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write-it-good-imagines · 8 months ago

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Nothing More(M) - Six

Hello everyone! Hope you had a great first half of the year. With everything happening so fast in my life, I now found a moment to breathe and get in my feelings again. So here's chapter six. Enjoy~ ~6k words, angst, love. How am I supposed to let you go when I don't wanna see you with anyone but me when nobody gets me like you? I only like myself when I'm with you.

Morning came seemingly too early for Samantha. The light orange spice of the sun was barging through the crack of the beige curtains of the bedroom, to find a resting place in the shared bed. That beautiful warmth gently awoke the woman who longed for a couple stolen minutes between the sheets. Try as she might, Samantha shifted from one side to the other in a hopeless attempt to charm the sleep from going away. She looked at Mark, whose brown hair was sparkling a dark autumn gold, and his eyelashes were fluttering in his sleep. Truly, a tender image to remember.

Samantha slid out of bed hoping she wouldn’t disturb Mark’s peace and stretched her body. With the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of an open notebook on a distant desk, surrounded by crumpled pieces of paper. She curiously approached it but didn’t dare touch it. Mark’s handwriting was scribbled in the intimacy of the pages, some words crossed out, others accompanied by small question marks. There was a title towering at the top of the page: everyone else fades. A love song.

“Hey.” Mark’s voice groggily echoed from the bed and Samantha turned her body to him. It felt like he had been watching her for a while. His voice was an octave lower than usual but still sounded like music to Samantha’s ears.

“How long have you been awake?” she smiled, approaching the bed to sit on the edge.

Mark extended an arm to her direction to meet with her hand. “I felt you squirm around.”

“I’m sorry.” She pursed her lips and gave a small squeeze to his hand. Mark just shook his head in response to indicate he was not bothered at all.

“Did you find anything you like?” asked Mark.

Samantha’s eyes travelled to the open notebook, then back to Mark. “Who is that for?” she asked in a mellow voice, focused on his presence.

Mark intertwined his fingers with hers and chuckled. Samantha was not meant to find that piece of writing, and he’d forgotten entirely about it the previous night. “Haven’t decided yet.”

Samantha chuckled and leaned on her belly into bed, meeting Mark’s curious eyes. He extended his hand to tug a lone strand of hair behind her ear. How much did she want that song to be for her.

“What?” Mark whispered and caressed her cheek with his thumb. “I bet my breath smells like shit.”

She laughed louder this time. Was she jealous, with Mark not admitting what she wanted to hear? “I bet mine smells like shit too, so that makes us even.”

“I guess I’ll forgive you this time,” Mark chuckled and let go of her face. He shifted his body to stretch on his side, one arm supporting his head, while the other draped loosely over Samantha’s lap. Marks’ fingers found a grip on Samantha’s naked inner thigh. “Morning sex?”

Samantha giggled and slipped from under his touch in an evident response. Mark laughed, too, albeit with his face dug in the plush of the mattress. “Yeah, go on and break my heart.”

In the absence of any vivid emotions, Samantha felt a string snap in the chords of her heart. Ever since the night before, the woman sensed Mark hid himself behind a wall and she could not see beyond. With every word spoken out of his mouth, the woman gathered it to be the truth.

“I did not mean that.”

Of course you did. “Of course not. I need to get ready for the hospital, I start at noon.”

Mark stretched his body to sit on the edge of the bed, both palms of his hand pushing his torso upright. “Have no idea about the time, but it’s far from noon.”

Then before she had a chance to comment, Mark continued. “Why are you running away from me with every chance you get?”

Samantha looked at him with longing eyes, still with a glimmer of both sadness and regret.

“I need to know, Sam.”

“Didn’t I tell you last night, Mark?”

“I did not sleep a wink thinking about everything you said. After the sex we had. Did you?”

Samantha hesitated for a moment. “No.”

A deep sigh exploded from Mark’s lungs. “Then why? I get it, I’m not tall like him, not as handsome, maybe half as smart—”

The woman rushed to shush him. “That doesn’t even matter—”

“All that I gave to you and still am giving is care and respect. And lo—”

In the distant living room, the sharp ring of a phone cut through what could have been Mark’s confession. Samantha hurriedly distanced herself from the bed, recognizing that the sound belonged to her phone.

“…fuck it.” Mark concluded and gathered a loose shirt from his wardrobe to throw over his head. He plunged to his feet to close the notebook where he had put his thoughts and feelings into lately. It was such a painful blur what Mark was feeling, far from the fairytales love ever promised, and it was blurry, Samantha’s voice speaking hurriedly from the other room, at some point fading in such a manner he could not recognize as hers. After a couple more prolonged seconds, Samantha’s head perked from behind the doorframe, watching Mark’s movements with a heavy heart. “Jonathan rang, the hospital is calling for the board of directors. They want me there earlier.”

