#do people read things at 2 in the morning?

[studyinglogic]

[Continued from above]

Mistake 1: Asymmetrical Studying

Assuming you don't just want to do a single activity in a language, or are learning a language like ASL, a language requires 4 parts to be studied: Speaking, Listening, Writing, Reading. While these have overlap, you can't learn speaking from reading, or even learn speaking from just listening. One of my first Chinese teachers told me how he would listen to the textbook dialogues while he was biking to classes and it helped him. I took this information, thought "Yeah that's an idea, but sounds boring" and now regret not taking his advice nearly every day.

I think a lot of us find methods we enjoy to study (mine was reading) and assume that if we just do that method more ™ it will eventually help us in other areas (sometimes it does, but that's only sometimes). Find a method that works for you for each area of study, even better find more than one method since we use these skills in a variety of manners! I can understand a TV program pretty well since I have a lot of context clues and body language to fill in any gaps of understanding, but taking a phone call is much harder—the audio is rougher, there's no body language to read, and since most Chinese programs have hard coded subtitles, no subtitles to fall back on either. If I were to compare the number of hours I spent reading in Chinese to (actively) training my listening? Probably a ratio of 100 to 1. When I started to learn Korean, the first thing I did was find a variety of listening resources for my level.

Fix: Find a variety of study methods that challenge all aspects of the language in different ways.

A variety of methods will help you develop a more well-rounded level of mastery, and probably help you keep from getting bored. Which is important because...

Mistake 2: Inconsistent Studying

If there is one positive to a language app, it is the pressure it puts on keeping a streak. Making studying a part of your everyday routine is the best thing you can do. I benefited a lot from taking a college language course since I had a dedicated time to study and practice Chinese 5 days out of the week (and homework usually filled the other two). Memorization is a huge part of language learning, and stopping and starting is terrible for memorization. When I was in elementary school, we had Spanish maybe a couple times a month. Looking back, it seems like it was the first class to be cut if we needed to catch up on a more important course. Needless to say, I can't even speak Spanish at an elementary level.

However, I'm sure many people reading this don't have the time to do ultra-immersion 4-hour study sessions every day either. Find what days during the week you have time to focus on learning new vocab and grammar, and use the rest of the week to review. This can be done on your commute to school/work, while you do the dishes, or as a part of your morning/evening routine. Making this as realistic as possible will help you actually succeed in making this a habit. (Check this out for how to set realistic study goals)

Fix: Study regularly (ideally daily) by setting realistic goals. Avoid "binge" studying since remembering requires consistent repetition to be most effective.

Mistake 3: Resource Choice

This is really composed of two mistakes, but I have a good example that will cover them both.

First, finding resources that are at or slightly above your level is the most important thing. Easy resources will not challenge you enough and difficult resources will overwhelm you. The ideal is n+1, with n as what you know plus 1 new thing.

Second, getting distracted by fancy, new technology. Newer isn't always better, and there are often advantages that are lost when we've made technological developments. I often found myself wanting to try out new browser extensions or organizational methods and honestly I would've benefitted from just using that time to study. (Also, you're probably reading this because of my DL post so I don't think it has to be said that AI resources suck.)

A good example of this was my time using Clozemaster. I had actually recommended it when I first started using it since I thought the foundation was really solid. However, after long term use, I found that it just wasn't a good fit. The sentences were often too simple or too long and strange for memorization at higher levels or were too difficult at lower levels. I think that taking my textbook's example sentences from dialogues into something like Anki would've been a far better use of my time (and money) as they were already designed to be at that n+1 level.

Fix: "Vet" your resources—make sure they will actually help you. If something is working for you, then keep using it! You don't always have to upgrade to the newest tool/method.

Mistake 3.5: Classrooms and Textbooks

A .5 since it's not my mistake, but an addendum of caution. I think there is a significant part of the language learning community that views textbooks and classroom learning as the worst possible resource. They are "boring", "outdated", and "ineffective" (ironically one of the most interesting modern language learning methods, ALG, is only done in a classroom setting). Classrooms and textbooks bring back memories of being surrounded by mostly uninterested classmates, minimal priority, and a focus on grades rather than personal achievement (imagine the difference between a class of middle schoolers who were forced to choose a foreign language vs. adult learners who self-selected!) People have used these exact methods, or even "cruder" methods, to successfully learn a language. It all comes down to what works best for you. I specifically recommend textbooks for learning grammar and the plentiful number of dialogues and written passages that can function great as graded readers and listening resources. (Also the distinction made between "a youtube lesson on a grammatical principle" which is totally cool, and "a passage in a grammar textbook" is more one of tone and audio/written than efficacy).

Classrooms can be really great for speaking practice since they can be a lot less intimidating speaking to someone who is also learning while receiving corrections. Speech can be awkward to train on your own (not impossible if you're good at just talking aloud to yourself!), and classrooms can work nicely for this. Homework and class schedules also have built in accountability!

Fix: Explore resources available to you and try to think holistically about your approach. CI+Traditional Methods is my go to "Learning Cocktail"

Mistake 4: Yes, Immersion, But...

I realized this relatively quickly while learning Chinese, but immersion at a level much higher than your current level will do very little for you. What is sometimes left out of those "Just watch anime to learn Japanese" discussions is that you first need to have a chance at understanding what is being said. Choosing materials that are much higher than your level will not teach you the language. It doesn't matter how many times someone at HSK 1 hears “他是甘露之惠，我并无此水可还”, they will not get very far. Actual deduction and learning comes from having enough familiar components to be able to make deductions—something different than guessing. An HSK 1 learner, never having heard the word 老虎 will be able to understand "tiger" if someone says “这是我的老虎” while standing next to a tiger. This is not to say you can never try something more difficult—things should be challenging—but if you can't make heads or tails of what's being said, then it's time to find something a bit easier. If mistake 2 is about the type of method, this is about the level. If you wouldn't give a kindergartener The Great Gatsby to learn how to read, why would you watch Full Metal Alchemist to start learning a language?

Side note: Interesting video here on the Comprehensible Input hypothesis and how it relates to neurodivergence.

Fix: Immerse yourself in appropriate content for your level. It's called comprehensible input for a reason.

Mistake 5: On Translation

I work as a translator, so do you really think I'm going to say translation is all bad? Of course not. It's a separate skill that can be added on to the basic skills, but is really only required if you are A. someone who is an intermediary between two languages (say you have to translate for a spouse or family member) or B. It is your job/hobby. In the context of sitting down and learning, it can be harmful. I think my brain often goes to translation too often because that's how I used to learn. Trying to unlearn that is difficult because, well, what do people even mean when they say "don't translate"? They mean when someone says "thank you", you should not go to your primary language and translate "you're welcome" from that. You should train yourself to go to your target language first when you hear the word for "thank you". A very literally translated "thank you" in Chinese "谢谢你" can come off as cold and sarcastic. I don't tell my friends that, I say "谢啦～". Direct translation can take away the difference in culture, grammar, and politeness in a language. If there is a reason you sound awkward while writing and speaking, it's probably because you're imposing your primary language on your target language.

Fix: Try as hard as you can to not work from your primary language into the target language, but to work from the structures, set phrases, and grammar within the target language that you know first.

Mistake 6: The Secret Language Learners Don't Want You To Know...

...is that there is no one easy method. You are not going to learn French while you sleep, or master Korean by doing this one easy trick. Learning a language requires work and dedication, the people that succeed are those that push through the boredom of repetition and failure. The "I learned X in 1 year/month/week/day!" crowd is hiding large asterisks, be it their actual level, the assistance and free time available to them, "well actually I had already studied this for 4 years", or just straight-up lying. Our own journeys in our native tongue were not easy, they required years and years of constant immersion and instruction. While we are now older and wiser people that can make quick connections, we are also burdened with things like "jobs", "house work", "school work", and the digital black hole that is "social media" that take up our time and energy. Everything above is to help make this journey a little bit easier, quicker, and painless, but it will never be magic.

I find that language learning has a lot in common with the fitness community. People will talk about the workout that changed their life and how no other one will do the same—and it really can be the truth that it changed their life and that they feel it is the ultimate way. The real workout that will change your life is the one you're most consistent with, that you enjoy the most. Language learning is just trying to find the brain exercise that you can be the most consistent with.

Fix: Save your energy looking for shortcuts, and do the work, fail, and come back for more. If someone tells you that you can become fluent in a ridiculously short amount of time, they are selling you a fantasy (and likely a product). You get out what you put in.

For those that made it to the end, here are some of my "universal resources":

Refold Method: I don't agree with their actual method 100%, but they've collected a lot of great resources for learning languages. I've found their Chinese and Korean discords to also be really helpful and provided even more resources than what's given in their starter guides.

Language Reactor: Very useful, and have recently added podcasts as a material! The free version is honestly all you need.

Anki: If I do not mention it, the people with 4+ year streaks with a 5K word deck will not let me forget it. It can be used on desktop or on your phone as an app. If you need a replacement for a language learning app, this is one of them. Justin Sung has a lot of great info on how to best utilize Anki (as does Refold). It's not my favorite, but it could be yours!

LingQ: "But I thought you said language apps are bad!" In isolation, yes. Sorry for the clickbait. This one is pretty good, and more interested in immersing you in the language than selling a subscription to allow you to freeze your streak so the number goes up.

Grammar Textbooks: For self-taught learning, these are going to be the best resource since it's focused on the hardest part of the language, and only that. If you're tired of seeing group work activities, look for a textbook that is just on grammar (Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar is my rec for Chinese, and A Guide to Japanese Grammar by Tae Kim is the most common/enthusiastic rec I've heard for Japanese).

Shadowing: Simply repeat what you hear. Matt vs Japan talks about his setup here for optimized shadowing (which you can probably build for a lot cheaper now), but it can also just be you watching a video and pausing to repeat after each sentence or near simultaneously if you're able.

Youtube: Be it "Short Story for Beginners", "How to use X", "250 Essential Phrases", or a GRWM in your target language, Youtube is the best. Sometimes you have to dig to find what works for you, but I imagine there is something for everyone at every level. (Pro tip: People upload textbook audio dialogues often, you don't even have to buy the textbook to be able to learn from it!)

A Friend: Be it a fellow learner, or someone who has already mastered the language, it is easier when you have someone, not only to speak to, but to remind you why you're doing this. I write far more in Chinese because I have friends I can text in Chinese.

Pen and Paper: Study after study, writing on paper continues to be the best method for memorization. Typing or using a pen and tablet still can't compare to traditional methods.

The Replies (Probably): Lots of people were happy to give alternatives for specific languages in the replies of my DL post. The community here is pretty active, so if this post blows up at least 20% of what the last one did, you might be able to find some great stuff in the replies and reblogs.

I wish you all the best~

Language Apps Suck, Now What?: A Guide to Actually Becoming "Fluent"

The much requested sequel to my DL post that was promised almost a year ago.

I'm going to address all of the techniques that have helped me in my language learning journeys. Since 95% of these came from the fact that in a past language learning mistake, they are titled as my mistakes (and how I would/did things differently going forward). For those that read to the bottom there is a "best universal resources" list.

Disclaimers:

"Fluency" is hard to define and everyone has their own goals. So for the purpose of this post, "fluency" will be defined as "your personal mastery target of the language".

If you just want to pick up a bit of a language to not sound like a total foreigner on vacation or just exchange a few words in a friend's native language, feel free to ignore what doesn't apply, but maybe something here could help make it a little easier.

This is based on my own personal experience and (some) research.

Mistake 1: Asymmetrical Studying

Assuming you don't just want to do a single activity in a language, or are learning a language like ASL, a language requires 4 parts to be studied: Speaking, Listening, Writing, Reading. While these have overlap, you can't learn speaking from reading, or even learn speaking from just listening. One of my first Chinese teachers told me how he would listen to the textbook dialogues while he was biking to classes and it helped him. I took this information, thought "Yeah that's an idea, but sounds boring" and now regret not taking his advice nearly every day.

I think a lot of us find methods we enjoy to study (mine was reading) and assume that if we just do that method more ™ it will eventually help us in other areas (sometimes it does, but that's only sometimes). Find a method that works for you for each area of study, even better find more than one method since we use these skills in a variety of manners! I can understand a TV program pretty well since I have a lot of context clues and body language to fill in any gaps of understanding, but taking a phone call is much harder—the audio is rougher, there's no body language to read, and since most Chinese programs have hard coded subtitles, no subtitles to fall back on either. If I were to compare the number of hours I spent reading in Chinese to (actively) training my listening? Probably a ratio of 100 to 1. When I started to learn Korean, the first thing I did was find a variety of listening resources for my level.

Fix: Find a variety of study methods that challenge all aspects of the language in different ways.

A variety of methods will help you develop a more well-rounded level of mastery, and probably help you keep from getting bored. Which is important because...

Mistake 2: Inconsistent Studying

If there is one positive to a language app, it is the pressure it puts on keeping a streak. Making studying a part of your everyday routine is the best thing you can do. I benefited a lot from taking a college language course since I had a dedicated time to study and practice Chinese 5 days out of the week (and homework usually filled the other two). Memorization is a huge part of language learning, and stopping and starting is terrible for memorization. When I was in elementary school, we had Spanish maybe a couple times a month. Looking back, it seems like it was the first class to be cut if we needed to catch up on a more important course. Needless to say, I can't even speak Spanish at an elementary level.

However, I'm sure many people reading this don't have the time to do ultra-immersion 4-hour study sessions every day either. Find what days during the week you have time to focus on learning new vocab and grammar, and use the rest of the week to review. This can be done on your commute to school/work, while you do the dishes, or as a part of your morning/evening routine. Making this as realistic as possible will help you actually succeed in making this a habit. (Check this out for how to set realistic study goals)

Fix: Study regularly (ideally daily) by setting realistic goals. Avoid "binge" studying since remembering requires consistent repetition to be most effective.

Mistake 3: Resource Choice

This is really composed of two mistakes, but I have a good example that will cover them both.

First, finding resources that are at or slightly above your level is the most important thing. Easy resources will not challenge you enough and difficult resources will overwhelm you. The ideal is n+1, with n as what you know plus 1 new thing.

Second, getting distracted by fancy, new technology. Newer isn't always better, and there are often advantages that are lost when we've made technological developments. I often found myself wanting to try out new browser extensions or organizational methods and honestly I would've benefitted from just using that time to study. (Also, you're probably reading this because of my DL post so I don't think it has to be said that AI resources suck.)

A good example of this was my time using Clozemaster. I had actually recommended it when I first started using it since I thought the foundation was really solid. However, after long term use, I found that it just wasn't a good fit. The sentences were often too simple or too long and strange for memorization at higher levels or were too difficult at lower levels. I think that taking my textbook's example sentences from dialogues into something like Anki would've been a far better use of my time (and money) as they were already designed to be at that n+1 level.

Fix: "Vet" your resources—make sure they will actually help you. If something is working for you, then keep using it! You don't always have to upgrade to the newest tool/method.

Mistake 3.5: Classrooms and Textbooks

A .5 since it's not my mistake, but an addendum of caution. I think there is a significant part of the language learning community that views textbooks and classroom learning as the worst possible resource. They are "boring", "outdated", and "ineffective" (ironically one of the most interesting modern language learning methods, ALG, is only done in a classroom setting). Classrooms and textbooks bring back memories of being surrounded by mostly uninterested classmates, minimal priority, and a focus on grades rather than personal achievement (imagine the difference between a class of middle schoolers who were forced to choose a foreign language vs. adult learners who self-selected!) People have used these exact methods, or even "cruder" methods, to successfully learn a language. It all comes down to what works best for you. I specifically recommend textbooks for learning grammar and the plentiful number of dialogues and written passages that can function great as graded readers and listening resources. (Also the distinction made between "a youtube lesson on a grammatical principle" which is totally cool, and "a passage in a grammar textbook" is more one of tone and audio/written than efficacy).

Classrooms can be really great for speaking practice since they can be a lot less intimidating speaking to someone who is also learning while receiving corrections. Speech can be awkward to train on your own (not impossible if you're good at just talking aloud to yourself!), and classrooms can work nicely for this. Homework and class schedules also have built in accountability!

Fix: Explore resources available to you and try to think holistically about your approach. CI+Traditional Methods is my go to "Learning Cocktail"

Mistake 4: Yes, Immersion, But...

I realized this relatively quickly while learning Chinese, but immersion at a level much higher than your current level will do very little for you. What is sometimes left out of those "Just watch anime to learn Japanese" discussions is that you first need to have a chance at understanding what is being said. Choosing materials that are much higher than your level will not teach you the language. It doesn't matter how many times someone at HSK 1 hears “他是甘露之惠，我并无此水可还”, they will not get very far. Actual deduction and learning comes from having enough familiar components to be able to make deductions—something different than guessing. An HSK 1 learner, never having heard the word 老虎 will be able to understand "tiger" if someone says “这是我的老虎” while standing next to a tiger. This is not to say you can never try something more difficult—things should be challenging—but if you can't make heads or tails of what's being said, then it's time to find something a bit easier. If mistake 2 is about the type of method, this is about the level. If you wouldn't give a kindergartener The Great Gatsby to learn how to read, why would you watch Full Metal Alchemist to start learning a language?

Side note: Interesting video here on the Comprehensible Input hypothesis and how it relates to neurodivergence.

Fix: Immerse yourself in appropriate content for your level. It's called comprehensible input for a reason.

Mistake 5: On Translation

I work as a translator, so do you really think I'm going to say translation is all bad? Of course not. It's a separate skill that can be added on to the basic skills, but is really only required if you are A. someone who is an intermediary between two languages (say you have to translate for a spouse or family member) or B. It is your job/hobby. In the context of sitting down and learning, it can be harmful. I think my brain often goes to translation too often because that's how I used to learn. Trying to unlearn that is difficult because, well, what do people even mean when they say "don't translate"? They mean when someone says "thank you", you should not go to your primary language and translate "you're welcome" from that. You should train yourself to go to your target language first when you hear the word for "thank you". A very literally translated "thank you" in Chinese "谢谢你" can come off as cold and sarcastic. I don't tell my friends that, I say "谢啦～". Direct translation can take away the difference in culture, grammar, and politeness in a language. If there is a reason you sound awkward while writing and speaking, it's probably because you're imposing your primary language on your target language.

Fix: Try as hard as you can to not work from your primary language into the target language, but to work from the structures, set phrases, and grammar within the target language that you know first.

Mistake 6: The Secret Language Learners Don't Want You To Know...

...is that there is no one easy method. You are not going to learn French while you sleep, or master Korean by doing this one easy trick. Learning a language requires work and dedication, the people that succeed are those that push through the boredom of repetition and failure. The "I learned X in 1 year/month/week/day!" crowd is hiding large asterisks, be it their actual level, the assistance and free time available to them, "well actually I had already studied this for 4 years", or just straight-up lying. Our own journeys in our native tongue were not easy, they required years and years of constant immersion and instruction. While we are now older and wiser people that can make quick connections, we are also burdened with things like "jobs", "house work", "school work", and the digital black hole that is "social media" that take up our time and energy. Everything above is to help make this journey a little bit easier, quicker, and painless, but it will never be magic.

I find that language learning has a lot in common with the fitness community. People will talk about the workout that changed their life and how no other one will do the same—and it really can be the truth that it changed their life and that they feel it is the ultimate way. The real workout that will change your life is the one you're most consistent with, that you enjoy the most. Language learning is just trying to find the brain exercise that you can be the most consistent with.

Fix: Save your energy looking for shortcuts, and do the work, fail, and come back for more. If someone tells you that you can become fluent in a ridiculously short amount of time, they are selling you a fantasy (and likely a product). You get out what you put in.

For those that made it to the end, here are some of my "universal resources":

Refold Method: I don't agree with their actual method 100%, but they've collected a lot of great resources for learning languages. I've found their Chinese and Korean discords to also be really helpful and provided even more resources than what's given in their starter guides.

Language Reactor: Very useful, and have recently added podcasts as a material! The free version is honestly all you need.

Anki: If I do not mention it, the people with 4+ year streaks with a 5K word deck will not let me forget it. It can be used on desktop or on your phone as an app. If you need a replacement for a language learning app, this is one of them. Justin Sung has a lot of great info on how to best utilize Anki (as does Refold). It's not my favorite, but it could be yours!

LingQ: "But I thought you said language apps are bad!" In isolation, yes. Sorry for the clickbait. This one is pretty good, and more interested in immersing you in the language than selling a subscription to allow you to freeze your streak so the number goes up.

Grammar Textbooks: For self-taught learning, these are going to be the best resource since it's focused on the hardest part of the language, and only that. If you're tired of seeing group work activities, look for a textbook that is just on grammar (Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar is my rec for Chinese, and A Guide to Japanese Grammar by Tae Kim is the most common/enthusiastic rec I've heard for Japanese).

Shadowing: Simply repeat what you hear. Matt vs Japan talks about his setup here for optimized shadowing (which you can probably build for a lot cheaper now), but it can also just be you watching a video and pausing to repeat after each sentence or near simultaneously if you're able.

Youtube: Be it "Short Story for Beginners", "How to use X", "250 Essential Phrases", or a GRWM in your target language, Youtube is the best. Sometimes you have to dig to find what works for you, but I imagine there is something for everyone at every level. (Pro tip: People upload textbook audio dialogues often, you don't even have to buy the textbook to be able to learn from it!)

A Friend: Be it a fellow learner, or someone who has already mastered the language, it is easier when you have someone, not only to speak to, but to remind you why you're doing this. I write far more in Chinese because I have friends I can text in Chinese.

Pen and Paper: Study after study, writing on paper continues to be the best method for memorization. Typing or using a pen and tablet still can't compare to traditional methods.

The Replies (Probably): Lots of people were happy to give alternatives for specific languages in the replies of my DL post. The community here is pretty active, so if this post blows up at least 20% of what the last one did, you might be able to find some great stuff in the replies and reblogs.

I wish you all the best~

[wendichester]

Hiii could I request a pt 2 to miniskirt?? Honestly anything with teen!dean tbh maybe it ends up being that r knows exactly why dean gave her the jacket, or some sort of awkard/sweet confession and fluffiness? Or an angsty route where dean lashes out and r can't understand why which leads to a fluffy confession? Literally anything, your writing is so so good each and every time 🙂‍↕️

✮⋆˙ miniskirt²,

summary. you’re rocking a miniskirt and dean goes crazy!

pairing. teen!dean winchester x best friend!reader

wordcount. 518

⋆. 𐙚 ˚ read part 1

Dean doesn’t know what the hell is wrong with him.

All day, he’s been a mess—on edge, jittery, snapping at people for no reason. It’s stupid. It’s irrational. And it’s all because of you.

Because you showed up this morning in that damn skirt.

And now you’re sitting next to him in the Impala, legs tucked up on the seat, wearing his jacket like it belongs to you. Like he belongs to you.

And maybe that’s what’s messing him up so bad.

He grips the steering wheel tighter, eyes fixed on the road. His knuckles are white. The engine hums beneath them, the radio low, but the silence between you is loud.

You tap your fingers against the window absentmindedly. “Are you gonna keep brooding all night, or are you gonna tell me what’s up?”

Dean exhales sharply through his nose. “Nothing’s up.”

“Uh-huh.” You shift, turning to face him fully. “Because you’ve been acting weird since lunch, and considering we spend, like, ninety percent of our lives together, I think I’d know when something’s up.”

Dean clenches his jaw. He doesn’t want to do this. Not now, not ever. But you’re looking at him, waiting, and there’s something knowing in your eyes.

Like you already have him figured out.

You lean in slightly, voice softer. “Is this about the jacket?”

He stiffens.

“Oh my God.” Your lips part in realization. “It is about the jacket.”

“No, it’s not.”

“It totally is!” You sit up straighter, grinning now. “Dean, did you—”

“Don’t.”

“Did you give me your jacket because you were jealous?”

Dean groans, dragging a hand down his face. “Jesus Christ.”

You burst out laughing, delighted. “Dean, that’s adorable.”

“Shut up,” he grumbles, glaring at the road like it personally offended him.

“I mean, I thought it was kinda obvious, but I wasn’t sure—”

“What was obvious?”

“That you like me.”

Dean nearly swerves into oncoming traffic.

He yanks the wheel back, heart slamming against his ribs. “What?”

You’re still grinning, completely unfazed. “You like me.”

He swallows. His ears are hot. His pulse is a damn drumline.

He could deny it. Brush it off, make some joke, keep things the way they’ve always been.

But when he looks over at you—wearing his jacket, all warm and soft and entirely too pretty in the glow of the streetlights—he realizes he’s so, so tired of pretending.

“…Yeah,” he mutters, grip tightening on the wheel. “I do.”

Your smile softens. “Good.”

Dean frowns. “Good?”

You shrug, leaning closer, your warmth seeping into his side. “Because I like you, too, dumbass.”

Dean’s stomach does a weird little flip. His chest feels too tight.

He doesn’t know what to say, what to do.

And then you’re leaning in, hand curling around his bicep, looking at him like he hung the damn moon.

“Pull over.”

Dean swallows thickly. “Why?”

Your fingers slide down his arm, tracing his wrist, teasing at his palm.

“Because I wanna kiss you,” you say simply. “And I don’t think you should be driving when I do.”

Dean’s foot is on the brake before you finish the sentence.

want be part of the taglist.ᐣ ⋆.˚ ★— @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing ⋆ @deans-daydream ⋆ @taurus0queenie33 ⋆ @ambiguous-avery ⋆ @krabog ⋆ @itsdearapril ⋆ @nymphet-quenn ⋆ @bluemerakis ⋆ @titsout4jackles ⋆ @lyarr24 ⋆ @hauntedrose555 ⋆ @chevroletdean ⋆ @dulcescorderitas ⋆ @blackmarketfruitrollups ⋆ @impala67rollingthroughtown ⋆ @rulesareshadesofgrey ⋆ @nervoussystems ⋆ @daryls-luvrr ⋆ @sunnyteume ⋆ @drakelover78 ⋆ @angelblqde ⋆ @mostlymarvelgirl ⋆ @whisperingdaze ⋆ @funkenniffler ⋆ @bossyblondie ⋆ @lieutenantchaos ⋆ @iluvnewtie ⋆ @dyhsversion ⋆ @lovewolfspirit ⋆ @kayleighwinchester ⋆ @s0urw00lf ⋆ @cursednevermore ⋆ @img14 ⋆ @onelonelybitch ⋆ @americanvenom13 ⋆ @iluvdeanwinchester ⋆ @idk6505 ⋆ @devilslittlehelper ⋆ @cloverleaf20 ⋆ @giggles1026 ⋆ @idontwannabehere7 ⋆ @beakaleak32 ⋆ @ocelotlist51 ⋆ @lelapine ⋆ @pwin098 ⋆ @lacysretribution ⋆ @globetrotter28 ⋆ @aerinu ⋆ @i-love-gvf ⋆ @bejeweledinterludes

[bitchiswild]

Kisses and Chaos

Yunjin x Fem! Reader

Giselle x Fem! Reader

Word Count: 22k

Warning: fluff kinda, angst, and Y/n is a player but she’s a mess!

A/n: haiii guys Hru 🥹 I’m not necessarily back but I wanted to write something for you guys for Valentine’s Day as my valentine gift to you 🩷 so enjoy it, it’s not my best work (it’s a mess and I didn’t re-read it) and if you guys ask I’ll make a part 2 :3

✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦

Sometimes, when you’re bored, you start talking to people, just to pass the time. And before you know it, you’re in a relationship you never even wanted, but you were too nice to shut it down.

But this time? You’re single. The catch? You somehow ended up with two Valentines.

You met Aeri in your Asian American Studies class, one of those Gen Eds you had to take. At first, it was just the usual small talk, complaining about assignments, joking about the professor’s weird grading system, bonding over how neither of you wanted to be there that early in the morning. Then, out of nowhere, she started flirting. And you? You never back down from a challenge. So, of course, you flirted right back.

It didn’t hurt that Aeri was hot, amazing body, confident smirk, the kind of girl who knew exactly what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to go after it.

And apparently, what she wanted was you.

“So, Y/N… are you doing anything for Valentine’s Day?” Aeri asked nonchalantly, casually checking her nails like this was just another conversation.

You knew her game. You knew exactly what she was trying to do. But if there was one thing you loved, it was flipping the script.

“Oh, you know,” you said, stretching your arms like this was the most casual thing in the world. “Romantic dinner, maybe some flowers, a little gift… the usual Valentine’s Day stuff.”

Aeri glanced up, her interest piqued. “Oh?” she mused, tilting her head. “Who’s the lucky person?”

You grinned, keeping your voice light. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

She rolled her eyes, but there was amusement in them. “Oh, come on. You can’t just drop that and not tell me.”

You shrugged. “What can I say? I like to keep things interesting.”

Aeri let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “You’re such a tease.”

“No, but seriously, do you have a date?” Aeri asked, facing you now, her eyes betraying a hint of nervousness as she waited for your response.

You met her gaze, your smile never faltering. “I don’t,” you replied, keeping your tone casual. “I was just going to stay in, maybe watch a movie. You know, chill.”

Aeri’s expression shifted slightly, almost as if she were relieved, but you couldn’t be sure. She let out a soft laugh, her usual confidence slipping back into place. “Sounds pretty nice, actually.”

You leaned in a little closer, teasing her just enough. “Yeah? What about you? Got any big plans?”

She paused for a second, clearly considering her response. “Nothing too crazy,” she said with a shrug, though her eyes were still on you, like she was waiting for something.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class, but you stayed in your seat, watching as Aeri packed up her things, her movements quick and practiced. The tension between you two was still there, unspoken, but thick in the air.

As she stood up, she caught your gaze, her lips curling into a sly smile. “So… you sure you don’t want company for Valentine’s Day?” she asked, voice low and playful.

You leaned back in your chair, taking a moment before responding. “I mean, I’m not opposed to company,” you said with a grin, “but I want a grand gesture. I just won’t be anyone’s Valentine, you know?”

Aeri’s expression flickered for a second, as if trying to process your words. “A grand gesture?” she repeated, the teasing tone still there, but with a hint of curiosity.

“Yeah,” you replied with a shrug, still smiling. “You’ve got to earn it.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly, studying you as if deciding how to play this. “And what makes you think I haven’t already earned it?”

You stood up, grabbing your bag, the challenge clear in your eyes. “Maybe I’ll let you prove it.”

You turned to leave, but not without feeling the weight of her gaze on your back. You didn’t look back, at least, not yet.

“I’ll see you around, Aeri,” you said casually, leaving the door open for whatever she might do next.

Aeri stood there, replaying your conversation in her mind, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “A grand gesture…” she muttered to herself, clearly scheming. She was used to getting what she wanted, but this time? It was a different kind of challenge. You weren’t going to make it easy, and she liked that. Now, she had to think of something big enough to impress you.

Meanwhile, you walked to your car, a cocky grin spreading across your face. You knew exactly what you were doing, playing the game just right. You’d seen the way Aeri’s eyes had lit up when you’d said no one could just be your Valentine. It wasn’t arrogance; it was just the way you were. You weren’t going to settle for easy, and everyone seemed to think they could win you over with a few sweet words or a simple gesture. But that wasn’t how it worked with you.

You leaned against your car, taking a second to enjoy the feeling of being in control. Aeri was hooked. She’d play her cards, try her best to impress you, but you knew, no one played you.

Let the games begin.

You drove to a nearby café near campus, ready to get some assignments done. You could use the quiet to focus, especially after the little game you’d started with Aeri. As you walked in, lost in your thoughts, you bumped into someone, knocking over her drink.

You immediately panicked, hands flying to grab napkins from the counter. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” you blurted out, rushing to clean up the mess.

But before you could make a bigger fool of yourself, her hand gently stopped you.

“Hey, it’s okay,” she said, her voice light with laughter. You looked up and met her eyes, catching her smile. “It’s just half-drunk tea, it won’t stain.”

You paused for a moment, taking in her presence. She was... pretty. You couldn’t help but think that as you continued fumbling with the napkins.

