#characters: the boyz

[a-dream-bookmark]

NEW ARRIVAL:

“Brought The Heat Back” by sanaxo-o

Brought The Heat Back (Kim Sunwoo)

Too @from-izzy : happiest birthday to my flower, my honey bee, the Sunwoo to my Chanhee <3 it’s been like almost a year since we knew each other??? Can you believe it 😭. We got so close so quickly that it’s crazy. Me calling you while walking back home and giving you a tour as I yap and you just sitting there and listening to me might be one of the best things we do 😼. Thank you for always being there for me when I needed to talk with someone the most 💗. You might be the only mutual who knows the most about me and it’s kind of crazy how our first conversation started with me flirting with you but I guess that’s my charm lol. Will always listen to you deny your feelings for Sunwoo but it’s okay since it’s you. Honestly I’d do anything to never lose our friendship which we built over the year and it’s just so pretty. Anyways, I’d never come to Australia since it’s pretty scary there but you’re always welcome to come to India 🥰. With that being said, I hope we always continue bickering, nagging each other over things and what not. And no, I will never stop sending you hot pics of Sunwoo 🧍‍♀️. With that being said, happy birthday to you my flower and I hope you like this little something I prepared. I swear I will try my best to publish watch it in October if it doesn’t come out in September (I really don’t think it will ever come out tho…) 🥰. I do hope you understand the small references I added in here bitch 👹. Was honestly so hard keeping this a secret :( Love you and have a great day (and years ahead) (plz stop overworking and stressing yourself out too much and start sleeping on time…)

Warnings/Genre: from friends to strangers to lovers to sum it up, jealous Sunwoo in a good way, fluff, angst ig, kissing scenes, mildly suggestive (wow finally my debut??), Sunwoo gets drunk, Eric being the bestie everyone deserves, cursing ig? I don’t remember honestly, Sunwoo and the reader are both stupid honestly. Idk what else comes here so yeah…tell me if I have to add more

Sana: so I wrote this like last month but had to wait a whole month because I wanted to publish it on Izzy’s birthday. A huge thanks to @deobienthusiast @winterchimez @mosviqu and @itsbeeble for beta reading it and giving me countless compliments 🫶🏻. I honestly loved writing this so I hope you guys enjoy reading it just as much!

Word Count: 4,943

Taglist: @deoboyznet @kimsohn @a-dream-bookmark @cloverdaisies @quaissants @loserlvrss

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Clenching his fist tightly Sunwoo couldn’t help but let out a scoff unknowingly when he saw you flirting with that same guy again. 

It might have been a few weeks since summer break ended but Sunwoo didn’t expect for you to already move on from whatever the two of you had. 

It wasn’t like you both were dating per se. You weren’t but it wasn’t even like you both were just friends. 

I mean from what he knows friends don’t kiss each other, nor do they make out in the summer heat with their fingers intertwined with one another. 

It was like it was yesterday when the two of you were ‘dating’ and while it lasted it was nothing but a safe space of heaven for Sunwoo. 

He was never someone to take a person seriously but with you, it felt different. It was as if you were the one for him the moment the two of you decided to hang out together in summer. 

The way you ditched your friends at the party because he was sitting outside alone. No one had ever done that for him, even though it was just to keep him company Sunwoo still felt his heart swell with content as he listened to you ramble on and on about some plushies you had at your old house in Australia. 

At that very moment Sunwoo had that sudden urge to show you around the town, I mean you were new in the area. You probably didn’t know the most shortcuts so it was kind of his responsibility (it wasn’t) to show you around, no? 

“Do you wanna go for a walk?” He whispers softly as he extends his hand towards you waiting for you to take it. 

Sunwoo could feel his heart racing at an abnormal rate as he waited for your response. The longer you took to answer the more he felt like it was a stupid idea. 

I mean who in the sane mind would walk around a town at night with someone they barely know? 

“Uh sure I guess?” Sunwoo hears your small mumble as you flash him a nervous smile. 

Maybe you were insane enough to do just what he had in mind. 

Heaving out a low chuckle Sunwoo slowly wraps his fingers around yours as he pulls you up from the floor. 

“So why did you come to this town? I mean it’s summer break..” Sunwoo asks as he walks beside you on the empty road. 

“Oh I came here on a scholarship. I wanted to explore more in the summer break and maybe if I like it here I can study here for this semester. That’s what I had in mind so far.” Unknowingly Sunwoo’s eyes light up when he hears your consideration on staying here for the whole semester. 

Maybe it was just because he never had met someone like you but your vibes were just so different from the girls he normally hung out with. 

With others he never felt like he could truly be himself but with you it just felt like he was free. 

Call him crazy for feeling this was about a girl he just met but that was just how he felt and somehow this new feeling was making him feel alive more than anything. 

“Dude why the hell are you staring at Y/N like a creep?” Snapping back to reality Sunwoo throws a glare at Eric as he diverts his attention back to the now you who was just flirting with Hyunjae. 

Seeing you getting all touchy with someone other than him made him feel like punching someone.  

Now that’s something he never felt before because why would he ever feel like punching the guy just because you were flirting with him? It’s not like you guys were dating before for him to feel that way. 

Then why? The more he stared at you smiling at someone who was not him just made him lose his patience. 

If someone said that punching someone without getting in trouble was allowed then he’d waste no time in doing just that because his patience was running too thin for him to control it longer. 

Looking away Sunwoo sighed as he closed his locker with a thud. He knew that if he looked at you for any longer than he might just lose his patience and he did not want to create a scene. 

It’s not his fault he’s feeling that way. It’s just that you have the ability to make anyone want to talk with you more and more. He’s only admitting that because he felt it when you decided to strike a conversation with him for the first time. 

If it was anyone else he would have just rolled his eyes and walked away but when he saw it was you he felt that feeling of getting to know you more. 

The curiosity of knowing you better and spending time with you was bigger than anything else and now seeing you standing there with Hyunjae just made him go crazy. I mean, why were you even flirting with other guys when he was right there? 

“If you’re wondering why you got ditched like that then it’s totally your fault.” Sunwoo hears Eric’s voice say from beside him as he does nothing to deny it. 

He himself knows that you’re ignoring his whole existence and presence because he was the first one to do so. 

He didn’t want to ignore you but he was just scared of hurting you by doing something which wasn’t supposed to be done. He was scared that if he let the relationship you had escalate further, something wrong would happen along the way and he would lose you. 

He did feel like he was gonna commit to it for real this time but then maybe overthinking about making a mistake in the future led him to distance himself with you and now he is the one who has to see you with some other guys who’s not him. 

It’s a weird feeling he’s having but somehow he’s envious of Hyunjae because he gets to be close with you and hear your laugh everyday unlike him who was even scared to approach you now. 

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“Can I ask one thing?” Eric asks Sunwoo who had just entered the classroom and was placing his stuff down. 

“What now?” Sunwoo asks in an annoyed voice as he flashes a glare at Eric and diverts his attention back at you, who was busy talking with that guy again. 

He couldn’t believe you would just ignore his whole existence as if that night didn’t almost take place. 

“No need to get annoyed at me..” Eric mumbles as he heaves out a sigh when he notices Sunwoo’s longing stare at your figure again. 

Eric admits that he has never seen his best friend be this jealous over a certain girl. Now if Eric decided to confront Sunwoo about his jealousy over you then he’d deny it for sure and he didn’t want to argue with his stubborn ass again. 

“You both were talking when the semester started. Why did you cut ties suddenly?” Hearing Eric’s question Sunwoo stiffens in his seat as he remembers the events that took place the night before you both stopped interacting with each other completely. 

Covering his eyes with his hands Sunwoo takes in a deep breath as he tries to get his thoughts straight before answering Eric’s question. 

-x- 

Sunwoo POV 

My ears perk up when I suddenly hear the doorbell ringing. Looking up at the clock I tilt my head in confusion as I see the hands indicating that it was 11 o’clock. 

Why would anyone come over at this hour? I stand up with shaky legs as I grab the pan from the kitchen and take slow and steady steps towards the door. 

Opening the peephole I furrow my eyebrows when I see you standing outside with just a hoodie and a pair of sweatpants. 

I let out a yelp when you throw yourself at me the moment I open the door. 

“Hey hey, what’s wro-” I widen my eyes when you kiss me without letting me even complete my sentence fully. 

It’s as if someone had turned the gears in my mind as I immediately sink my lips with yours. The way your tongue was battling with mine to prove dominance was something I had never experienced with you before. 

I snake my hands at the small of your back as I lead you towards my bedroom. Opening the door I push you against the wall as I caress your cheek with my free hand while the other plays with the loose strands of your hair. 

I pull away from the kiss slowly when I feel your hands tapping against my chest. 

I feel a small smile creep up my face when I realise that for once I wasn’t scared of what was going to happen next and I was fully on board with whatever thought you had at the moment. 

“I…were we about to..?” I feel my heart sink when I hear you ask that question. Wait…did you not want it? Was I going too fast? Was I pushing you into doing something you didn’t want? 

“Uh…I don't know. Did you not have the same thing in mind?” I questioned back, as my voice came out shakier than I intended it to be. 

“No..no it’s not that..” I take a step back when you say that, too afraid to hurt you by any chance, “Fuck..I just had a lot in my mind and I didn’t know what I was thinking..” 

My eyes widen when you say that. Worry and concern immediately coming across my face as I reach out to comfort you but retract my hand back when you back away from me. 

“You know what…forget..forget this ever happened. I should go..” I take a step forward to stop you. To tell you that I am there for you to listen to your problems but I didn’t have the guts in me to do so. 

Not after what just happened. What if you were uncomfortable by being around me? That can’t happen though…we always had our own way with our conversations. 

I snap out of my thoughts when I hear my front door close with a thud. It was as if the moment I closed my eyes, your smiling face would flash in my mind. 

From that moment on, I decided that I would distance myself from you. I cannot imagine losing someone like you over something so small…

What if you guys go on a date and get in a relationship? You’re bound to break up and then that break up would lead to you cutting off ties with him. 

And if he does that first then he doesn’t have to worry about you getting hurt more, right? It doesn’t make sense he knows but the way the events turned out at the moment isn’t really letting him think clearly. 

-x- 

“Did Y/N try to approach you the next day?” I look up at Eric when I hear his question. 

I let my pencil slip from my hands as I stopped scribbling around on the book. 

“She did but I may have ignored her…” I mumbled quietly as I shared a look with Eric. I could see his eyes flash a tiny bit of disappointment but he shakes his head and looks ahead at the professor again. 

“Why can’t you just talk it out with her? I am sure she has an explanation for whatever happened and why she stormed out that night.” I look up thoughtfully at his suggestion but quickly shake my head as I ponder on that thought more. 

“Why not?” Eric asks in confusion as he continues staring at me, waiting for my reply but all he got in return was my silence as I slowly diverted my attention back at you. 

I mess my hair up as I feel that weird feeling back at the pit of my stomach. I felt like I was going crazy the more I stared at you smiling so sweetly at hyunjae. It should be me instead of him. 

“WHAT THE HELL!” I yelled loudly when Eric suddenly pushed me off my chair. I glared at him as I looked around the classroom and noticed the countless eyes staring at me but you were still not looking at me. 

It’s as if you just wiped out the fact that I just screamed loudly and possibly hurt myself because of Eric. 

Standing up from the floor I bow as I feel my cheeks starting to burn from embarrassment. Getting back in my seat I shove Eric away from me as I bury my face in between my hands as I try to forget about what just happened. 

“At least tell me now why you won’t confront her.” Eric asks more calmly now as he tries to make me sit straight. 

I sigh as I look at him from the corner of my eyes, “I am scared of what she will reply. It’s better if we both act like it didn’t happen, right?” I reply as I steal one last glance at you and Hyunjae only to look away in less than a second when I feel my head spinning. 

“Do you know what you’re feeling right now?”  I groan when he opens his mouth. Why does he never shut up? 

“What?” I ask in annoyance as I place my head on the table, not taking any interest in whatever he was about to say. 

“Jealousy.” I whip my head at him when he says that. Me? And being jealous? For what? Yeah sure whenever I see you smiling at him I feel that burning sensation, or when you laugh at whatever stupid joke he made. 

I scoff as I shake my head, “Yeah sure. I don’t get jealous over such a trivial matter. I bet I know Y/N better than he does.” I mumble before sliding down on the chair to try and possibly hide myself from the whole world. 

“Tell that to yourself but I sure do see you being jealous.” I flick Eric’s head when he says that again. 

I am definitely not jealous. 

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Y/N POV 

I sighed as I heard Sunwoo’s voice arguing with Eric. It wasn’t a new occurrence for me anymore and honestly I was quite used to it ever since I started hanging out with Sunwoo in summer. 

I’d hate to admit it but Sunwoo was the only guy who honestly made me alive enough in summer (to be frank I never truly enjoyed holidays because I am someone who felt like I needed to be busy and working all the time). 

I diverted my attention back at Hyunjae as I smiled softly at him. He was a good guy but he was not Sunwoo. 

He didn’t have the same aura or personality like Sunwoo and I begged myself to try and find at least some of that charm in Hyunjae which I was dying to see. 

I admit that I was kind of in the wrong to storm out of Sunwoo’s house when we both knew what it was leading to. I didn’t want to make him overthink about my reaction too much but to be frank I was just too damn nervous to think straight that when I snapped back into reality I didn’t know what to do. 

It was as if I didn’t have control over my own body and I just stormed out of there after blabbering some shit which probably made Sunwoo misunderstand the whole situation. 

BUT I did try to explain myself the next day but Sunwoo acted as if nothing had happened the day before and it just made me feel worse about my actions. Did I hurt him that much? Was I too nervous to realise that maybe what it was leading to could have been nice? 

I don’t know but I wish I could just turn back the time and relive the moment so that I don’t make the same mistake as before. 

“Are we set on tonight?” I blink my eyes a few times as I look at hyunjae for a moment only to look away quickly while clearing my throat. 

“Uh for what? I was just spaced out for a moment there.” I mumble as I scribble down the notes in my book in shabby handwriting (I could still read what I wrote so that’s all that matters, no?) 

“Yeah I noticed later on. I was talking about our date. I will pick you up at 8:00. Fine by you?” I nod my head as I chew on my nails as I drift back to the unconditional memories I had made with Sunwoo. 

-x- 

“Sssp!” I flinch when Sunwoo shoves my hand away from my mouth with a hiss escaping his throat. I threw a glare in his direction as I hit the back of his head before slowly bringing my nails back to my mouth only for it to be pulled away by Sunwoo as he intertwined our fingers together to stop me from biting on the nails. 

