#eunji relationships

[bts-eunji]

Eunji x BTS

“they are my everything. the last ten years of my life have been filled solely with them and there is no one else I would’ve wanted to spend that time with.”

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Careful! I'm currently changing some things here, because during my continues writing process, things have changed slightly. Don't worry, no big changes will be made.

#JOONJI – Gwan Eunji & Kim Namjoon

“Namjoon is the Tom to my Jerry. It is so much fun to tease him! I don’t understand why the Maknaes don’t do it more often. I am pretty sure he was close to kicking me out of the group a couple times already though. That might be the reason.”

contact name: Tom to my Jerry 🐈‍⬛

Namjoon and Eunji are the typical Tom and Jerry Duo. With Namjoon and Eunji being two of the OG Members that had stayed through the multiple line-up changes pre-debut, they had gotten used to one another even before debut. They had met in early 2010 after Namjoon got signed under BigHit Entertainment. Eunji was introduced to Namjoon as the first official trainee when he was just 16 years old, and she was still working as a producer for BigHit. She didn’t hesitate to spend time with him in her studio, producing and recording for fun. You could say, she kind of took him under her wing. He was the one that pushed her to agree to become a trainee and over the years, the two became almost inseparable. Their time together was always filled with playful banter and care. It took Namjoon a while to get used to Eunji. Her teasing and flirty yet responsible attitude confused the shit out of him. But when he did get used to her, he learned to be thankful for her presence. Eunji is somewhat a comedic relief to Namjoon. Whenever she teases him, he will act all annoyed and complain but secretly he enjoys it. It made the years that followed their debut less difficult. Her flirting helps his confidence and reassures him that he is worthy because in the end, it’s just compliments hidden in flirty pick-up lines.

But there is also the responsible and calming part of Eunji, that never fails to ground Namjoon. Even before debut, she managed to read him like an open book. She would know of his struggles, sometimes even before himself. Even more surprisingly, she knew how to help him when he had no clue. The responsibility of being the leader got too heavy? She takes on some of his duties. Managing the group part time. Assisting him in holding the weight. His thoughts spiral into overthinking everything he does? She sits him down with some tea and watches Friends with him. Teasing or reassuring him and making him laugh. He spends hours in the studio without breaks and works himself into the ground? She knocks and sits down next to him. She assists him with his work till she decides it’s enough, stopping him from overworking himself.

But don’t worry, he is just as important to her. His leadership has always been cherished deeply by Eunji. The way he knows what the group needs, sometimes without the group having to say anything, is fascinating to her. His communication skills never fail to impress her. Whether it is public speaking or managing conflict inside the group, he always knows what to say. “You’re like Captain America. You know? Because of the motivational speeches and stuff.”-Eunji 2019. On a more personal note, that also means he knows exactly what she needs. Positive Affirmation. His love language towards his members has always been Words of Affirmation and Eunji loves it. He compliments her looks before every public appearance. When monitoring a performance, he makes sure she knows how well she did. During music video shoots or photoshoots, he always watches her and lets her know that she is doing well.

They have known each other for 13 years now (2023). Eunji has said before that nothing has every really changed between them. She still teases him endlessly and loves flirting with him. And despite him gaining confidence and teasing back occasionally or even flirting with her too, he still gets annoyed or shy. This duo is often described as the old married couple of BTS. They are probably one of Eunji’s biggest ships and one of the most popular in the entire group. And after seeing their interactions it is easy to tell why.

special moment: (TW: small fire, small cut, spiraling thoughts)

Joonji is famous for a friendship full of duality. One second they’re bickering the next their flirting and then suddenly it’s time for a deep talk at 3 a.m. Therefore, they have very different moments and I assure you that Armys have done a fantastic job putting all of them into ship videos, but that is a different topic.

Kpop Interviews are crazy. Memes are born within seconds, grown up men and women play games that no one understands and exposing each other is on everyone’s To-Do-List. And right now, BTS is playing one of these ‘games that no one understands’. You have to spin in circles for 10 seconds and then you have to walk straight and do something. Eunji gets up and cracks her knuckles. “You will fail,” Namjoon throws in randomly and Eunji, who has gotten into position already, stands back up and glares at him in disbelief. “Honey, I thought at least you would have some hope in me,” she teases, and he rolls his eyes. She gets into position again, ready to spin. “If you pass out, I’m not going to catch you,” Namjoon mumbles once again, causing some of the boys to chuckle. Eunji scoffs. “Of course, you will,” she disagrees and begins to spin. It only takes the girl 6 seconds of spinning to fall sideways and as she had predicted Namjoon did catch her, groaning in the process. While the group is laughing hysterically she chuckles and pinches his cheek. “I don’t think I even have to say I told you so…but I told you so,” she teases and this time it is him who scoffs.

“I would call you an imbecile but that’d be cruel as you wouldn’t be able to spell it.” Namjoon sighs to himself, flipping the page of his book while sitting on the dorm couch. Eunji turns to him with a gasp and grabs her chest, right over her heart. “Oh god, you’ve insulted me! What ever shall I do? I’ll be scarred for the rest of my life!” She teases dramatically and pretends to faint against him. He groans at the sudden weight and grasps his book tighter. He rolls his eyes at her behavior. “You’ve had worse. You’ll live,” he mumbles under his breath, and she chuckles. Grabbing a pen, she scribbles something onto a paper and pushes it towards him. Upon seeing it he raises a brow and turns to her. “So, you DO know how to spell imbecile. I have to say, that amazes me. Good job,” he teases. She quickly slaps his arm and whispers in a hushed voice: “Don’t say that, people might think we are friends.” She looks around, pretending to be secret. I think you could tell already but Jimin and Jin were on the ground, dying from laughter the entire exchange.

The group is relaxing in the living room. Some are playing video games; others are reading and Eunji has just left to charge her phone. Suddenly, all lights go out and the TV goes black. “Huh?!” “What happened?” “Is this a power outage?” “NO! My score!” The boys erupt in yells. Seconds later Eunji bursts into the living room. “WE have a problem!” she announces. Namjoon sighs and sits up. “Let me guess, you caused it?” She huffs in response and then quickly collects herself. “Where is the fire extinguisher?” Now, that gets everyone’s attention. “WHAT?!” Turns out, Eunji’s charging cable was damaged and when she plugged it into the power outlet, it caused a short circuit which resulted in a power outage and a small fire. After successfully extinguishing the fire and getting the power working again, the boys help Eunji clean up the mess. Namjoon sighs. “You never cease to amaze me,” he mumbles and Eunji chuckles embarrassed from across the room.

The sound of something falling and a painful groan make Eunji look up from her painting. “What was that?” she screams into the dorm. “Nothing! Don’t worry about it!” Namjoon screams back. But before he even managed to finish his sentence, she is on her feet and rushing into the hallway. Upon reaching the hallway she stops at the sight in front of her. Namjoon had tried to put a painting of hers onto the wall but instead he had dropped it and was now clutching his hand. “If being clumsy was a currency, you’d be a bloody millionaire,” she complains and gently grips his hand. It seems like he had cut himself when the painting dropped. Pushing him down on couch, she searches for the first aid-kit she had bought for this purpose and this purpose only. While carefully bandaging his cut she chuckles. “You seriously need to be careful. As cute as it is, seeing you all lost and puppy eyed, I prefer you uninjured,” she mumbles with a teasing tone. He raises a brow. “You think I’m cute?” She scoffs. “Want me to whisper it into your ear? Dumbass.”

Namjoon’s head is resting on his hands, eyes focused on the computer screen that displays his newest song. His solo album is only going slowly so far, and his original enthusiasm has faded into frustration. Could he not even manage to produce something for himself? How could he make music for the group then? Pathetic. He feels useless. With an irritated huff he rips his headphones off and throws them onto his desk. Once again, his head falls into his hands. Fingers gripping his hair and pulling at it in a frustrated manner. Why can’t he do anything right? How did he even end up being a leader of a group? A group like BTS? Could he still lead the group? With his lack of management? A ridiculous thought. How can he manage others when he barely manages himself? Just in time, a soft knock rips him out of his spiraling thoughts. He quickly sits up and fixes his hair. “Come in!” he calls for the person knocking. When the door opens it reveals Eunji, a plastic bag in her hand and a gentle smile on her face. “Hey big guy. I thought I’d check how you were doing,” she greets him and closes the door quietly. Somehow, he feels relief wash over him. His Noona’s calmness immediately radiates onto him, and he can’t suppress the deep breath he releases when she sits down next to him. She calmly looks around, quietly taking note of the empty cups and scrabbled papers, before turning to him. “How are you getting along? Made some progress?” she asks and sets the bag onto the desk. He tenses and releases a shaky breath. Eunji notices. Of course, she does. When he doesn’t answer, she already knows he has been stuck. “Let’s eat. I brought your favorite.”

nicknames Army gave them: Parents, Old Married Couple, Tom & Jerry

love language: She is…

giving: quality time/acts of service receiving: quality time/words of affirmation  joonji ‘thing’: museum visits & going on hikes

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#JINJI – Gwan Eunji & Kim Seokjin

“Jin is my best friend. We clicked fast, despite our weird first encounter and opposite personalities. I can be myself around him and he never fails to make me laugh. A lot of my confidence comes from what he taught me, so props to him.”

contact name: Worldwide Nuisance 👑

Jin and Eunji seem like they have nothing in common. Jin being his loud self, screaming and laughing like his life depends on it, meanwhile Eunji is soft-spoken and prefers painting with lo-fi music over a game night any time. Yet you would be fooled, because these two fit each other like Ying and Yang. They first met back in July 2011 and, as cliché as it sounds, clicked immediately. But that doesn’t mean their first meeting wasn’t odd – oh no, no – it was a very weird experience. She had been peacefully playing the guitar in one of the practice rooms when Jin burst into the room. He had said nothing, simply staring at her before sitting down next to her and urging her to play more. At first she was hesitant and skeptical but eventually they began to sing together while she played the guitar. It was weird – yes – but it was also somehow precious. From that moment on, Jin always waited for her in front of the building to walk to the practice room with her. They began to text daily and go on friendship dates together. When Jin eventually moved into the dorm, they started doing things like cooking together, doing each other’s skincare or simply watching stupid movies together just to make fun of them.

She also became his professional support and vocal teacher. Eunji was and is incredibly skilled in the field of music, but she had also been gifted the skill of teaching. Before even training at BigHit, she had practiced and done her own research on producing, songwriting and vocal training. With this in mind, she was his number one place to go when he was insecure in his voice. She would listen, let him rant and give constructive feedback. They would do vocal exercises together and actually have fun doing them. More often than not they would end up sitting on the couch, Eunji playing the guitar and Jin singing to it. And although Jin barely says it out loud, he is grateful for her support.

As the oldest of BTS and, at least in the beginning, the most unexperienced in the group, he struggled a lot. Especially hard were the first few years after debut. BTS didn’t have the best time in the industry and throughout their years in the business had almost disbanded, twice. Every member had a struggle of their own. Eunji, being the second oldest, recognized this and she took special care of her boys. Especially Jin was someone who she always made sure was doing alright, because he was the oldest after all and he showed his frustration about improving his vocals many times. Being the same age, it had always been easier for the two to openly talk about their feelings with each other.

Despite or maybe because of their deep bond, these two never fail to make each other and the group laugh. In front of the camera, Jinji are mostly in happy moods when together. They are cracking jokes, mostly Jin actually but hush, and laughing freely together. Jin can never hide his happiness when he makes Eunji laugh, and he will rub it under everyone’s noses that he did that. Yeah, he is proud of it, alright. Because in the end of the day, she helps him more than he could ever thank her for. Making her laugh is his repayment on most days. Or going on stupid wholesome friendship dates together. Going to different restaurants and posting about it on social media with goofy selcas. Doing a Vlog in which they go shopping and make a silly fashion show out of it. Spending late nights in Eunji’s room, gossiping about people they don’t like and the newest tea. Visiting clubs together, only to go live after and have a bit of a tipsy livestream. ‘Jinji being drunk on livestream’ videos incoming.

In summary, Jin and Eunji are the definition of best friends.

special moment: (TW: mentions of alcohol & drinking)

Jin and Eunji are icons when they are separated but once you put them together they reach a new type of iconic. They never cared for the company rules, at least not when they thought they were stupid.

One night they went partying. Eunji and Jin go out together a lot to dance and drink a bit. So, that is what they did. That day Jin had asked Eunji to come with him and she did. After coming home, slightly tipsy, they had the glorious idea to start a livestream. And this livestream would go down in history.

“Heyy Army! How are you?” Eunji greets and giggles right after. They begin to talk and chat. Mostly Eunji and Jin having highly interesting conversations in a tipsy manner. Eventually they start to drink wine as well. “Guys, this – this isn’t wine. It’s grape juice,” Jin tries to convince but fails. Eunji laughs out. “Oh no, this is definitely wine.”

“Why did you drink?” Eunji reads out a comment while Jin is rummaging through some bags. “Oh, we just felt like it. Jin had asked me to come and so I did.” She turns towards Jin with a annoyed sigh at the rustling. “What are you doing?” It stays quiet for a while before Jin answers: “We have a problem.”

Eunji heaves a deep sigh. “Gimme a sec, I am not drunk enough to listen to this yet,” she mumbles, grabs the open wine bottle, and chucks a few big gulps. Turning back towards Jin she nods. “Okay, what’s the problem?” He looks at her and then at the camera. “We have another bottle of wine.” She chuckles. “You call it a problem. I call it a solution!”

“Are you fully drunk?” Jin reads out a comment and giggles. “I might’ve had a few shots,” he states and giggles even more. Meanwhile Eunji turns away from him and rummages through a paper bag. “I think I need food.”

As time passes and the second bottle of wine empties, they get a bit more incoherent. Jin drops his head on Eunji’s shoulder and mumbles something. Eunji, half-closed eyes from tiredness, looks down to him. “You are drunk,” she states the obvious. Jin looks up at her and tilts his head. “Yer beautiful.” This makes Eunji burst into a laugh. “Damn, you’re really drunk.”

“Why did you convince me to go there? The music was horrible!” Eunji talks about the party from earlier. Jin mumbles something before it goes silent. After a longer pause Jin whines and turns to her. “Oh, come on. I couldn’t go there alone!” he states in a whiny voice and Eunji giggles. “You’re right! Always need your big strong sister around!” she jokes and flexes arms. Jin slaps her arm and giggles. “Of course!”

Eventually the mood quiets down and the two end up laying on the bed. Jin is curled up against Eunji and the phone has been set up on the bed. “Sing me a song, please?” Jin asks. Eunji stays quiet for a while before humming to Spring Day. She whisper-sings the lyrics and eventually Jin falls asleep. “Okay Army, I’ll turn this off now. Thanks for watching!” she says her goodbye and turns the livestream off. But this livestream will remain in history. Jinji drunk on Vlive. A wild ride for sure.

nicknames Army gave them: Besties, Parents

love language: She is…

giving: acts of service/words of affirmation receiving: acts of service/quality time jinji ‘thing’: taking goofy selcas & friendship dates

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#YOOJI – Gwan Eunji & Min Yoongi

“Yoongi. Ah, yeah, my grumpy cat. Yoongi holds a special place in my heart. It took a while for us to get close, but I loved the process of learning about the mysterious producer everyone was talking about.” “Ah, shut up.” “Okay, okay. But for real, I’m sure I will never stop learning new things about Yoongi and I hope we will never lose each other.”

contact name: Grumpy Kitten 🐈‍⬛

Yoongi and Eunji – oh dear. Where do I begin? When Yoongi and Eunji first met, they didn’t really get along. It wasn’t like they disliked each other, they just seemed to have a difficult time interacting. To their defense, it was 2010 and they were barely 18 and 17 years old. Their confusing lack of interactions was later, in 2023, explained in one of Suga’s Suchwita Episodes. Yoongi admits he felt intimidated by the reputation that surrounded Eunji. She felt like this myth, unreachable and unapproachable. Funny enough, Eunji said she always wanted to talk to him, but he seemed shy and uncomfortable around her, so she stopped. Yooji’s pre-debut history is long and, in some ways, romantic. You could say it’s almost a love trope.

For example, he called her after his accident. She was the first person to know about his accident and for the longest time she also was the only one. That was odd for two reasons: 1) Yoongi and Eunji barely knew each other back then and 2) she was convinced he hated her. In the same Suchwita episode, Yoongi had tried to explain his decision back then. ‘It just felt right. Maybe because I saw you be so caring towards the others.’-Yoongi 2023. After Bangtan shifted from a hip-hop rap group to an idol group, things changed unexpectedly for both of them. Neither of them had intended to become idols and they weren’t prepared for it either. With no experiences in dance, they were quite literally lost. And, believe it or not, they started to bond over this fact. Often, they stayed behind to fix up mistakes they had made in choreos or just practiced their dancing.

Only after debut did they actually start to grow closer. In the beginning that solely came from the fact that Eunji took care of his shoulder pain by softly massaging ointment on it or helping him carry things. She did it subtly, not wanting to attract the boys’ attention until Yoongi wanted to tell them. Through his injury they began to talk, mostly to break the awkward silence that filled the room whenever Eunji would take care of his shoulder. They discovered their shared interest in composing music and spending time in the studio. And so, they began spending this time together. Producing and writing song after song.

Yooji is, in many ways, special. They have more in common than most people believed upon seeing them for the first time. They both have a resting bitch face, which makes them look intimidating or unapproachable. They both have some sad if not tragic history. They share hobbies such as producing and song writing. And so much more. Getting to know each other over the years they grew closer, both metaphorically and literally. Whether it is holding hands, hair ruffles or even cheek kisses, Yooji has it all. Although Eunji initiates most of the physical touch, Yoongi accepts it. Eunji is sure he secretly enjoys it too. This could literally be a Sunshine x Grumpy story.

But besides that, these two have a wholesome friendship. Spending so much time in the studio together they learned a lot of things from each other regarding their music and personal life. They began to rely on one another. So much so, that they actively miss the other when they can’t be around. You could almost say they are each other’s therapist or comfort zone. They can sit next to each other, working on music and saying nothing for hours without it being uncomfortable. Together, they even have a regular livestream that they do often, working on music and chatting with fans. Yooji appreciate each other greatly and, although it isn’t always obvious, care for one another deeply.

special moment:

Yooji is one of Eunji’s biggest ships for a reason. These two are incredibly close and it is noticeable in most on and off screen situations. There is especially one livestream that got stuck in Armys’ mind.

Every once in a while Yoongi and Eunji do livestreams together, where they would produce and write new songs. They’d wear headphones to not spoil much or anything at all. Usually, these livestreams were more on the quiet and relaxing, almost ASMR, side of Vlives. The two would work together quietly and occasionally have a convo about changing things or producing choices.

This livestream was going just like that. Yoongi was wearing headphones, trying to write the missing lines to his beat. Eunji was working on the computer, working on an old beat that she was now planning to use. She occasionally glanced at the chat. “For what will these songs be?” She reads out a comment and shrugs. She grins at the camera and looks back at her computer screen. “I don’t know. Maybe for the next comeback or a solo project or a different artist. We’ll see,” she responds and types something on the computer.

Suddenly Yoongi sighs deeply, sliding off his headphones. Eunji looks at him, brows furrowed. “What’s wrong?” she asks and gently turns towards him. He groans and pushes his sheet over to her. “I don’t know how to continue,” he admits and takes off his headphones to offer them to her. She takes them while reading over his writing. While she begins to listen and write some things down, he turns to read comments.

“How often do you do this?” he reads a comment. He combs his hand through his hair as he looks into the camera. “Almost every day. The livestreams are weekly, mosty,” he answers with a sheepish shrug at the end.

“Aren’t you the genius? If you don’t know, then she could never,” he reads out and a deep frown settles onto his face. For a moment he stays quiet, staring into the camera. There is a clear frustration displayed on his face, but he seems to be looking for the right words.

Eventually he asks: “You actually believe that?” It stays quiet once again, but his eyes stay on the camera. It is like he is directly looking at the commenter or at least he is trying to. Eunji suddenly murmurs something and scribbles onto the paper. This catches Yoongi’s attention, and he tears his eyes away from the camera to look at her. His face relaxes quickly as he watches her write things down and move her head to his beat.

A smile creeps onto his face. After she mumbles something else he turns back to the camera, eyes growing sharper once again. “She has the words that I don’t. She is the real genius in this room,” he continues his answers.

Apparently somebody comments something else about this that enrages him. “Oh, come on! Shut –“ he catches himself and glances at Eunji. His eyes stare back at the camera with new determination. “Shut it. Keep those stupid thoughts to yourself.”

“I think I got it!” she suddenly calls out and slides the headphones off. She pushes his sheet to him and taps the table in the right rhythm. She looks at him and smiles. “Does that fit?” she asks his opinion. He smiles and nods. While glaring at the camera he answers: “It’s perfect, Ji.”

This livestream is found in every Yooji Ship video, and no one can deny how wholesome his response to the inappropriate comments was. It does show Yooji’s relationship in a new light, that is rarely seen by fans.

nicknames Army gave them: Soulmates, Comfort Zone, Therapists, Orange Cat x Black Cat

love language: She is…

giving: quality time/physical touch receiving: quality time/acts of service yooji ‘thing’: spending time in the studio & nonverbal communication

🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡

#HOJI – Gwan Eunji & Jung Hoseok

“Hobi is an angel. He never fails to cheer me up and I am grateful for his presence. He helps me relax whenever we’re together.”

contact name: Sunshine 🌻🌞

Hoseok and Eunji are opposite twins. They met when Hoseok joined in December 2010, but they didn’t become friends right away. They got along just fine but they didn’t start to become friends until the end of 2011. Their pre-debut history isn’t as complicated or interesting as Joonji’s or Yooji’s. They just started hanging out because the group was being formed and they had to spend a lot of time with each other. They are described as opposite twins, because although they are alike, they also are opposites. With Hobi being – well Hobi – and Eunji being more centered and coolheaded, they have been described as the sun and the moon. Eunji’s personal favorite nickname is ‘Sunshine & Moonlight Twins’. It fits them and sounds beautiful in her opinion.

Hoseok for Eunji is like a light in the darkness. Sounds cheesy, I know, but he embodies that freshness and rescue for her. Eunji often gets in her head and when her thoughts spiral there is no stopping it. Hobi knows this. He can almost read her mind when it happens and although he can’t stop the spiral either, he is able to distract her from it. He is incredibly good at reassuring her and taking her mind off of things. Eunji is fascinated every time because he always seems to know exactly what to say. He can calm her nerves with his mere existence and his words never fail to settle her doubts. He is her light at the end of the tunnel.

Hoseok knows how important he is to Eunji. Of course, he does. To him, Eunji is the responsible older sister, that puts others above herself. He always wants to give her love and care, making sure she is alright and healthy. She is the group’s therapist in many ways, and she is also his. Being seen as the ‘sunshine of the group’ is never an easy thing. Hobi felt like he had to smile no matter how he felt and that he always had to look happy. Eunji, being the mother-natured person she is, always led him drop the mask and feel his emotions without covering them. Therefore, it came naturally to him that he would be there for her too. Although their friendship is mainly laughter and happiness, they can talk about their feelings freely and show them to each other as well. Which is probably the reason they function so well.

special moment: (TW: Sickness, Symptoms of a Cold, mentions of weight)

Hoji are a wholesome duo. They are often funny and bright, especially when together and in front of the camera. But they are also incredibly perceptive.

Hobi was having a horrible day. He hadn’t slept well and had woken up with a headache. He had practiced dancing the night before and it had left him with a load of insecurities. He felt as though he was to uncoordinated, his dancing felt sluggish, and he worried he was losing his charm. But he also worried about his weight gain over the last month and had grown increasingly anxious about losing weight. So, his last day ended badly, and his new day began worse. Unfortunately, it was this exact day, that would be filmed almost entirely.

The day seemed to never pass by. Even the morning stretched endlessly in Hobi’s mind. As he sits down at the kitchen table, he has no appetite and feels quite drowsy. The group around him is too loud for his liking, despite him usually enjoying a cheerful atmosphere. Hobi hadn’t even noticed the camera man but when he did he desperately tried to fake a smile.

Suddenly there is a steaming cup of tea in front of him and a hand on his back. As he looks up he meets eyes with Eunji. “Hey, I made this for you. Have a sip, it should already be cool enough,” she encourages him. Hesitantly he takes a sip and lets the warm liquid soothe his sore throat. Goosebumps form on his skin and he sighs deeply. “I think you should wear something thicker, like a hoodie. You seem cold and the weather isn’t nice,” she explains. He nods, not fully registering what she is saying.

After the long morning the group makes their way to the company building. As he leaves the van to enter the company he shivers. Only then does he realize he must’ve forgotten to change into a hoodie before leaving. He almost bumps into the camera as he steps out of the vehicle.

The group is at the company for some recordings, to which the cameraman is supposed to follow them. Hobi is dreading it. He can barely talk without a rasp how is he supposed to rap clearly? As the group reaches the studio he sits down on the couch and sighs deeply. His head is still pounding and his body aches from the hard practice the day before.

As the time passes Hobi is more and more dizzy. He zones out a lot and he seems close to passing out. He shivers as well, a tell-tale sign that he is cold on the leather couch. There are mumbles surrounding him, but he doesn’t have the energy to lift his head.

Suddenly there is a hand on his knee. “Hobi? Hey, let me help you put this on,” Eunji’s voice echoes through his head and he manages to sit up right. The older girl smiles at him and helps him slide on a hoodie. “Jimin and I will take you home, alright?” she adds, and he frowns. “But the recording and the filming,” he rasps, surprised at his own voice. Eunji winces. “Yeah no, that isn’t happening today. Not for you anyways,” she answers.

As the two guide Hobi back to the dorm, without the camera, he grows increasingly less conscious. When he is finally in his bed Eunji begins to prepare a pot of tea alongside some other things like blankets, thick clothes, and calming music. She had decided to take Jimin home with her as well, because the younger seemed a little sick himself. So, she puts him in the other bed since he and Hobi share a room anyways.

Jimin is the first to fall asleep after Eunji helped both of them get settled in warm clothes and a fluffy blanket. She helps J-Hope drink some tea and sighs. “So, do you want to tell me why you practiced till three in the morning last night?” she asks and softly combs a hand through his hair. His surprise is expected by Eunji, she knew that he thought he was discreet. “How do you” – he interrupts himself and sighs – “I didn’t get the results I had wanted.” After his confession he takes another sip of tea. Eunji stays quiet for a moment, taking in his words and trying to make sense of them.

“This isn’t just about our new choreo, is it?” she asks and shifts closer to him. He hesitates. Unsure of what to say next or if he should say anything in the first place. Eunji doesn’t press, she simply continues to comb his hair. It takes minutes until Hobi answers. “It’s about my dancing. Or my body. Maybe it is both! Or simply none. I just think I’m losing the charm in my dancing and that would be horrible because it could ruin the groups image! I have gained so much weight recently and it all just burdens you and the guys and-”

This time Eunji interrupts him with a soft ‘Hey’. His rambling dies down and he locks eyes with her. She offers a reassuring smile. “Move over a little,” she asks him, and he complies. She shifts into the bed with him, letting him cuddle against her side and holding him. It stays quiet a little while Eunji searches for the right words. “It’s okay to be frustrated. You remember when I started my dance training, right?” she asks, and he can’t suppress the giggle that escapes him. Taking this as enough of an answer she chuckles and continues: “We all get frustrated with our work and our bodies somedays. But I assure you Hobi, your charm has not left you and your body looks as good as ever.”

Hobi stays quiet, cuddling into Eunji’s side. Eunji speaks up again, not quite sure her words have reached him yet. “I mean it Hobi. You are so talented, and I love watching you dance! There has never been any dancer like you in the industry and there will never be another!” She praises and he giggles but she squeezes him a bit. She is serious. “And you are so, so, so good looking! The fans keep on swooning over you and so do I! I constantly have to fight for my position as your number one fan! Just because you are so ridiculously talented and handsome!” she whines at the end. He slaps her arm and pouts. “Stop it! You’re making me blush!” he complains but laughs right after. “That means it’s working.” “Thank you.”

It grows quiet again. This time it is calmer. Hobi seems more relaxed in her arms, and she sighs. “Can you sing for me?” he suddenly asks. And who is Eunji to deny him this?

nicknames Army gave them: Sun & Moon, Sunshine & Moonlight Twins, Opposite Twins

love language: She is…

giving: words of affirmation/quality time receiving: physical touch/acts of service  hoji ‘thing’: piggyback rides & calling each other in livestreams

🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎

#EUNMIN – Gwan Eunji & Park Jimin

“Ah, Jiminie. He is a very supportive person, but he is also overly hard on himself. I wish he could see himself through my eyes once in a while. He is exactly how I imagined a younger brother would be. He is so cute. But he is possessive, I got to say.”

contact name: Jiminie 🐣

Jimin and Eunji have the typical sibling dynamic. Eunji is the big sister to the Maknae Line and therefore also to Jimin. Pre-debut, they had some trouble getting used to each other. Jimin was incredibly shy and hesitant around her. The fact that Yoongi and Eunji seemed to have a difficult relationship also made Jimin more uncertain. Eunji was honestly confused at first, thinking he doesn’t like her. But she figured out quite quickly that he was just so shy and unsure how to talk to her. She tried to make it easier for him by starting conversation first and trying her best to seem more approachable. It helped a litter and the two at least talked about work.

After debut the two began to get close. Jimin felt in awe about his Noona. She had so much patience with him and the other two Maknaes. She never pushed them to interact with her and he began to feel more comfortable around her. Eventually Jimin grew quite protective of Eunji and even got a little possessive over her. She thinks it’s adorable, really. But that doesn’t mean he can’t be taken seriously. He is, in fact, very serious when it comes to protecting his Noona. He always makes sure to be around her in public spaces, keeping his arm around her waist and staring anyone down who even dares come close. The group has made fun of his possessiveness many times and he always laughs but it doesn’t seem like he will stop any time soon. For him, Eunji is this caring older sister that he needs to keep safe. He wouldn’t want anything ever happening to her and he makes sure to let anyone know. It is his way of showing love towards her, because he and the Maknae-Line tease and prank her a lot.

Eunji loves Jimin. She genuinely thinks he is such a precious soul, and she wants to keep him in her pocket. While he functions as her bodyguard she is his therapist. She makes sure his soul and body are well taken care of. Reminding him to eat, forcing him to take breaks and reassuring him verbally. That’s her job. She is the mom of the group, and she lives up to that name. She is just as protective of him as he is of her, just in different ways. She isn’t the offence kind of fighter; she is more like the passive kind of healer. She protects him from himself. His thoughts and doubts, that spiral into physical exhaustion and personal torture. She knows because she has been there. And that is why this duo is so unique and popular. Mostly because you have protective Jiminie, but also because you have mother Eunji.

special moment: (TW: wrist injury, shooting, gunshots, gunshot wound)

Eunmin are popular for a couple of reasons. One is, as mentioned, the protectiveness (sometimes even possessiveness) from Jimin towards his Noona. Another one is the motherly care that Eunji displays towards Jimin (and the other two Maknaes).

These are noticeable in small things. Some moments are tiny, others are so big they even make it into headlines of news articles.

It is a Run BTS episode. The group was loudly discussing the results of a game and who had actually won now. Eunji wasn’t taking part in this discussion, preferring to sit silently and watch the drama. The loud screaming was bothering her, but she wouldn’t mention it. It was not a pressing issue to her. She leans forwards to grab her water bottle only to find it empty. She sighs. There are new bottles a few meters away, but she is practically caged in her seat due to the studio set up. “Can you give me the water?” she asks into the room, but the arguing drowns it out. She tries to reach and grab the new bottles, unsuccessfully. “Hey, can one of you give me a water bottle?” she asks again. No response, again. But then she meets eyes with Jimin. “Hey, quiet!” he suddenly raises his voice slightly and the group grow quiet. He looks at her, waiting for her to say what she tried to say. Eunji smiles and points to the water bottles. “Can you give me a bottle?” Jungkook, who stands closest to them, immediately offers it to her. She thanks him with a smile before turning to Jimin. He seemed satisfied and she throws him a quick grateful smile.

Jimin is known for having a interesting relationship with chairs and the ground. Whether it is falling from chairs, randomly laying on the ground, or even kicking himself off of chairs. He also has a strong tendency to slip on stage and he does so quite regularly. So, once again, while on stage it began to rain. “Oh, come on. We haven’t even finished the sound check yet,” Hobi whines and is joined by a grumpy Yoongi. “Can we sit down backstage and just do the sound check there?” But he is denied. Meanwhile, the Maknae-Line is clearly enjoying the new weather. They are moonwalking and dancing to songs that are related to rain while singing them. And Jimin decides to slide along the stage. Bad idea. The stage is so slippery that he loses his balance, crashes into Namjoon, and falls to the ground. Eunji, within a split second, is next to him. “Are you okay?” she asks, already pressing down on his ankles and legs to find injuries. “Yeah,” Jimin answers but doesn’t attempt to get up. Eunji frowns and takes his hands in hers, feeling his wrists. He flinches as she presses onto his left wrist. Her face softens. “You’re hurt. Come on, lets get you an ice pack,” she suggests and ushers him backstage.