“Are you sure?” you asked, still a bit unsure. “Tea usually stains.”

She giggled, shaking her head. “That’s true, but it’s green tea. And honestly? It’s pretty watered down, so it’s basically just flavored water at this point. I’m sure it won’t stain. It’ll dry up just fine.”

You breathed a sigh of relief, handing her the napkins anyway. “Well, I’m still sorry. Let me at least buy you something to make up for it.”

She considered it for a moment, then gave a playful shrug. “Alright, I’ll take you up on that.”

You led her to the counter, exchanging a few lighthearted comments along the way. Once you reached the register, you turned to her, offering a warm smile. “I’m Y/N, by the way.”

She mirrored your grin, her eyes lighting up. “I’m Yunjin.”

The energy between you two felt easy, almost like you’d known each other longer than just a few minutes. After getting your drinks you guided Yunjin to a nearby table, pulling out a chair for her before sitting down across from her. “So, Yunjin,” you began casually, sipping your drink as you settled in, “do you go to NYU or…?”

She smiled, resting her arms on the table. “Yeah, I do. I’m actually in business school.”

“Nice, same here,” you said with a nod, leaning back in your chair. “What’s your major?”

“Marketing,” she replied, her eyes lighting up. “How about you?”

“Marketing too,” you grinned, feeling a little surprised but also intrigued. “Looks like we have more in common than just this tea disaster.”

Yunjin laughed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Guess so. What are the odds, huh?”

You leaned in a little, trying to keep the conversation light, and flashed her a playful grin. “So, Yunjin, if you’re in the business school, you must be really busy, huh?”

She rolled her eyes, grinning. “You have no idea. Between classes, group projects, and my part-time job at the café, I barely have time to breathe.”

You laughed, nodding in understanding. “Sounds like my life. I swear, my schedule’s so packed, it’s a miracle I can even manage to have a conversation like this.”

Yunjin leaned back, eyeing you with curiosity. “A conversation? Or are you just really good at distracting yourself?”

You raised an eyebrow. “Maybe a bit of both. It’s a skill, really.” You paused, then added with a smirk, “But honestly, I’m glad I bumped into you today.”

Yunjin’s expression softened, her smile becoming more genuine. “Yeah, same here. It’s nice to meet someone who’s not just another student cramming for exams or talking about business strategies.”

You chuckled, glancing around at the bustling café. “Yeah, it’s refreshing, right? A little chaos here and there makes life interesting.”

She agreed with a nod. “Definitely. I swear, I’d lose my mind if I didn’t have little breaks like this.”

There was a brief pause, and then you casually asked, “So, what are you doing for Valentine’s Day? Got any fun plans?”

Yunjin’s eyes widened slightly, then she shrugged nonchalantly. “Valentine’s Day? Honestly, I haven’t really thought about it. It’s always so overhyped, you know?”

You raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Really? Most people are either super into it or totally avoid it. What about you?”

She hesitated for a moment, clearly considering the question. “I guess I’m somewhere in the middle? I don’t mind the idea, but I don’t expect anything too crazy. What about you?”

You leaned back, teasing. “Well, I’m kind of a big deal, so I might have a couple of people vying for my attention.”

Yunjin laughed, clearly amused. “Oh really? Are you some sort of player or something?”

You smirked. “I wouldn’t say player, just... popular.”

She shot you a skeptical look. “Uh-huh, sure. So, who exactly are you planning to spend the day with?”

You let out a playful sigh, exaggerating just a little. “Honestly, it’s up in the air. I don’t make plans until the last minute.”

Yunjin raised an eyebrow. “Classic. But hey, if you’re as popular as you say, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

“Maybe,” you said, leaning in just a bit. “But I’m still waiting to see if anyone can come up with a grand enough gesture to win me over.”

Yunjin smirked. “A grand gesture, huh? Well, that’s something I’m definitely interested in hearing more about.”

You smirked, watching her reaction carefully. “A grand gesture, yeah,” you said, leaning back in your chair as you watched her, knowing the spark of curiosity was there. “Not just the usual flowers and chocolates, you know? Something that shows effort. I can’t just be anyone’s Valentine.”

Yunjin tilted her head, her eyes narrowing playfully as she teased, “Is that so? You really think you’re that special?”

You leaned forward, keeping your voice casual but with just enough confidence to make it clear you weren’t just talking for fun. “I mean, I am a catch. It’s gonna take something impressive.”

Yunjin laughed softly, her lips curving into a smile. “Alright, alright. You’re a catch, got it. But what if I told you I was thinking about doing something special for you?”

“Already? We just met!” you said with a smirk, raising an eyebrow as you leaned back in your chair.

Yunjin chuckled, clearly not backing down. “What can I say? You made an impression.” She paused for a moment, eyes twinkling with mischief. “Besides, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and I like a challenge.”

You couldn’t help but grin. “A challenge, huh? Guess we’ll see who can top the other with their grand gestures. It’s gonna be tough to outdo me, though.”

She gave a playful shrug, clearly unbothered. “I’m up for it. But don’t underestimate me.”

You leaned forward a little, enjoying the playful tension. “You think you can outdo the competition?”

She leaned in a little closer, her eyes lighting up with a mix of mischief and excitement. The space between you two felt charged, and for a brief moment, you could feel the heat of her presence. “Maybe. I guess we’ll see how things go. You said you want a grand gesture, right?”

You nodded, now even more interested in what she had in mind. “Yeah, that’s right.”

Yunjin hesitated for a moment, then, almost as if she were testing the waters, asked, “So, you’ve got someone else in mind, don’t you? Someone you’re planning on spending Valentine’s Day with?”

You smiled, trying to keep your cool, but you could tell she was fishing. “Maybe. I mean, I’ve got options, right? But honestly, nothing’s set in stone. It’s all about the effort, you know? Whoever can really surprise me, that’s who gets my attention.”

Yunjin studied you for a moment, her smile turning a little more confident. “Well, maybe you’ll be surprised. You might just end up with two Valentines after all.”

You couldn’t help but grin, the excitement of the game intensifying. “Two? I’m intrigued. Let’s see if you can impress me enough to make it worth it.”

As she spoke, Yunjin leaned just a little closer, her arm brushing against yours in the slightest motion, a deliberate graze that sent a small spark of electricity through you. Her eyes never left yours, and the playful challenge between you both suddenly felt even more tangible.

You exchanged a knowing look, the playful energy hanging in the air. “Alright, Yunjin, you’ve got my attention,” you said, tapping your fingers on the table. “But don’t expect me to go easy on you. I like a good challenge.”

Yunjin’s grin widened, her confidence growing. “Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it. I’m not the type to back down from a challenge.” She picked up her drink, taking a slow sip as she glanced at you over the rim of her cup. “Guess we’ll see who ends up on top when the day comes, huh?”

You chuckled, the excitement of the situation starting to hit you. “You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. But be careful. I’m not someone who’s easily impressed.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll be impressed,” Yunjin said, her eyes gleaming. “The real question is: will I be the one you choose in the end?”

You met her gaze, feeling the playful spark between you both. “Well, you’re definitely making it interesting.”

Yunjin leaned in just a little more, her voice low and teasing. “Just wait, Y/N. I’ve got some ideas that might just blow your mind.”

Her hand brushed against yours again, this time lingering a little longer, before she pulled back slightly. The air between you was thick with tension, but the excitement was undeniable. 

“Let me get your number,” Yunjin said with a smirk, her eyes glinting with mischief. “So I can decide when I can pick you up for our Valentine’s Day date.”

“Wow, confident, aren’t we?” you replied, raising an eyebrow, impressed by her boldness.

Yunjin chuckled, unfazed. “What can I say? I like to take charge when I know what I want.”

You leaned back in your seat, studying her for a moment. “I’m not easily won over, Yunjin. You’ll have to put in some serious work to impress me.”

She leaned forward slightly, matching your intensity. “Oh, don’t worry. I’m up for the challenge.” She paused, her grin widening. “And I’m pretty sure I’ll be the one you’re thinking about when Valentine’s Day rolls around.”

You couldn’t help but smile, feeling the playful tension building between you both. “We’ll see about that.”

Yunjin pulled out her phone, her fingers quickly tapping away. “You’ll find out soon enough,” she said with a wink as she handed you her number. “But I’m not going to wait forever, so think fast.”

You took her phone and entered your contact info with a smirk of your own. “I’ll think about it,” you said, giving her a look that left the challenge hanging in the air.

“Good,” she replied, her voice low and teasing. “Take your time. But don’t take too long.”

Yunjin got up and left, her confident stride taking her out of the café, leaving you sitting there in complete disbelief. You stared at your phone, still processing everything that had just happened. Her number was saved in your contacts now, and you couldn’t help but chuckle at how fast things escalated.

What the hell did I just do?

You shook your head, half-amused and half-astonished by how quickly you’d found yourself in this mess. Two Valentines? Really? This was definitely going to be more complicated than you’d ever expected.

You giggled to yourself, the absurdity of it all sinking in. Well, this is going to be fun...

Valentine's Day was coming, and you had no idea how this was all going to play out, but one thing was for sure, this game was about to get a whole lot more interesting.

You leaned back in your chair and let out a light laugh. Let the games begin.

~~~

“Y/N! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVE 2 VALENTINES?!” your best friend Kazuha yelled, her voice rising in disbelief. “Don’t tell me you’re playing with people’s feelings again!”

You let out a groan, slumping in your seat as Kazuha stared you down, her arms crossed and eyes narrowed. She was not buying whatever you were about to say.

“Kazuha, I swear, it just happens! It’s my aura,” you defended yourself, throwing your hands up in mock innocence. “I can’t help it if people are drawn to me!”

“Y/N, shut the fuck up,” Kazuha shot back, throwing a cushion at you. “You know exactly what you're doing. You’ve got two people chasing after you, and you’re just sitting there like it’s nothing.”

You chuckled, tossing the cushion back at her, “What can I say? It’s a skill. Not everyone has it.”

Kazuha rubbed her temples, her frustration palpable. “I swear, you’re a walking disaster. You're gonna end up making someone cry with all this back-and-forth nonsense."

“I’m not doing anything... yet,” you smirked. “Let the games begin, right?”

Kazuha sighed dramatically, clearly over it. “You’re impossible. Just... don’t make things worse. You might have a way with words, but someone's gonna get hurt if you’re not careful."

You shrugged, unfazed, as you scrolled through your phone. “I know what I’m doing. It’s just a little fun. Don’t worry so much.” You smirked, raising an eyebrow. “What if I make it three Valentines?”

Kazuha’s eyes practically bulged out of her head. “Three? Are you trying to have a meltdown? You’re gonna have an entire love triangle on your hands, Y/N!”

You chuckled, leaning back in your chair with a mischievous glint in your eye. “Why stop at two? The more the merrier, right?”

Kazuha slapped her forehead, exasperated. “You’re seriously gonna make this a competition, aren’t you?”

“Well, yeah. Why not? It’s not like anyone’s heart is on the line... yet,” you said casually, not even looking up from your phone.

“You’re playing with fire,” Kazuha warned, but there was a hint of amusement in her tone now. “Just remember, you can’t keep juggling people forever without someone getting burned.”

You smirked again. “I’m just having fun. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Kazuha shook her head, but she couldn’t help a small smile from forming. “You’re impossible.”

You looked at your best friend, putting down your phone and walking over to her. “Look, I promise after my dates, I’ll tell them,” you said, trying to reassure her.

Kazuha shot you a skeptical look, her arms crossed. “You really have to be careful, Y/N.”

“I know, and I will,” you replied, trying to sound serious, but you couldn’t quite hide the playful tone in your voice.

Kazuha raised an eyebrow. “What if you end up liking them? After these dates?”

You let out a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of your head. “Then I’d be in a serious pickle.”

Kazuha sighed dramatically, clearly not convinced. “You’re seriously digging yourself into a hole, aren’t you?”

You shrugged. “It’s all part of the game, Kazuha.”

She stared at you for a moment before a new thought seemed to strike her. “Who are these girls, anyway?”

You hesitated for a second before answering. “Yunjin and Aeri.”

Kazuha’s eyes went wide, and she let out a huge gasp, her mouth hanging open. “Y/N... YUNJIN AND AERI ARE BEST FRIENDS!!!!”

You froze, a feeling of dread creeping up on you. “What?”

Kazuha was practically shaking, her voice rising with disbelief. “What the hell, Y/N? You’ve got two of the most popular girls on campus both after you, and you’re playing them against each other??”

You blinked, suddenly feeling like you were in over your head. “I... didn’t know they were best friends!”

Kazuha threw her hands up in exasperation. “Are you serious right now?! This is like some messed-up love triangle waiting to explode. Do you have any idea what you’re getting yourself into?”

You rubbed your temples, already feeling the weight of the situation. “Great. This just got a whole lot worse.”

Kazuha’s voice softened slightly, but the concern was still there. “You better be careful, Y/N. This is more than just ‘fun’ now. They’re both gonna find out eventually.”

“They won’t. I’ll make sure of it.” You said, with a confident grin, trying to mask the nervous energy bubbling beneath your calm exterior.

Kazuha narrowed her eyes at you, clearly not buying it. “You think you can keep them both in the dark? You’re walking a fine line here.”

You shrugged nonchalantly, though your mind was racing. “I’m good at keeping things under control. I’ve got it handled.”

Kazuha rolled her eyes. “I’m not so sure. You can’t keep up this charade forever, you know.”

You let out a deep sigh, already feeling the stress creep in. “I know, I know. But hey, it’s Valentine’s Day, right? How complicated could it get?”

Kazuha shook her head, half laughing and half worried. “You’re crazy. But whatever. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you when everything goes up in flames.”

You chuckled nervously, already imagining the mess you might’ve just gotten yourself into. “I’ll deal with it when it happens.”

~~~

You were sitting in your car, parked outside the café, trying to get some studying done, when your phone buzzed again. You sighed, thinking it was just one of the usual notifications, but when you checked, you saw both Aeri and Yunjin had sent you messages.

Aeri’s message was short and sweet: “Hey, want to meet up later? I need to talk to you about something important... ;)”

Your heart skipped a beat. The playful tone told you she wasn’t just asking for a casual hangout.

Right after that, Yunjin’s message popped up: “Hey! I was thinking we should meet up today, got something on my mind, and I need to ask you something in person. What do you say?”

You leaned back in your seat, a grin tugging at the corners of your lips. They both wanted to meet up. You knew what was coming, and as much as you loved the thrill of this little game, there was no denying the rush it gave you. But now, you had to juggle both of them. You typed out quick responses.

To Aeri: “Sure, I’ll meet you later. What time works for you?”

To Yunjin: “Sounds good. When and where do you want to meet?”

The messages sent almost simultaneously. You sat back and let out a breath, trying to focus. Kazuha’s warning echoed in your mind, but you shook it off. You’d be fine. You had to be.

Aeri replied first: “How about 5 pm? I’ll be at the park near campus.”

Yunjin responded right after: “Let’s meet at the café at 6. I’ll be waiting.”

You stared at your phone for a moment, then chuckled. This was getting more complicated by the second. But there was no turning back now.

At 5 pm, you walked into the park, nerves creeping up as you scanned the area. Aeri had been so mysterious in her messages, and now you couldn’t help but wonder what kind of grand gesture she had in mind.

You spotted her near the fountain, but this wasn’t your usual “meet me in a café” vibe. She was standing confidently by the water, a soft pink balloon in her hand and a small bouquet of flowers at her feet. It was a picture-perfect moment.

"Hey," you greeted her, your heart pounding, a playful smile tugging at your lips. You couldn’t help but admire the effort she’d put into this.

Aeri smiled warmly, her eyes glinting with excitement. "I know, I know, this is probably a little much," she began, twirling the balloon in her hand as if it were no big deal, "but you deserve something special. I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and I want to ask you properly."

She took a step closer, her voice dropping a little, but her excitement obvious. "Y/N," she said, her smile growing, "I’d be honored if you’d be my Valentine. I know we’ve had some fun getting to know each other, and I think we have something that could be really amazing. What do you say? Will you be my Valentine?"

The moment hung between you, her words sincere yet playful, and you had to admit, you were impressed. You weren’t one to be easily won over, but this was a whole different level. The balloon, the flowers, it was grand, thoughtful, and definitely something to remember.

You grinned, shaking your head in disbelief at how bold she was. "Aeri, this is... a lot. But I like it."

She beamed. "So, you’ll be mine?"

"Yeah," you replied, your voice almost a whisper, "I’d love to be your Valentine."

Aeri’s eyes sparkled, and for a moment, she looked like she’d just won the biggest prize. "Great. You won’t regret it, I promise. I’ve got plans."

You both exchanged an excited glance as she handed you the bouquet, her gesture as grand as the moment.

Aeri’s smile lingered as she handed you the bouquet, her eyes searching yours for a reaction. You could tell she was really excited, and it made the moment feel even more special. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, glancing down at the flowers in your hands before speaking again.

“So, I guess I’ve got your attention now, huh?” she said playfully, a hint of mischief in her voice.

You chuckled, nodding as you looked back at her. “Yeah, you definitely know how to make an impression, Aeri.”

“I aim to please,” she said with a wink, a light laugh escaping her. The two of you stood there for a moment, the playful energy between you palpable. It was clear that Aeri was genuinely enjoying the moment, and you couldn’t deny that you were, too.

After a few more moments of talking, just enjoying the vibe, your phone buzzed in your pocket. You pulled it out, glancing at the screen. Your heart skipped for a moment as you saw it was a text from Yunjin. 

“Everything okay?” Aeri asked, noticing the change in your expression.

You hesitated for a second, debating how much you should say. You didn’t want to give away too much, not when things were getting complicated. You quickly glanced down at the message from Yunjin before looking up at Aeri.

“Oh, it’s just Kazuha,” you said quickly, putting your phone face down in your hand. “She needs me for something.”

Aeri’s eyes softened a little, her playful tone now replaced with genuine concern. “Oh, really? Is everything okay with Kazuha?”

You nodded, giving a small, reassuring smile. “Yeah, she’s just going through some stuff and wants to talk. I told her I’d be there for her.”

Aeri looked at you with a thoughtful expression for a moment. “I get that. If you need to go, I don’t want to keep you.” Her voice softened further, and you could hear the sincerity in her words.

You shook your head quickly, feeling a bit guilty for not being fully honest and using your best friend as an excuse. "Are you sure?"

Aeri gave a small, understanding smile. "Yeah, I mean, if it’s really important, I get it." She took a step back and put her hands in her pockets, her demeanor still warm but with a bit of distance as if trying to give you space. "Kazuha’s your best friend, right? You should be there for her."

You nodded, but a feeling of guilt gnawed at you. You’d definitely misled Aeri a little, and while you didn’t want to lie, you couldn’t exactly tell her the whole truth, not yet, anyway.

You caught her gaze again and gave a reassuring smile. “It’s just a quick thing, I promise. Kazuha’s got a lot on her plate right now, but I’ll be back in no time.”

Aeri raised an eyebrow but seemed to accept your words. “Alright, but don’t make me wait too long. You’ve got a Valentine who’s already looking forward to making plans with you, after all.”

You chuckled nervously, "Don’t worry. I won’t leave you hanging."

She smirked, clearly not buying into your reassurances entirely, but she gave you a playful wink. “Well, I’m counting on it. You’ve got a lot to live up to, Y/N.”

You smiled, feeling a little more at ease, and without thinking too much, you leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek.

Aeri froze for a moment, her eyes widening in surprise before a soft blush crept up her neck. She glanced at you, slightly flustered, then smiled warmly. “Guess that’s your way of saying you’ll be back soon?”

You pulled away with a sheepish grin. “Exactly. Can’t leave you hanging too long, right?”

Aeri chuckled, clearly flattered, and shook her head. “Alright, alright. I’ll hold you to that. Be safe, Y/N.”

You gave her a wink and a quick wave before turning to leave, the weight of the situation still on your mind, but a little thrill from the moment lingering as well.

~~~

You rushed to the cafe, checking your phone as you hurried through the door. Just in time, you thought, glancing up to see Yunjin already sitting at a table near the back, a confident smile on her face as she spotted you walking in.

Her eyes sparkled with something you couldn’t quite place, and she immediately stood up, adjusting her coat with a flourish. “Look at you, right on time,” she said, her voice light but with a teasing undertone. “I knew you wouldn’t leave me waiting long.”

You took a seat across from her, still catching your breath from the run over. “Wouldn’t dream of it. So, what’s all this about, huh? You’ve got that look in your eyes.”

Yunjin leaned in slightly, her eyes locking with yours, filled with excitement and maybe a little mischief. “Well, I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and I wanted to do something special for you.”

You raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Special? You’ve already got me curious. What’s this grand gesture I’ve been hearing about?”

She smiled wider, sitting back in her chair before reaching into her bag. You couldn’t help but notice the small twinkle of anticipation in her eyes as she pulled out a small, wrapped box and placed it in front of you.

“Open it,” she said, her voice soft but laced with excitement.

You glanced up at her, a mix of curiosity and amusement in your expression. “I’m not sure if I’m ready for whatever this is.”

Yunjin’s smile didn’t falter. “Come on, trust me. It’s not a big deal... just a little something to show you I’m serious about this Valentine’s thing.”

You carefully unwrapped the box, your fingers pausing when you saw the familiar logo on the outer packaging. When you opened it, your breath caught in your throat. Inside was a sleek, delicate Dior bracelet, elegant and expensive, with a silver band and a small charm dangling from it. You couldn’t believe what you were seeing.

“Yunjin... this... this is Dior?” you asked, stunned, your eyes widening. You couldn’t hide the shock in your voice.

Yunjin’s grin widened as she watched your reaction. “Yeah, it’s Dior. I told you I was serious about this. If I’m going to be your Valentine, I wanted it to be something that really shows you how much I mean it.”

You looked down at the bracelet, almost speechless. It was beyond anything you expected from a casual date or even a flirtation. This was... a gesture. A big one.

“Wow. You really went all out,” you said, still trying to process it all. “I didn’t expect... this.”

She shrugged, her confidence radiating. “I don’t do things halfway. So, what do you say? Will you be my Valentine?”

You blinked for a moment, genuinely taken aback by how thoughtful and extravagant this gesture was. For a brief second, you couldn’t help but wonder if maybe you were playing with fire here, but you pushed the thought away.

“Well, Yunjin,” you said, a smirk tugging at your lips. “You certainly know how to make an impression.”

Her smile softened, and she leaned in just a little closer. “So, that’s a yes, right?”

You paused, letting the suspense build for a second, before finally answering. “Alright, Yunjin. I’ll be your Valentine.”

Her eyes lit up, and she reached across the table, her fingers brushing against yours in a gesture that felt warmer than you expected. “You won’t regret it,” she said, her voice filled with quiet excitement.

You chuckled, feeling the weight of the moment settle in. “We’ll see about that.”

You walked out of the cafe with Yunjin, the Dior bracelet now safely secured on your wrist. The weight of it still felt unreal, but you had to admit, her gesture had left a lasting impression. As you walked down the street, your mind buzzed with thoughts of Aeri and how you were going to juggle this whole situation.

“So, now that I’ve asked you, what’s next?” Yunjin asked, her voice light but with a trace of curiosity. “Do you have a plan for Valentine’s Day?”

You glanced over at her, trying to play it cool. “I guess we’ll see how things go. You’re the first one to ask me, so I’m definitely interested in what you’ve got in mind for the big day.”

Yunjin’s eyes twinkled, a smile creeping across her face. “I’ve got something special planned. You’ll have to wait and see, but I promise it’ll be worth it.”

You chuckled, not able to resist the excitement in her voice. “You’re really going all out for this, huh?”

Yunjin shrugged nonchalantly, though her playful smile didn’t falter. “When it comes to something like this, why not go all in? You deserve it.”

You couldn’t help but feel a small thrill run through you at her words. Yunjin was clearly invested in this, and you were curious to see what she had planned. But at the same time, you felt a small pang of guilt. Aeri was probably wondering where you were, and you couldn’t avoid the fact that you were now juggling two Valentines, two amazing, beautiful, and passionate girls. What a mess this had turned out to be.

As you walked towards the subway station, your phone buzzed in your pocket. You pulled it out to find a message from Aeri, and your stomach dropped a little. You didn’t know why, but something about her messages always seemed to pull at you.

“Hey, are you free tonight? I was hoping we could talk more about... well, us. Let me know when you’re free. <3”

You paused for a moment, biting your lip. Aeri was so sweet, and she was definitely in the running for your Valentine. But what about Yunjin? This was getting complicated, fast.

Yunjin glanced at you, noticing the change in your expression. “Everything okay?” she asked, her voice laced with concern.

You quickly hid your phone, forcing a smile. “Yeah, just a little something with a friend. Don’t worry about it.”

Yunjin raised an eyebrow but didn’t press the issue. Instead, she smiled, her hand brushing against yours again as she added, “Well, whatever happens, I’m glad we met. And you won’t regret picking me as your Valentine, I promise.”

You returned her smile, feeling a little guilty, but also intrigued. “I guess we’ll see about that.”

As you said goodbye and parted ways, you couldn’t shake the feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated. Valentine’s Day was only a few days away, and you had no idea how you were going to navigate this little love triangle you’d gotten yourself into.

You slammed the door behind you as you rushed into your apartment, the weight of the day finally crashing down on you. Kazuha was in the kitchen, but you didn’t even acknowledge her as you rushed to your room. You threw yourself onto the bed, burying your face in your pillow and screaming into it. The tension of juggling two Valentines had officially reached its breaking point.

“What the hell am I doing?” you muttered into the pillow, letting out a frustrated groan. Your mind raced with thoughts of Aeri’s sweetness, Yunjin’s grand gesture, and how the hell you were supposed to keep up with it all.

You could hear Kazuha’s footsteps approaching your door, and she knocked lightly before entering. "Y/N, what happened? Did something go wrong?"

You lifted your head just enough to look at her, eyes wide with panic. “I’m in way too deep, Kazuha. I’ve got two Valentines now, and I’m not even sure what I’m doing. Aeri’s been so sweet, and then Yunjin... she just went all out with the Dior bracelet and now I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do.”

Kazuha raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “So you’re telling me, you went ahead and accepted two Valentine’s invites?”

You buried your face back in the pillow, muffling your voice. “I didn’t mean to! It just… happened. I’m an idiot.”

Kazuha sat on the edge of your bed, sighing. “Well, you’re definitely a mess, but that’s nothing new. Just be honest with them, okay? You can’t keep playing this game and not expect things to blow up in your face. They both deserve more than you just juggling them around.”

You sat up, rubbing your eyes. “I know, I know… but how do I even tell them? I’m not ready to pick just one yet. I don’t know what I want.”

Kazuha gave you a sympathetic look. “Look, you don’t need to rush. But don’t keep them hanging, okay? You owe them more than that.”

You nodded, your chest tightening. “I guess I’ll figure it out. I just… I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

She gave you a small grin, patting your back. “You’ll be fine. You always are.”

You let out a sigh, still feeling overwhelmed but grateful for Kazuha’s blunt, no-nonsense advice. One thing was for sure: you had a lot to figure out before Valentine’s Day. And there was no going back now.

You sat up on your bed, finally lifting your face from the pillow, a new wave of determination flashing in your eyes. Kazuha gave you a skeptical look as she raised an eyebrow.

"No, no," you muttered, shaking your head. "I’ve got this. I gotta lock in the player in me. I can’t let this get to me. I’m gonna be nonchalant about it. Chill, calm, collected." You nodded to yourself, as if convincing your own mind.

Kazuha rolled her eyes but smirked. "Yeah, sure, good luck with that. But you do you, I guess."

You let out a deep breath, lying back down on your bed, trying to calm the nerves. "I’m not gonna let either of them think they have me wrapped around their finger. I’ll keep it cool, play it like I’m not phased. They’ll respect that more, right?"

Kazuha shook her head but laughed. "I swear you’re impossible."

You grinned, looking at the ceiling. "It’s the only way to play the game. One of them might end up being more than just a Valentine, but for now? I’m keeping it light. Keeping it fun."

Kazuha shook her head again but gave a small chuckle. "I can’t believe you. Just don’t let this whole thing blow up in your face, okay?"

You gave her a confident smile. "Trust me, I got it. I’m the master of this stuff."

Kazuha just sighed, clearly unsure, but walked out of your room anyway, leaving you to lay back down and think about the chaos you were about to manage.

This Valentine’s Day was shaping up to be way more complicated than you ever imagined. But, hey, you were ready. You’d make it work, one way or another.

You let out a deep breath, still lying on your bed, your fingers absentmindedly playing with the edge of your blanket. “And they won’t find out,” you muttered to yourself, as if repeating it like a mantra would make it true. “I’ve got it under control. I can handle both of them. No one’s gonna get hurt. I’ll play it smoothly. No slip-ups.”

Your mind raced, wondering how you could keep everything from unraveling. “I just gotta stay calm. If I keep my cool, keep my distance, they’ll never suspect a thing.”

You closed your eyes for a second, letting the idea settle in. “No way are they gonna find out. I’m not gonna let this blow up in my face. I can handle it. Just gotta keep the charm turned on and the lies well-rehearsed.”

You smiled to yourself, trying to shake off the slight tension in your chest. Kazuha was right about one thing,  this was gonna be complicated. But, hey, if anyone could juggle two Valentines without getting caught, it was you.

The only thing you had to do now was make sure no one figured it out. Simple, right? Keep things smooth and under wraps. Let's just hope Aeri and Yunjin haven't talked to each other yet.

Valentine's Day had arrived, and you were already feeling the tension building up. You had your plan set: Yunjin’s date started at 3 PM and would end at 7, just enough time to give you a brief window to recover before Aeri's date kicked off at 7:30 PM.

You dressed in something casual but still nice, nothing too flashy but enough to show you’d put some effort in. You glanced at the clock, knowing you had to keep things on schedule. You couldn’t afford to mess this up.

~~~

Valentine's Day had arrived, and you were already feeling the tension building up. You had your plan set: Yunjin’s date started at 3 PM and would end at 7, just enough time to give you a brief window to recover before Aeri's date kicked off at 7:30 PM.

You dressed in something casual but still nice, nothing too flashy but enough to show you’d put some effort in. You glanced at the clock, knowing you had to keep things on schedule. You couldn’t afford to mess this up.

Yunjin’s date started off in the cutest way possible. You arrived at the café to find her already waiting by the window, her eyes lighting up as soon as she saw you. She waved enthusiastically, and you couldn’t help but grin back. There was something so magnetic about her energy, so warm and inviting.

"Hey, you made it!" Yunjin said, her smile stretching from ear to ear. "I was hoping you'd show up on time."

"Of course," you replied with a playful wink. "I wouldn’t want to keep you waiting."

Yunjin motioned for you to sit, and as you did, she handed you a small bouquet of freshly picked flowers. "I thought you’d like these. Something simple but sweet," she said, her cheeks flushing slightly as she handed them to you.

You were honestly taken aback by the thoughtful gesture. It wasn’t over-the-top, just a simple, genuine moment. "You’re amazing," you said, unable to hide your smile.

She smiled shyly, clearly pleased that you liked them. "I’m glad you like them."

As you both ordered your drinks, Yunjin, of course, got her usual matcha latte, and you opted for a caramel macchiato, there was an ease in the conversation that made everything feel natural. Yunjin had this ability to make even the smallest things feel important. She asked about your day, your interests, and the conversation flowed effortlessly. She shared little anecdotes about her childhood, making you laugh with funny stories about her attempts at cooking or her obsession with collecting random trinkets.

"You know, I never understood why I love those tiny figurines," she said, giggling. "But I’ve got a collection at home that’s pretty impressive. I swear, every time I go to a market, I find a new one to add."

You laughed, genuinely enjoying her quirkiness. "I think that's adorable. You should show me sometime."

As the conversation carried on, you could feel yourself getting lost in her presence. She was the kind of person who made everything feel light, fun, and easy, and her enthusiasm was contagious.