I could feel my cheeks burning from embarrassment and shyness as I cleared my throat and looked anywhere but at Sunwoo. 

“Look I know you have grown a habit of biting your nails but instead of biting on those nasty nails why don’t you try and talk with me instead? I am here to listen to you, you know?” When I hear those words of Sunwoo it strangely enough comforts me in ways which I never knew were possible. 

I didn’t even know that I wanted to be comforted. Maybe all those thoughts getting jumbled in my brain really messes up with what I really need. 

I give Sunwoo a small nod as I look ahead again, “Well now you have me to stop you from biting your nails.” Sunwoo whispers as he pokes my cheeks with his other finger. 

I just chuckle at that and bring my other hand up to squeeze his cheeks. The way I loved it when he pouted I thought as I smiled at him fondly. 

-x-

I look back at Sunwoo in thought, my face contorted with slight pain as I try my best not to have a breakdown over not only Sunwoo but also just about life in general.  

I feel my heart racing rapidly when I make eye contact with Sunwoo. It was as if it was just the two of us in the room and everyone else had either just disappeared or they were in slow motion. 

It didn’t seem to last long since before I could even offer a smile at Sunwoo he had already looked away. 

Oh how I wish I could change this awkward phase in whatever relationship we had and just go back to how it used to be. 

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I kick the rocks on the ground as I try to drown out the voices in the background. Well the date did not go well per se (it’s not Hyunjae’s fault. It’s just…I couldn’t help but only think about Sunwoo while Hyunjae was busy talking. It’s as if no matter how hard I try Sunwoo would always be at the back of my mind and it’s driving me insane.) 

I roll my eyes when I feel my phone vibrating in my bag, I let it ring as I was in no mood to talk with anyone. 

Looking up from the ground, my eyes sparkle when I see an ice cream shop. I start walking towards it when my phone starts vibrating again. 

I sigh as I open my bag to take a look at the caller ID but what  I did not expect was the caller ID flashing on the screen. 

‘Why the hell is Sunwoo calling me?’ I think as I slowly accept the call while walking towards the shop. 

“Is this Y/N?” I stop walking when I hear an unknown voice on the other side. I couldn’t help but think the worst. 

Did Sunwoo get himself in trouble? Did he hurt himself? Is he okay? 

“Yes, that's her..” I replied. I could hear Sunwoo’s voice at a distance but it seemed to be coming out slurred. I couldn’t help but furrow my eyebrows together in confusion. 

“I am sorry but I think your boyfriend is drunk…” I slap my hand against my forehead when I hear that but immediately feel my cheeks heat up when I hear the word boyfriend. 

“Where is he right now?” I ask shyly as I immediately call a taxi to go over at the location the person told me. 

-x- 

Why the hell is this guy drinking alone at night and that too in a PARK? Did he for real lose it or is he close to losing it? 

I quicken my pace when I see Sunwoo sitting on a bench with a guy trying to keep him straight and awake so that he doesn’t fall asleep in the park. 

I approach them as I take over Sunwoo and apologise to the man and grab Sunwoo cheeks which were a slight shade of pink. 

I sit beside him on the bench and slap his cheeks a few times to help him gain some consciousness. 

I giggle when he blinks his eyes a few times and stares at me for a second before he brings his hands up as he drags his fingers over my lower lips. 

I push his hand away slightly as I mumble softly, “You’re not sober. So, you’re not allowed to touch me.” 

A small stupid smile creeps up on Sunwoo’s face as he brings his hand back to himself as he rubs his eyes while speaking, “So am I allowed to touch you when I am sober?” He mumbles before staring back at you. 

“If I say yes will you shut up?” I mumble as my eyes trail down to his swollen lips for a second before I glance back at his eyes again. 

I smile when he gives a gentle nod, standing up I extend my hand out towards him to help him stand up, “I am only saying yes because I know you will forget all about this in the morning.” I mumble as I drag him towards the cab which was waiting for us. 

“Do you really think so?” He slurs out the words while getting in the car, “Ack!” He yelps in pain when his head bangs against the roof of the car. 

I immediately lean forward and take a look at his forehead. My eyebrows furrow in worry when it starts to swell but all Sunwoo does is laugh at the drunken guy he saw outside (who was busy puking by the way.) 

-x- 

I enter the house with Sunwoo as I drag him towards his bed. Okay, all I had to do was throw him on his bed, put a warm blanket over him and wash his face with a wet towel. 

I can do that without thinking about the past, right? Of course I can! 

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Sunwoo POV 

I groan in pain when I feel my head throbbing. Maybe drinking till late at night was a bad idea but how did I even get home? I don’t think I went to drink with any of my friends. 

Grabbing the glass of water from the bedside table, I drink some of it when my attention drifts to my arm. I see some messy writing on it. 

Getting curious, I place the glass down and take a closer look at my arm after blinking a few times to get rid of the blurriness. 

‘She says I could touch her when I am sober.’ She? Who’s she…

I close my eyes as I try to think back to the moments which took place yesterday. 

“No fucking way…” I gasp as I recall the conversations me and Y/N had. Nooo this is so embarrassing. She saw me being a drunk idiot. 

I place my head in my pillow and scream in it as I try my best to hide my whole existence. Why can’t the world just swallow me right now? 

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Entering the auditorium I see Y/N with that Hyunjae guy again. Gosh…he looks so boring. What did she even see in him? 

I scowl as I take a seat right behind them because someone decided it would be a great idea to sit behind my ex who was not really my ex because we never officially dated BUT we did kiss and make out a couple of times but let’s not talk about that. 

I kick Eric’s leg when he strikes up a conversation with Hyunjae. He was my sworn enemy! How could he just talk with that boring ass? Gosh this kid really needs to level his taste up when it comes to talking with just anyone. 

The whole time the lecture was going on not once did I stop burning holes in the back of Y/N’s head. 

I could tell she wanted to look back at me by turning around but maybe I was just looking too handsome that she didn’t even want to take a look at me.  

Heaving out a sigh I stood up once the lecture was over. 

“I think we should talk…” I stop dead in my tracks when I hear her voice. No fucking way is she talking with me? 

I gulp as I look at her for a moment before I immediately look down at the books in my hands. 

I hand the books to Eric without any second thoughts as I follow you to the back of the auditorium. 

I sit down on the floor as you follow behind and do the same. I couldn’t believe that after so long we’re finally talking again but I could feel my heartbeat rising more as you stretched the already tense moment.  

“What’s up?” I mumble out as I try not to make it sound awkward even though the way I spoke already gave away the fact that it was more than just awkward silence. 

I cover my face with my eyes as I wait for you to start speaking again, “So…about that night.” I hear your voice speak from beside me. 

I slowly bring my hands down as I take a small peek at you, “You don’t have to say it if you don’t want to. I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” 

“No no you didn’t make me uncomfortable. I was just nervous…I was scared I would do something wrong and embarrass myself.” I just stare at you as you explain yourself. 

“I am sorry…I am sorry that I didn’t even give you the chance to explain yourself. I hate to admit it but I was scared to listen to your explanation.” I say softly as I take your hand in mine. 

I smile when I hear your small giggle. Oh how I missed making you laugh…

“So what do you think about Hyunaje?” I furrow my eyebrows when you ask me that question. Were you really pulling my leg? 

“Hyunjae? I hate that guy. Who does he think he is?” I mumble as I scoff in irritation.

I stare at you again when you laugh at my answer. You were really enjoying this, no? “What if I go on another date with him?” 

It feels as if my eyes almost bulge out when you ask that question. “Date? I dare you. I will come and burn everything that is there and take you away from there.” I mumble as I kiss the back of your hand while our fingers are still intertwined. 

“Aww you’re such a jealous baby.” I scoff and roll my eyes and mumble out a small ‘I am not jealous’ when even I know it’s not the truth. 

“I am kidding. I hope we can give our relationship another chance?” My eyes light up when you finally say the words I wanted to hear. 

“I swear I won’t mess up this time.” I say quietly as I kiss the crown of your forehead and give a peck on your cheeks.  

“So what did you feel like when you used to see Hyunjae and me together?” I just stare at you silently when you ask that question. 

You really were having fun teasing me. I get up and walk out of the room with you following behind while laughing at my jealous ass. 

I stop on my tracks when I see hyunjae being buddies with Eric. I couldn’t help the disgusted face taking over my facial features as I stared at that guy doing some stupid handshake with Eric. 

“I cannot believe you’re jealous over Eric and Hyunjae now.” I side eye you when you say that and flick your forehead once before walking away with you yelling my name out. 

“Geez I am sorry!” I yell loudly when you suddenly come in front of me and kiss me on the lips. 

I smiled in between the kiss when I noticed you going on your tiptoes just to kiss me. I slowly lean down so that it’s easier for you to kiss me. 

Giggling I look at you when you pull away, your cheeks slowly turning hues of red as mine does the same.  “Maybe I am a jealous guy after all.” I mumble as I hug you tightly.

[raiiny-bay]

Love, Dhes

Parker,

It's unfair how time with you feels so short. How the last 10 years have felt like no time at all. I like to think there are other versions of us out there, somewhere. Maybe in another timeline, another universe. I like to think we find each other no matter where we are or what we're doing. That we're together and happy and I get to love you in a dozen different lifetimes. That's what I hope, anyway. And I hope when this lifetime ends, we get to start over and do it all again. Because once just isn't enough. Not for me. Not with you.

I hope the next 10 years pass slower.

Love, Dhes

[hyunpic]

[a-dream-bookmark]

NEW ARRIVAL:

“Strawberry Milkshakes” by jinnieboosworld

Strawberry Milkshakes

Eric Sohn x Fem Reader

Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Drama, Fluff

Summary: Eric Sohn loves his job working as a waiter at a 24 hour diner. So when the diner starts to lose its customers to a rival diner he has to go there to see what all the hype is about, and that’s when he meets you. A pink haired, neon colored- dressed, rollerblader, who makes amazing strawberry milkshakes.

Word count: 10,998

Part of the Meet Cute Series

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The bell over the door of MiMi’s Diner gave a sharp jingle as it swung open. Eric Sohn, standing behind the counter, glanced up from the schedule he was reviewing. Only two customers walked in—a middle-aged couple who were familiar faces in the diner.

“Morning, Mr. and Mrs. Lee,” Eric greeted, trying to keep his tone upbeat, even though a creeping sense of worry had been gnawing at him for weeks now. “Same as usual?”

Mrs. Lee smiled, but there was something distant in it. “Not today, Eric. Just a couple of coffees to go.”

Eric’s heart sank. They always stayed for at least an hour, chatting and enjoying the pancakes or waffles MiMi was known for. “Sure thing,” he replied, watching them settle by the window, their eyes wandering in a way they never had before.

He turned to Kevin, the new and extremely energetic waiter who was already bouncing over to the counter. “Hey, Kev, two coffees for the Lees,” Eric said, running a hand through his hair.

“Two coffees coming right up!” Kevin chirped, his usual enthusiasm undimmed by the day’s lackluster start.

Eric sighed and stepped over to MiMi, who stood behind the register, scanning the empty seats around them. “Twelve customers today. That’s it,” Eric said quietly, leaning on the counter next to her.

MiMi shook her head, her expression one of concern. “I just don’t get it, Eric. We’ve been through slow times before, but this? It’s like they’ve all just vanished.”

Sunwoo, leaning through the serving window from the kitchen, chimed in. “Not vanished—just gone to that new place on 82nd Street. The Midnight Shake or whatever it’s called.”

MiMi waved her hand dismissively. “We’ve had competition before. We’ve always been fine.”

“Yeah, but this place is packed,” Sunwoo said, pulling his phone from his pocket. “I snapped this on my way back from lunch yesterday.”

He held out his phone, and Eric and MiMi both peered at the screen. The parking lot of The Midnight Shake was completely full, with people actually waiting outside.

Eric frowned. “I don’t get it. What are they offering that we aren’t?”

Kevin, carrying the Lees’ coffees over to the table, paused and looked back. “Maybe they’re putting something special in their shakes?” he joked, flashing a grin.

Eric didn’t laugh. His eyes narrowed at the image on Sunwoo’s phone. “There’s gotta be more to it than just shakes. Our food’s just as good, and we’ve got a loyal customer base.”

MiMi sighed heavily, resting her hands on the counter. “Maybe it’s time we check them out.”

Eric’s brow furrowed. He wasn’t ready to throw in the towel yet. “I don’t know… it feels weird, doesn’t it? Spying on the competition?”

MiMi glanced around the nearly empty diner. “Call it market research.”

Eric opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by the sound of Kevin’s voice from across the room. “Have a great day, Mr. and Mrs. Lee! See you tomorrow, I hope!”

The couple offered a polite wave as they slipped out the door, and the bell’s jingle felt far too loud in the now-empty space.

Eric crossed his arms, staring at the door. “Maybe I should go see what all the hype is about. Just to see if we’re missing something obvious.”

MiMi raised an eyebrow at him. “You sure? I’d hate for you to get too worked up over this.”

Eric glanced back at her. “I’m not worked up. I just want to understand what we’re up against.”

Sunwoo smirked, crossing his arms. “Or who you’re up against. Word around town is their main waitress over there is quite the spectacle.”

Eric frowned. “Spectacle?”

Kevin bounced back over, clearly eager to join in the conversation. “Yeah, I heard she’s on roller skates! And apparently, she makes the best strawberry shakes in the city.”

Eric blinked. “Roller skates?”

MiMi shrugged. “If that’s what it takes to get people in the door…”

Eric shook his head, his jaw tightening. “Well, gimmicks don’t last forever. If it’s just a flashy waitress, we’ll be fine.”

Sunwoo chuckled. “Maybe, maybe not. I hear they’re doing something right. Could be worth your time to swing by and see for yourself.”

Eric clenched his fists, feeling a strange sense of competitiveness bubbling up. “Fine. I’ll check it out tomorrow.”

MiMi looked at him, her concern evident. “Just don’t do anything rash, Eric. It’s just a diner.”

But to Eric, it wasn’t just a diner. MiMi’s had been his life for the past eight years. He wasn’t about to let some new place run them out of business.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

“Why do I feel like I’m about to go into battle?” Eric muttered under his breath, checking his reflection in the window.

“You look like you’re about to audition for a movie,” Kevin teased from across the counter. “Just relax, man. It’s a diner, not a gladiator ring.”

Eric shot him a look. “I just want to understand what’s going on over there.”

“Whatever you say, boss,” Kevin replied with a smirk, hopping over to refill a few ketchup bottles.