After the group had come back from dance practice, Eunji had started a livestream in her room. She had decided to start a new painting and was doing this live. While having lo-fi music playing in the back she was humming and painting peacefully. After a while Jimin had joined her, quietly beginning to read comments. “He worked really hard in practice today, Army,” Eunji praises Jimin causing him to smirk and blush. “Have you eaten yet?” she asks him, eyes focusing on him now. He turns to her and nods. “Yeah. I just did, actually,” he answers truthfully. She nods, satisfied with that answer. It had been at least two hours since dance practice. “Good. You need the energy, especially after such tough practice,” she continues. Jimin stays quiet before turning to her once again. “Did you eat already?” he asks. Eunji pauses. “Ah, not yet,” she admits and turns to Jimin, who looks at her with a raised brow. “I am planning to after the livestream!” she defends herself and turns back to the canvas. Jimin turns to the phone, smiles, and waves. “See you soon Army. I will have to feed Noona!” “Ay!” With that the livestream was ended and Eunji posted later on: ‘Have been fed and well taken care off. Don’t worry Army <3’

Throughout 2016 it had gotten clear that Eunji was facing a lot more hate than the company could handle at the time. People were sued due to spreading false rumors or sending hateful messages and harassing Eunji. But even that didn’t stop them. Death threats weren’t noticed or dismissed because the company was overwhelmed with all the hate. By early 2017 it had gotten out of control. The group had just arrived back in Seoul, making their way through the relatively crowded airport. Jimin has his arm wrapped around her waist, as always, and talking with her about the upcoming days. “I really want to get a spa treatment, would you come with me?” he asks. The next six days would be free, and the group had individual plans for them. Eunji gasps. “Sure! I could need some good messages and facial treatments!” she agrees with a bright smile.

Suddenly a loud shot rings out, quickly followed by panicked screams. Before Jimin can even fully register what is happening he feels Eunji collapse against him. He panics, quickly rushing towards nearest wall for cover. He leans against it, watching as all of the people including his members, duck for cover. Then his eyes go to Eunji. “O-oh god! Oh no, no, no, no!” he whispers as he finds her with a bleeding wound on her shoulder. He quickly slides her down the wall and grabs her face. “Noona?!” he asks, panic evident in his shaking voice. To his utmost relief she opens her eyes and nods. “It’s alright. I’ll be alright,” she reassures, although the pain drives tears in her eyes. “Y-yeah you will be! Of course, you will be!” There are sirens in the back and Jimin fears the attacker might still be around. He turns to look at his members, Namjoon is the first who catches his eyes. “She has been shot!” Jimin whisper-yells. The following shock that etches onto his members faces must be reflecting his own. “I’m okay!” Eunji tries to reassure but it sounds weak. Jimin immediately turns his attention back to her.

“This will hurt. I’m sorry,” he apologizes before pressing down against the wound. A scream erupts from Eunji’s lips but then she tries to even her breaths. Jimin feels guilty and almost pulls back but she shakes her head at him. “It’s okay. You’re doing good,” she reassures him and smiles. The ten minutes it takes the ambulance to arrive at the longest ten minutes of Jimin’s life. Only once the doctor told him that she would be okay, did he take a breath of relief.

nicknames Army gave them: Eunji’s bodyguard, Child #1

love language: She is…

giving: Words of Affirmation/Acts of Service receiving: Physical Touch/Acts of Service   eunmin ‘thing’: arm around waist & cheek kisses/squishes

🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡

#TAEUN – Gwan Eunji & Kim Taehyung

“Tae is a lot like me. I see a lot from me in Tae. Maybe that is why we get along? It worries me sometimes. I hope he doesn’t forget about himself and that he can do with his life what he wants to. Because I forgot that at one point.”

contact name: Taedy Bear 🐻

Taehyung and Eunji have a sibling like relationship. The Maknae-Line x Eunji all give Sibling vibes but something about Taeun is interesting to see. Like Eunji said herself, they are very alike. They might not be twins but they do have personalities that could be siblings. As mentioned, the Maknae-Line was hesitant to approach Eunji pre-debut. Tae was 17 years old and this cheerful and smiley kid, but he was too shy to talk to girls or women. He reminds Eunji a lot of herself. And again, these two took a long time to get close and when they finally did, it was post-debut. They eventually began to talk more because Taehyung had found Eunji painting in the living room and got curious. He had sat next to her, surprising her and himself, and asked what she was doing. The two then sat there for a couple of hours, Eunji explaining and teaching Taehyung how to paint.

Taeun’s dynamic is a bit difficult to explain. They are the only duo in the group that actually could be siblings. They don’t just look alike but they also act similar. For every holiday she went with Tae to his family and his parents love Eunji like their own child. They also both went through experiences in their idol career that changed them drastically. For Eunji, it was her dating scandal and the tragedy that followed. For Tae, there might’ve not been a specific situation but the hate and pressure that he received over years. Two happy kids turning into broken adults. Tae reminds Eunji of herself because of this reason exactly. They went from smiley and happy to more reserved and calculated. And all Eunji wants is for Tae to be happy and healthy. Which she has stated often and clearly for everyone to understand.

Taeun’s dynamic is a bit difficult to explain. They are the only duo in the group that actually could be siblings. They don’t just look alike but they also act similar. For every holiday she went with Tae to his family and his parents love Eunji like their own child. They also both went through heavy emotional changes in those years. Two happy kids turning into broken adults. Tae reminds Eunji of herself because of this reason exactly. And all Eunji wants is for Tae to be happy and healthy. Which she has stated often and clearly for everyone to understand.

He is also the perfect example of her ‘I don’t like skinship, but you are an exception’ mindset. She will let him seek physical touch from her. Whether it’s hugs, holding hands, kisses or cuddling. She will let him do it. She lets him hug her for sleep as well, which prompted him to come over to her bed a lot once he found out. He is also one of the first people she told about her parents and what happened. It was also Tae that went to visit her orphanage with her, when she went to donate the next Christmas. He is like her emotional support teddy (teady) bear.

special moment:

Taeun have many moments on camera that show the positive development of their friendship. Especially during long time shows like Run BTS. Most Armys have been introduced to shows like ‘In the Soop’ or ‘Bon Voyage’.  

During Bon Voyage there is a situation, where Namjoon and Taehyung have to share a bed. Due to Taehyung’s subconscious affection while sleeping he hugs Namjoon. But the older doesn’t appreciate it and tells this to Taehyung the next morning.

Eunji, who heard the commotion, offers a solution. “I can switch with you, Namjoon,” she suggests as she enters the room. Her room is close by and has a single bed. Namjoon turns to her, face scrunched into a frown. “Are you sure? I thought you don’t like hugs,” he claims and glances at Taehyung. Eunji doesn’t hesitate and give him a determined nod. “I’m sure.”

After both Namjoon and Eunji have packed their bags and switched the rooms, Eunji sits down on the edge of the bed. She looks at Taehyung, whose face shows confusion and worry. “Don’t take his words personally. He finds physical intimacy too personal for friendships, we have to accept that,” she explains and quietly begins to unpack.

“You don’t have to sacrifice your privacy for me. I can take your room or the couch or something,” he tries to suggest and gets up from the bed. Eunji pauses her unpacking and turns to him again. “Ah come on, Tae,” she breathes out and for a moment the two just look at each other. Then she grins at him and adds: “Don’t be ridiculous. You just want the single bed, hm? Yeah, you thought.” This draws a surprised chuckle out of Taehyung, and he shakes his head amused.

In the evening, after successfully unpacking and spending the day together as group, Eunji is getting ready for bed. When she enters the bedroom she finds Tae, already in bed, laying as far on the edge as possible. She frowns, climbing into the bed and cuddling into the soft covers. “You don’t need to keep five feet away. I have nothing contagious,” she jokes, and he turns his head towards her. She smiles and waves him closer. Hesitantly he shifts more onto the bed.

She feels that he is still tense, even after she turns out the light and settles for sleep. His shoulder are tense, his breathing dangerously quiet and his back turned towards her. Cautiously she shifts closer. “Would you like me to hold you?” she asks in a whisper. His head snaps to her, eyes wide and full of shock. “W-what?! I-you don’t need to!” He answers quickly but Eunji tilts her head. “You didn’t answer my question,” she states calmly and smiles. He stays quiet, seemingly thinking about it. Until his hesitant eyes meet her determined ones. “Would you?” he whispers, barely audible. She chuckles. “Of course, dumbass. Why would I ask otherwise?” she responds and shifts even closer. “Can I?” she asks, and he nods way too quickly, which she finds adorable. She wraps her arms around his shoulders, and he shuffles to get comfortable. They end up with his arms wrapped around her waist, his head on her chest and her arms around his shoulders. She softly plays with his hair and hums a few melodies. It doesn’t take long until he is sound a sleep and she follows soon after.

Probably one of their biggest ship moments, not gonna lie.

nicknames Army gave them: Siblings, Mamma Bear & Baby Bear

love language: She is…

giving: physical touch/quality time receiving: physical touch/acts of service  taeun ‘thing’: skincare routine together & hugs (while sleeping)

🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎

#EUNKOOK – Gwan Eunji & Jeon Jungkook

“Jungkook is my baby. Big baby I should say. My boy has grown into a handsome man, has he not? With the tattoos and piercings, the long hair, and muscles. It’s hard to accept that he is an adult, but he is so mature, right? We should recognize him for it.”

contact name: Big Baby Bunny 💪🐇

Jungkook and Eunji pretty much have a mother and son relationship. Since Jungkook was so young when he debuted, Eunji wanted to make sure he was going to be okay. With that goal in mind, she and Jungkook went to his hometown where Eunji formally introduced herself to his family. She wanted to meet them in person, exchange phone numbers and maybe learn a bit about Jungkook to help him in the future. His parents loved her, obviously. They immediately felt at ease, knowing she will be looking over their boy. His mother cooked with Eunji and even gave her some family recipes. That pretty much shows how devoted Eunji is to make Jungkook feel comfortable. Especially because the Maknae-Line was keeping their distance pre-debut. What can I say, these two got close fast.

In the beginning she really babied him a lot. I mean, he was a baby. But to be fair, she actually became more of a mom. She taught him to do his own laundry, make doctor’s appointments, cook, and even drive. She also helped him study and do his homework. She did have to scold him sometimes, but she was always gentle and loving. And funnily enough, the fans have noticed. There are things that Jungkook does, that the fans realized comes from Eunji. Certain habits, manners, or sentences. He actively quotes her sometimes. Jungkook back than was sometimes annoyed by her, which she accepted and backed off. To which he would realize that she was a big help and come to ask for her again. She never took it personally. Due to her experiences with the orphanage children, she understood. She knew how to handle kids well and Jungkook was her kid now.

The older Jungkook got, the more independent did he become. At first it was hard for Eunji to grasp but she quickly adapted to him maturing. She probably is his biggest supporter and never wanted him to feel suffocated or too babied. So, when he eventually turned an adult and matured a lot, she let him and watched proudly. She can never help the proud smile when he accomplishes something or just whenever she sees him honestly. She brags about him a lot. ‘He grew up so well, didn’t he? Ah, such a gentleman.’ She loves Jungkook and knowing that he is an adult now, doesn’t change that. But she never takes credit for raising him. She is convinced he did most of it by himself.

For Jungkook Eunji has always been the big sister that took on his mother’s role when he left. He appreciates her a lot. More than he could ever say. Don’t get him wrong, the boys did an amazing job raising him. It was just different with Eunji. She just knew what to do in every situation. He got mad at her for caring ‘too much’? She stepped back and gave him space to think. Then he thought about it and realized she was a big help. So, in a way, she humbled him in the humblest way possible. By listening to what he said, even when it was obviously stupid. Despite being grown up now and being a big boy, he still seeks her comfort. He likes being babied once in a while, especially by her. Eunji complies, of course. Jungkook always gives huge credit to Eunji for the person he is today.

Without her, it would’ve been difficult sometimes. There were topics that he was embarrassed about and that he didn’t want to tell his Hyungs. And to whom would a teenager usually go? Right, their mother. For him, it was Eunji first until he got a chance to call his mom. And she did a good job. Eunji never judged him for ‘embarrassing things’ or ‘stupid questions’. Which is why they are so close, even to this day.

special moment:

Eunji pretty much raised Jungkook and over the years they spend together they have grown incredibly close. Especially through the teenage years. The struggles of growing up in the entertainment industry were heavy on Jungkook but Eunji made sure to take care of him.

Eunji is sitting in the living room of the dorm. She is freely chatting with Jin and joking around. Jimin and Tae are also there but focused on their game. Yoongi is at the studio and Namjoo and Jhope are going to get food and Yoongi to go back to the dorm. Suddenly there is a timid tap on her shoulder. When she looks up she finds Jungkook. His head is low, eyes only hesitantly looking at her, and his hands are fidgeting. Eunji frowns, worry building up at the image. “Hey, are you okay?” she asks and turns her body towards him. He nods quickly. “Yes! C-can I ask you something?” he asks, stuttering a little. Eunji, still concerned, gets up and nods. “Sure!” she answers. But he hesitates once again. “Privately?” he whispers.

Eunji is surprised but leads him into the shared bedroom of the group. They sit down on the lower bunk bed and Eunji turns to him. He scratches his neck and shifts. Eunji can tell he is nervous. “You can ask me anything, Kookie. I promise I won’t make fun of you, and I won’t tell anyone,” she reassures and softly nudges his shoulder. He takes a deep breath and turns his eyes back to her. “Okay. Ehm, how do I make – how can I ask this?” He asks himself and frowns. Eunji gives him a minute to think. “How do I shave the best way?” he asks, cringing right after. But Eunji immediately understands the issue. “Okay, that alright. Don’t worry, it is totally normal to not know these things,” she reassures. He seems relieved and breathes out deeply.

She gets up and grabs a small bag before returning to him. She opens the bag and pulls out her razor and waxing strips. When she looks at the Maknae he seems intrigued. “I’m sure you know that you could shave with a razor,” she states, and he nods. “I personally prefer waxing, since it helps avoid certain problems with shaving and it is a bit more effective in removing hair for a long time,” she explains, and he listens carefully. “Does waxing hurt?” he asks. Eunji coos at his expression, pinching his cheek a little. “It does a little, not gonna lie. But if you want we can try a small part on the leg first?” she suggests. Eagerly Jungkook agrees. Eunji smiles. “Don’t ever feel embarrassed for asking this stuff, yeah? I’ll try my best to answer them.”

The stadium is empty. The only people there are staff and BTS. Speaking of, Jungkook is currently getting ready to practice the Euphoria Performance where he flies over the stadium. Eunji is standing in front of the stage, her arms folded on stage as she leans on it. There is a cameraman next to her, making sure to record everything while another camera was busy filming Jungkook. “You look so professional,” Eunji compliments after Jungkook just finished talking to staff and tying himself to the pole. His head turns to her, eyes big and shining. “You think?” he asks, excitement shining through. Eunji laughs. “Of course!” As he is lifted into the air he squeals with excitement. Eunji chuckles nervously. “Hold onto that tightly, yeah?” she almost pleads with him. He looks down at shows her a thumbs up. Namjoon steps next to Eunji, both watching their Maknae flying through the air and singing his song. “He grew up so fast,” Eunji mumbles. “Yeah he did,” he agrees. In that moment, Jungkook waves excitedly at the two. Eunji breaks into a big smile and waves back. “You look amazing, Kookie!” she yells up to him and his smile grows even bigger.

In a livestream, Eunji is chatting with fans and reading comments. “Where is Jungkook?” she reads out a comment. A smile forms on her face. “He called me earlier, asking if I was still doing a livestream today. I said yes and he wanted to come. But he is still working out right now,” she explains. She focuses back on the comments as praises and cute comments about Jungkook and Eunkook come in. “Jungkook still baby,” she reads out. A chuckle leaves her. “He is a very soft person. But,” – she interrupts her sentence to take a sip of her drink and then look at the camera more seriously – “he is a handsome and grown up man now. He still has parts of the kid from 10 years ago in him, but he has grown so much. We, you too Army, should acknowledge that, right?” she asks but it is more a rhetorical question. As she reads more comments she laughs out. “How does it feel to have raised the most amazing man on the planet?” she reads out and flashes a big smile at the camera. “Good question. I feel very proud, but he has always been an amazing person. He grew up so well and I will never stop being proud of him.”

It's Festa 2022 and the group is sitting around a table with drinks and food. The conversations have been mixed with funny and relaxed topics but also emotional and personal themes. Right now, the boys are arguing who raised Jungkook the best. “Obviously it’s me! I paid for all his food!” Jin argues and gestures at Yoongi. The younger side eyes his friend and states: “But I have raised him more. We spend so much time together.” “I am sure I raised him the best,” Hobi intervenes and sips his drink. “I mean I spend all my time with him,” he adds.

Meanwhile, Eunji is leaning back in her chair and watching with amusement. For her, this discussion is pointless, but she enjoys the entertainment from it anyways. Suddenly Jimin intervenes: “I believe Eunji Noona raised Jungkook the most.” The group goes quiet. Taehyung agrees with nodding and eats a piece of pork. Eunji chuckles. “I am not a part in this discussion,” she says. The boys begin to ponder on if Eunji should now voice her opinion or not, which makes Eunji giggle more. This is amusing to her. But then something makes them all shut up. “I also think Eunji Noona raised me the best,” Jungkook says. Everyone goes silent. You could hear a pin drop. Eunji laughs at the others’ faces. “Look what you did, Kookie,” she accuses the younger, who just shrugs.

“I actually am really grateful for Noona. I wasn’t easy as a kid and she always knew what to say or do. I feel that Noona was made to be a mother,” – Eunji chuckles at that and Jungkook smiles – “because she raised me as a mother, and, even when I don’t always show it, I couldn’t be more thankful,” he explains. Eunji listens, eyes tearing up and she softly caresses his cheek with the back of her hand. “Why so emotional today, Jk?” Jimin teases but even that doesn’t stop Jungkook from making sure that everyone knows he is serious. “Because I barely say it. I think I should say it more often. I am grateful for all of you raising me and you had a great impact on me,” he continues. Eunji wipes the stray tears of her cheeks and cradles the back of his head. “Oh, and my mom is also very happy about you raising me,” he adds, looking at Eunji. The group erupts in laughs and chuckles. Eunji smiles and softly scratches his head.

nicknames Army gave them: Mother-son, Eunji’s big baby/boy

love language: She is…

giving: acts of service/words of affirmation receiving: physical touch/quality time eunkook ‘thing’: sitting in each other’s lap & caretaking (washing hair, cooking dinner, removing makeup, etc.)

🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡

This layout isn’t mine; I have ‘stolen’ it from @txt-yaomi! Don’t worry, I got permission to use it. I recommend going to her acc as well, she has a great TXT Addition story! Thank you for letting me use this 🧡

Disclaimer: All the pictures are from Pinterest and are not mine. Credit to the owners.

©︎ bts-eunji - all rights reserved. do not copy, repost, or translate my work on Tumblr or other platforms.

[eunjiswrld]

🤍🫧 … Eunji with SKZ !

BangChan — JiChan 🫧

If there’s one person Eunji can go to for advice, it’d be Chan. He’s Eunji’s biggest supporter and always has been ever since she joined the team. They absolutely enjoy working with each other and they always find ways to have fun together. Chan definitely sees Eunji as a little sister, and is always there to defend/protect her. Whenever Eunji is struggling with something, Chan is always there to help her. Eunji also enjoys cooking for Chan and bringing him gifts whenever they all have a comeback as a way to show her appreciation. Chan is definitely the reason why Eunji is here today.

Minho — Minji 🎀

Cat Duo. Is there more needed? These two are so cat coded, and them being friends makes it 100% better. They enjoy knocking things over and causing chaos, just to be seen taking a 9 hour nap mere minutes later. They’re a disastrous combination, as they can either get in some kind of trouble together, or they can be the calmest people to be around. They’re also learning buddies as well, they enjoy teaching each other English. Often, you’ll see these two exchanging random english phrases they’ve learned together. On top of everything, they both own cats!! They both love talking about their cats and showing them off. They love going to each others houses to see one another’s cats.

Changbin — Binji 🌿

These two are gym rats, perfect for one another to work out with. Eunji loves going to the gym with Changbin, and she even wakes up earlier than him to work out. Changbin also really loves Eunji’s cooking, and is always the first to taste anything she cooks in the dorm. He calls himself her ‘Chef in Command’ and likes to think he’s helping in the kitchen when in reality he’s just there to get a plate first. They also really enjoy going out and singing at Karaoke rooms. If you see these two walk in together and the place contains a Karaoke Machine, run. You definitely do not want these two singing their hearts out all night, you’ll never hear the end of it.

Hyunjin — Hyunji 🧸

These two get along really well, and they’re favorite activity to do together is paint. They love talking about different painting techniques and different styles to try out whenever they paint. Hyunjin and Eunji have always been good friends from the start, and it was even found out that they attended the same high School at some point. The two have a lot in common and even though they act like they don’t get along, they care about each other to death. They also like cooking in the dorm together and often exchange recipes to each other. They’re also huge dog lovers!! They enjoy bringing their dogs over to each other’s houses so they can play together. Taka and Kkami are best friends, just like their owners.

Jisung — 2ji 💐

(1/3 of soulmateracha)

If there was a such thing as having Best Friends as your Soulmate, It’d be Soulmateracha. Jisung and Eunji didn’t have a good start to meeting each other when they first debuted. They started off absolutely resenting each other, always butting heads and never getting along, but now they’re inseparable. Where one goes, the other absolutely has to follow. Eunji and Jisung do almost everything together, and it’s tough on them to be apart. They’re like a tornado when they’re together, because if you thought Minji was bad, 2ji is even worse. They’re very loud when they’re together and there’s never a time when they’re not laughing together. These two are very playful together and they’re bound to cause mischief wherever they go. They have a bond like no other.

Felix — Eunlix ⭐️

(2/3 of Soulmateracha)

Eunji’s Guardian Angel in Human form, and a dear member of Soulmateracha. Felix is the type to do absolutely everything and anything for Eunji, and he cares about her very much. From the start, Felix has always been there for Eunji, and has never left her side. He enjoys taking her to visit his family and spending time with her, and just adores everything about Eunji. When Eunji is unsure about something, Felix will always be there to give some advice or to help her. It proves that he’s willing to help her with anything she needs. Their favorite activity to do together is baking, as Felix loves baking brownies and Eunji loves baking cakes. Together, they make the best desserts known to everyone in the dorm. They also play video games together, and often boast about their ranks in games. Eunji enjoys playing pranks on Felix, often tricking him to drink coffee and teasing him about his gaming rank. In other words, Felix and Eunji were meant to meet.

Seungmin - Seungji ⛅️

(3/3 of soulmateracha)

Eunji’s playful puppy rival, since she is apart of nyannyanracha after all. These two are jointed at the hip, hence why he’s apart of soulmateracha. When together, they’re the most playful duo ever imagined. They always end up getting into some kind of mischief together even when they’re not trying. During MV shoots they’re usually the ones playing pranks on the other members while they’re filming. These two also enjoy playing games together, and tease one another if someone loses. They definitely cannot be trusted to do anything together or separate. They’re the bestest of friends and nobody can really ever tell them otherwise. They do everything together and their favorite activity is to tease the other members and watching baseball games.

Jeongin — I.NJI 🪐

Eunji will literally defend Jeongin til the end of time just because she can. Eunji is the literal number one Jeongin defender. She’s always been protective of him since they’ve met and instantly felt a sibling like bond with him just like the others. When the others tease him, she’s always quick to defend him, and says that only she can make fun of him. They enjoy going to the beach together and collecting seashells together to hang on the walls of their dorm like little garlands. Eunji and I.N are also Karaoke Machine lovers (a little less bad than Eunji and Changbin), and they love late night convenience store runs together.

🤍 …’ (Soulmateracha is a unit composed of Eun-ji, Jisung, Felix and Seungmin. It is named that way because of how close they are with one another, and they were given that name by the fans.)

[m4itreyi]

saw one of those “we’re ____, of course we” tiktoks but for mascs and all of it was very ej but the “ofc nobody knows our real names” bit was especially fitting

[sevhvn]

365 ° Tag dump

[aliceintheworld]

PURE ATTRACTION | JJK | TATTOO ARTIST

Pairing: TattooArtistJungkook X NaiveReader

Summary: "I shouldn't be watching a man undressing, especially not from the house next door."

Warning: Intolerance, toxic religion, parental relationship, Jungkook taking off his clothes 😮‍💨🤲 very dumb reader.

A/N: This is my first fanfic on Tumblr and my first BTS one. I know, it's embarrassing. The story isn't that great, and it probably shouldn't be the first one I post here, but the characters took on a life of their own without my consent, and I've been writing this since 2022 (fuck), so here we are. Please keep in mind that English is not my first language and that the reader is extremely annoying. See you on the next chapter! Thank You.

Next Chapter

Chapter 1

I organize the things from the bazaar as I go through the accessories spread out on the table. It's a calm easy task and I've done it more than a thousand times, so even with my eyes closed the job is done masterfully. My mother is next to me, quietly, listening to music on an old radio that she refuses to throw away. It seems that, since it's a radio she got as a teenager, the object has a deep meaning for her and she doesn't even like the thought of exchanging it for something more modern. I hum along too, trying to tune my voice in some parts where the music gets harder and the notes get higher.

Usually on the weekends, every Sunday, my mother and I go to church and the bazaar after the service, to raise money and help the pastor's project. Pastor Leen is a good man and always helps everyone in need, so this semester, during these last months of the year, he has been focusing on the animals that live on the streets. Everyone in the community who goes to church participates and helps in whatever way they can, whether through donations or fundraising, like my mother and I do. That’s why we gathered some clothes and items for the church bazaar, and with the sales, we can do our part. It's exhausting, but rewarding in the end.

During the week, I study at the university in my town and work at the library, so there's not much time for rest, but I like having a busy life. Although I know that, for some people, my idea of a busy life might not seem busy at all. At twenty-one, I’m supposedly supposed to be somewhere else in the world, enjoying my youth and partying with my friends, but strangely, I never wanted that. Whether it’s because of my mother, who always instructed me not to follow that path, or because I’m just introverted, I’ve never gone to parties or had adventures that I could look back on later. The most out-of-the-ordinary thing I've ever done was drink beer when I was eighteen and regret it the next day, feeling guilty for being influenced by a friend.

I’ve never left this town. I’ve never dated. I’ve never been to a party. I haven’t done many memorable things in life. Sometimes I wonder if I’ll regret not having these experiences someday, but I’m so tied to the way I live my life that it’s hard to change, even just a little. Habits are hard to break, whether for better or worse. I’m pulled from my thoughts when the store door opens and Mrs. Jeon walks in with a smile on her face and two heavy bags in her hands. I quickly get up intending to help her, but my mother is faster.

“Good morning, Eunji,” Mrs. Jeon greets my mother, letting out a relieved sigh as the weight of one of the bags is lifted from her hands. “Good morning, Y/N, how are you?”

“I’m fine, Mrs. Jeon. How has your week been?” I ask, taking the other bag from her. I peek inside and notice that it’s full of men’s clothes, judging by the size and the predominantly dark colors.

“Radiant, actually. My son arrived in town last night,” she says, her smile widening. I’m surprised because I didn’t know she had a son. Mrs. Jeon moved to town six years ago, and I don’t recall any son visiting her or her mentioning him. This is the first time she’s spoken about it, at least in front of me.

“Your son, Jungkook?” my mother asks, curious, and our neighbor nods, still beaming. “Doesn’t he live in Seoul?”

“Yes, he does. But he’s been expanding his business, and I invited him to visit, and coincidentally, he decided to open a branch here,” she explains, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. My mother instantly flashes a smile. An interested smile that I know all too well.

Of course, because I’ve never dated, my mother is always trying to set me up with someone. Not that I want her to. I never asked her to make all this effort, much less to convince the church ladies to introduce their sons just because I’m single. It’s embarrassing, as if I’m not capable of finding someone on my own without my mother’s help, but she doesn’t listen, even when I had an honest conversation with her asking her to stop trying to play Cupid.

"What kind of business?" my mother asks, and I try not to roll my eyes. For a woman of God, she worries way too much about money and status. It's a controversial topic that has led to arguments between us in the past.

"He's a tattoo artist. He owns a tattoo studio in Seoul," Mrs. Jeon explains with a proud smile, and my mother's face immediately turns serious. The charm of a potential son-in-law is lost. Of course, no one is ever perfect enough for her—or for me, in her eyes.

I love my mother. She’s strong, and many times I look up to her when making important decisions, but she judges people too harshly. Ever since she joined the church when I was younger, she’s changed. She changed her clothes, the way she speaks, and even her thoughts. I can’t even remember what she was like before, and even though all these changes were a support for her after my father passed away, some aspects of the situation still bothers me. The fact that she believes people are going to hell just for having different opinions and ideas is one of them. Of course, I don’t argue with her about it and rarely express my point of view. If she knew how I really thought, I’d be a princess locked in her room, with no peace and even less freedom than I already have at home.

"He's a tattoo artist?" my neighbor nods, not noticing the bitter tone in my mother's voice. I decide to step in, anticipating some sharp comment from the woman beside me.

"Mrs. Jeon, thank you so much for the clothes and for your help. Just today we had three customers, and the clothes you donated sold very quickly," I interject, changing the subject. The tension in my shoulders eases as my neighbor shifts her focus to the bag in my hands.

"Oh, no need to thank me. I want to do as much as I can to help the animals. I adopted a puppy last week and I’m in love!" she says, placing her hands on her cheeks with joy, and I can’t help but smile. Mrs. Jeon is one of the few older people from the church that I enjoy talking to.

"What’s his name?"

"Gureum. He’s an angel," she says, forming the small size of the puppy with her hands.

"Gureum? Don’t tell me he’s all white," I guess, laughing at the name.

"He is!" she laughs with me, jingling the keys in her hand. "Anyway, I hope we get plenty of donations this month. I can't wait to see the results of our work."

"That’s true, Misuk. This month the winter will be harsher, so we have to act more quickly this year," my mother continues, and the conversation shifts to the church project. I feel more relieved as the minutes pass and Mrs. Jeon leaves. Not because of her, of course, but because of the situation itself. My mother is very straightforward and usually says what she thinks, no matter who it hurts. I don’t want my relationship with our neighbor to be ruined just because my mother doesn’t know how to hold her tongue.

"Did you hear what she said?" Eunji asks, her eyes wide, one hand on her chest as if she’s deeply shocked. "Her son is a tattoo artist! Do you think he has those awful marks all over his body?"

"Probably, Mom," I sigh, trying to focus on the clothes Mrs. Jeon just brought. "And Mom, don’t talk like that. She’s our neighbor."

"Even so! Y/N, that only happens when parents don’t know how to properly guide their children. How can a mother, who goes to church, let her son go down such a horrible path in life?"

"We don’t know how her son lives, and it’s none of our business, Mom!" I try to keep calm as I fold a large black T-shirt, but then I remember that before organizing the items, we have to wash them, and I couldn’t be happier about that.

Usually, the clothes are washed at our house, and my mother still has to stay at the bazaar for a while longer. Honestly, I don’t want to be around her listening to how good of a mother she was just because I go to church and don’t have a tattoo on my arm. It irritates me, and it’s hard not to let her notice, but for the sake of peace, I try my best, nodding and agreeing with all the nonsense she says.

"Mom, I’m going to take all these things home and get everything ready for the bazaar, okay?" I try to force a smile, but my face feels stiff. My head is throbbing, and I can’t wait to get home. I’ve been out of my room all day, and there’s nothing more exhausting than that, at least for me. She murmurs in agreement, probably annoyed that she can't keep talking badly about Mrs. Jeon’s son, but I don’t care and just leave.

I regret it a little halfway home because the bags are heavy, and even though the distance isn’t long, it’s hard to carry all the clothes by myself. I arrive home out of breath. The sky is overcast, with dark gray clouds covering it, but I’m sweating as if I just ran a marathon. I laugh a bit at my lack of fitness, promising myself that I’ll start the morning walks I keep putting off, and I head to the laundry room to start organizing the clothes.

When I open the bag, I’m surprised by the items. Not only are they of good quality, but I’m also certain they don’t belong to Mr. Jeon. He dresses well, but not in this style. I can hardly imagine him wearing black jeans or a heavy jacket. I’m intrigued by who the owner might be, but I don’t waste time pondering it, too tired to unravel mysteries that aren’t even important. I leave the laundry room once everything is organized and head to my room, throwing myself onto the bed.

My room isn’t particularly special or different, but what I love the most about it is the bookshelf filled with books covering almost the entire wall. It was my dream from a young age to get a job and buy every book I was interested in, and luckily, that’s been possible since I started working at the library. It’s the perfect job for me, even if it’s temporary. I’m studying literature to become a teacher, and I can’t wait to start working in my dream job.

I sigh and pull my phone out of my dress pocket, too lazy to take off my clothes and go shower. I groan, placing my hands over my face, knowing there’s no escaping it after being out of the house all day. There’s no way I’m going to bed like this. Reluctantly, I get up and untie my hair, which falls in waves, heavy against my neck.

I bend down to grab the hem of my dress and start pulling it up, feeling even more tired. Today was such a long day. I can’t wait to go to bed and sleep until tomorrow. I take off my socks, lifting one foot behind the other, and as I head to the towel inside the wardrobe next to the bed, I unhook the bra that’s been bothering me all day. The relief is so immense that I let out a sigh, touching my breasts with my fingers and playing with my nipple, hardened by the cold air.

On my way to the bathroom, I stop and look at the window when I notice that the neighbor’s window—the one that had never been opened until now—is, in fact, wide open. I need a few seconds to realize that there’s someone on Mrs. Jeon’s balcony, and worse, it’s not her on the other side. It’s a man. The most handsome man I’ve ever seen in my life.

