs, some kind of lightness accompanying every step of the beat up sneakers on her feet. She wore a t-shirt, an old t-shirt, some anime on the front of it. Following Soobin and Mina, she glanced around her, her eyes meeting yours, and she stopped abruptly in her tracks.

“Ror?” Tori whispered. It was the woman from the graduation photos on Mina’s profile.

Faden. This was Faden.

She wore all of her kids in her face, though you’d never believe she had four. If she was friends with your father that meant she had to be around his age, which makes her around fifty. Wearing no makeup, everything about her appearance natural, not the least bit high maintenance, you knew what you longed to look like at fifty.

The complete opposite of Soobin, you took in both of them. Him, put together, poised, a genius, seeming the more strict type of parent. And her, calm, a little edgy in appearance, a spunk about her, like she used to smoke weed in high school or something, you couldn’t put your finger on it. She didn’t seem his type in the slightest, and yet here they were, having raised four kids together, married for all these years.

A soft smile ghosted her lips. She looked you up and down, taking you in, then she started toward you.

“Ror,” Tori whispered again.

“Hang on,” you whispered back, putting a hand to her wrist, easing her worry.

Faden stopped a few feet from you, close enough to make out the little details in her face. And she did just the same to you, studying you, looking at you like you were someone she hadn’t seen in years.

“Aurora,” she said. Her voice was soft, but sure. A kind of gentleness one acquires over time. This woman knew. She knew too much.

“Yes,” you breathed, and her smile made a permanent home on her face. “Faden,” you nodded once.

She returned it. “How I wish my Mina found you first. Yeji’s a bitch, isn’t she?” Tori snorted, the two of you busting out into a fit of laughter together. Faden laughed along, just not as hard. “I never liked her.” Her eyes couldn’t part from you for too long, before you knew it they were back on you. “I’m sorry for what's happened,” she said, acknowledging how you waved the matter away, “I know you’ve talked to my Chan, the most honest of all my kids, so I know there’s not much I can say to try to patch this up other than I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize for her,” you whispered.

Her smile deepened. “Wish we were meeting in different circumstances.” A glimmer of the past, the mystery only Mina seemed to know so much about. “She’s wrong for holding your fathers past against you.” Faden took a step closer to you, stepping into your field of energy. You could feel hers. “If he’s created you… You must’ve rocked his world.”

His everything.

Something you didn’t believe until recently.

Faden’s smile flipped over, her face going soft. Opening her arms, she said, “Can I?”

You couldn’t say no. Something about her, her energy, you couldn’t say no, but thinking about it, you didn’t want to. With the quickest, “Yes,” whispered, you moved into her arms, your own wrapping around her back. A total stranger, both of you to one another, yet at the same time, one full of so much meaning for her.

And you still were in the dark as to why.

“Good luck, Aurora,” she whispered to you, one of her hands circling between your shoulder blades. “You’re deserving of everything good.” After a few more seconds of the most comforting hug, she pulled back and rested her hands on your shoulders, that smile finding her lips once more. “Tell Yeonjun I said hi, and that I’m thoroughly impressed by this daughter of his he’s managed to raise.”

“I will,” you whispered, and she nodded.

Dropping her hands she took a few steps backward. A question hung at her lips, one she wasn’t sure she’d say or not. It came out anyway, in a jumble of a sigh. “He’s okay?”

What did she know?

“Yeah,” you said and she took a breath. “He’s okay.”

She said nothing else. Instead, she flashed another smile, and then she was gone, joining her family in the car. Soobin was already in the driver's seat. Mina had disappeared somewhere inside, and Chan stood outside the passenger door, waiting with it open, leaning against the van with his arms crossed. Waiting for his mother, when she got closer his own smile appeared. Her smile. Motioning for him to get inside, she shut the door behind him and climbed into the back of the van where her daughter would be.

Turning to Tori, your best friend dumbfounded by everything that’s just occurred, you simply shrugged your shoulders.

“They used to fuck,” she said, and you smacked her arm.

“Shut up! That’s my dad!”