Eric turned his attention back to the door, then squared his shoulders. He grabbed his jacket and took a deep breath. “I’ll be back in an hour,” he called over his shoulder.

“Good luck!” Sunwoo shouted, his laughter echoing through the kitchen.

Stepping out into the cool evening air, Eric made his way down the street. He was on edge, wondering what exactly he would find at The Midnight Shake. Roller skates? Strawberry shakes? It sounded ridiculous, but if it was taking away MiMi’s customers, then it was serious enough.

As he turned onto 82nd Street, the neon sign for The Midnight Shake came into view. It was garish, bright pink and blue lights flickering in the evening sky, casting a glow over the busy parking lot. He could already see the crowds through the windows.

It was packed.

Eric felt a mix of disbelief and frustration. How could they be drawing so many people? He steeled himself and made his way closer.

Before he could even reach the front door, he heard it—the unmistakable sound of roller skates on pavement. Eric glanced to the side, and there she was.

Y/N. She zipped out of the diner’s side entrance, rollerblades gliding effortlessly over the concrete, her neon-colored outfit clashing with the night sky. She had pink hair that caught the last rays of the setting sun, and in her hand, a tray of to-go orders.

Eric stopped in his tracks, watching as she navigated through a small crowd, expertly balancing the tray while weaving between people. She didn’t miss a beat.

He found himself staring, not just at her skills, but at the way she smiled at every customer she passed, like she knew them all personally. There was something magnetic about her presence.

She glanced his way for a split second, and their eyes met.

Y/N gave him a brief, puzzled look, clearly not recognizing him, before skating off toward a group of waiting customers.

Eric blinked, his chest tightening for reasons he couldn’t explain. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts.

“Focus, Eric. You’re here for a reason,” he muttered to himself as he pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The interior of The Midnight Shake was bustling with energy, a stark contrast to MiMi’s. The walls were decorated with retro neon signs, and the atmosphere was vibrant, almost chaotic.

As he stood at the entrance, trying to take it all in, a waitress in roller skates—Y/N—zoomed past him with another tray of milkshakes.

“Welcome to The Midnight Shake,” she called over her shoulder before disappearing into the crowd.

Eric clenched his fists. This was more than just a diner; this was a circus. And somehow, they were winning.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The bell jingled softly as Eric pushed open the door of MiMi’s, stepping back into the familiar space. It should have felt like a comfort, but after what he had just seen at The Midnight Shake, it felt strangely hollow. The contrast between the two diners weighed on him heavily. The buzzing energy, the vibrant colors, the constant hum of activity—everything at that place had felt alive. MiMi’s, by comparison, seemed quiet. Too quiet.

“Back already?” MiMi’s voice floated over from behind the counter. She was wiping down the register, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern.

Eric gave a noncommittal grunt and hung his jacket on the hook by the door. “Yeah. It’s… packed over there.”

MiMi frowned, the lines around her eyes deepening. “What do you mean? Like busy?”

“Busy doesn’t even cover it.” Eric exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “It’s chaos. But organized chaos. People are everywhere, and they seem to love it.”

Kevin, who was leaning against the counter with a milkshake in hand, raised an eyebrow. “So what’s the deal? Are they just giving away free stuff or something?”

Eric shook his head, the image of Y/N on her roller skates still lingering in his mind. “It’s more than that. They’ve got this whole atmosphere. It’s loud, bright, like a party in there.”

Kevin laughed. “A party at a diner? Sounds like a gimmick to me.”

“Maybe,” Eric muttered, though he wasn’t sure if he believed that anymore. “But it’s working.”

MiMi placed the cloth down and crossed her arms. “Do they have better food?”

Eric shook his head. “It’s not that. Their menu’s not much different from ours. It’s the experience. That waitress on skates? She’s the one drawing people in. She’s… flashy, I guess. And she’s good with customers.”

“Roller skates? Seriously?” Sunwoo appeared from the kitchen, leaning against the frame of the door. “What is this, the 70s?”

“It’s ridiculous,” Eric agreed, but his voice lacked conviction. He couldn’t stop thinking about how smooth Y/N had looked as she weaved through the crowd, or how every customer seemed to leave with a smile after interacting with her. “But they’ve got something we don’t. And whatever it is, it’s taking our customers.”

Kevin took a long sip of his milkshake and shrugged. “Maybe we need to shake things up too. Get roller skates, or maybe start doing karaoke nights or something.”

MiMi sighed. “We’ve never needed to do gimmicks before. Our food’s always been enough.”

Eric rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him. “Yeah, but if we don’t adapt, we’re going to lose everything. We need to find a way to stand out again.”

There was a pause, the silence hanging heavy between them. Kevin, always the optimist, grinned and clapped Eric on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, boss. We’ll figure it out. We always do.”

Eric offered a tight smile, but inside, he wasn’t so sure. He felt an unfamiliar sense of competition bubbling inside him, not just with the diner itself, but with Y/N. She wasn’t just another waitress; she was becoming the face of the place that was threatening everything he had built at MiMi’s. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this was personal.

Days passed, and the situation at MiMi’s grew more tense. Every shift seemed quieter than the last, and Eric could feel the frustration building in the air. Kevin kept trying to lighten the mood, but even his boundless energy couldn’t fully mask the growing worry that was settling over the diner

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

He didn’t have a plan, not really. Maybe he’d just walk by, see if things had calmed down. Or maybe he’d confront Y/N, see what she was doing that was so special. He didn’t know why, but he felt drawn back to that place, like he had unfinished business there.

As he approached, he could hear the familiar hum of the diner, the sound of people talking, laughing. And then, over the din, the unmistakable sound of roller skates on pavement.

There she was again—Y/N. She glided out of the side entrance, her tray stacked high with milkshakes, her pink hair catching the evening light. She didn’t notice him at first, her attention focused on the customers waiting by the curb.

Eric stopped in his tracks, watching her again. She was efficient, no wasted movement, but it wasn’t just that. She had this way of making every interaction feel personal, like every customer was her favorite. He could see why people were drawn to her, even if it grated on him.

As she handed the milkshakes off to a group of teenagers, Y/N glanced up and noticed him standing across the street. Her eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of recognition passing over her face.

For a brief moment, neither of them moved. Then, with a quick motion, she pushed off on her skates and headed straight toward him.

Eric braced himself as she rolled to a stop in front of him, her arms crossed and a smirk playing at the corner of her lips. “Well, well. If it isn’t the competition.”

Eric clenched his jaw. “I’m not here to spy, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Right. Just happened to be in the neighborhood, huh?”

Eric held her gaze, refusing to back down. “Maybe I was just curious.”

“Curious?” Y/N’s smirk widened. “Or worried?”

His fists clenched at her tone, that playful edge she seemed to have. She was enjoying this, that much was clear. “Look, I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing here, but MiMi’s isn’t going anywhere.”

Y/N tilted her head, looking him over like she was sizing him up. “Oh, I’m not playing any games. Just doing my job. If people want to come here instead of your place, that’s on them.”

Eric’s jaw tightened. “You think it’s just that simple? You’re stealing our customers.”

“Stealing?” Y/N’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “No one’s stealing anything. Maybe they just like the shakes better over here.”

Eric took a step closer, his voice dropping lower. “It’s more than just shakes, and you know it.”

Y/N looked up at him, her smirk fading slightly. For a moment, there was something else in her eyes, something he couldn’t quite place. Then, just as quickly, she shook her head and pushed off on her skates. “Whatever you say, Mr. MiMi’s.”

She started to roll away, but Eric’s voice stopped her. “I’m not done.”

She turned back, raising an eyebrow. “Oh? What else is there?”

Eric opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. He didn’t know what else to say. He wasn’t even sure why he had stopped her.

Y/N gave him a long look, then shrugged. “See you around, Eric.”

And just like that, she skated off, disappearing back into the busy diner.

Eric stood there for a moment, feeling a strange mix of frustration and something else—something he didn’t want to admit to himself.

As he turned to walk away, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this rivalry was only just beginning.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The next few days dragged on for Eric. Every shift at MiMi’s felt like a reminder of how quickly things were slipping away. He could see it in the eyes of his coworkers too, even Kevin’s usually upbeat attitude seemed a little deflated. Each day was slower than the last, and the conversations in the diner were quieter, as if everyone was waiting for something to change.

“So, how’s business today?” Kevin asked one afternoon, his voice carrying an almost forced cheerfulness. He was leaning against the counter, tapping his fingers absentmindedly.

Eric didn’t even look up from the receipt he was staring at. “Same as yesterday. Dead.”

Kevin let out a dramatic sigh and slid into one of the stools by the counter. “You think MiMi’s gonna close down if this keeps up?”

“Not if I can help it,” Eric muttered, though the weight of his words felt heavier than he wanted to admit.

Kevin studied him for a moment, the usual energy in his voice fading. “You’ve been real quiet lately. You’re not seriously letting that other diner get to you, are you?”

Eric clenched his jaw. “It’s not just another diner. It’s her.”

Kevin blinked. “Who?”

“That girl on skates,” Eric snapped, his frustration boiling over. “Y/N. She’s the one pulling all the customers.”

“Ohh,” Kevin said, his voice suddenly full of interest. “Wait, wait, wait—are you mad because of the competition, or because she’s kinda hot?”

Eric shot him a glare. “This isn’t about that.”

“Uh-huh.” Kevin grinned, leaning closer. “Sure. But you gotta admit, there’s something about her, right?”

Eric’s mind flashed back to their brief confrontation, the way Y/N had looked so confident, so unbothered by the rivalry. “She’s annoying,” he said flatly.

Kevin laughed. “You sound like you’re in high school. Come on, man, if she’s the competition, why not make things interesting?”

“How exactly?” Eric’s voice was thick with sarcasm.

Kevin shrugged. “I don’t know, get creative. Push back a little. Or you know, maybe… ask her out.”

Eric scoffed, shaking his head. “Not happening. She’s the reason we’re losing customers, and I’m not about to make this personal.”

Kevin’s grin didn’t falter. “You sure about that?”

Eric didn’t answer. He turned his back on Kevin, pretending to busy himself with straightening the silverware at the tables. But no matter how much he tried to focus on the task, his mind kept drifting back to Y/N. To her teasing smirk. To the way she glided through the diner on her skates like she owned the place. To how she had brushed him off like he didn’t even matter.

The thought burned at him. This wasn’t just business anymore. It was personal.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

It was a late Friday afternoon when Eric found himself standing outside The Midnight Shake again, this time deliberately. He hadn’t told anyone he was coming, especially not Kevin, who would have had too many jokes about it. Eric wasn’t sure what had compelled him to return, but part of him was itching for another encounter with Y/N. He had convinced himself it was to see what else the diner was doing to pull customers away, but deep down, he knew it was more than that.

As he approached the diner, he noticed the same lively crowd, the parking lot full of cars, and the hum of conversation spilling out onto the street. But this time, he wasn’t just watching from across the road—he was going in.

Pushing open the door, he was immediately hit with a wave of noise. The place was packed, even more so than before. The neon lights flickered cheerfully, casting a warm glow over the booths filled with customers laughing and chatting. The atmosphere felt electric, like everyone was part of something exciting. And right in the middle of it all, as if she were the ringleader of the chaos, was Y/N.

She was gliding between tables, her skates moving effortlessly across the checkered floor. Her bright pink hair caught the light as she laughed at something a customer said, handing over a strawberry milkshake with a flourish. She didn’t even notice Eric standing by the door, and for a moment, he wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or annoyed.

He took a deep breath and walked toward an empty spot at the counter, trying to blend in. The last thing he wanted was to cause a scene, but he couldn’t deny the strange sense of anticipation building inside him. Maybe he was hoping for another confrontation. Maybe he just wanted to prove that this place wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

As he sat down, Y/N skated up to the counter, still not noticing him. She was busy making milkshakes, her hands a blur as she poured, blended, and garnished each one with whipped cream and a cherry. Her focus was impressive, and for a brief moment, Eric found himself watching her with a kind of reluctant admiration.

“Order up!” Y/N called out, pushing a tray of shakes toward the end of the counter.

And then her eyes flickered up—and landed on him.

Her expression shifted in an instant, from casual indifference to something sharper, more focused. She raised an eyebrow, skating over to where he sat. “You lost, MiMi’s?”

Eric met her gaze, refusing to back down. “Just curious about the competition.”

Y/N crossed her arms, leaning against the counter. “Thought you said you weren’t spying.”

“I’m not,” Eric replied, his tone even. “Just seeing what all the hype is about.”

Y/N tilted her head, her eyes narrowing. “And? What do you think?”

Eric shrugged, trying to appear unfazed. “It’s loud.”

She smirked. “That’s not what the customers think.”

Eric clenched his jaw, the frustration bubbling up again. “Maybe they’re just here for the novelty. Doesn’t mean it’s going to last.”

Y/N’s smirk widened. “You really don’t get it, do you? People come here because they like it. It’s not just about the food—it’s about the experience.”

“And what experience is that, exactly?” Eric challenged. “Skating around and flashing neon lights?”

She leaned in slightly, her voice dropping. “It’s about giving people something different. Something fun. They’re not just here for a meal—they’re here to have a good time. Maybe that’s what MiMi’s is missing.”

Eric’s eyes narrowed. “We don’t need gimmicks to keep our customers.”

Y/N straightened up, shrugging. “Maybe not. But you’re here, aren’t you?”

Eric opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, a group of customers called for Y/N from the far end of the diner. She glanced over, then back at Eric, her expression softening just a fraction. “Look, I get it. You’re mad because things aren’t going the way you want. But if you really want to know why people are coming here, you should stop thinking about it like a competition.”

Eric frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Y/N gave him a long, searching look. “It means you’re so focused on beating us, you’re not paying attention to what your own place needs. Figure that out, and maybe you won’t have to worry about us anymore.”

With that, she pushed off on her skates, rolling back into the sea of customers like she hadn’t just left Eric standing there, speechless.

The walk back to MiMi’s felt longer than usual. Eric’s mind was racing with everything Y/N had said, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that she had gotten under his skin in a way no one ever had before. It wasn’t just the rivalry anymore—there was something more to it. Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

As he stepped into MiMi’s, Kevin was waiting by the door, his usual grin plastered across his face. “Well? How’d it go?”

Eric hesitated, then shook his head. “It was… fine.”

Kevin raised an eyebrow. “That’s it? Just fine?”

Eric didn’t respond. Instead, he moved behind the counter and started wiping it down, trying to focus on the mundane task to clear his head. But Kevin wasn’t letting it go.