Around 5 PM, Yunjin suggested a spontaneous walk in the nearby park. You both strolled around, chatting about everything and nothing, until she suddenly stopped by a bench and pulled something from her bag.

"I know we’re still in the middle of our date, but I brought this for you," Yunjin said, a little sheepish.

You raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

She revealed a small, hand-decorated jar filled with homemade cookies. "I baked these for you," she said with a proud smile. "I know it’s cheesy, but I thought it'd be cute. I may not be a professional chef, but they taste pretty good."

You took the jar from her and opened it, the smell of fresh-baked cookies instantly hitting you. "These smell amazing, Yunjin. I’m so impressed," you said, taking a cookie and giving it a bite. It was soft and delicious, just like her thoughtfulness.

"You like them?" she asked, her eyes hopeful.

"I love them. You’ve totally outdone yourself," you said, giving her a playful nudge.

As the date neared its end, Yunjin leaned in slightly, her voice soft. "I had a really great time today, Y/N. It feels so easy to be with you."

You smiled back at her, feeling your heart flutter just a little. "I did too, Yunjin. It’s been so fun."

After exchanging a few more sweet words, you both shared a quick hug before parting ways. As you watched her walk away, you felt this warmth in your chest that made you second-guess everything about this ‘player’ act. Yunjin was special, there was no denying that.

But you still had one more date to go...

You rushed back home, your mind buzzing with excitement from your afternoon with Yunjin. She was sweet, thoughtful, and had a way of making everything feel so special. But there was still Aeri’s date to go, and you couldn’t afford to let your guard down just yet.

You quickly changed into something a bit more polished, opting for a sleek, yet casual outfit. You glanced at the clock, 7:15 PM. You had a little time to spare, but not much.

As you made your way to the café where Aeri had asked to meet, you couldn’t help but think about what had happened with Yunjin. It was almost like a little fantasy, a moment that felt real, but not quite.

You entered the café, and Aeri was already there, waiting. She looked stunning as always, her hair falling in soft waves, and she had this confident, almost daring look in her eyes as she saw you approach.

"Y/N," she said, her voice warm but with a playful edge. "You’re late. But I guess I can forgive you... this time."

You smiled, feeling a little guilty. "Sorry, I was caught up in something. But I’m here now."

Aeri raised an eyebrow, clearly curious. "Something interesting, huh?"

You gave her a nonchalant shrug. "Just... spending time with someone special," you said, keeping your voice calm.

Aeri’s eyes narrowed just a little, but she didn’t push it. "Well, I’m glad you made it. I was actually thinking we could do something a little different tonight."

You leaned in, intrigued. "Different how?"

She reached into her bag and pulled out a small box. "I hope you’re in the mood for surprises," she said, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

You raised an eyebrow as you took the box from her. Inside was a dainty gold necklace with a delicate heart-shaped pendant. The soft shine of it caught the light, making it look elegant and thoughtful.

"This is..." you trailed off, genuinely surprised by the gesture. "Aeri, you didn’t have to..."

Aeri grinned, clearly proud of herself. "I wanted to. I know it’s nothing huge, but it’s a little something to show how much I care."

You looked up at her, feeling a little taken aback by the sincerity in her eyes. "It’s beautiful. Thank you."

Aeri smiled, clearly pleased with your reaction. "I’m glad you like it."

After a moment, Aeri leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms. "You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about us, Y/N. About what we could be... You’re someone I really enjoy spending time with. I hope you feel the same way."

You nodded, feeling the weight of her words. "I do, Aeri. I really do. Tonight’s been amazing."

Aeri’s smile softened, her voice lowering just a bit. "I’m glad. Because, you know, I’m not one to do things halfway. So, if you want to take this further, I’m all in."

The air between you two shifted, a mix of excitement and vulnerability hanging in the balance. You realized, in that moment, just how much you liked Aeri, maybe more than you’d been willing to admit.

But as she looked at you, waiting for your response, a small part of you couldn't help but think of Yunjin too. This was all getting more complicated than you’d ever imagined.

But for now, you focused on Aeri and her smile. "I’m all in too," you said, making sure she knew that you meant it.

Her smile widened as she reached across the table, taking your hand in hers. "I’m glad," she whispered. "Let’s see where this goes."