“Yeah, sure, you should go.” Mark replied absentmindedly, not even sure he was processing anything else beyond the disappointment of his feelings. The bitterness did not go unnoticed.

“Mark…” Samantha tried getting closer, but Mark did not give any sign of mirroring her actions. She backed away. She settled for another question. “You’re leaving again today?”

“Tonight, yes.” He turned to look at her with a knot in his throat. “I need to start packing and all that.”

In a futile attempt to reestablish a connection with Mark, Samantha ultimately walked away from the cold doorframe, biting into the plush of her lower lip to push back the tears. At long last, she had found someone again, to treat her right and engulf her heart with warmth and joy. Was fear bigger than love? Perhaps it was. Was her pride bigger than Mark? It should not have been. As the woman gathered her scattered clothes from the lover’s nest which was Mark’s living room, and eerie sentiment started crawling to her faster and faster. It was as if Mark felt it too when he approached, replacing her in the doorframe. His arms were folded over his torso and there were abrupt lines under his eyes.

“I don’t think we’ll see each other again.” Mark spoke finally and there was some bigger denial force which led Samantha to believe he was just speaking about the present day.

“No, it’s alright, you must pack, meet up with the others. I think it’s going to be a full day at the hospital, anyway, so don’t worry about me!” Samantha cheered and forced a fake smile out of Mark. He did not want to say more.

“Murphy and Millo are outside, just so you know. I let them out into the backyard after you fell asleep.”

“Sure, I’ll get Murphy on the way out. Thanks.”

There was no intimacy during the last seconds of Samantha’s departure, just fugitive smiles shared, and Mark did not follow her outside. The eerie feeling the woman had previously culminated when Murphy suddenly started yelping and crying that he did not want to leave. As if he’d never come back.

Samantha put on her white coat in her office, straightening the wrinkles in the magenta crayon dress hugging her body. She pushed the hair tightened in a ponytail from under the collar, and let it swing like a metronome for a while. There was a pile of medical files on the desk which needed her careful revision for the day, yet the only thing capturing her attention was Mark’s cold demeanor during their parting. Fingers were curling at the hem of the coat, eyes fixated on a faraway point outside the window. Samantha did not hear Jonathan coming in.

“Sam?” Jonathan approached, briefly tapping at her shoulder. She flinched at the unexpected contact, broken off from her trance.

“Sorry, Jonathan.” She coughed shortly to gather her voice, turning to face the other. “What’s up?”

Jonathan observed her features, devoid of the usual happiness she had lately. “Did anything happen between you and Mark?”

Samantha frowned and for a moment forgot Jonathan knew her better than anyone. Or at least used to. “I don’t really feel like talking about it.” Before Jonathan commented. “Please. What do you need?”

“Nothing in particular, I stopped around to ask about the management meeting. There are rumors you want to step down?”

She nodded her head. “I do. I hate this politics and it’s not really my thing. I want to go back to treating people full time. This time for real.”

A small pause and then a sincere smile appeared on Jonathan’s lips. He opened his arms and Samantha gladly took the invitation to wrap around him. Jonathan gently pulled her head into his shoulder, towering over her. “Congratulations. We’ve been waiting for you for so long. Does this mean you talked to him? To Mark?”

Samantha tightened her grip around Jonathan. His back was as broad as she remembered it to be.

“Then why are you sad?”

She just shook her head. “Okay, I’ll stop. We can speak when you feel like it. I lied to you earlier, I actually came to tell you something else.”

“Oh?” Samantha pulled away, watching Jonathan with curious eyes. Jonathan cleared his throat, still holding Samantha close to him. It might as well have been for the last time that he did.

The nervous pacing of a nurse interrupted them with a knock on the open door. Jonathan let go of the woman, straightening his back. He winked at Samantha, with a playful smirk on his lips that she had not seen in a long time. She was overwhelmed with curiosity, especially since, even before the beginning of their relationship, that small gesture was always associated with mischief.

“Doctor Stoss, there is a patient here who wants to meet you. I understand you treated his wife in the past.”

“Of course, I’ll join him momentarily. Thank you, nurse.”

Samantha turned back to Jonathan after the nurse had walked away. “Hey, do you think we could call in the late-night motorcycle ride we talked about? I could really use it. And we could talk more, as it seems you have one or two things to confess to me.”

Jonathan laughed. “Count me in, then. I’ll walk with you; I’m heading to the reception area anyway.”