Tori, eyes wide, nodded. “Your dad, Ror, the man’s a fox.”

“Whatever,” you muttered. “Let’s go find Yuna and Ryujin.”

Bounding into the house, the girls around you following you with their eyes, some actually following you into the house, you and Tori wasted little time and hurried up the stairs. Rounding the hallway of the second floor, the space taken up by new recruits' luggage and school things, you pushed Yuna’s door open. Empty. Circling around the staircase to your side of the hall, you feel your heart yearn to go into your own room, but you don’t. Banging on Ryujin’s closed door, the only way you’d stop is if it opened, and it did after the seventh fist hit it. Snapping open a crack, Ryujin’s angry face poked out.

“Shut the fuck- Oh,” she switched up fast enough to make you laugh, her eyes shooting open all sappy. “Aurora,” she whined, throwing the door open. Without warning she had grabbed onto you, the physical contact from her was unusual, but you’d take it where you could get it, so you held onto her. Yuna hurried up behind her, eyes wide.

“Ror? You’re lying?” Her voice high pitched and rushed. Joining in the hug, she forced herself beneath one of your arms and pressed her head to your shoulder. Tori was next, her arms flinging around all of you, not missing her chance to get in on the lovefest.

“Tori said you’ve been at home?” Yuna asked, her voice muffled. “We saw her for a second yesterday, you’re staying at Wooyoung’s now?”

“Yeah, are you guys like getting together now?” Ryujin asked, and the questions poured in from them at lightning speed, you barely had enough time to answer them, but you calmed their curiosity and filled them in on every little detail between.

By the end of it all, their appetites satisfied and all the more shocked, the circle you created in the doorway had gained a few recruits on standby. The girls seemed to round the hallway one or two at a time, listening in, taking the information for themselves, but it wasn’t something you wanted to hide. It was all things they should know.

“Which brings me to ask now,” you sighed, “Is she here?”

Ryujin rolled her eyes. “Do you hear the creepy organ playing from the meeting room?”

“She’s not here,” Yuna said, elbowing Ryujin. “She’s been avoiding all of us all week. Now that Mina’s out… I don’t know what’s gonna happen.”

“She’s hiding,” you mumbled, gears turning in your head. Yuna nodded and Ryujin shook her head in Yeji disapproval. “That, or she’s getting to the dean’s office first,” you whispered and Tori gripped onto one of your wrists. “We have to go.”

Turning with Tori, tugging her with you, Yuna’s shout stopped you at the top of the stairs. Eyes were on you, your friends and recruits included. “Aurora!” Her voice softened as she said, “What do we do?”

Glancing around you, hopeful eyes staring at you, your cheeks flushed. “What do… what do you mean?” The way Yuna and Ryujin looked at you told you plenty.

Oh shit.

Gulping, rolling your shoulders back, you cocked your head. “I’ll be back.”

It was quiet outside of the house, the girls having all fled inside to follow you apparently. You weren’t going to bring it up, which meant Tori wasn’t going to bring it up. Not yet. The way they looked at you, like they needed direction, someone to tell them what to do. Not yet.

Not yet.

You just about ran to her car to get away from the house, wanting nothing to do with it at the moment. That’d be a problem for later. A problem where you didn’t even know what the actual problem was. Grabbing the handle you yanked it, back and forth, fast, until she unlocked it.

“Okay!” she laughed, glaring at you as she rounded the drivers side. “Calm down!”

“We have to go get the boys,” you sighed. Anxiety pooled in your gut.

If she had gotten there first, if she beat you there and did what she planned to do, to pull Seonghwa down, to do god knows what else, you’d never forgive yourself. Sure, telling Soobin first felt right, it probably was right, but with Seonghwas well-being on the line, his entire life on the line, if she was there, you weren’t sure you’d be able to cope.

Tori glanced down the street toward ATZ, eyeing a blacked out car pulling to the side of the road toward the both of you. “Who the hell?”

The passenger door popped open and curly brown hair appeared with a small smile.

Vernon.

“Oh my god,” you muttered and hurried toward him, catching him in a hug. “You’re leaving us,” you mumbled into his shoulder. Pulling back from him and his little laugh, he hugged Tori who hurried up right behind you.