And just like that, you were caught in the middle of two beautiful people, both vying for your attention, and Valentine’s Day had become far more than just a simple celebration of love. It had become a game of choices, and you weren’t sure how it was all going to turn out. But you were excited to find out.

~~~

You rushed back home, still trying to act calm, even though your mind was racing with all the mess you’d just gotten yourself into. Yunjin’s sweet gesture, the bracelet, and then Aeri, Aeri was different, and you felt that spark. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. You were just having fun, right? But now, it felt like you were teetering on the edge of a cliff, just waiting for the fall.

You walked in and found Kazuha lounging on the couch, scrolling through her phone, her usual laid-back demeanor. You threw yourself on the couch next to her, trying to appear cool, trying to keep it together. "Hey, it wasn’t that bad," you said with a nonchalant shrug. "Yunjin's date was cute, the bracelet was nice. Aeri, too, she’s sweet. It’s all fine. Totally under control."

Kazuha put her phone down and raised an eyebrow, her gaze skeptical. "Right... I knew the nonchalant act was fake," she said, her voice dripping with amusement. "Come on, spill it. You’re clearly freaking out."

You let out a frustrated sigh, sinking into the couch. "Okay, okay. You’re right. I’m losing it here, Kazuha. This is way more complicated than I thought it would be."

Kazuha sat up, her teasing smile gone now, replaced with a more serious expression. "What happened? What did you do?"

You rubbed your forehead, trying to gather your thoughts. "So, I had this cute date with Yunjin, right? She gave me this amazing Dior bracelet, and I, " you stopped, a little taken aback by how deep into it you were. "I don’t even know, Kazuha. Then right after, Aeri pulls me in for her date, and she gives me a necklace. A necklace, Kazuha. Like, she’s seriously into me, and I... I don’t know what to do."

Kazuha’s eyes widened. "Wait, so you’re seriously seeing both of them now? Yunjin and Aeri?"

You nodded, feeling the weight of the situation finally crashing down on you. "Yeah. I know, it’s messed up. But I can’t stop now, can I? They’re both amazing, and I, I don’t want to hurt them. But I’m definitely in over my head."

Kazuha let out a long breath, her voice serious this time. "Y/N, this is gonna blow up in your face. You’re playing a dangerous game, and someone’s gonna get hurt. They’re not gonna stay in the dark forever."

"I know," you muttered, frustration building up. "But I’ve got to keep it together, Kazuha. I can’t let them find out. Not yet. I need time to figure this out."

Kazuha shook her head, a soft smile pulling at her lips. "Take your time, but don’t be an idiot. Someone's gonna find out sooner or later, and you need to decide who you really want to be with."

You looked at her, trying to suppress the panic rising in your chest. "Yeah, you’re right. But... how do I pick? They're both so different. It’s like I'm torn in two directions."

Kazuha gave you a knowing look. "Don’t get too comfortable with the ‘player’ act, Y/N. The longer you wait, the messier it’s gonna get. I just hope you figure it out before one of them figures it out for you."

You let out a sigh, finally feeling the weight of the situation hit you fully. "I guess I just have to make a decision soon... before things spiral out of control."

Kazuha slapped you lightly on the back, her voice light but serious. "Just don’t drag it out too long. I’m not cleaning up this mess when it all falls apart."

You chuckled weakly, realizing how true her words were. "Thanks, Kazuha. You really know how to keep me grounded."

She grinned. "Someone has to, right? Just don’t screw this up too badly."

You laughed, but the anxiety still gnawed at you. Valentine’s Day was supposed to be fun, but now it feels like the biggest mess of your life. All you could do was hope you wouldn’t get caught in the middle of your own game. 

You lay back on your bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on you. The adrenaline from the chaos of the day had worn off, leaving you with nothing but the aftereffects of what you’d just done. You thought about all the moves you’d made, how smooth you tried to play it.

But now, the idea of lying to both Yunjin and Aeri started to feel less like a game and more like a time bomb ticking away. What if they found out? What if they already knew and were just playing you the way you were playing them? The thought made your stomach twist.

You ran your hands through your hair, trying to make sense of everything. One thought came to mind: maybe you could just tell them the truth. You briefly entertained the idea of a group chat, but then immediately shot it down. That would be a mess. That would make everything worse, right? It was too public, too much drama. You couldn’t handle that level of chaos.

Still, you couldn’t shake the thought of them finding out on their own. They were both smart, both perceptive. What if they already suspected something was off? What if Yunjin and Aeri weren’t as clueless as you’d hoped? You groaned and buried your face in your pillow, the reality of your situation starting to settle in.

You had two choices: keep lying, keep playing the game, and risk it all blowing up in your face. Or, you could come clean now and try to salvage what was left. Maybe they’d appreciate the honesty. Maybe they wouldn’t.

Your mind was racing, flipping between the possibilities. Either way, you couldn’t avoid the truth forever. It was just a matter of when, if it would be on your terms or someone else’s.

You looked at your phone, half tempted to text them both, but you knew you needed to clear your head first. You needed to figure out how to navigate this before everything collapsed. But the question lingered in your mind: What if they knew?

You woke up the next morning to your phone buzzing with two messages, one from Yunjin and the other from Aeri. You rubbed your eyes, trying to shake off the lingering fog of sleep, and reached for your phone.

First, you checked Yunjin's message:

Yunjin: "Hey, had an amazing time with you yesterday! 💕 We should definitely do something again soon. Let me know when you're free!"

You smiled at the text, but before you could fully process it, you saw a message from Aeri pop up:

Aeri: "Hey, are you free today? I was thinking we could talk more about… well, us. Want to come over later?"

Your heart skipped a beat, but you tried to stay composed. You stared at the message for a few moments, a mix of excitement and anxiety coursing through you. This was the moment of truth.

You hesitated for a second, then texted back:

Y/N: "Sure, sounds good. I’ll swing by later! "

Once you sent that, you quickly flipped to Yunjin’s message. You didn’t want to leave her hanging either, so you typed:

Y/N: "Hey, same here! I’d love to hang out again soon :33 . Let’s figure out a time. But I’ve got something later today, so maybe after that?"

You sent both replies, your mind still racing. The choices were piling up, and you knew the sooner you dealt with it, the better. The fact that Aeri asked you to come over meant things was about to get real, and you needed to be prepared for what was to come.

With a sigh, you set your phone down, feeling the weight of the situation. There was no turning back now. You had to face it head-on.

You spent the next few hours pacing around, trying to mentally prepare for what was about to unfold. You couldn’t afford to mess this up. You had no idea what would happen when you saw Aeri later. Would she pick up on the tension, or would she be just as oblivious as you were trying to be?

The clock seemed to tick louder as you got ready. You were overthinking everything. Each outfit you tried on felt like you were preparing for a job interview rather than a date. You eventually settled on something casual, trying to keep it lowkey, but still cute enough to show you put in some effort.

When the time came, you grabbed your things, made sure to double-check you had everything you needed, and left. Your nerves were a mix of excitement and anxiety, but you kept telling yourself, You’ve got this. Just go with the flow.

Aeri’s place was just a few blocks away, so the walk gave you some time to calm your nerves. When you arrived, you took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. The door opened almost immediately, revealing Aeri standing there, smiling warmly.

“Hey, you!” she said, pulling you into a hug before stepping back to let you in. “I’m so glad you came. I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”

You smiled, feeling a flutter in your chest as you stepped inside. The place smelled like fresh flowers, and there was a soft playlist of instrumental music playing in the background. Aeri had clearly made an effort to set the mood.

"Thanks for inviting me over," you said, trying to sound calm despite the chaos in your head.

“Of course,” Aeri replied, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “So, I’ve been thinking a lot about… well, about us.”

You froze slightly at her words, trying not to let your nerves show. You took a seat on the couch, trying to seem relaxed. “Yeah, me too,” you said, keeping your voice steady.

She sat down next to you, her eyes locking onto yours. “I’m really enjoying spending time with you, Y/N,” she said, her tone soft and sincere. “And I just wanted to know… do you think there’s something more here between us?”

You felt your heart skip a beat, and you weren’t sure if you should feel relieved or terrified. You could feel the weight of her question pressing on you, and you could feel the other half of your mind screaming, What do I do now?

Before you could respond, your phone buzzed in your pocket. You quickly glanced at it, seeing a message from Yunjin.

Yunjin: “You busy? I was just thinking about you. Let me know when you’re free. ”

Aeri noticed the slight shift in your focus and tilted her head. “Everything okay?” she asked, her expression softening.

You nodded quickly, shoving your phone back in your pocket. “Yeah, just… just checking something. Sorry.”

Aeri gave you a knowing smile. “You don’t have to apologize. If you’re distracted, I understand.”

You smiled nervously, then remembered the plan you had set in motion. “I was just thinking… I really like you, Aeri. A lot. But we should take things slow, see where this goes. You know?”

Aeri’s smile widened, her eyes softening with understanding. “I feel the same way,” she said, placing her hand on yours. “No rush. We’ve got time.”

You felt a wave of relief wash over you, but deep down, you knew this wasn’t over yet. There was still Yunjin to consider. And who knew what else would come next?

For now, though, it felt like a small victory. You just hoped you could keep it from getting any more complicated.

The tension between you and Aeri continued to build as the evening wore on. After some small talk, you both started opening up more, sharing things that made you feel vulnerable. The light, casual conversation had turned into something deeper, something you hadn’t expected when you first walked in.

Aeri had moved closer on the couch, and there was a subtle shift in her body language. She was no longer just sitting beside you, she was leaning in, her attention fully focused on you. Her eyes were soft, but there was a hint of something else there, something unspoken.

“Y/N,” Aeri said softly, her voice almost a whisper. “I’m glad you came tonight. I feel like we’re really connecting, you know?”

You nodded, feeling your heart race a little faster. The air around you both felt thick, like something was about to happen, but neither of you were saying it outright.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about you,” you confessed, your own voice low and hesitant. “And… I don’t know. It’s just, I didn’t expect to feel this way.”

Aeri smiled at you, her fingers brushing against yours. She gave you a teasing look, her eyes twinkling with something playful, but there was an undeniable intensity behind her gaze. “You’re not the only one,” she said, her voice laced with the same kind of energy that was running through your veins. “I think you’ve been on my mind a lot too.”

For a moment, neither of you spoke. There was just the sound of the music in the background and the slight rustling of your breath, the room almost too quiet for the unspoken tension hanging in the air.

You both looked at each other then, really looked at each other, and the rest of the world seemed to disappear. The way Aeri’s lips parted slightly, the way her pupils were dilated, her gaze unwavering, it all drew you in. You could feel the heat of her body beside yours, the way her presence seemed to fill the space between you.

Without thinking, without any more words exchanged, you both leaned in at the same time. The kiss was soft at first, hesitant, unsure, but it deepened quickly as you both gave in to the pull. The moment your lips met, everything else seemed to fade away.

Aeri’s hands gently cupped your face, pulling you closer as you responded to the kiss, your heart pounding in your chest. The feeling of her lips against yours, the warmth of her touch, it was all you could focus on. The tension that had been building for hours had finally snapped, and you were both caught in this shared moment of vulnerability and longing.

When you finally pulled away, your breath came out in a soft, unsteady exhale. Aeri’s forehead rested against yours, her hands still lingering on your skin. She didn’t say anything for a few moments, just breathing, as if letting the reality of the moment settle in.

You both looked at each other, both trying to process what had just happened. You weren’t sure where this was going, but you couldn’t deny how right it felt at that moment. Still, the reality of your situation, Yunjin, everything that was happening, was never far from your mind.

But for now, you let yourself just be in the moment with Aeri, pulling her in once again, making out with her. The moment you pulled her back in, everything around you seemed to blur, and all that mattered was the softness of Aeri’s lips and the warmth of her body against yours. The kiss was deep, more urgent this time, like you both couldn’t get enough of each other. Her hands slid around your waist, pulling you even closer, and you responded, your fingers running through her hair, tugging her toward you as if you never wanted to pull away.

Aeri’s breath hitched as she pressed herself against you, deepening the kiss with a soft, needy sound. The pace between you both quickened, and before you knew it, the world outside the room had faded away. There was no worrying about the games or the lies anymore, just the heat between the two of you, the undeniable chemistry that had been building since you’d first met.

The kiss was everything, passion, tension, and a little bit of recklessness all at once. But as much as you wanted to let go completely, the reminder of the situation, of everything else that was tangled up in this, lingered at the edge of your mind.

Still, in this moment, with Aeri in your arms, you couldn’t bring yourself to care about anything except the feeling of her lips on yours and the way she made everything else feel so distant. As you pulled Aeri closer, your heart began to race, faster and harder than you expected. Each kiss made it beat louder in your chest, the rhythm matching the intensity of the moment. You could feel the heat of her body pressed against yours, and the surge of excitement and uncertainty made your pulse quicken. Aeri's hands moved to your back, pulling you even closer, and you responded, your breath hitching as you deepened the kiss.

You couldn’t think straight, your heart was pounding, every nerve alive with the electricity between you. The world around you seemed to vanish, leaving only the two of you in that space, tangled together.

Your body reacted without thinking, drawn to her like a magnet, but your heart? It was a little out of control, racing with a mix of excitement, desire, and, maybe, just maybe, a little bit of fear. Fear of how complicated things had gotten, but you couldn’t deny that in this moment, none of that mattered.

For now, it was just you and Aeri, caught up in the heat of the make out, and you let yourself get lost in it. The tension that had been building for so long was finally released in this moment, and all you could focus on was how she felt in your arms, how she kissed you back with equal intensity. As you kissed Aeri, everything else seemed to fade into the background. The world, the situation, and the confusion you had been carrying about Yunjin all disappeared. It was as if time stopped for a moment, your heart raced, your thoughts scrambled, but they were all centered on the here and now.

Yunjin? She was nowhere in your mind at that moment. All that mattered was Aeri’s touch, the way her lips felt against yours, and how perfectly everything seemed to align between you two.

The lingering thoughts about how complicated things had gotten, how you were juggling two feelings, evaporated. It was just you and Aeri in this space, no games, no pressure, just a moment of pure connection.

You couldn't deny that as you got lost in the kiss, Yunjin’s presence faded away, slipping to the back of your mind like an echo that wasn’t important right now. All that mattered was this, this intensity, this feeling. For now, you were completely focused on Aeri, letting everything else dissolve away.

As the kiss deepened, the air between you two grew heavier with every second. Aeri’s fingers brushed along your spine, sending shivers down your body as she pulled you even closer. Your lips parted slightly, and you couldn’t help but let out a soft gasp as Aeri’s hands found their way to your cheek, gently cupping it.

"You don’t know how long I’ve wanted this..." Aeri said.

Her voice was breathless, but you could hear the honesty in it. You responded by pressing your lips back to hers, feeling the connection between you intensify with each shared breath. It was like nothing else mattered anymore.

"I think I’ve wanted this too..." you told her.

You didn’t need words. The way you kissed each other spoke everything you both needed to say. Your bodies seemed to speak in unison, your hands tangling in each other’s hair, fingers gripping as if you never wanted to let go.

Aeri’s lips trailed down your neck, sending a wave of heat across your skin. You let out a soft sigh, leaning into her touch. "Aeri..." 

Aeri pulled back slightly, looking into your eyes, her pupils dilated and her breath heavy. "I don’t want to stop..."

You responded immediately, kissing her with a fierce, almost desperate intensity, as if this moment was slipping away too fast. The heat, the longing, the closeness, it was all consuming. You couldn’t focus on anything else, and for once, you didn’t want to. "Neither do I..."

Your lips met again, softer now, with a tender touch, as you both held onto each other, feeling the world fade out completely. It was just you two, lost in each other’s embrace, no hesitation, no regrets, only the undeniable pull between you.

As you and Aeri’s lips finally broke apart, your breath heavy and your heart racing, the silence between you two felt strangely intimate. Her forehead rested against yours, and for a moment, everything felt perfect.

But then, your phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling you out of the moment. You hesitated for a second before reaching for it, and when you saw the message from Yunjin, a wave of guilt washed over you.

Yunjin: "Hey, just wanted to check in. Are you okay? I’ve been thinking about you...and I want to see you. Wanna meet up?"

Your fingers froze over the screen, and the weight of everything crashed back down on you. You could feel Aeri’s gaze on you, the warmth of her body still close, but suddenly, it all felt a little too complicated.

You sighed, looking at Aeri with a bittersweet expression, trying to push aside the heaviness in your chest.

Y/N: "Aeri... Kazuha needs me."

Your voice came out with a sadness you hadn’t meant to show, but it was there, lingering in the air. You knew you had to leave, that this moment couldn’t last forever, and that you couldn’t keep juggling these feelings for much longer.

Aeri’s eyes softened, a gentle understanding in them, but there was a touch of hurt in her gaze too.

Aeri: "It’s okay... I get it. Go to her."

You nodded, feeling the weight of her words even more than you expected. You leaned in for one last kiss, a slow, tender touch, before pulling away.

Y/N: "I’ll text you later, okay?"

Aeri simply nodded, offering a small, sad smile as you stood up, grabbing your things. As you walked out the door, the guilt gnawed at you again, but there was nothing you could do now.

Part of you couldn’t help but wish you could stay with Aeri, in the warmth of that kiss, in the simplicity of just being with her. Before you turned to leave, you paused for a moment, torn between your emotions. You looked at Aeri one last time, her eyes full of understanding, but still tinged with something unspoken. The weight of everything hung in the air, your guilt, your feelings, the mess you had created, but you waved and turned around, taking one last glance at Aeri before walking out the door.

Each step felt heavier than the last, the silence between you two echoing in your mind. You couldn’t shake the feeling of leaving something behind, of walking away from something that had felt so right. But you had to go.

As you step into the hallway, your heart still aches from the kiss, the words left unsaid, and the feeling of Aeri’s touch still lingering on your skin. You couldn’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if you had stayed. But right now, you had to face what was waiting for you outside the door.

You checked your phone again, seeing a message from Yunjin, asking when you could meet up. You had promised her you'd be there soon. And as much as you didn’t want to face her just yet, you knew you couldn’t avoid it. You took a deep breath, pushing down the storm of emotions swirling inside you, and stepped forward, hoping that somehow, in the end, everything would make sense.

You arrived at the restaurant where you and Yunjin had agreed to meet, the scent of food filling the air as you stepped inside. The moment you walked in, you spotted her sitting at a corner table, scrolling through her phone. She looked up as you approached, her face lighting up with a smile that, for a brief moment, made everything feel a little easier.

"Hey," Yunjin greeted you, her voice soft but warm as she stood up. You smiled back, though it didn’t reach your eyes as fully as you would’ve liked. You both exchanged a quick hug before sitting down.

“How’ve you been?” Yunjin asked, her eyes scanning your face as if trying to gauge your mood.

You tried to play it cool, but you could feel the tension in your chest, the weight of the day’s events pressing against you. "I’ve been okay, just... busy," you replied, trying to sound casual but failing to hide the underlying strain in your voice.

Yunjin leaned back in her chair, watching you closely. "You sure? You seem a little off today."

You hesitated for a moment, unsure how to respond. The guilt from seeing Aeri still weighed heavily on you, and now, sitting here with Yunjin, you realized just how complicated everything had become. Your thoughts raced, and for a second, you wondered if you should just come clean, tell her everything. But the words felt stuck in your throat.

"Yeah, just... thinking a lot," you finally said, offering a small smile.

Yunjin didn’t seem convinced, but she nodded anyway. "Well, I’m glad you came. I’ve been thinking a lot too... about us."

The way she said "about us" made your heart flutter in a way that it shouldn’t. You knew you had to tread carefully here, there was too much at stake.

“I... I know,” you replied, your voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve been thinking about that too.”

Yunjin’s gaze softened as she reached across the table, taking your hand in hers. "I just want to make sure we’re okay. You know? I care about you a lot, and I don’t want things to get complicated between us."

You felt a pang of guilt at her words, the weight of your secret threatening to spill out. You squeezed her hand, trying to reassure her, though you knew you weren’t being entirely honest. “Yeah, I don’t want things to be weird either.”

But as you said the words, you felt like you were lying to her. You wanted to be honest, to tell her the truth about what had happened with Aeri, but the fear of how she might react held you back. The last thing you wanted was to hurt Yunjin.

For a few moments, you both sat in silence, sipping your drinks. The conversation had shifted, but you couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going unsaid. You couldn’t help but wonder if Yunjin sensed that you were hiding something, if she could see the truth in your eyes. And as much as you wanted to keep the illusion intact, you knew that sooner or later, the truth was going to come out.

Yunjin led you out of the café, her hand still gently holding yours as she guided you towards her car. The air was cool, and the late afternoon sun was beginning to dip behind the trees, casting a soft glow across the streets.

When you reached the car, Yunjin popped the trunk and began rummaging through it. You raised an eyebrow, curious. "What are we doing, exactly?" you asked, a little uncertain.

Yunjin glanced over her shoulder and gave you a playful smile. "We’re going to the park. Thought we could sit, talk... maybe get some fresh air." She pulled out a blanket from the trunk and folded it neatly under her arm.

You chuckled softly, feeling a bit surprised but also relieved. Being outside and away from everything seemed like a good idea, especially given how much had been weighing on you lately.

"Alright, sounds nice," you said, a slight smile tugging at your lips. "I wasn’t expecting this, but I like it."

Yunjin closed the trunk and walked over to the passenger side, opening the door for you. "Thought it’d be a nice change of pace," she said as she got in the driver’s seat. "We don’t need to talk about anything heavy, just... hang out."

You nodded, appreciating the simplicity of it. It was exactly what you needed. The idea of just spending some time together, without the complexities that seemed to follow you lately, felt like a small relief.

As she started the car and pulled away from the curb, you let your thoughts drift, trying to push away the weight of your situation with Aeri. It wasn’t easy, but you figured, for now, you could focus on being with Yunjin, just the two of you.

The drive to the park wasn’t long, and the quiet between you both felt comfortable. Yunjin’s music played softly in the background, but neither of you spoke much, both lost in your own thoughts. When she finally parked the car and turned off the engine, you both stepped out and walked to a quiet spot in the park.

Yunjin spread the blanket on the grass, patting it for you to sit down. "It’s nice out here," she said as she settled next to you, her eyes scanning the peaceful surroundings.

"Yeah, it really is," you agreed, taking a seat beside her. The world felt a little calmer here, as if the park was its own little bubble, far removed from the drama and confusion you’d been carrying.

You looked over at Yunjin, who was now lying back on the blanket, gazing up at the sky. You followed her lead, feeling the coolness of the grass beneath you. For a while, the two of you simply stared up at the sky, letting the quiet moments stretch out between you.

It felt nice... easy. But deep down, you knew you couldn’t escape the reality of everything forever.

The soft rustling of the leaves in the breeze was the only sound that filled the air as you and Yunjin laid on the blanket, side by side. The park around you was tranquil, with only a few other people scattered about, but it felt as if the world had slowed down for the two of you. The sun had begun to set, casting a warm, golden hue across the sky, and the air had turned cooler, making it feel like the perfect moment to just relax and be present.

After a while, you turned your head toward Yunjin, finding her gaze already on you. She offered a soft smile, one that made your heart skip a beat.

"You know," she started, her voice low and teasing, "this is a lot nicer than what I expected. I thought we’d just be talking the whole time." Her eyes twinkled, hinting at something unspoken.

You chuckled, feeling the weight of the moment settle between you two, a quiet understanding that hung in the air. "I didn’t mind talking," you replied, "but it’s nice to just... be here with you, you know?"

Yunjin’s smile softened, and she shifted closer, propping herself up on one elbow so she could look at you more intently. Her fingers brushed lightly against your arm, the touch sending a small spark through your skin.

The shift in her posture and the intimacy of the moment didn’t go unnoticed. You felt the energy between you two change, the unspoken tension building slowly but surely.

Yunjin moved a little closer, her face mere inches from yours now, and her breath warmed your skin. Her eyes searched yours, and for a moment, everything else faded away. The closeness, the chemistry between you two, was undeniable.

"Y/N..." Her voice was barely a whisper now, soft and filled with something that made your heart race. You didn’t have to say anything in response. The moment felt suspended in time.

You leaned in slightly, your breath hitching as your lips brushed against hers. The contact was tentative at first, almost hesitant, like both of you were testing the waters. But the second her lips pressed against yours again, something shifted.

It was like a switch flipped, and suddenly everything felt electric. Yunjin's hand moved to your face, cupping it gently, while your own hand found its way to her waist. You both deepened the kiss, the urgency of it growing as the world around you continued to fade away.

The kiss was tender, yet there was an undeniable intensity behind it. You felt her pull you closer, your bodies aligning perfectly as if this was where you were meant to be. Your heart raced in your chest, thumping louder with each passing second, and every touch sent a wave of warmth through your body.

It wasn’t like anything you had expected when you first got into the car with her, but it felt... right. There was something about being in this space with Yunjin that made everything else fall into place. In that moment, you couldn’t think of anything but the kiss, the connection, and the way everything seemed to feel so intense.

Yunjin's lips were soft against yours, but there was an intensity behind each kiss that made your heart race faster. Her hand gently cupped your face, tilting it slightly, as her other hand slid down to your waist, pulling you closer. You could feel the heat of her body against yours, the way she was melting into the kiss, and it made everything inside you stir.

You whisper against her lips "I’ve... wanted this. With you."

Yunjin's breath hitched, and she pulled back just enough to meet your eyes. Her gaze was dark, filled with desire, but there was also something else there, something soft, almost vulnerable."I know... me too." Yunjin said softly.

Her words made your heart skip, and before you could process it, she was kissing you again, more urgently this time. Her lips moved against yours with a passion that made everything else fade away. You responded in kind, your hand slipping into her hair, tugging her even closer, as your body pressed into hers.

The kiss deepened, both of you trying to convey everything you hadn’t said out loud, every unspoken thought, through the touch of your lips. Yunjin’s hand slid lower, her fingers tracing the line of your back, making your breath hitch.

You could feel her smile against your lips, her hands moving with purpose, pulling you even tighter against her. Every inch of your body was alive with the heat between you, and the more you kissed, the less you cared about anything else.

It wasn’t rushed, but it wasn’t slow either, it was a blend of urgency and need, both of you trying to express something you hadn’t yet put into words. Your hands moved to her waist, pulling her in closer, if that was even possible, and you could feel her heartbeat against yours. It was wild, almost as if it was happening without thinking, but it felt so natural, so right.

As you finally pulled away, both of you gasping for air, there was a moment of silence. Yunjin’s eyes were dark, filled with something that mirrored your own feelings, desire, intensity, and maybe even a little bit of vulnerability. You stared at each other for a few seconds, both of you trying to catch your breath, your hearts still pounding in your chests. " I really like you Y/n" 

The words hung in the air, almost like a confession, and for a split second, everything else seemed to fade away. Yunjin’s gaze was unwavering, her voice quiet but sincere. You could feel the weight of what she had said, how much it meant, how much it meant to her.

Your heart skipped a beat, and a flutter of warmth spread through you. You hadn’t expected those words, but now that they were spoken, it felt like the truth between you two had finally surfaced. You opened your mouth to respond, but for a moment, the words caught in your throat.

Instead, you reached out, gently cupping her face in your hands, and leaned in to kiss her again, this time softer, as if the kiss was a response to everything unspoken. Your lips met in a tender connection, and you could feel her smile against your mouth. It was a reassurance, a promise, silent, but loud enough to make your heart race all over again.

You pulled back just slightly, resting your forehead against hers, your breath mingling. "I like you too, Yunjin," you said softly, the words flowing with ease now. "More than I expected."

Yunjin's eyes softened, a hint of relief flashing in them as she smiled, her hands running through your hair gently. "I'm glad," she whispered, her voice full of sincerity.

What are you gonna do now?

The day had been a whirlwind, two intense, emotional encounters with Aeri and Yunjin that had left you dizzy, confused, and overwhelmed. The heat of the kisses still lingered on your lips, but the warmth was tainted by a growing sense of anxiety that gnawed at you. You had no idea what to do anymore.

The whirlwind of emotions inside you was like a storm that refused to settle. One moment, you were lost in Aeri’s touch, feeling like nothing else mattered, and the next, you were kissing Yunjin with the same intensity, feeling something real you couldn’t deny. But now? Now, you were left in the silence, alone with your thoughts, trying to make sense of it all.

You kept replaying everything over and over in your mind, the way Aeri’s lips felt, how Yunjin’s touch made your heart race. The more you thought about it, the more the confusion grew. You never wanted to hurt either of them, but how could you possibly choose when both felt so right in different ways?

Your heart was torn in two, and no matter how hard you tried to focus on just one, the other kept sneaking into your thoughts. You didn’t want to betray anyone’s trust, yet here you were, caught in the middle of something that seemed to grow messier with every passing second.

You felt stressed, like you were carrying a weight you couldn’t put down. How were you supposed to make sense of your feelings for both Aeri and Yunjin? How could you be fair to either of them?

Your mind raced, trying to find answers, but it felt like every time you got close to one, the other tugged you in a different direction. You just wanted clarity, some way to figure out how to move forward, or if you could even move forward without everything crashing down around you.

Monday morning arrived, but you could barely focus. Your mind was still tangled in the mess you’d made over the weekend, switching between thoughts of Aeri and Yunjin. You kept replaying the moments you’d shared with each of them, trying to make sense of everything. But all you could feel was the weight of your confusion and guilt bearing down on you.

You were lost in your thoughts as you walked across campus, your mind miles away from everything around you. It wasn’t until you heard Yunjin’s voice cut through your haze that your head snapped up, her voice unmistakable, calling out your name.

“Y/N!”

Your heart skipped a beat, your body freezing in place as your eyes locked onto her. She was sitting at a table with none other than Aeri, who was looking up at you with wide eyes, brows furrowed in confusion. Your breath caught in your throat as the realization hit you like a wave.

Yunjin knew you. And now, Aeri was sitting there beside her, clearly wondering what was going on. The combination of their gazes, the unease in the air, and the sudden pressure made your heart race uncontrollably.

This is it, you thought. You're going to be exposed. Everything you had tried so hard to keep separate was about to collide, and you could feel the tension in your chest building up like a storm about to burst.

The ground beneath you seemed to shift, your knees feeling weak as the anxiety hit you full force. You couldn’t decide if you wanted to run or face them head-on. Either way, you felt like you might faint right there on the spot, your heart pounding so loud you were sure they could hear it.

You slowly took a step toward the table, trying to act normal, but the weight of the situation felt like it was crushing you. You didn’t know what to say, how to explain yourself. Your mind was too frantic, too tangled up in guilt and panic to form a coherent thought.

The moment had arrived, and everything you’d been trying to avoid was now right in front of you.

Your feet moved slowly, almost unwillingly, as you approached the table where Yunjin and Aeri were sitting. Every step felt heavier than the last, your mind scrambling to figure out what to do or say, but nothing came. It was like the words were trapped in your throat.

Yunjin’s eyes lit up when she saw you, a wide grin forming on her face, clearly oblivious to the chaos running through your head. “Hey!” she greeted, her tone warm, but you could feel the tension creeping in, the weight of Aeri’s confused gaze on you.

Aeri, on the other hand, looked like she was trying to process the situation. Her expression flickered between curiosity and suspicion, and it made your chest tighten even more. She had no idea what was going on, but the fact that you were here now, with Yunjin, made things incredibly complicated. You could already feel the questions building in the air.

You took a deep breath, trying to steady yourself before speaking. “Hey…” Your voice felt like a faint whisper, completely at odds with the storm raging inside you. “I didn’t expect to see you two together,” you added, trying to force a casual tone, though it was anything but.

Yunjin raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by your awkwardness. “Well, Aeri and I were just chatting, and I figured I’d introduce her to you. I didn’t know you two hadn’t met yet.” Her tone was light, but there was a small hint of something you couldn’t quite place.

Aeri, sensing the tension but still confused, looked between the two of you. “Yeah, I didn’t know you knew each other,” she said, her voice soft, but the curiosity was palpable. “Is there something I’m missing?”

Your heart hammered in your chest, the situation spiraling out of your control. You needed to act quickly, to explain something, anything to make it seem less weird, but your mind was drawing blanks. You glanced at both of them, your stomach twisting with guilt. The whole situation felt like a trainwreck waiting to happen.

“Uh, yeah, we met recently…” You trailed off, the words coming out weak and unsure. The truth seemed too complicated, too messy to explain now. So, you took a step back and tried to deflect. “I didn’t realize you two were friends,” you said to Aeri, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes.

Aeri didn’t seem convinced. Her gaze softened, but there was a flicker of something, maybe suspicion, maybe hurt, that you couldn’t ignore. She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Yunjin interjected, her voice suddenly more serious.

“Y/N… we need to talk later,” Yunjin said, her eyes glancing over at Aeri quickly before meeting your gaze. The weight of those words hit you hard, and you could feel the tension in your shoulders. You weren’t sure if she was referring to what had happened between the two of you or the mess of emotions that had been left unaddressed. Either way, you knew you were in deep now.

Aeri’s eyes flickered between the two of you, narrowing slightly as she looked back at Yunjin. “What do you mean by that?” she asked, a bit sharper this time.

Yunjin chuckled softly, trying to ease the tension, but you could tell it was only making things worse. “It’s nothing to worry about, Aeri. Just... something personal.”

You could feel Aeri’s eyes on you, piercing through you as if trying to read every thought on your face. She was waiting for something more, and the longer you stayed silent, the harder it became to dodge the situation. Your heart thudded in your chest, every second making the air feel thicker, more suffocating.

You took a deep breath, trying to steady yourself, but it didn’t help. The world around you felt like it was spinning, and you were stuck in the middle of it all. Something had to give, and you had no idea how to make it happen.

All you could do was stand there, caught in a lie, drowning in the complexity of your feelings.

The tension in the air was thick as you stood there, caught between Yunjin and Aeri. You hadn’t expected this moment to come so soon, yet here you were, your heart pounding and your mind racing for a way out of the mess you had unknowingly created. Aeri was eyeing you, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, and the confusion in her expression slowly started to shift into suspicion. Yunjin, sitting beside her, was much more relaxed on the outside, but you could see the subtle way her eyes flicked back and forth between the two of you, a shift in her posture that suggested she was sensing something was off.

Aeri was the first to speak, her voice low but sharp. “So... Y/N, you know Yunjin?” she asked, her tone carefully neutral, but the hint of suspicion was undeniable. You could feel her watching you intently, waiting for your response.

Yunjin, ever the calm one, shifted in her seat, clearly trying to keep things light. “Yeah, we met recently. But you didn’t mention that you two knew each other,” she added, her voice almost too casual. There was an edge to her words that betrayed her attempt to act like everything was fine. She turned to Aeri, a half-smile on her lips. “I didn’t realize you were so close with Y/N.”

The mention of your name hanging in the air made your stomach tighten, and you could already feel the weight of their scrutiny pressing down on you. You opened your mouth to speak, but your words were stuck, tangled up in a knot of guilt and confusion. Aeri’s eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze flicking between you and Yunjin, and you could see the wheels turning in her head. She was piecing things together in her mind, and you knew the moment she realized something wasn’t right.

Aeri’s lips pressed into a thin line as she looked at you. “I didn’t know you two were... so familiar with each other,” she said, her voice cool but laced with an undercurrent of suspicion. “Are you sure there’s nothing else going on between the two of you?”

Yunjin’s gaze turned toward you, her expression unreadable for a split second before she leaned forward slightly, a subtle shift in her posture. Her tone had softened, but it was still cautious. “Yeah, Y/N. You’ve never mentioned that you were close to Aeri. What’s going on?”

You could feel their eyes on you, both of them waiting for an answer, and the silence that followed felt like it would swallow you whole. It wasn’t just a casual conversation anymore. Both women were starting to pick up on something, on the subtle shifts in your demeanor, the way you avoided certain questions, the tension that clung to the air between you.