I hide behind the bookshelf in my room, afraid that he might think I’m spying on him, but for some reason, I keep watching him with curiosity, hypnotized by the way he moves around the room and among the furniture. His dark, wavy hair falls over his face when, out of nowhere, he starts pulling his shirt over his back, taking it off lazily while focusing on the phone in his hands. He gives a small smile, almost as if he subconsciously knows the effect he’s having on me. My heart beats hard against my chest, and my breathing quickens; my mind fills with fantasy images of his pink lips and large, seemingly soft hands.

He is... gorgeous. Different. With tattoos all over his body. One of his arms is completely covered in designs, and his chest is adorned with images that I can’t quite make out. My mouth waters as my eyes roam over his strong back and shoulders. His pale skin glows under the dim light of the yellow lamp, and it’s hard to catch my breath. It’s like observing a work of art. A forbidden work of art, I know. It’s wrong. But I can’t convince my mind that I should stop. The man, still a stranger, smiles at his phone as the screen lights up his face. Unlike his body, which exudes sensuality and is intimidating, his smile is sweet and gentle, and the most charming I’ve ever seen. He tosses the phone onto the bed, unbuckling the leather belt around his waist and deftly undoing the buttons of his jeans. That’s when the trance that literally had me delirious breaks. I slam the window shut, desperate at my own madness.

What was I doing? How could I have seen a stranger stripping like a complete pervert? I feel so bad, guilty for having crossed the line and done something as wrong as this. I gulp, covering my face with my hands. I let out a tortured sigh and feel my heart racing uncontrollably. I am sweating, as if I had done a heavy workout, when in fact, I had been standing still the entire time. I peek through the gaps in my window to see the room in Mr. Jeon's house, but I can't see anything anymore and I don't have the courage to open the curtains and try to look at the man again.

It's the first time in many years that I have felt something like this. Could it be desire? I can't remember the last time I felt anything like this. I recall having a small and first crush on a boy at school, something innocent, when I didn't even know what it meant to like someone romantically or as a friend. This was, throughout my life, the only consistent experience in recent years. It scares me that suddenly I feel something different for someone, even if it's minimal. I let out a sigh and cover my face, embarrassed by my own behavior. To make things worse, I'm not even wearing clothes. I rush to the bathroom and close the door, staring at myself in the mirror. I am so dazed that even my cheeks are dark red. I close my eyes tightly and head to the shower, trying to let the water wash away my thoughts. It doesn't work. I spend the whole night gazing at my bedroom window, full of images that I can't forget or erase.

I have a normal day after the almost exhausting night. I study in the morning about different approaches with children on the autism spectrum, which I find completely interesting and complex, and then I work in the afternoon at the college library on campus. This is actually great because I can study even during my work hours with free access to all available books, which has saved my life in recent months. The first semester of classes was tough, but this second one has been terrible, with piled-up assignments and deadlines that are almost impossible to meet, at best. My life has revolved around this routine, and the ordeal of exams hasn't even started. On my way home, I stop at a convenience store to buy something to eat and bike towards my house, which, honestly, isn’t very far but is extremely tiring.

I get home exhausted, collapsing on the sofa almost immediately. My mother appears from the kitchen with a serious face and a tense expression, as if something very grave had happened.

"You won't believe who invited us to dinner." she comments, placing one hand on her hip.

"Who?" I ask, just out of courtesy. Besides not being hungry, I'm not interested in the subject, too stressed with college stuff to pay attention to my mother.

"Misuk."

"And what's the problem, Mom?" I roll my eyes. Until yesterday, my mother had no problem with our neighbor, and now she acts like the woman is forbidden or not good enough to be her friend.

"Did you forget, YN?" she asks, crossing her arms. "Her son, the one from Seoul, will be at the dinner."

I turn pale, my mouth dry. How could I have forgotten this? College has consumed all my thoughts during the day, but I would never forget that man. The man I saw through the window is Mrs. Jeon's son, I suppose. I concluded this after spending the whole night mulling over my thoughts and reliving that body and face, which I can’t even recall without blushing. I’ve already eaten at college and feel satisfied, but the first thing I do when my mother mentions the dinner is smile.

"I’ll go with you." I affirm, unsure. If my heart raced so much from a distance of Mr. Jeon's son, I can't imagine what will happen if I see him up close. But I'm so curious that I can't avoid it. I want to see him. I want to prove that everything I felt last night wasn’t just a product of my imagination tainted by romance novels.

"The truth is, I wanted to cancel the dinner."

"You didn't cancel, did you?" I ask, trying not to sound too desperate. My mother shakes her head, which makes me sigh with relief.

"No, but I'm curious about the guy. I want to see what he's like and make a better judgment about him. I just ask that you don’t get involved with that kind of person. He’s a tattoo artist and lives alone, so young. Who knows what he does alone in a city like Seoul." she says, and I agree with a noise in my throat.

I’m also curious about him, Mom, but not for the same reason as you. I stay silent as I go upstairs to my room. I look for some slightly nicer clothes without much expectation but I don’t have anything different from conservative or old. I feel sad for no reason and convince myself that it doesn’t matter what I choose to wear; a man like the one I saw last night will never be interested in me, no matter what I put on. I quickly shower, then, after my mom calls me from downstairs, I look at myself in the mirror, staring at the dark blue dress that goes down to just below my knees. I roll my eyes and simply go, with little enthusiasm.

My mom has a bowl with a freshly baked cake, and after saying it's for the neighbors, we head out. It’s the house next door, but the short walk feels like an eternity to me. My heart races as we approach, and I let my mom lead the way, walking ahead. She knocks on the door with three taps, and we don’t wait long before Mr. Jeon appears. He’s a man in his fifties, but very handsome and friendly, wearing a long-sleeve shirt and comfortable house slippers. He smiles at both of us, still holding the doorknob and giving us space to enter.

"Good evening, Eunji, good evening, Y/N." he greets us. I nod, a little embarrassed. Unlike Mrs. Jeon, I don’t see him often, as he is very busy with work and doesn’t attend church regularly.

"Good evening, Yejun."

"Good evening, Mr. Jeon. Thank you for having us." I smile, genuinely grateful. I truly like the couple, as every time I see them, they always treat me very well.

"What a polite girl, isn’t she?" he says to my mother in a joking tone, then looks at me kindly. "You don’t need to thank us. We love having you two here. Please come in and make yourselves comfortable."

"I brought a cake for after dinner." my mom says with a smile. "Where is Misuk? I want to give it to her."

"She’s in the kitchen, finishing organizing things. Shall we go there?"

I follow them in silence, having little to do. My mom is more accustomed to the environment, as she comes here a few times for church meetings. I take a few steps toward the kitchen when a noise on the stairs catches my attention. Then he appears, and like magic, everything I felt before resurges, ten thousand times worse. I catch my breath as I see him slowly descending the stairs. He is much taller than me and different from what I imagined, now up close.

His eyes are dark, bright and large, which strangely complements his sharp jawline. His lips are a beautiful pink that makes me run my tongue over my mouth, enchanted by their apparent softness. Pink is now my favorite color. He exudes a powerful aura with his heavy clothes and his body built like a big mountain towering over me, but when he smiles, I am captivated. His smile is sweet, friendly, and inviting, making me want to get closer. However, the thing that catches my attention the most is the eyebrow piercing. My God. What a man.

"Hello, how are you?" he says with a boyish smile, and I blush instantly. I try to maintain a mantra in my mind, repeating several times: calm down, calm down, calm down! "My name is Jungkook, are you my mother’s neighbor?"

"Y-yes." I stammer and almost instinctively close my eyes, frustrated with myself. He smiles even more, squinting his dark eyes as if he finds me amusing.

"Nice to meet you. What’s your name?" he asks with a soft voice, and I feel embarrassed for not having said my name earlier.

"My name is Y/N. Nice to meet you." This time I don’t stammer, but I speak so quietly that I fear he might not have heard me.

"Nice to meet you, Y/N. My mom talks a lot about you." he says, confirming that yes, he did hear me.

I open my mouth to try to say something, but suddenly my mother appears. I don’t know whether to feel relieved or disappointed. I wanted more chances to talk and discover new things about him, but all I was managing to do was look like an idiot who hasn’t left the house in years, completely antisocial. My shoulders slump, and I follow my mother to the dining room in silence, feeling embarrassed. I can almost feel Jungkook’s presence behind me, but I don’t have the courage to turn around and glimpse his expression. I almost automatically remember him taking off his clothes, showing the tattoos that are now hidden, and I flush even more, almost choking on my own saliva.

"Good evening, Y/N!" Mrs. Jeon smiles at me, already seated at the table. I feel guilty for almost drooling over her son earlier but I smile, greeting her in the same way.

"Good evening, Mrs. Jeon. The smell of the food is delicious, as always." I say, seeing the vegetables on the table and the meat next to it that looks divine. If I hadn’t eaten earlier, I’d be attacking the food, with respect, of course.

"Always so sweet, Y/N." she smiles. "Please, have a seat. Jungkook, sit next to her." she requests. I try to not choke again, just nodding, watching the man I am incredibly attracted to sit to my right side.

His parents and my mom engage in a lively conversation, and I try to pay attention in case they ask me something, but the truth is, I can’t follow along at all. Jungkook eats in silence and occasionally answers my mother’s questions, which I’m sure are meant to gather more material for judgment when we get home, but I can’t follow any of the reasoning. Besides being handsome, polite and kind, he also smells good.

With the clothes he wears and the tattoos decorating his body, I would swear his perfume would be woody and strong, but it’s quite the opposite. His scent reminds me of spring, or nature like a field full of flowers. It’s a scent I could absorb all day. Lost in thought while I play with the fork on my plate and the cabbage kimchi I served myself, I don’t notice him coming closer to me and my ear. My whole body shivers with his breath. I try to not make it too obvious, but I think it’s in vain since I hear his soft laugh even closer to my neck.

"Do you want to go to the kitchen, Y/N?" Jungkook asks in a whisper so close that I look around just to make sure no one is watching, especially my mother, who seems to have already formed a prejudiced opinion about him.

"Why?" I ask in a whisper, confused.

"I want to ask you something." he smiles crookedly, which makes me even more disturbed. I nod, still unsure about what I’m agreeing to. He quickly stands up, and I almost instantly follow him. When we get to the kitchen, he turns around quickly, watching me attentively, crossing his arms over his chest.

"W-what do you want to ask me?" I swallow nervously.

"I was thinking whether I should talk to you about this, but after meeting you tonight, I think it’s for the best, anyway." he says with a serious face. His previously relaxed attitude changes completely, as if all the fun from earlier had drained away.

I become worried, my mind filled with questions, until something occurs to me. What if last night, somehow, he realized I was watching him? My body turns to jelly at the thought, and my heart beats faster as I look at his face. I would die, seriously. I would fall to the ground and never wake up again. My hands tremble as I wait for his question.

"Are you and my mother very close?" he asks in a whisper, this time with a weak voice, looking at his own intertwined hands. I nod in agreement, even more confused. Since Mrs. Jeon moved to my city, we’ve become something like friends, despite the significant age difference. I consider her, even if mistakenly, like a mother.

"Yes. I think we have a close relationship. Why the question?" he shifts uncomfortably. He tries to smile but can’t. I am worried but silent, waiting for his answer.

"My mother is sick, Y/N." he says quietly, with a weak voice. My eyes widen at the news. I never imagined this is what he wanted to talk to me about. From his seriousness, it seems to be something very grave. "That’s why I came to the city. She had depression years ago and last month she tried to take her own life for some reason."

"She didn’t tell anyone, I’m sure." I say as much as I can, still shaken and shocked. Mrs. Jeon seems so happy lately that I could never imagine something like this. My eyes fill with tears, but I try to contain the flood of emotions inside me, embarrassed to act this way with a previously unknown person.

"I know. I was shocked when I found out." he explains, running his fingers through his dark hair as if he were tired. "She wants to spare people from the situation, but I wish everyone could know and support her. She shouldn’t be thinking about anyone’s well-being right now, except her own. That’s why I came to Busan, to take care of her."

"I understand." I whisper with a lump in my throat. I want to take his trembling hands and assure him that everything will be okay, but I don’t have that much courage. I wish I were casual and authentic and had the ease to simply say what I’m thinking. It’s the first time that not being this way makes me upset and sad. I wish I could be someone else right now. I wish I could help more.

"I apologize for bringing this up so suddenly. I hope I haven’t ruined your evening. I’m sorry." he smiles awkwardly, puffing his cheeks, and a previously hidden dimple appears. His face turns red and I can’t help but like him even more.

"Don’t worry. Really. Thank you for telling me the truth. I want to help in any way I can. I'll try to keep her company more often."

"Thank you so much, Y/N." he smiles, with his eyes shining. "I knew it was a good idea to tell you the truth. I knew I could count on you."

Ask for a TAGLIST in the comments.

[pretty-blkgirl]

Soul’s Desire [Ch. 26]

-Masterlist-

A/N: Contains a written part

Idol life was hard.

The long, sleepless nights. The flashing cameras. The total lack of privacy.

But you prevail with the help of your members, your fans, and your partners.

It had been six months since you and the boys started your relationship officially. Having to juggle eight partners was a hard task at first, but as time went on, everything started to flow.

They gave you a love you never thought you’d ever experience. The kind of love that’s purely unconditional. They weren’t shy about their feelings towards you or each other, and that landed you guys in hot water sometimes.

Everyone was used to seeing them act lovey-dovey with each other. Their close staff knew they were fated and other employees had learned to like the way the members showed affection to one another.

However, their sudden affection towards you is what started to raise eyebrows. You spent as much time with the boys as you could, so people assumed you all had just gotten close.

Then it was the random hugs you’d receive, the winks you thought no one else could see, the shameless eye-fucking from across the room.

People started to talk, rumors spread, and it was a matter of time before someone brought it up to the managers.

When Rose ordered you and the guys to meet her, you immediately knew she found out. You were afraid, this could damage their career.

It could ruin yours.

The walk to the dance studio was a lot longer than it should be. Chan had to remind you a handful of times to calm down.

You knew he was nervous too, especially when you guys opened the door to see not only your manager but theirs as well.

“Oh fuck” Minho says out loud.

Usually, you’d laugh at his antics but the look of seriousness on Rose’s face made you want to run and hide.

“Everyone take a seat,” Rose says loudly. She didn’t sound mad, so at least that was good.

All nine of you sat on the floor, crisscrossed and silent as the three managers stared down at you.

“We know” Is all Rose said

You knew what she knew, but you didn’t want her to know that you knew what she knew.

So…you pretended like you didn’t know.

“You know what?” You ask

“Yeah, I’m confused” I.N. adds

“I think they know we're fated, I’m not sure though,” Hyunjin says, looking at you with pure innocence.

….He’s so pretty you couldn’t even be mad

I.N. could though, evident by the way he smacked his Hyung upside the head.

“When did you get your mark y/nnie?” Rose questioned.

“….a while ago”

One of the boys’ managers -Jihyun- sighed lowly, “How long ago is a while?”

“….six months”

“Oh my fucking goodness” The other manager, Tae, groaned, rubbing at his eyes harshly.

“Look, we’re sorry we didn’t tell you guys,” Chan said, “We should have told you when it first happened”

“No, we shouldn’t have” Seungmin shrugged, not missing the glares his managers send him, “Let’s be honest, you guys would have tried to keep us apart as much as you could”

“No, we wouldn’t have” Tae defended, “I mean, not forever at least. But you have to understand that this is a very tricky situation”

“Y/n, a staff member came up to me and told me they thought you were in a sexual relationship with more than one Stray Kids member” Rose revealed, cringing a little

“….was it Eunji?”

“They asked to remain anonymous”

“Okay so it was Eunji”

“Y/n is our girlfriend. Our relationship isn’t purely sexual” Han spoke

“We know that” Tae answered, “I figured you guys wouldn’t let someone into your relationship unless they were a soulmate. As soon as Rose told us the situation, we figured as much”

Jihyun nodded, “Right, we just wanna talk to you all about-”

“Listen, before you continue, Y/n means everything to us, and we’re not gonna stop talking to her or take time away from her. So if you three were going to suggest either one of those things, please reconsider” Changbin stated.

You knew it wasn’t the time but you couldn’t help but be a little turned on by him at the moment. The smirk he gave you afterward let you know that he knew how you felt.

“We aren’t going to keep you guys away from each other, don’t worry” Jihyun clarified, “It’s already been six months. But, we do ask that you tone it down a little”

“We can do that” Hyunjin agreed swiftly, “That’s fair. But I want that staff member to face some sort of consequences”

Tae looked at the other managers with an uneasy look before looking back at Hyunjin, “Can you elaborate?”

“They went to Rose and said they think Y/n is sleeping around. First of all, even if we weren’t in a committed relationship, how is that their business? Second of all, what if they already spread that rumor to other staff?”

“And to be honest” Felix started, “We may have been affectionate with y/n but not so much to where people could automatically assume a sexual relationship. Yeah we should be more careful, but we’re affectionate with all our friends”

“Oh?” You questioned, turning to look at Felix

He smirked, “Platonically affectionate darling, not like how we are with you”

You nodded and turned back around, hiding a laugh when you saw the faces of the exasperated managers.

“We’ll handle….whoever this mystery staff is…..don’t worry about it” Rose sighed, “Promise you guys will be careful”’

“We promise” You smiled, “So you guys aren’t mad?”

“No” Tae revealed, “These eight are already damn near married, what’s one more person?”

“Just don’t wait too long to tell us when you guys get engaged….okay?” Jihyun stressed

You knew he was joking but the thought of being engaged to the boys made your heart flutter.