Truth was, people never get to be ready for the situations life puts them through. They never get warnings, never get spoilers, always hit again and again with the unforeseen and never get used to it. In the lobby of the reception area, Samantha recognized the man looking for her, all too well, with little tweaks and rough around the edges. Next to him was a woman, showing signs of pregnancy, and it all felt like history was replaying all over again. In a cruel deja vu.

“Doctor Stoss,” the man spoke, and a shiver ran down Samantha’s spine. Jonathan felt it and made himself busy around the area, in case she needed him. “We meet again.”

“Mister Dalton, yes.” Samantha composed herself but her skin must have been so pale from the sheer shock. “How can I be of use?”

“I know what you must be thinking.” The man continued, keeping a distance. “It’s not you that I hate, if I have that anymore in my heart. My sister,” gesturing toward the feminine silhouette next to him “she recently found out that she is pregnant, and we wish to monitor everything meticulously from the start.”

Samantha could not comprehend the words spoken to her. “That’s certainly very good thinking but why me? There are many skilled doctors in Seoul who I’m sure can help you with whatever you need.” She then looked down at the white floor. “I did not even forgive myself, so how could you?”

Dalton’s sister reached out for Samantha’s hand in a compassionate gesture which took Samantha by surprise. The man was looking away, not with a distraught expression, but rather one which was desperately fighting for the closure he so much needed. “You should forgive. We both know it was not you. We do.”

So many thoughts were rushing at that moment through Samantha’s mind, crowding and emptying and then crawling in colossal nonsense. The past weeks had been full of the unexpected, of unknown emotions, unknown people, and unknown happenings. Mark came to her mind again. How was it a coincidence that only the night before she was undoing the strings of pain aching at her heart, only to be followed by the father whose two most important people were lost from this life, looking to her for treatment?

“You are foreign like us, so you do understand the obvious choice. We read your scientific papers and all the good you did for the people. Despite us losing our dearest wife and sister, we want to bring his niece and my daughter into the world, loud cries and healthy. By your hands.”

Jonathan’s smile was so stretched out that it could have reached the galaxy. Samantha turned to him by instinct, to find him scribbling a happy face on an empty admission form, as happy as his oozing joy. Then she turned to the brothers, to be met by a sincere look in mister Dalton’s eyes. The sign for which she hoped would come finally did.

“Mister Dalton, please find one of these admission forms and fill it in on my patient’s behalf. Let’s go to an examination room.”

Jonathan giggled akin to a child. “Doctor Williams, if you could help me bring the other files I had, please.”

In light of the events unfolding before her very eyes, Samantha felt something click in her conscience. All the signs in the world could not have been louder to tell her it was time she came face to face with her feelings and her pride. For all that mattered, she had to confess to Mark what was on her mind, which was him and him alone. The mornings drew their breath from him, the days flew by to reach him, and the dusk settled to be with him. There couldn’t have been any other. It could not make sense with anyone else, it had to be Mark.

Now, or never.

Amidst packing the usual stuff for the last leg of the tour, Mark had an uneasy sentiment throughout. He replayed the moment they lay together on the summer grass in the park, teasing and laughing at one another, sewing little by little what he thought would be an indisputable connection. She drew him in, with the audacity of a thief and the serenity of a child. The smell of her skin filling the air bewitching him, the amber of her eyes twinkling like the brightest of stars, and oh the sound of her voice. She was a midsummer night’s dream.

Only she proved to be just that. A dream. Who was he to intrude, if she did not want him?

Mark took a glance at himself in the mirror and laughed at how hypocritical he was. Blaming his mishap on Samantha’s clear boundaries. You aren’t that guy, Jinyoung kept repeating to him, time and again, and by the time he realized he truly was not that guy, he had already done the damage to himself. During Mark’s career, with the bright lights and the fame, most of the girls he met were shallow, looking for easy ways to get out. They all wanted him; he never wanted them. Now that he wanted her, she did not want him. How pitiful that must have felt, to walk with your head held high into a trap thinking it would be a reward. And Samantha was not like anyone else he’d had, she was everything all the other women were not. Fierce, independent, addictive. In between the sheets, he did not believe sex and love could coexist and mean something. And Mark wanted her, with every piece she carried, even more so to fool himself he could help her heal, put a purpose on love again.

Human beings are selfish by nature, far from being perfect. Mark could not push a woman to be with him, against her own will. He would rather suffer than live a lie. Against all odds even, he stopped believing she would give them a chance.

So, to let her go was what he could do, for the sake of both of them.

At the crack of sundown, Mark brought his luggage to the van and joined with the rest of the guys to leave for the airport. He must have exuded a sense of sadness because the usual cheery atmosphere turned into a looming silence.

“Mark? Everything okay?” Jackson asked, putting his phone to the side.

“Yeah, sort of.” Mark replied and put the hood of his sweatshirt over his head, with a loud sigh. Ultimately, he gave up. “Everything is not okay.”