Aeri’s eyes narrowed further as she leaned in just a bit, her voice barely above a whisper but sharp with suspicion. “What is this? Am I missing something, Y/N?” She wasn’t angry yet, but it was clear she wasn’t going to let this go. The way her gaze lingered on you, expectant and demanding, made you feel small.

Yunjin, still trying to keep the atmosphere light, raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been acting strange lately. Care to explain, Y/N?” There was a subtle change in her tone now, something that hinted at doubt.

The weight of the question pressed down on you. It felt like the walls were closing in on you, like you were caught in a lie you couldn’t escape from. They were both suspicious, their once casual interest in your life now tinged with doubt. You couldn’t keep up the façade any longer, but you had no idea how to get out of this without hurting someone.

Aeri crossed her arms, her gaze steady on you. “So what is it, Y/N? What’s going on with you and Yunjin?” There was no more pretense now, her tone was demanding, like she was waiting for you to fess up.

Yunjin was quiet for a moment, her expression unreadable, but you could see the glimmer of suspicion behind her eyes now, just barely concealed by her calm demeanor. “Yeah, Y/N. What’s going on?” she echoed, her voice slightly colder now.

You could feel the pressure mounting, the noose of your tangled emotions threatening to snap. There was no easy way out of this, no smooth excuse or perfect lie to make everything go away. The confusion, the tension, the guilt... it was all crashing over you at once, and you didn’t know how to handle it. All you could do was stand there, caught between two women who were now looking at you with growing suspicion.

The weight of their eyes on you, the suspicion and unspoken questions hanging in the air, finally broke you. You took a deep breath, your chest tightening, and you realized there was no escaping this anymore. The lies, the half-truths, the constant juggling, it had to stop. You owed them both the truth, even if it meant losing them both. You owed it to yourself to be honest.

You looked at Aeri first, her expression a mixture of confusion and hurt, and then at Yunjin, whose face had gone from casual curiosity to something darker. You swallowed, your throat dry, but you knew there was no other choice now.

“I... I’m seeing both of you,” you said, the words coming out slower than you expected, heavy with the weight of everything that had been left unsaid until now. Your heart was pounding, and you felt exposed in a way you hadn’t before. “I’ve been spending time with both of you, and I... I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to hurt anyone.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Aeri blinked, her expression unreadable at first, and then her lips pressed into a thin line. Her arms were still crossed, but now there was a tension in her posture that made it clear she was holding back a storm of emotions. Yunjin, on the other hand, seemed still for a moment, her gaze fixed on you, but you could see the wheels turning in her head, the realization starting to sink in.

Aeri was the first to speak, her voice low and strained. “So... you’ve been seeing both of us, this whole time? And you didn’t think either of us would find out?” Her words were sharp, edged with something you couldn’t quite place, disappointment, maybe? Betrayal? You couldn’t tell, but the way she looked at you made you feel small. “And you couldn’t be honest with us?”

“I... I should’ve told you both,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. The weight of your guilt made your chest feel tighter. “I didn’t know how to say it. I didn’t want to hurt either of you, but I should’ve known better. I was scared.”

Yunjin finally spoke, her voice quieter but no less impactful. “So, all this time, you’ve been lying to both of us?” She shook her head, her brow furrowing in disbelief. “I don’t even know what to think right now. I thought... I thought you were different.”

You winced at her words, feeling the sting deep in your chest. “I am different,” you tried to explain, though the words felt hollow. “I didn’t mean for it to get like this. I didn’t want to hurt you, Yunjin. I just... I didn’t know how to choose.”

Aeri’s arms uncrossed, and she took a small step back, her gaze drifting away from you as if she couldn’t bear to look you in the eye anymore. “You should’ve chosen sooner,” she said quietly, her voice breaking just slightly, though she quickly regained her composure. “But now it’s too late.”

The words hit you like a punch to the gut. The tension between all three of you was palpable, a storm of emotions swirling in the air. You had done the right thing by finally being honest, but now it felt like you had destroyed everything in the process.

“I’m sorry,” you whispered, but it didn’t feel like enough. It didn’t feel like it could undo the damage you’d done.

The tension in the air lingered, thick and suffocating. You stood there, waiting for something, anything, that would break the silence. But the longer you stood, the more the weight of your actions pressed down on you. Aeri and Yunjin exchanged a brief look, their faces a mixture of confusion, hurt, and maybe even a little anger.

Yunjin shifted slightly, breaking the silence. “I don’t know what to say right now,” she said, her voice strained. She shook her head, her eyes narrowing. “You think we’re just supposed to be okay with this? That we can just go on like nothing happened?”

Aeri stepped forward, her arms crossing once more as she looked at you. “I didn’t expect this from you, Y/N,” she said, her tone soft, but there was an unmistakable edge to it. “I thought you cared about me, about us, but you didn’t even have the decency to be upfront from the start.”

“I do care,” you said, almost pleading. “That’s the problem. I care about both of you. I like you both. But I was scared... I didn’t want to hurt anyone, and now I’ve hurt both of you.”

“You should’ve thought about that before,” Aeri shot back, her eyes flashing with hurt. “You’ve been playing games with us this whole time, and now you want us to just accept it?”

Yunjin took a deep breath, her eyes searching yours. “What do you want, Y/N?” she asked, her voice quieter now but no less intense. “Do you expect us to just move on from this? Do you expect us to just forgive you?”

The question hung in the air, heavier than anything else. You didn’t have an answer. You didn’t know what you were expecting from them. You didn’t know what you wanted anymore.

“I don’t know what to do,” you admitted, your voice barely a whisper. “I don’t want to lose either of you.”

Aeri let out a sharp exhale, frustration clear on her face. “Well, sometimes you have to face the consequences of your actions, Y/N. And right now, it doesn’t look like you’re going to get away without facing them.”

“I don’t know what happens now,” you murmured, the reality of the situation settling in. The weight of the consequences, the uncertainty of the future, it was all too much.

There was a long pause as the three of you stood there, emotions running high, the distance between you growing with every passing second. You didn’t know how to fix this, and you had no idea if there was even a way to make things right.

Finally, Yunjin spoke again, her voice barely above a whisper. “I need some time to think. I can’t... I can’t process this all right now.”

Aeri nodded, her expression unreadable. “Same here. I think we both need time.”

With that, both of them turned away, walking in opposite directions, leaving you standing there alone. The silence was deafening, and for the first time in a long while, you felt truly lost.

You had no idea how to fix things or if you even could. But one thing was certain, you had never felt more alone in your life.

You rush home, your heart heavy, your mind a tangled mess of guilt, confusion, and regret. The moment you step through the door, you barely manage to close it behind you before the floodgates open. You collapse onto your bed, burying your face in your hands as the tears come pouring out. The emotions you've been bottling up for weeks, no, for months, are finally spilling over, and you can't stop them.

You feel like you're drowning in the weight of everything, Aeri’s hurt, Yunjin’s disappointment, and the realization that you've messed up in ways you can’t undo. You don't know what you were expecting, but this? This feels like the end of everything. The tears come harder, and you let them, because right now, it’s the only way to release the pain.

There’s a knock on your door, and without waiting for an answer, Kazuha steps inside. Her eyes soften when she sees you on the bed, your face streaked with tears. She doesn’t say anything at first, but you can feel her presence comforting in its own way. She sits next to you, rubbing your back gently.

“You were right,” you say between sobs, your voice shaky. “I messed everything up. I’m such an idiot.”

Kazuha sighs, her hand pausing on your back. “I told you it would catch up to you,” she says softly, her tone calm but not unkind. “You can’t juggle people’s feelings like that and expect everything to stay fine.”

You nod, sniffling as you wipe your eyes, unable to meet her gaze. “I didn’t want to hurt them, Kazuha. I just... I don’t know. I thought maybe I could handle it, but now I’ve lost both of them.”

Kazuha doesn’t respond immediately, instead waiting for you to gather yourself. “You can’t keep hiding from the truth, Y/N,” she says, her voice steady. “You have to be honest with yourself and with others, no matter how hard it is. And maybe you’ll lose them, maybe you won’t. But you can’t keep playing this game.”

You look at her then, finally meeting her eyes, and see the truth in her gaze. The weight of her words hits you harder than any of the things you’ve been telling yourself.

“I know,” you say quietly. “I just... I didn’t think it would be this hard.”

Kazuha gives you a small, understanding smile. “Of course it’s hard. It’s life. But this is how we learn. You’ll figure it out, even if it doesn’t feel like it now.”

The tears come again, but this time you don’t try to fight them. Kazuha just stays beside you, her presence grounding you, reminding you that you’re not alone, even if it feels like the world is falling apart around you.

The next day, you wake up to a heavy, lingering sense of dread. The events from yesterday are still fresh in your mind, the conversation with Aeri and Yunjin replaying in your head. You can't shake the feeling that everything is unraveling, and you have no idea how to put it back together.

You try to distract yourself by getting ready for the day, going through the motions of getting dressed and grabbing your things, but the weight of what happened presses on your chest, making it hard to focus. You barely eat, your mind too consumed by the mess you've created.

When you finally make it to campus, you’re met with a strange mix of emotions. There’s an ache in your stomach at the thought of seeing Aeri and Yunjin again, but also a part of you knows you need to face them. You can’t keep avoiding them. But how do you even begin to fix this?

As you walk across campus, you spot Yunjin sitting by a bench, her expression unreadable as she looks out at the students passing by. Your heart skips, and you hesitate, unsure of whether to approach her or not.

But before you can make a decision, you hear Aeri’s voice from behind you. “Y/N.”

You freeze. The way she says your name, soft but with an edge of something you can’t quite place, makes your stomach flip. Slowly, you turn to face her, finding her standing a few feet away, arms crossed, her eyes trained on you.

"I need to talk to you," Aeri says, her voice tight but not angry. You can feel the tension in the air between you two, but there's something almost... resigned in her expression.

"Okay," you manage to say, voice barely above a whisper. You glance over at Yunjin, who's watching you both with a guarded look, but she doesn’t move, doesn’t approach.

Aeri nods toward a quieter area of campus, and you follow her, your heart racing. The weight of everything, the guilt, the regret, the fear of losing them both, presses down on you as you walk, and you know that this conversation will either be the beginning of something healing or the end of everything.

When you’re out of earshot of the crowds, Aeri stops and turns to face you. Her eyes are still guarded, but there’s a vulnerability there too, something raw that makes your heart ache.

“You really thought you could keep this from us, didn’t you?” Aeri’s voice cracks slightly, and she quickly looks away, trying to compose herself. “I thought you were better than this.”

You swallow hard, the words you’ve been holding back threatening to spill over. "I didn’t want to hurt you, Aeri. I never meant for any of this to happen.”

Her eyes meet yours again, but this time there's a hint of disappointment, a weight you didn't realize you’d put on her. "But you did, Y/N. You hurt both of us.”

The silence that falls between you is thick, suffocating. You want to apologize, to explain everything, but nothing seems right.

“I... I don’t know what to do,” you admit, your voice shaking. “I like both of you. I didn’t expect it to get this complicated, but here we are.”

Aeri takes a deep breath, looking away for a moment before turning her gaze back to you. “You need to figure out what you really want, Y/N. Because right now, it feels like you’re just... avoiding the truth. Running from it.”

Your throat tightens, and you can feel the sting of tears threatening again. “I know... I know I messed up.”

Aeri shakes her head, her expression softening, though it doesn’t take away the hurt. “I’m not mad, Y/N. I’m hurt. And I don’t know if I can keep going like this.”

The words hit you like a punch in the gut, and you suddenly feel like the ground beneath you is slipping away.

“I never meant to hurt you, Aeri,” you say, your voice barely above a whisper.

Aeri steps back, a sigh escaping her lips. “I think I need some space, Y/N. I can’t keep doing this.”

You nod, your heart breaking as you watch her walk away, every step feeling like another fracture in the connection you once shared. You turn slowly, only to meet Yunjin’s gaze from across the campus, her eyes full of questions. You can’t help but feel like you're sinking deeper into this mess, and no matter what you do now, it might be too late to make things right.

But the last thing Aeri said before she left echoes in your head: “As much as I’m hurt, I still really like you.”

The weight of Aeri’s words still lingers in the air, heavy and suffocating. You stand there, frozen for a moment, unable to move. You feel like everything is collapsing in on you, and you're caught between two people you care about, neither of whom are happy with you right now.

You finally take a few shaky steps forward, looking over at Yunjin. She hasn’t moved, but her eyes are intense, waiting for you to make the next move. The tension is palpable, and you can almost hear her thoughts swirling in the air around you.

You approach her slowly, your heart pounding in your chest. It’s hard to meet her gaze directly, but you do anyway, because this is something you can’t avoid anymore.

“Yunjin,” you start, your voice hoarse, “I never meant for any of this to happen. I didn’t want to hurt you or Aeri. But... I don’t know what to do. I like both of you, and I’ve been lying to myself about how I felt.”

Yunjin’s eyes soften, but she doesn’t say anything for a long moment. The silence between you two feels like an eternity, and you’re starting to doubt whether you’ve made the right choice, whether telling the truth was the best thing after all.

“I didn’t expect this either,” Yunjin finally says, her voice surprisingly calm. “But I’m not blind, Y/N. I can see what’s been going on. You’re not the only one feeling confused.”

You take a deep breath, your stomach turning as you look at her. “I never meant to make you feel like that. I’m just... I don’t know what I want anymore. I care about both of you.”

Yunjin studies you for a moment, and then, much to your surprise, she reaches out and gently touches your arm. “I’m not going to lie and say that I’m okay with all of this. But I understand that feelings aren’t always something you can control. What I can’t deal with is the dishonesty.”

Her words sting, but they also make sense. She’s right. You’ve been avoiding the truth for too long, letting everything fester. But even now, it feels like a monumental task to sort through the mess you've made.

“I understand,” you whisper, your chest tightening again. “But... can you give me another chance? I know I messed up, but I want to make things right. I don’t know how, but I’ll try.”

Yunjin looks at you for a long time, her expression unreadable. Finally, she nods slowly, but there’s still a shadow of uncertainty in her eyes. “We’ll see, Y/N. But first... you need to figure things out, because I can’t keep going in circles like this. Neither can Aeri.”

The words settle heavily between you both. It’s not an answer you were hoping for, but it’s a start, at least she hasn’t turned her back on you completely.

You look around, seeing Aeri’s silhouette walking away in the distance. It’s clear that there’s so much more to fix, and that it won’t be easy. But for the first time in what feels like forever, you don’t feel completely lost. There’s a tiny sliver of hope left, and you’re determined to fight for it, whatever the outcome might be.

The week that follows feels like an eternity. You gave them both the space they asked for, stepping back and letting the silence settle in between the three of you. Your phone stays quiet, your heartbeats growing louder with each passing day. You try to fill the hours with distractions, schoolwork, spending time with friends, and even focusing on things that once brought you peace, but it all feels hollow. The guilt weighs heavy, always present in the back of your mind.

There are moments when you catch yourself reaching for your phone, your fingers hovering over the screen as if you could send a text that would make everything better. But each time, you pull back. You know they need time. You know you need time. It doesn't make the waiting any easier, though.

Your days pass in a blur of routine. You go through the motions, attend your classes, make small talk with classmates, but your mind is constantly racing. It’s like you’re living in two worlds at once: one where you’re just trying to survive, and another where you’re completely consumed by the consequences of your actions.

Still, you keep your composure. You tell yourself over and over that you can handle this. That you can wait. That things will eventually fall into place.

But deep down, you’re a mess. You think of Aeri, her quiet but hurt words, her need for space that still feels like a heavy weight on your chest. Then there’s Yunjin, her calm demeanor that hides the frustration and confusion you know she must be feeling. Both of them deserve honesty. Both of them deserve more than what you’ve given them.

You don’t know what will happen when the week ends. But you know you can’t hide forever. The silence has been deafening, and every moment that passes feels like it’s getting harder to hold everything together.

You’re just... trying to be patient. Trying to wait for the right moment to fix things.

But inside, your heart is breaking piece by piece. And you wonder if you’ll ever be able to fix the mess you’ve made.

Two weeks had passed since everything blew up. You’d given Aeri and Yunjin the space they needed, keeping your distance to give them time to process. The silence between the three of you had been deafening, and in your mind, it had been a blur of guilt, confusion, and self-doubt. You never imagined that you’d end up in a situation like this, but it had happened. All you could do was try to keep your composure and not let the weight of it all crush you.

Now, you were back in the library, trying to focus on your studies. The books in front of you were just words and pages, but your mind? Your mind was a mess. You tried to force yourself to concentrate, to block out the thoughts swirling around your feelings for both Aeri and Yunjin. It wasn’t working. Every moment felt like an internal battle.

You didn’t even realize how much time had passed, so absorbed in your work. That was, until you heard a soft cough, a clearing of the throat that sliced through the silence. You jumped, startled, your heart skipping a beat. As you looked up, you saw them, Aeri and Yunjin, standing right in front of you, their presence almost looming.

“Y/N, we need to talk,” Aeri said, her voice calm but carrying an edge of something you couldn’t quite place.

You blinked, trying to shake off the shock. “What? Oh, yeah. Of course.” Your voice was shaky, betraying the anxiety you were feeling inside. You quickly gathered your things, heart racing, and followed them as they led you out of the library.

“Where are we going?” you asked, trying to catch your breath as your nerves crept up on you.

“My place,” Aeri replied.

The walk to Aeri’s apartment felt like an eternity. Every step you took felt heavier than the last, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on you. What could they possibly want to talk about? Had they made up their minds about what was going on between you? Was this the end of everything? You could feel your stomach in knots, unsure of what to expect.

When you finally got to Aeri’s apartment, you sat down on the couch, trying to steady your breath, but your nerves were running wild. You glanced at both of them, but neither spoke immediately. The air between you was thick, heavy with unspoken words.

Finally, Yunjin broke the silence, her voice steady but full of emotion. “Y/N, Aeri and I have been talking,” she began. “And we came to a conclusion.”

Your heart raced, and you tried to prepare yourself for whatever was coming, but nothing could have prepared you for what Yunjin said next.

“It’s clear that we both like you, and you like us. And to make things less confusing for you,” Yunjin continued, “Aeri and I were thinking... we all date.”

Your mind went completely blank. What?

You blinked, your throat tightening as you tried to process the words. Your head swam, and you felt like the ground was slipping away beneath you.

“Wait,” you stammered, standing up quickly. “You’re saying... you both want to, date me? Like, together?”

Aeri’s eyes softened, her expression gentle yet resolute. “Yes. We talked about it. We both care about you, Y/N. And we can’t deny what’s between us. We thought maybe this would make things clearer, less confusing. We want to be with you, and we’re willing to try this... together.”

Yunjin nodded in agreement, her gaze fixed on you. “And also, Aeri and I confessed that we both had a crush on each other. So, we thought this would be easier for all of us.”

Your chest tightened, and your mind raced. A crush on each other? You looked between Aeri and Yunjin, unsure of what to say. This wasn’t just some casual conversation anymore. This was a big step, something that could change everything.

“I, I don’t know what to say,” you finally whispered, your voice trembling. “I care about both of you. But this... this is a lot. A lot to take in.”

Aeri stepped closer, her voice softening. “We know, Y/N. It’s not easy. But we’re here for you. We want you to be happy. And if that means trying this, together, then we’re ready for that.”

Yunjin nodded, her expression calm but firm. “We’re willing to take the leap, Y/N. Together, if you are.”

Your heart hammered in your chest, and you felt your emotions swirling in a chaotic mix. But somewhere deep inside, you knew that this wasn’t the end. It wasn’t even the beginning of the end. It was a new chapter, a new possibility.

You took a deep breath, your voice shaky but determined. “I... I don’t know what will happen, but... I want to try. I don’t want to lose either of you.”

Aeri smiled, relief flashing across her face, and Yunjin’s eyes softened with a sense of understanding. You didn’t have all the answers, but for the first time in a while, you felt a glimmer of hope.

And maybe that was enough for now.

The following days felt like a whirlwind. You were still processing everything, still getting used to the idea that Aeri and Yunjin were both willing to try this... together. It was exhilarating, overwhelming, and confusing all at once. But something about it felt right, too. You weren’t sure where this would lead, but you couldn’t deny the connection you had with both of them.

Aeri and Yunjin made sure to check in with you, their conversations careful but full of reassurance. They didn’t want to rush you, but they were both clear about wanting to move forward, together. You hadn’t given them a definite answer yet, but every moment with them made it harder to imagine a life without them.

That evening, you met them at a small café, the quiet hum of conversation around you doing little to calm the storm inside your mind. You found your seat, and within moments, both Aeri and Yunjin joined you, sitting across from you, their faces soft but expectant.

“You okay?” Aeri asked gently, her eyes scanning your face as if searching for any signs of doubt or hesitation.

You nodded, even though your heart was still heavy with questions. “Yeah, I’m just... trying to wrap my head around everything.”

Yunjin gave you a small smile, her fingers gently tapping on her coffee cup. “We know it’s a lot to take in. But we’re in this together, okay? No pressure. We just want to be clear with each other.”

You looked between them, feeling your heart swell at the thought of how much effort they were putting into this. They both cared. They really did. You could see it in the way they looked at you, the way they spoke to you, the way they tried to make everything easier for you.

“I’ve been thinking,” you started, your voice quieter now, unsure of how to articulate what was going on inside you. “This is all new to me. I’ve never been in a situation like this before.”

Yunjin’s eyes softened, her voice calm. “We know, Y/N. We’re not trying to force anything. We just want you to feel comfortable, to feel like this is something we all want. There’s no rush.”

Aeri nodded in agreement, her expression sincere. “Yeah. We want to take it slow, if that’s what you need. No one’s expecting anything crazy right away. We’re all figuring this out together.”

You let out a breath, feeling a sense of relief flood through you. As much as the situation was complicated, you realized that maybe it was the best kind of complicated, one where everyone was on the same page, where communication was key, and where you could be honest with each other.

“I think... I think I want to try,” you said finally, your heart pounding as the words left your mouth. “I want to see where this can go. With both of you.”

Both Aeri and Yunjin smiled, and something about their expressions made you feel like maybe this could work. Maybe you didn’t have to choose between them. Maybe the three of you could find a way to navigate this, together.

“We’re in this together, Y/N,” Aeri said softly, her eyes meeting yours with a promise. “We’ll figure it out, one step at a time.”

Yunjin reached across the table, her hand brushing yours gently. “No matter what, we’ve got each other’s backs. We’re all in this.”

The days passed by, and the three of you fell into a routine, one that was different from anything you’d ever known, but still comforting. Your connection with both Aeri and Yunjin grew stronger, and there was a sense of ease between the three of you, despite the complexity of the situation. You were still figuring out the details, but you knew deep down that this was something real, something worth exploring.

One evening, you found yourself at Aeri's apartment again, sitting on the couch with Yunjin and Aeri beside you. The air between you was warm, filled with the quiet hum of music in the background and the clink of mugs as you all sipped on your drinks. But tonight, there was something different. A lingering sense of anticipation hung in the air, a feeling that something important was about to happen.

Aeri turned to you, her usual playful expression softened into something more serious. "Y/N," she began, her voice calm but full of meaning. "We've been talking... and we both feel really strongly about you."

Yunjin nodded, her eyes never leaving yours, her gaze filled with warmth. "We both care about you a lot, and we want to take this to the next step."

You tilted your head, slightly confused but also intrigued. "What do you mean?" you asked, your heart beginning to race with the uncertainty of the moment.

Aeri took a deep breath, glancing at Yunjin for a brief moment before looking back at you. "What we're trying to say is... we both want you to be our girlfriend. Officially. Together."

Your breath hitched in your chest. The words were unexpected, yet they felt like they were always meant to come from them. A part of you had been wondering if this was where things were heading, but hearing them say it out loud made it feel real, more real than anything you had imagined.

"Wait, so... both of you?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper, unsure if you heard them correctly.

Yunjin smiled, reaching out to gently take your hand in hers. "Yes, both of us," she confirmed. "We want to be with you, Y/N. We know this isn't a conventional situation, but it's real. And we're ready for this, if you are."

Aeri nodded, her voice softer but just as earnest. "We're asking you because we really believe in this. In us. But we want to know if you feel the same. Do you want to be with us, too? Not just as friends... but as something more?"

You felt your heart race as a mixture of emotions flooded your chest. You had never thought you'd find yourself in a situation like this, but being with them felt right. You liked both of them, maybe even loved them, in different ways, and the idea of being with both of them didn’t seem as impossible as you once thought. You could feel the sincerity in their words, the love they were offering, and the trust they had in you.

Taking a deep breath, you finally nodded, your voice shaky but sure. "Yes. I want to be with both of you too."

Aeri and Yunjin’s faces lit up with relief and joy. They both leaned in, pulling you into a warm embrace. The feeling of their arms around you was comforting, like a promise that no matter what, you were all in this together.

"Thank you, Y/N," Aeri whispered, her voice full of tenderness. "This means everything to us."

Yunjin kissed the top of your head softly. "We’ve got you. Always."

Months passed, and in the blink of an eye, everything had changed. The three of you had navigated the delicate balance of your relationship, learning more about each other every day, about the small quirks, the shared laughter, the quiet moments that made everything feel right. The initial uncertainty had long faded, replaced by a deep, genuine love that bound you all together.

You found yourself waking up in the mornings with Aeri and Yunjin beside you, feeling at home in a way you never had before. The three of you had built a rhythm, an unspoken understanding of each other's needs, boundaries, and desires. It was imperfect, messy at times, but also beautiful in its own way.

There were times when the world outside seemed too complicated, too judgmental, but when you were with Aeri and Yunjin, everything made sense. You weren’t just a couple; you were a team. You had created something unique, something yours.

One evening, after a long day of studying and work, the three of you found yourselves sitting on the couch in Aeri's apartment, nestled into each other. The warmth of their presence was comforting as you all watched a movie, the soft glow of the screen illuminating your faces. Aeri was curled up against your side, her head resting on your shoulder, while Yunjin was leaning against your other side, her hand entwined with yours.

You hadn’t realized how much you needed this moment of peace, no distractions, no pressures, just the three of you, together.

“I love you,” Yunjin said softly, her voice barely above a whisper as she leaned in to kiss you gently on the cheek. The words felt like a promise, one that had been building up over time, and hearing them from her made your heart swell.

Aeri smiled, brushing a lock of hair from your face as she shifted to kiss you on the lips. ��I love you too,” she murmured, her voice full of affection.

The words settled in your chest like a heavy weight, but in the best way. “I love both of you,” you replied, your voice filled with sincerity. It wasn’t something you had to think about anymore; it was just the truth. You had fallen in love with both of them, in your own way, and the three of you had built something so strong, so unshakeable, that it felt like nothing else mattered.

The three of you shared a long, quiet kiss after that, the kind of kiss that spoke more than words ever could. It wasn’t about promises or declarations, it was just about love, pure and simple.

Aeri pulled back, looking at you both with a soft smile. “I never imagined something like this,” she admitted, her eyes full of affection. “But I can’t imagine my life without you two.”

Yunjin nodded, her expression warm. “I feel the same way. I never thought I could love two people like this, but with you... it just feels right.”

You smiled, feeling a rush of warmth fill your chest. “Yeah, me neither,” you said, your voice full of emotion. “I never knew love could feel like this.”

The three of you held each other close, the weight of the world outside no longer a concern. You had found your place together.

[giveafike]

So uhm.. what are the chances of a follow up of "is it new years yet?" 👀👀

TLDR: part 2 to is it new years yet? recc to read that FIRST before reading this :)

Word count + info: 4.8k + dialogue.

Warnings + Content Ahead: SFW! Cussing.

Azzie Notes ✚: happy valentines day, my loves! So cute to build onto a seasonal special with ANOTHER seasonal special. Hope this lives up to the first part, anon! Loosely reminds me of Valentine by Laufey. Whether you're spending today alone, with family, with friends or with loved ones (or something in between all that) spend it loving the little bits and pieces of the day!

Taglist: thank u for ur support! if u wanna join the taglist, head on over here

🌙 - @le-moon-nade @anneioe @maya1the-bee @miss-d-d @hannahbanannax @mfcvbs @egevtntn @the-aizzlee @hello-missunperfect-things @joeybisbootiful @2manytabsopen 🌕 - @starlitf0x

blinked & suddenly, I had a valentine - B.T.S

————————————————————————

You chew your lip, scrolling through your camera roll for a photo that looks effortless but nonchalant. Something casual, mellow, like you didn’t spend way too long overthinking it. Which, obviously, you did. You were back in Florida, so you knew you would add a location tag - you were in a trendy little café downtown, where you and your friends were celebrating an early Galentine’s.

The air smells like espresso and overpriced pastries, your table cluttered with half-eaten croissants and empty mimosa glasses. Laughter and chaotic debate fill the space, but your focus is elsewhere. Specifically, on your phone. And, more specifically, on him.

You and Ben have been texting after New Year's Eve, or well, had been texting. At first, it was easy; inside jokes, dumb memes, conversations that left butterflies in the pit of your stomach and a dumb smile on your face, the kind of late-night conversations that left you curled up and eager for more. But then his tour picked up, college welcomed you back with a smack in the face that hit you like a truck, and the messages became… sparse. Shorter. Drier. Less fun. Now, checking in feels less like catching up and more like pestering. You already know how he’s doing, his last match was all over your feed. But that’s not the same, and you hate that it matters so much. You missed the way he’d send you random voice notes mid-practice or from his car drives, his voice slightly breathless as he joked about being worked to death. Or the way he’d text you after posting a clip of his sessions, asking if you’d seen his “epic comeback” (his words, not yours).

But lately? Crickets. You knew he was back here, in Florida, but you couldn't bring yourself to reach out, something about it felt like begging, especially during a week like Valentine's week.

You sigh, finally settling on a photo of your latte, some attempt at a heart in the foam that looks more like a deflated kidney. Whatever. You add a location tag and caption: Nothing says love like overpriced coffee and talking shit with your best friends <3.

Before you can second-guess it, you post. Your phone barely touches the table before you get side-eyed.

“Alright, who’s got you checking your phone like you’re waiting on exam results?”

You scoff, reaching for a croissant. “No one.”

A pointed silence follows. “So you’re just emotionally invested in your Instagram engagement now?”

Another voice chippers in. “Is it Ben?”

Your dramatic eye-roll gives you away immediately. “It’s not like that.”

“Oh my God, he ghosted you.”

You nearly choke. “He did not! We’ve just… been busy.”

“So he part-time ghosted you,” she corrects.

“He’s on tour, I’m drowning in school, it’s not that deep, we're busy people,” you argue, but even you don’t sound convinced.

“Right. And that’s why you’ve been on your phone all morning like a middle-aged woman tracking her kid’s live location?”

You groan, dropping your head onto the table. “I hate you both.”

“No, you miss him,” Liv singsongs, and you blindly throw a sugar packet at her.

Then, your phone buzzes.

You glance at the screen, expecting a notification from your emails. But it’s from Instagram already.

Your phone vibrates, but you ignore it. Then another buzz. The kind that isn’t a text, but an Instagram notification. You glance, just for a second.

Ben Shelton liked your story.

Your stomach does a stupid little flip. Because of course he saw it. Of course he engaged with it just enough to let you know he saw it, but not enough to actually text.

You lock your phone and flip it over.

“Wow...You put your phone face-down. That’s serious.”

You exhale sharply, shaking your head. “I’m putting it on Do Not Disturb because I’m not doing this today.”

“Yeah, we’ll see how long that lasts.”

And honestly? It lasts longer than you expect.

Shopping and side-errands keep you busy. There’s a chaotic half-hour where you all try on the dumbest Valentine-themed products and clothes you can find, one of your friends strutting out of a dressing room in the ugliest fur coat imaginable, another trying to convince everyone that this is the year they finally pull off red leather pants. You nearly cry-laugh in the middle of the store.

By the time you sit down for a late lunch-early dinner with the rest of your friends after their classes and shifts, the energy is still high. Pasta is being passed around, drinks are clinking, and someone is dramatically rehashing a dating horror story from last semester. Your phone stays buried in your bag.

Until-

“You know, you haven’t checked your phone in, like, hours.”

You blink. “Yeah? And?”

“And... I think you should.”

There’s a sudden hush at the table, eyes darting expectingly. It’s suspicious as hell.

You hesitate, but finally, dig your phone out. You tap the screen, unlocking it. A flood of notifications. Instagram likes, a missed call from your mom, a “lmk if you’re alive” text from your uni group chat. And then-

A text from him. Sent hours ago.

Ben: Crazy Galentine’s in FL? Bold choice. You holding up without me?

Your stomach flips. Again. You hate that it keeps doing that.

Someone is already trying to peek over your shoulder. “Oh my God. I knew it!”

You angle your phone away. “Mind your business.”

“So what’s he saying?”

“You’re blushing!!”

You close your eyes. Inhale, exhale, then start typing.

You: Holding up just fine, thanks. But this croissant’s got more personality than you’ve shown in weeks.

His reply is instant.

Ben: Ouch. Guess I’ll have to step up my game. What are you doing for the actual Valentine’s Day?

Your friends let out a scream so high-pitched that the next table turns to stare. You have to lean over to clamp a hand over her mouth. The reactions are so grandeur, you’d think they just got proposed to over text.

“HE’S ASKING YOU OUT!”

Your brain short-circuits. “Or, hear me out now, he’s just making conversation.”

Your phone gets snatched from your hands before you can hesitate.

“Nope. Not letting you overthink this.” She types something and tosses it back.

“What the fuck-”

You: Why? You got plans for me?

Your stomach knots as you watch the typing bubble pop up. Then disappear. Then pop up again. It does this for a few beats.

Ben: Maybe I do. You still free for me?

The smiles around the table are like you won the lottery itself, while you're being shaken and cheered around.

And you? You’re so fucking done for. The colour drains out of your face, mouth agape. Your head is in your hands. Gripping your hair at the roots. You’re barely processing the conversation around you, the clinking glasses, the exaggerated cheers.

“She’s frozen. She’s actually in shock.”

“This is so big. Like, national emergency big. Potential WAG in the making right now"

“She’s been single on Valentine’s Day since God knows when, so yeah, this is huge.”

You groan, tilting your head back. “Stop! You guys are so dramatic.”

“We’re just invested.”

You peek at your phone again, heart doing that stupid fucking thing where it stutters in your chest. The text stares back at you.

Ben: Maybe I do. You still free for me?

You exhale, thumbs hovering over the keyboard. You should probably answer. Like a normal person. But your brain is running on pure static.

What do you even say?

Yeah, totally free to publicly humiliate myself on a date?

Sorry, I can’t, I’m busy hyperventilating into my hands?

No. You need to be cool. Nonchalant. Demure.

You tap out a reply.

You: Yes. I’ll text you later, yeah?

It sends. And immediately, the second-guessing starts. Does that sound uninterested? Dismissive? Did you just ruin everything?

Your phone vibrates again.

Ben: Ye, of course. Don’t wanna interrupt your Galentine’s 👯

Another one, almost instantly:

Ben: Text me when you get home

Your face is so hot it could combust. You shove your phone down onto the table with a clatter. “Okay. Done. It’s over.”

But the excitement around you only amplifies.

“You have to reply later.”

“Obviously.” You scoff, playing it off.

“Wait.” A pause. “What are you wearing?”

The question lands like a grenade in your brain.

Oh. Fuck.

You have nothing. Nothing.

The horror must be evident on your face because gasps are let out. “Oh my God. She doesn’t have an outfit.”

The realisation spreads like wildfire.

“You cannot pull up in one of your boring sweaters.”

“Or those beat up shoes you refuse to throw out.”

“We need a game plan.”

And before you know it, someone is yanking out their phone, another is calling out malls, checking store hours.

“There is one tiny mall still open, but we have, like, an hour before they close. We have to go. Now.”

It’s ridiculous. It’s unnecessary. It’s cutting it so fucking close. But here you were dragged to the car while the rest of your table closed off dinner and paid the tabs.

"Get in, loser. We're going shopping."

"Did you just-"

"Yes, I Mean Girls-ed you. Get in! You're not driving, you drank and well last time you drove was New Year-"

"Ok no need to reopen old wounds." You scowl.

You barely have time to process before you’re shoved into the passenger seat, another friend slamming the back door shut behind them. The car peels out of the parking lot like you’re on the run from the law, not just sprinting to find a decent date outfit before the mall locks its doors.

"This is absolutely unhinged," you mutter, gripping the handle as your friend takes a sharp turn.

"You waited years for this. If you think I’m letting you pull up in some tragic little sweater and jeans combo, you’re out of your mind."

“I have good sweaters!"