“Come on, man. You went there for a reason. What’s the deal? Did you talk to her?”

Eric’s grip tightened on the cloth. “Yeah. We talked.”

Kevin leaned in, his grin widening. “And? Was she as annoying as you thought?”

Eric paused, the memory of Y/N’s words still fresh in his mind. “She’s… not what I expected.”

Kevin let out a low whistle. “Ohhh, so that’s how it is. You’ve got a thing for her.”

Eric shot him a glare.

Eric’s glare only made Kevin’s grin wider, the playful teasing written all over his face. “I don’t have a thing for her,” Eric muttered, turning back to the counter, scrubbing furiously as if it would help him escape the conversation. “She’s the competition. That’s all.”

Kevin let out a laugh. “Sure, sure. But you’re thinking about her, aren’t you? I mean, it’s been weeks since anyone’s gotten under your skin like this.”

Eric didn’t respond right away. The truth was, he had been thinking about her—more than he wanted to admit. But not in the way Kevin was suggesting. Or at least, that’s what he kept telling himself.

Kevin watched him for a moment before leaning closer, lowering his voice as if he were about to share some great secret. “Look, man, maybe she’s right. Maybe we’ve been so focused on trying to beat them that we’re missing what makes us special.”

Eric paused, his hands stilling on the counter. He’d been thinking the same thing ever since Y/N’s words had echoed in his head. Maybe MiMi’s didn’t need to change into something it wasn’t. Maybe it just needed to find a way to bring back the energy and excitement it used to have.

But before he could delve deeper into those thoughts, MiMi herself walked in from the back, looking around at the empty diner with a sigh. “Another slow day, huh?”

Kevin shrugged. “Could be worse. At least we’ve got the regulars.”

MiMi’s face softened. “Yeah, but we used to have so much more. I remember when this place was packed. People couldn’t get enough of our food, the atmosphere…”

Eric glanced at her, his heart sinking a little. MiMi had poured everything into this diner. It wasn’t just a business to her—it was her life. And if it failed…

“We’ll figure it out,” Eric said firmly, though he wasn’t sure if he was trying to reassure MiMi or himself.

MiMi gave him a small smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I know you will. You’ve always had a way of bringing people in, Eric. Maybe you’ll find that magic again.”

Eric nodded, though his mind was already wandering back to Y/N, to the way she had talked about creating an experience, not just serving food. Maybe that was the key. Not trying to copy The Midnight Shake, but finding something that would make people want to come to MiMi’s again—something authentic.

The next day started like any other, slow and quiet. Eric showed up early, as he always did, to get everything ready for the day ahead. Kevin had rolled in not long after, full of energy as usual, chatting about random things that Eric only half-listened to.

But it wasn’t until later that afternoon that something strange happened.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Eric had been walking through the park after his shift, needing to clear his head and figure out a plan for MiMi’s. The sound of kids playing and people laughing filled the air, offering a brief distraction from the diner’s struggles.

As he rounded the corner, though, he saw something—or rather, someone—that made him stop in his tracks.

There, gliding effortlessly down the path on her rollerblades, was Y/N.

She hadn’t noticed him yet, too focused on weaving between people as she made her way through the park. She had on the same neon-colored outfit she always wore, her pink hair bouncing with each movement. She looked so carefree, so at ease, like she didn’t have a care in the world.

Eric felt a strange tightening in his chest. Part of him wanted to turn around and leave before she noticed him, but something else—something he couldn’t quite name—kept him rooted to the spot.

He watched as she skated toward a group of kids who had gathered by the park’s fountain. They were giggling and calling out to her, and she skidded to a stop, crouching down to talk to them. Eric couldn’t hear what she was saying, but the kids were laughing and pointing at her skates, and she was showing them some kind of trick, making them cheer.

For a moment, Eric forgot all about the rivalry. He forgot about MiMi’s, about The Midnight Shake, about everything. All he could think about was how different Y/N seemed outside of the diner. How she wasn’t just some competitor trying to steal their customers—she was a person. A person with a life outside of the neon-lit walls of her diner.

He didn’t realize he was staring until she looked up and caught his eye.

Her smile faltered for a second, but then it came back, though this time it was laced with something a little sharper. “You stalking me now, MiMi’s?”

Eric blinked, startled out of his thoughts. He cleared his throat, stepping closer but keeping his hands shoved in his pockets. “No. Just walking.”

She raised an eyebrow, pushing herself up to her full height, which wasn’t much taller than the kids she had been talking to. “And you just happened to be walking through this park?”

Eric shrugged, trying to play it off. “It’s a public park.”

Y/N let out a short laugh, shaking her head as she rolled over to the fountain, sitting on the edge. “Alright. If you say so.”

Eric hesitated, unsure of what to say next. He wasn’t used to this kind of conversation, especially not with someone like Y/N. But there was something about the way she sat there, casual and unbothered, that made him want to keep talking.

“So, do you do this every day?” he asked, gesturing to her skates.

Y/N glanced down at them, as if she had forgotten she was even wearing them. “Most days. Helps me clear my head.”

Eric nodded, though he didn’t know what else to say. He hadn’t expected to run into her, and now that he had, he wasn’t sure where to take the conversation. But Y/N didn’t seem to mind the silence. She just sat there, watching the kids play in the fountain, her expression thoughtful.

“You really care about that place, don’t you?” she asked suddenly, catching Eric off guard.

He frowned. “What place?”

“MiMi’s,” she said, looking at him. “It’s not just a job to you. I can tell.”

Eric wasn’t sure how to respond to that. He hadn’t expected her to bring it up, especially not here, in the middle of the park. But the truth was, she was right. MiMi’s wasn’t just a job to him. It was part of his life. It had been for years.

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “I do.”

Y/N studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she let out a sigh, stretching her arms over her head as she stood up. “Well, good luck with it. I mean that.”

Eric blinked, surprised. “You… mean that?”

She smirked, giving him a playful look. “Don’t get me wrong, I still want to beat you guys. But it’s nothing personal.”

He stared at her, trying to process her words. She wanted to beat them, but it wasn’t personal? How could it not be personal?

Before he could respond, Y/N pushed off the fountain and started skating backward, giving him a quick salute. “See you around, MiMi’s.”

And with that, she skated off, leaving Eric standing by the fountain, more confused than ever.

For the rest of the day, Eric couldn’t get Y/N out of his head. Her words, her teasing smirk, the way she seemed to float through life without a care—it was all swirling around in his mind, distracting him from everything else. He found himself replaying their conversation over and over, wondering what she really meant.

“Eric, you okay?” Kevin’s voice broke through his thoughts as they both wiped down the tables before closing time.

Eric blinked, shaking his head as if to clear it. “Yeah. Just… thinking.”

Kevin grinned, leaning on his broom. “About that skater girl, huh?”

Eric shot him a look. “I told you, it’s not like that.”

“Sure it’s not.” Kevin’s grin only widened. “But seriously, you’ve been acting weird ever since you ran into her. What happened? Did she say something?”

Eric hesitated. He didn’t want to tell Kevin everything, especially not about the part where Y/N had wished him luck. It felt too personal, too complicated to explain. “Nothing important,” he said finally. “Just the usual.”

Kevin watched him for a moment, his grin fading into something more thoughtful. “You know… maybe it wouldn’t hurt to talk to her. Like, really talk to her.”

Eric frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, she’s obviously not the enemy,” Kevin said, shrugging. “Maybe if you stopped seeing her as the competition, you’d realize she’s just a person. A person who’s running a diner, just like you.”

Eric didn’t respond, but Kevin’s words stuck with him. Maybe he was right. Maybe this rivalry was more in Eric’s head than anything else. And maybe, just maybe, it was time to stop seeing Y/N as the enemy—and start seeing her as something else.

What that “something else” was, though, Eric wasn’t sure yet.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The next few days passed slowly. Eric found himself slipping into a strange routine: wake up, go to MiMi’s, work a slow shift, and inevitably think about Y/N at some point during the day. Even though he tried not to, her words, her carefree smile, the way she seemed both competitive and friendly, stayed lodged in his mind.

Business wasn’t improving. MiMi had started adding more specials, offering discounts to try and bring customers back, but none of it seemed to work. It felt like they were trapped in a spiral, each day slower than the last.

“You’ve been quieter than usual,” MiMi remarked one afternoon as she refilled the sugar containers at the counter. “Everything okay?”

Eric wiped his hands on his apron, hesitating before answering. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking.”

MiMi chuckled softly. “You think too much, Eric. Sometimes you’ve just got to let things be.”

He smiled at her, appreciating the sentiment, but he knew it wasn’t that simple. He couldn’t just “let things be” when MiMi’s Diner was at stake. He felt responsible. Like it was up to him to figure out how to turn things around. And no matter how much he tried to push it aside, Y/N kept coming back to his thoughts, almost like a challenge he couldn’t quite solve.

Kevin, as usual, noticed right away.

“You’ve got that look again,” Kevin teased as they worked side by side that evening. “The ‘I’m thinking about the enemy’ look.”

Eric rolled his eyes. “I’m not thinking about her.”

“Yeah, right. Look, man, it’s okay if you are. Just admit it—you’re curious. It’s human.”

Eric sighed, leaning against the counter as he looked out at the empty diner. “It’s not just that. She’s… I don’t know. She’s different than I expected. I thought she’d be all about trying to take us down, but she’s not like that. And now I can’t stop wondering what it would take to really beat her.”

Kevin’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? You think this is about beating her? You sure you’re not trying to figure out something else?”

Eric shot him a look. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Kevin grinned, shrugging. “I don’t know, man. I just think there’s more going on here than you’re willing to admit. Maybe she’s not the competition you think she is.”

Eric opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, MiMi appeared from the back, her face lined with worry. “We’ve got a problem,” she said, holding up a flyer.

Eric frowned, taking the paper from her hands. It was an advertisement for The Midnight Shake, plastered with bold, neon lettering and a list of new specials they were rolling out, including a new menu of shakes that promised to be “unlike anything you’ve ever tasted.”

“New shakes?” Eric muttered, feeling a knot tighten in his chest. It wasn’t just that Y/N made incredible milkshakes—it was that she had somehow managed to make them a central part of their rivalry. And now she was pushing even harder.

MiMi shook her head. “We can’t keep up with this. We’ve tried everything—new specials, discounts, but it’s not enough. If we don’t figure out something soon…”

Her words trailed off, but Eric didn’t need her to finish. He could feel the pressure building inside him, the weight of their dwindling business pressing down on him harder than ever.

He folded the flyer in half, shoving it into his apron pocket. “We’ll figure something out. We always do.”

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

But the truth was, he wasn’t so sure.

It was later that week when Eric found himself wandering back through the park again. He hadn’t planned on it—it just sort of happened. The diner had been slow, his shift dragging by without any real distractions, and before he knew it, he was back at the place where he had first run into Y/N.

This time, though, he wasn’t caught off guard when he saw her.

She was skating again, weaving between people effortlessly, her neon outfit catching the sunlight and making her look like some kind of beacon. She hadn’t noticed him yet, but he found himself watching her again, his thoughts tangled in a mess of confusion.

Before he could decide what to do, she skidded to a stop by the fountain, just like before, and turned around—only this time, she saw him right away.

Her eyes narrowed, a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Back again, MiMi’s?”

Eric shoved his hands in his pockets, walking toward her but keeping a safe distance. “It’s a public park.”

She rolled her eyes, her smile widening. “You’ve got to stop using that excuse. You’re not very convincing.”

He shrugged, though his heart was beating faster than he wanted to admit. “Maybe I just like walking here.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, pushing off the fountain and gliding closer to him. “Or maybe you’re just curious. Wondering how we keep beating you guys.”

Eric’s jaw tightened. “It’s not about that.”

“Sure it’s not.” She tilted her head, her smile teasing. “But I get it. You want to know what makes us special, right?”

He didn’t respond, but the look on his face must have given something away, because she laughed softly, shaking her head. “It’s not some big secret, you know. People like what they like. Maybe MiMi’s just… isn’t their thing anymore.”

Her words hit him harder than he expected, and for a moment, he felt that familiar surge of frustration. But then he remembered what Kevin had said—about seeing her as more than just the competition. And despite the teasing, there was something almost… sincere in her voice. Like she wasn’t trying to rub it in. Just stating a fact.

“Why do you care so much about beating us?” Eric asked suddenly, surprising even himself.

Y/N blinked, clearly taken aback by the question. She hesitated, skating in a small circle before answering. “I don’t know. I guess it’s not really about beating you guys. It’s just… I want to do well. You know?”

Eric nodded slowly, though he wasn’t sure he fully understood. Y/N wasn’t what he expected. She wasn’t just the enemy, the rival diner owner trying to take them down. She was someone who cared about what she did, just like he did.

But that didn’t change the fact that their businesses were in direct competition.

“So, what’s next?” he asked, trying to lighten the mood. “You guys rolling out new shakes or something?”

Y/N’s smile returned, this time with a hint of pride. “Actually, yeah. You’ll have to come by and try one sometime.”

Eric gave her a look. “You really think I’m going to set foot in your diner?”

She shrugged, turning to skate away. “You never know. Maybe one day you’ll be curious enough.”

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Back at MiMi’s, things were getting worse. The new shake specials had drawn even more customers away, and by the end of the week, they were barely scraping by. Eric could feel the weight of the situation every time he walked through the door. It was like a cloud that hung over the diner, growing heavier with each passing day.

MiMi wasn’t talking about it, but Eric could see the worry in her eyes every time she counted the register at the end of the day. Even Kevin had started to look more serious, his usual joking attitude replaced with something more somber.

One evening, after a particularly slow shift, MiMi pulled Eric aside as they were closing up. “I’ve been thinking,” she said quietly, her hands wringing together nervously. “Maybe it’s time to… consider some changes.”

Eric frowned. “What do you mean?”

MiMi hesitated, glancing around the empty diner before lowering her voice. “I’ve been thinking about selling.”

The words hit him like a punch to the gut. “Selling? You can’t be serious.”

She gave him a sad smile. “Eric, we can’t keep going like this. We’re losing money every day. If things don’t turn around soon, I’m going to have to close up shop.”

Eric felt a surge of panic. MiMi’s was more than just a diner to him—it was home. It was the place he had grown up in, the place where he had made countless memories. He couldn’t imagine life without it.

“There’s got to be another way,” he said, his voice more desperate than he intended. “We can’t give up.”

MiMi sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I know you want to save this place, Eric. But sometimes… sometimes it’s out of our hands.”