“Called up,” he said. Always calm, always the same Vernon. Even as his dreams were coming true, he still was as humble as ever. “It’s finally happening.”

“You deserve it,” Tori said, messing with his curls making him laugh. Shying away from her, he shrugged.

“Something like that, I guess,” he said. Looking at you, he pressed his lips together in his smile. “Good luck over here.”

“Good luck up there,” you said, nudging his shoulder. “Big leagues, Vernon. The girls are gonna eat you up.” A smirk graced his lips for half a second before another shrug came out of him. “You got this. We’ll see you on TV.”

“Yeah,” he sighed, then took some steps backward. “I’ll get you tickets to a game. Lots of games.” Tori’s face lit up. “I promise!”

And then, he was gone, disappearing into the blacked out car fit for a celebrity.

Tori moved just as quick, getting the two of you down the street in front of ATZ in a flash. She’d barely come to a stop before you were tumbling out of the door. Much like ITZ, boys littered this property. Some were hung over the porch, some were coming and going, some were on the balconies of their rooms on the second or third floors. It was like they could smell you, because like ITZ, the attention was hot on you.

Jongseob sat on the front porch with his group of friends right by the door. They didn’t say anything, figuring they’ve spoken with Soul, but you knew he’d say something to Tori by the time she made it up here.

Heart pounding in your ears, from sheer panic of needing to beat Yeji to the dean’s office to the idea of just being in this house, you pulled the door open and your worst fear manifested before your eyes.

“Oh, great,” fell flat from your lips before you could stop yourself.

“Rory,” Yunho whispered in total surprise. Carrying a book coming down from the stairs, you could only imagine what he was about to do. Glasses on his nose, his hair a ruffled mess, he wasn’t up to much today, and now that his fuck buddy Mina had left campus, he was running out of things to do. “I’ve been trying to talk to you.”

If it were an hour ago. If it were early this morning, way before your friends had lit a fire under your ass, you may have folded in seconds. Especially with how he was looking at you. If you hadn’t known what he’d been doing with Mina, you’d have folded in seconds. But now, you knew too much. In fact, to make yourself laugh, you know everything.

“Rory, I’m-”

You held up a hand, and he snapped his jaw shut.

“I don’t want to hear it,” you said, calm as ever. “You could’ve lied to her all you wanted, and I probably wouldn’t have cared, but now we know she knew everything the entire time. But, if she didn’t, if she knew nothing, you could’ve lied to her. If what we thought was true, if it was only as simple as breaking things off with Mina, breaking things off with Seonghwa, which was never a thing by the way, I probably would’ve been fine.” He didn’t dare speak. “You lied to me,” you said, no change in infliction until you laughed and he flinched. “You lied to me, Yunho!”

“I was starting to think it was us,” you said, narrowing your eyes. “I was starting to think that we were the only normal people here, that everyone else was crazy, and it was you and I that had one another. Since the start, since we became friends, it was like you and I just got each other.” Everytime you paused, put him more on edge. “Yanno, we’re opposites, but maybe it could work. You got my hopes up. I wasn’t going to tell you this ‘cause now you don’t deserve to know anything about me ever again, but I do love you, Yunho.” Regret shattered across his expression, you watched him break in real time. “For two years, I’m pretty sure. And now, because you’re a filthy fucking liar, I have to learn how to unlove you, when I just figured out how to do that.”

You hoped it hurt him. He knew what you dealt with, he knew how you grew up, he knew what you were implying. He knew it all, and you wanted it to hurt.

“Let me-”

“No,” you said, tone unchanging, cutting him off. Why he thought he had the room to speak, you’ll never understand. “You no longer talk to me,” you said, raising a brow. “You only speak to me when I speak to you. Understood?”

Yunho cowered within himself and nodded. “Understood,” he whispered.

“Ro?” Wooyoung called down to you from the second floor. Glancing up, Seonghwa, Mingi and Soul stood with him. The four started down the stairs, all of them eyeing Yunho before he scurried away into the living room.