“We won’t” Han laughed, “You guys will be the first to know”

~~~~|~~~~

Taglist: @chuuyaobsessed @h0rnyp0t @prttyxbby @yukichan67 @hanniemylovelyquokka @xxeiraxx @loveforlee444 @whatdoyouwanttocallmefor @cunninglibrarian @holly-here @galaxy4489 @hyunmikim @yougottobekittenme @hyeon-yi @katsukis1wife @multi-fandom-nightmare @staybabblingbaby @kozumesphone @fuck-you-im-gae @thatonedarkskinnedsiren @just-a-blackthorn-cookie

[edenesth]

One Day at a Time

Pairing: kindergarten teacher!Seonghwa x fem!reader

AU: single parent au

Word Count: 15.4k

Summary: Seonghwa, a dedicated kindergarten teacher, had sworn off dating to focus on his job, but everything changes when he meets you, the aunt of one of his students. As you navigate the challenges of parenthood together, a deep connection blossoms. What happens when he finds himself falling in love despite his resolve to stay single?

A/N: Inspired by that episode of ATEEZ on Ch'i'ld Cloud and that time when Seonghwa mentioned how he'd be a kindergarten teacher had he not been an idol.

ATEEZ Masterlist

"Dude, you need to get yourself a girlfriend if you love kids this much." Joy quipped with a grin.

She glanced at Seonghwa as they both stood at the kindergarten entrance. She couldn't resist the opportunity to tease him, knowing how dedicated he was to his job. She went on about her blissful relationship with her long-term boyfriend, her eyes shining with love and contentment.

Seonghwa rolled his eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, as he helped one of the kids put on their tiny shoes. His heart was full from a day spent with these precious little ones, and he wouldn't trade it for anything.

"Worry about yourself, Joy," He retorted playfully, "I have the kids here to keep me busy; I don't need to have my own."

The children, sensing it was time to go home, were excitedly rushing off into the waiting arms of their parents. Seonghwa watched them, his own heart warming as he knew he played a part in their day.

As most of the children had left, he noticed one of the students from his class still seated by the bench near the entrance. Little Eunji, her big brown eyes brimming with anticipation, watched with a pout as her friends left one by one with their parents. Concerned, he crouched down beside her, "Eunji? Are your parents not here yet?"

Just as she was about to respond, her eyes lit up with joy, and a radiant smile spread across her face.

"Eunji-yah, I'm here!"

You called out, your voice filled with warmth, and you appeared at the entrance. The child squealed in delight and darted into your arms, wrapping herself around you. You, on the other hand, looked exhausted as you huffed tiredly, "Sorry, I'm late, sweetheart. I came as fast as I could from work."

The child shook her tiny head, nuzzling even closer to you, clearly relieved to have you there. The teacher watched the touching reunion, his heart swelling with tenderness as he observed the connection between you both.

When you finally stood up properly and turned to Seonghwa to thank him for his hard work, he felt his breath momentarily knocked out of his chest by how breathtaking you looked.

"Oh, you must be Mr. Park, Eunji's class teacher," You said warmly, extending your hand to him, "Listen, thank you so much for always watching after her. I apologise for constantly being late. I promise I'll try to come earlier."

He was at a loss for words, completely captivated by your presence. He stammered, "N-no problem at all, really. It's just my job." He couldn't tear his eyes away from you, and it was only when Eunji tugged at his pants that he snapped out of his trance.

"Thank you, Teacher Hwa! Bye-bye!" The child chimed in, her adorable voice breaking his momentary stupor.

Seonghwa smiled, finally regaining his composure.

"Oh, right! No worries at all. I'm always ready to take care of all the kids. Have a safe trip home, you two!" He waved as you and Eunji walked away, hand in hand.

He continued to watch as you left, his gaze lingering on your retreating figures. There was an undeniable attraction and a curiosity he couldn't ignore.

No, Park Seonghwa, this is wrong.

He battled with his own internal conflict, constantly reminding himself that his attraction toward you was inappropriate.

After all, you were the mother of one of his students. It was his duty to ensure the well-being of the children in his class, and allowing these feelings to grow was risky.

As he observed you during each drop-off and pick-up, he couldn't help wondering about your personal life. Your exhaustion was evident, and he speculated about where your husband might be. The thought crossed his mind that perhaps you were divorced, widowed, or going through some other personal hardship.

But he knew that these were sensitive topics, and he didn't want to pry or make you uncomfortable.

He was torn between his genuine concern for your well-being and his internal struggle to contain his growing attraction. He knew he had to find a way to balance his feelings and responsibilities, and he was determined to do so in a way that was respectful and considerate of your feelings as well.

Other than that, he found himself in a moral dilemma.

He understood that, as a teacher, it was his responsibility to treat all the children equally and not play favourites. But ever since he met you, it became increasingly challenging not to pay extra attention to Eunji. He was acutely aware of how tired you were, raising her on your own, and he felt a sense of responsibility to be even more attentive to the child for your sake.

Besides, it was hard not to notice that Eunji was one of the sweetest and most well-mannered kids he's ever taught. She displayed a level of consideration and maturity far beyond her age.

He truly admired your parenting skills, as it was evident that your love and care have moulded Eunji into such a wonderful and well-behaved child. He admired the kind of mother you were to the child, and it only deepened his attraction to you.

One day during lunch while they watched over the kids, Joy playfully nudged him on the shoulder, "Is it just me, or have you been playing favourites lately? I see you've grown a liking to little Eunji. I mean, I can't blame you; she's literally a sweetheart. But dude, I thought you were more professional than that."

Seonghwa froze in his tracks, realising that he hadn't been as subtle as he thought.

Joy's comment hit close to home, making him acutely aware of the unspoken truth. He had grown closer to Eunji, and it was impossible to deny that it was because of the connection he felt with you, the child's dedicated and loving guardian.

He contemplated whether he should talk to his closest colleague about the undeniable attraction he felt for you. He was torn between wanting to confide in someone and the fear of making things even more complicated. The feeling was eating him up inside, and he knew he needed to address it somehow.

Joy noticed the genuine conflict in his expression, which was far deeper than she initially expected. Concerned, she straightened up, "Dude, I was just playing with you, man. You good?"

He chewed anxiously on his bottom lip before he hesitantly began, "Eunji's mother... she's a remarkable woman, isn't she?"

Joy's expression turned solemn at the mention of the child's parent, "Indeed, she was," The past tense in her response caught Seonghwa's attention, and he furrowed his brow, puzzled, "That's weird, why would you say it like that?"

She scratched her head, genuinely perplexed, "What do you mean?"

He placed his hands on his hips and stared at her, unamused, "You literally said 'was' instead of 'is,' like she's dead or something."

At this revelation, Joy blinked in surprise, "Umm, maybe because she is dead? I thought you knew, that's why you're bringing her up."

Seonghwa shot up from his seat immediately, his eyes wide with shock, "W-what do you mean?! I just saw her drop Eunji off this morning!"

That's when his colleague slapped a palm over her forehead, realising the mix-up, "Bruh, that's not Eunji's mother! That's her aunt, you doofus!"

He sat back down in his seat, his mind racing to process the new information. He felt a mix of embarrassment, surprise, and curiosity, "Wait, what? That's her... aunt?" He croaked, finally comprehending the revelation that upended his assumptions. He's been mistaken all along, wrongly assuming that you were Eunji's mother.

As he replayed all the interactions he's had with you, the pieces of the puzzle started to fit together differently.

It dawned on him that the dynamic he perceived between you and Eunji was not that of a mother and child but of a dedicated aunt taking on the role of guardian. This realisation left Seonghwa with a newfound sense of hope, a chance he'd never imagined before.

His heart began to race, not only from the embarrassment of his mistake but also from the realisation that his feelings for you were no longer encumbered by the thought of you being a married woman.

"Yeah, poor Eunji's parents died in a tragic car accident about a year ago. Her aunt was left with no choice but to care for her all alone, especially since Eunji's grandparents were all gone too. From what I know, she's been struggling quite a bit, trying to adjust her life to the sudden new addition of a child. It must be extremely difficult, so if you're trying to say she's remarkable, I completely agree with you." Joy clarified the situation, finally giving Seonghwa the full picture of the story.

He absorbed this information, his heart aching for the difficult circumstances you've been navigating. The admiration he felt for you deepened even more, not only for the love and care you provided to Eunji but also for the strength and resilience you displayed during such challenging times.

He realised that he's been drawn to you not just because of his attraction but because of the genuine respect and appreciation he held for the way you've handled the situation.

The relief of finding out you weren't Eunji's mother was quite apparent on his face, and Joy, with her mischievous grin, didn't miss a beat. She wagged her finger at him, her eyes twinkling with amusement, "Well, well, well, guess who has a crush on his student's guardian."

His eyes widened in realisation, knowing he'd been caught red-handed, "Wha—"

She interrupted him, not letting him evade the truth.

"Don't even bother trying to hide it, I see through you. It's about damn time, Park Seonghwa! I was starting to think you were hopeless, but you're making me proud now," She wiped a fake tear off her face dramatically, causing him to roll his eyes and playfully smack her on the arm, "Oh, shut up, it's just a little crush."

But that didn't deter Joy as she continued to tease him with a mischievous grin, "Oh, just a little crush, huh?"

Before she could carry on with her good-natured ribbing, the bell rang, signalling that lunchtime was over. Seonghwa let out a sigh of relief as the students began to file back into the classroom.

The whirlwind of emotions and revelations during lunch left him slightly breathless, but it also ignited a spark of hope and anticipation for what the future might hold.

Today was one of those days when you were terribly late to pick up your niece from kindergarten. Seonghwa and Joy were the only ones left with the child, and as the sky grew dark and the school closed its doors, a sense of unease settled in.

Seonghwa has been trying to reach you, but his calls have unfortunately gone unanswered.

He knelt beside Eunji, trying to reassure the child, whose eyes were welling up with tears, "Hey, hey, it's alright. Your aunty's going to be here soon, I promise," The child's voice trembled as she voiced her fear, "What if aunty leaves me like mummy and daddy?" Joy shook her head, her heart going out to the young girl, "Of course not! Your aunty is coming, I know it!"

Just as her words settled Eunji's nerves, you finally arrived, out of breath and visibly shaken. Your hands were bruised and bloodied, and you looked exhausted. Your niece's tears turned into relief as she spotted you and rushed into your arms, "Aunty!"

You held her tightly, sighing tiredly into her hair as you stroked the back of her head. The teachers approached you, worry etched across their faces as they immediately noticed the dishevelled state you were in. The concern was evident in their eyes, and they exchanged silent glances as they contemplated how to address the situation.

Seonghwa immediately sprang into action, helping you pick up your work bag that had fallen to the floor. Joy, with a look of genuine concern, guided you to the nearest bench.

"Are you alright?" She asked gently.

You sighed heavily, wincing slightly as she examined your injuries, "I was held back by an important meeting today, and while I was rushing to get here, a bike nearly ran into me! Thankfully, a kind stranger managed to pull me out of the way just in time. I guess I'm lucky these are the only injuries I sustained."

Seonghwa frowned, sitting down beside you with Eunji on his lap, the worry etched across his face, "What happened to your car?"

You bit your lip and rubbed your neck sheepishly.

"It's in the workshop waiting to be serviced, but I'm kinda short on money lately, so I can't afford it for the time being. But I promise I won't let that stop me from coming to pick Eunji up on time again! I'm so sorry for the trouble I've caused you both."

Joy shook her head in understanding and quickly moved into the school to grab some plasters for your injured hands. Seonghwa, on the other hand, sat there with furrowed brows, deeply concerned not just about the car but about the tough situation you were in.

He couldn't bear to see you in this predicament and decided that he had to step in and help, otherwise, he would never forgive himself, "How are you going to get home then?" He asked, genuine concern in his eyes.

You were visibly contemplating your options, knowing that walking home with Eunji would be challenging but not wanting to burden the teachers further, "We'll... we'll walk home, we don't live that far from here anyway." It was at that moment that Joy returned with the necessary first aid supplies, and she shook her head in a determined manner.

"Absolutely not, Seonghwa will take you both home." She insisted. She then turned her attention to your injured hands, gently cleaning the wounds and applying the plasters.

Your eyes widened, and you shook your head furiously, feeling guilty about imposing further, "N-no, please, Mr. Park, you don't have to! Gosh, I've troubled you enough. I can't possibly expect that from you."

But Seonghwa simply smiled, ruffling Eunji's hair as she giggled, "Don't worry about it; I want to help. Besides, I have nowhere to be after work, and you say you don't stay far from here, right?"

You nodded shyly, feeling a mix of emotions.

No one has ever been so generous to you before, and the fact that your niece's kind and handsome teacher was going out of his way to assist you touched your heart. The attraction you've been feeling for him has been growing, but now, it has become even more undeniable. Seonghwa's kindness and generosity were drawing you closer to him.

His warm smile filled you with gratitude, "Oh, and please, just call me Seonghwa from now on."

You smiled in response, relieved that he was making an effort to be closer to you, "Okay. Thank you, Seonghwa."

Meanwhile, his colleague pretended to gag behind you, making him throw her an annoyed glare, "Go home, Joy. Your boyfriend must be worried." He said, attempting to make her leave him alone.

Joy smirked, knowing he wanted to be alone with you.

"Alright, alright. I'll get going first then. I trust Seonghwa to take good care of you two. See you tomorrow, Eunji-yah!" She said as she waved to your niece, who beamed in response.

"Bye-bye, Teacher Joy!" The child called out with excitement as Joy finally left, leaving you and Seonghwa alone.

The three of you settled into Seonghwa's car, with little Eunji securely buckled in the back seat. He gave a playful question, asking, "Are you ready?" Your chuckles filled the car when the child responded with excitement, shouting, "Yes! Let's go, Teacher Hwa!"

As you made your way home, he gathered the courage to ask you, "So, do you have any food prepared at home for dinner?"

It was then that you realised you'd forgotten to prepare anything, and you hurriedly replied, "Oh, no! I forgot all about stocking up on groceries, but it's fine! Just drop us home, I'll run to the nearest convenience store and take care of it."

He pursed his lips and shook his head firmly, "No way, I'm taking you two to dinner, and we can go grocery shopping together. How's that sound, Eunji-yah?" He asked, glancing at the young girl, who cheered and clapped happily, her enthusiasm melting your heart.

"But—" You were about to protest, but Seonghwa cut you off, "No 'buts,' we're doing this."

You nodded in defeat, acknowledging that he was being genuinely kind and helpful, "Oh, alright, I owe you for this."

He grinned, fully aware that he had an opportunity to get to know you better and earn your trust. He didn't want to rush things or scare you away, so he was determined to be patient and take things one step at a time.

The teacher took you and Eunji to a cosy little Chinese restaurant and ordered everything you both wanted to eat, even when you protested and told him that you couldn't possibly eat that much. He insisted, his kindness and attentiveness shining through.

You've known that he was a good and caring man; his reputation at the kindergarten made that clear. He was incredibly popular among the parents, not just for his handsome looks but for his genuine compassion and warmth.

As you observed his sweet interactions with Eunji, your heart warmed even more. You realised how much your niece must have missed having a father figure in her life, and Seonghwa was filling that role beautifully during this dinner.

All this time, you've been juggling the responsibilities of both mother and father ever since your sister and brother-in-law had left the world so suddenly. It was a heavy burden, and Seonghwa's presence and the genuine care he showed not only to Eunji but to you as well, were like a breath of fresh air.

As you ate, he found himself staring at the injuries on your hand. Concern for you had taken root in his heart, and he couldn't ignore the fact that you were facing financial difficulties, struggling to even afford car servicing.

The memory of your near accident weighed heavily on his mind, and he decided to broach the subject.

He cleared his throat and spoke gently, "Listen, the situation with your car worries me, especially considering what happened today. How about this? I could drop you off at work in the mornings and pick you up in the evenings. You won't have to worry about your safety, and it would be no trouble at all for me to take Eunji to school with me."

You rejected his offer, grateful for his kindness but concerned about the burden it would place on him, "Seonghwa, you've done so much for us already, and I appreciate it more than you can know. But I couldn't possibly ask you to go through all this trouble. I don't know how I could ever repay you if you did."

He placed his chopsticks down, his expression serious and determined, and he sighed lightly.

"Trust me, I understand that you feel bad, but I promise you're not taking advantage of anything. I genuinely want to help you. If not for yourself, at least accept it for Eunji's sake. You have no idea how scared she was today when you showed up late. She... was afraid you'd leave her like her parents did."

Your eyes widened at the realisation, and you immediately shook your head, pulling your niece closer to you and pressing kisses all over her head as you assured her that you'd never leave her. The thought of Eunji feeling abandoned like that was heartbreaking.

After a moment of contemplation, you realised he was right. You reluctantly agreed, thanking him profusely for his generous offer. His kindness and genuine concern for you and Eunji touched you, and you were so grateful for his presence in your life.

You had an incredibly enjoyable time at the supermarket with Seonghwa after the hearty meal. It has been a long while since you'd had this much fun, and he made sure to spoil your niece with snacks and toys, occasionally sneaking in a few items he noticed you eyeing without your knowledge. The joy on Eunji's face was priceless, and you couldn't help but smile.

As he stood at your apartment entrance with the child asleep in his arms, you opened the door wider to let him in. If he found your small studio apartment cramped, he didn't mention it. He carefully placed Eunji on your queen-sized bed, tucking her in with a soft smile.

You led him quietly back to the entrance, feeling immensely grateful for all that he's done, "Thank you so much for everything, Seonghwa. I will pay you back for it all someday, I promise."

He chuckled, shaking his head, "Don't worry about any of that, just... take good care of Eunji and yourself. That's enough repayment."

His words touched you deeply, and you bit back your tears.

"Alright then, I'll pick you two up at 7am tomorrow morning," He said, a hint of warmth in his eyes, "We'll be ready by then! Drive safe, Seonghwa. Text me when you get home."

His heart skipped a beat at your concern, and he stammered, "Y-yeah, I will. See you!" He gave you a gentle smile before departing, leaving you with a feeling of warmth and a newfound connection that was growing stronger with each passing day.

The next morning, you and Eunji got ready and waited by your apartment entrance at 6:55am. True to his word, Seonghwa arrived right on the dot at 7am. Your niece's face lit up with excitement when she saw her favourite teacher approaching.

"Good morning, Teacher Hwa!" She called out, waving her tiny arm enthusiastically.

You smiled warmly at him, "Good morning, Seonghwa."

He greeted you both and came to help you place the child in her seat at the back, expertly buckling her up. He then ran over to your side and opened the door for you, even when you protested that there was no need to.

"Here, I prepared this for you so you don't start work with an empty stomach." He said, pulling out a bag containing a carefully crafted homemade bento set.

Your eyes widened in surprise, "Oh my, Seonghwa! You're too kind; you really didn't have to! I'm already so thankful you're offering to drive me to and from work."

He blushed slightly, "Well, I... I made extra, so I thought I'd pack you some of the leftovers as well. Don't worry about it, please."

You bit your lip, sensing that he was downplaying his generosity, but you decided not to push him any further, "Alright. Thank you so much, Seonghwa."

He beamed and began driving you to your workplace. As you rode along, a sense of gratitude filled your heart, and you realised that his presence brought light and warmth in a way you hadn't expected.

Seonghwa pulled up outside your office building right on time.

As you got out of the car, you couldn't contain your smile when you saw your friend and colleague, San, waiting at the entrance for you.

San offered to give you a lift after finding out about your near accident, but you told him that you already had it covered, without going into too much detail. So, he was quite surprised to see you arriving in another man's car. What surprised him even more was seeing your little niece in the backseat as well.

You exited the vehicle, making sure to wave at Eunji before bowing in gratitude at Seonghwa as he drove away.

San couldn't resist teasing you when you finally walked up to him, "Ooh, who was that? Don't tell me you found yourself a boyfriend already! And don't think I didn't notice little Eunji sitting in the back as well. You better spill, woman."

You burst out laughing, smacking him on the arm playfully before spilling the details about Seonghwa and his kindness. As you shared the story, your colleague listened with interest, chuckling along with you at the heartwarming tale.

As you both settled into your cubicles, with San's desk just opposite yours, he continued to tease you, "You know what, I think he has a crush on you. He literally hasn't even known you that long, and he's doing all this for you? Girl, I'm calling it."

You shook your head, feeling the blush on your cheeks as you waved him off, "Sannie, please, I honestly doubt it. I think it's more likely that he's taking pity on us and probably just has a soft spot for Eunji. Besides, what man would want to get themselves into this?"

He frowned, not liking the way you were so self-deprecating, "Into what?"

You blinked, taken aback, "Isn't it obvious? I'm basically a single parent, and I could barely take care of myself. Who in their right mind would want to take on this burden?"

San narrowed his eyes disapprovingly at you, "No, I won't allow you to sit here and talk about yourself like that."

Before he could further give you his pep talk to remind you of how wrong you were about yourself, your manager stepped into the office, immediately throwing your friend a warning glare. He was notorious for gossiping during work hours, and your superior has been out to get him ever since she first caught him slacking off.

San pouted and sank into his seat reluctantly, but not before giving you a look that said, "This isn't over."

You sighed, appreciating his concern but not wanting to give yourself false hope. Seonghwa was almost too good to be true, and it would be cruel to let yourself believe that you stood a chance with him when he was probably just that nice of a guy and likely only wanted to help as Eunji's teacher.

Focusing on your work, you reminded yourself that, regardless of the future, you had to continue to be the best parent and guardian you could be for Eunji. Whatever may come, the bond that was forming between you, your niece, and Seonghwa was already a gift in itself.

Meanwhile, Seonghwa arrived at the kindergarten with Eunji in his arms. The sight of him carrying the little girl caused Joy to raise her eyebrows mischievously. He rolled his eyes, fully aware that she wasn't going to let him live this down, especially after he shared the events that unfolded the night before.

Joy had always been quick to pick up on his emotions and seemed to have a knack for getting him to spill the beans about his personal life. As he headed into the kindergarten with Eunji, he knew that he was in for another one of his colleague's teasing sessions.

After setting your niece down in her classroom and watching her run off to play with her classmates, he wasn't surprised to see Joy blocking his way with a devious grin.

She wasted no time in getting to the point.

"So, I take it last evening went incredibly well," She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, "You're welcome, by the way. When you do get married to her, I better be the maid of honour."

He scoffed in disbelief, "Aren't you thinking a little too far ahead? I'm literally a long way from even earning her complete trust. I'd be lucky if she even considered me her friend, and you're joking about marriage, really?"

Joy smirked and nudged him on the shoulder, "Oh, come on, but you do want it to happen, don't you?"

He blinked, stammering, "Sh-shut up, Joy. It's too early to tell."

She snickered, "Oh, is it?" Before she could continue, the bell saved him again as she went to her own class, but not before sending him more teasing looks.

He sighed and shook his head, trying to focus on his work, but he couldn't help thinking about the bond that was slowly forming between him, you, and Eunji. The future was uncertain, but for the time being, he couldn't deny that he was becoming more and more hopeful about what might come next.

Unbeknownst to you and Seonghwa, you had both been on each other's minds the entire day.

As the hours passed, you were equally looking forward to seeing each other again after work. Your lunch breaks were spent enduring playful teasing from your colleagues in your respective ways, but with the thought of getting off work on your minds, you both managed to power through more easily.

Seonghwa, perhaps a bit more than you, was lucky enough to be surrounded by adorable children all day. In contrast, you were piled with endless reports to write and deadlines to meet.

Despite your different work environments, both of you sighed with relief at the same time when the clock struck 6pm. Your hearts fluttered at the thought of meeting again soon, as if the anticipation was a shared connection between the two of you.

"Bye-bye, Teacher Joy!" Eunji waved excitedly, her tiny arms holding onto Seonghwa's shoulders as he carried her to his car. He was preparing to leave the kindergarten and pick you up from work.

He resisted the urge to flip Joy off, who was still wiggling her brows playfully at him and sticking her tongue out to provoke him. Instead, he focused on your niece, giving her a reassuring smile before moving to get into his car.

The car ride to pick you up felt like an eternity, even though it was just a short drive. He was eager to see you, his heart pounding with anticipation.

He couldn't help thinking about how your evening together might unfold and whether you'd been looking forward to it as much as he had. As he pulled up to your workplace, he couldn't stop himself from smiling at the thought of seeing you again.

Seonghwa eventually spotted you emerging from the office, but you were with your male colleague from that morning who was tugging you by the wrist. He knew it was irrational, but he felt a twinge of jealousy seeing you so close to another man who wasn't him.

Your colleague, after spotting his car already waiting, immediately beamed and waved a hand in greeting. Seonghwa nodded back politely, smiling tightly as he watched San ruffle your hair before helping you open the car door.

"Hi, I'm San! Nice to meet you, Seonghwa. She's told me a lot about you. Thank you for helping my friend out; it means a lot!" Your colleague's friendly introduction made it clear that he was just looking out for you.

Seonghwa quickly realised that San was just being friendly and shook his head, "Oh, it's nice to meet you too, San. Please, don't mention it."

San turned to wave excitedly at your niece, "Hey, Eunji-yah!" The child bounced in her seat, "Hi, uncle Sannie!" He cooed before saying his goodbyes and left, not without sending you a devious smile that made you roll your eyes.

Seonghwa was surprised to learn that San and Eunji were already acquainted. He tried to be subtle as he inquired, "Oh, have San and Eunji already met? They seem familiar with each other."

You chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, Sannie's a rather close friend of mine outside of work. He has been over at my place a few times to help out when things get a little overwhelming for me alone."

He made sure to smile widely and nodded slowly, hiding any hint of envy he might have felt. He wanted to be the one to help you out, and he silently promised himself that he would try to be there for you more from now on. He wanted to be the one who made a difference in your life, and he was determined to earn your trust and affection.

Days turned into weeks, and your mornings and evenings with Seonghwa transformed into a comforting routine. He continued to pack you food, despite your protests, and consistently treated you and Eunji to delightful dinners before taking you home.

Over the course of several months, he evolved into a strong pillar of support in your life.

Thanks to his constant presence and willingness to help, you rarely had to ask San for assistance anymore. Seonghwa's reliability eased the burden that life had placed upon your shoulders. He became a source of comfort, and your niece slowly began to see him as a father figure, looking up to him with admiration and affection.

As you spent more time with him, he continuously surprised you with his endless caring and attentive gestures. Whether it was helping you prepare meals, being there to pick you up after work, or simply offering a reassuring presence, he went above and beyond what was expected of a teacher.

Your heart began to race more each day, your affection for him growing as you appreciated the little things he did, even when he didn't need to.

You didn't realise the extent of your reliance on Seonghwa until one fateful night when Eunji's cries woke you up from your sleep. You pushed yourself off of your bed, rushing to her side to check on her.

Panic welled up in your chest as you saw her clutching her stomach and crying out in pain.

"It hurts, aunty... it hurts." She whimpered, her small face contorted in agony. Your heart nearly stopped as she screamed in pain when you tried to lift her up, "Oh no, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, my angel. It's okay... it's going to be okay." Tears welled in your eyes, and your heart ached to see her in so much distress.

You felt helpless, not knowing what to do to ease her pain.

Not daring to move the child further in fear of hurting her even more, you scrambled to grab your phone instead. Feeling frustrated and frantic, you dialled your first contact, which was supposed to be San, but it went straight to voicemail, indicating that his phone was likely turned off.

Your heart sank, and tears rolled down your cheeks as you rushed back to your niece's side, trying to comfort her while trembling with fear. You needed help immediately, and with no other options, you dialled Seonghwa's number.

It took him a moment, but he eventually picked up, his voice filled with urgency, "Hey, is everything alright?" He must have known that something was terribly wrong for you to call at this late hour.

You struggled to keep your voice steady as you spoke to him, your fear and desperation were evident in your shaky words, "S-Seonghwa... please help. I-I'm so scared... God, she's in pain, and I d-don't know what to do..."

Seonghwa didn't waste a second.

He was already up and getting changed the moment he heard you call out to him so vulnerably. His heart lurched in his chest as he tried to comfort you over the phone.

"Alright, I'm going to need you to breathe with me first. Can you do that? Don't hang up; I'm coming over right now, and I'll stay with you on the phone. We'll get through this together, okay? I'll be there before you know it. It'll be okay."

His calming words and the thought of his imminent arrival were like a lifeline, and you did your best to follow his instructions and regulate your breathing. You clung to the phone, thankful for his presence and reassuring voice as you waited for him.

The weight of the situation pressed down on you, and the feeling of helplessness was overwhelming. You held your niece tightly, whispering soothing words to her while you awaited his arrival.

Relief washed over you as you heard the knock at the door. You swung it open and cried out his name in gratitude, quickly pulling him into your unit. He knelt down beside your niece, and you could see the worry in his eyes as he looked at her.

"Teacher Hwa... it hurts." Eunji sobbed, clutching her belly.

Seonghwa gently felt her forehead, his expression turning more serious as he realised she was running a fever.

"It's okay, I'm here now. We'll take you to the hospital, and all the pain will go away real soon, okay?" He reassured her. She nodded as best she could, her trust in Seonghwa evident in her teary eyes. While he comforted her, you rushed around, packing a bag with some clothes and necessities for the hospital.

He approached you and steadied your shaking hands, "Hey, it's going to be okay. I think she has appendicitis; it's pretty common for kids. Don't worry too much, alright?" His calm and reassuring words helped to alleviate some of your anxiety.

Seonghwa's experience and expertise in such situations were a tremendous comfort. He carefully lifted Eunji from your bed and placed her in his car while you quickly got into the back seat, wanting to be as close to her as possible.

The trip to the hospital was still filled with worry, but he expertly guided you both, instructing you on what to do whenever the child felt any discomfort.

As Eunji was immediately taken into the emergency care unit upon arrival at the hospital, the doctors swiftly confirmed the diagnosis of appendicitis. They explained that you both were fortunate to have arrived early enough for her appendix to still be intact. If you had come later, it could have burst, leading to more complications.

Despite the worry, the doctors assured you that your niece would be just fine after the surgery to remove her inflamed appendix. This news was a tremendous relief, and it filled you with gratitude that she was in the right place at the right time, thanks to her teacher's swift response.

Sitting there on the bench outside the operation theatre, you finally let your guard down, tears streaming down your face.

"Thank you so much, Seonghwa. I... I really don't know what I would have done without you. I was going to call San but couldn't reach him, and I was so scared. God, if something were to happen to her, I would never forgive myself. I've already lost most of my family, I... I can't lose her too, Seonghwa. I really can't..."

He listened to your words, and his heart swelled with compassion as he understood the depth of your fears and anxieties.

A small part of him was glad that San hadn't been available, or he wouldn't have been the one to be here with you now. But he reminded himself that now wasn't the time to relish in this.

With a gentle but firm embrace, he pulled you close to him, allowing you to cry into his shoulder. His own heart ached for the pain you've endured and the burdens you carried.

He couldn't imagine how tough things must have been for you all this while. As if losing your sister and brother-in-law wasn't painful enough, you were suddenly responsible for a child you were struggling to take care of physically, emotionally and financially, having no experience whatsoever.

As he held you, he whispered softly, "You're doing an incredible job. It's not easy, but you've shown such strength and resilience. You're a wonderful guardian to Eunji, and she's so lucky to have you."

You clung to him, finding solace in his comforting presence. His support was a lifeline during your most vulnerable moment.

As your sobs subsided, Seonghwa slowly pulled away, his warm hands moving to brush some stray hair out of your face and gently wiping your tears before cupping your cheeks. His actions immediately sent your heart into a frenzy.

He gazed into your eyes with sincerity, his voice filled with reassurance, "You're not alone in this. I'll always be here for you and Eunji, no matter what. You're like family to me now, and I'll support you through all the ups and downs."

Your heart skipped a beat, and you felt your breath hitch as he leaned in closer. The air crackled with unspoken tension, and you felt his warm breath on your lips. It was an electric moment, but he knew it was crucial to respect your vulnerable state.

Deep down, he wanted nothing more than to kiss you on the lips.

But he settled for pressing his lips gently against your forehead for now. His kiss conveyed his unspoken feelings, the deep care and affection he held for you. It was a promise of his support, even in the face of your most challenging moments.

With his lips against your skin, your heart raced with a flurry of emotions. The warmth of the kiss sent shivers down your spine, and you couldn't help but wonder about his true feelings.

On one hand, there were undeniable signs that he cared deeply for you. The way he's consistently been there for you and Eunji, his thoughtful gestures, and the never-ending support he offered in your times of need all pointed to a deeper connection.

But you couldn't shake the nagging doubt that maybe he was just being a caring friend.

Your own insecurities played a significant role in your hesitance. You found it difficult to believe that someone as perfect as Seonghwa would be romantically interested in you, a single parent with a messy, complicated life.

While his actions spoke volumes, you struggled to accept the possibility that this man could want to be part of your world. It left you caught in a whirlwind of emotions, battling between hope and self-doubt, trying to decipher the complexities of your relationship with him.

The relief that washed over you as the doctor confirmed the success of Eunji's surgery was almost overwhelming. You thanked the medical team profusely, your voice trembling with gratitude.

But then, your emotions got the best of you.

You wrapped your arms tightly around Seonghwa's neck and buried your face in his shoulder, this time letting out tears of relief.

His immediate response was to hold you even closer, his arms providing the safety and comfort you desperately needed. His hand gently stroked the back of your head, and he whispered soothing words, "I told you everything would be okay, didn't I?" He said softly, his voice a gentle reassurance.

With a weary nod, you continued to cry against his shoulder, seeking solace in his warm embrace.

Normally, you would have hesitated to be so bold, but the physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion had pushed you beyond your usual boundaries. At this moment, all you wanted was comfort, and Seonghwa was more than willing to provide it.

You decided that, for now, you would allow yourself to lean on him.

As you sat beside Eunji's hospital bed, your eyes were fixated on her peaceful slumber. You breathed a sigh of relief, silently thanking all the gods you didn't believe in for ensuring her safety. You held her tiny hand against your forehead, grateful for the successful surgery.

The peace was interrupted by the ringing of your phone. You swiftly moved away from her bedside to answer, careful not to wake her.

It was San on the other end, his voice filled with concern and guilt, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry! My phone died last night, and I forgot to charge it. Why'd you call me in the middle of the night? Did something happen?"

You took a deep breath, preparing yourself to recount the ordeal, and San listened attentively, apologising profusely for not being there when you needed him. You assured him that it was alright, understanding that it was an honest mistake. He promised to visit later after arranging leave from work for both of you.

As the conversation with San came to an end, you suddenly remembered Seonghwa's commitment to his job at the kindergarten. You immediately felt a pang of guilt for relying on him so heavily when he had his own responsibilities to attend to.

You approached Seonghwa, who was peacefully napping on the couch in the corner of the hospital ward, and knelt down in front of him to observe him for a moment.

His head bobbed sleepily, and you couldn't resist smiling at how adorable he looked. It was undeniable now that you'd developed deep feelings for him, but at the same time, you felt the weight of your circumstances bearing down on you. You believed that you had nothing to offer him, and he deserved someone who could reciprocate the love and care he had so selflessly given you.

Collecting your thoughts, you gently shook him on the shoulder.

He immediately snapped awake, "Oh dear, I fell asleep, didn't I? Sorry about that," You shook your head, assuring him that he had nothing to be sorry for, "Gosh no, please don't apologise for that. I should be the one saying sorry. You should probably go home and get some rest before going to work."

In fact, you felt guilty for relying on him so much.

But he quickly sat up straight and protested, "What? No, I'm staying here with you two."

You sat beside him and smiled, "You really don't have to, Seonghwa. Sannie is applying for leave, he's coming over soon. And I... I've troubled you enough; you can't miss work because of us too. You can come to visit after work if you'd like, but please... don't skip work too, I feel bad enough already."

He relented after hearing you out; he could tell you really didn't want him to sacrifice any more for you.

Reluctantly, he agreed to go to work. He didn't want to make you feel like you owed him more than you already did. You smiled and walked him to the room door, expressing your gratitude once again.