Jinyoung just sighed and folded his arms over his chest. Mark turned his body to the side to speak with the driver. “Can we make a stop to SMP hospital?”

“What are you even doing, adding oil to the fire?” Jinyoung commented, clearly dissatisfied that his friend just chose to torture himself further.

Mark fixed the hood over his eyes, relaxing his body into the fabric of the seat. “I’m letting her go.”

Bambam almost spit the water he was drinking. “You’re doing what now?”

But Mark just ignored the guys, opting to stay silent during the rest of the ride to the hospital. Admittedly, both Jinyoung and Jackson were surprised by Mark’s disclosure. Something had to happen during the night before for Mark to take such a decision, especially as they saw and knew about the feelings Mark harbored for Samantha. They knew better than to pry, Mark would share when he considered appropriate, and all they had to do was to be there for him.

Thoughts were racing through Mark’s mind, as was his heart in his chest, trying to figure out what exactly he would say to rip the band-aid as fast as possible. Whose band-aid he was going to rip off most probably would belong to him, still against his better feelings. Was he an impostor for not fighting more? Although there is nothing louder than the silence of two people being in love but walking away because someone had to choose themselves over the other?

“We’re here, Mark.” Jackson broke the silence, shaking Mark off his trance. “Still going?”

Mark just cracked open the door of the van in response, unpeeling himself hastily from his seat. Back in the car, there was an avalanche of buzzing coming from the cellphones of the other guys, and there was a collective shock.

“Oh my God”, the leader of the group spoke, looking through the pictures their manager had just sent them in the shared groupchat. “This is very bad.”

“Is it Samantha in all of them?” Jackson spoke and could not believe what he was seeing.

“Mark will have to make a statement for this shit, there’s no way. Where did these even come from?” Bambam threw his phone on the back seat. “Is it a fact Dispatch is going to publish it?”

“But he’s letting her go, no? So that’s… nothing is good.”

Mark’s phone was left in the backseat of the car, assaulted by messages and calls from their manager. Jinyoung looked out the window at Mark’s back walking away from the van, still stuck upon the striking picture in which Samantha was heatedly kissing the bartender of the club where the group spent their night some weeks before. Where Mark inadvertently met Samantha. Another picture in the deck where a dashing blonde man was sharing laughs with Samantha on the back of a motorcycle. And another one, alongside a charming tall brunette, doting over one another on the golden sands of a foreign beach. “Let’s hope he’s letting her go.”

The walk from the back of the parking lot to the entrance of the main lobby started a high-pitched ringing in Mark’s ears and he could not realize when he was met by the hospital receptionist.

“What can I help you with, sir? Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes. Could you page doctor Stoss? I need to talk to her.”

The receptionist was happy to comply with his request and Mark leaned his elbows against the reception counter. There were unusually few people that night in the main lobby of the hospital, keeping the bleak silence of the hospital intact.

“Out of everyone I could have met tonight, I never expected to meet you here.”

Initially, Mark did not recognize the arrogant voice, but when he turned his body to face the owner of that voice, he felt his blood pressure increasing.

“Neither did I, Doctor Carter.” Mark noted, keeping a snarky comment, still a prisoner, under a feigned sense of respect. He was hoping Henry would just leave, albeit highly unlikely.

“I get it, you’re here to see my dear Sam. Heroic, if you ask me. Mark, was it? How important must you singers be.”

The way he was using Samantha’s name was making Mark angry, more than belittling himself. “I didn’t ask. I have nothing to say to you.”

Henry chuckled and fixed the collar of his white coat. Using his analytical and cocky demeanor, Henry was actively looking for ways to assert dominance over Mark. He posed the physical advantages at least. “I have a couple of things to say to you, might as well just listen.”

Mark turned his body fully toward Henry, keeping his stance strong and definitive. Henry arched a curious eyebrow and decided he’d entertain Mark.

“Do go ahead and speak to her while you have the chance. Next time you’d be back, maybe you won’t have it.”

“As if I need any permission to ask of you. You are too self-sufficient to see beyond your shadow.”

Henry laughed yet felt annoyed. He reached into his pocket to reveal a small velvety box to Mark. “When she becomes my wife, you won’t get fifty meters around her shadow.”

The guts of the guy made absolutely no sense to Mark who, out of instinct, just burst out laughing. There was a passer-by, alerted by the bizarre sounds of laughter.

“I don’t know if you’re either too stupid or too delusional but thanks for the laugh.” Mark concluded and threw his hands up in the air in a mocking gesture.

In any other setting, Henry would have grabbed Mark by the collar. He took a step closer to Mark’s silhouette. “Why? Think it is going to be you whom she chooses?”