“We have to go, now,” you said. “Yeji may already be at your uncle’s,” you said to Seonghwa and his eyes shot open.

Once at the bottom of the stairs, Wooyoung slid a hand over your shoulder, his eyes shifting to where Yunho had hurried off to. “You okay?” he asked quietly, not convinced by your nod.

“I’m fine,” you breathed. “We just really need to go.” Looking past Mingi at Soul who stood behind them all, you smiled. “How was class?”

The freshman smiled back. “Good,” he said, his voice quiet.

“Where’s Tori?” Mingi asked, looking around the hallway for any signs of his girlfriend. About to tell him how you ran in here, his girlfriend gave away where she was.

Outside on the porch shouting could be heard from none other than Tori herself. Sharing a look with Mingi, you spun around and ushered everyone out of the house, Soul losing his shit when he caught a glimpse of what was happening.

Tori, leaning over top of Jongseob, had her hand clawed into his honey blonde hair, tugging at the strands, the poor boy's head tipped backward so he had nowhere else to look but at her.

“You say some shit like that again and I’ll have your balls on stick, Jongseob,” she said through gritted teeth. The freshman attempted to nod his head but couldn’t move it very far. “This whole time I’ve threatened you with Mingi, when really it’s me you gotta watch out for. Open your mouth one more time and you’ll have to explain to future wifey why you can’t give her any kids.”

Mingi, holding back laughter his friends partook in, slid his hands over his girlfriends and gently shifted her away from the boy, freeing him from her deathgrip. Sending a glare down to him, Jongseob sat backward and hid his face away from you and your friends like Intak had already been doing. Only one had the guts to look at you, Jiung, the ginger hair.

Reaching a hand backward, putting it over Souls hair, you took a breath. “Can’t believe you’re friends with these people, Soulie.”

“Soulie?” Jiung sneered, his two friends laughing like they weren’t just threatened by Tori.

Wrapping your arm around his neck, you pulled him closer to you, nestling him right under your hold. Jiung, curious about it all, eyed you both. Knowing exactly what he was thinking, you opted to play it up, to let his friend assume whatever he wanted to assume. You laid your head on Souls shoulder, the boy many inches taller than you. Keeping it innocent enough to not get Souls hopes up, you allowed him some crush satisfaction and flashed him a sappy look. The way he looked down at you, like he was thanking you for giving him these points, made you smile.

“We should go,” you said to him, and he furrowed his brows, copying you.

“We should go,” he parroted.

“Yeah,” Wooyoung said from somewhere in the back. “We should go.”

Taking Soul's hand, you glanced back at Wooyoung and winked. His smile gave you just enough courage to walk down the porch hand in hand with the freshman.

october 8th ~ tuesday ~ 12:53 p.m.

Deja vu.

This time, just yesterday, you were rushing into a building to speak to someone of importance with the same people behind you.

Granted, now you had one more, but it was still uncanny.

It was happening all too fast.

Hurrying inside the building of administrative offices, a tall building similar to the law side of the school, but not as big, not as old, you and your friends barreled down the stretch of halls acquiring strange looks from administrators as you moved as one unit.

Entering a room with a metal door, one that had a large window on the front with the words ‘Dean’s Office’ underneath it, you pushed it open and let everyone file in, the secretary very confused. Looking at each of you individually, she smiled when she found Seonghwa, welcoming him in, asking what was going on, why you were all there.

“We have to talk to my uncle,” he said, gesturing toward the door to Jimin’s actual office space. His hands were shaking, you could see it when he lifted a finger.

“He’ll be out in just a minute, I’m sure,” the woman said, then motioned toward the chairs along the wall. “Have a seat, he’s finishing up another meeting.”

As if on cue, like it somehow had all been planned down to the very second, Jimin’s door opened. All at once, collectively, the six of you loosed a breath, your own heart sinking through the floor of this building. You longed to physically fall to your knees, to burst into tears. A hole was punched into your chest, many, many holes punched into your chest.