"Thank you again, Seonghwa. You... you saved her life, and I can never thank you enough for this." You said with genuine appreciation. Your eyes reflected a mix of emotions and gratitude.

He nodded, his expression soft.

"You don't have to thank me. I want to be here for you and Eunji," He replied, emphasising his genuine concern for you both, "Don't ever hesitate to call me if you need anything, alright? I'm always ready to help, always."

Before he left, you held his hand for a moment, meeting his eyes with a depth of emotion that couldn't be ignored. It was clear that your connection was growing stronger each day, despite the obstacles and self-doubts. He squeezed your hand gently and then left the hospital room.

After Seonghwa's departure, you sat by Eunji's bedside, relieved that she was recovering.

As San walked into the hospital room, his eyes met yours, and he immediately noticed your tear-stained face. Without a word, you ran into his open arms, seeking solace in the friend who has been your rock throughout these challenging times. He held you close, silently reassuring you that he was there and that you didn't need to face everything alone.

"God, I'm so sorry," He whispered softly, his voice filled with genuine regret, "I should've been here for you, especially when you needed me the most."

You clung to him, tears flowing freely, your shoulders shaking with the weight of your emotions. San continued to hold you, providing the support you desperately needed in this moment.

The bond between you and San had grown over the years, as he had been with you through all the hardships you faced. He was like the brother you never had, and his presence brought you immense comfort, reminding you that you were never truly alone.

He chuckled as you both settled down, the tension from earlier finally releasing its grip on you. With a playful gleam in his eye, he couldn't resist some light teasing, "I'm telling you, Seonghwa is definitely a simp for you."

Your laughter was a welcome sound, even given the circumstances, and it was a reminder that life still had its moments of lightness. But as you chewed on your lip and confessed your feelings, his teasing demeanour softened, and he offered his heartfelt advice.

"Sannie... I think I might have feelings for him too, but... I'm scared." You whispered.

He sighed, his gaze understanding and empathetic.

His hand gently rubbed your arm as he spoke, "Listen to me, I know you think that being a single parent makes you unattractive, but Seonghwa has proven you wrong, hasn't he? Besides, don't tell me you're going to deprive yourself of the opportunity to fall in love just because of Eunji? You should still live your life, you know? It's what your sister would've wanted for you, to be happy."

Your eyes met his, filled with gratitude.

"I'm telling you, you deserve happiness just like anyone else," He whispered, his tone filled with sincerity, "You can't let fear hold you back. Seonghwa's actions speak for themselves, don't they? He's a wonderful person, and if you have feelings for him, you should explore that possibility. I can see the way he looks at you; it's more than just sympathy."

You bit your lip, contemplating his words. Your sister would have undoubtedly wanted you to be happy, and it was time to think about your own well-being and happiness. You nodded slowly, gratitude filling your eyes as you met San's gaze.

"You're right, Sannie," You replied with a grateful smile, "I'll... try to open up and see where things go with Seonghwa. Thank you for always being there for me."

San's endless encouragement was the very thing you needed to hear. His words were a gentle nudge toward embracing your feelings.

Eunji's voice was like a soothing melody in the room, and you rushed to her side, tears in your eyes, "Aunty... uncle Sannie?" Her little voice croaked, and you knelt beside her bed, your heart swelling with love.

"Aunty's here, Eunji-yah." You whispered, your voice trembling with emotion.

San, who had been sitting beside you, leaned in to join you, "Uncle Sannie is here too, sweetheart."

Eunji reached her tiny hands out, her fingers brushing against your cheeks to wipe away the tears that trickled down. Her concern and innocence touched you deeply, and you smiled through your tears, "Eunji-yah, you feeling much better?"

San's gentle hands moved the child's baby hair out of her face, and she nodded in response, "Don't cry, aunty. I'm okay now."

You chuckled through your tears, kissing her soft cheeks, "Yes, of course you are. My angel is so brave and strong."

As the medical team checked on your niece and made sure she was stable, you and San remained by her side, grateful for her recovery. Eunji was now sitting up in her hospital bed, engrossed in watching cartoons on the TV.

After a while, she wondered aloud, "Where is Teacher Hwa?" Her voice was still soft, but there was a clear longing in her words.

You smiled and leaned over, ruffling her hair and planting a loving kiss on her head, "Teacher Hwa needs to go to work, sweetie. But he'll come by afterwards, is that alright?"

She nodded cutely in understanding, but there was a hint of disappointment in her eyes, "I miss Teacher Hwa." She admitted.

I miss him too.

San couldn't resist spoiling her with affectionate kisses and playful teasing, and you had to agree with her unspoken sentiment. Deep down, you missed her class teacher too, more than you were willing to admit.

Two days later, Eunji was finally approved for discharge from the hospital. As you settled the hospital fees, you sighed to yourself. The money you were using to pay the bills had initially been saved up for your car to be serviced, but now, it seemed that particular expense would have to wait a bit longer.

You kept your financial struggles to yourself, not wanting to burden San or Seonghwa any further. You knew they would help you without hesitation, but you already felt like you owed them more than you could ever repay in this lifetime.

Returning to Eunji's ward, you find Seonghwa packing up her stuff while San helps her get changed out of her hospital gown.

The sight warmed your heart, and even though San's support was something you'd grown accustomed to and deeply appreciated, having Seonghwa there too gave you a newfound sense of hope. San's words from just a few days ago echoed in your mind, and you began to entertain the idea that maybe, just maybe, love was possible even in the midst of everything you were going through.

Meanwhile, the two men unexpectedly began to form a friendship during the time they spent together taking care of your niece over the past few days. All the while, San never failed to send you playful glances and subtle thumbs-ups whenever Seonghwa looked away to signal his approval of the kindergarten teacher.

Eunji perked up when she saw you enter the room.

"Aunty!" She called out, sprinting towards you as soon as San was done helping her get dressed. You picked her up in your arms and laughed when you saw your friend pouting jealously in the background, his arms crossed in mock annoyance.

"Yes, yes, run to your aunty and leave me behind. Leave poor uncle Sannie alone after everything he's done for you." He sighed dramatically, wiping a fake tear from his eye.

Seonghwa chuckled at the scene.

San reminded him a lot of Joy, and he had a feeling they'd make a chaotic duo if they ever met each other.

Pushing the concerns about your financial status to the back of your mind, you decided to focus on the present and worry about that later. Seeing all the most important people to you together, the future seemed a bit brighter.

You had a growing support system that included a caring friend like San and, possibly, a romantic connection with Seonghwa. Though you were still hesitant to fully embrace the idea of love in your life, your niece's recovery and the presence of these two amazing men were giving you hope that maybe, just maybe, there was room for happiness after all.

As days turned into weeks, Seonghwa's actions became increasingly deliberate. It was as if he could read your mind and were aware of your insecurities, he was making a conscious effort to let you know about his non-platonic feelings.

He didn't just stop at being a good friend and support system; he wanted to be more than that in your life.

His compliments became more heartfelt and frequent, making you blush and smile whenever he praised you. His words, no longer confined to appreciating your strength or kindness, now included expressions of admiration for your beauty, your intelligence, and even your sense of humour. He made sure to remind you of how special you were to him every chance he got.

He began to do little things that set your heart racing.

Tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear during dinner, his fingers gently brushing your skin, sent shivers down your spine. Wiping your lips when you were eating, though seemingly innocent, took on a more intimate meaning when his thumb grazed your lower lip in a slow, deliberate movement. He held your gaze longer than necessary, his eyes revealing the depth of his feelings, and a small, knowing smile often graced his lips.

Seonghwa wasn't afraid to be physical in his affection either. He started walking with a hand resting on the small of your back, his touch warm and reassuring. These gestures sent your heart into overdrive, and you wondered if maybe he felt the same way about you as you did about him.

His advances were impossible to ignore, and it was becoming increasingly apparent that his feelings for you were not limited to friendship.

Unbeknownst to you, he's been preparing to ask you a very important question on a very important day.

The day had been exceptionally hectic for you.

Your workload had grown to mountainous proportions, and while everyone, including San, had left the office, you remained behind to tackle the never-ending tasks. It was one of those days when deadlines and responsibilities refused to be tamed.

You glanced at the time and realised it was much later than you'd initially planned. A quick text to Seonghwa informed him that you would need a little more time at the office and asked him to pick you up slightly later than usual. You suggested he grab dinner with Eunji while they waited for you.

As you dove back into your work, minutes turned into hours. The relentless ticking of the clock was accompanied by the echo of your typing, and the office became a quiet refuge, save for the dim hum of the fluorescent lights.

Seonghwa's text alert came, signalling his arrival, but you were engrossed in a report, and it took you a moment to notice the message. You quickly wrapped up the document and started packing your things, your mind racing to meet the deadline.

When you finally arrived at the entrance, you were greeted by a sight that left you utterly speechless.

There, waiting for you with bright smiles and expectant eyes, was Seonghwa, San, and Eunji. In Seonghwa's hands was a cake with a single lit candle, Eunji clutched a bouquet of colourful flowers, and San held a bunch of balloons.

As they began singing "Happy Birthday" in unison, the tears welled up in your eyes. You've been so consumed by your work that you'd genuinely forgotten about your own birthday. Their thoughtful gesture touched your heart deeply, making you feel cherished and loved in a way you hadn't in a long time.

You stood there, absorbing the warmth of their surprise, appreciating the genuine smiles on their faces, and feeling incredibly lucky to have them in your life.

After they finished singing, you shyly approached Seonghwa to blow out the single candle on the cake, "Oh, thank you so much, you three!" You exclaimed, chuckling through your tears of joy.

You moved to take the colourful bouquet of flowers from Eunji, who seemed puzzled by your tears. She asked with her innocent eyes, "Aunty, don't cry! Are you sad?"

You shook your head, still smiling through your watery eyes as you kissed her little cheeks, "Of course not, silly! I'm crying because I'm happy!" She seemed slightly perplexed but content, leaning in to press a wet, loving kiss to your cheek, "I love you, Aunty." She said, her voice filled with genuine affection.

With Eunji's tender declaration of love warming your heart, San, who had been clearing his throat loudly, playfully complained, "Excuse me, what do I get, huh? Am I invisible?" You rolled your eyes and laughed, moving to hug him as well, "Thank you, Sannie. You're the best, I swear," He grinned, rubbing your back affectionately, "I know." He responded in a cheeky tone.

Meanwhile, Seonghwa seized the moment to get into position. After carefully setting down the cake, he moved to stand behind you, taking his place as he decided it was the perfect time to make his feelings known, "How about me? Do I get a hug too?"

As you turned around, your breath hitched at how close Seonghwa was. Your heart raced, and you noticed the twinkle in his eyes. San discreetly led Eunji to a corner to witness the scene unfold, grinning to himself as he did so.

"Happy birthday." Seonghwa whispered.

Your heart raced, and you thanked him with a smile, the anticipation in the air growing as he gently reached for your hand. The touch sent a shiver down your spine, and you felt that something significant was about to happen.

He looked into your eyes, his gaze unwavering, and said, "There's something important I need to confess tonight." You gulped, your mind racing with possibilities, and nodded slowly. You wondered if this could be the moment you'd secretly dreamed of.

"You know, there used to be a time when I wanted nothing to do with love or romance. I'd sworn off dating for the longest time, wanting to focus only on my job and the kids at work."

Your eyes widened, this was news to you.

He began by sharing a humorous memory from the past, recounting how he'd initially mistaken you for Eunji's mother and the internal turmoil he experienced at the time. He held back his feelings, thinking it was wrong to have a crush on his student's mother. You both laughed about it, and your heart skipped a beat as you began to sense where this conversation was leading.

"I couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw you," He shook his head in amusement, "Little did I know you were Eunji's aunt."

You laughed along, "Well, at least now it makes more sense."

As he continued, you listened with bated breath, "But over time, my initial crush evolved into something much deeper, something I couldn't ignore. Watching you, taking care of Eunji, and being so strong throughout it all... It touched my heart." His words stirred your emotions, and you realised that he had feelings for you even then.

He squeezed your hand, his touch reassuring, "I want you to know that you've inspired me, made me want to love again, to have a family of my own, with Eunji as our child."

His confession hung in the air, the weight of his words settling around you both. You took a moment to absorb it all, his vulnerability and sincerity washing over you.

"Seonghwa," You began, your voice soft, "I... I had no idea."

He smiled gently, his thumb caressing the back of your hand, "I didn't want to burden you with my feelings, especially considering everything you've been through."

A rush of emotions swirled within you.

You squeezed his hand, the unspoken understanding between you palpable, "You've been such an amazing friend to us, Seonghwa. You've helped us more than I can put into words."

He nodded, his eyes never leaving yours, "And I want to continue being there for both of you, in whatever capacity you'll have me."

Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes, but they were tears of gratitude, of hope, "Seonghwa, I..." You took a deep breath, gathering your thoughts, "I never imagined this, but... I've come to care for you deeply. You've been a rock for us, and I can't imagine facing all of this without you."

He smiled, his gaze tender, "I feel the same way, perhaps even more."

The sincerity in his eyes overwhelmed you.

This was a turning point, a moment that could change everything. You took a step closer to him, closing the distance between you, "Seonghwa," You whispered, "I would be honoured to have you in our lives, as more than just a friend."

His smile widened, a mixture of relief and joy dancing in his eyes, "You've just made me the happiest man alive."

As you leaned in, he met you halfway, and your lips finally met in a soft, sweet kiss. It felt like a promise, a new beginning. The world seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of you, connected in this moment of shared vulnerability and newfound love.

But your romantic moment did not last long with San and Eunji skipping out of their hiding spots, singing, "Teacher Hwa and aunty, sitting on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Their voices immediately made you and Seonghwa pull away, cheeks flushed crimson.

San smirked, "Well, looks like we have another thing to celebrate now, so who wants cake?" Eunji jumped excitedly at the mention of cake, "Me! Me! Me!" Seonghwa chuckled, lacing his fingers with yours before walking up to the two, "Alright then, let's go." You bit your lip, struggling to take your eyes off your intertwined hands, heart swelling in happiness.

The celebration continued with shared laughter. San couldn't resist a final tease, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but it seems like my predictions were spot on. Congratulations, you two."

The future was uncertain, but you were certain that, with Seonghwa's support and love, you could face anything that came your way.

Seonghwa's following day at work was filled with playful jabs and teasing from Joy, who had learned about your newfound relationship from Eunji, your adorable messenger.

While he might have outwardly displayed annoyance, there was a part of him that secretly relished the teasing. It made everything feel more real and solidified, reminding him that he was no longer just your helpful friend and confidant but your boyfriend.

"Hey, remember when you used to say you'd never waste your time on dating?" Seonghwa rolled his eyes for what felt like the hundredth time that day as he packed up after work, Eunji waiting obediently at the playpen for him to go pick you up from work together, "Yes, Joy, I remember. But that was before I—"

She smirked, "Before you met the love of your life?"

He blushed, once again reminded that it might still be too soon to say the L word to you no matter how much he wanted to, he didn't want to pressure you into saying it back to him if you didn't feel the same yet. He would have to find the perfect moment to tell you.

"Yes, Joy, exactly." He chuckled, shaking his head at the playful banter. Joy has always been a close friend, and he appreciated her teasing as a sign that she was genuinely happy for him. He continued to pack his things, a smile playing on his lips.

"I remember all those times I said I'd never date," He admitted, "But I guess life had different plans for me. Meeting her and Eunji... it's like everything I thought I wanted was nothing compared to what I have now. I've never been this content."

She watched him closely, her teasing demeanour giving way to genuine curiosity, "So, what's it like, then? To have someone who's so important to you?"

He sighed, momentarily lost in thought, "It's like having this unwavering support, someone who cares about my day, my dreams, my struggles... It's having someone to share the joys and sorrows with. And with Eunji, it's like having a family, the one I never knew I needed. It's pretty amazing, Joy."

She smiled at him warmly, "I'm so glad you've found it, Hwa. It's beautiful to see how much you've grown and how much love you've discovered."

Seonghwa nodded, grateful for the newfound happiness that entered his life. It was a reminder that sometimes, the unexpected and unconventional paths led to the most fulfilling destinations.

The evening sun cast a warm, golden hue over the scene as you and San exited the office building. There, leaning against his car with an air of casual confidence, stood Seonghwa, a captivating smile on his face. Your heart raced at the sight of him, and you felt incredibly lucky to have him in your life.

Beside him was your niece bouncing around while she waited for you. Eunji's boundless enthusiasm and infectious energy were on full display as she rushed toward you and your colleague, wrapping her little arms around your legs, "Aunty! Uncle Sannie!"

You ruffled her hair lovingly, a radiant smile on your face, "Did you have a good day, Eunji-yah?" You asked, your affection for her shining brightly, "Yes!"

Her ever-doting uncle Sannie picked her up, lifting her high, and she giggled with delight. In the midst of this heartwarming scene, he subtly pushed you toward Seonghwa, who was waiting for you with an expectant look in his eyes.

As you approached him, your gaze was fixated on him, and you couldn't help feeling like a teenager in love.

Your heart fluttered with each step, and without realising it, you missed a step, stumbling slightly on the uneven pavement, your heels causing an issue. But in an instant, your boyfriend's reflexes kicked in, and he rushed forward, his strong arms reaching out to catch you. His hands found your waist and steadied you.

For a heartbeat, your noses bumped gently against each other, and your breaths mingled. The closeness was intoxicating, and your heart raced even faster in response to this unexpected proximity.

"Hi." The two of you whispered at the same time.

Seonghwa's arms encircled you, holding you close in the aftermath of your stumble. The world seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of you in that tender moment. You looked up into his eyes, your heart pounding in your chest, and in that shared gaze, you found an unspoken connection.

In the background, San playfully covered Eunji's eyes, his voice carrying a comically dramatic tone, "Fear not, young Eunji! I shall shield your innocent eyes from this heartwarming scene of romance!"

Laughter bubbled up from both of you, breaking the spell but only for a moment. Seonghwa's eyes twinkled with affection, and without another word, he leaned in, closing the remaining distance between you. His lips met yours in a sweet, gentle kiss, a promise of the love and care that lay ahead for both of you.

It was a kiss filled with tenderness and the unspoken promise of a future together. The world seemed to stand still, allowing you to savour the moment, etching it into your memory.

When you eventually pulled away, a soft smile graced your boyfriend's lips, his thumb gently brushing against your cheek. There was a warmth in his eyes, a silent reassurance that you were exactly where you were meant to be.

As you both turned to look at Eunji and San, you found them engaged in a playful debate about whether or not it was time for ice cream. It was a perfect tableau of the life you were now building together—a little messy, a lot of love, and filled with joy.

In that moment, you knew you were exactly where you belonged, in the arms of the man who has become your rock, and surrounded by the love of your little family.

In the few months that you'd been with Seonghwa, you marvelled at what a sweet and thoughtful boyfriend he was. He embraced his role as a partner and father figure with open arms, and it showed in the way he cared for you and Eunji.

Seonghwa was a master of small gestures.

Whether it was a good morning text, a surprise lunch he'd prepared and dropped off at your office, or a cosy movie night he'd set up for you and Eunji, he knew how to make you feel loved. His actions spoke louder than words, a testament to his caring and attentive nature.

You couldn't remember when it began, but you and your niece have been staying over at his place frequently lately. So frequent to the point that your own studio apartment felt like a hotel that you'd only return to once in a while.

On the days when you both stayed over, his morning routine included preparing breakfast for you and Eunji, a tradition that quickly became a heartwarming ritual.

You'd wake up to the smell of pancakes or fresh fruit salad, and your niece couldn't contain her excitement when it was a pancake morning. His culinary skills were a surprise to you, but he enjoyed whipping up dishes that made you both smile.

Seonghwa has become the perfect family man.

He'd do the grocery shopping, subtly watch over Eunji in kindergarten without neglecting the other kids, and even help her with her homework. His patience knew no bounds as he explained math problems for what seemed like the hundredth time.

On weekends, you'd all go for picnics, trips to the zoo, or simply have a quiet day at home. You could feel his love in the way he held your hand, kissed your forehead, and smiled at Eunji's jokes. His affection was a warm embrace that wrapped around both of you, making your little family feel complete.

It was his sharp and observant eyes that amazed you the most. He noticed when you were tired or had a rough day, and he'd be there with a comforting hug or a listening ear. He was the first to recognise when Eunji needed a little extra attention or when she was hiding a scraped knee under her dress.

You loved how attentive and observant your boyfriend was, but there was a part of your life that you desperately wished he would be less perceptive about. It was the financial struggles you'd been trying to hide from him for some time.

As the months passed, you managed to pay off the bills for your car maintenance and finally got it serviced, but it came at a price. Sacrificing your budget for that left you unable to afford your rent and credit card debt. Most of the credit card expenses have been related to Eunji and her needs – kids' things were indeed expensive, and you'd always put her first.

One day, while you were at Seonghwa's place with Eunji, you received a text from your landlady, and dread settled in your stomach. She demanded that you return home to speak with her, which was unusual. You quickly thought up an excuse to tell Seonghwa, explaining that you had to run somewhere quickly.

He looked concerned, sensing that something was amiss, and his worry for you was evident in his eyes.

After you left, he couldn't resist the nagging feeling that something wasn't quite right. He decided to check your backpack, where you kept your clothes and necessities for staying the night. That's when he discovered your unpaid bills, debt statements, and financial struggles laid bare before him.

He cursed himself for not realising the extent of your financial difficulties sooner. The truth hit him like a punch to the gut. You were still struggling, and he couldn't stand by and let you bear that burden alone.

Your heart dropped like a stone the moment you arrived home. There, you found all your belongings packed up in boxes, scattered messily outside of your unit, "W-what's the meaning of this, Mrs. Lee?"

The landlady stood in the centre of the chaos, her hands propped on her hips, a furious look on her face. She didn't waste any time expressing her anger, "Are you really asking me that?" She scoffed, "You didn't pay rent for two months. Did you think I was going to let you leech off me like that?"

You were in a state of panic, rushing up to her, your eyes darting around to take in the disarray. You began to explain your situation, your voice trembling, "But you said you understood when I told you I've been saving up to pay you all at once by the end of this month. You know my niece and I—"

She sighed, lifting a hand to stop you.

"Enough with the pity party. You always use the kid as an excuse. I've had it. I've already found a new tenant who will pay more than you. They're moving in tomorrow. So, take your things and leave."

You dropped to your knees in desperation, pleading with her not to do this, your voice quivering.

It was at this moment that Seonghwa arrived with Eunji in his arms. His eyes widened in shock as he took in the scene, and his expression quickly shifted from surprise to anger as he overheard the last cruel sentence uttered by the landlady.

With his nostrils flaring in anger, he marched up to you and gently helped you up from the ground, all while maintaining his composure for the child's sake. Then, he handed Eunji over to you.

Your niece quickly reached up to wipe away your tears with her tiny hands. She asked you not to cry, and you sniffled in response, trying to assure her that everything would be okay.

Meanwhile, Seonghwa turned to confront the landlady.

His voice was firm but never raised, "Mrs. Lee," He began, "I understand that there have been issues with rent, but it's crucial to remember the legal obligations here. Regardless of the situation, you must provide proper notice and follow due process for eviction."

She seemed taken aback by his confidence and knowledge, "Well, I didn't know that, but I've already found someone else willing to pay more for the unit. I can't just let her stay here."

Seonghwa remained unwavering, "I'm not suggesting that you should let the situation continue as it is, but there's a proper way to go about this. You can't just throw them out onto the street. They need time to find a new place."

He continued, "If you follow the right procedures, both parties can come to a mutually agreeable solution without any legal issues. Trust me; I know a thing or two about these matters."

The landlady hesitated, realising that your boyfriend was not to be underestimated, "Well," She muttered, "I didn't know about all that. I'll give you a week to sort things out, but that's it. The new tenant is moving in after that."

He nodded, his demeanour still steady, "Thank you, Mrs. Lee. I'm sure we can come to an arrangement within the given time frame."

You glanced at Seonghwa with gratitude in your eyes, knowing that he just bought you some valuable time to find a new place to live without the immediate pressure of eviction.

As he helped you carry your belongings back into the unit, you couldn't bear to look him in the eye. You felt ashamed and overwhelmed by your financial struggles. He knew something was wrong when you turned your gaze away from him, he sighed and gathered you into his arms.

It was the comforting, secure embrace you needed, and it didn't take long for your tears to start flowing against his shoulder. He gently pressed your head into the crook of his neck, his warm breath caressing your ear.

"Why didn't you tell me you were struggling so much financially?" He whispered softly, his heart aching as he held you.

You sobbed and pulled away slightly, your tear-streaked face revealing your vulnerability, "I'm sorry, Hwa," You choked out, "I didn't mean to hide things from you, but I really didn't want to burden you any more than I already have."

Seonghwa shook his head and cupped your tear-stained cheeks, looking into your eyes with genuine concern, "Listen to me," He said, his voice firm yet tender, "You are not a burden. I'm willing to do anything, including providing for you and Eunji. I want you to come to me for help anytime you need it, you hear me?"

Your heart swelled with emotion, and you bit your trembling lip, tears trickling out the sides of your eyes as you nodded slowly.

After you've calmed down, the two of you settled on your bed. Eunji was taking a little nap, giving you both a moment of privacy. You sat there, staring at the boxes of your belongings and feeling overwhelmed by the uncertainty of your future.

"What am I going to do?" You whispered, the weight of your situation pressing down on you.

Your boyfriend reached for your hand and gently squeezed it, "Move in with me... for good." He said with a calm tone.

You snapped your head up to meet his gaze, searching for any signs of reluctance. But all you found in his eyes was sincerity and an earnest desire to share his life with you and your niece. He leaned in, his thumb brushing your knuckles before he brought your hand to his lips and placed a tender kiss on it.

"Please," He implored, "Let me be there for you. It's why I'm here. You and Eunji, you're my everything now, and I can't possibly sit around while you're struggling. Let me take care of you."

A lump formed in your throat as you shifted closer to him, your hand moving to cup his cheek. You croaked out, "I love you, Hwa," His heart melted at your words, and he chuckled tearfully, his eyes filled with affection. He had longed to hear those three words from you, "So, is that a yes?"

You nodded, and you sealed your decision with a gentle kiss. As you pulled away slightly, he couldn't help expressing his love for you, "I love you too, so much that it drives me crazy."

A week later, you and Seonghwa stood side by side in his apartment, gazing around the transformed living space with pride. The place had undergone a subtle but significant makeover, and now it felt more like a warm and welcoming family home.

The interior had brightened considerably, with cheerful colours and playful decorations that were clearly chosen with Eunji in mind. A colourful toy box stood in one corner, overflowing with stuffed animals and games. The walls were adorned with the child's artwork, showcasing her creativity and vibrant imagination.

Your boyfriend has been more than accommodating, allowing both you and Eunji to have a say in how the place was decorated. It was a collaborative effort that turned the apartment into a reflection of your shared love.

He made it clear that he would have been content even if the place had been transformed into a Barbie-themed wonderland.

All that truly mattered was being with you and Eunji.

"Tadaaa~"

Eunji's squeals filled the room as you removed your hands from covering her eyes. She darted around the apartment, pointing out everything that caught her attention. Her infectious excitement made your hearts swell with happiness as she skipped from one corner to another, exploring her new home.

Seonghwa stood beside you, a contented smile gracing his face as he watched your niece's enthusiasm.

Her presence and the shared sense of belonging in this new place filled him with a profound sense of fulfilment. This was not just an apartment; it was a home, a place where your love and family could grow and flourish.

The next day in kindergarten, Eunji's excitement was infectious as she rushed around, handing out invitations to her friends and her beloved second-favourite teacher, Joy. The little ones received their invites with wide eyes and giggles, their youthful enthusiasm matching your niece's.

"Ooh, what's this?" Joy's curiosity got the better of her, and she couldn't resist opening the invitation right there.

Her initial surprise at receiving an invitation turned into a warm smile when she realised it was for your housewarming party. She found it amusing that you were celebrating in such a manner, considering it wasn't a new house but rather a symbol of the new life you, Seonghwa, and Eunji were embarking on together.

She couldn't contain her excitement as she approached Seonghwa with the invitation in hand. Her teasing tone laced with affection, "Why is it that I always have to learn these things from Eunji and not you?"

He rolled his eyes good-naturedly and chuckled, a hint of playfulness in his response, "This is exactly why. You never let me live."

She burst out laughing before getting a little more serious, "Alright, fine. I'll let you off just this once. Can I bring my boyfriend, though?" She asked, her expression eager.

Seonghwa's eyes softened, and he nodded warmly, "Of course, Joy. I'd love to finally meet the poor soul that has to endure you for the rest of his life."

She mockingly smacked his arm, feigning offence, "Yah, Park Seonghwa! I take it back, you'll suffer today."

Meanwhile, your workplace held its own share of celebrations as you handed an invitation to San, your dear friend and colleague. A broad grin stretched across his face as he read the invitation, and he threw an arm over your shoulder, playfully teasing, "Aww, I'm so proud of you, bestie. Look at you, all grown up already."

You wriggled out of his embrace before he had a chance to mess up your hair, retorting, "San, I'm literally older than you."

With a shrug, he quipped, "Does it matter? You'll always be my little baby," He playfully pouted, attempting to look pitiable. But before you could respond, your manager interrupted the exchange with a loud clearing of her throat and a disapproving glare directed at him, "Choi San, this is your last warning," He immediately straightened up and saluted, "Yes, ma'am."

As soon as your manager moved away, he couldn't resist a cheeky comment, "I'm telling you, she has the hots for me," You rolled your eyes and playfully smacked him, "You're ridiculous. If we get fired someday, I'm blaming you."

The weekend had arrived, and your housewarming party was just hours away.

Your heart swelled with happiness as you watched Seonghwa twirl Eunji around the living room. Your niece, dressed in her new Elsa costume, giggled with delight, her laughter filling the room.

While the two of them enjoyed their cute little dance, you were in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on the food spread. The aroma of homemade dishes wafted through the air, making the atmosphere feel even more inviting.

The excitement was palpable as you glanced around the room, taking in the decorations, the array of snacks, and the cosy ambience you worked hard to create. Everything was ready, and you couldn't wait for your friends to arrive, celebrating not just a new house, but a new chapter in your life with Seonghwa and Eunji.

One by one, the guests arrived.

The first to arrive were Joy and her boyfriend, Hyoseob. You greeted them with a warm smile, "Oh Joy, I'm so happy you could make it!" She beamed in response, giving you a hug, "Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Seonghwa, always quick with a teasing remark, couldn't resist the chance to rib Joy about her relationship, "Ah, you must be the famous Shin Hyoseob. Just so you know, Joy never shuts up about you, like ever." This was his chance to get her back for all the times she's relentlessly tormented him about your relationship at work.

Not long after, San arrived, and he immediately scooped up Eunji in his arms, causing her to giggle with delight.

He joined the group, and you introduced him to your boyfriend's colleague. As predicted by Seonghwa, San and Joy hit it off right away, chatting and laughing as if they'd been friends for years.

Soon, Eunji's friends began to arrive one by one, and the house filled with laughter and the joyful chaos of children running about. You would have panicked had it not been for Seonghwa and Joy's expertise in having so many kids under control, the two of them kept a constant watchful eye to ensure they didn't cause any trouble.

The party was now in full swing, and it was a heartwarming sight to see everyone come together to celebrate this special day with you and your little family.

As you sat with the adults at the dining table, your attention kept drifting to your niece, who was happily playing with her friends in the living room.

A bittersweet ache tugged at your heart as you thought about your sister and how she would feel about the life you've created for her daughter. You wondered if she was looking down on you, proud of the strength you'd shown and the love you'd poured into raising Eunji after her passing.

Just a year ago, if someone told you that your life would be this full of love and happiness, you might have thought them delusional.

But now, surrounded by all the people you loved, you felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Your life was filled with friends who had become like family, a beautiful niece who brought joy into your world, and a man who had become your partner in this journey.

Seonghwa noticed your silence and the distant look in your eyes. He slid his hand into yours, capturing your attention as you turned to look at him, "You okay?" He asked, concern evident in his eyes. To you, he felt like a guardian angel, sent by your sister to protect you and bring happiness into your life.

You nodded and offered a small smile, "I'm fine."

He wasn't entirely convinced, but he smiled back at you and leaned in to place a gentle peck on your temple. His affectionate gesture didn't go unnoticed by your friends, who couldn't resist teasing you both, causing your cheeks to flush with a lovely shade of embarrassment.

As the party came to an end and the last of the guests had left, you began the routine of settling your niece for the night. After a warm, relaxing shower, you tucked her into bed.

Eunji grinned up at you, her eyes sparkling with excitement, "Aunty, that was the bestest party ever!" She exclaimed. You chuckled, leaning in closer to her, "Really? Are you happy?" She nodded enthusiastically, her little face glowing with happiness, "Yes, I love it very, very much!" You gently stroked her cheek and gazed at her lovingly, "And I love you very, very much."

Unbeknownst to you, Seonghwa had been quietly watching the interaction between you two from the room's entrance. His heart never failed to flutter every time he witnessed the bond between you and your niece.

Eunji let out a huge yawn, and you patted her stomach, indicating it was time for bed, "All right, off to bed with you."

The child giggled and nodded, snuggling under her blanket, "Goodnight, aunty. I love you very, very much too."

Hearing those words from her, even though she has said them many times before, touched your heart in a different way. You leaned down, brushing a soft kiss on her forehead, "Goodnight, sweetheart. I love you more." Your words held the promise of endless love and protection, and Eunji drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.

Later that night, as you finished up your skincare routine in your shared room, Seonghwa approached you, his arms wrapping around your waist as he rested his chin on your shoulder. His concern was evident in his voice as he spoke, "Are you alright, love?"

You smiled, appreciating how well he knew you. Pulling off your face mask and tossing it aside, you turned to face him.

"Nothing ever goes past you, huh?"

Your boyfriend shook his head, his eyes filled with understanding and affection, "Nope, not when it comes to you, you know that," You wrapped your arms around his neck, deciding to open up about what has been on your mind, "I thought about my sister a lot today."

He tightened his embrace, knowing that this was a sensitive and emotional topic for you, "I was thinking about how she'd feel if she could see where her daughter is today and if she'd be proud of me."

Moving one hand to cup your face, he spoke, "I don't need to be your sister to know that she would be so proud of you. There's no one else who could love and care for her daughter more than you." You felt your heart swell with love for the amazing man who stood before you.

As you chuckled and nuzzled into his touch, you playfully admitted, "I was also convinced that you're my guardian angel sent by her."

Seonghwa grinned, maintaining the playful tone, "Aw man, that was our secret. How did you find out?"

Your laughter filled the room, and he watched you with adoration. Once you've calmed down, you whispered, "I love you so much, Hwa. I can't believe you're really mine," He leaned in closer, his eyes filled with warmth and affection, "Well, you better believe it because I love you even more."

With those sweet words, he pressed his lips firmly onto yours, sealing your love and commitment to each other. In that tender moment, you both knew that you'd found something truly special in each other, something that would last a lifetime.

Am I the only one who thinks Seonghwa is literally husband material? I doubt it but good GOD, does this man make me yearn for marriage and motherhood. Y'all know I'm lying to myself when I say I'm not a whole ass simp for him.

Hope y'all enjoyed and as always, would love to hear all your thoughts on the story, so feel free to leave as many replies as you want! <3

Tag list: @aurasblue @marievllr-abg @itsvxlentine @minghaoslatina

All Rights Reserved © edenesth // DO NOT REPOST, TRANSLATE, PLAGIARISE OR REPURPOSE.

[darkestcorners]