Eric didn’t know what to say. He just stood there, the weight of her words sinking in, making everything feel even more impossible.

Eric didn’t sleep much that night. MiMi’s words echoed in his head, and every time he closed his eyes, he could see the neon lights of The Midnight Shake flashing like a warning. Selling? That idea gnawed at him, twisting his gut in knots. MiMi’s Diner was too important to just let go. He had to figure something out.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The next morning, Eric dragged himself into the diner, trying to shake off the heavy feeling from the night before. As usual, Kevin was already there, his upbeat attitude grating in a way that usually wasn’t so bad.

“You look like you got run over by a truck,” Kevin said, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “Late night?”

Eric rubbed his eyes, sighing. “MiMi’s talking about selling.”

Kevin paused mid-sip, his expression sobering. “What? She can’t be serious.”

“Dead serious.” Eric grabbed a towel and wiped down the counter, trying to channel his frustration into something productive. “We’ve got to figure out how to turn this around.”

Kevin set his mug down, leaning against the counter. “Have you thought about… doing something drastic?”

Eric glanced at him, eyebrows raised. “Drastic like what?”

Kevin grinned, mischief dancing in his eyes. “You know… sabotage.”

“Sabotage?” Eric repeated, incredulous. “You can’t be serious.”

Kevin shrugged. “Why not? It’s not like they’re playing fair. They’ve been stealing our customers for weeks.”

Eric rolled his eyes. “We’re not stooping to that level, Kev.”

Kevin’s grin widened. “Fine, fine. But you can’t deny that it’d be fun.”

Eric shook his head, but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at his lips. Kevin was ridiculous, but at least he kept things from getting too heavy.

Their conversation was interrupted when MiMi walked in, her usual upbeat demeanor noticeably absent. She gave them both a tired smile, her eyes reflecting the strain of the last few weeks.

“We’re gonna get through this,” Eric said, more to convince himself than her.

MiMi smiled weakly, but didn’t say anything. She just busied herself with the morning routine, and for a moment, the diner fell into an uneasy silence.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Days passed, and the tension between MiMi’s and The Midnight Shake only grew. Word about their rivalry was spreading around town, and customers were starting to take sides. Some were loyal to MiMi’s, citing nostalgia and history, while others raved about the “fresh energy” at The Midnight Shake.

It didn’t help that the rivalry had started spilling over into more than just business. Flyers from The Midnight Shake were mysteriously appearing in MiMi’s parking lot, and rumors were swirling that someone from their team had been badmouthing MiMi’s to customers.

Eric hadn’t set foot in The Midnight Shake again, but he didn’t need to. He could feel the tension in the air, almost like it was personal now. And maybe, in a way, it was. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Y/N was involved in some way, even if he didn’t have any proof.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The next time Eric ran into Y/N, it wasn’t in the park. It was purely by accident, at a small grocery store on the edge of town. He had been reaching for a carton of strawberries when she appeared on the other side of the display, her neon jacket standing out like a beacon.

They both froze for a moment, eyes locking across the strawberries. Then Y/N smiled—though it wasn’t her usual teasing grin. It was more like a challenge.

“Well, well, well,” she said, crossing her arms. “Fancy seeing you here.”

Eric raised an eyebrow. “I could say the same.”

She tilted her head, her eyes glinting with amusement. “You buying ingredients to make your shakes better?”

Eric didn’t bite, though part of him wanted to. “Maybe I just like strawberries.”

“Sure,” she said, though the teasing lilt was back in her voice. “You should try one of ours sometime.”

He placed the carton of strawberries in his basket, ignoring her suggestion. “No thanks. I’m not a fan of your diner.”

Y/N chuckled softly, her eyes sparkling with something he couldn’t quite place. “I could’ve guessed that.”

The exchange was casual enough, but there was an underlying tension that Eric couldn’t ignore. Every time they spoke, it felt like they were circling around something—something neither of them was quite willing to say out loud. Maybe it was the rivalry. Or maybe it was something else entirely.

“What’s it like over there?” Eric found himself asking before he could stop himself.

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “Over where?”

“The Midnight Shake. What’s it like running the place?”

She hesitated for a moment, like she hadn’t expected the question. Then she shrugged. “It’s busy. Chaotic, most days. But it’s fun.”

Eric nodded slowly, though he wasn’t sure what he had been expecting her to say. “And the rivalry? Is that fun, too?”

Y/N’s smile faded slightly, and for a moment, something like regret flashed across her face. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by her usual smirk. “What can I say? I like a good challenge.”

Eric didn’t respond, but his mind was spinning with questions he didn’t have the courage to ask. There was more to Y/N than he had realized, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that their rivalry was more complicated than just business.

As they parted ways, Eric couldn’t help but feel like something was shifting. The tension between MiMi’s and The Midnight Shake wasn’t going away anytime soon, but there was something else simmering beneath the surface. Something he wasn’t quite ready to face yet.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Back at MiMi’s, the rivalry only continued to escalate. Flyers and rumors were one thing, but it didn’t take long for things to get more direct. One afternoon, a customer came into MiMi’s, their voice low as they leaned over the counter.

“You hear about what they’re saying at The Midnight Shake?” the man asked, his tone conspiratorial.

Eric frowned. “What do you mean?”

The man lowered his voice even more. “They’re saying MiMi’s is on its last legs. That it’s only a matter of time before you guys shut down for good.”

A surge of anger flared in Eric’s chest, but he forced himself to stay calm. “Thanks for the heads-up.”

The man nodded, tossing a few dollars on the counter before heading out. As soon as the door closed behind him, Kevin appeared at Eric’s side, his expression serious for once.

“Did you hear that?” Kevin asked, his voice tight with frustration.

Eric nodded, gritting his teeth. “Yeah. I heard.”

“They’re spreading lies about us now? That’s low, even for them.”

Eric’s jaw clenched as he thought back to his conversation with Y/N. Could she really be behind this? He had started to think there was more to her than just the competition, but now… now he wasn’t so sure.

Kevin punched his palm, clearly itching for a fight. “We should do something about this.”

Eric shook his head. “We’re not going to stoop to their level.”

Kevin threw his hands up in frustration. “Then what are we going to do, Eric? Just sit here and let them run us into the ground?”

Eric didn’t have an answer. All he knew was that the rivalry was growing uglier by the day, and if they didn’t figure out a way to turn things around soon, MiMi’s might not survive.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The following days at MiMi’s Diner felt like they were running on borrowed time. The rivalry between the two diners was at an all-time high, with rumors flying, subtle sabotage at play, and tensions running hot. Kevin’s attempts to keep things upbeat were faltering, and even MiMi was starting to lose the spark that once defined her.

Eric had kept his distance from The Midnight Shake, trying to focus on helping MiMi’s survive. But it was impossible to ignore the lingering thoughts of Y/N. He wanted to believe she wasn’t the type to spread lies or play dirty, but every day there were new rumors—new hits to MiMi’s reputation that seemed to come directly from their rivals.

On the fifth day, Eric was in the middle of prepping tables for the evening shift when MiMi stepped out from the back, holding a letter in her hand. Her face was pale, her hands shaking slightly.

“We’ve got trouble,” she said quietly, handing the letter to Eric.

He took it, unfolding the paper to reveal an official notice. MiMi’s was being sued by The Midnight Shake for defamation. The letter claimed that MiMi’s had been spreading false information about their business practices, accusing them of theft and underhanded tactics. It was a legal nightmare.

Eric’s stomach sank. “This can’t be real…”

MiMi nodded slowly. “I wish it weren’t. But they’ve got a case. Someone’s been spreading rumors about them, and they’re pinning it on us.”

Kevin stormed over, looking furious. “They can’t do this! We haven’t spread any rumors—if anything, they’ve been doing it to us!”

Eric clenched the letter in his hand. “We need to talk to them. To Y/N.”

Later that evening, Eric found himself standing outside The Midnight Shake, the neon lights casting an eerie glow on the sidewalk. His heart was pounding as he pushed open the door, stepping into enemy territory for the second time.

The diner was packed, but amidst the crowd, he spotted Y/N behind the counter, pouring strawberry milkshakes with practiced ease. She looked up, and their eyes met across the room. There was a flicker of surprise in her gaze, but she quickly masked it with her usual smirk.

Eric approached the counter, his anger barely contained. “We need to talk.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything, motioning for him to follow her into the back.

Once they were out of earshot of the customers, Y/N crossed her arms, leaning against the wall. “What’s this about?”

Eric handed her the letter, his voice tight with frustration. “Your diner is suing us.”

Y/N unfolded the paper, her expression unreadable as she scanned the contents. “I didn’t know about this.”

Eric crossed his arms, trying to control his anger. “Didn’t know? Your diner is accusing us of spreading rumors and defamation. You’re ruining MiMi’s.”

Y/N met his gaze, and for a moment, something vulnerable flashed in her eyes. “Eric, I swear, this isn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want it to go this far.”

“Then why didn’t you stop it?” Eric asked, his voice sharper than he intended. “You’ve been playing this rivalry game for weeks. You’ve been part of this—fueling the tension, the competition.”

Y/N sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I never thought it would get like this. It was just supposed to be business, you know? A bit of fun competition. But… I guess it spiraled out of control.”

Eric studied her, searching for any sign of deception. But for the first time since they’d met, Y/N looked genuinely conflicted, like she hadn’t meant for things to go this far.

“I don’t know if I can fix this,” she admitted, her voice quiet. “The owner… she’s not someone who backs down easily. Once she smells blood in the water, she goes for the kill.”

Eric shook his head, his frustration mixing with disappointment. “This isn’t just a game, Y/N. MiMi’s is like family to me. If we lose the diner, it’s over for us.”

Y/N bit her lip, clearly wrestling with her thoughts. “Maybe… maybe there’s something we can do. Together.”

Eric frowned. “What do you mean?”

She straightened up, her expression determined. “I’ll talk to the owner. I’ll convince her to drop the lawsuit. But in return… we need to make peace between the diners. End the rivalry for good.”

Eric’s heart raced at the idea. “And what if it doesn’t work?”

Y/N’s eyes softened slightly as she met his gaze. “It has to work. For both of us.”

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The next few days were tense, but Y/N stayed true to her word. She spoke with her boss, negotiating behind the scenes to drop the lawsuit and repair the damage that had been done between the two diners. Meanwhile, Eric worked to keep MiMi’s running, doing everything in his power to keep customers coming in.

It wasn’t easy. But slowly, things began to shift.

One evening, Y/N walked into MiMi’s for the first time since their rivalry had started. She didn’t wear her usual bright neon jacket or rollerblades. Instead, she looked almost subdued, a quiet determination in her eyes as she approached the counter where Eric was standing.

“Truce?” she asked, offering a small smile.

Eric studied her for a moment before nodding. “Truce.”

There was a long pause between them, the weight of the rivalry still lingering in the air. But something else had shifted, too—something unspoken, simmering beneath the surface.

“I’m sorry,” Y/N said quietly. “For everything. I never wanted things to get so out of hand.”

Eric’s expression softened, his anger fading. “I’m sorry too. I guess I let it get personal.”

Y/N smiled, a genuine smile this time. “Well, we did start off as enemies.”

“Maybe we don’t have to stay that way,” Eric said, his voice softer than he expected.

Y/N looked at him, her eyes searching his. “Maybe not.”

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The rivalry between MiMi’s and The Midnight Shake wasn’t completely over, but it had changed. It was no longer about tearing each other down—it was about healthy competition. And through it all, Eric and Y/N found themselves growing closer, their animosity giving way to something neither of them had expected.

Maybe, just maybe, their story was only beginning. It had become routine—at least, it felt like it. Most evenings, when their shifts ended, Y/N would lace up her skates and glide around the block. Sometimes, she’d spot Eric leaning against a nearby lamppost, his arms crossed, a smug smile playing on his lips.

She tried to act annoyed when he popped up, but truthfully, she’d grown accustomed to the sight of him. He was always there, waiting to walk her home or invite her out for coffee.

Tonight was no different. Y/N spotted him from across the street, and before she could tell him to leave, he was already walking toward her with a familiar ease.

“You’re getting predictable,” Y/N teased, pushing herself forward on her skates.

“Is that a bad thing?” Eric asked, falling in step beside her.

She shrugged playfully. “Depends.”

“On what?” Eric glanced at her, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

“On whether or not you’re buying the coffee this time,” Y/N smirked.

Eric chuckled. “I think I can manage that.”

They wandered through the dimly lit streets, the evening air crisp as they sipped their drinks. Y/N was keenly aware of how natural it felt—this strange routine of theirs. The banter wasn’t quite as sharp as before, and though she’d never admit it out loud, she was beginning to enjoy his company.

As they reached the small park near her home, Eric slowed down, staring at the ground as if he was deep in thought.

“What’s on your mind, Sohn?” Y/N asked, noticing his sudden silence.

“I’ve been thinking,” he began slowly, his voice soft, “about how much time we’ve been spending together.”

Y/N felt her heart skip a beat. “What about it?”

“I don’t know… I guess I never thought we’d get along. Not after how things started.” He smiled at her, a little sheepishly this time, without his usual cocky edge.

Y/N stopped skating, turning to face him fully. “Yeah, well, I didn’t think I’d ever tolerate you either,” she admitted with a smirk, trying to lighten the moment. “But here we are.”

They shared a brief laugh, but it quickly faded into a comfortable quiet. Y/N wasn’t sure when it happened—when the annoyance she felt toward Eric melted into something warmer, softer. Maybe it had been gradual, over the course of their accidental meet-ups. Maybe it was the way he’d become more thoughtful, less insufferable. Either way, she didn’t hate him anymore.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Days passed, and soon, what began as a nightly tradition of walking home together grew into something more. Their conversations were no longer filled with competition or sarcasm; instead, they talked about their lives, their dreams, and the things they cared about beyond their rival diners.

One Friday, after work, Eric showed up outside The Midnight Shake, hands in his pockets, waiting for her like always. But tonight, there was something different in his demeanor.

“You’re here again?” Y/N teased, stepping out of the diner, wiping her hands on her apron.

“Surprised?” Eric quipped, flashing that familiar grin.

“Not at all. You’ve been here more than my regulars,” she joked, her voice laced with something lighter than the irritation she used to feel around him.

He glanced up at the sky, then back at her, his expression thoughtful. “I was thinking… how about we go somewhere different tonight?”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “Different?”

“Yeah. There’s a new place that just opened downtown. Thought maybe we could check it out,” he suggested casually, but there was a flicker of nervousness in his eyes.