Yeji waltzed out of the office with a smirk on her lips and the devil in her eyes. Jimin, a handsome man in a grey suit, seemed surprised to see the lot of you standing in his office. Yeji looked happy, Jimin, not so much.

“We’re too late,” Mingi whispered, and the urge to cry worsened. You didn’t even want to look at Tori, from the corner of your eye you could see her curling up into Mingi’s arms.

Screw Mina and her peace of mind, you should’ve come here first.

“Seonghwa,” Jimin’s voice was stern. Eyes pointed at his nephew, he said, “Meet me inside.” The boy's eyes fluttered shut, a breath shooting through him as he clenched his jaw. Wooyoung grabbed his arm for the few seconds he composed himself, letting it drop to his side when he walked away, disappearing into his uncle’s office.

Tori was crying, you could hear her. Longing to join her, to hold her and grieve, you couldn’t. Yeji was inching toward you.

“What did you do?” The words fell from you in a whisper, behind clenched teeth.

She shook her head, her ombre hair dancing at her shoulders. “Aurora, you really shouldn’t have gone through so much trouble. All of this fuss, for what? You really know how to cause problems don’t you, but, you know, with what I learned about your father, it must run in the family.” Wrapping your hands into tight fists you catch Wooyoung moving your way, ready to jump in to hold you back like he’s had to do almost twice now within two days.

“How did it feel?” she asked, her voice a haunting whisper, chilling your skin. “So unwanted, so unneeded, so worthless not even Yunho could fight for you.”

“They’re gone, Yeji.” Relaxing your hands, you spoke to her like you spoke to Yunho. Calm, maintaining your composure even though you wanted to lay her flat on the floor. “Every person you’ve had to bribe and manipulate into spending more than five minutes with you, they’re gone. Anything you do at this point is desperate. You’re embarrassing yourself. I’m unwanted? Not needed? Worthless?” Glancing over your shoulder, you let out a laugh, your friends holding their breath. “I think I’m good. If anyone isn’t wanted, it’s you. You never have been, and you never will be. I don’t have to buy my friends.”

The door to Jimin’s office opened.

Nose to nose with Yeji, you took a deep breath, preparing yourself for the worst.

“Hwang Yeji,” Jimin said from his chest. Boisterous, he said, “You were instructed to leave this campus immediately.”

A gasp ripped through you. Yeji went unchanged. Without even blinking she turned away and left the office, with not a single look back.

Paralyzed in place, the only sound left in the room was that of the door slamming shut, until Jimin released a sigh and sat on the edge of his secretary's desk.

“Choi Aurora,” he said, folding his hands in his lap. Answering with a nod, he acknowledged your friends, taking in their faces, then he sighed again, brushing a hand over his face. “Sit down, please.” Everyone listened except you. Seonghwa was nowhere to be found, Yeji was just expelled in front of your face, and the dean of Nasara was before you with what seemed like valuable information.

“Don’t want to sit?” Jimin questioned you with a raised brow. You answered with a shake of your head and he breathed a laugh. “Course not, why would you? After what I’ve heard I’m shocked you’re still able to stand.”

“She’s been expelled?” Tori said, sitting beside Mingi, the two of them holding hands. Jimin shifted his dreamy eyes over to her and nodded. Your best friend tried to hide her smile, but it peeked through.

“A lot has been violated, and not just within this month of insanity you’ve been put through,” he pointed his eyes back to you, “But, as a whole, her entire student career here at Nasara. Aside from violating many rules and policies here, we don’t tolerate any behavior like Yeji has exhibited as of lately. I understand some of you have been pulled into it, the bribes, the threats, so we’ll handle that accordingly,” you shot a look at Wooyoung who gave you one back, “But, uh… I had a long, long meeting last night.”

Jimin glanced away, thinking to himself, then he seemed as if he only spoke to you. “A good friend of mine, Soobin, I met with him and his daughter, Mina, who I know you all know. They sat down with me, and on her own accord Mina told me just about everything that’s happened, everything that’s been happening since last year.” He paused to take a breath, letting his words be digested by everyone. “She spoke with a truth that her own father could confirm because you said it to him word for word, Aurora. I know every plot, every plan, every sneaky little conniving detail. I may even know more than you do, I’m under the impression you and Mina don’t speak, Miss Choi.”