* my followers expressing their theories and concerns about how Polarity will end and toxicity of the MC and JK’s relationship, think pieces of JK’s personality and possible foreshadowing of what’s to come, his endless mommy issues, questions about Hoseok and how much of a bitch Eunji is, how much they wish MC would free herself and genuine concern over her well-being ect*

me trying to decide which color to make the kitchen island and how to describe the floor tiles:

[toruro]

— ✧ red (k)nights

pairing. xu minghao x reader

description. minghao is your knight in shining armor. literally.

tags. smut (18+), so much fluff, royal au, princess!reader, knight!minghao, secret relationship (kind of?!), minghao’s finger pieces from the super mv …

outfit inspo. minhgao's armor is as shown in the pics, his robes are similar to the light brown ones worn in their inkigayo performance, & reader's robes are of similar design to their 2nd outfits in the super mv!

fic playlist.

w/c. 6.7k

a/n. i'm usually not into royal aus or any au in general that isn't modern, but i had so much fun writing this and i think my mind has changed ... so i hope u enjoy! comments/reblogs are always appreciated c:

“You’re upset,” Eunji notes, walking into your room as sunlight peeks through your silk blinds.

Grumbling, you slowly push yourself off the mattress and lean against the headboard as you rub your eyes. The soft browns and golds of your room are starting to sink into your vision as you adjust to the light, murmuring, “You didn’t knock.”

Eunji sighs, patting her hands down on her apron after setting down your black robe. “Your father doesn’t have any rules about walking in without knocking. And besides, you always lock the door if it’s necessary—if it isn’t locked, I assume it’s alright for me to walk in.”

“What about my rules?” you huff, finally slipping out of bed so Eunji can help you slip into your daytime robes.

“I don’t suppose you’re the king?” she responds as you groggily make your way up to her, your nightgown wrinkling at the ends.

“Eunji,” you whine, throwing yourself onto one of your plush lounge chairs in front of her. “I’m too tired,” you grumble when she points at the robe, again, signaling you to put it on.

“You’re upset,” she corrects, lifting the clothes and unwinding them for you as you begrudgingly stand up and slip off the dress, leaving you only in your undergarments.

“He’s still gone,” you whisper quietly, lifting your arms so Eunji can slip in the sleeves from behind you, moving in front to help tie up the flat, golden drawstrings on the front into bows.

“Away. He is away, not gone,” Eunji says with a pat on your shoulders, adjusting the edges and collar of your velvet robe.

“What’s the difference?” you mutter once she’s done.

“The difference is he will be back,” she explains simply, taking a step back to admire her work. “Now, let’s get you down for breakfast? I wouldn’t want to be caught making you late for your meal by gossiping about your—” she pauses. Eunji is among three of maybe your only friends in the entire kingdom, yet she still bites her tongue, still holds back. You used to resent her for it, but now you understand it’s only natural—after all, it is her job to take care of you, and being careful is just what she has to do. But right now, Eunji is your friend, not your maid, and what she follows with only confirms that fact—“your boy.”

Your lips break into a bright grin at the mere name—your boy. You should feel childish—Minghao is so much more than a boy. He’s a gentleman, he’s strong, he’s confident—he is so much. But after all of that, after his sword is yielded, after all his armor is stripped, Minghao is yours—your boy.

“Will you let me do your hair?” Eunji interrupts your thoughts, holding up a few hair ribbons from your large vanity across the room. You grimace, shaking your head.

“I feel like I might go bald every time you do,” you tell her. Eunji gives you a stern look and you let your shoulders sag. “Fine, but please be gentle. I’m already under so much stress, I can’t have any more pressure on my head.”

“Stress?”

You shrug, a small smirk poking at your cheeks. “Oh you know. Just my boy.”

Eunji escorts you down to the dining hall after raking all your hair into some tight updo. Wincing as you pick at the ribbons, she scurries off when you sit down to order the chefs to present you breakfast.

“Good morning, Princess,” a familiar voice greets, Mingyu placing down a steel plate littered with an array of fruits. “What would you like this morning?”

You watch Eunji who re-enters as you formulate your response. “I’m not really hungry right now, if I’m being honest…” you sigh.

“Don’t let her get away with that!” Eunji calls out from the other end of the room, and you cross your hands over your chest as she walks over. Mingyu gives you a concerned look, and Eunji continues. “She’s saving her appetite for when she plans to sneak out in the evening!” she says in a half whisper, half yell sort of voice.

Mingyu’s eyes widen when he looks down on you. “You actually snuck out that time? I thought you were just bluffing so you wouldn’t have to have breakfast with your cousins!”

“It was both,” you grumble as you roll your eyes. “I’m sorry, but they’re insufferable—the both of them! And then…” your voice trails off, “Mingyu you know your food is great and I love it but there’s this fruit stall down in the civil grounds and—”

“You snuck out for fruit?” Mingyu gasps, stepping back. Pointing at the platter in front of you, he says, “I should have you know these are harvested from the finest farm in the kingdom.” You stick your tongue out at him, glancing at Eunji who is giving you a funny look. Mingyu catches on, and his eyes narrow. “Are you keeping a secret from me? Oh my god—you know I hate being left out of things.”

“You have a big mouth,” Eunji murmurs and you laugh along in agreement.

Mingyu frowns, swiping the platter away from you as you reach for a grape. “Hey! This is no way to treat a princess,” you pout.

“Tell me what’s going on then?” he pleads, and you glance at Eunji who seems to take it upon herself to spill the beans for you. Leaning in, she motions for Mingyu to come closer so you can all lower your voices.

“She went to see her boy,” she whispers.

Once again, you can’t help but let the grin break out onto your face. Your boy.

Fuck, you really miss him.

Him, being the man who followed you many nights ago as you tried to sneak out of the castle grounds. It’d been a boring few weeks and you overheard Eunji gushing to one of the other maids about a festival that took place in the civil grounds.

You’d heard of it before, and even showed up to the festival occasionally over the years, but it was only ever for a sparring moment—to sit and look pretty, wave hellos and goodbyes before you were being dragged back to the castle.

So when you heard that Eunji was planning on using one of her few, sacred days off, you just had to know what was so exciting about it—your temptation exceeded your ability to follow the rules.

Slipping into some old brown robes you used to wear for your dance training, you wrapped a shawl over your head and over the bottom half of your face in hopes to conceal as much of your identity as possible.

You couldn’t believe you were doing this. Or, well, maybe you could. You’d fantasized about this moment for ages, never really having the drive to go through with it though. That is, not until now. Still, you’d played this chain of events too many times for anything to go wrong. You had thought about every possible chance of something going wrong, and right now you were certain that you had planned against it.

Foolproof. Your plan just had to be foolproof.

So when you snuck off that night, when the deep oranges of the sunset turned to red and soon to black, there wasn’t a doubt in your mind that things would go perfectly fine. That you’d be able to run through the gardens, through the militia grounds, and into the civil grounds, slip in and out of the festival, and back into your bed before anyone could even realize that the princess wasn’t in her bed.

Silly you for not accounting for him.

Him, being the man who was out in the militia courtyards, donned in his training robes as he read a book under the dim light of a flickering, yellow lantern. Him, being the man you thought wouldn’t recognize your figure as you scurried through the pathway and towards the exit to the civil grounds.

You were foolish, and Minghao was perceptive.

You hardly were in the crowd at the festival for more than half an hour before a strong hand tugged at your wrist. Considering yelling for help, you opened your mouth to scream, but not before a large, warm hand clasped over your mouth, trapping in any noises you made. He was gentle with the way he pulled you to a quiet place behind the wall, and even under the dim, crimson glow from the festival, you’re able to make out his face when he finally releases you.

His face was no stranger to your eyes, as his duties as a performance knight had him on and off palace grounds consistently. Xu Minghao. You remembered the name, and watching the scarlet hues fall on his skin, you were reminded of just why his face has not left your mind—why you recall him, and not any other knights.

The redness casted a sharp shadow over him, sharp jawline seeming further whetted under this new glow. Minghao’s dark and shiny hair hung perfectly to shield his gorgeous eyes from the bright lights from around you, and you find yourself growing mesmerized by the way he gazes down at you so … passionately.

Finally breaking the silence that stuffed the space between you, he spoke, “What are you doing here, Princess?” Unexpected of the concern that laces his tone, you were taken aback, mouth falling slightly agape as you wondered why he chose not to scold or reprimand you.

“I wanted to see the festival,” you finally managed to whisper, tearing your eyes away from the handsome man in front of you to look behind at the celebrations taking place all around you. Minghao studied your face for a few pensive moments before sighing and nodding.

He surprised you again with his next, quiet words, “I can show you.”

Looking up at him with bright eyes, you beamed.

Sneaking out to your “fruit stall” doesn’t work, not when Eunji is on your tail. You huff and puff when she sits you down in your room that night, but then she’s whispering into your ear about how his team will be arriving the next morning.

That night, your stomach churns with the anticipation of seeing him, touching him, holding him. It’s been too long, and all you’ve been left with for the past weeks is the ghost of his touch against yours, imagining it’s Minghao when you hug your pillow every night.

You don't get an ounce of sleep, of course, but when you wake up after dozing off to the bright, morning sky, you feel nothing but excitement bubble up in your stomach. You ask Eunji to dress you in your robe of finest silk, and she grins, feigning ignorance as to the reason behind your request.

“This would look nice, don’t you think?” you murmur, holding up a silver dangling hair pin.

Eunji walks over, inspecting the little accessory you’ve picked out. “I don’t understand why you’re putting so much thought into this…he’s seen you in much less,” she mutters and you gasp loudly, nudging her shoulder.

“Y-you said you would never bring that up!” you stutter out, placing the pin back down. The that in question being the time you had snuck Minghao into your room one night and forgot to lock your door. That morning, Eunji was met with the side of a bare chested knight and the princess rolling around together under the sheets, the first person to be introduced to your little secret.

Eunji only hums, looking over your array of jewelry. “The gold would look nicer,” she tells you, ignoring your previous exclamation. She lifts a nearly identical hair pin, except this one is coated in gold, matching the shimmering designs on your robes.

You smile and nod, turning around in response so she can put the pin in your updo. As you continue to go about your morning, there’s an extra jump to your step when you make your way to the militia office. Inside is your father’s head officer, Seungcheol, sitting at his desk as he goes through the papers.

“The demo team comes back today, right Officer?” you ask curiously, stepping in.

Cheol looks up at you, eyebrows quirked. “They came back this morning, yes,” he replies, standing up as he organizes some of the papers in a neat stack. “Excited?”

“No, why would I be?” you say, letting your shoulders deflate a little to hide your very real and very true excitement. Seungcheol gives you a cheeky smile as he adjusts his coat.

“You’re not great at lying.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” you reply, crossing your arms over your chest nonchalantly as Seungcheol walks out of the room, letting you follow behind.

“Really? Your father is picking up on it too. Tell me to tell him how the demo team is doing. Asks me to let him know if there’s anyone that seems … suspicious.”

You scoff, letting your hands fall to your side, “Well he hasn’t said anything to me about it … yet at least.” You sigh, figuring that if Seungcheol already has an idea of what’s going on, there’s no point in feigning ignorance. “Was I being too obvious when I asked for a whole unit to be moved from the battle team to the demo team?”

Seungcheol laughs. “Yes. Your father is definitely—”

“Suspecting?”

“No, that’s not the right word. I think he seems more open to the idea than you might think. I was just going to say he has a feeling you and one of the demo team’s members are … are involved.”

You hum in response, skipping besides Seungcheol as you make your way to the militia courtyard. “That’s good to hear.”

“I guess. Whether your father approves so far or not, tell your boy—” Your heart flutters when Seungcheol says it like that. “—whichever one he is, to keep in line. I’m sure you wouldn’t want me to report any bad news back to the King.”

You roll your eyes but don’t respond, walking outside into the field of grass where some soldiers are lined up in neat rows in front of a black, raised platform where you and Seungcheol are supposed to stand. As you near the group of soldiers, your stomach ties up in a tight knot when you catch sight of the familiar face.

Walking timidly up to the platform next to Seungcheol, you place your hands in front of you, playing with your fingers as you struggle to break your eyes away from Minghao. He isn’t looking at you right now—he isn’t allowed to you.

With his helmet drawn by his side, sword sheathed at his back, crimson armor with gold intricacies glistening under the sun, it’s all too much for you—Minghao in his armor is a force of beauty, and one to be reckoned with.

And he’s standing so straight, so tall, his well built figure being accentuated by the sharp curves of the metal that plates his skin and you start to lose track of Seungcheol’s words. It isn’t until he nudges you in your side when you jump up and out of your reverie, only to see him looking down at you with concerned eyes.

“Princess,” he says loudly, and then much quieter, “Are you alright?”

“I—yes, sorry. It’s just the sun, it’s in my face and I lost track of things for a moment,” you lie, looking back at the knights standing in uniform in front of you.

“Do you want to head back inside? You don’t really have to be—”

“I’ll stay,” you say quickly. “What was it I needed to do?”

“Some last words for them. It’s been a long few weeks, so just say something and formally release them for this week.”

Right. That’s why you’re here. Clearing your throat, you straighten your back, causing the men to all turn their attention to you. Finally, both you and Minghao think. Finally he can look at you.

And fuck, you look so beautiful with your hair pinned back and loose ribbons strewn in, your black and gold royal robes hanging effortlessly off your body with the little bows decorating your waist. Gentle fingers clasped in front of you and Minghao can almost feel your gentle touch on him when you speak.

“Thank you for your excellent performances over the past weeks,” you begin to speak, your eyes doing their best to not linger on Minghao too long. “Your efforts are greatly appreciated, and to express my gratitude, you are relieved of your duties from now until the end of this weekend. Report to your duties the following morning as you would on any regular schedule. Thank you again.” You close with a bow, stepping back and motioning your hand out front as to signal.

“You are dismissed,” Seungcheol calls out loudly, and you see the way the soldier’s immediately drop their shoulders, their gazes averting to each others’ as they break out into loose conversation. Well, all but one. Minghao’s eyes are locked in on yours and you’re finding it impossibly hard to look away.

Looking up at Seungcheol, “Can I go now?”

“Of course. Thank you for showing up. Do you need one of us to escort you back to the castle grounds or—”

You shake your head quickly, eyes flickering to Minghao who is making conversation with one of his platoon members casually. “N-no, that won’t be necessary.”

“Are you sure? You aren’t looking too well. I think it’d be safest if you had one of them help you.”

“I—” you pause, “Okay, I’ll take him,” you say before Seungcheol can make his own decision, pointing at Minghao. Hearing your raised voice, he turns to see your finger in his direction, both you and Seungcheol looking straight at him. Seungcheol looks at you as Minghao walks over, but eventually shrugs.

“Minghao, take the princess to castle grounds,” Seungcheol instructs, throwing you a knowing look. He nods without a word, bowing to you and then his leader as the captain walks away to talk to some other soldiers, leaving just the two of you.

The air is thicker now—it’s filled with all the words you want to say, all the things you want to do, all the thoughts you’ve been thinking and fuck—you really missed him. You need to remind yourself that you’re still out in the open, still in the militia courtyard, still not alone, and you don’t even allow Minghao to do the formal, custom bow and greeting before you turn on your heel and rush away.

Your strides are long but his are longer and he keeps up with your discerningly fast pace, following you out of the courtyard, through the rows of decorated barracks, and off the militia grounds without a word. It’s only when you’re both alone in the small pathway that connects the militia grounds to the castle that you finally allow your pace to rest.

Minghao is the first to speak after glancing around to ensure that the coast is clear, “You seem to have forgotten that you’re the only one who isn’t lugging around 40 pounds worth of armor.” His voice comes out in soft pants, and it’s slightly gruff, but then he’s dropping his helmet to the ground and grabbing your face so he can smash your face into his.

His lips are chapped, moving roughly against yours hungrily, his tongue licking into your mouth as you struggle to place your hands—his armor isn’t the best for clinging onto—so you settle for placing them on his neck. Minghao’s own hands are cradling the back of your head, angling you better as his tongue delves deeper, exploring every inch of your mouth with a passion that threatens to consume you. He tastes of salt and sweat, your own lips sweet with the scent of royal gardens, and it all has you dizzy.

When Minghao breaks the kiss, you feel at a loss as you grapple for him, his skin, his touch against you. “Y-you need to get this off,” you say hastily, knocking on the steel armor that dons his body. You let your fingers trace down the hard material, finally letting them fall down to grasp one of the few exposed parts of his body left—his hands.

“Eager already?” his eyes flicker up at you and it seems to light a flame beneath you. You squeeze his fingers lightly, looking around you to make sure no one has stepped into this pathway yet.

“Whatever.” You pause. “I missed you,” you add quietly, as Minghao leans forward and adjusts the collar of your robes for you, the small gesture making your heart tender. His gaze softens, and he uses one hand to gently stroke your cheek.

“I missed you too. It was so long—I thought I was going crazy,” he confesses, and the admission has your lips pulling into a smile.

“Do you want to go to the gardens?” you ask excitedly, holding his hand up to your chest as you clutch it tightly. “The enclosed one? I’ll ask Eunji to make sure it stays private for the rest of the morning and—” Minghao’s lips pursed into a tight line causes disappointment to well up inside your belly. “What? You don’t want to?”

“No—no, of course I want to, it’s just…” his voice trails off and you look up at him dejectedly. “I need to go to the barracks. I know we have the week off but I still have things to do.”

“Oh,” you murmur, stepping back a little. Minghao frowns, squeezing your cheek lightly with the calloused pads of his fingers.

“You know I want to. I just need to unpack and get this—” he looks down at himself and clanks the metal armor, “—get this shit off and take care of some stuff with Jun.” You nod understandingly, but he notices the ways your eyes droop down just a little. Pressing a soft kiss to your forehead, he continues. “I’ll make it up to you tonight.”

Your eyes sparkle at the suggestion. “Tonight?” Minghao nods with a smile, his hand still resting by your cheek, gently stroking your jawline. “The gardens? My room? Where?”

“I actually have a different place in mind. It’s in the civil grounds. It’ll be better if you can come before sunset…” As he speaks, his fingers trail down your neck, running over your collarbone right where the two ends of your robe meet just above your chest. His touch lingers for a few moments, burning trails of fire into your skin as you struggle to keep your heartbeat steady.

“The civil grounds? We’ve never gone there before,” you murmur, voice dripping with curiosity. “At least not since … well you know.” Since the night we met.

“Trust me?” The way he looks down at you with pure adoration makes you feel like he can hear your heartbeat from your chest, shaking the earth under you.

“Before sunset, right here,” you promise.

You can’t quite hide your enthusiasm from Eunji but you also can’t quite care. Nearly jumping off the walls from excitement, it feels like an eternity before the hour strikes seven and you’re whispering to her to cover for you as you slip off the castle grounds and to the little pathway that leads to the militia grounds.

And there he is, your boy, clad in no longer his armor but brown robes which hug his built figure. There is no sword drawn in his back nor is there a helmet clinging by his side, and you grin when you approach him with a smile, wrapping your arms around his torso.

Patting your back gently, Mingao places a soft kiss on your forehead, giving you a warning look as your eyes ask for more. “Not now … not here,” he clarifies, running his hand over your head once, admiring the updo it’s in as he slots his other hand into yours. “Don’t you want to see where I’m taking you?”

You grip his hand tighter and nod as he pulls out a brown fabric from the crevice in his robe. “What’s this for?” you ask as he drapes it over your head gingerly, finally tying the loose ends under your chin.

“Just so you don’t get noticed. We are going to the civil grounds, after all,” Mingaho explains, patting your cheek lightly once he’s done and pulling you to follow after him as he leads the way. You’re both quiet as he leads you carefully through the paths of the militia grounds, finally sneaking you out through a side gate.

Minghao quietly pulls you through the winding streets of the civil grounds where the atmosphere is bustling, with vibrant colors, loud voices, and an endless amount of people flooding the pathways. It’s new, of course, but with the sun hanging low above you, Minghao’s warm hand encased around yours, and the promise of a good night in your mind, you feel oddly comforted.

You’re led through the crowds, Minghao holding you close to his side until he stops at the base of one, tall building, leading you through an alleyway and to the back where there’s a narrow staircase leading to the roof. With a hand on your back, he guides you up the stairs, still keeping close as he follows carefully behind you.

“This is Jun’s family’s old shop,” he explains as the distant sounds of laughter and music grow fainter. “They’ve moved buildings now, but me and Jun come here sometimes with friends because this one is really tall and … and well you’ll see,” he murmurs as you finally reach the top.

He pulls you closer, wrapping his arms around your waist as you both walk onto the rooftop which is lined with a fence style barrier. The ground is covered in old rugs and there are some sacks and boxes strewn around. Walking over to the edge with Minghao, you gasp softly at the sight around you. The civil ground sprawls beneath you, and as you look up, you can see the castle against the blooming oranges and reds of the sky—it’s beautiful.

“This is … wow … this is really pretty, Hao,” you say, and his hold on you tightens for a second before letting go so he can turn around. He walks over to one of the boxes, rummaging through its contents before pulling out a few linen sheets and a lantern, setting it down on the rugs.

“Come, sit,” he instructs as he lays out the sheets, placing the light on top. You follow, smoothing your robes before sitting next to him and leaning into his shoulder so he can wrap an arm around you. Looking up, you watch the sky turn into a hue of orange so deep and vibrant that it’s nearly red.

“You really can’t get a view like this from the castle,” you say with a sigh as Minghao uses one hand to light up the lantern.

He hums in response, pressing a kiss to the temple of your head. “Yeah, I know. I’ve been meaning to bring you here for a while.” You turn to look up at him with a big grin, finally pressing a soft kiss to his lips. It’s short and sweet, and although you really are aching for more, you suppose you’ll settle for this right now. After all, you do have all night.

“This is beautiful,” Minghao tells you when you pull away, fingers brushing over the golden hairpin you stuck into your updo early in the morning.

“Eunji picked it out for me…”

He smiles at you gently, hands disappearing into the folds of his robe. “I love it. I actually wanted to show you something,” he says, pulling out a small object clasped in his hands.

Opening it up in front of you, on his palm sits a shiny, finger shaped accessory, gleaming with a hue that perfectly matches your hairpin. It vaguely resembles the figure of Minghao’s own fingers, and you run your fingers over the cool metal, tracing over the delicate patterns carved in.

“What’s this?”

“A prize. The kingdom was holding a competition for the different demonstration units, and as the leader of the unit that won, I was made this,” he explains, rubbing his own fingers over the accessory. Wordlessly, he slips it onto his middle finger and holds it up in front of you to see it more closely. As your vision zones in on the golden piece, you notice a shift in Minghao's eyes—a darkening intensity.

“Hao,” you whisper quietly, and then he’s bringing the decorated finger up to your face and pressing the cool metal against your lips. Gasping, you lean forward instinctively, your mouth wrapping around the piece instinctively. His hand in your mouth, you can smell him, although the taste of iron against your tongue is unfamiliar. New, but not unpleasant.

“You have no idea,” Minghao begins to say, pressing his fingers down on your tongue firmly, “how long I’ve been thinking about this.” You can’t respond, not with the way your mouth is stuffed, but you honestly don’t need to. The way your tongue swirls over his digits and teeths at the accessory is enough to tell Minghao that you’ve been aching for this just as long as he has. “Do you want to…try something?” he asks tentatively, slipping his slick fingers out carefully.

You don’t need to think about your answer, not with Minghao. You’d trust him no matter what, follow him anywhere, let him do anything to you. Your fingers toy with the ribbons of your robes as you nod eagerly, and he helps you untie them from your side. The cloth hangs loose from your shoulders now, the gap at your chest spreading now and leaving you bare.

The golden piece is still on his fingers, and as he trails his hands down the curve of your tits, pressing against your stomach and dipping in between your legs, Minghao watches your face contort into pleasure. The cool metal pressing against your warm cunt has your soft breaths turning into harsh pants as you grab his firm bicep, legs spreading instinctively.

Quickly, you glance around you, but Minghao quells your worries when he presses his lips against your neck and murmurs, “Don’t worry angel, we’re too high up for anyone to see.” His fingers are gliding between your folds as he sucks against your neck, and you know he wants to be sweet with you, wants to take his time, wants to be the patient gentleman he is, but it’s been far too long.

“Minghao,” you moan when his thumb brushes against your clit. “Wanna feel you,” your murmur, nudging his face in the crook of your neck with your own. He chuckles into your skin, licking a hot stripe over your skin before nodding. It hardly takes him a second before he’s circling your slick hole and pressing in.

The hard accessory is a new feeling—this isn’t the same as the familiar pads of Minghao’s long fingers rubbing against your plush walls, but you can’t say you don’t like it. Whining into his mouth as he kisses you, your hands roam Minghao’s body, tugging at the ropes of his robe around his torso.

As you aimlessly try to shuffle his robe off of him, Minghao starts to plunge his fingers in and out. Shrugging his robe off his shoulders, you’re finally able to press your palms against his hard chest, breaking away from the kiss so you can admire him. “You like it?” he asks amusedly as your mouth hangs wide open when he presses his fingers in extra deep with one thrust. Your head lolls back heavily, the finger piece adding an extra layer of thickness that you aren’t used to.

“Feels s’good,” you say softly, the moans getting caught in your throat when he speeds up his movements. “Love your fingers …” You take a deep breath before continuing. “Love y—you!” you whimper unexpectedly when you feel your orgasm creep up on you unexpectedly quickly.

“Are you gonna cum, princess?” Something about the way Minghao calls you princess is different from others. Maybe it’s the way he isn’t calling you that because you are the princess, but because you are his princess. His sweet girl, falling apart at the palm of his hand as he rubs your sensitive nub and continues to finger fuck you until you moan his name. His name falls from your lips like honey, sweet and thick as he kisses you passionately and doesn’t stop working you through your orgasm until you’re squirming in his hold and pawing at his pants.

Slipping out his fingers, Minghao holds the shiny accessory up, and it seems to shimmer even more now, coated in your wetness and reflecting the pretty red tint of the sky. Gently pulling the piece off his finger, he sets it to the side. “How was it?”

You smile hazily, still recovering from your much awaited orgasm. “I loved it … felt different but I loved it,” you tell him honestly, shuffling over on his lap as your robe falls completely off your body, leaving you in nothing but panties. Minghao’s breath hitches at the sight, and you grin as your fingers make their way to the firm waistband of his brown pants.

He’s quick to catch on, enveloping your lips in a kiss as he pulls his pants and boxers off in one go, hard cock springing free and hitting your thigh lightly. You feel the warm precum leak against your skin as you shift closer, your stomach pressing against his now that you’re both completely bare and more desperate than ever.

Minghao's arms wrap around your torso, one hand going down to line his thick tip up with your folds, letting himself get coated in your wetness. "You ready, angel?" he asks when your mouths break apart from each other, his pretty lips red and swollen. Your eyebrows pinch together when you feel his cock prodding at your entrance and you nod vigorously. “Words, princess, use your words.”

“Yes, Hao, ‘m ready,” you moan when you feel him press against you, letting your head fall to his shoulder. “So ready, so, so ready,” you continue, not being able to control yourself when you press your own hips down. Minghao gasps at the feeling of you sinking on him, warm walls hugging his cock and fuck, he realizes how much he missed you.

Realizes just how much his fist falls short of your perfect pussy—long nights of being without you so he to resort to jerking himself off to the thought of you but none of that compared to the feeling of you whining his name on top of him, hands clutching at his arms as you try to adjust to his size.

You’re also having your own moment of epiphany now too—realization that your fingers were not enough, and will never be enough. At least, not after you’ve felt Hao’s cock inside of you—one thrust in and he’s already hitting all the right spots and having you writhe on top of him.

“Fuck, you feel so good,” Minghao groans when your ass settles fully on his lap, his cock pressed into you, balls deep, as your fingers lace into his hair and grab at his soft locks.

“Oh—oh m-my god, Hao,” you whimper when he shifts inside of you. The pain that once came from his size is now morphing into a white, hot pleasure that ripples through your spine as you lift your hips up halfway before letting them fall back down. “So—s’big,” you gasp out when his fat tip nudges against your cervix.

Minghao feels his cock twitch inside of you at your words, using his hands to guide your body so you can move and bounce on top of him with less effort. Your cunt is so tight around him and his eyes press shut tightly when he hears you call out his name. “Doin’ so good for me princess,” he praises when you roll your hips against his.

Both of your movements aren’t fast nor extravagant but it’s the way he’s so close to you, skin melting into one other as you share your breath and exchange moans. Bodies moving in sync as you drink in the velvety moans, your nose nuzzles into his when your thighs start to cramp up. “Hao …” you call out as his cock punches the air out of your lungs. “…’m tired,” you mewl, your hips stuttering into his.

His hand cradles your neck as you both still, murmuring, “I got you angel.” Swiftly, Minghao flips you over so your back is pressed against the sheets and he’s on top of you, arms on either side of your head to hold himself up. One hand comes up to hold your cheek as he starts to move again, taking control of the thrusts now.

Stroking your cheekbone with his thumb, he ruts his hips into yours, cock and pussy jamming together in a sloppy mess as you feel that knot in your tummy start to tie up again. “Missed you s’much,” you confess as heat flourishes through your body.

“Missed you too angel,” Minghao returns almost immediately, letting the snap of his hips become more sharp and forceful, your body jerking back and forth with each movement. Your eyes flicker between Hao’s pretty face, coated in a sheen layer of sweat, and the night sky that begins to loom into a dark purple, revealing the stars. “Gonna have to fuck you every single night now that I’m back,” he grunts when you squeeze around him extra tight, letting himself drop down onto his elbows.

You shudder at the idea of having Hao’s cock inside of you every night, and you aren’t sure if your pussy can handle the pleasure. “I’ll—fuck—” you gasp between the words, “—I’ll sneak you in e-every night.”

“Yeah? Eunji’s not gonna get mad when she sees your door locked every morning?” he chuckles, bringing a hand down to rub at your clit.

“Don’t care,” you mutter, biting down on your lip as your feel the knot being pulled and tugged inside you. “Fuck—Hao, ‘m so close, so, so close … Are you close?” you ask dazedly, lips puffy and eyes wide as you look up at him. And looks so sexy with the way his brown eyes watch you intently, his muscles flexing with every movement and Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he tries to hold off his own orgasm.

“Yeah, ‘m close angel, your pussy so good,” he slurs as he meets your lips for a tongue tying kiss. And slowly and carefully, you both start to unwind, your orgasm hitting you first from the overstimulation of your first that never quite ebbed away, Minghao’s following suit as you let out whimpers moans of his name into his mouth, cock twitching before filling you to the brim with his thick ropes of cum.

Your ears ring of white noise for the next few moments as thrash against Minghao, your bodies melting into one until he finally breaks away from your lips, leaving you both as a tangled mess of limbs. You’re breathing heavily into each other and you can’t quite comprehend what’s going on until he whispers your name into your ear, eyes shooting back to life.

“I love you,” he murmurs, kissing your earlobe before lifting his head so he can look at you intently.

“I love you,” you say, without a second of hesitation. He’s still inside of you, and now you’re hyper-aware of the growing mess that sits between your legs. Minghao kisses your nose as you look down when he finally slips out of you, a small noise of complaint leaving your lips. Inhaling deeply, you sit up. “You’re going to live up to that promise, you know,” you say shyly when he looks at you, sitting up as well to grab his robe. “You know … every single night.”

Minghao grins. “Of course I will.”

“Can I hold you to that?” you ask slyly, intertwining your fingers with his.

Minghao rolls his eyes, palm pressing against yours. “Guess we’ll just have to try ‘n’ find out.”

[all-about-kyu]

Summary: After the ups and downs of being in the public eye throughout your pregnancy, the time finally comes to meet your little one. Pairing: idol!Seonghwa x model!reader Tropes: established relationship au, new parents au, idol au, celebrity au Genre: fluff Rating: PG Warnings: allusions to childbirth, happy crying, breastfeeding, language Word Count: 2,141 Note: part of the Desire universe and for my anniversary! (enjoy the nod to her display name as the title) thank you to @anyamaris for beta reading!!

Before You Interact

Seonghwa had been panicking all day. You had gone into labor around 3am but still didn’t start active labor until hours after arriving at the hospital. After hours of physically and mentally exhausting labor, your son was finally in your arms. Even after your doctor confirmed that both you and your son were healthy, your boyfriend really couldn’t relax. When you feed Yejun for the first time, Seonghwa finally relaxes and lays him down to sleep in the bassinet.

“We’re parents.” He sighs happily, squishing onto the hospital bed beside you.

“Yes, we are.” You chuckle, “You finally relaxed now?”

Your boyfriend nods, “It was a crazy morning.”

“Yeah,” you let out a breathy laugh, “I just spent 8 hours pushing him out of me.”

Seonghwa kisses your hair, “And you did an amazing job. He’s perfect.”

Seonghwa looks over at your sleeping son and smiles brightly. He’s so proud to call himself a father; your son is everything he could ever wish for and more. He then turns to you and cups your face in his hands. You smile softly at him, and he returns the look. Your boyfriend leans in and kisses you softly. The tender moment is disrupted by multiple notifications from your phone. When you glance at it, you notice that it’s only 1pm.

“Should we let the others know he’s here? I’m sure Danbi is pacing through your dorm right now, and Mingi is trying to get her to sit down.” You joke.

“You should rest.” He worries.

You shake your head, “I’m actually quite awake… I think I’m on some sort of adrenaline high.”

Seonghwa shakes his head at you and looks down at his hand intertwined with yours. He frees his hand a moment later and texts your group chat to let everyone know Yejun has finally arrived. It takes all of two minutes to have Eunji FaceTiming you. Despite your clearly disheveled state, you answer.

“Can we come?” She asks, skipping all courtesies.

“Hi Eunji, I’m great! Yejun and I are healthy and safe.”

“Can we come then?!” She questions again.

Seonghwa butts in, “Yeah, visiting hours end at 4pm tonight so if any of you plan to come you’re welcome to.”

“I’m meeting my nephew!” You hear Yunho yell in the background followed by a door slamming.

Of course, the rest of your friends were all holed up together in the Ateez dorm. You hear Yejun quietly whining, alerting you of his waking state. Quickly, you say goodbye to your friends, and Seonghwa tells them the maximum number of visitors at a time. You reach your son and see him slowly blink as he wakes up. You know he can’t see much of anything yet, but he knows it’s you. During your prenatal class, you learned that babies have an incredible ability to sense their parents without even really seeing them well. Carefully, you lift him up and hold him close to your body. You gave birth to him just over two hours ago, and already you can’t get enough of holding him. Returning to your bed, you feed him again, and Seonghwa offers to attempt his first diaper change. You both quickly found out Yejun does not enjoy them. 

Once he’s changed, Seonghwa carries him back to you. You both sit there for a while, holding Yejun and Seonghwa, wrapping his arms around you. Honestly, you don’t know how you’ve ever lived any other way before having both your boys. A soft knock sounds on your door, interrupting the domestic moment.

“I’ll go get it.” Seonghwa offers, “It’s probably our friends.”

You nod and look back down at Yejun, who is fast asleep again. Seonghwa is quietly talking with someone at the door, but you can’t be bothered to pay attention due to how enamored you are by your son. You hear footsteps growing louder, then feel Seonghwa’s hand gently curl over your shoulder. Looking up, you look at your boyfriend then see Yunho. You suppose his mad dash out of the dorm made him the first to arrive. It wouldn’t surprise you if he didn’t even wait for anyone else to get in the car before he left.

“Do you want to hold him?” You ask quietly after you notice Yunho’s shocked state.

The tall man nods and takes a few steps closer, “He’s so tiny.” He comments once you pass him the baby.

“He is only two hours old.” You laugh, “Of course he’s tiny.”

In Yunho’s hands, Yejun looks even smaller. His large hands are about half of your son’s entire body length. For a moment, you think your friend may cry. He’s been excited for you to have Yejun from the moment he found out about your pregnancy. You, Yunho, and Seonghwa chat for a while. Yunho holds your son as long as he can until Yejun grows fussy and Seonghwa takes him back. Suddenly, Yunho’s phone starts ringing in his pocket. He sighs when he sees the caller and accepts the FaceTime call.

“Hello, Mingi.” He says in a playfully annoyed tone.

“Mingi’s parking the car. Get your ass out of there. I need to see Yejun right now.” Danbi yells into the phone.

“Okay, okay. He’s fussy so have fun with that.”

You look over and see Seonghwa pacing while gently rocking him and humming quietly; the amount of love poring from his eyes makes your heart soar with butterflies. Yejun won’t calm down, though. You motion for your boyfriend to bring him to you. Instantly, Yejun calms and seems to be searching for your chest in hopes of milk. After that, Yunho dismisses himself to allow you the privacy of feeding.

“What?” You question when you notice Seonghwa watching you.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? You’re staring at our son while he’s eating.” You tease.

Seonghwa smiles brightly and sits at the foot of the bed.

“It’s beautiful. You’re beautiful. He’s beautiful. I couldn’t imagine life without you both.” 

Another knock raps on the door. You quickly pull your hospital gown up and over your son as he continues to feed. Seonghwa pops his head out the door and then allows the guests in. Both your friends step into the room. Their boyfriends are nowhere to be seen yet.

“Where–”

“Currently latched to my chest.” You cut off Danbi, “He’s hungry.”

A few moments later, Yejun is done feeding, and you strategically move him from under the gown to lay him against your shoulder to burp him. Once he does, you hold him for both Eunji and Danbi to see. Danbi looks like she’s in some sort of elated shock. You don’t expect to see Eunji almost instantly break down in tears. She walks closer but doesn’t reach out to hold him due to her state. She had done her own research and didn’t want to risk him getting sick in any way.