"No. You do not."

The drive is a chaotic mess of bad playlist choices and a very heated discussion about what vibe you should be going for. Sexy-but-classy? Effortlessly cool? Girl-next-door-but-hot?

Your other friend, scrolling furiously, holds up a photo of some influencer in a red dress. "This."

You glance. "I am not wearing that."

"It’s literally Valentine’s Day, it’s themed-"

"I don’t care if it’s Cupid-approved, I am not rolling up looking like a walking heart emoji."

"Fine. What about-"

"Not the fucking leather pants, either."

Your friend groans, tossing their phone onto their lap. "You’re the worst."

The mall comes into view just as the GPS announces, "Your destination will be closing in 45 minutes."

"Oh, we have to haul ass."

And haul ass, you do.

The second you step into the store, your friend takes immediate command. "You- go find shoes. You- see if they have any decent dresses. You- well, just…try not to panic."

"Very helpful, thanks," you deadpan.

"You're welcome!"

The next thirty minutes are a blur of colour, unenthusiastic employees, fabric, and absolute mayhem. It feels like a Disney movie. You’re shoved into a dressing room with a handful of outfits, half of which are so out of your comfort zone that you genuinely wonder if your friends are trying to prank you.

One friend flings open the curtain. "Show us!"

"No."

A chorus of complaints erupts.

"Come on."

"This is a team effort."

You groan, reluctantly stepping out. "I look stupid."

Your friend gasps. "You look hot."

Another nods in approval. "Yeah, Ben is gonna die."

You cross your arms, looking in the mirror, smoothing over the dress. "I don’t know…"

"Trust me. When he sees you? He’s done for."

You turn back to the mirror. Okay… Maybe it’s not the worst. Maybe…you actually like it.

Maybe…this is real. Maybe it had just been a while since you last wore a dress, got dolled up for a date. And maybe, for the first time, you’re kind of excited for what happens next.

When you finally make it home, you’re wrecked. The shopping bags dig into your wrists, your feet ache, and the only thing standing between you and a glorious face-plant into your bed is the sheer force of will it takes to dump everything onto your chair instead of the floor.

You’re halfway to unconsciousness, sprawled out, limbs all over the place, when your phone buzzes.

u better text ben before u pass out lol

You groan into your pillow.

Your brain is already half-asleep, but fine. You’ll send a quick text, something chill, something casual.

You roll onto your side, grab your phone, and unlock it, squinting at the screen through the exhaustion. Ben’s last text is still sitting there, waiting for a reply.

Ben: Text me when you get home

You exhale, tapping the message.

You: I'm home now

Except. That’s not what happens.

Because your finger slips.

And instead of typing, you misfire straight into calling him. Your heart drops.

“Oh, fuck-”

You try to hit end, but it’s too late. The call screen pops up. His name. The dial tone. Your brain malfunctions.

And then-

Click.

"Hello?"

You black out. Not really. But it feels like it.

There’s a pause, and then Ben lets out a confused laugh. "Uh… you good?"

"I-" You bolt upright like that somehow helps. "That wasn’t on purpose."

He snickers. "Yeah, no kidding. You butt-dial me or something?"

"No!" You wince. "I mean- well, kind of. I was trying to text you, but I misclicked, and now-" You groan, rubbing your face. "Now we’re talking, I guess."

"Well, I'm not complaining." His voice is warm, amused. "But I gotta admit, didn't expect to hear from you this soon."

Your stomach flips. "Yeah, well, neither did I."

There’s a slight pause. Not awkward, just… there. A beat of something unspoken. Ben exhales. "So. Crazy Galentine’s, huh? You still survivin'?"

"Barely." You slump back against your pillows. "You know how dangerous last-minute shopping can get. I think I saw my life flash before my eyes 20 minutes in."

"Tragic way to go."

"I know." You grin. "How about you? Survive your Florida homecoming after your first two tournaments?"

"Hangin' in there." He sounds a little distracted, then there’s a muffled thud, like he’s just flopped onto a bed. "Was starting to think I scared you off."

"What?" Your brows furrow. "Why would you think that?"

"I don’t know, you kinda went ghost on me for a bit. Thought maybe you were over it."

Your pulse stutters. "Over what?"

Ben pauses. "You tell me."

And there it is.

That thing. The thing that’s been sitting between you for weeks.

You chew your lip, shifting slightly. "I wasn’t over anything. I just… didn’t wanna bug you."

"Bug me?" He scoffs. "You think I don't wanna hear from you?"

"You were busy! I saw all the interviews and clips. I figured, I don’t know-" You exhale. "I didn’t wanna be that person."

"What person?"

"The one forcing a conversation when the other person clearly has a million other things going on."

There’s a beat of silence. Then Ben lets out a soft laugh, one of those exasperated, are you serious? kind of laughs. "You’re an idiot, man."

"Excuse me?"

"You think I wouldn’t make time for you?" His voice is lower now, softer. "Come on. We both know that’s bullshit."

You swallow. "I-"

"I like talking to you." The words are simple. Easy. "And if I’ve been dry lately, it’s not ‘cause I don’t want to. It’s ‘cause I suck at this. The whole, like… keeping up with someone while traveling thing. But I don’t want you thinking I don’t care."

Your chest does something stupid. Tightens. "Oh."

"Yeah. Oh."

You let that sit for a second.

And then, because your brain is the way it is, you mutter, "Still think the croissant had more personality than you these last few weeks."

Ben laughs, this full, real laugh that makes your face heat. "Alright, alright, I deserved that one."

"You did."

"Guess I’ll have to make it up to you, huh?"

Your stomach flips. "Guess so."

There’s a pause, and you can hear his smirk through the phone. "So. What are you wearing for our date?"

"Woah... That’s a very bold question, Benjamin."

He chuckles, you can hear the smile in his voice. "Just trying to see if I'll be matchin' or not."

"I assume you're not planning on wearing the same dress as me, so don't worry," you say quickly. "And I’m not telling you."

"Why not?"

"Because you’ll just have to wait and see."

He groans dramatically. "Ugh, torture."

You laugh. "You’ll live."

"Debatable."

There’s another pause. A softer one. "You gonna sleep soon?" he asks.

"I should," you admit. "But this is nice."

Ben hums. "Yeah. It is."

Your eyelids feel heavy now, exhaustion creeping back in. You sink deeper into your blankets. "Okay. I’m really hanging up this time."

"Sure you are."

"Ben."

"Alright, alright. Sleep tight, Valentine."

You barely process the words before he hangs up. You’re left staring at your screen, warmth curling in your chest, wondering how the hell you’re supposed to sleep after that.

Somehow you manage to still your beating heart and fluttering stomach. The next day starts with a few good luck messages from your friends.

Hope you’re ready for your date, miss WAG Valentine’s girl 😏

Don’t overthink it. Just have fun. And don’t let him see you panic

If you cancel, I swear to God, I will show up at your house and force you out myself

You roll your eyes but smile. Then, the rest of the day is eerily quiet. For the first time in weeks, you’re alone. No bustling friend group, no plans. Just you, your apartment, and a long list of things you should be doing.

Laundry, dishes, some half-assed studying and catch up coursework. You sit at your desk, trying to focus, but your brain keeps drifting, back to last night, back to Ben’s voice in your ear, low and easy. You replay pieces of the conversation without meaning to.

And then-

Buzz.

Ben: Yo, what’s your address?

Your stomach jolts. You sit up straighter, rereading it twice, as if the words might suddenly change.

Ben: Don’t worry, not pulling up unannounced. Just need it for later.

You exhale, shaking your head as you type it out.

You: You got a time for me, or is this a surprise too?

Ben: 7

You glance at the clock. It’s barely noon.

You: Copy that. See you then.

Ben: Looking forward to it.

You lock your phone and let out a slow breath.

That gives you hours. Yet, somehow, after a good nap, those hours fly. By the time you start getting ready, the nerves settle in fast. Makeup first. Then hair. The whole process feels foreign, like muscle memory you haven’t used in forever.

And then, the dress. You slip it on carefully, smoothing it down, adjusting where needed. Then, the shoes.When you finally step back and look at yourself in the mirror, you freeze.

For the first time in so long, you actually got up for something. You spent years busying yourself and rejecting any chance of romance, nothing was really worth it - not worth stressing yourself over a sleezy "situationship", but now it sinks in. You actually put in the effort. And looking at yourself now, standing there, hair done, makeup set, dress hugging your figure. You almost don’t recognize yourself, it's almost weird.

Your stomach flutters.

Excitement. Nerves. Anticipation.

And then,

Ding-dong.

Your breath catches.

You hesitate for only a second before making your way to the door. A final deep breath, then you open it.

And there he is.

Ben stands there in a crisp shirt, nice pants, clean. But your eyes barely register the fit because in his hands,

Roses.

Bright, fresh, wrapped neatly.His gaze flicks over you, and something in his expression shifts. His lips part slightly, but for a moment, he doesn’t speak. Just takes you in.

"Wow." His voice is softer than usual. "You look… damn."

And witht that, it all feels worth it, all perfect. Your face heats. "Shut up."

"No, seriously." He grins, holding the flowers out. "These might be pretty, but you definitely win."

You bite your lip, taking them carefully. "Smooth."

“You clean up nice too y'know,” you tease, hoping your voice doesn’t betray how jittery you feel.

He smirks. “I should’ve brought my A-game.”

“This isn’t your A-game?” you quip, reaching for the flowers, setting them down to the side.

“Nah, this is like… my B+. I had to hold back. Didn’t want to peak too early.”

You shake your head, biting back a laugh. “So,” you start, turning back to him. “What’s the plan? We’re not exactly in a walk-in-and-blend-in situation.”

He shoves his hands in his pockets, grinning. “Yeah, I figured unless you wanted to spend the night dodging cameras, we’d keep it private. So, you trust me?”

You arch a brow. “That depends. Are you kidnapping me?”

“Wouldn’t be much of a first date if I was,” he says, leading you outside. “Though, technically, our first date was you hitting my car.”

“That was not a date.”

“I met you. I got your number. We flirted.” He shrugs. “Sounds like a meet-cute to me.”

You roll your eyes but your smitten smile betrays you. “So, where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” He winks. "You ready?"

You glance back at your apartment, nerves buzzing under your skin. Then, you look back at him, at the way he’s standing there, all easy and comfortable like this isn’t the first real date you two have ever had, nor the only date you have planned. He seems so confident, sincere and honest, like this was meant to happen. He holds out a hand for you, no pressure, just a simple invite. You take it, holding his large, warm hand in yours.

Fifteen minutes later, you do see. And it’s… kind of perfect.

Ben pulls up to a quiet, tucked-away spot by the water. The sky is painted in soft purples and blues, the last remnants of daylight fading. There’s a blanket in the trunk, takeout in a bag, and music playing softly from his phone.

“You planned a picnic?” You raise a brow, surprised.

He rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah, well. Figured you wouldn’t want to spend the whole night inside, but also didn’t want to spend it dodging people with iPhones.”

You glance up at him, then at the setup. “This is actually… really sweet.”

Ben smirks. “What, thought I’d just take you to a drive-thru and call it a night?”

“I mean, I did hit your car. Thought you might hold a grudge.”

“Oh, I do,” he says, opening the basket and setting up. “But I’m playing the long game.”

You both settle onto the blanket, the scent of warm food filling the air. The conversation is easy, mostly teasing at first. He asks about your classes, your friends, you ask about his training, and somehow you end up talking about the first time you met.

“I still don’t know how you managed to hit a parked car,” Ben says, shaking his head.

“It was a tight spot, let it goooo"

“Should've hit the Tesla, in my opinion.”

“Okay, well, maybe I was distracted.”

“By what? Your own bad driving?”

You swat at him, laughing. “By trying to keep the car calm, genius.”

Ben grins, leaning back on his elbows. “And yet, here we are.”

Here you are. Sitting next to him, by the water, the air warm and balmy, the food mostly gone, but the conversation still going. It feels like you both have been waiting for this. And now that it’s here, neither of you is in a rush to leave. You lean back on your hands, looking up at the sky. The stars are sharp tonight, scattered like someone spilled glitter across the darkness. It feels peaceful, so different from how you felt earlier, standing in front of your mirror, stomach twisting with nerves. Now, it’s easy, natural.

Ben watches you for a moment, something unreadable in his expression. “You know, I did want to text you more.”

His voice is softer now, a little more honest. You glance over, catching the way his brows pull together slightly, like he’s been thinking about this for a while. “Yeah?” you ask. “Why didn’t you?”

He exhales, looking up at the starry sky before answering. “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t want to do the half-assed, ‘hey, wyd’ texts when I was exhausted or distracted. I didn’t want it to feel like… an obligation. But I don’t know. I think I got in my own head. Like, I’d think about it, but then I’d talk myself out of it. Tell myself you were busy, or I was busy, or-”

“That it was too late,” you finish for him. You nod slowly as you meet his eyes. “I get that, I think I did the same thing.”

“I also didn’t want to, like…” He pauses. “I don’t know. Screw this up before it even started.”

You tilt your head. “And what is ‘this,’ exactly?”

Ben meets your gaze, the corner of his mouth twitching. “I was hoping we’d figure that out.”

Your heart does that annoying little flip again, but you play it cool. “Well, if it’s anything like your tennis game, I expect a lot of effort.”

Ben scoffs. “You wound me.”

You smirk, bumping your knee against his. “We’ll see.”

A comfortable silence settles between you. It’s strange, really, how something so simple, just reaching out, had felt so difficult before. But now, sitting here next to him, it seems ridiculous that either of you hesitated at all.

You tilt your head, studying him. “Did you ever think I wasn’t interested?”

Ben’s lips press together in thought. “No… I mean, I hoped that wasn’t the case. But I also knew you weren’t just gonna sit around waiting for me to finally get my shit together.”

You smile. “Well, you got it together eventually.”

“I did,” he says, nudging your foot lightly with his. “And I’d like some credit for that, thank you very much.”

You roll your eyes, but before you can say anything else, something streaks across the sky.

Your breath catches. “Oh my go-”

Ben follows your gaze, and for a second, neither of you says anything as you watch the shooting star burn its path across the night before disappearing into the dark.

Your heart is still racing when you turn back to him. “That was my first one.”

“Ever?”

You nod. “I always missed them before. I’d be looking the wrong way, or I’d blink, or someone would swear they saw one, but I never did.”

He grins. “Guess you got lucky.”

You glance back up, like you’re trying to will another one to appear, but the sky is still. When you look at Ben again, he’s already looking at you.

“I think I already was,” you say, quieter now.

His expression changes just slightly, his amusement giving way to something softer. The space between you doesn’t feel quite as wide anymore. His gaze dropping briefly to your lips before flicking back up. But he doesn’t move. He doesn’t do anything except sit there, watching you, waiting. And maybe it’s because of the way your stomach feels light, or the way the night feels infinite, or because you’ve both spent too much time holding back, but this time, you close the space, taking the leap, the step forward. Maybe, you did miss him, maybe Cupid finally struck - whatever excuse it was, nothing you could say or do would convey as much as you felt other than his lips on yours.

It’s not rushed, not some grand, sweeping moment. It’s slow, hesitant, like making sure this is real. Like neither of you want to mess it up. Ben exhales softly against your lips, his fingers twitching like he’s deciding what to do with them before settling lightly against your jaw, thumb brushing over your cheek in the faintest touch, before holding your face. The kiss deepens just slightly, his nose bumping against yours, his other hand resting warm against your knee, holding you as though he was scared you might fade right then and there.

And then, just as naturally, you both pull back. Not far. Just enough to breathe.

You open your eyes to find him already looking at you, his smile small, almost like he’s trying to hold it back.

“What?” you whisper.

Ben shakes his head, his gummy smile wide and bright. “I... I'm just so happy, so glad we're here.”

Something about the way he says it, so simple but so honest, makes your throat feel tight. You barely resist the urge to look away. Instead, you huff out a soft, shaky breath, trying to mask how much that made your chest ache in the best way. “Yeah. Me too.”

His smile is small but real, and for a second, neither of you move. The warmth of his fingers still lingers against your jaw, your wrist. Then, finally, you lean back, the moment settling between you like something fragile but steady.

You think you’re gonna like seeing more lucky shooting stars.

[keelt9]

Chapter 2

Masterlist

A/N: Ok I was planning to publish, like every Wednesday but I was so busy that I couldn't. Still it's San Valentines day and week, I won't let it pass. Also I have something planned for this day but well my days and my schedule didn't fit.

However! Happy Valentine's Day 😘

Thanks for reading! 🍒

To her surprise the next day Monet came running like every morning after finishing her two hour painting, of course with more breaks than painting from time to time. 

Just this time, he came with a strange fluffy toy.

“Monet!” She goes down taking the toy of his snout looking around expecting to find the owner of the toy. 

Instead the only one she found is Officer Lynch finish his shift. “Oh Y/N, leaving too?”

Y/N smiles; since she added painting in her morning routine Officer Lynch always make sure she stay safe, when Monet was include to the equation, he secure multiple eyes are on him.

“That’s what I’m trying but I’m afraid Monet took this from someone.” Y/N stands with the toy in her hands grabbing her bag and the canva. 

“No!, that’s his.” Officer Lynch smiles leaving more confuse Y/N. “Joey gives to him.” 

Y/N sees Monet tapping his paws for she gave him back his toy. “What?”

“Joey and he are…making a special friendship, he came the day before Christmas to give him this, but I guess you went out, then after New Year still you didn't come until today.”Officer Lynch smiles when Monet sniff his hand.

Y/N feel confused, her dog has a friend? “Yeah, we went with my father and then I had tons of work so I wasn’t able to come until today.” 

“That explained a lot of things.” The man patted Monet's head. “Don’t worry Y/N, Joey is such a good guy, I dare to say one of a kind.” He smiles at Y/N who keeps confused and intrigue. “Both of them are taking care of each other, trust me.”

“Ok?” 

Y/N can barely answer but her eyes back to the toy in her hands and the fact that actually could be one of the reasons, these days Monet just needs to perk out at their house for he starts to look around the block observing his surroundings like he was actually expecting someone.

Joe leaves the park with a wide smile on his face, he arrived there earlier than he does, doing his usual routine expecting that little spotted puppy came running. 

20 minutes later, Joe sees him appearing among the trees with his green bandanna over his neck moving the tail side to side. 

“Hey buddy!” Monet sits waiting for Joe's hands pat his head to stand on his two legs. “A few days and this cast will be history.” 

Monet sees the bump in his hoodie and smells it. “Right, Merry Christmas and happy New Year.” Joe giggles seeing the puppy smelling incessantly as he opens the package. 

Monet grabs it right away, biting it over the ground as Joe sits on the bench observing the dog, a few minutes later, Monet puts it over his lap, waiting as he sits.

“I can’t actually throw that far with the other one.” Monet tilted his head. “But what about short distances?”

That’s how they spend the time with Joe throwing the toy, then Monet searching for it walking back and repeating the action until both of them sit on the grass. 

“Water?” Officer Lynch asked in his last lap around the park. 

Joe sees the bottle and accepts it; the question is how Monet will drink? “I think I need a plate or something.”

Officer Lynch give him one. “Mrs. Howk always had one in case Monet visited her.” 

Mrs. Howk is a lady that used to come every morning to feed the doves or birds in the middle of the park.

The Officer Lynch couldn’t avoid smiling seeing that to boys drinking water worn-out even they just play for a short time. 

“That’s his present?” He saw the fluffy toy in front of Monet. 

“Yeah, I seriously start to believe he loves it.” Joe sees Monet laid on to his left, clearly tired. 

“I guess he does.” For the Officer Lynch is adorable the bond he’s abel to witness, increasing day by day, after all that’s the reason why people said dogs are the bestfriends of people.

“Morning.” Savannah enters her friend's house with her PJ's; Nora has a morning training that probably Savannah forgets.

Dragging her to the couch, she laid down, closing her eyes as Monet starts to sniff her, all he can reach.

Savannah laughs when Monet takes the pillow from her face so she can give her attention to him.

“Ok, sorry, sorry, hi boy.” Monet barks, laying his head on the top of her tummy.

Y/N smiles. “Breakfast?”

“And coffee.” Y/N turns around to get the coffee machine ready.

“Hey, that’s a fabulous toy.” Savannah said standing from the couch, her hair tossing in every possible direction. “Where did you find it?”

Y/N quickly sees the fluffy toy over Monet's bed. It’s been a couple of weeks since Monet has it and already looks like it’s had 3 years of use. 

The first day after he had it, Y/N was surprised by the fact Monet barks next to his bed where the toy was. It took her a couple of seconds to realize he wanted to take it for their morning in the park. The following weeks that toy was already in the bag next to the door, the one Y/N takes to the park every morning with her paintbrush and cans of paint along with a few snacks and water of Monet.

“You don’t need permission, huh?” Y/N sat kneeling in front of her dog who looks at her big shiny eyes, like she’s the only person he loves. 

Y/N giggles and kisses his head before putting his collar on. “I love you so much, you know that?”

Monet barks, liking the first part he has at the reach, her arm. 

 Y/N serves two plates, and cups of coffee before serving Monet’s food. “I don’t. Monet’s friend gave it to him.”

“What?” Savannah laughs. “Monte has a friend, ok, who?”

Y/N pat Monet’s head as he smells his food. “I don’t know.” 

Savannah choke with her coffee. It’s not a secret that Monet used to spend free time around the park; she already witness too, he goes first with the man of the coffee, who always has his small cart for selling coffee and with the wise recommendation of Y/N a small treat for him, then he spends time with the lady who feeds birds follow he taking his time with the officer before spend some time in the bench between the trees where you can see the strange conjunction among the old houses and clear big sky at the back. 

But Y/N knows them really well, she used to spend her days there when she was a kid, her grandparents not living so far away from there; after she decided to come back it’s like the time didn’t pass.

Savannah alarms ring when the dog she loves so deep, has a friend and she doesn't even know who it is.

“And you’re ok with that?!” Savannah sees her friend sitting in front of her calmly.

“Officer Lynch knows him, he calls him Joey.” Y/N lift her shoulders. “For the name probably it’s a kid that plays with him before going to school.” 

Y/N giggles seeing her friend that bewildered. “Come on Sav! I don’t want to scare a little boy saying, <Hey don’t play with my dog.>” Y/N remember who badly she wanted a dog when she was a kid but the resources and time weren't appropriate.

And she's reluctant to take that small connection with a kid that probably has been through the same.

“Monet is so happy every time he comes back with me after playing with his friends and probably the kid too. That’s what matters, right?”

Savannah observer at Monet, soon he will be 6 months older and he’s growing up so quickly and big, besides that’s what she works with him every weekend, training him for any unexpected event.

Savannah works in a physiotherapy for dogs and training them too, she knows for sure, if that Joey kid could be mean, Monet simply walks away.

“Happy and healthy dog.” Savannah said, as Y/N nods with a bite of her waffles in her mouth. 

Still the name keeps resembling something Nora mentions the time she took Monet for a walk.

For Ja’Marr it was equally impressive, every time he sees Joe these last weeks he’s so determined to recover and improve every day, along with the rehabilitation, the fact he’s taking piano classes and his new dog-friend makes Joe take things with calm but confidence.

“You play with the dog, he helps you to stay calm and relax, then you wait for the next day and do the same.”Ja’Marr jokes. 

They meet for dinner in Joe’s new home. “What does the dog and the owner have in exchange for that?”  

Joe chuckles, he already thinks about it, with the multiple things he could do to help her and Monet.

“Monet.” Ja’Marr giggles for his friend's correction. 

“Right, sorry, Monet.” Chase takes out the salad of the food they order. “I know a little bit  about dogs, but they eat, sleep, drink and need vet things.“ He points at his friend with the fork. “And that sounds expensive.”

Those words keep Joe’s mind busy all night and in the morning increasing when Monet and he start to play, seeing the fur of Monet shine with the sun and the fact he's always clean and healthy.

Monet brings the toy for Joe, takes it and throws, with more force than he wanted due to being immersed in his own thoughts, he knows it for the time Monet takes for coming back with nothing.

“Shoot.” Joe mumbles when he sees Monet smelling around the place, still finding nothing. 

They lose track of time until a text from his assistant announces they have been waiting for him for 20 minutes, he observes a Monet with regretful eyes as the dogs keep looking around the place with the hope of finding his toy. 

Officer Lynch appears in the path with worried eyes, it’s been tree times since Monet has been called; Y/N already called him knowing if Monet is with him or has been see him and with who. 

“Thank God!” He’s relieved to see Monet and Joe together. “Hey boy, time to go, they’re looking for you at the entrance.” 

Still Monet observers Joe begging for his toy, making his heart squeeze.

“Can I borrow one of these and a pen?” He has an idea, that will, if he's lucky enough to help him to have some type of contact with his owner.

“Shit!” Y/N was about to run to the back of the park with his heart almost coming out of her chest when Monet appears running up the path.

Y/N collapsed on the floor hugging Monet so tight by the neck feeling all the air she's been containing finally out, taking the weight from her chest.

“God! I was so scared.” Monet breathes incessantly as he moves his head around.

What calls for her attention is a strange crunch around his neck under the bandanna; she lifted it carefully and saw a small roll of paper.

“What is this?” She observes her dog with narrow eyes as she unrolls a fine?

“YOU HAVE A FINE?!” Y/N sits on the ground chuckling at the funny situation of her dog carrying a fine. 

The scrappy writing helps her to understand.

 >I'm so sorry, I lost the toy of Monet and we're searching for it so he refused to go and… I'm so sorry to make you feel worried, I'll fix it I promise. 

     -JB

Y/N sees Monet thinking how bad the kid must be feeling for lost the toy and probably being search by Officer Lynch around the park.

“We will fix this later, now, I'm going to work late, let's go boy.” Monet barks as she puts the leash in his collar.

That's what she plans until the meeting that afternoon, things are going pretty well and the company has a last minute plan for Valentine's day, one more time she is stuck in her house for days.

Y/N loves her work, she never dreams about working in webtoons, however from the first second she was linked with the first writer she knew, she found her dream job.

“Y/N!” Savannah screams from the entrance letting go Monet for finding his owner. “We're here.”

Monet does his routine, the one he does every time he comes back home with her, before going to drink water.

“One minute!” Y/N mixing the colours properly makes the transition smoother.

“Pizza?” Savannah is tired, she loved cooking unless she's tired

“Sure.” 

Savannah perks to the room. “Hey, Nora couldn't take him to the park, but he's been my help dog these days.”

Y/N smirks, the last thing she could picture is Monet helping, he’s an amazing boy but with so much energy for helping dogs who are recovering. 

“Believe me, I bet some ladies are following him more than I expect.” Savannah said walking back with her phone in her hands ready for making the order.

Y/N takes a quick glimpse of the canva next to her, the park when the summer begins, and couldn't avoid worrying for the little kid who probably is expecting Monet every day.

She laid her down head on the chair. “Wait a little bit kid, but I'm stuck here.”

Two pizzas later, they crash on the carpet, Savannah jumps remembering something.

“Oh, I've been asking and nothing.” Savannah turns around her head to see Y/N “No one knows where we can find a toy like that.”

All these days Y/N has been searching on the internet, in her small runaways to the mall but nothing.

Y/N sighs, she hopes to be able to go to the park for Monet goes with his friend.

“You will take the fine with you?” For Savannah, it is still a hilarious story about small talk through a fine.

Y/N giggles. “How will communicate with him?” She keeps that fine in her bag. “I don't want to scare him going to him with Monet after disappearing for days.” 

Y/N feels already bad thinking probably the kid believes it's his fault and she's mad.

“I choose the notes over the talk.”

Joe feels awful he goes back searching for a new toy but they ran out of it. So he went to the park moving his hands against each other trying to find the words to introduce to Monet's owner but all seemed worse than the last one.

“Hey I'm Joe, I lost your dog's toy, besides he's been with me these days helping with the recovery and more than that.” 

He gets down his head, that definitely sounds awkward.

It only increases after the second day Monet didn't appear, and Officer Lynch said he hasn’t see him either.

She's mad, definitely mad.

Either way Joe continued going every morning hoping to find Monet but for two weeks he didn't come.

The following week he had things to do outside of Cincinnati but his mind couldn't avoid thinking about his furry friend. 

“Morning Joe.” Officer Lynch said founding him at the entrance after finishing his shift. “A little bit late, huh?”

It's around 9 am, by that time he's usually back at home having his breakfast, still he just goes there for a routine.

“A little friend has been waiting for you for a long time.” Joe opened his eyes running to the beach as he said thanks to the Officer who giggled; Joe looks like a kid running to see a lifetime friend.

Monet was the first one to hear him and smell him, by the time Joe was about to see the bench Monet was barking, running to him gasping as moves around him happy to see him.

Joe kneels and the long licks in his hand as the sniffing around him, is his clear show of love.

“I miss you too buddy.” Joe patted him from his head to his back before hugging him around his neck.

The crunchy sound calls for his attention, by Monet eager movements his bandanna moves and he sees the fine and his writing.

“Is it for me?” Monet sees him gasping.

He unties the fine around his collar.

 >We're not mad! I'm sorry I had tons of work these weeks. Don't worry I'll keep looking for the toy, it helps me if you tell me where you find it. 

  P.D. Monet loves freebies. 

 P.D 2 It's been a week, please Monet miss his friend, don't stop playing with him. 

         It's just a simple mistake.

   P.D 3 Why am I even writing this? 😂

The perfectly drawn emoji makes Joe giggles, as the first P.D where the ink is more dull helps him to understand in fact she’s been writing every week he wasn’t here.

“It's kind of witty your owner, huh?” Joe scratches the back of his head.

Monet carefully smells his hand still with a bandage on it.

“Oh, I'm getting better.” 

Joe takes another look at the note one more time, smirking at the fact she actually writes in blue or green tint.

“A frisbee, I can get more than one, you know.” He kisses Monet's head. “A colour in mind?”

Monte barks jumping over him in a clear sign of bliss.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tag:@harryweeniee @hellsingalucard18

[itsgiovanna]

playing for love (chapter 3)

pairing: fem!character x mason mount

summary: injured and lost, mason mount begins his recovery with the help of adeline alderidge, a tough yet brilliant physiotherapist with secrets of her own. he becomes determined to break through the walls adeline has built around herself. but some wounds don’t heal easily, and the closer they get, the more mason realizes she might need saving just as much as he does.

notes: i'm so happy so many people are enjoying!!! really, it means the world. here's another one to cheer you up and thank you 🤍 :)

word count: 3.2k

warnings: cursing, angst.

teaser |chapter 1 | chapter 2 | chapter 3 | chapter 4 (soon)

Adeline sat at the small wooden table in her living room, her laptop open in front of her, a notebook filled with scribbled notes and a half-empty cup of coffee she’d long forgotten. The morning light filtered through the window, casting a soft-glow over the space, but her attention was fixed solely on the screen.

She had worked with athletes before — semi-professionals — but never someone of his level.

A Premier League footballer. An England international.

This was different. The stakes are higher, the expectations heavier, and Mason? He wasn’t making things any easier.

She tapped the end of her pen against her notebook, exhaling slowly. Mason Mount was guarded. Irritable. Completely uninterested in her presence. Not that she expected him to be overjoyed about working with a physiotherapist — especially one who had been assigned to him rather than chosen — but the coldness in his eyes, the short responses, the way he made it clear he wanted nothing to do with this whole process… It didn’t exactly set a promising journey.

Adeline had learned to navigate stubborn patients before. But, Mason Mount? He was a whole different kind of challenge.

A sudden giggle pulled her out of her thoughts.

On the floor, just by the couch, Lilith sat cross-legged with her stuffed animals spread around her in an organized mess. She was speaking in a serious voice, clearly in the middle of a conversation between her toys.

“No, Teddy, you can’t eat all the biscuits! It’s not fair to Bunny.” she huffed, arms crossed as if truly scolding them. “We share in this house, ‘kay?”

Adeline felt her lips twitch into a small smile despite the weight pressing on her chest.

Lily. The biggest reason why this job mattered.

Her usual routine was simple: drop Lily at daycare in the morning, pick her up in the late afternoon, spend the evening together.

Her heart clenched at the thought of missing their usual evenings — cooking dinner together, bedtime stories, Lily’s constant chatter filling the flat.

She needed this opportunity. But, at what cost?

Her eyes flickered back to her screen, back to the scans of Mason’s knee. The damage was significant, but the surgery had been successful. Now, it was about getting him to trust her, to listen, to push past the frustration and actually engage with his recovery.

Her fingers tapped against the table as she read the list, then underlined the last point "step 5: slowly reintroduce movement".

Mason didn’t strike her as the patient type. He’d want to push harder, move faster, prove to himself that he wasn’t broken. That was the real battle. Not just the physical recovery — but getting him to accept that it'd take time.

She sighed, glancing at Lily, who was now making Bunny and Teddy hug it out, completely unbothered by the world around her.

Her pen was poised over the notebook, underlining key points in her notes, when she suddenly glanced at the clock. Her stomach dropped. She was late. Again.

“Shit.”

She was juggling too many things at once — her bag, Lily’s tiny backpack, her keys between her teeth — when Adeline finally swung the door open, only to freeze mid-step.

Because standing in the hallway, just locking his own door, was him.

Elliot Sinclair.

He was new to the building, had moved in a couple of months ago, and ever since, Adeline had definitely noticed him. Tall, dark-haired, built like he actually used that gym membership most people just don't mind. Always dressed effortlessly in fitted sweaters and well-tailored trousers, like he walked straight out of a magazine.

And he had this smile — like he knew exactly how good he looked but wasn’t an asshole about it.

“Morning, Adeline.” His voice was smooth, polite, just like always. His green eyes flickered down to Lily, who was hopping beside her mum, struggling to get her arms into the straps of her backpack. “And good morning to you, Miss Lily.”

“Hi, Mr. Elliot!” Lily beamed, finally getting the backpack on and standing up straight, proud of herself.

“That’s quite the bag you’ve got there. Off to save the world?” Elliot chuckled.

Lily gasped, as if she’d been caught in a secret mission. “How’d you know?”

“Lucky guess.” He winked.

Adeline cleared her throat, clutching Lily’s tiny hand in hers.

“Morning, Elliot. You heading out?”

“Yeah, work calls.” He lifted the leather briefcase in his hand, his watch catching the light. “And you? Big day ahead?”

Adeline hesitated, not quite sure why she suddenly felt… nervous.

She spoke to people all the time. This was normal.

But something about the way he looked at her — genuinely interested, not just asking for the sake of politeness — made her stomach flip.

“Uh, yeah. First session with a new patient today.” she answered, shifting the weight of her bag on her shoulder.

“Physiotherapy, right?” Elliot nodded, intrigued.

“Yes.”

“Must be rewarding.” he said, eyes warm. “Helping people get back on their feet.”

Adeline blinked. Most people didn’t really say things like that. They either assumed she did massages all day or made some joke about her working with sweaty guys.

But Elliot… he actually seemed to get it.

She cleared her throat again, feeling the heat creep up her neck. “There’s a mix of highs and lows.” But, before Elliot could say more, a known voice cut through the hallway.

“Well, hello.” Adeline groaned before even turning around. She strolled down the hall, coffee cup in one hand.

Stella.

“Oh, Ady.” she drawled, stopping beside her with a dramatic sigh. “You never told me you had such a fit neighbor.”

Adeline wanted to die. Right there. On the spot.

“I suppose I’ll take that as a compliment.” Elliot chuckled.

“You should.” Stella replied, giving him a once-over that was far too obvious.

Adeline needed this moment to end. Immediately.

“Well, we should go.” she rushed out, gripping Lily’s hand a little tighter. “We’re already late.”

“Right. Have a good day, both of you.” Elliot smiled.

“You too, Elliot.” Adeline muttered before practically dragging Stella towards the lift.

The moment the doors closed, Stella burst into laughter.

“God, Adeline. You like him.”

“What? No, I don’t.”

“You so do.”

“Can we not?” Adeline groaned, pressing the button for the ground floor.

“Are you kidding? He’s gorgeous. Tall, dark, polite, successful — what’s his deal? Lawyer? Architect?”

“I don’t know. Finance, maybe?” Adeline shrugged. “He’s always in suits.”

“Oh, even better. A rich, hot neighbor? Babe, this is prime romance novel material.”

“Stella.”

“Adeline.”

Adeline sighed, praying for patience.

Stella just smirked. “Alright, fine, I’ll leave it — for now. But, one day you’re gonna admit I was right.”

Adeline rolled her eyes. Like that would ever happen.

“Now, let’s talk about something far more important,” Stella continued. “I’m taking Lily today, and before you argue — yes, you need me to, and yes, you’re going to accept it.”

And just like that, the conversation smoothly transitioned to Stella’s plan to help with Lilith.

But no matter how much Adeline focused on her friend’s words, she couldn’t quite shake the way Elliot had looked at her.

(...)

Mason sat on the edge of his bed, the TV droning on in the background. He wasn’t really watching, just trying to drown out the mess of thoughts in his head. The injury, the disappointment, the endless pressure. His leg was still sore, the heavy weight of frustration pressing down on him.

A sports program came on, the ESPN logo flashing across the screen. Mason’s eyes drifted lazily to the TV as the host started talking about him.

"Mason Mount, still struggling to make an impact at Manchester United after his move from Chelsea. Following a difficult start to the season, and now, a injury that’s going to keep him sidelined for a while, the question is: can he come back from this?"

The words hit him like a slap. He could feel his blood boil as they moved onto clips of his missed shots, his poor performances. The commentator, as usual, was so eager to make it sound worse than it was.

"Come on..." Mason muttered under his breath, his grip tightening on the remote.

Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. With a grunt, he hurled the remote across the room, the clattering sound echoing off the walls as it hit the floor. His chest was tight, his anger bubbling up, and he hated that this was how it was playing out. He wasn’t supposed to be in this situation.

The door creaked open just as he leaned back against his pillows, still seething.

“Mate, you alright?” Ben’s voice broke through the silence, and Mason looked up to see his two best friends, Ben and Declan, standing in the doorway.

Ben grinned, looking around the room. “What, did you lose a fight with your remote or something?”

Mason couldn’t help the small huff of laughter that escaped him. “I’m fine.” he muttered.

“Sure you are, mate.” Ben said, tossing a sideways glance at Declan. “We just thought we’d swing by before practice. Check in on the walking wounded.”

“How’s it going, mate?” Declan gave him a quick, sympathetic smile, his hands in his pockets.

“Not great.” Mason replied honestly, rubbing his eyes. “It’s been a hell of a couple of days.” Ben flopped down into a chair, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

“We’ve been planning a trip, actually.” he said, leaning forward, clearly excited. “Something to take our minds off football. Thought we’d do a lads’ weekend in a couple of months, when you're good to go. Get away from the madness for a bit.”