Undeterred by the feelings of a broken heart twisted by an invisible knife, Mark mirrored Henry’s actions to also take a step forward. “Doesn’t matter who it is going to be but sure as hell it’s not going to be you, doctor. If you can keep calling yourself that.”

“Mark.” Samantha’s voice broke the tension between the two men and caused them to back away from one another. Henry put the velvety box back in the pocket of his coat, regaining his self-confidence. He met Samantha with one of his charming smiles, but she did not pay him any attention. Her eyes were focused on Mark, in a contradiction of happiness and fear. “You paged me, did anything happen to you?”

Mark glanced at Henry, signaling that he wanted to get some privacy with her.

“Let’s go to my office.”

“Will I have the honor to see you a tad later? I’ll get you home.” Henry chirped but Mark and Samantha turned their backs to him. “I’ll take that as a yes.” He finally spoke, unable to acknowledge he was no longer Samantha’s main focal point.

Samantha closed the door of the office behind her in a clumsy motion, struggling to gather the words to speak. “I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight, I thought you were flying out?”

Mark turned to her and voluntarily allowed her to see the sadness and impatience flowing over his face. “I am, the van is parked outside. I wanted to see you one last time.”

Samantha scoffed and suddenly felt like throwing up. She quickly recalled the looming feeling of the morning, Murphy’s refusal to leave Mark’s house. “One last time? You’re coming back soon; we’ll get to see each other again.”

Biting in the plush of his inner cheek, Mark walked towards her and tenderly cupped her face. “I cannot see you again, Sam. We won’t see each other again. I came to say goodbye.”

She shook her head in disbelief, watching Mark with a desolate expression. “What, no, no you can’t. What do you mean goodbye?”

The tear rolling down Samantha’s cheek twisted the knife deeper into Mark’s heart. He guided his thumb to wash it away. “I cannot be with one foot in and have the other ready to go. It’s very, very painful for me, and I can’t force you to love me if you don’t. I tried to be that guy, but I can’t. I want people to see us out in the street holding hands, I want people to hear us when we’re making love and know it’s me in our bed. I want to experience things I’ve never felt before with you. I want to kiss you right in Henry’s fucking face and I want all the love songs I’ll write to have you as their muse. Everyone else fades was about you. I don’t want to see you with anyone but me.”

Mark leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on Samantha’s forehead, his lips finally whispering against skin as he pulled her into him. “I’m so sorry.”

Samantha’s eyes peeled wide open with each sound crossing the barrier of Mark’s lips, with each pulling the rug from under her feet. She did not become aware of when heavy tears flattened against her features, no whimper leaving her chest. The silence was deafening, and Mark was one inch away from slipping into a place where she could not reach. The warmth of Samantha’s tears was flooding into the crook of Mark’s neck, and he had to gather all ounces of strength to keep himself together.

Still, voice was trembling. He wouldn’t wish in his wildest dreams to make her cry, when he convinced himself, he would never. “I have to go, Sam. Please, let me go. I need you to be fine with it, you must be fine with it so I can go.”

No physical counter could account for the pain stacking up in Samantha’s being. Mark placed another butterfly peck on her forehead as he distanced his body from hers, briefly caressing her hand with his. Just as Mark was about to turn the knob of the door, a cry bubbled out from Samantha’s mouth.

“How will I love you if you leave?”

Mark’s fingers froze on the knob, his head jolting back to capture Samantha’s saddened frame. To then face her in utmost distrust. That was no moment for his mind to have him hallucinate. “What did you say?”

The woman faced Mark, repeating the sweet words Mark wished to hear, in the faintest of murmurs. “I love you, Mark.”

A sole tear escaped the chains of Mark’s eyelids, and he approached Samantha carefully, barely grasping the events unfolding. Samantha gathered from behind the thick veil formed on her irises that he was still there, still in her proximity. “I didn’t know I loved you the first time you left a note on my coffee table that you walked Murphy after that heavenly sex. I didn’t acknowledge I loved you when I poured my heart out in the rain to the other side of the world where you were, in New Delhi. I understood I loved you when you said you’d take me with you to see the world. And I felt I loved you when you were running through my fingers last night.”

Mark rushed to envelop her absolute anatomy into his arms, swallowed by the need to feel her every atom at the tips of his fingers. There was no force tempting her to break down crying, she was just silently staring into an empty imperfection in the floor. “I was so afraid you’d leave me.”

“I was so afraid you’d never have me,” Mark countered and buried his face into the crown of her head. “Gosh, I feel like an idiot now.”

“Will you leave me?”