“He’s so…” She tapers off.

Eunji steps into your bathroom and cleans her hands (maybe too thoroughly) before returning and asking to hold him. She looks at him as if he’s her world. On more than one occasion, she’s mentioned that she doesn’t want kids of her own. Luckily, Yeosang feels the same way. The two of them are more than happy being an aunt and uncle to whoever ends up having kids in your friend group. 

You look for Seonghwa, but notice he stepped out. He knew it was a raw and personal moment for Danbi and Eunji to meet your son. You’re thankful he gave that moment to them despite his papa bear mode already being present two hours into your son’s life. The door opens again, and You see your boyfriend walk in with Mingi and Yeosang in tow. Yeosang immediately wraps his arms around Eunji from behind and rests his chin on her shoulder. He looks at Yejun in her arms and smiles softly. The entire scene melts your heart. 

Despite not wanting to hand off your son, she reluctantly passes him to Mingi. Yet again, your son looks pea-sized in his hands. Danbi breaks from her excitement-induced stupor. She reaches over and rubs her finger along Yejun’s soft cheek. He thinks it’s a food source and tries to latch onto it. She lets out a quiet giggle at the action. Mingi has a goofy smile on his face. You know he’s happy, though. His eyes are sparkling looking at the infant in his hands. Since he panicked about finding your pregnancy tests in Danbi’s bathroom, he’s been vocal about his wish for kids in the future. Though, he and Danbi agreed, not for a while still. 

“The other four are blowing up the group chat, waiting to get in here.” Seonghwa laughs lightly, “I’m sure they want to meet him before his mother passes out on us.”

“I’m fine.” You protest. Your yawn betrays your sentiment. 

Danbi nods, “As much as we’d love to stay, I have a few exams to prepare for, and somebody has meetings tomorrow.” She comments, throwing Mingi a playfully annoyed look.

Yeosang looks at Yejun being passed back to you. His eyes are wide and shiny. Somewhere between concerned and enamored. As much as he loves your son already, him being just over three hours old now makes him scared that he’ll break him somehow. 

“Did we get the godparents title?” Eunji asks, eyes locked on Yejun.

“You know damn well you share that with all of us!” Mingi whines.

His volume causes Yejun to burst out in tears. Not used to loud sounds yet. You bounce him lightly and shush him. Yeosang’s concerned yet enamored face intensifies and the four of them quickly excuse themselves. (Much to Eunji’s dismay). After the door is shut again, another yawn escapes your lips.

“If you’re too tired, my love, we can tell Joong, San, Wooyoung, and Jongho to come by tomorrow.” Seonghwa tells you with a bit of worry in his tone.

You shake your head, “It’s okay. It wouldn’t be fair to them if everyone else got to meet him today.”

Seonghwa sighs, “It’s what your limit is, and his is too… if you’re too tired if he’s too tired… they’ll understand.”

“Seonghwa, we’re okay.” You offer a soft smile. 

Despite his lingering concern, Seonghwa leaves to retrieve the last four people who need to meet your little one. The moment the door knob clicks open, San is bursting through the door, with Wooyoung not far behind. Both of them look over the moon with joy and excitement. Wooyoung is the first to get to hold him. San whines about it the whole time. The slightly younger male rambles on and on in a quiet voice about how much fun they’ll have when he’s older. Eventually, San steals the baby from him and looks at him with a sweet, dimpled smile.

“He looks a lot like Seonghwa.” He chuckles, “Almost identical to the baby pictures we’ve seen of him.”

“You trying to say he looks nothing like me?” You tease.

San nods, “Exactly that!” He giggles, “Seriously though, you two are going to be amazing parents. I’m happy for you.”

Wooyoung and San hoard Yejun, Hongjoong, and Jongho hang back the whole time and quietly observe. That is, until, San passes the newborn to Hongjoong when he notices just how tired you’re getting and drags a very chatty Wooyoung out of the room. Hongjoong looks like a fish out of water, to say the least. Then, Yejun blinks up at him. His expression completely changes, and he looks as though he could melt at any moment.

“A new first mate?” He teases Seonghwa.

“Don’t push it. Make your own first mate if you really want one.”

Hongjoong laughs quietly, “But you’re so good at the job. I’m sure Yejun would be just as good.”

The two go back and forth for a while. In the meantime, Jongho pulls a chair closer to you. 

“You did good.” He states plainly.

“Thank you?”

“I’m serious. I couldn’t have imagined Seonghwa in this position a few years ago. You’re really good for him, and having Yejun showed me even more that you two are special. You know… when he first mentioned wanting to ask you out properly, he came to me for advice. I’m really happy he did. He loves you, and now Yejun, more than anyone on this planet or further. You did good.” He smiles softly at you.

“Jongho,” you pause for a moment, “Thank you.”

He nods, “Of course, I’ll hold him another time, okay?”

“Are you sure?” You question your maternal instincts, kicking in full force.

He nods again, “I can just tell how exhausted you and Seonghwa are. He’s just not letting it on. And I’m sure Yejun is exhausted from meeting people all afternoon, too. Get some rest. You all deserve it.”

COPYRIGHT STARLITMARK 2023© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED — reposting/modifying any fic or piece of original writing posted on this blog is not allowed. Translations are not permitted. 

Networks: @kwritersworld @k-vanity @cultofdionysusnet

Tag List: @sanjoongie @jaehunnyy @ericssmile @anyamaris @almondmilkeu @shinestarhwaa @northerngalaxy

[thelargefrye]

SHE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT … part one

pairing : yunho x idol!f!reader (background poly ateez)

genre : angst, hurt / no comfort, idol au

warnings : insecurities used in an argument, yunho is a big jerk in this, language, y/n blames herself, brief mentions of a car accident

word count : 1.2k

tag list : @tannie13 @icyb3rry @cookiechristie @atinytinaa @jcngh0-hq @kurosism

an argument breaks out between you and yunho which results in yunho saying somethings he shouldn’t have. now you begin to question your place in the relationship.

YOU DON’T EVEN REMEMBER how the argument started.

all you remember is yunho and the others coming home from promotions and you greeting them. you could tell that they were tired and so you tried your best to help them relax.

you had made dinner for the nine of you, something which was rare in itself as you all knew how much you couldn’t cook, but you were determined to make them the meal wooyoung had showed you a few months ago. you had been practicing your skills for this exact moment.

wooyoung had come up behind you to observe your cooking. his head resting on your shoulder as his arms wrapped around your waist.

“i know it won’t as good as yours,” you begin to say as you both watch the food cook, “but i’ve been practicing cooking it ever since you showed me how to make it,” you finish as you give your energetic boyfriend a side glance.

wooyoung smiles at you as he takes to spoon from the side of the counter and gets a small taste of the food.

“it taste great,” he says with a smile before kissing your cheek. wooyoung leaves to go rest on the couch with some of the others.

you can only assume that wooyoung just threw himself on top of hongjoong thanks to loud grunt the leader let out along with curse which is followed by wooyoung’s laugh.

when the food was done, seonghwa was quick to help you set the table as the others came and sat down.

you took your place in your usual spot between san and yunho. you noted how your taller boyfriend looked exhausted, the circles under his eyes doing nothing to hide his tired expression.

you placed your hand on top of yunho’s causing the male to look over at you. “how was your day?” you asked once the others began eating and chatting away.

“fine,” he muttered as he moved his hand away from yours. he didn’t make attempt to expand upon it or to look at you.

he’s just tired, you think as you push the odd feeling bubbling in your chest down in order to eat.

“wow! y/n, this is good! you’ve really gotten better at cooking,” mingi says making you and the others smile and laugh at his words.

“thanks, i’ve been practicing while you all were on tour! eunji-unnie has been a great taste tester.”

after dinner, san and jongho clean up and you try to help, but they are quick to send you off.

you make your way over to yunho who is sitting on the couch, watching as wooyoung and seonghwa bicker over what show to watch. you sit next to him, your head immediately resting on his shoulder like you always do.

however, before you can get comfortable, yunho is quick to shrug you off of him. you’re about to ask him what’s wrong, but don’t get the chance as he quickly stands up and leaves the living room. you all flinch as he slams his and san’s bedroom door closed, making all of you go quiet.

the odd feeling from dinner makes a reappearance as you make eye contact with mingi who takes in your shocked face.

“he’s just tired. you know how he gets sometimes when he gets overwhelmed. i’m sure he’ll be fine tomorrow.”

HE WAS NOT FINE as the next day rolled in as you all got up to get ready for the day. you give each boy their usual greetings which consist of you telling them good morning and a quick kiss to some part of their face.

however, yunho acted like your touch would burn him as he quickly moved away from you. you were honestly starting to feel annoyed by his sudden attitude change. you needed to figure out what wrong before you had to leave for practice.

“yunho what is going on with you? you’ve been acting like i have the plague or something since last night,” you say as you call him out before he can hide away in his room until you leave.

“nothings wrong, you’re just being dramatic,” he says with a huff as he runs his fingers through his hair.

“then why are acting like it’s a hassle to talk to me?”

“because maybe it is a hassle to talk to you!” he suddenly shouts catching you and the others off guard, “have you thought about the fact that maybe i don’t want you clinging to me all the time? have you thought about that maybe i’m just done!”

you stomach twisted as his words, like you were going to throw up, “done with what?” your voice is small as you ask him.

“done with you,” he says looking you dead in the eyes and you know from the look on his face that’s he’s serious. “i’m tired of you being so insecure about yourself and me having to try and make all those worries go away. if i had known that i would have to do that when i asked you out then—

“yunho stop talking,” hongjoong says from his spot behind you. he knew what yunho was about to say and the leader knew that yunho would come to regret it later. “you’re just tired of promotions, that doesn’t give you any reason to take it out on y/n when she’s done nothing wrong.”

“you’re one to talk hyung,” yunho spat with a frown, “last time i checked you’re the one who almost ruined our whole relationship because of some bitchy sasaeng producer. and who did you have that fight with, huh?”

you knew what he was getting at. if you weren’t in the relationship, if he didn’t ask you out when you were trainees then none of this would have happened. if you have just left yunho alone then maybe you wouldn’t be having this argument at six o’clock in the morning.

if you hadn’t accused hongjoong of cheating back then, then maybe he wouldn’t have said those harsh words and you wouldn’t have ran out. if you hadn’t of ran out then maybe you could have avoided getting hit by that car. if you hadn’t gotten hit then maybe you could have actual did some promotions and not caused the relationship to almost fall apart.

maybe it would be best if you—

“yunho, let’s break up.”

“what?” yunho seems taken back by your words.

“you obviously aren’t happy being with me anymore, so let’s break up,” you repeat as you look up to meet his eyes.

“now hold on a second,” seonghwa tries to jump in but yunho speaks before him.

“okay, let’s break up.”

“yunho!” everyone looks between the two of you as you nod your head at him.

“wait a minute you guys—

hongjoong tries to speak up, but is interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. you all look towards the door to see your manager standing in the entrance way.

“what did i walk into?” she asks, but no one says anything as you quickly grab your bag and rush over to her and out the door without a word. your manager looks confused as she looks at the boys before quickly following after you.

the two of you say nothing on the elevator ride down and it isn’t until your in the van that you final break down. tears running down your face as you sob loudly at everything that just happened.

“hey, what happened up there?”

“me and yunho broke up!”

[eunjiswrld]

[Tags]

[cafemilk-tea]

Dispatch has confirmed 2024’s first couple: Mingyu and Evelyn of SEVENTEEN!

According to media outlet ‘Dispatch’, the couple has been together since April 2022.

An insider reports that the couple were friendly with each other more than just as team members in the past and have grown strong feelings towards one another.

The insider continues that their most frequent meeting place is that of Evelyn’s secured place of residence just outside of Seoul. The couple has been seen out late at night walking Evelyn’s dog around the town with their hands joined together, sharing an occasional kiss with one another.

Pledis Entertainment has yet to respond to the reports.

a few hours later

(BREAKING PLEDIS Entertainment confirms the relationship between SEVENTEEN’s Mingyu and Evelyn)

Earlier this morning, the news outlet Dispatch had reported that SEVENTEEN’s Evelyn and Mingyu were in a relationship since April 2022. Pledis Entertainment has now responded to the reports as reported below:

Hello, this is Pledis Entertainment.

We can happily confirm that our artists SEVENTEEN EVELYN and SEVENTEEN MINGYU are confirmed to be meeting with good feelings. We ask that you can respect their decision and continued support.

Netizens have mixed reviews about the confirmation as shown below:

• “That’s really crazy! Good for them!”

• “I don’t know if I’m more shocked by their relationship or by Pl*dis actually responding to the rumors.”

• “All the haters can actually eat dogshit. They are happy together, leave them alone.”

• “She’s doing it for attention and using being the only girl in the group as an excuse.”

• “I’m actually surprised he wants her like that.”

• “Kim Mingyu I’m disappointed you can do better.”

• “What a b***h! Why would she date one of her group members? Disgusting.”

• “Please they look so good together!”

• “Now which staff member leaked this information.”

• “I don’t know who I want to be more, Eunji or Mingyu. Either way, I’m so jealous.”

🏷️ : @justmochi @ateezjuliet @itzy-eve @cosmicwintr @billboard-singer @kimhyejin3108 @cixrosie @enhacolor @allthings-fandoms @mingis-wrld @kmgfeels @peachyaeger @alixnsuperstxr @choihaneul

(pls note that this is in fact FICTION and none of this is real!)

[strawberryya]

rainy nights

pairing: seungkwan x reader

synopsis: Is your fiancé ready to weather the storm if your worst nightmares were to be revealed? Maybe it's just the frigid weather seeping inside, unfurling all the anxieties you've locked away, or perhaps there's more to it.

word count: 4.6k

genre/cw: angst, fluff, hurt/comfort, established relationship, fighting, cheating allegations, mentions of food and alcohol, a lot of insecurities in relationship

rating: sfw

a/n: autumn angst coming your way!! This is for the svthub fall-ing collab which u should check out for all the cozy fall vibes that are needed during these cold and dark months 🫶

network tagging: @svthub @cultofdionysusnet @k-labels @kvanity-main

You came home to find a sleepy Seungkwan, nodding off in front of a movie he seemed to have barely begun watching. Your fiance has been working hard these past few weeks. With his newest show airing and promoting things left and right every day, you knew how exhausted he must feel. He answered your greeting with a drowsy hello as you stepped into your shared flat. The living room looked so warm even without any sun shining through the windows, the darkness outside seemingly unable to get inside through the glass panes. Quickly shaking off your outerwear you immediately ran over to Seungkwan, and the warmth he and the blankets offered you. 

“Long day?” 

Seungkwan nodded in response, smiling a little as you buried yourself on the other end of the couch. It was chilly outside, and you were cold to the bone after walking home. Seungkwan jumped at your cold feet snuggling against him in search of warmth, “My god, how are you so cold?!” 

“I didn’t realize it would be that cold outside today, so I wore my cute shoes…” you cried out, earning a sympathetic, but chastising look from Seungkwan.

Shaking his head, he told you what you already knew. “It’s fall, how could you not think it would be cold outside? What if you catch a cold?” 

“I know, I’m the one freezing because of it…” You frowned and cuddled into the blankets even more. 

Your fiance only hummed in response, having accepted your cold limbs resting against him and slowly but surely warming up. He looked very pretty tonight, his dark hair messily falling over his forehead. He had showered and changed into comfy clothes right away after coming home. You had meant to do the same, but the sting of getting into a hot shower right away after being in the freezing cold did not feel like a good idea once you had gotten inside. Cuddling was definitely the better option. And spending some time like this with Seungkwan was honestly exactly what you needed right now. It had been a while since you had been able to talk or spend time together since the both of you were working until late way too often. Resulting in the both of you being too tired to do much other than cuddle a bit or simply fall asleep. 

“Did you have dinner?” you asked, patting his leg to get his attention. He was close to falling asleep again, the movie apparently not interesting enough to keep him awake for the hour that was left. “Mm, we had a team dinner,” Seungkwan mumbled. 

“Ah, the entire crew? Where did you go? Did you eat something tasty?” you asked excitedly. Usually, Seungkwan would bring you take-away of whatever food he had eaten when going out, and you would of course do the same if you found it tasty. It was a little tradition you had created over the years. Since you both had a hard time going out to restaurants for actual dates during your busy weeks, it was easier to bring it home and share the experience once you were both home. With Seungkwan, even doggy bags had become something romantic to you. 

“It was okay, the autumn-style stew they had was pretty good though, there's some in the fridge for you if you haven’t eaten yet,” he said and let the corners of his lips curl when he heard you exited shout, he loved making you happy through small things like these. “It was me, Eunji, and a few crew people since we were the only ones left when we stopped filming today. It was pretty fun, but I think I should’ve drank a bit less since I’m supposed to film tomorrow too…” he added, making your excitement dissolve as quickly as it had appeared. 

You would’ve reassured him that it would be fine, he would do his best as usual even if he was slightly hughover. But all you could hear was her name. Eunji… Seungkwans university girlfriend. The model-looking actress who was working on the same show as Seungkwan this time. She was his first true love. She is gorgeous, kind, and worst of all: you even find her likable. 

You aren’t a jealous person, you never have been. But when it came to her… you couldn’t help but feel inferior. It was hard to speak about that with Seungkwan, he wouldn’t see it how you do. 

With a forced smile, in case his drowsy eyelids weren’t covering his sight as much as you thought, you pretended to be okay with what he had told you. 

“Eunji… It’s been a while since you worked together.” 

With a slow hum, Seungkwan agreed. It wasn’t often the two got to work together on shows nowadays. It had been more frequent right after university, their past relationship hidden from the public as a close friendship, and both of their careers within the acting industry taking off. This was also around the same time he had first met you…

“She says hi, by the way.” 

“Oh, well, tell her I said hi back next time then…” 

Seungkwan had stopped resting his head on his hand, instead letting his head fall back on the pillows leaned against the armrest. Warm light from the kitchen was lighting up his soft features, making your heart flutter when you thought about how someone like him had fallen for you. And then you felt that familiar, sinking feeling that bubbled up from within and whispered in your ear: maybe your love for him isn’t enough to keep him. 

He held your heart in his hands, and you stood powerless beside him. Still waiting to see what he would do with it in the end. If he decided to win back Eunji’s heart, what would he need yours for? 

You bit the nail of your thumb, shoulders tensing up as you watched your fiance nodding off yet again. Knowing would be better than not knowing, right? It would be less painful if you could see it coming. You were engaged, but if you didn’t get married before he broke your heart it would be easier for the both of you, wouldn’t it? 

His lips sat in a perfect pout, pretty cheekbones making him a vision to look at, and still, you felt like he wasn’t truly yours to look at like this. Did he still think about what could’ve been with Eunji? 

You couldn’t help but recall an autumn night much like this one at the beginning of your relationship. Back then you had stayed up talking late into the night. Both of you were tired, but not ready to put the threads of your conversation to rest just yet. You had told him about thoughts you had never shared with a partner before, things only your best friends knew about, things that were so deep-rooted within your thoughts that they affected your entire person. Insecurities, convictions, and the silly plans you saw in your future. He had understood you, at least you were convinced he had. You wanted to think that he still did. 

Back then, when the leaves were turning copper, and golden sunshine tainted your relationship he had told you about Eunji. The girl he wasn’t sure he would ever fully get over – his first true love. 

You had listened and felt like you understood what he had meant back then. You had your past relationships as well, with your fair share of guys you thought you would never get over until you had. She was just like that, time erases all, you were so convinced of that back then. 

Now, you felt differently. During the years since that first autumn, you had fallen deeper in love with him than you had ever been with anyone before. You had realized that he was your first true love. And you weren’t his. 

He was fast asleep on the couch next to you. You should let it all go, cuddle up next to him, and deal with your emotions after some sleep. But should do and do are very different things. Instead, you buffed Seungkwan’s leg yet again, his eyelids sliding open to look at you. “Mh?” 

“Am I your rebound?” you asked softly, tears stuck in your throat.

Your question seemed to catch him off guard. It took a while for the words to register in his tired brain. “What do you mean by that? I don’t even know what the fuck you want me to answer to that.” He barked out as he squinted at you. 

His tone was snappier than you had expected. All of your worst fears about your relationship swarmed your thoughts, and his tone made you feel like he had something to defend. Like your words had rung true, that you were just a rebound, even though he hadn’t said it straight up. 

“I mean what I said, am I your rebound? Do you still think about her?”

“Have you lost it? I can’t mention Eunji to you without you getting jealous about it?” Seungkwan had stopped trying to adjust his tired eyes to watch your expression, too tired and tipsy to take your questions seriously. It wasn’t the first time you had become overly worried about the smallest thing. He didn’t pay it too much mind and usually made sure you got some peace of mind. But tonight he didn’t want to be the one to calm your mind – he wanted to sleep. 

“Can’t we do this tomorrow instead? My head hurts.”

The tears your body was too tired to hold back came welling out, staining your cheeks. You knew it was stupid, but it wasn’t too far-fetched. People went back to their exes all the time! What made someone as amazing as Seungkwan want to stay with you instead of be with someone who was both a whole lot prettier than you and also famous in the same industry as him? She probably understood him better than you, maybe he was her true love as well. You kept making yourself more and more riled up, the longer Seungkwan kept his eyes closed, his arm now covering his tired eyes. 

“Why can’t you just tell me that you miss her? I know you do.”

Seungkwan sighed, he was getting annoyed with you now, you felt it. “You don’t know what I'm feeling. Why are you trying to start a fight?”

“I’m not trying to start a fight! I just want you to be honest with me! We don’t talk anymore and I just want to spend some time with you, and I know I can’t blame you for that, but I just… You don’t even seem to notice how much more time you spend with your ex compared to me, your freaking fiancee! So I just want to know now, before it’s too late if you even want to be with me.”

You were sobbing, desperation, anxiety, and weeks of exhaustion all washing over you at once. It was all too much, and you just wanted him to comfort you. 

“Please, just stop overthinking, I really don’t know where you got all that from… let’s just go to bed and we can try and fix all that tomorrow. I can’t deal with this right now.”

“Deal?” You sobbed. “Am I something you have to deal with? Why are you being mean? I just want to know who you even love…” 

“My god, what the fuck are you talking about? I’m so tired, I really cannot do this right now.” Seungkwan groaned, throwing the blankets off his body and walking off towards the bedroom. You didn’t say anything when he slammed the bathroom door a bit too harshly, quiet rage simmering inside of you. He seemed like he would be okay even if you were to walk out right at that moment, he didn’t even seem to care about your tears or your feelings one bit. Would he have cared if you were Eunji? 

“Fine!” You yelled towards the closed doors separating you from your fiancé. “I won’t bother you then!” 

Quickly you shoved your feet back into your shoes, throwing your jacket on, and slamming the door behind you when you left. It was childish, you knew it was. You wiped at your tears, the wind helping you dry off a little, and the cold making you question if you shouldn’t go back instead. 

But going back wouldn’t solve anything. Staying away for now was best for everyone. You needed time to cool off, time to somehow talk yourself down, and reason with your anxieties enough to go back without crying and asking stupid questions again. 

You could call someone, sleep somewhere else, and try again tomorrow night after work. Before you could even finish making up a plan like that you realized that you had left your phone at home. You hadn’t brought anything but the few things already in your jacket pockets. Under a streetlamp you checked what you had: gum wrappers, a spare charger, and your wallet. At least that would be useful… 

You weren’t sure you wanted to talk about it yet anyhow, and it was too late to barge into someone’s place unannounced. Nevertheless, you would need to find someplace warm soon, the autumn wind blowing up golden leaves around you was already biting at your skin. You decided running to the bus stop and heading further into the city would be the best idea right now, hoping to find some restaurant that would stay open even this late on a weekday. The cold had almost made you forget about why you had even gone out, but the wound of his distant words was still fresh, and your heart ached even as you ran towards the bus. 

Seungkwan heard the door slamming shut behind you, it echoed through the house. 

“Where are they even going?” he grumbled to himself. 

He could’ve gone after you, but he wasn’t ready to face you yet, he couldn’t stop being mad about the whole conversation. He wanted to fall asleep. He wanted to forget that you had doubted him, that you had cried because of him. To Seungkwan it wasn’t even a possibility that he would ever get back together with Eunji, she was a part of his past, and now a colleague. Nothing more. He thought you knew that. 

It was impossible to stop thinking about the way you had sounded so hurt, so painfully weak while you asked who you were to him. The annoyance and anger over how you had started a fight over nothing was slowly but surely morphing into worry the longer he thought about it. 

His head throbbed as he tossed and turned in bed. He still hadn’t been able to fall asleep, his mind and body too busy trying to listen to the door opening, and the faint sound of your footsteps on the wooden floor. It was always easier to fall asleep when you were beside him. For hours he tried to get his mind to let go and give him some rest before you would come home and he would try and make things right. 

He wasn’t blameless, after all. If you thought he was able to do something like that he was partially responsible, he thought as he stared into the darkness surrounding him. Should he try calling you? If he knew where you were, even if you didn’t come back home tonight, maybe he could get some sleep and apologize for his response. He had been tired, but he knew he couldn’t blame that entirely. You were tired too. It had been a long week, and he didn’t even welcome you home like he wanted to. 

Picking up his phone he was started by the bright blue light that hit his sleepy eyes. He dialed your number, hoping that you would at least pick up. 

The beeps as he waited for you to pick up sounded throughout the empty bedroom, but a faint buzzing sound traveling from somewhere further away was distinguishable after a while. Were you still home? Had you never left? He ran up before he could think twice about what to say if you were sitting out there after all this time. 

You weren’t there though, your phone ringing alone on the counter where you had left it along with your house keys and bag. “Shit, she ran out without bringing anything?” 

Seungkwan’s hand brushed through his hair, head hurting as he felt the anxious thoughts about where you could have gone and if you were safe and warm arise in his mind. What if you were outside freezing in the cold, refusing to come home because of him and his mean response? He thought about running out to find you again. But it had been hours since you left. There was no way he would be able to find you wandering the streets at this hour. He pulled open the front door, the chilly autumn breeze giving him goosebumps. The leaves were wet and stuck to the shining asphalt outside. Rain drizzled and the wind forced the tiny drops inside. He quickly shut the door again, leaving it unlocked in case you came back without him noticing. You didn’t have your keys after all. 

Now he felt even worse. Had he done enough to reassure you that he was as madly in love with you as he felt he was? What had made you doubt him? When would you come back? It was overwhelming, his mind spun, and he had no control over himself anymore. 

Seungkwan decided that it was best to not spiral too far before he knew that you were safe. He called everyone he could think of. Your parents, your best friends, and even some acquaintances who lived close by. Only a few picked up, it was past midnight on a workweek after all. The few who did were more confused than anything. Nobody had seen or heard from you, and why was he calling this late at night looking for you? Had something happened? He didn’t know how to answer the questions they all asked. Once he knew that you weren’t there he simply hurried to apologize for disturbing you so late before hanging up and trying the next person. 

But you weren’t anywhere. Nobody had seen you. Nobody had heard from you. Which wasn’t strange, since you had left your phone behind. Seungkwan held his face in his palms, staring at his list of contacts, there was nowhere else you could’ve gone. He had called everyone he could think of. You might have been with one of the people who hadn’t picked up, of course. He tried to tell himself that you were safe and warm, asleep at a friend’s house. He imagined your tears dried, and your resting figure under a blanket. Safe from the storm that was continuing to pick up outside. 

“She’s ok, I know she is,” Seungkwan mumbled to himself, hands rubbing against his features, legs unable to stay still where he sat at the kitchen counter. Hoping that someone would call back and tell him that he could relax for even a couple of hours. 

He slanted over to the couch. Once again he tried sleeping but woke up every twenty minutes, the weakest sounds of wind outside waking him where he lay, your next to his on the coffee table. It had been left behind just like he had. You had just fucking left. And now you were somewhere out in the cold or at some friend’s house seething about what a dick he was. And he was. But couldn’t you have stayed at home and let him know how much of a dick he had been instead of leaving him all alone? 

As he dozed off he could hear your laughter, he remembered it so clearly he almost thought you had come home. It wasn’t real, he could recall the day when you had been laughing just like that. A couple of years ago, on an autumn day much like today, you had moved in together, into this house. You had been so excited, and he had never felt so fond of someone as he had that day. Seungkwan had always wondered what it would feel to fall in love with someone over and over again, but with you, he had found out. Every day he found a new thing about you that drove him mad. The way you pouted, when you sang in the shower, how you would kiss him goodbye even if he was sleepy and had morning breath. It all made his heart beat an extra beat, and always put a smile on his lips. You had rolled out the carpet beneath the couch he was on right now together. You had been adamant about making sure that he got two dozen kisses before you got up from the floor to continue unpacking, leaving him chuckling on the new carpet, looking up after you as you made the house into your home. 

He had been so happy back then, and you had a magic about you that could make him happy still. 

And somehow, he had made you doubt how much he loved you. He didn’t know how, but recalling your tears as he ignored your worries last night made his heartache. A silent tear fell from his eye, waking him from his sleepless dreams. 

That first night when you had begun living your lives together in this house you had baked an apple pie. You said that the house needed to be told that someone was being loved inside of it again. Apparently, a house found out that love was present through the scent of freshly baked pies. It had made him laugh back then, but he had loved that pie. The memory gave him an idea. 

Because, if he wasn’t going to get any sleep, he might as well do something other than sit around worrying all night. 

It took him a while to follow the recipe in your favorite cookbook, he wanted to get everything just right. Carefully peeled apples, sliced and covered in butter, sugar, some flour, and a lot of cinnamon were placed gently in a pan. He had some trouble getting teh dough perfect, but after a second try, he managed to cover the filling with a thin layer of what soon became a flaky crust, a heart visible from the tiny cuts on top decorating it. 

He stared at the pie from across the kitchen floor the entire time it baked. A hundred different ways to apologize, argue back, and confess his undying love swirling around in his mind until the buzzer went off. 

When the pie stood on the rack to cool off, and the oven was turned off, Seungkwan sank down on the floor yet again. His back was against the cupboards, and his eyelids were heavy with sleepiness. He let it wash over him this time, knocking him out swiftly, and leaving him sleeping sitting up where he was. 

The rain had soaked your hair on the short run from to and from the bus. The restaurant had closed, and one of the servers had gently woken you up from your agitated sleep. You had been a bit embarrassed about having fallen asleep and leaned against your table like that, apologizing for being a nuisance to the staff while quickly paying and running out into the rainy night. 

You wanted to go home and sleep in your bed, next to Seungkwan. There hadn’t been much of a choice at that point. It was in the early hours of the morning, and the last shop had closed for the night. Home was the only place for you right now. 

The door blew open faster than you had intended for it to, the wind grabbing ahold of it as you tried to escape the cold rain. Inside it was warm, and a sweet scent filled the space, confusing you more than anything had that night. You dropped your wet jacket on a chair, mind trying to tell you to go dry off your hair, but feet dragging you towards the kitchen, too curious about what could’ve created the delicious smell of apples, cinnamon, and buttery dough. 

In the dim light from the kitchen counter lights, you found Seungkwan. Asleep on the kitchen floor, with tear-stained cheeks, and flour on his clothes and in his hair. You didn’t know how he had been able to make such a mess. You had only been gone a couple of hours. 

He made you afraid of everything that could take him away from you, and yet you couldn’t help but love him. 

You looked at the picture-perfect pie on the counter and knew you would never be able to leave him. He was your person, he had been your person since the day you had first met during that rainy fall, and he would continue to be your person until the day you were no longer on this earth. 

You bent down to him, brushing away some flour from his soft cheek. Reddened eyes blinked back at you, seemingly not quite sure if they were awake or still off in dreamland. Seungkwan’s arms wrapped around you quickly once he knew with certainty that you had come back for real. You embraced him back, tears welling in the corners of your eyes. You pulled back from him, whispering “I’m sorry,” and getting an equally apologetic look back from your fiancé. 

”I have been yours for years, please believe me when I tell you that I can’t imagine a future where you are not the only person I love.” He whispered, wiping away a water drop from the side of your face gently. You nodded, you did believe him, most days. But you felt like you needed to explain yourself, explain why you couldn’t escape your doubts about how long you would get to keep him to yourself. 

”I wouldn’t be able to do the same.”

”What?” Seungkwan’s thumb stopped moving on your cheek, confusion visible on his face. 

You took a deep breath. ”I wouldn’t be able to move on with someone else if we broke up, because you’re my first true love… and she’s yours. So how can I believe you?”

He fell silent. He remembered the words he had used that first autumn with you. ”My first true love.” Had you been hung up on Eunji all these years simply because of those words? He had thought you were only jealous of her or didn’t trust him enough. But it was his fault, to begin with- 

He hadn’t reassured you enough, he saw that now. 

”Eunji was my first love, that’s true.” He nodded slowly. When his warm hands slid up to hold your cold cheeks you could smell cinnamon on his skin. ”But I want you to be my last true love.” 

Tears fell from your eyes, ”Couldn’t you have said that earlier?” You sobbed out, ”I drank way too much for a work night…”

This made Seungkwan chuckle. His forehead pressed against yours as you both cried silent tears on the kitchen floor. ”I thought you knew.” 

You hugged him tighter, folding yourself into his warmth and his overwhelming love. ”I’ll make sure to tell you every single day from now on,” he whispered before pressing a soft kiss to your lips. 

Reblogging and commenting is highly appreciated!! Hearing what you thought is what makes writing and being here overall so much fun! Ty and ily 💕

[luvistqrzzz]

August slipped away into a moment in time 'cause you were never mine

the summer i loved you — jake x f.reader wc — 3.3K

summary — where August was the month of new beginnings and first loves but mostly, heartbreak.

genre — friends to not lovers, second lead syndrome, angst, fluff, summer au, august inspired

warnings — sad ending, jake is a huge dee eye see kay (🤢🤢), profranity, heartbreak, not proofread

an — um guys haha def dont come at me for the ending 😊😊 but omg this had been in my drafts for a while now n im glad im able to release this in august ✌🏽😈 have fun reading pookies (1 fucking am rn imma die help)

ps — ☆ a visualizer cuz why tf am i extra ?!

August is a weird month. It seemed to rush by you like a dream and yet at the same time it felt like the last period of every Friday, not finishing fast enough. You'd prefer the former.

August reminded you of memories— pretty but mostly ugly ones or maybe when the hurt in your heart ran so deep, even the happy memories turned ugly, didn't they?

It was not a month you enjoyed, you didn't like summers, you didn't like feeling like new beginnings and first love.

August reminded you of it all... It reminded you of Jake.

It was 1st of August when you realized what those weird feelings were.

‘Y/N!’ You opened the door to the sound of your name, only to be met with a tired and almost teary eyed Jake. He looked up at you, mustering a small smile as you stood before him your mouth agape. 

‘A-are you okay?!’ you asked, pulling him into your house.

‘Um. Not… really’, your friend replied, scratching his neck nervously. ‘It’s just… she kinda broke up with me.’

She. he didn’t even need to mention her name and yet you let the word pierce your heart, a little. Kang Eunji. Jake’s girlfriend, well, ex girlfriend. 

It was her, always her. It wasn’t unusual for you to hear that they both had a fight but you never thought they'd break up. ‘What? Are you being for real?!’ You were shocked to say the least. Jake and Eunji were what people deemed to be the “power couple” at school. They wouldn’t break up, or could they?

He nodded and sat on the couch, ‘We were fighting over one of those petty matters again, she was angry why I was so busy. It was about soccer practice of course! And when I kind of lost it, she said we were over.’ His voice caught in his throat before he let out a small sob.

Your heart sank as you patted his back and pulled him close into an embrace, ‘Ssh, it’s okay’, you ran small circles on his, ignoring the butterflies set free in your stomach at the close contact. 

You could never understand what went on in their relationship. This may have been the first time they broke up but it surely wasn’t the first time Jake came to your house on the verge of tears.

You hated seeing him this way, like a broken record. 

‘What will I do now, Y/N?’ ‘You just broke up, it’s not the end of the world. Plus, you have the entire summer before you, right? We’ll figure a way out,’ You broke the hug, looking straight into his eyes, trying to reassure him.

But they all meant nothing. Getting reassured of a broken heart didn’t mend the damage, you knew better than him. Jake nodded nonetheless, wiping away the stray tears, ‘Goodness, I feel so dumb for just crying like this.’ ‘don’t be. You are allowed to feel your emotions.’

He gave a small smile in your direction and your heart skipped a beat.

‘So’, you turned towards the television, searching for a distraction. ‘You wanna binge watch something? Or maybe some Doraemon?’