Y/N hesitated, but the idea of spending more time with him—even outside of their usual routine—was strangely appealing. “Sure, why not?”

The restaurant was quaint, nestled in the heart of downtown, far from their diners and the usual rivalry they were used to. It was dimly lit, with fairy lights strung across the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the tables. They found a booth near the back, and as they sat down, Y/N realized something she hadn’t before: this felt suspiciously like a date.

They ordered dinner, and the conversation flowed easily, like it always did these days. They laughed about work, shared stories about their childhoods, and talked about their favorite things—things they hadn’t thought to share before. But as the night went on, Y/N found herself growing more aware of the way Eric looked at her. His gaze wasn’t challenging or competitive like it used to be. It was… soft.

It wasn’t until the waiter brought them the check that Y/N froze, the realization hitting her like a ton of bricks. This wasn’t just two people hanging out. This was a date.

And judging by the way Eric was smiling at her, he realized it too.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The next morning, Y/N entered The Midnight Shake with a sense of unease. Last night had been… something. Something unexpected, and something she wasn’t quite ready to admit to herself. But as soon as she stepped behind the counter, her unease grew tenfold—because sitting in one of the booths was Kevin, grinning at her like the cat who’d caught the canary.

“Morning, Y/N!” Kevin called out, far too cheerful for this early in the day.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, trying to hide her confusion as she adjusted her apron.

“Oh, you know, just grabbing a shake before my shift at MiMi’s,” Kevin said nonchalantly. But then he leaned forward, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “So, how was your date last night?”

Y/N blinked, her heart skipping a beat. “It wasn’t a date,” she said quickly, too quickly.

Kevin raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his seat. “Really? Because that’s not what I heard. Eric wouldn’t stop talking about it this morning.”

Y/N felt her face heat up. “He… he did?”

“Yup. And I gotta say, he looked pretty happy about it.”

She swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. Kevin wasn’t one to let things go, and she knew that if she didn’t leave this conversation soon, he’d start prying even more.

“I’ve got work to do,” Y/N muttered, grabbing a tray and heading to the back.

But even as she busied herself with the orders, Kevin’s words echoed in her mind. Eric wouldn’t stop talking about it. Maybe it had been a date, after all.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

A few days passed, and while Y/N couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted between her and Eric, she tried to ignore it. She had bigger things to worry about—like her mom, who had been asking more and more questions about where she’d been spending her free time.

It wasn’t until one particularly busy evening at The Midnight Shake that everything came crashing down.

Y/N was in the middle of making a strawberry milkshake when her mom walked into the kitchen, her arms crossed and a stern expression on her face.

“We need to talk,” her mom said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Y/N set down the blender, turning to face her. “About what?”

“About Eric,” her mom said bluntly.

Y/N’s stomach dropped. “Eric?”

“Don’t play dumb, Y/N. I’ve seen you two together. I know he works at MiMi’s. And I know that you’ve been spending a lot of time with him lately.”

Y/N’s heart pounded in her chest. “Mom, it’s not—”

Her mom held up a hand, silencing her. “I don’t care if he’s a nice guy. I don’t care if he’s the sweetest boy in the world. He works for our competition. And you know how I feel about MiMi’s.”

Y/N felt a lump form in her throat. She had known this conversation was coming, but that didn’t make it any easier.

“I… I really like him,” Y/N admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “And I know you don’t like MiMi’s, but Eric isn’t just a rival. He’s… he’s different.”

Her mom’s expression softened slightly, but she still looked conflicted. “Y/N, I don’t want you getting hurt. The rivalry between our diners is more than just business—it’s personal. You know that.”

“I know,” Y/N said quickly, “but this isn’t about the diners. It’s about me and Eric. And I need you to trust me on this.”

There was a long pause as her mom considered her words. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders relaxing. “If you really care about him, I won’t stand in your way. But you better make sure he’s worth it.”

Y/N felt a wave of relief wash over her. “He is, Mom. I promise.”

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The next time Y/N saw Eric, she didn’t hesitate. She found him at MiMi’s, leaning against the counter like he always did, and without thinking, she marched up to him.

“We need to talk,” she said, her voice steady.

Eric raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by her sudden assertiveness. “About what?”

“About us.”

Eric blinked, setting down the order he was working on. “Us?”

Y/N nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. “Yeah. I’ve been thinking… about everything. About how much time we’ve spent together. About how much I’ve grown to care about you.”

Eric’s expression softened, and he stepped closer, his eyes locked on hers. “Y/N…”

“And I realized something,” Y/N continued, her voice barely above a whisper. “We’ve been going on dates this whole time. Haven’t we?”

Eric smiled, reaching out to take her hand. “Yeah. We have.”

Y/N took a deep breath, her heart swelling with emotion. “So, let’s make it official. Eric… will you be my boyfriend?”

Eric’s eyes lit up, and without hesitation, he pulled her into a tight hug. “I thought you’d never ask.”

As they stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, Y/N couldn’t help but smile. The rivalry between their diners might never end, but at least they had found something worth fighting for—each other.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

A/N: I’m on a writing streak, so sangyeon’s part will be out at the end of the week.

＼（＾▽＾）／

Taglist: @deoboyznet @a-dream-bookmark

[guzhufuren]

best prose writers of our generation are busy writing undoubtedly brilliant alternative universe works about two kpop idols who hugged each other twice that will never get published..

[dorianthedoll]

the capcom vs SNK boyz 12

[sadistic-kitty5601]

I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY SUB SOLDIER BOY (Ben from The Boys) SO I'LL DO IT MYSELF.

Warning!!! Sub Solider boy, smut with plot, DETAILED AND LONG NSFW PART, handjob, edging, overstimulating, anal fingering (Him receiving), 2 orgasms at the same time (Him also receiving)

Summary: You finally managed to make Soldier boy 'open minded', and it definitely pays off...

Soldier Boy had some...unfair opinions when it came to women, and he didn't hide it, nor felt much shame in it, it was just how he was raised, and with his stubbornness, that was how he was and how he will think. It's as simple as that. It didn't mean he couldn't love women, he just couldn't love them in the...’correct' way. If it wasn't for his amazing looks, he'd be pretty lonely. Throughout the years of being a 'man' and a superhero, no woman really stood up to him when it came to his misogynistic beliefs, and when they did, they were too 'emotional' or 'offended' for his liking or understanding.

Well, that was until he met you. You were a mature, intelligent, and beautiful woman, who was also a supe. A real dame. However, that wasn't what gained his respect for you, what really gained his respect for you was how you didn't take any shit. Any of his shit. Every time he made a snarky, misogynistic, or sexist statement, you didn't 'over react', go along with it, or scoff at him, you simply told him he was wrong, staying calm, resilient, and firm. Of course, this resulted in you two fighting a lot, but that's what caught his attention, you challenged him. That's what he really needed, a woman who challenged him, even if he'd never admit it.

But, this was back in the day, before he was frozen...So what about now?...

Due to your power, which was physically warping reality (Sorry, it's the only other cool power that doesn't make you age physically), you didn't physically age, you kept yourself alive, but did lose your position as a superhero, later, parting with The Boys. Then, Soldier Boy was found—blah, blah, blah, you already know.

After getting everything settled, Billy Butcher made you babysit Soldier Boy, and obviously, you two had a lot to catch up on. At first, it wasn't too smooth, you began educating him on the norms, new technology, words he couldn't use, everything. It was a lot to process for him, and naturally, he made a comment about how 'men used to be real men back in his day' and 'women need to step down. You began to speak on it, expressing your opinion, something Soldier Boy secretly missed, loving the boldness and firmness in your tone, which he immediately blocked out. What was he thinking? Instead, he pushed back with his own opinion. This started a debate...except, something was..different? Why wasn't he interrupting you? Why was enjoying this? Why was he...understanding?

After this argument, which surprisingly ended on a good note, you two began to make good progress. Soldier Boy often went to you when he had a question about today's society, Y'all's conversations became more playful, less aggressive, you two became more flirty, even. You two always had some sort of lingering tension back in the day, but now? It was at a peak! Something was bound to happen...

You two were at the place, sitting on the couch as you looked at some papers, records, basically studying to get the upper hand on Homelander. Soldier Boy sat there in his robe, making conversation with you. "Y'know, you were always such a dame." Soldier Boy bluntly stated, smirking ever so slightly at you. "Really? You were never too bad yourself." You returned the playfulness, looking back at him. There was a pause. You sat up, getting closer to him. What was this? No, you both knew damn well what it was. Suddenly, both of you threw yourselves onto each other, lips crashing together, wasting no time getting your tongues into each other's mouths. Your hand cupped his cheek, the other wrapping around his neck as his hands wrapped around your back and waist. It quickly got hot and steamy with your heavy breaths, his rock hard cock standing up in his robe, and intense kissing, tongues swirling around, battling for dominance as your hands explored each other's body's. Deep, deep down, you both ached for this moment so badly, now and even back then.

Maybe all of your conversations on making him woke really did work because somehow, he ended up on bottom. His robe already open, exposing his chest area, fingers intertwined with your hair, his legs wrapped around your waist, letting out groans every now and then. I mean, this was some of the most intense action he's gotten in a long time. Sure, he's had sex with 1 or 2 girls by now, but it wasn't really close, nor intimate, just penetration, then cumming. But this, this was different. You two were close and had so much pent up tension, it was truly a lot. You finally broke the kiss, both of you catching your breath, panting. He mischievously smirked up at you, letting out a gruff chuckle. "Damn.." You chuckled in response, returning his smirk with a teasing grin. "Need a break?" "Psh, hell no." He responded as his grip on your hair got slightly tighter. He wanted more. "Just surprised you're on top—" He said as he immediately pulled you back into a passionate and almost desperate kiss. You reciprocated the kiss with the same energy, one of your hands sliding up his leg, tugging at his robe.

He let out a soft groan as he felt your hands begin to strip him. "Someone's impatient.." He mumbled against her lips with a teasing smirk as he helped you out with his silk robe. Now, he was just in his boxers, his cock twitching with impatience against its confines. Then, you two quickly began to work at taking off your shirt, throwing it to the ground, next to his robe. He bit his lip as he slid his hands up your waist, seeing your bra cup your breasts perfectly. "Fuck, you ladies are always like fine wine." His hips twitched up slightly, seeking any sort of friction, way too horny right now. You grinned deviously as you sat right on his bulge, earning a guttural groan from him. "Someone's desperate." You gently ran your fingers down his chest, teasing his nipples. His breath quickened as he looked up at you. "You're such a tease-c'mon, be that bold woman like you usually are." He gripped your hips as he grinded up into you.

You nodded. "Of course, handsome." You immediately leaned down and began ravishing him, leaving a trail of hickeys and sloppy kisses starting on his neck, passing by on his collarbone, down to his chest, as your tongue glided across his skin in all the right ways, causing him to grind up into you harder, seeking more friction as he groaned deeply and moaned softly, biting his lip and closing his eyes, enjoying the sensations. You came back from eating him up, admiring all the hickeys you left on him. He opened his eyes and looked up at you. "Don't stop now." He muttered out in a hoarse voice, his bulge desperately twitching against the fabric of your clothing. "Oh, I won't, baby." You said as you hopped off his crotch, crawling down and grabbing ahold of his underwear, pulling down. His hard cock sprung out immediately, which caused you to chuckle. "Wow, Ben, you're already so hard for me." He grinned smugly. "What can I say? With a pretty face and a sexy body like that grinding up against me-oh shit—" He was quickly cut off by your tongue swirling around his dick, lubing it up essentially.

After his cock was all wet, your hand wrapped around it. "Ready?" You asked with a smirk. "Work your hands already, woman." He said impatiently, trying his best to keep his hips from twitching, ultimately failing. You raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?" You began to stroke his frenulum with some decent pressure, your other hand getting to work on his tip. His breath hitched as both of his most sensitive spots were targeted. He put his hand up. "Wha-H-Hold on a minute! Let me..adjust.." He said, his voice being laced with embarrassment. "Speak to me with respect then." You said in a more authoritative tone. He grumbled, rolling his eyes with a nod. You began to slowly stroke the shaft part of his hard cock, being a bit more gentle...Though, you had way more planned for him. He leaned his head back with a content sight. "Oh come on, you can go faster than that." He said in a snarky tone. You obliged, stroking his cock faster, making sure to focus on the tip more. His groaned and nodded. "Yeah, that's good." He bit his lip, looking down at you, his cock twitched from the sight of you.

I wanna save you time, so I'll just say, this went on for..a while. Why? Because you edged him at least 5 times. At first he was annoyed and confused, which then subsided into desperation.

"If you really wanted to cum...well...you'd ask." You smirked, slowly and painfully stroking his sensitive frenulum, squeezing his cock, watching him twitch and squirm as pre-cum leaked from his red tip. "Fuck...I should've fuckin' known-mmmgh." He thrusted his hips up in your hand, his breathing being ragged. "C'mon already, make me cum.please." He breathed out, his eyebrows furrowing as he gripped the pillow next to him. "Well, there is another option, it'll double the pleasure even." You offered with a devious grin, your other hand giving his balls a slight squeeze, causing him to moan. "What's-What's that, huh?" He swallowed down the moans that so badly wanted to be let out. He needed to cum so badly. "Fingering you." You bluntly stated. "What?" He almost looked offended.

A thousand years after teasing and convincing.

"Alright, alright. Fine. As long as you promise to let me cum." He said, closing his eyes..it felt so emasculating and humiliating. "I will, I will, I know how this is for you." You licked your two fingers, (Yes, I know that's not enough lube, just pretend it is) sliding one in. He grunted, it felt a little painful for the first few seconds.. that was until you immediately targeted his prostate. It was definitely a new feeling, but it felt real good. He let out a quivering moan. "What the fuck was that?" His breath began to become heavier again. You smirked. "You like that, huh?" Your fingers began to slowly pump into him, rubbing against his prostate each time as your other hands began to work at his tip and frenulum, stroking them. Right now, you were hitting three sensitive spots all at once, and he was writhing in pleasure. He panted, his abs flexing as he let out strained moans and practically wheezed breathes as he tried not to seem like he was enjoying himself.