“Not anymore,” you whispered.

The corner of his lips perked up. “So the jury concludes,” he sighed. “She brought me something. Lots of things, actually,” he stood up and turned toward his office. “Seonghwa?”

Emerging slowly, holding a few papers in his hands, Seonghwa’s eyes were glued to the sheets, reading word after word, scanning line after line. His brows were pulled into the center of his forehead, the shock and disbelief within him on the forefront of it all.

“Mina brought me physical proof,” Jimin said.

Seonghwa, now in front of you, met your eyes and shook his head. Glancing at Wooyoung, he asked, “You’ve seen these?”

With an embarrassed nod, Wooyoung said, “Yeji… showed me them before I agreed to… her plan.” Meeting his eyes, his full of apologies, you let him know it was going to be okay with a tiny nod.

“Aurora,” Seonghwa whispered, looking at you in a way you’ve never seen. “Here,” he breathed, shoving the papers into your hands.

Flipping them around, your own fingers trembling now, you put them into some kind of order and now, you had to sit down.

Wooyoung had been telling the truth.

These were papers, documents, filled out by the board of ITZ from last semester, the last president a graduating senior. Tori was officiated into her spot, as was Yuna, as was Chaeryeong. Vice President was vacant, but, President… Your name was written.

Choi Aurora.

“It’s official, it’s not made up,” Jimin said, sliding his hands into his pockets. “The other sheet that matches that one, where Yeji’s name is, it’s also official, but now that we’ve acquired proof of her bribes, it’s a voided document.” Looking up from the paper, lips parted, you turned to finally look at Tori, your best friend rising from her feet, her hands slipping from her boyfriends. “Aurora,” Jimin said softly.

“Hang on,” you stopped him abruptly, squeezing your eyes shut, both of your hands shooting out to the side. Tori came up to you and took the papers out of your tight grasp. Your heart raced in your chest, blood pulsing in your ears. When you opened your eyes, Tori held tears within hers.

Asking her every question you possibly could with one look, her small nod gave you every answer, gave you all the courage you needed to face this.

Turning to Jimin, he assumed you were ready for more, and so he smiled. “Congratulations, Choi Aurora. You are now the president of ITZ.”

“Holy shit,” you mumbled, pressing your hands to your cheeks. Tori withheld a screech as you looked at her, your best friend throwing her arms around you, a hug you half reciprocated. The boys behind you, quiet, yet so full of love, wrapping themselves around you and Tori, whispering words of congratulations, of their support, words you couldn’t even make out because the overwhelm was too much to bear.

Wiggling out of the pile up, your hand caught onto another, and when you found it’s keeper, you’re given a smile.

Wooyoung.

Wiping your eyes with your other hand, you give his a squeeze, and he squeezes it right back.

“Okay?” he asked quietly.

Nodding, after a sniffle you said, “Yeah, I just…” Pausing, you watched your friends smile and chatter together, then half smiled. “I’ll be right back.”

Moving from the group, stepping out into the hall, you slide your phone out of your pocket and count your breaths. Wandering from the dean’s office, tapping your screen, you steadied your hand and pressed the phone to your ear.

“Aura?”

A smile broke onto your lips.

“Do I have to come get you?”

“No,” you finally answered him.

“Jesus,” he groaned. “Had me thinking this was it. Is everything okay? What’s going on? I haven’t heard from you since last night.”

Wrapping your arm over yourself, you bit down on your bottom lip. Just as he was prepping to say more, you whispered, “Dad, you’re not gonna believe what’s happened.”

thank you for reading, i cannot believe this is over already. huge thank you to @minkieater i could NOT have written this without her. this is also my love letter to NMWID, a closing of sorts for the story.

if you've shown your support for me and my crazy ass little people on paper, thank you. <3 i see you, i hear you, i am you.

NU home ✧ nice for what masterlist ✧ talk to me ✧ thank you for reading <3

you do not have permission to copy or translate my works without my consent.

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