Jake grinned, ‘I’d love that! What would I do without you, Y/N?’

You let out an almost sad chuckle, ‘I am the coolest best friend ain’t I?’ The word best friend left a bad taste in your mouth.

4th August was when Jake realized the bookstore was his safe place.

Clink! The door to the bookstore opened with a small chime. You looked up from your position at the counter only to find Jake walk into the shop. 

He smiled before taking a seat beside you, much to your surprise. It wasn't unusual for him to drop by the store. But mostly he came for borrowing a book or having a quick chat with you. 

But never like this.

'So, how are you doing?' You asked, turning towards where he sat, fidgeting with a pen. It was a slow lazy afternoon with barely any customers.

'Oh, uh, I'm fine. At least I'm trying to be. We had so many things planned and like, it feels weird. We were good for each other…' he kept on rambling about his latest break up.

You could feel your heart clench a litte. You understood why Jake was doing so but it didn't help. It didn't help that there were two broken hearts in the same room. It was always you and the second lead syndrome against the world.

Sometimes you really wondered what you had done to be stuck in the loophole of falling for a friend.

You had been friends with Jake since middle school, always finding yourself blush whenever he was around. 

The first time you tried confessing to him during Valentine's Day in freshman year, your hand baked cake (which you had prepared for hours) got destroyed. You kind of gave up on him, treating him as a friend.

Well, that was until Eunji came along last year. Seeing Jake with her brought about a fresh wave of emotions you think your heart had forgotten.

It hadn't. 

The bookstore was Jake's hideaway from the world. He loved everything about it. Loved how calming it was and the people who came in always greeted him with a smile. He was a quaint place, maybe mysterious in a sense that Jake didn't want to uncover the secrets it hid.

He liked how you let him sit there for the entirety of your shift. But mostly he loved the conversations.

Throughout the summer, Jake couldn't remember the number of times he found you sitting with him, flipping through some book as you both chatted away, be it in the lazy afternoon or under the evening sky, where the buzz of the grasshopper was the only thing he could hear. They felt weirdly intimate, like the secrets he used to keep as a kid. He almost wanted to gatekeep them. 

'Sorry do I bore you here?' You asked one day. It was a question bothering you for a while.

Jake frowned, 'What? No. Of course not, Y/N. You could never bore me.' But you were unconvinced, 'No, like, who spends their summer sitting in a small little barely functioning bookstore except maybe be. You must have a lot of plans, right?'

'I wouldn't lie. I haven't ever spent such a quiet summer but turns out, I like a lot. Too much for my own sake. The bookstore isn't boring. Rather, it gives me a sense of escape from reality.' He gave you a reassuring smile.

'Also', Jake added as a second thought. 'You aren't boring Y/N. You just make it all loads better.'

Your phone went off with a sharp ring. Your alarm wasn’t set to ring today. Who could it be? You groaned as you sleepily grabbed it from the nightstand. Without even checking the name, you picked up the call, ‘Hello? Who?’ ‘It’s me Jake, you dummy!’ His excited voice came from the other side.

You yawned, ‘What do you want?’ you checked the time, ‘It’s literal fucking half past four.’ ‘More reason to wake up, right?!’

‘Shut up, I’m hanging up and-’ ‘No no! I really did plan a surprise. Get ready, please, just for today. Please’, he begged from the other side.

Now, you were definitely wide awake, upon hearing his voice. He had planned what…? ‘Okay but the surprise better be good.’ ‘Also! Keep your bicycle ready.’

‘There you are!’ Jake greeted you with a wide smile as you grumbled and walked down the road with your bike where he stood. ‘You don’t get to smile like that after pulling me up from sleep’, you muttered angrily.

But really who were you to complain? It was Jake and you couldn’t deny the fact that you were genuinely excited for what was coming. It was always an adventure when it came to him.

‘You won’t be disappointed, trust me’, he said, boarding his bike and motioning for you to do the same. 

You breathed out a calming sigh, looking ahead at the empty road. Thanks to summer, the sun was already somewhere there on the horizon, spreading a fuzzy glow around you. Everything looked simpler, softer. In the light of the dawn, your thoughts felt less complicated, you almost felt it would be easy to sort out your feelings. Would it?

You turned to look at Jake, cycling in peace, a small grin on his face, ‘Told you! I sometimes go out on early morning rides, especially if I have a lot on my mind.’

‘So, why are you taking me then?’ ‘I don’t know. I just have a feeling you’ll like this place’, he shrugged. ‘Plus, I like spending time with you’, Jake added as an afterthought.’

A blush crept into your cheeks at his words. Stop over thinking you scolded yourself. But you couldn’t help the hope blossom in you. False hope. 

‘Here we are’, Jake spread his arms wide, showing you the view. After half an hour of cycling through empty streets and quiet places, you found yourself on a small hill. It was pretty abandoned, the only sounds that reached your ears were the chirping of birds and the whistling of trees in the cool summer morning.

In front of you lay your town and the forests beyond it. Those familiar buildings looked all new when you saw them from top of a hill. It radiated calmth… and comfort.

Or was the latter because of the person beside you? 

‘Thanks’, you spoke in a soft whisper but then you felt a hand tucking a strand of your hair behind your ear. Your heart stopped as you turned towards Jake looking at you with a fond smile and slowly pulled you closer, resting his head on your shoulder. 

You couldn't process what he was doing. Was it all intentional? No, it was the usual playful Jake you knew, right? But the usual playful Jake wasn't like this. He had pulled you into a hug several times but never like this.

Never so tender in his actions that it made you think otherwise.

'I like the view so much. I hope you do too. It's just… very special, I had never shown it to Eunji either. People ruin things', he sighed, looking ahead. 

You scoffed as an attempt to lighten the atmosphere, 'So, I'm not a person?' 'No, you're Y/N. It's an entire special thing to be in itself.'

You didn't know what it meant anymore. The secret smiles, the small actions. You weren't oblivious, you saw it all but your face masked it behind the friendship.

But was it even friendship? You hoped it wasn't. You hoped you both had crossed the line of being "just friends".

It was the 20th of August when Jake liked mint chocolate ice cream. 

He touched his cheek as a familiar warmth flooded in at the sight of you. What was happening to him? Ever since the day on the hill, he had been feeling weird. Be it when he visited the bookstore or when you both hung out during the day (or night).

The way your laugh sounded in his ears, when you smiled, he noticed the way his heart skipped a beat. But he loved the most when through the afternoons you talked. Just talk, nothing and everything.

Jake had never felt so connected to anyone. You both had always been friends but seeing a friends standing before him, two ice creams in hand shouldn't make Jake blush.

But it did.

'Hey Mr.Zoned out!' You snapped your fingers before him, pulling him away from his thoughts. You handed him his ice cream while joining him on the curb. 

He made a disgusted face at the cone you were holding, 'Ugh. Mint chocolate.' You slapped his shoulder playfully, 'Yah! You are a person with zero taste.' 

'Oh really? Lemme try it then', Jake replied, challenging you. He scooped a bit with the plastic spoon before closing his eyes and tasting it. 

'Ew', he gagged. 'This tastes like fucking toothpaste', he wiped his mouth in disgust.

'Shut up, no need to be so over dramatic about it all', you chuckled and rolled your eyes. 

Jake looked at you as you continued eating and looking at the street in front. It was almost 5 in the evening, the kids were out playing but their shouts were only distant noise because all he could hear was your voice. All he could see was you. You weren't bright like the background but in his eyes, you were glowing. The sun falling on your face, as if highlighting only you in his eyes.

Almost as if on instinct, his hand slowly reached out to your free one, his fingers finding yours and intertwining them together.

You stopped, your heart beating way too fast, you could almost feel the redness of your cheeks.

What was happening? What was Jake doing? Why was he doing this? 

It felt wrong, you knew it. Your intuition could tell it. This was something you had waited forever to happen, but you knew this couldn't be.

Let go of his hand, Y/N. Let go let go let go let go… don't let go.

You didn't, too foolish and in love to walk away. And maybe that was the first mistake you had made.

The first rain of August came on the 25th.

Why was rain often associated with sadness? No, rain didn't mean sadness.

Because on that one day of August, you stood outside the bookstore looking at the dark clouds, the rain gave you hope.

You sighed, no wonder your mother kept on insisting you to take an umbrella. Now, there you were, standing in front of the closed shop.

But a bright yellow thing caught your eye, standing out in the dull gray background. You squinted your eyes as the figure came closer.

Jake.

Your stomach jumped. Had he come for you? 

He ran through the rain, his bright smile evident as you stared at him in wonder.

'What?' He asked. You shook your head, 'You…?' 'I came for you. You always forget your umbrella.' He completed the sentence for you.

Your mouth formed an "O" but a soft smile spread across your lips. 

'Here', he handed you the spare umbrella in hand and took hold of your wrist, pulling you into the rain.

You shrieked, 'At least let me open mine first.' He laughed at your sight, moving closer and holding his umbrella over you.

You noticed every single thing, the things you had noticed a hundred times before. But mostly you noticed his little actions.

The ones that made you fall for him all over again.

'Fuck, if I catch a cold, it'll be your fault, Sim Jake', you threatened the boy standing in front of your porch, grinning. You both had recklessly ran in the rain as a result the umbrellas had been pretty useless… but it was fun.

'Don't worry', he stepped forward, a certain fondness flickering in his eyes. 'I'll be there to bring you the meds.' 

It happened in a fraction of a second, swiftly, Jake bent down and gave a sudden kiss on your cheek. It was soft as a feather, almost like it didn't happen.

But you felt it. You almost felt dizzy, her cheeks heating you. You brought your hands to where he had just kissed you. It had happened, hadn't it?

But before you could say anything, Jake turned around, his head hung low in embarrassment but his stomach full of butterflies and sprinted in the opposite direction.

Had he meant it?

As Jake walked his way back home, his head filled with thoughts of you, a sudden buzz of his phone. He took it out, expecting a text from you.

But no… It was someone else.

His heart dropped. A contact that hadn't been there since 1st of August.

Eunji.

"jake, im so sorry."

But what followed after that day was something you had always feared. 

He ignored you. Every text, every call, no reply. Did he just get awkward? But even an awkward Jake wouldn't be this rude. Or was he angry with you? You didn't even do anything.

The next time you saw Jake, three days later, was when you went on a grocery run.

You could spot him anywhere. 'Jake! Wait', you called out to him. He didn't stop. 'Omg, stop being a shit head would you?! Stop fucking ignoring me!' You huffed, annoyed. 

That's when you saw his figure slowly turn towards you. 'Sorry', he muttered. You ran a hand through your hair. sorry? That's all he had to say? 

'Look, if it's about that day then forget it. You-you never kissed me.' 'What? Of course not, it isn't about that day', he replied. 

You looked at him confusedly, 'Huh? Then why, Jake? I had tried calling and texting you so many times but you couldn't bother to reply to me.'Your voice slowly rose.

'I was busy catching up with Eunji okay?!' his tone matching yours.

There came that name. Her name. Did you hear it correctly? What was she doing in this conversation?

'E-eunji…?' you looked at him, at loss of words. 'I thought yo-you were over her?' 

He gave you a look of disbelief, 'No. That day she sent me a text and I realised… I wasn't.'

Why did the crack in your heart deepen? Why was it always you who got hurt? 

And you couldn't help but ask, knowing the answer would make you feel worse, 'What about us then, Jake?' 

'Us? Y/N what are you talking about? We are friends, we always have been. There is no us.' 

There, the final blow. 'Why did you make me feel so special then? All for nothing? You know how much I like you, so much that everytime we spent time together this summer, I got my hopes up. I was so foolish, because of you Sim fucking Jaeyun. And that day you kissed me, I thought, finally you'll realize but no. It's always her, isnt it?', you didn't scream but the crack in your voice said it all.

And Jake remained silent through it all. because he knew he deserved 'So, this summer meant nothing to you?' You sniffed, a single tear rolling down your cheek.

'Nothing.' But you missed the flicker in his eyes. The flicker that said otherwise.

That it wasn't nothing, it was his eveything.

August 31st was when you lost it finally.

‘It was just a summer thing’, the words rang in your ear, loud and clear. They drowned the voices of all the chatter of classmates. ‘y/n? y/n? Are you okay?’ Lily asked beside you, furrowing her eyebrows in worry.

But you couldn’t respond to her, at that very moment, you thought you couldn’t do pretty much anything except look. Or rather stare at the sight unfolding before you. Before you knew it, the plastic cup fell from your hands, the beer splashing all over the floor and getting the attention of the people in the room, the attention of them. 

In the haze, you met your eyes with his, the soft brown ones that you had fallen in love with, the one which enveloped you in warmth. But now they felt like they were hurting you, the annoyance in them.

A tear rolled down your cheek as you turned around. The room suddenly felt too small, the stares of the people felt accusing. You let go of Lily’s hand that gripped your wrist and ran in the opposite direction.

Did you hear footsteps behind you? Were they Jake’s? You hated to admit it but you wished they were. You wished that he was the one following you, the one who'd hold you back.

For once, prove it to you that you weren’t the second lead.

But he wasn’t there.

You found yourself rushing to the porch, the sounds fading out. But you could hear the blood pumping in your ears, the sound of your shallow breath that you had been holding for so long.

He wasn’t there. What did you even expect?

You were a summer thing for him… but he was your summer love.

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[aliceintheworld]

PURE ATTRACTION | JJK | TATTOO ARTIST

Pairing: TattooArtistJungkook X NaiveReader

Summary: "I shoudn't be watching a man undressing, specially not from the house next door."

Warning: Very cute Jungkook 🥰, tipsy behaviour, homosexual relationship, deep conversations, the Reader starts to lose their shyness 🥹, kisses, fluff, and a lot of fluff 😻

A/N: Hi, I'm back. This week has been very hard, and I thought coming here would be a way to distance myself from reality 😭 In the last chapter, we saw that Jungkook had a romantic relationship with Namjoon. I received some comments saying they won't read my story anymore and that I ruined it, because of that. I am a very insecure person. This is the first time I'm posting something I've written, and honestly, I don’t know what to think. The boys are very important to me, and I don’t want to offend any of them (or anyone else). If necessary, I will remove everything I’ve written and just move on. Please leave your opinion in the comments. Other than that, thank you very much for the positive messages. I’m very happy to know that a good part of those who are here with me are enjoying it. Thank you so much.

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Chapter 6

My week passed slowly and calmer than I imagined. I worked and studied as always, and fortunately, I passed my semester exams. My mind was always in another dimension, but I held back and did my best not to let Jungkook affect me. Or the thoughts of him, which were insistent and continuous. I didn’t see him anymore, at his mother’s house or anywhere I went. As soon as I got to my room that morning, I received a message from an unknown number, which I knew was him, asking if I was okay and if I was safe. I replied yes and then I didn’t send any more messages, even when he asked what I would do on Wednesday and if I wanted to meet him somewhere.

Unlike last week, feeling embarrassed, I didn’t visit Mrs. Jeon as much as I would have liked, afraid to see Jungkook and be confronted. At times, I wanted to tell her what happened, to vent to someone and express how confused I am, even though she is his mother, but I held back and didn’t say anything, knowing that the torment in my head doesn’t go away because I want him back, with me, and I know that venting in this case doesn’t help at all.

I have always been submissive to my mother and thought of her before anything else. Before myself, it comes her. It has always been this way, as if it were engraved in my brain or I were programmed that way. Jungkook may not understand, but that’s the truth. That’s why I can’t relax around him. I find myself in conflict with what I desire and what I know she would want. I have never disobeyed Eunji, let alone considered that idea. I know she wouldn’t approve of Jungkook, for a million reasons, so I am aware that if I were honest with her and admitted my feelings, there would be a conflict between us that I know I am not prepared to start.

My mother has been stricter with me as the days have passed, and I know it’s because the date of my father’s death is approaching. I try to please her in every way I can, as a way of compensation. I went to church more times than normal, worked at the bazaar, and even cooked so she wouldn’t have to. I don’t like hiding anything from her and I feel guilty in a way for lying that day. Our mother-daughter relationship has been like this my whole life, somewhat cold and strange; since I was a child, I took on her pains and tried to put her needs ahead of mine.

Today was very busy. I helped a classmate with her college exams, since unfortunately, she didn’t do well in the final tests, and I worked twice as hard because those who don’t study, always get desperate in the university library, trying to learn what they didn’t study the entire semester. I had to organize the same books thousands of times and barely had time to eat or go to the bathroom.

I got home dead tired but fulfilled. The college assignments are ready and the tests are done. At least the worries I felt about college are no longer a problem; one less thing to stress about. I grab a romance book to read, and flip through the pages with pleasure, curious to see if the main character will finally confess her feelings. I’m halfway through the chapter, engrossed in continuing, when my phone vibrates. I look at the screen without much attention, accepting the call without knowing who it is.

“Y/N?” I hear a hoarse voice on the other end of the line, and my body instantly tingles. I take the phone from my ear and sit up in bed, flustered. It’s Jungkook

I remain silent, not knowing what to say.

“Y/N? Are you there?” he asks. I consider the possibility of saying nothing, and just letting him think I answered the phone by accident, but I can’t. I want to talk to him; I want to know how he is. I miss him.

“Jungkook, I’m here.” I say; my voice trembling without much strength. I swallow hard, nervous. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine.” He murmurs. There’s another moment of silence; only his heavy breathing filling the sound of the call.

“That’s good.” I force a smile, even though he can’t see me. I shake my head, grabbing a strand of my hair.

“I wanted... I wanted to see you.” He says softly, in a whisper, and my already agitated heart beats even faster. Butterflies fill my stomach, the way I can’t help it.

“Jungkook, I can’t.”

“You can, and I know you want to.” He asserts, with so much confidence, it’s as if he knows all my thoughts. “I want to be with you. We don’t need to do anything. We can just talk, watch something together. I need to be with someone.”

“Did something happen?” I ask, worried. I bite my lower lip, waiting for his answer.

“Yes... a person. One that I’m trying to get rid of, has been trying to get close. I don’t want that.” He replies. I don’t understand anything he says. Is it a friend? Did he have a falling out with someone?

“We can talk on the phone.” I suggest. For some reason, I feel safer when there’s a big space between us. I think the fact that he’s far from me, gives me the false sense that I’m in control of the situation.

“Are you that afraid of me?” He chuckles. I smile in response, shrugging.

“You said you wanted to talk. We’re talking.”

“How difficult you are.” He sighs, teasing me. “Don’t you miss me at all?”

“Jungkook!” I scold him. I’m breathless just from the question.

“It’s serious. I told you that you needed time to think, but I didn’t imagine you wanted to stay away from me, while you decided.”

“It’s just that everything is very complicated.”

“I feel used.” He jokes again, making me grin. “You used my body and now you don’t even want to look at my face.”

“You’re making me embarrassed.” I grunt, laughing awkwardly. My cheeks turns red with the memories of us in his bed. Him sucking me, fingering me, making me come. My God, it feels like that happened years ago, not just a few days.

“Sorry. I know, I shouldn’t say those things. But I really wanted to see you. Can’t you come here?” he asks, his voice dragging. I furrow my brows, suspicious.

“Did you—Jungkook, have you been drinking?”

“Just a little.” He chuckles on the call. Now everything makes sense. He wouldn’t call me if he were sober. If he were completely sane, he would seek out one of his friends to vent. I sigh, throwing myself onto the bed.

“I’m going to hang up, okay?”

“Wait! Don’t hang up! Why are you doing this? Did I do something?”

“Because you’re drunk.” I finally say, a little upset. Would he want to call me if it weren’t for the alcohol? The doubt makes me uncomfortable.

“I’m not drunk Y/N, I swear. I just drank a little. I’m 100% aware of the things I’m telling you.” Jungkook argues desperately, as if he’s afraid I’ll hang up at any moment. I sigh again, closing my eyes.

“Where are you?” I ask, and almost immediately, regret it. Whether he’s drunk or not, it’s not my problem. Jungkook is an adult and knows very well what he’s doing. He’s not your father, a voice in my head says.

“I’m at my apartment. You know the address. I just didn’t pick you up because I drank; otherwise, I’d already be at your door.”

“Please, don’t do that!” I widen my eyes, just imagining the scene. My father died in a car accident because he was drunk and didn’t know what he was doing. Besides being dangerous, my mother isn’t stupid, and if she realizes I have any involvement with him because he came to pick me up, I’m screwed.

“Then come over. I even bought Mexican food.” He says softly, almost pleading. I roll my eyes and grunt, irritated with myself and with him. Why can’t I resist him? For fuck sake!

“Okay, I’ll try. But we’re just going to talk, watch something, and then I’ll go back. We’re not going to do anything else besides that!” I assure, more to myself, afraid that the same thing will happen as last Sunday.

“Okay. I swear I’ll try to control myself.” He mocks again. I smirk, covering my mouth. I like the normal Jungkook, but him being drunk... it’s like he’s himself, but lighter and funnier.

“Alright, I’ll see you in thirty minutes.”

“Send me your location on your phone.” He asks. I mumble in agreement, and then he hangs up. I stare at my ceiling for a good few seconds, not believing it. Why am I doing this? Why am I going to his apartment? Where is this going to lead me?

When I was a little girl, I liked to imagine myself with kids, a husband, and a part-time job. I have always been very romantic; I never wanted to be with someone unless it was forever. At the same time, every time I think of Jungkook, none of that matters. He doesn’t want something serious, from what it seemed when he talked to his friends, and yet I can’t get him out of my head. I do things I would never do, and recklessly, I don’t measure the consequences of my actions. I quickly get out of bed and pace back and forth in my room. My mom is home, maybe in the living room. It’s already nine o’clock on a Friday night, and there’s nothing I can say to her that would convince her to let me go out.

At the same time, I told her an hour ago that I wasn’t going to have dinner and that I would sleep after a shower. She hasn’t been to my room since then. Maybe if I sneak out the window and call a taxi, she won’t even notice I left the house. I bite my lip, nervous. I decide to lock my bedroom door just for safety and simultaneously, put some pillows underneath my blanket, forming the silhouette of what was supposed to be my body. I grin nervously, not knowing what to do. I’ve never run away from home, and the only experience I have consists of teen movies and series. I have no idea if this is really going to work.

I change my clothes for a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt when I realize it’s colder outside, and I open my window. I sneak out with little skill along the balcony, and the bars that accompany the wall, until I reach the grass in my backyard. I tiptoe, trying not to make noise with my sneakers. I walk down my street somewhat breathlessly, pondering the idea of turning back and forgetting that Jungkook even called me. At the same time, I want to see him again. Without thinking too much, I call the taxi, which arrives quickly at my address.

The whole journey takes about ten minutes and simultaneously passes in the blink of an eye. My hands get sweaty as I recognize some places and establishments still open. I sigh, looking at my phone. There are no messages from my mother, only one from Jungkook, saying he’s tracking me via GPS. I smile, feeling a bit more secure. A wave of anxiety, heat, and uncertainty washes over me tough, when I arrive in front of the building of the man who, since I met him, has been haunting my head.

I open the car door and take a moment to look at the facade of the place, something I didn’t have much time to do last time. It’s beautiful, full of flowers and a spectacular garden. I walk along the sidewalk, still not knowing what to do, when I finally see him. Jungkook must have gone down to the lobby without me noticing, and he watches me with a smile on his face, so innocent and anxious that, amidst all this chaos, I’m glad I came. He walks up to me with disheveled and wet hair, perhaps from a recent shower he must have taken, wearing a black and white striped pajama; one of those you only wear in the comfort of your home.

I smile, unable to help it, vulnerable, energized and anxious. “I was worried about you, so I came down.” He comments, getting closer to me.

A scent of perfume, soap, and shaving foam envelops me deeply. My stomach churns again. If I thought hearing his voice made me unstable, seeing him in person completely breaks me. I don’t say a word, still mesmerized by his presence.

“You didn’t pay for the taxi, did you? I came down like a madman when I saw you had arrived.” He tells me. I shake my head in denial. He smiles again and walks over to the driver’s window. He takes the money from his wallet and returns to me as if this were routine and I visited him every day. He smiles one more time, taking steps towards me. “I told you I wasn’t drunk. Tipsy? Yes. Drunk, no.”

“Okay. You’re not. Sorry.” I grin awkwardly, looking down.

“You don’t need to apologize. Come with me; it’s too cold here, and I don’t want you to catch a cold.” He concludes, putting one of his arms around my shoulder, in an intimate touch that brings back memories of the night we were together. I follow him without much questioning, until we reach the elevator.

Inside the metal box, the tension rises. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, trying to stay calm. I don’t need to be nervous. We’re going to talk, whatever it is he wants to say, and then I’ll go back home the same way I left, through my bedroom window. I lean my head against the wall, staring at the mirror that surrounds the elevator walls. The energy of his gaze burns me. He looks at me in a way that leaves me breathless. I swallow hard, not having the courage to reciprocate. It’s as if time has stopped and only we two exist. When I decide to say something, the elevator stops.

He guides me to enter his apartment, and a mountain of memories takes over me immediately. I chuckle in disbelief, covering my face with my hand. If my mother finds out I’m here, I don’t like to think about what could happen. I sit quietly on the couch, observing the place. It all seems the same as last time, except for Jungkook’s friends who filled the environment. Now it’s like there’s too much space, just the two of us here. I lick my dry lips, organizing my hair back, behind my shoulders.

“Are your friends okay?” I ask, trying to talk about things that aren’t about him and me. That for a few minutes, we can pretend that night never happened.

“They are.” He smiles at me, shrugging. “They’re planning a party to celebrate my studio when it’s ready. You’re definitely invited.” He says, sitting next to me. He touches the piercing on his eyebrow with his fingertips, and tosses his dark, soft hair back.

“When’s the celebration party going to be?” I ask, placing my hands on my lap, afraid to touch him. He’s so close that I can fully see the moles around his neck. The Adam’s apple moving every time he talks and swallows.

“I don’t know. There’s still so much to do, but I can’t stay in Busan because I left everything in Seoul to come here. At the same time, I can’t neglect my mom. It’s like I need several versions of myself to handle everything. Just one Jungkook isn’t enough, I think.” He chuckles, but gazing into his big eyes, I find no humor at all. I can’t imagine what it must be like for him to have his mother in this situation and live so far from her. He must be exhausted and worn out.

“When do you plan to go back to Seoul?” I ask, afraid of the answer.

“In about a month and a half, maybe.” He shrugs, biting his lower lip.

“Wow!” I say, surprised. I didn’t expect it to be so soon. He returns my gaze, confused. “I mean, it’s not long until you go back.” I smile, feigning an excitement I don’t feel, awkward.

“Yes, that’s true. I wish I could stop time right now. That would be the best superpower of all.” Jungkook laughs, forming a dimple in his cheek that I had never noticed he had. He rolls his eyes at himself, grunting. “Sorry, every time I drink something, I say these stupid things.”

“You don’t need to apologize.” I chuckle, a little more relaxed. He has this power over me, making me tense and calm at the same time.

“You know, I wanted to ask you something.” He comments, putting his feet on the couch.

“You can ask.”

“Promise you won’t get embarrassed?” He asks, grinning. I shake my head, rolling my eyes.

“I can’t promise that because I don’t know what the question is.”

“Oh, come on!? You always make that face when I talk to you.” He chuckles, teasing me. I shake my head, not understanding.

“What face? What are you talking about?”

“That face. You puff your cheeks because you’re blushing and look away all the time.” He clarifies. My cheeks turn red instantly, making him grin again. I cover my face, embarrassed.

“I can’t control that. Just ask your question, please.” I plead, somewhat awkwardly. He stops grinning and clears his throat, leaving me even more curious.

“I just wanted to know why... why didn’t you answer me that day? Why have you been avoiding me? Why didn’t you go to my mom’s house these days?”

“How do you know I didn’t visit your mom?” I retort, feeling a tingling in my hands, nervous.

“I know because I asked her.” He murmurs, and this time, he’s the one who turns red, as if he didn’t expect my question and feels uncomfortable answering. “After that night, I thought I’d see you again, that we could talk, but you never showed up again.”

“You didn’t show up either.” I defend myself, but I know my stupid argument makes no sense. Jungkook rolls his eyes, looking at me in such a deep way that I find myself breathless, for a good few seconds.

“Seriously Y/N. Did I do something? Did I hurt you in some way?”

“Do you think you did something to me? Is that what you’ve been thinking?”

“I understood it that way, and I’m afraid that it might be true. I don’t want to hurt you, not at all. You’ve helped my mom and have been so good to me. I don’t want to make you feel bad.” He assures again, without stopping. I close my eyes, angry with myself. Is that what I led him to believe when I didn’t respond to his message? When I was cold, did I upset him?

“Jungkook, you didn’t hurt me. Not at all, not in any way. You need to know that.” I affirm in the best way I can, breathless. “I’m like this. That’s why I don’t have friends; that’s why I don’t have people I can count on, because I push everyone away. This is a problem with me, not with you.”

“And why do you do that?” He questions, relaxing his body on the couch. He looks me in the eyes, and even though I try to look away, I can’t. He stare at me in such an intense way that it’s as if he can see my soul. I play with my fingers, not knowing what to do, disconcerted.

“I don’t want to get hurt. Because human relationships are difficult and unstable. Because when you let someone get close, you give them the power to hurt you, and I don’t want that to happen.”

“I know. I understand, and I don’t judge you.” He shakes his head. “So many things have happened in the last few months. I wanted to talk to someone during these days, and incredibly, the only person that came to my mind was you.”

I widen my eyes in surprise. I turn my attention to his face, but he’s distant, staring at something beyond the ceiling of his apartment. It’s as if he’s far away in thoughts and not in this moment, with me. I bite the inside of my cheek, touched. Him thinking of me, even if it’s just to vent, moves me. I like Jungkook. I truly like him, since the first time I saw him. Not just his body or his appearance, but the way he talks to me, as if I were someone worth listening to.

“You, Y/N, did something to me. Since that night, I can’t think of anything else, and I don’t know why.” He confesses, finally returning his face to me. My breathing becomes erratic, my heart races, and my hands get sweaty. “I also, that night, was confused. Just like you.”

“How so?” I ask, speechless.

“I don’t want you to be upset. I want to be honest with you.” He says. He puts one of his big, soft hands close to my face and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. I feel that wherever his touch passes, my skin burns. “Before coming to Busan, I had a serious relationship. Very serious.”

“You were with someone?” I ask, afraid to find out he still has something with that person.

“Yes.” He says softly. His breath close enough of me to feel it. “It was so serious that I swore he would be the person I would marry. I had never dated anyone besides him. I had never fallen in love, not that way.” He speaks, confessing to me, and my throat tightens. Does Jungkook like men? He had a relationship with someone of the same sex? For some reason, I never imagined the inked guy could be attracted to the male gender. Still, what really bothers me is when I hear him say he loved him. Does he still love him? Does he still think about him, when he’s alone?

“And then it ended, and everything I believed was shattered.” He shakes his head, and then chuckles without any humor. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I really don't. It’s just that when I’m with you, I feel light. I love my friends, I truly do, but when I’m with you, I feel comfortable, as if you wouldn’t judge me.”

“I wouldn’t judge you for anything, Jungkook.” I say softly and somehow, he can hear me. He smiles too, a little embarrassed.

“You know, after I ended my relationship and then that happened with my mom, I thought I was in a nightmare. All the people I could count on would simply disappear, and I couldn’t do anything, as if my hands were tied.”

“I know what you mean.” I comment, remembering my father. Not his last moments, drunk and a stranger. Those moments, from before, when he was the man I was proud to call my father. The man I knew I could count on, because he was always by my side.

“Tell me a little about you, Y/N. I feel like I’m just talking about myself. I really want to know you more. Listen to you.” He suggests. I raise my eyebrow, surprised.

“I don’t have anything to say.” I chuckle awkwardly.

“Of course you do. Everyone has something to say.” He argues, shaking his head. “Tell me about your life. Have you always lived in Busan?”

“Yes, I’m from Busan.” I reply, smiling slightly. “When I was younger, I went to the beach every weekend because I lived closer to the coast.”

“Really? I’ve never been to the beach.” He says, shrugging. I open my mouth, astonished.

“It’s so strange to hear that. I always went when I was a kid. For some reason, after I moved, I never did again.” I sigh, nostalgic. The things I used to enjoy a few years ago simply lost meaning, when my father died and my mother became the woman she is now.

“Why don’t you go back to the beach once in a while? It’s not that far from here.”

“I don’t know why; I just don’t go. I forgot that I missed it until I started talking to you.” I smile genuinely this time. He returns the smile, nibbling on his rosy lips that I like so much.

“Maybe we could go to the beach together. I to get to know it, and you to reconnect.” He suggests with a light and sincere smile, and my stomach, a little calmer, fills with butterflies again.

“Maybe.” I agree, not knowing if that would actually be possible. Who knows, in the future, or at some other moment. I don’t want to dismiss that possibility when it seems so sweet and inviting. I sigh, looking at the screen of my phone. It’s almost eleven o’clock. I know I have to go home. Jungkook seems to realize my doubt and makes a pout with his lips, almost like a spoiled child who didn’t get what he wanted. "I think I must go."

“We should eat first. I ordered tacos and burritos, and if everything gets cold, the food loses fifty percent of its flavor.” He says, already getting up, not giving me much opportunity to contest. I get up too, rolling my eyes.

“That’s another one of your theories? Like that one of having four meals a day?” I ask, finding it funny. I follow him into his kitchen, watching him take the Mexican food out of some containers. It looks so appetizing and seasoned that my mouth waters.

“My mom was really cruel when I was younger.” Jungkook laughs. He frowns, with that same expression he always makes when he sees something delicious, then looks at me, bringing a taco closer to my mouth. “The first bite has to be yours.”

“You can eat it. You seem hungrier than I am.” I reply, teasing. He pretends to look angry and shakes his head, as if I just said the most nonsensical thing in the world.

“I’m a gentleman. I insist.” He brings the taco closer to my mouth again, and with no alternative, I bite the food he offers me with such insistence. The spicy flavor brings such a rich explosion to my tongue that I can’t help but like it. I must have done something funny tough, because Jungkook smile, in a delightful chuckle that I had never heard coming from him.

“The corner of your mouth is dirty.” He explains in a whisper, pointing to my lower lip. I try to clean it by myself, but I seem to be unsuccessful, as he himself wipes the sauce off my skin with his thumb. I take a few seconds to realize how close he is to me, naturally intoxicating me. I can smell his perfume. His energy that brings electricity to my body. How much my skin longs for him. I want to kiss him again. To feel his lips, just like I did in this same kitchen that morning.

Jungkook seems to understand exactly what I’m thinking because he smiles that loose and careless smirk, as if he knows what I want and is waiting for me to make the first move.

“If you want to kiss me, I give you all my permission. I’m serious.” He jokes, but doesn’t laugh. His dark, big doe-eyes go toward my mouth and I see desire; feelings I had never seen directed at me. I swallow hard, nervous.

“I can’t, Jungkook. My mom, she...” I whisper, trying to organize my thoughts. He smiles, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.

“Forget about your mom, Y/N. Do you want this?” He questions softly. I nod my head. He knows I want to, I want it so badly that it’s as if I’m going to die. “If that’s what you want, do it! Screw what your mom thinks. Just do it.”

“I promised myself I wouldn’t do anything when I came here.” I tell him, chuckling nervously.

“It seems you can’t stay away from me. After that night, I don’t want to stay away from you either.” He denies, closing his eyes. “This week was hell... I don’t want to feel alone. Do you feel the same as I do?”

“I do.” I agree, and without thinking much, I kiss him.

His warm lips touch mine, and if I could save this moment in my head and make copies, I would. Unlike the first night I was here, Jungkook is calmer, less desperate. It’s as if he has time to be with me and wants to enjoy every second. I feel his hands on my waist, pulling me towards him until I’m completely fused to his body. I grunt when his tongue requests entry inside my mouth, and I can’t stop him, nor do I want to. I pull at his hair, feeling its softness, in a pleasant caress at the nape of his neck. He smiles during the kiss, moaning. He slowly separates from me, holds my cheeks with both hands, and seals our lips once again, in short pecks that spread across my entire face. I chuckle when one of them touches my jawline, tickling me.

“Stop, please!” I burst out laughing when he continues, kissing my forehead, nose, and finally, my lips again.

“I'm only stopping because I need to breathe.” He laughs with me, finally ceasing.

“Ok, clingy boy, I really need to go now.” I mock disheartened, trying to disentangle myself from him. He stops me, kissing me again.

“Please, don’t go.”

“I have to go. Seriously.”

“It’s too early.” He argues, caressing my face with his thumb.

“What happened to you, Jungkook? Why are you being so dramatic?” I question, curious. He’s different. A good different, but I can’t understand him. Does he want something serious with me? He doesn’t love the person he was in a serious relationship with, anymore? There are so many questions in my head that I feel lost.

“I'm not being dramatic. I like you, Y/N.” He assures me as if it were the most obvious thing, with those dark, big eyes, so pure... I simply can’t explain why, I just believe him.

“You do?” I ask, smiling. No one ever said that to me. A good feeling fills me; my cheeks turn red as he nods his head.

“I like. I thought you knew.” He says simply. And then peck me again. “Come on, before you go, you’re going to eat with me.”

“Okay, but I need to be quick. It’s getting really late.” I say, worried about my mom; the fact that she might find out I left the house.

“I’ll accompany you in the taxi. I’m not letting you go alone. Then I can come back here.”

“Really?” I ask. He chuckles, pulling my hand until I sit in the chair. “Then okay. Let's eat. And Jungkook?"

"What?"

"I like you too." I say, seeing his small and cute smile

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