You leaned back up to kiss him, he immediately accepted, taking this as an opportunity to hide some moans of his. His legs twitched and quivered as you slid your knuckle against his prostate, your hand slicking against his aching cock. He almost whined when you squeezed his tip. You then broke the kiss. "More? 'Cause I've got more tricks." He managed to focus his eyes onto you. "Y-Yeah-sure, why no-" He was suddenly cut off by the sensation of..vibrating? Right up against his sensitive spots. "Oh fuck—..oh fuck, oh-fffffuck!— How the hell are you doing that?-Hauh." Now he was really shaking, squirming around, his hands frantically feeling around to find something to grip on, which ended up being your arm and the couch, holding onto it for dear life as he let moans and groans slip out, one after another. "A magician never reveals her secrets.." You replied cheekily, beginning to kiss down his neck. He gulped, trying to catch some air as you sped up your pace, now being less gentle with him, which caused his eyes to roll back. Your fingers went in and out of him faster, your hands stroked his cock in all the right places, all while vibrating at the same time...it was almost too much...

Was this overstimulation? It was almost painful, but in a good kind of way, it was like you wanted it to stop but needed it to keep going. "I'm gonna cum—I'm gonna blow my load right now—" He strained out, panting as his legs squirmed around. He looked up at you with desperate eyes, his hand now gripping your shoulder tightly. "Don't stop-don't you dare fucking stop-ah-y-you promised..ttto not..stop!" He was almost growling now, he truly did need to cum, otherwise he'd lose his mind. "You're right, I promised, so cum, bust all over everything." You nodded as you stroked his tip faster, your hands now pumping straight into him, stroking against his prostate with each thrust. "Yes, yes, yesyesyesyes— c'mon!-" He moaned out, reaching the peak of ecstasy. "Ohhh, fuuuck, Y/N!" He moaned out as he threw his head back, tensing up, twitching and shaking violently as a load of semen squirted out of his cock, even having a prostate orgasm. This was the most intense orgasm he's ever had, probably because it was two big O's. He shook and moaned for a solid 30 seconds before he managed to calm down a little from the intense high.

There was a big mess to say the least. His cum was all over his abdomen, your hand, the couch. "Shit, you were seriously pent up. You alright now?" Now, he was able to make coherent thoughts instead of just, 'Oh fuck’ "Probably because you edged me five damn times-" He quickly shut up when he saw you lick his cum off your fingers, feeling a little tingle. "Damn, you know how to play my cards." He grumbled, lazily smirking, causing you to chuckle, grinning along with him.

Needless to say, he enjoyed himself quite a bit.

THE END.

[chevvy-yates]

[NC_RES]_00003131 raver_ritter_scharfenberg_002_CCR_HB_JT_WB.file ///core:_tech_bitez.file\\\

—

⚠️ READ:

Please do not repost/reupload any of my art here or to any other platform, or I will be forced to do anything to get it annihilated.

—

Ry and Garnet are old chooms.

They've known each other since Ry was able to attent one of his first underground techno(ise) raves Night City had to offer. They were also chooms with benefits some years back, now they are just chooms.

Ry and Garnet always complained about the NUSA techno and the rather boring parites. They sat down and developed the concept of Hell Bunker toegether once Garnet told Ryder about his idea to have his own location to host parties.

So Ryder helped him in the beginning whenever he had time. He helped turning the location into something cool and even created flyers for the events (mostly for Chrome Chamber Rave tho) and pushed the location a lot so that it grew quite big by 2075.

Garnet acts as a DJ often but has also a lot to do behind the curtains as he's the owner of Hell Bunker (tho I hc Ryder to join him after the big story is done). He even does sorting at the entrance for Chrome Chamber Rave as there are strict rules such as a certain dress code you gotta have to wear, otherwise you may not be able to enter.

Ryder still helps out when there is a shortage in staff, so it is not unlikely that he plays sorter at the entrance as well.

Their brotp name was the fasted I came up with. I gave Garnet sharp teeth like Ry has (my new hc is now that Ry got his bc of Garnet). Garnet's are fully chromed teeth tho with blood red canines. His entire mouth and tongue are chromed black.

[faragonart]

@1driedpersimmon I just thought it'd be neet if they meet hee hee~

with @pali-himbo 's Vatii Kiri~

[probably-a-plant-thing]

Lunch with the Boyz

@eerie-candid @irregularsweater

[a-dream-bookmark]

NEW ARRIVAL:

“Back 2 You” by sanaxo-o

Back 2 You (Kim Sunwoo)

Too @o-onikix : happiest birthday to my ride or die, my Monica to my Rachel, my everything 🥺. I love you so so much and even tho I was not able to write for Wonwoo or Seungcheol I hope you like this little something I wrote for Sunwoo (which is totally not based on your character. Nope 👎). Again thank you for always being there for, you were literally there through it all (the days I was down, the time I was balling my eyes out and also when I was the happiest girl. It was truly only possible to be that happy because you were there by my side and it means a lot to me). I love how you’re always so protective of me and taking care of me through out all that has been happening nowadays:( I will always love you and cherish you. Thank you for always listening to me rant on and on about Chanhee and the detective from Revenant. I am definitely NOT gonna stop doing that anytime soon haha. Again a happiest birthday babes <3

Warnings/Genre: situationship to lovers, they make out even tho they’re ‘enemies’, Sunwoo is a football player (pls don’t make me say soccer. I will never say that) while the reader is a cheerleader, it is said that he is toxic but he didn’t really show it, reader very much day dreams about Sunwoo, fluff, mentions of alcohol, they make out in the night sky, angst (a bit), hurt comfort

Word count: 2,407

Sana: hellooooo, back with a Sunwoo fic because it’s my besties birthday. Wasn’t able to write much because of lack of motivation but got some energy on Friday and was able to finish it till Saturday so yay me lol. A huge thanks to @deobienthusiast @sohnric and @jinnieboosworld for beta reading (and thanks to bar for helping me with the grammar and stuff). Sincerely sorry to @from-izzy for not letting her beta 😂 but here it is <3

Taglist: @cloverdaisies @kimsohn @mosviqu @a-dream-bookmark @deoboyznet

🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

It’s not like you hated Sunwoo (you did)–it’s just that most of the time that guy was just so full of himself, when in reality no one really cares about what he was saying (it was mostly him trying to flirt).

Sunwoo just had his own way of getting on your damn nerves just by a single smirk which makes its way to his face whenever he sees you in the hallways, in the class or even on the turf.

Typically, you wouldn’t mind his presence or anything. It wasn’t like you would be able to avoid him even if you wanted to.

Being the captain of the cheerleading team meant that you’d be practising on the ground while Sunwoo would be playing football (I mean, it’s not like you would steal secret yet frequent glances at him just to take a small look at him while he was busy playing. Of course not!).

I mean…of course, it’s kind of embarrassing (for you) if someone got to take a look inside your brain and all they would see are the fantasies you have about Sunwoo.

You find the fact that you’d like someone who’s just sooo cocky for their own sake that he just thinks that anyone who stares at him would go down on their knees, begging for attention or at least a glance from him, hilarious and hard to believe yourself.

But no, you were not like that. You were none of that, you were anything but that. You knew just how twisted Sunwoo was—I mean, of course you would… you were the one who was in the backseat of his car, making out with him when everyone was inside the house partying.

No matter how much you deny yourself, you cannot help but blush at the fact that you had made out with Sunwoo on numerous occasions.

Despite all of that you know that Sunwoo isn’t the one. Like the amount of times he had picked someone else over you made it clear that he is not someone who would be committed in a relationship (it’s not even like you were looking for a serious relationship yourself, but the thing is, deep down, you knew that whenever he would not prioritise you, you were of course hurt).

It's not even like you want to settle for the bare minimum, no! That is not who you are, but the times Sunwoo had taken care of you while you were drunk, the times he was there while you were at your lowest, really proved to you that he could be the one.

Only if you both were mature enough (and less egoistic) to realise your feelings for each other sooner, than maybe, maybe, you wouldn’t have been in this situation of push and pull anymore.

-x-

Heaving out a long sigh, you take your heels off as you sit on the footpath with regret and embarrassment.

Regret because you let some dumb fool take you out on a date a day before your birthday, and embarrassment for getting stood up like that.

If you would have known it would turn out like this, you wouldn’t have even agreed to this pathetic date. You knew he was just gonna use you like any other guy. That’s what guys do! But then again, you only agreed to this because your friends were forcing you to ‘live your life’ and to also move on from Sunwoo.

Their exact words would be: ‘Just get over Sunwoo.’ Like, when were you even under him to even get over him was the first thing to come to your mind; but then again…you did make out with him… maybe once? Or like twice (it was more than that for sure) but that’s not the case!

You were never even in love with Sunwoo to get over him or move on from him– they were just being ridiculous as always, was what you said to yourself.

But you knew better. You knew better than that, because of course, you always found yourself going back to him, no matter what the situation or state you were in.

And he was always there to cheer you up, or even just to make you laugh– even if it was just for a little while, that smile lasted you for a whole day.

That’s how Sunwoo was to you. Yes, he was an annoying jerk who was always full of himself and very much selfish, yet, he was also the one who was there for you when you needed him, no? I mean, yeah, he might have ditched you a couple of times, but what’s that gonna do when the amount of times he showed his support to you weighed more than the times he was being ignorant?

As a human, of course you would rather look at the bright side and the times where it was better than the ones in which you felt heartbroken or just…unwanted.

Now, that was also the exact reason why your fingers were automatically dialling Sunwoo’s number. Were you scared that he wouldn't pick up? Yes, but you knew he would. Because it was a rare occurrence for you to call him at this time of the day so he always made sure to pick up the call no matter what– that’s what you observed from him.

It was like an unspoken rule he had for you and only you. Maybe in that way you felt like you were special to him, because you both knew that he wouldn’t come running like that in the middle of the night for anyone but you.

“Can you come and pick me up? I will send you my location,” was all you said as you hung up on the call and sent him your current location.

You did not have to listen to his answer to know that he’s gonna come and get you, because you were more than sure that he will. That’s just how he is.

You stop looking down when you feel a presence standing in front of you. Slowly lifting your head up, you sniffle when your eyes make contact with the one who was standing in front of you, almost breathless.

“What’s wrong, hmm?” He asks gently while kneeling down, taking out a handkerchief from his back pocket and gently wiping the tears which were unknowingly flowing down your cheeks.

The tears were not there because of being stood up, but because of the fact that only now did you realise that you love him.

“Why are you so nice to me but you’re the same person whom I hate from the bottom of my heart?” You mumble quietly as you get up from the floor and hand your heels and purse over to Sunwoo, who held them without asking any questions.

Leaving him behind, you walk towards his car which was parked hastily, maybe because he was bad at parking (that’s a lie and even you knew that.). Entering the passenger seat, you look ahead with no certain thoughts circling your mind.

You just waited for Sunwoo to come in and drive away from here– and that’s exactly what he did, no questions asked. He knew better than to ask you anything about what happened.

With silence engulfing the two of you, you stare outside the window with some soft music playing in the background.

You could see Sunwoo’s reflection through the window– the way the night sky was shining its bright light on him andhis oh so fluffy hair which was a bit messy giving you the slightest urge to fix it for him, but you stopped yourself from doing so.

You stay quiet when Sunwoo stops the car by a small convenience store and leaves you by yourself to get something from there. You didn’t havethe slightest bit of energy in your body to even ask him what he was doing, so you just waited for him to come back.

The only thing which was on your mind right now was to go back to the comforts of your house with your favourite tub of ice cream (and a warm cup of coffee), laying in your bed as you watch your comfort film to ease your mind.

You snap out of your thoughts when you hear the door opening and see Sunwoo getting back into his seat with a plastic bag in his hand. You don’t pay much attention to him and just continue spacing out when you hear his soft, honey like voice again.

“Here.” That was when you realised Sunwoo was handing you chocolate ice cream.

Unknowingly, a small smile creeps up your face as you happily accept it with no further questions asked.

Just like that, Sunwoo started the car again as he drove off from there.

“You’re not in a hurry to go back home, are you?” He asks with his eyes solely focused on the road (with the occasional glances he was stealing at you, but we don’t talk about that).

“Why? You wanna take me out?” You ask teasingly as you take a bite out of your ice cream happily.

“Something like that… I wanna show you something.” You just stare at him when he says that and slowly nod your head. You trusted Sunwoo enough to know that he won’t do anything wrong, especially if you were there with him.

“Lead the way then, I guess.” You reply softly while finishing the rest of your ice cream.

“We’re already there, actually. Come out,” he says excitedly as he gets out of the car and goes to the front., Standing there, he waits for you to join him as he stares up at the night sky.

“The night sky is beautiful…” you say with amusement lacing your voice as you look up in awe.

“Right?” He replies back with a small laugh as he steals a small glance at you, “Do you… want to sit on the hood of the car? I can help you,” he questions softly while turning back to look at you.

Giving him a small nod, you yelp in surprise when Sunwoo lifts you up effortlessly and places you on top of the car.

After a moment of silence, you open your mouth to speak only to close it again, not knowing how to form the right words.

“Say what you want to say. I am all ears,” was all you hear from him as he keeps on contently staring up at the sky.

“Why are you doing all this?” You finally find the courage to ask him as you look down at your fingers, too afraid to look at the expressions he had on his face.

“Doing what? Being nice to you and only you?” He questions you back. There was no hint of teasing or mockery in his tone, yet, you kept on shyly playing with your fingers.

You stop playing with your fingers when Sunwoo gently grabs a hold of them. Looking up at him, you could feel your heart taking a small leap at the way he was so close, yet so far away from you.

He immediately turns around and points up at the sky, “You notice that one star over there? The most still and the clear one?” He asks before looking back at you. When you slowly shake your head, he looks back up again and continues. “That’s a North Pole star. It’s called Polaris and it’s known to be the constant star. It was used in navigation in old times,” he tells you before he hops on top of the car and sits beside you.

“What do you wanna say?” You ask softly as you stare at him in confusion. You did not know why he was talking in riddles like that, but it slightly amused you .

“I don’t want to be someone who is only there when you need me I want to be there when you’re happy, sad, or just… there. I want to be as constant as that star, Y/N. I might be ready to commit again,” he says softly as he takes your hand in his and kisses the back of your hand.

“What if you leave me?” You question him back. You were afraid that he might get bored of you and leave you– maybe that was one of the reasons which was stopping you from expressing yourself fully to him.

“What if I don't? I have been there for you even when we were sworn enemies… but then what if I am there for you not as your enemy, but as your boyfriend?” He explains himself before slowly inching closer towards you. “I want to be there for you Y/N, as your boyfriend and not just some guy you call when you’re in need.”

He says that as he slowly grabs a hold of your jawline,caressing it gently with his fingers while staring into your eyes. “Can I be your boyfriend?” He asks softly while stealing a small glance at your lips before quickly locking his eyes with yours.