“Yeah, somewhere warm, maybe a beach. You’ll be back on your feet by then, no problem.” Declan joined in.

“I hope so, but we’ll see.” Mason leaned back in the bed, his eyes scanning the ceiling.

“We’ve all agreed, you’re coming. No excuses.” Ben shot him a smirk.

“Yeah, yeah.” Mason replied, trying to smile. “If I can even walk by then.”

“You’ll be fine. You’ve got this.” Declan gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

Just as Mason was about to respond, the door opened again, and Adeline stepped into the room. Her presence immediately changed the atmosphere, her calm demeanor cutting through the tension.

Ben, always the cheeky one, didn’t waste a second. He stood up, flashing her a grin.

“Oh, I see… this is her, huh? The one who’s gonna fix our mate up.”

“I’m here to help, yes.” Adeline raised an eyebrow, her cool expression not missing a beat.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Declan.” Declan, ever the polite one, extended his hand with a warm smile.

Ben, on the other hand, gave a small wink as he took a step closer.

“Ben. Good luck with this one, Adeline.” he said, his grin teasing, though there was a hint of genuine admiration in his voice. “He’s a tough one.”

“Nice to meet you both, boys.”

Mason rolled his eyes slightly, already bracing himself for whatever would come next. His mates were clearly a bit too comfortable.

“Alright, well, I think it’s time to get to work.” Adeline said, glancing back at Mason. “Shall we start?”

Ben leaned in toward Mason with a wink. “Good luck, mate. We’ll leave you in her capable hands.”

“Yeah, take care of him.” Declan said, nodding seriously. “Catch you later.”

The door closed behind them, and Mason was left staring at Adeline, a mix of frustration and reluctance settling in. This wasn’t exactly how he imagined his recovery would go, but here he was. Time to face the music.

(...)

Mason sat on the edge of the treatment table, gripping the sides with both hands as he tried —really tried — to focus on the exercise Adeline had set up for him. His leg ached, the resistance band wrapped around his foot biting into his skin as he attempted another slow lift. He exhaled sharply, frustration simmering just beneath the surface.

“This is pointless.” he muttered, dropping his leg back down with a huff.

Adeline, standing beside him, barely flinched at his tone. “It’s not pointless. You need to strengthen the muscles around your knee to stabilize it.”

He rolled his eyes. “I know how injuries work.”

She crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly. “Oh, do you? Because, right now, it looks like you’re giving up before you’ve even started.”

Mason clenched his jaw, glaring at her. She was pushing him, and he didn’t like it. She wasn’t one of those physiotherapists who offered sympathy or let him get away with half-arsed attempts. No, she was standing there, waiting — expecting him to do better.

“I’m not giving up.” he gritted out.

“Then prove it, Mount.” she said smoothly, adjusting the band’s tension before stepping back. “Five more repetitions, no complaints.”

He wanted to argue, to snap back with something snarky, but instead, he exhaled through his nose and lifted his leg again. The burn in his thigh was immediate, his knee stiff and uncooperative, but he pushed through. Adeline watched closely, her gaze sharp.

It was strange — he was used to people watching him, analyzing his every movement on the pitch. But this was different. He wasn’t performing, wasn’t at his best, and yet she wasn’t looking at him like he was broken. Just… fixable.

He pushed the thought aside, focusing on finishing the set.

As soon as he was done, he dropped the band with an annoyed sigh, leaning back on his palms. “There. Happy?”

Adeline checked the angle of his knee and nodded. “For now. But we’ll push further tomorrow.”

Mason groaned. “You’re relentless.”

“It’s part of my job.” She smirked.

Before he could come up with a response, her phone buzzed on the table beside her. She grabbed it quickly, glancing at the screen before stepping away to answer.

Mason wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but the room was quiet enough that he could hear the soft tone of her voice. Whoever was on the other end, they were clearly important.

“No, it’s alright, darling.” Adeline said, her voice dropping slightly. “I’ll be there later. Don’t worry, everything’s fine.”

There was a pause. A softness in her expression that Mason hadn’t seen before.

She hung up and turned back around, slipping her phone into her pocket like nothing had happened.

“Is everything ok?” Mason raised an eyebrow.

“Just sorting a few things.” Adeline shrugged.

He eyed her for a moment, something about the way she deflected making him curious. But he wasn’t about to pry. Not yet, anyway.

“Well.” She said briskly, checking her watch. “That’s enough for today. You did alright.”

He scoffed. “Alright?”

“Considering you acted like a sloppy teenager, I’d say it was a decent effort.” She smirked.

“Cheers for that.” Mason let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head.

Adeline only smiled, grabbing her notebook and writing down something down before stepping towards the door.

“See you tomorrow, Mount.” she called over her shoulder.

Mason watched her go, his mind still stuck on that phone call. There was something she wasn’t saying. But then again, he barely knew her. It wasn’t like she owed him an explanation.

Still, as he ran a hand through his hair and glanced at the clock, he realized something.

The sessions weren’t getting any easier. But for the first time since the injury, he wasn’t just dreading them — he was thinking about them.

About her.

And that was unfamiliar territory.

(...)

The flat was quiet when Adeline stepped inside, the kind of silence that settled deep, reminding her of what she had missed. She dropped her bag by the door, exhaling as she toed off her shoes. The warm glow of the small lamp in the living room was the only source of light, casting soft shadows on the walls.

Stella was curled up on the couch, scrolling through her phone, but at the sound of Adeline’s arrival, she looked up with a small smile.

“She tried to wait for you.” Stella said gently, tilting her head towards Lilith’s room. “But her little eyes kept shutting, poor thing.”

“What time did she fall asleep?” Adeline’s chest tightened.

“About half an hour ago.” Stella replied, standing and stretching. “She kept asking if you’d be back soon. I told her you were working hard, but you know how she is.”

Adeline swallowed the lump in her throat. She wanted to see Lilith, to wake her up just for a moment — to press a kiss to her chubby little cheek and whisper apologies into her curls. But she knew better. Lily needed her sleep. And that only made the guilt feel heavier.

“I hate this, Ella.” She sighed, running a hand through her hair.

“I know you do.” Her friend gave her a knowing look.

“I feel like I’m barely seeing her. What’s the point of doing all this if I can’t even be here for her?” Adeline lowered herself onto the couch, rubbing her face.

“You are doing it for her, Ady. This job means better opportunities, more stability. And you’re not alone. I’m here. Lilith is happy, she’s loved. She’s not going to resent you for working hard.”

Stella sat down beside her, nudging her shoulder.

But that didn’t stop the ghosts from creeping in. The voices from her past saying that she’d ruined her life by keeping Lilith.

"You’ll never manage."

The memory of her father’s cold stare. Her mother’s disappointment. The way they turned their backs on her the moment she decided to raise her daughter alone.

"You won’t be able to do this. You’ll fail. That little girl deserves better than you."

Her throat tightened, her fingers curling into the fabric of her jeans.

“Adeline.” Stella’s voice pulled her back, gentle but firm. “You’re an amazing mom.”

“Sometimes, I don’t feel like one.” Adeline forced a breath, blinking rapidly before turning to her friend.

“Because you’re exhausted. But trust me, Lily adores you. And when she wakes up, you’ll still be her favorite person in the world.”

Adeline nodded, though the weight in her chest didn’t lift.

Stella patted her knee before standing up, grabbing her coat. “Alright, I should get going. I'll wake up early tomorrow.”

“Thank you.” Adeline murmured, standing to walk her to the door.

“Always.” Stella shot her a wink. “Oh, and by the way… I still think you should try and have a bit of fun outside of work. That neighbor of yours? Very easy on the eyes.”

Adeline let out a soft, tired laugh, shaking her head. “Go home, Stella.”

“Fine, fine." Stella grinned. "But you should think about it. You deserve something good, babes.”

And with that, she was gone, leaving Adeline alone in the quiet once again.

She glanced towards Lilith’s door, contemplating sneaking in just for a moment. But instead, she walked to her own room, changing into something comfortable before slipping beneath the covers.

She had a long day ahead tomorrow.

(...)

[imagineweasley]

Puppy Love: Part II

Sirius Black x Fem reader

summary: you and your friends are fascinated by animagi and one day, decide to take a risk and become one. it proves to be an interesting experience - one day you are wandering the forest when things take a turn and secrets are revealed...

read part 1 here!

y/n: your name

y/h: your house

y/c: your color

submit a request!

author's note: a valentines' day present to my valentines! here's part 2 of puppy love :) also - THIS ONE GOT SO LONG TOO! this part is a big slow but i had to cut it off somewhere and i'll try to get part 3 out sooner. buckle in!

@hellokitty-girl666

-

Y/n's POV

My task was simple. During Herbology, I'd sneak over to where Professor Sprout kept the mandrakes and sneak three leaves. Somehow, I had to get them without the bloody things screaming at the top of their lungs, so my plan was to find three fresh leaves that they might have already dropped, or else I'd have to go to plan B. I did not want to go to plan B.

We'd scoured Advanced Potion-Making the night before, reading the steps over and over again so that we could commit them to memory. Callie had wanted to write it down but Ellie and I vetoed that idea; if we got caught, one look at the list would reveal what we were doing.

Under the list of items and instructions, there was an extensive list of disclaimers:

DO NOT ATTEMPT UNLESS OVER THE AGE OF 17. DO NOT ATTEMPT UNLESS AT/SUPERVISED BY A WITCH OR WIZARD WITH ADVANCED MASTERY OF POTIONS. IF STEP 3 FAILS, WITCH OR WIZARD MAY HAVE PERMANENT WHISKERS.

We ignored those, especially the whiskers part. The others had their own tasks, of course. Callie would be collecting the dew from somewhere "neither sun nor human feet have touched," and her best guess so far was to go to the Forbidden Forest to collect them. One of us would have to go with her, of course, there was no way we'd let her go in there alone. Ellie on the other hand, would have to get a chrysalis of a death-head's hawk moth. We were stumped because what the hell is that? After some research, we realized we would not be able to obtain it ourselves, and would have to find some underground tactics. I had no idea how she would pull it off, but if anyone could, it was Ellie.

It was the next morning now, and Callie and I were headed to Herbology. "You ready?" Callie whispered to me while we hugged our books to our chests and tramped to the greenhouse.

"Ready." I kept my eyes forward, not wanting to attract attention to us.

When we arrived at the green house, we found a spot on the far end of the green house, where the mandrakes were tucked into a corner to reduce the risk of a clumsy student falling into them and causing a chorus of brain-splitting shrieks. Callie tood right in front of me, stepping on my foot.

"Ow! Callie get off!"

"Sorry!" She whispered, panic creeping into her voice, "I'm just trying to make sure no one sees you!"

"Alright students, gather around!" Madame Pomfrey marched into the greenhouse and motioned for people to come closer, "I hope you all have good reflexes, as today, we'll be studying the Devil's Snare." There were a few "oooh"s as the students gathered around the small cut of the vine and Professor sprout bent over it. I, on the other hand, saw this as the chance to snatch some leaves and backed away from the group as discreetly as possible towards the sleeping mandrakes. I whipped around to the pots for my target, heart thumping. I scanned each pot for what I needed, but it looked like the mandrakes were perfectly in order. Damn. Of course they were in perfect shape, there was no way Sprout would ever let them - hold on. A flash of green caught my eye, tucked behind one of the mandrakes. I leaned carefully over as to not disturb it, and saw two leaves. Bingo!

Very slowly, I reached my fingertips in between the plants and managed to grab the them. I breathed a small sigh of relief, but it wasn't over yet - I still needed one more.

I looked over my shoulder to see if I had been spotted, but all I saw were students' backs and Callie shooting nervous glances back at me. I shot her a look that said Turn! Around! and she huffed but listened. Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to the plants in front of me. I searched in the dirt once more for one, JUST ONE more leaf, but there wasn't any. I even scanned the ground below the table, but no luck. Disappointed, I returned to the group.

"... usually grow so large that they can trap large humans, and they try to trick you with these lovely flowers..." Professor Sprout was holding up the pot to show everyone the budding white flowers. I tried to pay attention but all the possibilities of plan B were reeling endlessly in my brain. In my peripheral I could see Callie shooting me nervous glances but I ignored her and stared as hard as I could at the plant, wishing it could strangle my thoughts.

-

We huddled in the corner of the library for a rundown of our progress.

"Alright girls, how did it go today?" Ellie blew a strand of hair that had fallen into her eyes out of the way. I sighed.

"Only two." I mumbled, and she looked slightly disappointed but seemed to push it aside. "Okay! That's two more than we had this morning!"

"Yeah, but now I'll have to do plan B." I had really been hoping that it would be a one-and-done situation.

"Y/n, you've got this!" Ellie touched my arm encouragingly, "I would help, but I have to go find Jessup Daniels tonight. I've heard whispers that he has a gift for sneaking things into school for people for a price, things that no one should be able to get their hands on except for the most shadowy wizards. No one knows how he gets them, but I figure out of everyone, he'd know where to get those chrysalises."

Callie and I nodded in agreement. "He looks like he'd know how to get things like that." I said under my breath and the girls stifled giggles, earning some very pointed looks from the students around us. "Plus, I know that James Potter has an invisibility cloak on him," Ellie patted her bag indicating she already had it stowed away, "I heard them talking very loudly about it. Those boys aren't so subtle are they?" Ellie rolled her eyes. She had the most contact with those boys than us, being in Gryffindor house too, so it made sense that she had gotten her hands on something like that.

Sirius's face flashed across my mind at hearing James's name. For a second, I saw his dark gray eyes scrunch up with laughter, I felt his fingers against mine. I imagined just what would have happened if I had let my hand linger... what it might have lead to... what else his fingers could do....

"Y/n. Y/n!" I heard Ellie calling me and shook myself back to reality. "Do you need to use the cloak tonight? Maybe we can stagger when we go to do -" I shook my head. "The greenhouse is only a little bit that way and it'll be dark, no one will see me." Ellie nodded in agreement.

Callie surprised us by saying she'd already gotten her hands on her dewdrops. She merely shrugged, saying, "I have a lot of practice in 'borrowing' things and the Potions cabinet is a sitting duck, what can I say?" I nodded, impressed.

My watch caught my eye. 8:30.

"Alright girls," I made a motion to get up, "I should start heading out. It'll be dark and it looks like it's starting to sprinkle out there." Tiny raindrops were dotting the window next to us. Ellie and Callie followed suit and nodded seriously.

"Godspeed." Callie saluted me with mock seriousness.

I saluted her back, then quickly gathered my schoolbag that I had brought with me to stuff the leaf in. My nerves had suddenly turned to excitement - I had never done anything more than getting messy drunk at common room parties, maybe smoking a joint here and there and raiding the kitchen. I had been such a rule-follower my whole life - suddenly, I was excited to get my hands dirty. Hiking my bag higher, I quickly left the library, but maybe I shouldn't have been so fast. I never noticed the gray eyes watching me.

-

Sirius's POV

It hadn't even been a day since my run-in with y/n when I spotted her at the library. She and her friends - I think their names are Calliope and Eleanor? - were in a huddle, whispering furiously. I let my eyes linger on y/n as I made my way over to the only open table behind her armchair.

I plopped my bag down on the table, internally groaning. I never came to the library of course, I have better things to do with my time, but I had gotten into a small scuffle with James in Potions because he wouldn't leave me alone about y/n and gotten myself 10 points from Gryffindor and a foot and a half on the properties of belladonna. Huffing, I yanked out my parchment and quill when the words invisibility cloak and y/n's voice caught my ear.

I could barely hear what she was saying, but if I strained, I could hear her whispering, "The greenhouse... it'll be dark..."

The greenhouse? What could she possibly need to do in the greenhouse? Not only that, but in the dark? From my years of admiring her from afar, I knew that y/n isn't one to be sneaking around after hours. I kept straining my ears to catch more of the conversation without being too obvious, but all I could hear was Callie talking about some potion. Then, they all got up and I ducked my head, mind racing with ideas of what they could possibly be planning. Callie saluted y/n, and y/n started walking out of the library. I ducked behind a shelf to watch her leave, mind still racing about what she could be doing. I returned to my table and Ellie and Callie had gone too.

"What in the bloody hell..." I sat for a moment staring at my empty parchment, trying to focus my mind on this stupid paper, but gave up. I jumped to my feet, stuffed my belongings into my bag, and decided to go back to Gryffindor tower.

There was no way I'd be able to get y/n off my mind.

[callixpene]

L&DS Future Lifetime Series - PART 2: FIRST CONVERGENCE

Note: Starting from Part 2, some or all of the Love Interest's perspectives will be meshed together.

MASTERLIST for Part 1 is here(In case you haven't read it): ALL LIs - PART 1: WE MEET AGAIN

Next part to this fic is here: RAFAYEL, ZAYNE & CALEB POV - PART 2: SECOND CONVERGENCE

XAVIER & SYLUS POV - PART 2 : FIRST CONVERGENCE

Xavier X OC. Sylus X OC.

Set in Future Timeline. All Love Interests have no memories of their past lives. All of the MCs(5 Sisters) all have memories of their past lives. Very persistent LIs. Avoidant MCs. Love at first sight. Soulmates.

Genre: Fluff, Some Angst

Xavier was getting very impatient, which was very out of character for him.

He'd been waiting outside Steven Kingsley's office for almost an hour.

He acknowledged the fact that as the President of Nexus Innovations, he would naturally be so terribly busy and Xavier should really just be grateful that his short-notice request for a meet-up with him had been accepted.

But he simply could not bear to wait any longer.

This matter was extremely important to him.

Celeste stood him up.

She was supposed to meet him at the balcony of The Lunar Hotel this morning, where she held her ball last night and where they met for the first time, so he could take her out to have breakfast together. Then, Xavier planned to give some lame excuse to get her to spend the rest of her day with him.

When she had not been at the balcony the exact time he told her, Xavier didn't think much of it. He just stood there with a foolish, lovesick grin on his face while carrying a large bouquet of red roses as he waited for her.

Several hours had passed and she did not show up.

After waiting for so long, Xavier anxiously made his way to the receptionist, who then informed him that Celeste Kingsley had already checked out of the hotel last night.

Xavier's heart dropped.

Why would she leave so suddenly?

Did he say something wrong last night? Was he too forward? Did he make her uncomfortable?

He sat at the hotel lounge, hands on his face contemplating what he had done wrong.

After a while, he decided that he was done sulking.

He quickly took out his phone and called his friend and most capable attendant.

"Yes, Prince Xavier?"

"Jeremiah." Xavier started. "I need you to do something for me. Urgently."

"No problem, Prince. What is it?" Jeremiah replied casually.

"I need you to set a meet-up for me, with Steven Kingsley. Today."

"From Nexus?!" Jeremiah groaned. "Wow. You never make it easy for me, huh?".

Xavier grinned. "I know you can do it. Use my title, they'll have no choice."

"Alright, then." Jeremiah sighed. "Anything else?"

"One more thing. I'll send you a message of the details. I'll need it for the meet up."

"Alright, Prince. I'll get to it then."

*****

Sylus barged his way into Nexus' main building as if he owned the place.

No one from security even attempted to stop him, they were well aware he was one of their company's most important clients.

He strode towards the reception.

"I'm here to see Mr. Kingsley?" He said to the lady stationed there.

"Ye-yes, Mr. Sylus. He's at his office at the top floor. My apologies, he's been in an online meeting with some board members for some time now, but it's likely about to end...." The poor lady was shivering slightly as she spoke." Sylus was used to it. He was aware that he always emmitted a dangerous and intimidating aura that made most people fearful. "I'll call the President's office to let them know you're here."

"Thanks. I'll wait outside his office then."

Wasting no time, he marched his way towards the elevator.

He was quite familiar with this place. He'd already spoken with Mr. Kingsley once at his office here when Nexus first started their partnership with Onychinus.

As Sylus neared the office, he caught sight of someone else waiting outside.

A blonde man with blue eyes, who looked slightly irritated. He was wearing a well-tailored, classic white suit with gold embroidery.

He was dressed like royalty.

Sylus sat on the chaise longue across the other that was being occupied by the fancy man.

He sort of looked familiar, Sylus thought. But just a bit.

Several minutes passed and nothing but an eerie silence enveloped the halls.

"So" Sylus started, and the blonde man looked at him. "What are you here for?"

The other man didn't reply immediately. He glanced at Sylus, nonchalantly.

He's sizing me up, Sylus smirked.

His smirk seemed to irritate the man even more.

"I'm here on royal business." The blonde man replied. "As crown prince of Philos, I have an offer that Nexus would not be able to refuse."

Sylus' eyes widened a bit.

Ah, that's why he looked familiar.

A couple of days ago, he recalled he did indeed see this man's face plastered at the front of the morning paper. The headline read 'Philos' crown prince in Linkon to strengthen diplomatic relations.'

"Well, well" Sylus said, amused. "I didn't realize I was in the presence of royalty. Forgive me, if I seemed rude earlier, Your Highness." He couldn't help but add a tinge of sarcasm when he said 'Your Highness'.

Now the man - the prince, was actively glaring at him. Sylus chuckled internally.

"What are you here for?" The prince said, in a rather sharp tone.

Sylus crossed his arms. "Coincidentally, I am also here with an offer Nexus would not be able to refuse."

He was leaving this facility today after he had made it crystal clear with Mr. Kingsley that his eldest daughter, Nyx, was his and his alone.

Before the prince could reply to him, the doors to the President's office suddenly burst open. Both Sylus and the prince stood up swiftly.

A man, who looked to be a secretary, walked towards the both of them.

"Your Highness, Prince Xavier. Mr. Kingsley will see you now. He apologizes for the long wait."

"It's no problem. Thank you." The prince replied.

"Wait." Sylus interjected. Both the prince and the secretary turned to face him.

"I have a very important matter to discuss with your President. If I don't get to talk to him right now, I'm ending our partnership."

The secretary looked panicked. "M-mr. Sylus, our aplogies-"

"You really are a bastard, aren't you?"

Sylus rapidly turned his head to face Prince Xavier. "What...did you just say?"

"I said you're a bastard." The prince sneered at him. "Do you always act like an arrogant prick just to get what you want, when you want it?" Then, the prince smirked. "You act like a toddler."

"Oh, is that so?" Sylus strode towards the prince and grabbed him by the collar. "At least I'm not some self-important, useless royal that only gets things through nepotism."

Prince Xavier shook in pure fury. Sylus smirked.

He's about to throw a punch. Sylus could feel it.

Before the two could throw hands at one another, a calm voice called out from the office.

"Prince Xavier, Mr. Sylus, that's enough. Both of you can enter my office now."

It was Steven Kingsley.

Hope you guys enjoyed Part 2: First Convergence, featuring Xavier and Sylus meeting for the first time🫶

Part 2: Second Convergence featuring Zayne, Caleb and Rafayel's first meeting is out too! Please click it at the description at the top or check my pinned post for the Masterlist of this series.

Thank you all for reading and I hope you guys are enjoying this series!!!

Tell your thoughts in the comments what you think about this series so far. It will be highly appreciated 💜🩵🩷❤️🧡

[formula-ghost]

Wildflower (OP81 x fem!reader x LN4)

Chapter 4

CHAPTER SUMMARY: Even though you agreed to forgive Oscar, you realize quickly that nothing can go back to how it was before, and some old flames never die.

WORD COUNT: 10.1k

WARNINGS: Lando is very mean to reader behind her back, also reader is lowkey so dumb and frustrating but that's intentional.

TAGLIST: @at-a-rax-ia  @henna006 @linnygirl09 @cassielikereading @judelina @supertrashbread @fastandcurious16 @widow-cevans @czennieszn @irisesinthegarden @wierdflowerpower @sweetwh0re @reginalaufeyson-holmes @honethatty12 @suns3treading @obxstiles @mimiastroos @mrs-reeves-17 @milkysoop @amalialeclerc @starksztony @llando4norris @ginsengi @angxlzinthesky @makanirock05 @htpssgavi @lilypat @1-queenofpotatoes-1 @ameliaalvarez06

A/N: A few things: (1) This one is for Billie. The Grammys did her DIRTY. (2) I realized I have horrifically messed up the pacing since real F1 races are so close together so we’re gonna pretend like there are a few weeks in between Imola and Monaco because this is my fanfic and I make the rules. (3) If this is bad I’m sorry, my life is a mess right now and I’m so sorry it took me so long to get this out to you guys! (4) I went back and found a few people that accidently got left out of the taglist, my bad! I’ve linked the previous chapters below so you can catch up (5) As always, I hope you all enjoy :)

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

From your balcony, you sighed in contentment as you heard the gentle lapping of waves from the endless expanse of water that stretched out before you. There were yachts teeming with giggling models, the chattering of French spoken on the streets below, the buzz of such a city of opulence. It was music to your ears. 

The view of Monaco was one you never thought you’d get tired of. The place, though so new, also felt so much like home to you. The streets were paved with hope and memory, the water brimming with joy yet to be.

All of it was yours. Because of Oscar.

Yet again, his name came to your mind to taunt you. 

Maybe taunt was too strong of a word. You weren’t quite sure. You weren’t sure of much of anything, anymore.

Your interactions with your friend had been…awkward, to say the least. You had made a vow to yourself to forgive him, but he seemed…a little too excited to be forgiven, if that made any sense. He wanted to go back to the way that things had been before all of this, but how was that possible?

You had explored every inch of each other’s bodies. You had held each other in the heat of passion. How are you supposed to act as if none of that ever happened?

His words echoed in your brain. I can’t be the boyfriend you deserve. Not right now, at least. 

You had never even asked Oscar to be official. The thought was too far-fetched. I just want my friend back in my life. Like all of that never happened.

Well, at least one of you got what you wanted.

But then again, you truly didn’t know what you wanted from him anymore. To Oscar’s credit, you weren’t exactly making it easy to get back in your good graces.  

The one thing you had been sure you wanted was more independence. No more living in an apartment that Oscar owned, or letting him jetset you across the world to his races and paying for all your expensive dinners.

No, it was time to be your own woman. That meant leaving Monaco.

So you took advantage of every morning you still had in this city that you’d grown to love, knowing that soon, you’d have to leave.

“You don’t have to go.”

Oscar’s voice floated into your ears. He had practically moved in; he was trying to sell his larger apartment, and the place was constantly swarming with real estate agents and potential buyers. Even if it wasn’t so hectic, he hated being there alone, and you refused to go back there with him. Not after the confrontation with Lily back in Imola.

“You don’t have to leave,” he repeated. “I know you’re thinking about it.”

Sometimes it felt like Oscar could read your mind.

“Yes I do,” you responded, sipping your tea, not shifting your gaze from the water. 

“I can just give you the apartment, if you’re worried about it being in your name. I can pay the gift tax too.”

“No,” you whispered. 

“I have more money that I’d ever know what to do with, YN—”

“I don’t,” you said, keeping your voice steady. “So I can’t stay here.”

Oscar knew his arguments were all in vain. You were nothing if not stubborn.

“I need you here,” he said.

“I’ll be just across the border.” It was more than likely; you could probably get a decent apartment in Nice within your budget.

“And what about at my races?”

“I’ll always come to Monaco.” You were also contemplating quitting your job; you hadn’t said it aloud yet, but Oscar knew. You were just waiting until you found something stable to quit. It was only a matter of time.

He was already pushing his luck. You walked past him back into the apartment and the Aussie sighed. 

He didn’t have long to fix all that he had fucked up. 

Especially considering your newfound friendship with Lando, although you had done your best to keep that hidden. Something about it felt…wrong. Like a betrayal. 

Morning pretty girl, read the message from the Brit on your phone. You smiled but rolled your eyes. Lando’s playful flirting and banter was comical to you. Of course, it meant nothing. Lando wasn’t your type, and you weren’t his. 

You shot him back a good morning text of your own, before setting your phone down in the living room to clean up your breakfast. Your phone buzzed again, and Oscar grabbed it.

“You got a message from…Lando?”

“Put my phone down, Oscar.”

“Why are you texting Lando?” 

“Am I not allowed to have friends?”

You walked back into the living room, where Oscar handed you your phone. You plopped down on the couch, opening the device to see what he had texted you. 

You up for a coffee later today? There’s a new cafe I’ve been wanting to try.

You texted back quickly, affirming that you’d be there. 

“What did he want?”

“Oscar, seriously? I’m grown.”

“I’m just curious.”

“He just wanted to get coffee later today.”   

“He asked you on a date?” His face was red with impending anger.

“It’s not a date. It’s coffee. Amongst friends and coworkers, which we are. You weren’t this worried when you all left me with him in Italy,” you said, staring into the stitches on the decorative pillows on your couch.

“Things were different then.” 

His words were dripping with some unrecognizable emotion—regret, maybe, or sadness. You couldn’t be sure. But it startled you.

So you ignored it, instead grabbing your laptop and headphones before sitting at your kitchen table. “I have to get this stuff done,” you said, and Oscar just nodded. 

He had his own work to take care of. 

Later that afternoon, as you wrapped up your work and got ready to meet Lando at the cafe, you were already feeling Oscar’s absence throughout your small apartment.

It was like being stuck between a rock and a hard place; you wanted to stay in Monaco, to stay by Oscar’s side, for everything to stay the way that they had always been. But you knew that you just couldn’t.

“Why?” Lando asked, sipping on some fancy tea ordered from the admittedly adorable cafe in a hidden corner of Monte Carlo. Despite your better judgements, you had confided in him about your anxieties regarding the future. “Why would you need to leave so badly? I don’t get it. Just let him pay for all your shit. It’s the least he can do.”

“No, I’ve relied on him for too long,” you answered. “I just need to be more of myself. We’ve always been so…intertwined.”

“I know you two are close.”

“No, it’s more than that. It’s like…our lives are just, I don’t know, connected? Like I didn’t know where my story ended and his began. It’s hard to explain.”

“You must be heartbroken.”

You raised a brow. That wasn’t quite the word you’d use. “What do you mean?” you asked.

“Well, to have all of this happen. You must miss him a lot.” 

“Oh, well, he practically lives with me,” you laughed. “This all started because we got into it before Miami, but we’ve made up now. It’s just hard having to navigate all the logistics.” 

“Oh,” he replied, his voice tinged with a snark that you weren’t quite sure what to make of. He raised his eyebrows and took another sip of his tea.

“What?” you asked. 

“Well, it’s just…I mean, that was quick.” He wouldn’t meet your gaze. “Back in Imola, you seemed pretty pissed at him.” 

“I was. But,” you paused, swirling a small spoon around your own drink, “That crash was bad. Things like it just put everything in perspective, you know?”

“So everything’s fine between the two of you now, because he hit a wall?” Lando chuckled, sarcasm dripping from every word.

You looked up, your brows furrowed in confusion. “Really?”

“I just think you deserve better. You shouldn’t have to beg someone to love you.”

You bit the inside of your cheek before replying, “I don’t know what you’ve heard, but that’s not what’s happening at all.”

“It isn’t?”

“Who told you any of this?” you asked. 

You didn’t know that Oscar had told him everything, that drunken night after Miami. And what you didn’t know, Lando decided, couldn’t hurt you. He liked having the upper hand, dropping little hints that his knowledge was far beyond what anyone thought. “Why does that matter? It’s obvious to anyone with a pair of eyes.”

“Just like it was so obvious that Oscar was cheating on me with Lily?”  You looked back down to the now cold contents of your cup.

Lando was silent for a minute. “Things don’t have to be like this, YN.”

“It’s funny, cause that’s exactly what Oscar told me.”

“Why do you let him get away with all this shit?”

“Do you really think I just welcomed him back into my life like nothing happened? Forgiveness isn’t that simple. Just because we’re not screaming at each other doesn’t mean that everything is fine. It’s… complicated.”

“I’m sure it is. But can I ask you a question?”

You just tilted your head in response, mentally preparing for whatever curveball he’d throw you next. You liked the banter with Lando; it was challenging, like a back and forth dance, or a chess game.

Lando leaned in close, lowering his voice. “You said Oscar practically moved in with you. Where does he sleep at night?”

You laughed at the implication. “I’m not sleeping with him anymore.” 

“Anymore?” he asked.

You paused, your smile fading. Lando’s smile spread ear to ear. 

You had lost the game, finally revealing the truth without even intending to. 

“You’re good, Norris,” you said, swirling your spoon around the cup just to give your hands something to do. “Too good. You know, Oscar’s not too fond of me being here.”

“I’m sure he’s not,” Lando replied. “I’m sure he tells you all sorts of horrible things about me.”

“Are they true?” you asked, though Oscar had told you nothing of the sort. His hesitations came off more as paranoid ramblings rather than juicy gossip or evidence-based skepticism. 

Lando leaned in and smirked at you. “Why don’t you roll over in bed tonight and ask him?”

Your phone buzzed as you fumbled in your bag for your keys outside your front door. You spotted the lanyard, and held your phone in one hand as you closed your bag in the other.

It was really nice to see you today. I’d like to do it again. 

You let out a half laugh, half exhale. Lando was… fun. Dangerous, in a way. He had a mysterious air about him that surprised you, and it was intoxicating. 

You knew you needed to be more careful about what you let slip. He seemed to know every detail, all coming from some phantom source you couldn’t trace. Being a social media manager, you were acutely aware of how easily words could get misconstrued and livelihoods could be destroyed. 

But so was Lando, and after all, it wasn’t like he was a stranger to controversy.

You unlocked the door to your apartment and locked your phone. You’d get to that text later. For now, you had a seemingly endless mountain of work—domestic and professional—to tackle.

But as you set down your bag, you heard the familiar sound of your kitchen sink running.

Oscar was…doing dishes?

You made your way into the kitchen and stood in the entryway. “You didn’t have to do that,” you said. “I was just about to take care of it.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. 

“You should be, like, training or something, not doing my dishes.” You smiled. He didn’t.

“How’d your afternoon with Lando go?” He crossed his arms and leaned back against the sink, facing you. His expression was unreadable.

Truthfully? Odd. Exhilarating. Anxiety-inducing. But you couldn’t say that to Oscar now. 

And as you saw his imposing form, even sloped away from you, the words that the Brit had planted in your head echoed. 

The more time you spent with Lando, the more tense you were with Oscar. You recognized that. 

“It was fine,” you said. You guessed that was the right word to use, at least.

Oscar hung his head low, studying the floor. He was nervous. “Can I tell you something, friend to friend?”

“What?”

“I don’t really like you spending time with Lando.”

You just looked at him, stopped in your tracks by his audacity. “Are you serious?”

“You know he’s up to nothing good, right? Conveniently hitting you up when we’re fighting for the championship, and then he ran brake checked me into the fucking wall in Imola—”

“Oh my God, you are serious.”

“I don’t know what he’s told you, but you can’t trust him.”

“Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds coming from you?”

“YN, just hear me out—”

“Now now, Oscar,” you said, grabbing your headphones and laptop and walking out onto your balcony.  

You took a deep breath before slipping your headphones on and trudging through the work.

You closed the laptop as the sun began to set over Monaco. Oscar walked out onto the patio and sat next to you. 

“I’m going to say this once,” he said. “Please just listen to me, YN. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“That’s rich, coming from you.” 

“I know,” he said. “But I know a liar when I see one. He doesn’t love you, YN. He’s just using you.” 

You were digging your nails into your palm. 

“I don't know what his game is, but we’re all just pawns in it,” he said, his tone more frantic.

“I need to go to bed,” you said. ‘I have to be up early,” you walked past him into the apartment, but he grabbed you by the sleeve.

“YN, listen to me!”

You turned around to face him, your anger now fully unleashed. “Has it ever occurred to you that someone might just like me for me? Can you even imagine a man loving me for more than my body? He’s never even tried to get in my pants.”

“I see the way he looks at you.”

“And so what if he does?”

“He’s trying to drive a wedge between us.”

“You’re the only one driving a wedge between us, Oscar.”

“YN, I’m just saying this because I’m worried about you! You shouldn’t trust him.”

“And I should trust you instead?”

Oscar paused. “YN, I love you and—”

“Stop. Just…stop. I actually do have to go to bed.” You wiped your eyes, swatting away the faintest trace of tears that had come up. “I have to go look at an apartment tomorrow.”

Oscar bit his lip and huffed. “I thought you had forgiven me, YN.”

“I have.”

No. At the hospital, in Imola. I asked you to forgive me so we could be friends again and you said yes. Then you go and start flirting with my teammate and saying you're going to leave Monaco. I don't understand why you’re still so mad at me. I don’t know what to do.”

“Oscar, none of this is about you!” you exclaimed. “I mean, it is, but this isn’t some petty act of revenge. This is about the fact that I need my own life.”

“I used to be part of your life.”

“You used to be my entire life,” you said, and laughed. “Shit, you still are. You don’t get it.”

“I guess I don’t.”

You both paused, soaking in the tension of the scene.

“And you didn’t ask for my forgiveness,” you said. “You asked to act like none of this ever happened. I can’t do that. We…crossed a line. Things are different now.”

The tiniest part of you wanted to hop back on the other side of that line and drag Oscar into your bedroom right now. You craved the feeling of him stretching you, your hands clawing up his back or burying themselves in his hair as he buried his tongue— 

“You said never again,” he whispered. “But we both still feel the same, don’t we?” 

“I really need to go to bed.”

That night, Oscar took the couch. It didn’t matter. You couldn’t sleep. 

As you tossed and turned, you considered Oscar’s word against Lando’s, Lando’s against Oscar’s. 

Lando had said you shouldn’t forgive Oscar. And to his credit, Oscar was making that very difficult. But had you not given your best friend your word?

And what Oscar had said about Lando; he wasn’t trustworthy, he was just using you as a pawn. You hated to admit it, but it was probably true. Hell, Lando would never go for a girl like you. But the back and forth of your banter brought you a thrill you hadn’t felt in months. 

Shit, you had never texted him back. Did you really want to see him again?

You didn’t know how long this charade could go on, until Lando got whatever it is that he really wanted. But Oscar’s words still burned you with fury. 

I’d love to. 

You rode the train to Nice like a zombie, traversing the shitty apartment with lead feet, yawning the entire time. You weren’t missing much. 

Your phone buzzed with a text from Oscar, and you read it on the train ride back. 

I’m sorry for last night.

It’s fine, you replied.

Almost instantly, another message. No, it’s not. I should have just minded my own business. 

You were too exhausted to think of a reply, needing all your energy to make it from the train station back to your apartment in Monaco unscathed and collapse on the bed. 

“How was the apartment?” Oscar asked from the bathroom, preoccupied with his shaving. 

“Shitty,” you mumbled, face into the pillow. 

Oscar looked over. “Sleep badly last night?”

“You don’t even know,” you huffed. “Wait, where are you going?” 

“Buyer,” he said simply, sparing your exhausted brain the boring details of real estate management. 