When Samantha gathered the strength to finally make eye contact with Mark, the image of her, with the porcelain skin glowing underneath the cascade of tears, with the glimmer of the eye burning with fear, was alluringly devastating. Samantha was convinced the wound of a bullet wouldn’t hurt as badly as Mark denying their love. It all should have started to fall in place. It all should have started to make sense. She should have thanked every deity the otherworldly coincidence for putting mister Dalton into her path, and she also knew she had a long way of repenting for the hurt she caused to Mark. Part of which he confessed again, one too many times. For all of which, she almost chose to ignore.

Almost is never enough.

“It’s almost been half an hour; we are going to lose our plane.” Jinyoung observed, growing steadily impatient. “Someone should go and get him.”

“I’ll go,” Jackson volunteered, fixing the champagne-colored shirt on his body. “We all know how shit this situation is but you of all people should know not to get mad.”

Jackson hopped off the car, to make his way to the hospital entrance. With the paparazzi resurfacing all of a sudden, he wished to be fast and smooth and not attract any more unwanted attention that would add to the already poor situation. Jackson followed the directions to a corner of the lobby where the management offices were listed and took an elevator to the second floor, in search of Samantha Stoss’ office. A quick question, among his fine features and a gentle smile, was all he needed to locate the room towards the middle of an adjacent corridor. From far away, Jackson noticed two people were coming to the same direction as he was going, a beautiful curly haired woman, and a tall blonde manly figure, both in surgical attire.

The faster they approached, the more he recognized the man was the same in the picture with Samantha, straddling the two wheeled vehicle. Their presences were the sole ones in the corridor. Not the one to jump so quickly to conclusions, Jackson chose to be mindful of the other man’s actions.

“Could we help you with something, sir?” the man spoke, a hint of confusion in his voice as he failed to place Jackson in that scenery. It was clear that he did not know who he was. Not the same could have been said about his companion, whose eyes acknowledged his presence differently from that of a complete stranger.

Leena watched him intently and the virtually unnoticeable gesture of her wetting her lips with the tip of her tongue forced Jackson to linger slightly. “Oh, don’t mind me, thank you. I am here for Doctor Stoss.”

Jonathan quirked his eyebrows. “Samantha is quite popular around these parts. So, I gather there’s someone else besides Mark?”

The last remark was intended more for Leena who reciprocated Jackson’s lingering action. “I am not sure bandmates toss their girls around to one another. Am I wrong?”

Jackson chuckled and Jonathan could not help but feel dissatisfied with the exchange. “Much to my dismay, Mark met Doctor Stoss first. Otherwise, who knows?”

Leena laughed and before Jonathan had the chance to reply, Jackson continued. “Apologies, I wish I had more time to stay, I came to take Mark, so we won’t lose our flight.”

“Mark is here?” Leena followed curiously and watched Jackson extend his hand to open the door. Then, leaning to Jonathan, voice lowering into a whisper, eyes fixated on Jackson’s body dressed elegantly in Louis Vuitton attire. “What if they’re having sex?”

“I’d feel too bad to end the goodbye sex.”

Jackson opened the door to meet a hugging Samantha and Mark. Fully clothed otherwise, Jackson noticed Samantha’s face was smeared with tears and he could only hope Mark made it as easy as possible. The couple quickly pulled apart, and Samantha brought her hands to her eyes, to wipe them. Mark frowned at Jackson, if anything to show genuine confusion.

“What are you doing here, Jackson?”

“I hope you’ve finished breaking up because as of right now, you do not really have any other choice.” Previous chapter Next chapter

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yumiyue07 · 2 months ago

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Bumping into Christmas Magic ✨

♡ Author's note

✨ So this is Christmas... 🎵

Christmas Eve is finally here, and the magic of the season fills the air! As the year swiftly comes to a close, I’m excited to share my very first Christmas love story, inspired by Stray Kids’ beautiful song Christmas Love.

This is a tale of serendipity, snowy evenings, and a romance that proves Christmas miracles truly do exist. ✨

Have a wonderful Christmas Eve! 🌟

Enough of my rambling—dive right in and enjoy the story! Thank you, as always. 💖

With love, YumiYue 🌙

｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★

POV: K-idol x fem reader

H/N = His name Y/N = Your name

｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★

Part 1

Somehow, you’d lost track of the others. One moment, they were beside you; the next, they’d disappeared into the bustling crowd. You couldn’t really blame them—you’d been completely captivated by a stall filled with hand-painted Christmas baubles.

The display was enchanting, with delicate ornaments in every color, their intricate patterns catching the glow of nearby fairy lights. Some were painted with snow-covered cottages, others with prancing reindeer or frosty pine trees. The artist, a kind-faced woman with paint-stained fingers, gave you a warm smile before turning her attention to another customer carefully selecting a set.