When he sees the small glimpse of you nodding your head, he wastes no time and pulls you closer towards him, one hand still caressing your jaw while the other slowly creeps its way up your cheek.

You smile in the kiss when you sense the way he was being soft and gentle– unlike the times when you both had kissed before. This was different.

This kiss held everything which the others lacked– the soft, yet slow movements of his lips against yours as you slowly bring your hand up to his hair to entangle your fingers with the strands.

Pulling away from you, Sunwoo looks at you with a huge smile creeping up to his cheekbones. He goes back to his original position, licking his lips.

“You know what, Sunwoo?” You ask softly while your hands find his bigger ones to hold onto them.

Moving closer towards him, you place your head on his shoulder as you both look up at the sky, “I somehow always seem to find my way back to you,” you tell him with a gentle sigh escaping your lips.

You could hear a soft chuckle escaping his lips, which made you smile in return. “We are both on the same boat, then,” he whispers while placing his own head on top of yours.

[raiiny-bay]

boyz

[wakeywakeyjakey]

I'm 35,000 words into writing a longfic about the Batman/Bruce/Matches DID system and I'm obsessed with it. It includes Bat/Joker, Bruce/Harvey, and Matches/Harv and the differences in each of those dynamics is 🤌

(Batman and Bruce know about each other but they don't know about Matches and Matches doesn't know about them--what could POSSIBLY go wrong?)

[frontseathater]

this is why kripke was so good at writing dean its because he also has only 3 friends to call when he needs help

[a-dream-bookmark]

NEW ARRIVAL:

“Glitter and Rhinestones” by jinnieboosworld

L.J.- Glitter and Rhinestones 18+

!MINORS DO NOT INTERACT!

Warnings- Smut, Fem Reader

Reading Time- 11 Min

Word Count- 2,617

Masterlist

Synopsis- Lee Juyeon a bassist in a band sees a very sparkly girl in the audience of his band’s concert. At the end of the show he invites her and her friends backstage. Little does he know y/n hates him and his band.

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OH MY GOSH! THIS IS NOT REAL! IT CANT BE! IM GONNA……..OH MY GOSH!

Ji, your friend is a huge fan of the band Crimson Heartbreak. For her birthday you gifted her pit tickets to their concerts

“Oh my gosh how did you get these.” She said screeching.“I preordered them, I was planning on getting you some anyway but it happened that one of the dates was on your birthday.”

You said smiling.“And you got two. So that means you’re coming right?” Ji said still calming down from her excitement.

“Uh No.” See even though you’re best friends with Ji who’s probably the bands biggest fan, you don’t really like them in fact you hate them.

Why?

Because they have a reputation for being fboys and womanizers. It even shows in their song lyrics. And to you men with that kind of personality is just disgusting. You’ve told Ji about your dislike towards the group and about their behavior, but she always says “It’s okay because they’re Crimson Heartbreak.”

“Come on y/n it would actually be criminal for me to go to my favorite band’s concert without my favorite person.” She said shaking me.“No I don’t want to, you know I can’t stand them.” You said whining.

“Please y/n. Please.” You simply rolled your eyes and shook your head.

Suddenly Ji gasped. “What?” You asked frightened from the sudden sound.“You remember that dress, the glitter one you bought last year?” She said excitedly

“Yes,and…..” You responded confused.“You can finally wear it!” “Huh?” You said still not catching on to what she was saying.Ji groaned.

“ You said that you would never wear the dress unless you went to some crazy concert or something.” She said smirking as if she just knew you would agree. You sat for a moment thinking.

“I did really want to wear that outfit.” You thought to yourself. “Fine” you said reluctantly.Ji squealed. “But I won’t enjoy it.” You said standing firm in your stance of the group.

“Yeah right, you’ll be their biggest fan by the end of the night.” She said scoffing.

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“OH. MY. GOSH.” Ji said dramatically as she stood in front of the cheval mirror in your apartments living corridor.

Ji’s sense of style was completely different than yours. Contrast her bright and bubbly personality her clothing was almost always dark color shades if not black.

For the concert she decided to wear a dark green distressed mini dress, with chunky black pumps. Her makeup was a messy but uniformed Smokey eye with a dark red lip. Her dyed red hair cut into a shaggy wolf cut.She looked gorgeous and perfect for an alternative band concert.

You start to question if your outfit fits the vibe or not. You’re wearing a mesh dress with silver glitter in the pattern of stars. Your high heels covered in silver glitter. Your makeup pink and glittery, your lips glossy. Polar opposite from Ji’s matte and mature look

“Ji are you sure this is fine to wear?” You say looking at yourself in the mirror. “Of course, you look amazing!” She says exaggerating her facial expressions.“You sure it fits the genre?” You respond furrowing your eyebrows.

“Girl what genre? It’s a concert not the met gala.” She said chuckling.You smile. “You’re right.”“Oh, Ji, check and see how far away our Uber is.”

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“You ready Juyeon.” Said Eric has he was getting his makeup retouched.

“Yup.” Juyeon responded taking a sip from his water bottle.

“Alright, let’s go then!” Said Eric clapping his hands together as he walked away from his stylist.

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The group stood in front of the crowd greeting them and hyping them up.

Juyeon strummed the cords of his bass to the chords of their opening song.He looks up and scans the crowd with his eyes, nodding his head along to the music, and smirking.As he looks around his eyes land on a girl in the crowd.

At first her outfit caught his attention, but as he squinted and focused his eyes on her features he became entranced. Through out the entire concert he tried to drag his eyes away from her seemingly enormous presence but no matter what they always fell back on to her.

He noticed how her face just seemed so utterly uninterested. Like she just didn’t want to be there.

It had gotten to the point of the concert where they were interacting with the crowd. They’d always done a segment where they would invite people on stage to sing along to their songs. The members all got to choose a person to come up, so Juyeon chose you.

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Through out the entire concert you were completely miserable. Although you are a hater of the group you aren’t a lier. So you had to admit that the music was pretty good, But you still couldn’t get over the groups bad reputation.

You noticed that the group’s bassist kept looking at you. It weirded you out. You crossed your arms and pouted because the concert just seemed to go on and on. You saw the group start to pull screeching fans out of the crowd and onto the stage.

The bassist walks up to you and reaches out his hand. “Come on.” He said smiling. You point to yourself and mouth “me”. Ji screams and says “Of course you. Go.” She said pushing you towards him and smiling. Reluctantly you climb onto stage.

You put on a fake smile and shyly dance along to the song. While other real fans jump and shout like it’s the best day of their lives. Once the song ends the members ask the fans to introduce themselves and take pictures.

The bassist walks up to you and puts his arm around your shoulder. “What’s your name.” He speaks smirking charmingly while looking directly in your eyes. “Y/n” you reply blankly. “Cool, and are you from here.” He says. “Yes.” You say with still no emotion. “Ok. Well let’s take a picture then.”

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Juyeon was confused by her. She was at their concert but didn’t know any lyrics. She wasn’t even fazed by the fact that she was talking to him.Maybe she was just shy. But she didn’t seem scared of being in front of a crowd. Just uninterested.

“Ok. Well let’s take a picture then.” He said hoping that she’d perk up then.“Actually can you just take a picture with my friend Ji instead.” She said smiling at him. “Oh…ok yeah sure.” He responded awkwardly as he grabbed her phone in confusion.

She walked to the end of the stage and helped her extremely excited friend up the stage, and then got down herself.He took a few pictures with Ji who had an entirely different energy than her friend. Before she left the stage he whispered something in her ear.

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“Eeeeeeeeh” Ji screeched as we were walking out the auditorium.

“What?” You said looking at her.

"He said they’re having an after-party and he wants us to come!" Ji squealed, practically jumping with excitement.You rolled your eyes, a mix of disbelief and annoyance washing over you.

"Great, just what I need. More time with Crimson Heartbreak."

"Come on, y/n, it could be fun! Besides, when’s the next time we’ll get invited to a party like this?" Ji said, practically begging.Sighing, you rubbed your temples.

"Fine, but only for a little while."Ji grabbed your arm, her excitement contagious despite your reluctance. "This is going to be amazing, I promise!"

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The after-party was being held at an exclusive club not far from the concert venue. As you and Ji arrived, the energy was electric. The bass from the music pulsed through the floor, and the room was filled with a mix of celebrities, fans, and the band members themselves.

Juyeon spotted you both as soon as you walked in, his eyes lighting up when he saw you. He made his way through the crowd, a confident smirk on his face. "Glad you could make it," he said, his voice smooth and enticing.Ji immediately jumped into conversation with him, leaving you standing awkwardly to the side.

You scanned the room, feeling out of place amidst the glamour and chaos."Not a fan of parties?" a voice said from behind you.

You turned to see Eric, one of the band's guitarists, leaning casually against a table. He had a playful grin on his face. "Let me guess, Ji dragged you here?"

"How’d you know?" you replied dryly."Just a hunch," he said with a chuckle. "She seems like the type to pull a friend along for the ride."

You smiled despite yourself. "Yeah, that’s Ji."As the night went on, you found yourself surprisingly enjoying Eric's company. He was charming and funny, and he seemed genuinely interested in getting to know you. Juyeon, however, kept glancing your way, his eyes dark with an emotion you couldn't quite place.

"Want to dance?" Eric asked, holding out his hand.You hesitated for a moment before shaking your head. "No, thanks. I'm not really in the mood."Eric nodded understandingly. "Fair enough. If you change your mind, let me know.

"You spent the rest of the evening nursing a drink and watching Ji have the time of her life. Juyeon’s gaze seemed to find you frequently, a mix of curiosity and frustration in his eyes. He was used to getting attention, and your disinterest was clearly throwing him off.

As the party began to wind down, Juyeon approached you again. "Hey, can we talk?" he asked, his tone more serious than before.You sighed, glancing at Ji, who was still engrossed in conversation with other fans. "Sure, I guess."He led you to a quieter corner of the club. "I noticed you didn’t really enjoy the concert," he said, looking genuinely concerned.You crossed your arms. "Yeah, I’m not a fan of your band. I only came because Ji begged me to."Juyeon raised an eyebrow.

"Any particular reason why?"You hesitated, unsure if you should be honest. "Your reputation," you finally said. "I don't like how you treat women in your lyrics and your behavior offstage."Juyeon seemed taken aback. "We’re not all like that, you know. Some of it is just for show.“Maybe," you replied, unconvinced. "But it’s hard to see past it."He nodded slowly.

"I get that. But maybe you could give us a chance? Not all of us are as bad as you think."You looked at him, his sincerity surprising you. "Maybe. But it’s going to take a lot more than a few conversations to change my mind."Juyeon smiled, a hint of challenge in his eyes. "I’m up for it."

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The following weeks were filled with small, unexpected encounters. Juyeon made a point to talk to you whenever he saw you with Ji. He'd text Ji, suggesting hangouts that included you, making it hard to avoid him.

He showed you glimpses of a different side: his genuine passion for music, his dedication to the band, and his loyalty to his friends. Slowly, your initial annoyance began to soften, though you still held onto your reservations.

One evening, after a particularly fun outing where Juyeon had been surprisingly considerate and kind, Ji nudged you. "You’re starting to warm up to him, aren’t you?"You rolled your eyes, though your smile betrayed you. "Maybe a little. But don’t tell him that."Ji laughed. "Your secret’s safe with me. But honestly, y/n, he seems really into you."You glanced at Juyeon, who was laughing with Eric across the room. "Yeah, I’m starting to see that. But I’m not making it easy for him.""And that’s exactly why he’s so intrigued," Ji said, grinning. "Just give it time.

"As weeks turned into months, Juyeon goal of making you like him didn’t waver. He was persistent, showing you that there was more to him and the band than you initially thought. And slowly, against your stubborn resolve, you began to see him for who he really was.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

One evening, Juyeon invited you to his apartment for a small get-together. Ji was busy, so it ended up being just the two of you. You hesitated but decided to go, curious to see where this would lead.Juyeon greeted you at the door with a warm smile."Glad you could make it," he said, ushering you inside.His apartment was surprisingly cozy, a mix of modern and personal touches.

"You have a nice home," you commented, looking around."Thanks," he said, leading you to the living room. "I thought we could just relax, maybe watch a movie."You nodded, feeling a bit nervous. The atmosphere was intimate, and you couldn't ignore the growing tension between you.

As the evening progressed, you found yourself getting more comfortable. Juyeon was a gracious host, and his charm was undeniable. After a couple of drinks, you both settled on the couch, a movie playing in the background.

"So, do you still hate my band?" Juyeon asked with a teasing smile.

You laughed softly. "I don't hate you guys as much anymore. You've been working hard to change my mind

."He moved a bit closer, his eyes locking onto yours."And have I succeeded?"You bit your lip, feeling the heat between you intensify.

"Maybe a little."Juyeon leaned in, his hand gently cupping your cheek.

“I'll take that as a win."His lips met yours in a slow, passionate kiss. You felt a rush of emotions, your initial resistance melting away. The kiss deepened, and before you knew it, you were straddling his lap, your hands tangled in his hair.Juyeon's hands roamed over your body, his touch igniting a fire within you.

"Are you sure about this?" he whispered against your lips.You nodded, breathless."Yes."He lifted you effortlessly, carrying you to his bedroom.The room was dimly lit, casting a soft glow on everything.

He laid you gently on the bed, his eyes filled with desire and affection.As he undressed you slowly, you felt a mix of anticipation and excitement. His hands and lips explored your body, every touch sending shivers down your spine. You reciprocated, eager to feel him, to know him in a way you hadn't before.Juyeon's movements were deliberate and gentle, yet filled with a raw passion that took your breath away.

He made you feel cherished, every kiss and caress telling you how much he wanted you.When he finally entered you, it was slow and tender, his eyes never leaving yours.The connection between you was intense, a culmination of all the tension and chemistry that had been building for months.Your bodies moved in sync, the rhythm building steadily.Juyeon's whispered words of praise and affection heightened your pleasure, making you feel desired and appreciated in ways you hadn't expected.As you both reached the peak of your pleasure, you clung to each other, the intensity of the moment overwhelming.

When it was over, you lay in each other's arms, the silence filled with a sense of fulfillment and connection.Juyeon brushed a strand of hair from your face, his eyes soft. "Thank you for giving me a chance," he said quietly.You smiled, your heart full.

"Thank you for proving me wrong."

- Fin

A.N.- Thanks for reading my fic, I can’t tell if I like it or not but if you enjoyed it please let me know and if you have any criticisms let me know as well. If you especially loved it and want a part two comment “✨”. Again thanks for reading.

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