You made some unintelligible noise in response. “Get some rest,” he said. “I’ll wake you up when I’m back, yeah?”

You handed him a thumbs up as you pulled the covers over you and fell asleep within minutes. 

Oscar would have given anything to be back in that bed, curled up next to you. Instead, he was inside his old, empty apartment, with Lily. 

It had been in her name too, after all. She had to be there for the sale, though neither were too happy to see each other. They looked over documents wordlessly, shuffling the papers back and forth between them, just anxious to get it over with. 

As the lawyers and real estate agents packed up their belongings, Lily sighed, clearly unamused. “It's a bit ridiculous that I had to fly all the way to Monaco for that, no?” 

“Yeah, sorry,” Oscar said, doing his best to make idle conversation. “So, how are things at work?”

“Fine,” she replied, her lips pursed. “How’s the season going?”

“You haven’t been watching?” he asked. 

“I’m busy on Sundays.”

“Ah.” The tension was thick. “It’s been okay.” 

Lily bit the inside of her cheek, determining how far she wanted to take her next move. “How’s YN?”

“Fine,” he replied, too quick and sharp to be genuine.

“That’s not what I heard,” she said. “I heard you made a move on her days after we broke up, and she dumped you because she felt so bad about it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Oscar said, a reflex more than a conscious choice to lie.

“Yes you do,” she replied. “And honestly, you all deserve each other.” Her words dripped with venom.

“Why do you care?” Oscar replied, his polite exterior broken by the confrontation. “Isn’t that exactly why you left? But now you’re mad because I actually did it.”

“I thought you were better than that. I wish you could have proven me wrong,” she said. “Oh my God, I was so stupid. Lando was right,” she said, bringing her palm to her forehead and fixing her gaze on the floor. 

“Wh— Lando?”

“Why do you think I finally got the nerve to tell you how I felt? Lando knew you were cheating. And I don’t care what you or her say, I don’t believe you anymore. There’s no way you just…crawled into her bed 4 days after I left you. You had to have been cheating.”

“Lily, I never cheated on you. Why would Lando tell you that?” 

“Because it was happening right in front of my eyes! And for so long I just ignored it and pushed it all down.” Her eyes were prickling up with tears, the effect of the emotion being so fresh in the presence of her now ex-lover. “I just told myself that you all were friends. It was normal for your boyfriend to look at his best friend like that. Oh, yes, it’s so normal for your boyfriend to bring his girl best friend on every vacation, every night out, every trip home! I can’t believe that your fucking teammate had to be the one to open my eyes.” 

“Lily,” Oscar repeated, “I never, never, cheated on you. Yes, I was a horrible boyfriend. And yes,” he paused and sighed before continuing, ‘YN and I… it’s complicated. But never before you left. I don’t know what the hell Lando is telling you but it’s a lie.”

“You’re the only liar. You and YN. She acts like she’s so honest, but I know. You had to have been cheating. You all wanted each other for years.”

“Lily—”

“Don’t, Oscar,” she said, wiping her eyes. “It doesn’t really matter anymore. What’s done is done. I just hope you two are happy.” Lily grabbed her purse off the kitchen counter and swiftly left the apartment, leaving behind only the soft clicking of her heels against the tile of the hallway, and the echo of what once was, reverberating around the apartment before slowly fading into the quiet of the afternoon. 

Back at your place, Oscar entered quietly, careful not to wake you. All he wanted was to sleep.

He slowly took off his shoes and jacket, sinking into the bed next to you. He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep; his mind was racing, his nervous system wired. But he wanted to rest, to feel the warmth and weight of your sleeping body next to his own. For just a moment, the world could stop, and he would feel okay again. 

But it couldn’t be. You had always been a light sleeper. The mere sound of his opening and closing the front door had caused you to stir. The feeling of his weight down on the bed led you to rise, stretching your arms about your head before rubbing your eyes.

Oscar couldn’t help it; his eyes glanced to the exposed skin of your stomach from where your shirt rode up when he stretched. You had said no more sex, and he respected that. But it didn’t mean that he wanted you any less. 

“What time is it?” you mumbled. 

“Almost five,” he answered.

“Oh, shit,” you said. You hadn’t expected to sleep this long. You looked over to Oscar, who was hiding his face in his hands. “You can have the bed, I’ll go make food.”

You swung your legs over the bed, but Oscar reached out and grabbed your wrist. “Stay,” he said. “Please.”

That woke you up quick. Oscar could feel the blood pulse through your veins as he held your wrist, a whispered plea for comfort.

“Osc…”

“Lily was there. At the apartment.”

“I don’t think—”

“She said…God, YN, I feel like I’m going fucking crazy.”

“Let go of my arm, please.”

Oscar awkwardly let you go, not realizing that he had essentially kept you pinned to the spot. You wordless rose and left the room for the kitchen.

As you stirred the pot of food to a simmer, you watched the little bubbles rise to the top, like the little kernels of emotion that ran through you. If it were up to you, you’d close the lid on them and leave them forever. But then the house could burn down.

What an apt metaphor.

But truly, you knew you were trying to outrun something, a force so strong you couldn’t ignore it. 

Love, lust, desire? It couldn’t be named. Unfortunately, it followed you around the apartment. 

“How are we friends if we can’t even talk?” Oscar said, having followed you to the kitchen, now standing in the doorway. What he was doing was a bit unfair, cornering you here when you couldn’t really leave. But what else could he do?

“You can talk to me,” you said. “Just not in my bed.”

You refused to look at the Aussie, instead putting all your focus into chopping the vegetables, drowning out his words in the sharp sounds of the knife tearing through the onion and shallots.

“Lily was there. She told me that Lando told her that I cheated on her with you.”

You snorted. “What are we, back in middle school? He said, she said?”

“Well, considering she left me over it, I don’t find it very funny.”

“Oscar, you never cheated. Everyone knows that.” 

“Lando is—”

“Who cares what Lando says?” You used the flat blade of the knife to swipe the chopped vegetables off the cutting board and into the pot.  

“I care!”

“Do you blame him for thinking we were hooking up?”

“I blame him for putting thoughts in my girlfriend’s head that weren’t true.” 

You put the knife on the counter with a thud. “Ex-girlfriend.”

Oscar paused, mentally cursing himself for the slip of words. “I’m just saying, he’s going around saying things without any regard to what damage they may cause.”

“You sound paranoid,” you said, grinding salt and pepper into the mixture. 

“I just…” Oscar grasped for the right words, careful to not let his frustration take over, “I would just really appreciate it if you don’t tell him anything. Because he already took her from me.” 

You put the lid back on the pot and turned the heat down. “The male audacity never ceases to amaze me.”

“What?”

“Oscar, she didn’t leave you because Lando was poisoning her thoughts, or whatever. She left because she was unhappy.”

“She left because she felt threatened by you. Because of what Lando said.”

You finally turned around to face him, your cheeks now red with frustration. “It only took you four days to prove her right! This isn’t about Lando. This is about the fact that you still can’t accept what you did. With her or with me.”

“You wanted it, too,” he responded, his voice now low and husky. “And you still want it. Deep down, you know it.”

You swallowed, suddenly noticing how his arms filled out the sleeves of his shirt just right, and how the blood rushed to his cheeks while he was angry, painting his face a delightful shade of blush. 

“That’s irrelevant.” 

“If I’m guilty, then so are you. Because you imagined every second of it.”

“Not like this,” you whispered. “And you did too.”

He stepped forward, closing the gap between you two. “Stop talking to Lando.”

Your voice rose to a normal level, relieved by the changed tension. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

God, how badly you wanted him to push you up against the wall and take you right then and there. No, you couldn’t. But he was right.

You had wanted this. You were guilty.

It was eating you alive. 

The Monaco Grand Prix. The epitome of glitz and glamor, wealth and class, speed and history. It was everything that you and Oscar loved about the sport of Formula 1, right from the comfort of  your backyard.

Well, not for much longer. But that was a thought you were trying to avoid. 

You had looked at a couple more apartments in your budget, only to be disappointed by all of them. Of course, nothing could beat the picturesque view you had right outside your living room every morning. 

If it were up to you, you would have watched the race from your balcony, but duty called. You put on your best face of professionalism for the weekend.

It turns out, going back to being “just friends” was a paradox. You couldn’t; not after the unhealed wounds, the ghost of phantom touches and unforgettable nights that still haunted both of you. 

But even when you pretended, you couldn’t deny the sexual tension that underlied every interaction. 

You had almost forgotten that feeling; it lingered after your first encounter with Oscar, where you had taken each other’s virginity, but it had been different then. Only a few days and a handful of awkward texts before things just went back to normal. He went back to the UK, you went back to school, he met Lily, and the rest was history.

But now, it was inescapable, breaking into every crack and crevice of the apartment, in every breath between you two that held a second too long of eye contact.

It was torture. At least professionalism was somewhat of a reprieve. 

You raised your camera up to take a shot of Oscar walking out of the McLaren garage, thankful to be able to hide behind your lens. Through it, you could see the strained outline of his muscles underneath his fireproof shirt. His hair was glistening with sweat, and his chest heaved, letting out a frustrated sigh at the results of quali.

“Care to get a picture of the pole sitter, YN?” you heard behind you, and turned to see Lando’s cheeky grin as he shook his hair. His discarded balaclava was in one hand, and he ran his other through his loose curls, balancing his helmet on his hip.

You let out a small huff of a laugh and snapped a quick picture. 

“Let me see,” he said, walking next to you. You held up the small screen for him to see.

“Wow, you make me look good,” he teased.

“Oh no,” you bantered back, “that’s the magic of editing.”

“No way. The only Oscar can look that good on Instagram is because you’re behind the camera.”

You laughed out of reflex at the crude joke. “Actually,” you said, “most pics I take don’t make it to social media.” Lando raised an eyebrow. You continued, “Yeah, most of what we post is from the actual photographers. Leave the beautification to the professionals.”

“Really?” he asked.

“Well, I just like to take pictures, but I’m not very good at it. Most of my actual work is all the boring stuff with the merch.”

Lando’s grin returned. “So all those pictures you took of me at Imola, was that just because you wanted to look at my face, huh?”

“I’d need more than just photoshop to make you look pretty, Norris.” You both knew the joke was false. Lando was perfect—tanned skin, chiseled body, brown coils catching the sunlight and caused golden highlights to cascade through his locks. You couldn’t deny that Lando Norris was fucking hot.

“Ouch! And here I thought you liked me,” he joked. “Considering I’m taking you out to dinner, and all.”

You looked over your shoulder, checking for any other McLaren drivers who may be listening. But Oscar was far out of sight. 

“Just a little friendly meal between colleagues,” you said, a tense smile coming to your face.

“Keep telling yourself that, love,” he said, before being called over to the media tent. 

You gave him another smile as he walked off, but truthfully, you weren’t exactly excited. You weren’t quite sure what to make of Lando, especially given Oscar’s reservations. Getting this close to him, especially in public, was…dangerous. 

You felt that familiar knot of anxiety in your stomach. Maybe Oscar was right.

But Lando turned around and flashed you his award winning smile and a wink, and you giggled out of reflex. Maybe Oscar’s paranoia was wearing off on you. 

It didn’t matter now. You had a job to do. 

Which was very hard to do, considering that no one could find Oscar after he left the media pen. 

Unbeknownst to you, Oscar was back in his driver’s room, doing anything he could to avoid losing his mind.

Quali had gone horribly. At a track like Monaco, where overtaking was so scarce, he had essentially sighed away potential points. And to make it all worse, Lando had gotten pole, and to celebrate, he had stood in front of Oscar’s own garage, chatting you up without a care in the world.

Oscar couldn’t even bear to see it. He had trudged off to the media pen, quickly gave his statement, then booked it to the room to be alone for a while.

But it felt like he was going crazy. He couldn’t relax, his leg bouncing up and down at a fervent pace, his breaths strained. Was he having a panic attack? This must be close to it.

But no, it wasn’t panic. It was anger. He felt like a cringy teenager, wanting to punch a wall, ro drive a car way too fast (as if he didn’t already do that for a living), or… no. He couldn’t go there. He couldn’t indulge his most unhealthy coping mechanism. Not now.

But he felt all the blood rush down south at even the mere thought of the last time he had you in his driver’s room. 

No. No, no, he said to himself again and again. You had said no sex. He didn’t want you to feel used. But just the memory of your mouth on him, the curves of your body underneath his own, was enough to rile him up.

There were too many people outside. He could hear their voices outside the door. The whole damn country of Monaco was too small; there was nowhere to hide from his urges, or from you, for that matter.

Not that he usually wanted to. But he had a little problem to take care of.

His phone buzzed. A text from you. 

Where are you?

What was he supposed to say? Hiding from you, because I’m so stupidly aggravated and horny that I can’t even be around you for fear of ruining our friendship?

He let out an angry groan into a pillow to muffle his frustrations. It wasn’t just the physical aspect that he missed; he missed your warmth, the comforting weight of you beside him in the bed, the tentative way you were always just an arm length’s close, never more, never less.

He should have held you. He should have made you feel loved and not used. It haunted him every day. And yes, he was paying the price for it.

“Congrats on pole, man!” he heard, the voice clear enough to indicate that someone was outside his door.

“Thanks,” Lando’s voice replied, before he heard the familiar sound of the door around the corner opening and closing. 

Yeah, he was definitely paying the price.

Oscar contemplated not going back to your place tonight. 

He still had a few days where he could sleep in his old apartment before the sale fully went through. On one hand, the place was empty and quiet, devoid of life and love. He’d be alone with his thoughts—for better or worse.

On the other hand, he didn’t think he’d be able to sleep anywhere except your bed or couch. He had gotten too used to the familiarity of your apartment. And he wanted to savor every second of you living in Monaco, before your inevitable departure. 

He finally decided against a night of solitude. By the time he finally left the circuit, you were nearly ready to go to bed.  

“Jesus, Osc, where have you been?” you asked, and you tried to ignore how his eyes traced the bare skin of your thighs in your sleep shorts.

“At the track,” he said.

“Well, no shit,” you said, “but no one could find you. I texted you and you never responded.”

“Sorry,” he said. “Quali was just…shit.”

He seemed reluctant to answer where he had actually been, so you didn’t press the issue, but you couldn’t ignore the elephant in the room much longer. 

“I’m sorry,” you said. You sat on your couch next to him, where Oscar had his head buried in his hands. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Just a headache.”

“I can get you—” 

“I’m fine,” he said again, this time quicker and more dismissive. 

“Osc…”

“I just wanna go to bed,” he whispered.

“Okay,” you said. “You can take the bed tonight.”

It broke your heart to see him so down. Things were nearly as bad as when Lily had first left him. It scared you—there was only one way that you were able to really help him in that scenario, and you couldn’t go there.

“Just let me grab my phone charger,” you said, getting up to go to the room. He followed you, walking like a zombie. When you turned to leave, he moved to let you walk past, then sat on the bed, hunched over. 

You stopped in the doorway, looking him up and down.  

He looked up at you, locking eyes, and it took everything in you not to scoop him up in your arms and kiss him. He looked so…pathetic, sad, something you couldn’t quite name.

You really needed to find a new apartment soon. Or kick him out. 

You couldn’t do either.

Amongst the many things you could not do was sleep. It was 3 in the morning. Against your better judgement, you slipped into your room, praying that Oscar was still asleep.

You just wanted to see him. To gaze upon his face, smoothed with rest, imbued with the peace of sleep despite the stress of the day. Maybe when he was asleep, you could really pretend that none of this had ever happened. 

As you softly slipped next to him under the covers, his eyelids fluttered open and met yours.

“You can’t sleep either?” he softly whispered, to which you shook your head. You adjusted, rolling over to your side to face him, curling up into the blankets as cozy as you could get. His eyes never left your form. 

Neither of you knew what to do. You felt like strangers.

You had been avoiding any real discussions like the plague. But seeing him now, so vulnerable, you finally broke. “Will you tell me what’s wrong?” you whispered.

“I don’t want to argue,” he replied.

“We won’t. I’ll listen, I promise.”

His eyes drafted down to your lips, then back up to your eyes to meet your gaze. You both knew what was going unsaid. But still he spoke, saying, “I’m lonely. I miss Lily and I miss you. I know that I did this, and that’s why it hurts even more. And I’m so scared of losing you forever.”

His eyes welled up with tears as he continued. “I don’t like this,” he said. “Feeling so far from you, feeling like strangers. I wish I could have shown you how I felt earlier. I wish I didn’t hurt you and drive you away. And I know it’s all my fault. But it hurts.”

“Oscar…” you began, reaching up to brush his hair out of his eyes. But the words didn’t find you. 

“The championship is all I have left, and I can’t even focus because of fucking Lando. And I’m scared that he’s up to something and that he’s going to hurt you too, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”

“There is something…odd about him,” you said. “I get what you mean.”

“Can I ask you something?” Oscar said, and you nodded. “Does he make you happy?”

“It’s not like that,” you replied. “It’s… I don’t know, like a back and forth. I don’t know what his aim is. It feels like a game. But it kind of scares me.”

“Then why do you keep talking to him?”

“I don’t know.” That was a lie. You did know. “I guess because I feel like I can’t talk to you.”

Oscar bit the inside of his cheek. He understood what you meant. That didn’t mean that it wasn’t like a knife to the chest.

“It’s not…like this. I know we can talk like this. But it’s…” you stopped, swallowing hard. You had to say it. Somebody had to say it. 

Maybe you’d regret it in the morning. But you couldn’t stop now. 

“It’s like…” you began, choosing your words carefully, “I wanted you for so long. And then I had you, but it…it wasn’t right.” Your eyes drifted downward, tracing the soft sliver of light that rested on Oscar’s exposed arms. “I don’t know how not to want. But I can’t want you anymore. Because now I can have you too easily.”

“I don’t understand,” he said. 

“Yes, you do,” you responded. “You said it the other day. We both want it. But we can’t do it right.”

You spoke around the issue, carefully tiptoeing around the discussion of…desire? Lust? Wanting, you had called it. Every word you had said was true. He had felt it earlier in the day. You were feeling it too. 

He could change everything. He could just reach out his hand and touch you. But he was frozen, and so were you. 

“What’s so wrong about it?” he asked. 

“You didn’t touch me like you loved me. You hurt me. And I loved the way it hurt. But…”

“I’ll make love to you right now if you’ll let me. I’d do it right, show you how I really feel.”

The air around you was electric with intensity, like the very first night that he touched you. In the same darkness, you had finally gotten what you so desperately wanted. And you could have it now, if not for one thing.

“I know you would,” you whispered, “and you don’t even know how badly I want it. But… what about her?”

“Her?” he asked, confused.

“Lily.”

The silence that filled the room was heavy, and it threatened to suffocate both of you.

“Lily left you. Because of me,” you said.

“Because Lando was putting thoughts in her head.”

“Thoughts that weren’t far off the truth.”

“So, what? You’re going to deny yourself what you always wanted, for years, because she was here first? Because I fucked up?”

Oscar’s wording made it sound so trivial. And truthfully, you had been there first. 

“How did you feel when you first saw Lando talk to me?” you asked. 

“Pissed. Like I wanted to run him off the track.”

“That’s how Lily felt for years. And she didn’t say anything, and we lied to her and to ourselves until the very end.”

“It’s not the same, though. You know that.”

“The details don’t matter. What matters is that the guilt is eating me alive. I feel like I’m drowning. Even if things between us were better…I don’t want to do that to her.”

“What if she never forgives us? Are you just going to let that ruin our friendship?”

You looked away from him, unable to handle the intensity of his gaze. You couldn’t answer his question.

“I feel like,” you said, “whatever Lando is up to, I know it’s not good, but I deserve it. I deserve him.”

“That’s the most stupid logic I’ve ever heard.” Oscar replied. You laughed. Oscar didn’t. 

He reached out and touched your cheek, causing your eyes to dart back to his. No matter how badly you wanted to avoid him, you couldn’t look away from his gaze that pierced right through you. He saw something deeper. He saw you, in a way no one else could or would. And it was terrifying. 

“YN,” he whispered. “Forget what everyone else said, forget all the messy feelings. What do you want?”

I want you.

That’s what you would have said, if you were not a coward, if you could truly let him in and even try to imagine a world in which your emotions and desires didn’t feel like an ocean that you were close to drowning in. 

“I don’t know,” you replied. That was a lie. You knew it. He knew it. He knew that you knew that he knew it. He just looked at you, biting the inside of his cheek. You wouldn’t admit it. Not after everything that had happened.

In that way, things had gone back to normal.

You turned over to stretch, seeing the first rays of sunlight tinge your window the slightest shade of pink.

“We should get some sleep. Goodnight, Oscar,” you said, pulling the blanket higher and closing your eyes for a brief sleep.

Come the next morning—really, only a few hours later—Oscar’s anger from the previous day had faded to a depression.  All he wanted was for you to hold him, or for him to hold you, but your words still hung heavy in the air. 

This was your punishment, for both of you. 

But by the time he finally dragged himself out of the warm comfort of your bed, you were already nearly ready to head out the door.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” you joked, reaching your hand up to tousle his already messy hair, and he melted into the touch. “Are you ready to show them all the Piastri overtake masterclass?” 

“I feel dead,” he mumbled, and you sighed. 

“I’m sorry for keeping you up.”

“It’s okay,” he said, as he yawned into a cup of coffee. “I’m glad we talked.”

Oscar’s reference brought forth an awkward silence that didn’t dissipate until you eventually left for the track, ready again to dawn your thin veneer of professionalism. 

Unfortunately it was raining, and the race had to be delayed. That meant hunkering down in the McLaren garage with Oscar—and Lando.

If looks could kill, Lando would have died ten times over as the two drivers waited for the rain to pass. 

You hovered near Oscar’s side of the garage for the sake of appearances. At least, that’s what you told yourself. You were his social media manager, it made sense for you to hover around him, always ready to capture the next candid shot.

But truthfully, you couldn’t shake the pit in the feeling of your stomach every time you caught Lando looking at you from the corner of your eye. And while you pretended to be oblivious, Oscar didn’t. 

“Okay guys, clear out the garage,” you heard from across the room, as the booming voice of Zak Brown trudged his way inside. “FIA decided that right now was the perfect time for a surprise inspection!”

His voice dripped with sarcastic annoyance, even more than his clothes dripped with rainwater. All non essential personnel—including drivers—needed to leave the garage at once.

You walked along, on your way to find a random spot in the paddock to hunker down. That was, until you felt a hand on your shoulder. 

“YN!” Lando called, smiling when you turned to greet him. His cheeky grin brought butterflies and nausea to your stomach. “You can warm up in my driver’s room if you want.”

You looked over Lando’s shoulder and locked eyes with Oscar, who was close enough to hear every word. If he had been in his car at the time, Lando would have been roadkill.

“Oh, thanks, but I’ve got to get to the paddock and make sure the new guy hasn’t drowned our camera,” you said, a polite and professional smile across your face. 

“No wor—” He was cut off by Oscar’s shoulder bumping into the Brit as he passed. “Oh, hi Oscar, my bad.”

“I should go,” you said, swiftly continuing in the path towards the paddock. You didn’t want to be around for what you knew was happening next.

But if Lando also knew, it didn’t dissuade him from following Oscar back to his driver’s room. 

“Go away, Lando,” the Aussie warned as he stomped down the hallway.

“No, I don’t think I will. I think you’ve got something to say to me.” 

“I think you should shut your fucking mouth and leave YN and I alone.” 

Lando ran ahead of him, blocking the door to Oscar’s driver room. “Why? Why should I leave her alone when she keeps telling me yes, hm?”

“What?”

“I’m just saying, if she really wanted me to leave her alone, she wouldn’t have agreed to go to dinner with me tonight, would she?”

Oscar was dumbfounded by Lando’s claim, and his first instinct was to refute it. But after the conversation last night, he couldn’t put it past you to have accepted his offer of a date. Why you did this, he didn’t know. He couldn’t understand how you let your guilt lead you to such self-sabotaging decisions.

Actually, he could. It wasn’t like he was any better.

“You’re taking advantage of her,” Oscar said, his voice stern. “You don’t love her.”

Lando laughed. “Of course I don’t. She knows it, though. Do you really think she’s that stupid? Well, I guess she kind of is, ‘cause she’s playing right into my hands even though I know she doesn’t trust me. ”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because I know it fucks with your head and drives you insane. No matter what you tell her, she won't listen to you. That’s the funniest part. She knows you’re right and she’s going to do the worst possible thing anyway, because she thinks she’s so self-righteous. It’s hilarious. You can tell her every word I say and that won’t stop her from being right where I want her. So you'll just get to watch me use her until she's got nothing else to give me.”

Oscar crossed the short distance between them and grabbed Lando by the shirt. “I swear to God, if you hurt her, I will run you off the track until you're nothing but a spare car part.”

Lando laughed again at his teammate’s warning. “Why are you so mad? I'm not doing anything worse than what you did.”

Oscar released him. “That is not what happened between us,” he sneered.

Lando continued, "You’re right. I guess I'm actually better than you, because I'm not fucking her. Well, not yet at least. I get it, though. I mean, she's not really good enough to bring home to mum, no? But I bet she's a good lay. Guess I’ll find out soon enough.”

“Get the fuck away from me, Lando. And leave her the fuck alone.” 

“Oh don't worry, I'm leaving,” the Brit said, putting his hands in the air in mock surrender. “Just tell YN to wear something nice tonight for me, will you?”

Lando finally turned to leave, but couldn’t resist one last quip at Oscar. “You know, last season, Max taught me something really smart. To win, you can't just outdrive someone. You have to get in their head. Works pretty well, don't you think?”

“Get the fuck out, Lando, before I hurt you,” Oscar threatened, truly at the end of his rope.

Lando just laughed as he finally walked away, turning the corner and going into his own driver’s room. 

Oscar did the same, taking a deep breath when he finally closed the door. He needed to punch something. He needed to scream. He could do neither.

But that wasn’t the worst problem at hand. He knew Lando was right, about everything. And it terrified him.

He had to find some way to prevent you from going on that date. But how? Was there anything he could say that could prevent what his own failures had set in motion so long ago?

There was a knock at his door. It was a McLaren engineer, telling him it was time to come back to the garage. He had wasted so much time bickering with Lando that he couldn't get his headspace right for the race.

God, he was good at this. 

Oscar made his way back to the garage and locked eyes with you. You had looked over your shoulder, still preoccupied with the new guy and his inability to work a camera. You held Oscar’s gaze for a second too long. 

He made his way over to you. “Hey, YN,” he said, “why don’t you get some rain shots before we have to go back out?”

Oscar was never the type to tell you how to do your job, unlike his teammate, who often jokingly ordered you around like his personal photographer. You recognized his attempt to get you away from the new guy.

You stepped away and brought your camera back up to your eye, taking a gorgeous picture of Oscar’s side profile looking at the rain outside. His hair was perfectly tousled, his jawline perfectly sharp, his cheeks shaded a perfect pink, still flustered from the conversation you knew nothing of. Even after being his friend for so many years, and admiring him for so long, it was moments like this when you were truly reminded how much you loved him.

Because just as Oscar saw you, you saw him. You saw through his carefully crafted exterior; truthfully, as his best friend and social media manager, you had been instrumental in making it. When others saw him as unemotional, you saw the small nuances in how he moved and spoke, the subtle changes in expression. You two had your own language in that way, and your devotion showed itself in moments like these, where you could capture the most beautiful photographs of your friend, letting the world have just a brief glimpse into the complex soul that you had become so enraptured by.

Yeah, you were fucked. 

Oscar finally put on his helmet and began to get ready to roll the car out to the grid. 

“Good luck,” you whispered. You reached out your hand and intertwined it with his, squeezing it as an act of comfort. Even through the rough material of his gloves, you hoped to send him a real message of love. 

Maybe that was too strong a word. You couldn’t tell anymore. 

Though you followed both cars out to the now dry grid, you kept your distance, knowing that now the focus was on the monumental race ahead of them. You let the camera be your shield against emotion, though you couldn’t help how it focused in on Oscar so easily. Even from afar, his eyes quickly glancing at your lens could tell you depths of information. 

At the front of the grid, Lando occasionally looked back on you. He was ready to go, determined to win this race; Oscar was no longer a threat, in the back of the grid and distracted beyond measure. 

But the Brit couldn’t help being distracted a bit himself. You weren’t looking at him. You were pulling away a bit too much for comfort. 

It doesn’t matter now, he thought to himself. He knew you. Not in the deep way that Oscar did, but still enough to know exactly what buttons to push, when to give and when to pressure. It was a skill that he’d come to refine in the past few years, fighting not only against world-class athletes, but also against master manipulators, for the Formula 1 World Driver’s Championship title.

He never thought he’d have to play this dirty to eliminate a teammate. But so far, it was working like a charm, and at this point, there wasn’t much he was above doing to get that title.

Unfortunately, Lando’s ambitions couldn’t keep up with his abilities. He bottled pole at the start and wasn’t able to recover. 

Oscar had a few overtakes, but not anything spectacular. Monaco would not be a race to remember for McLaren that year. 

After getting all your shots of Oscar in the garage after the race, you made your way back to your apartment. You had to get ready for your date with Lando that night.

You had never been the type to have a very strong intuition. You could never distinguish it from anxiety or paranoia. But you couldn’t ignore that pit in the bottom of your stomach that just grew and grew, devouring all your thoughts as you fixed your hair and applied your makeup. 

In the middle of your beauty routine, Oscar came home, exhausted from the race.

“You did great out there today,” you said, giving him a small smile as he flopped down on the bed.”

“I barely got points,” he said.

“Yeah, but it’s a track that’s awful for overtaking and you were going on, what, 2 or 3 hours of sleep? Take the small wins where you can.”

“How are you not exhausted?” he questioned, sitting up to watch you apply your skincare at your vanity.

I feel like my heart is going to beat out of my chest, that’s why, you thought. But for some reason, you couldn’t bring yourself to confide your anxieties to Oscar right now.

You knew why. Because you knew that he could change it. He could convince you to give in to your desires, to drown in him. And you couldn’t. You were too goddamned stubborn.

You didn’t answer Oscar’s question, and that familiar heavy feeling dawned in your room.

“Can I tell you something?” he asked. Neither of you really had the energy for talking, but you knew it was more a statement than a request. “I talked to Lando today.”

Ah, so he knew what you were doing. 

“He said some…really messed up stuff about you, YN. He doesn't care about you.”

“I know he doesn’t,” you said, your voice flat and quiet.

“It’s more than that. YN, the things he said disgusted me, and he laughed about it like it was the funniest thing. Please don’t do this.”

“Don’t, Oscar.”

“YN—”

You got up and walked into your closet to get dressed for the night, cutting him off. 

You heard him sigh, and the sound of ruffling clothing filled the room as you both changed out of eye shot of each other. The thought of Oscar undressed in your bed again made your head spin.

You snaked the fabric of the dress over your skin, smoothing it out. You put on your shoes and grabbed your purse before taking a deep breath and stepping out.

“How do I look?” you asked. But you were distracted by a shirtless Oscar sitting on your bed, muscles still taunt from the race hours before.

“Beautiful,” he said. “You’re perfect.”

His voice was too tender, his words too strong. You couldn’t bear it for much longer. You shuffled around your room, organizing your makeup and applying your perfume, trying to distract yourself from the elephant—or rather, shirtless F1 driver that you were in love with—in the room.

“I’m not sure what time I’ll be—”

“YN,” Oscar said, standing up to place himself in front of you, between you and the door. “Don’t do this.”

“Oscar…” you began.

“You don’t have to do this. Stay here with me.” he advanced towards you, closing the gap by placing his hands on your waist.

Your heart skipped a beat. The thin line that had so carefully been drawn after his apology was gone now with his sensual touch.

You looked away from him. He reached up and grabbed your chin, forcing your eyes to look up at his.

“You don’t have to go to him. You don’t have to leave Monaco or find another job. You don’t have to do any of this. YN, let me take care of you.”

Instinctively, you reached your hand out to rest against his bare chest, and you felt his breath hitch. You were going to give in, right here and now.

And God, you wanted to. You missed the warmth of Oscar’s body against yours, the liminal space he occupied in your bed after a night of collision and pleasure. And in that moment, with his soft heart beat and the steady rhythm of his breaths right under your fingertips, you felt…safe. At home. Seen.

Your phone buzzed in your purse. 

“I’m going to be late,” you muttered, stepping back and walking around him.  He let you go easily.

“Get some rest, Oscar,” you told him, a final goodbye, or at least that’s how it felt, as you closed the door behind you and left to go meet Lando. 

[fragglez]

every time I watch a war related movie and they play the reveille i get spooked i HATE that melody

[anetherealpoetess]

finished the outlaw barbie game and have cried non-stop over arthur morgan ever since

[jawnjendes]

wowwwwwweeeeeeee

[youremyonlyhope]

.

[girlwithrituals]

GLOW UP GUIDE FOR 2025⠀

READ: On average, it takes more than 2 months before a new behavior becomes automatic — 66 days to be exact. And considering that 2025 is precisely these many days away, why not start with our glow up plan already?

Physical Glow Up-

BODY

— 5-10K steps a day.

— 7-8 hours of sleep.

— workout everyday for 1 hr atleast- yoga/stretching/pilates/cardio/lifting weights. a workout may take one hour, but your mood will be boosted for the next 12 hours.

— posture training.

— sunlight exposure after waking up for at least 10 minutes.

NUTRITION

— 2-3 liters of water every day.

— limit your caffeine intake.

— avoid sugars as much as you can.

— high protein diet, pre and probiotics.

— more fruits and veggies (+ green smoothies if you like).

— no junk/processed food/trans fat.

— no eating after 8 pm.

SKINCARE

— be clear on your skin type (oily, dry, combination, sensitive).

— once you're clear, use these accordingly- cleanser, toner, targeted serum, eye cream, moisturizer, sunscreen (≥50 spf).

— keep your bedding clean as well.

— no picking of skin on your lips, cuticle etc.

— gua sha to help improve blood circulation and lessen toxins.

— cold therapy may take three to five minutes of being uncomfortable, but your energy levels will be boosted for the rest of the day.

— remove makeup before you go to bed.

BODY CARE

— shower every day.

— exfoliate 2x a week.

— use body lotion (shea butter/aloe vera gel/coconut oil).

HAIR CARE

— wash hair 2-3x a week

— oil your scalp 2x a week, at least 3 hours before shampoo.

— hair mask 1x per week.

— never brush wet hair.

— use silk pillow case.

HYGIENE

— brush your teeth 2x a day, clean tongue and the roof of the mouth daily.

— floss daily.

— cut your nails 1x a week, never remove the cuticles.

— glycolic acid under arm for odor and discoloration.

— never use soap on your coochie.

Mental Glow Up-

MINDSET

— set clear goals- define and breakdown your aspirations.

— start your mornings with positive affirmations.

— surround yourself with uplifting content and people.

— be shamelessly selfish to your career and mental health, remove anyone or anything that doesn't align with your priorities and wellbeing.

— boost your brain health by these 4 neuroscience tools:

difficult first: start your day with the most difficult task (cortisol and dopamine are high in the body meaning that your body/mind is primed to work).

rest your eyes: introduce a micro-pause after learning by resting/closing your eyes - will help retain information better.

tomorrow's worries: write tomorrow's to-do list before bed as it is proven to be effective in helping you fall asleep.

find time to play: engage in low-stake play. can be anything you find fun but where the outcome doesn't matter (induces neuroplasticity + reduces stress).

MIND

— meditation might take as low as ten minutes, but your focus will be improved for the rest of the day.

— no social media after waking up and at least an hour before bed.

— keep aside 1 hr of time to read daily! reading a new book may take five hours, but you will keep the knowledge forever.

— journaling, gratitude.

— digital detox once a week or for 12 hours.

— limit unnecessary screentime, unfollow or cut off people you don't want to see.

JOURNALING

— choose a regular time each day to journal, making it a part of your routine.

— find a quiet, comfortable place free from distractions. light a candle if you want.

— allow your thoughts to flow without censoring or editing.

— write about your feelings and emotions to understand them better. write about things you are thankful for to boost your mood. write about your short-term and long-term goals. identify what triggers certain emotions or reactions

— set a timer for 5-10 minutes and write continuously during that time.

— reflect on both positive experiences and challenges.

— make lists, journal your thoughts on these questions.

— journal at night to clear your mind before bedtime, because emotions and thoughts lose their power once we acknowledge them.

— a gratitude practice may take five minutes, but your mindset will be shifted for the rest of the day.

AFFIRMATIONS

— customise affirmations to your needs.

Personal Life-

WEEKLY TASKS

— initiate small changes: begin with small, manageable tasks such as making your bed or cleaning your room every sunday.

— celebrate your success: reward yourself when you achieve your goals or have a consistently productive week. consider treats like buying flowers for yourself or watching your favorite show.

DAILY WORK

— set achievable goals: establish realistic goals for the day, week, or month ahead.

— track your progress.

— organise your work space, declutter your shelves etc.

— embrace the power of lists: keep a list of tasks to be done and their deadlines. this way, you start each day with a clear plan. to make it visually appealing and motivating, consider using productivity apps like evernote, habit tracker, or notion.

PRODUCTIVITY TIPS

— wake up early.

— plan ahead everything, do scheduling. you can use:

google calendar / notion / tasks .

— if the task takes less than 2 minutes to finish, do it immediately.

— countdown rule, if you are procrastinating, count 1-2-3-4-5 and jump.

— start slow, don't rush and try to do everything at one time.

— follow a proper routine, use app locks based on screentime.

— pomodoro technique, 25 min work, and 5 min break.

— schedule longer break times as well e.g 30 min nap.

[onrainynights]

I love adderall <- guy who has been on adderall for one day

[exopelagic]

I am baking cake at midnight and it is going to kill me <3