A soft pang of indecision tugged at you. There was a particular bauble with a swirling galaxy of blues and silvers that had caught your eye, but you decided you’d come back for it after exploring more of the market.

As you walked away, the festive chatter of the crowd faded slightly while you rummaged through your handbag.

You’d meant to check your phone—maybe send a quick text to find your colleagues—but in your search, you paid no attention to where you were going.

Suddenly, you collided with something solid. The impact jarred you, and you stumbled back a step as the sound of rustling bags and clattering objects broke through the market’s cheerful hum.

A young man stood in front of you, blinking in mild surprise as he stared at the scattered shopping bags at his feet.

“Oh, no, I’m so sorry about that. I wasn’t paying attention,” you said sheepishly, stepping forward to help.

The young man looked up, his expression shifting from surprise to amusement as if he hadn’t even noticed you standing there at first. He was strikingly handsome, his soft eyes catching yours with a mix of warmth and curiosity. His dark hair was slightly tousled, and a thick scarf was snugly wrapped around his neck—a clear defense against the biting cold.

“Don’t worry,” he said with a small laugh, brushing off the incident. “I was distracted, too.”

You bent down to help him gather his bags, brushing the snow off one of them before handing it back to him.

“Quite a lot of bags you’re carrying around,” you said with a playful smile.

“Yeah, I’ve been on the hunt for gifts,” he admitted with an embarrassed chuckle. “And I think I might’ve gotten a bit… overambitious. I’m new in town, so navigating all this is a little overwhelming.”

“Ah, I see,” you replied, eyeing the assortment of bags. “Well, if you’re looking for something specific, I could help you. Consider it my way of making up for crashing into you. Or,” you added with a grin, “I could just help you carry all of this. You’re practically a walking Christmas tree at this point.”

He laughed then—a bright, infectious laugh that made your chest feel unexpectedly warm. “If you really don’t mind, I’d appreciate the help. At this rate, I’ll be wandering around until midnight. And honestly, having a hand free wouldn’t be the worst thing.” He shifted the bags and held out his now-empty hand. “By the way, I’m H/N.”

“Nice to meet you, H/N,” you said, taking his hand for a brief shake. “I’m Y/N. And yes, I’d be happy to help.”

He smiled again, the kind of smile that felt like it could melt through the snow. “Nice to meet you too, Y/N. Are you here alone?”

“Well, not exactly,” you said, taking a few of the bags from him to lighten his load. “I came here with my colleagues, but I got a little distracted at one of the stalls. By the time I looked up, they were gone. I was just about to check my phone when—”

“When you ran into me,” he finished, grinning.

“Exactly.” You couldn’t help but smile back.

You walked side by side, heading in the opposite direction from where you’d come. The faint crunch of snow underfoot blended with the festive buzz of the Christmas market around you.

“Are you sure you don’t want to rejoin your colleagues?” he asked, glancing at you. “You really don’t have to wander around here with me.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it. They’ll be fine without me,” you said with a wave of your hand. “They were heading home soon anyway. Christmas markets aren’t really their thing.” You paused, your face lighting up as you added, “I, on the other hand, absolutely love everything about Christmas.”

He chuckled softly, his gaze lingering on you. “I can tell. You’re practically glowing. It suits you.”

A faint warmth rose in your cheeks—not just from the cold—and you smiled. “There’s just something magical about this season, isn’t there?”

“Definitely,” he said, his voice soft. He quickly looked away, his ears tinged with a hint of pink. You just looked so happy—it was impossible not to find it contagious.

“How long have you been in the city?” you asked after a moment.

“About two weeks now,” he replied. “I moved here for work. My team arrived last week, too.”

“Your team? Are you a sportsman? Or maybe a coach?” you guessed, glancing at his athletic build.

He laughed, shaking his head. “No, nothing like that. We’re an IT team—we handle data and building security. Our new assignment brought us here.”

“Aha,” you said with interest. “That sounds exciting. Does that mean you’re always on the move?”

“Pretty much,” he admitted with a small shrug. “Depending on the job, we relocate to be closer to the client’s office.”

Something about that answer gave you pause. “By ‘we,’ you mean your team, right?” You hesitated, almost asking if he meant family, but stopped yourself.

“Yes, exactly,” he said with a nod. “My team is like my family. We spend a lot of time together.”

“Let me guess—the presents are for your team?” you teased lightly.

He laughed again, the sound bright and warm. “Exactly. Christmas is coming soon, and I wanted to be early with gifts this year. Usually, I’m the guy scrambling at the last minute.”

“Oh, I know how that feels,” you said, grinning. “How many presents are you still missing?”

“Just one more, actually,” he said, his voice tinged with pride.

“Hey, that’s great!” you said. “Do you already have an idea for it? If you do, we can head there now.”

“I was thinking of getting a scarf,” he explained. “One of my teammates is always losing his stuff. Having a backup scarf might actually save him this winter.”

“That’s so thoughtful of you,” you said, genuinely impressed. “I saw a stall selling scarves back that way.” You pointed toward a row of twinkling booths in the distance. “Let’s check it out.”

“Sure thing, Miss Tour Guide,” he said, chuckling.

You couldn’t help but laugh at the nickname. “Hmm, how about I give you a proper tour of the city sometime? You know, if you want—and if you have time.”

“Sounds like a plan,” he replied, his grin widening. “I’ve looked up a few sightseeing spots online, but I haven’t gotten around to them yet. With you as my guide, though, I’d say my chances of enjoying it just got a whole lot better.”

His mischievous smile made your heart skip a beat, and you found yourself grinning back.

His smile made your heart race, a steady rhythm suddenly thrown off course. What’s wrong with me? you thought, trying to focus on something else. It had been a while since anyone had made you feel this way—this sudden, fluttering warmth that seemed to curl up and settle in your chest.

You stole a glance at him as you walked side by side. He was taller than you, with broad shoulders and a confident, easy stride. His long coat, scarf, and gloves gave him an effortlessly elegant look, every piece carefully coordinated. Maybe he’d come straight from work to the market. Whatever the case, the polished air about him only added to the growing sense of attraction you felt.

“Here we are,” you said, gesturing to the stall. “Take your time to look through the selection.”

The two of you began browsing, the display lit softly by strings of twinkling lights. You spotted a pair of dark red gloves with small bows at the openings and couldn’t resist buying them. They were too cute to leave behind. Meanwhile, H/N inspected the scarves with a focused look, his brow furrowing slightly in thought.

“Did you find something interesting?” he asked, glancing your way.

“Look at this scarf,” you said, holding up one with a playful Christmas motif. “Isn’t it adorable? It’s perfect for the season!”

He chuckled, the sound light and warm. “It really is.”

“How about you? Did you find something for your friend?” you asked, noticing the scarf in his hand.

“Yep,” he said, holding it up for you to see. “This one’s simple, nothing too fancy—he’ll like it.”

“That’s great!” you said with a smile. “So, you’ve officially finished your gift shopping.”

“I have,” he said, his grin widening. “Let me pay for this quickly. Be right back.”

You watched as he walked to the booth owner, chatting briefly as he handed over the scarf. A small pang settled in your chest. With his shopping done, this might be the moment you’d have to part ways. The thought felt strangely disappointing—is it weird that I don’t want this to end yet?

He returned moments later, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. “Ah, what a relief,” he said with a laugh. “Now all I have to do is wrap these up and find clever hiding spots for them.”

“Good plan,” you said, smiling despite the lingering thought of goodbye. “Maybe I should start my own shopping marathon soon, too.”

“If you need a helper, I volunteer,” he offered with a playful grin. Then, more seriously, he added, “Thanks again for your help. I really appreciate it.”

“Of course! It was no trouble at all,” you replied, your voice softening. “I guess my mission’s complete now, huh?”

“Yeah,” he said, his tone dipping slightly. He hesitated before asking, “But… do you mind showing me around the market a bit more?”

Your heart lifted. “I’d love to! How about we grab something to eat first? It smells amazing here.”

“Great idea. After all this shopping, I need to recharge. Hmm, it smells like chestnuts,” he said, his nose lifting slightly toward the aroma wafting through the air.

“That’s right. There’s a booth over there selling them. Let’s start with that,” you suggested.

A few minutes later, you were both holding a small bag of warm chestnuts, the heat seeping into your hands through the paper. Sharing them as you walked, the conversation naturally turned to your jobs. You told him about your work as a journalist, covering everything from local stories to larger features.

“Maybe I could interview you and your team some time,” you teased. “A story about the latest trends in IT security, perhaps?”

He chuckled, a playful glint in his eye. “Why not? It’s a pretty important topic. Could even get us some new clients,” he said, winking at you.

The truth was that H/N’s team didn’t need your help to attract attention. From what he’d told you, they were already renowned as one of the best security teams in the industry. Still, the idea made him smile—it was an excuse to talk to you again.

As the chestnuts dwindled, you decided on your next stop. “Hot chocolate?” you suggested, gesturing toward a nearby booth with a menu written in chalk and steam curling into the night air.

“Sounds perfect,” he agreed.

The rich, warm drink was just what you needed to ward off the evening chill. Strolling through the bustling market with steaming cups in hand, the conversation between you flowed so effortlessly that it felt like second nature. You found yourselves wandering from one topic to the next, discovering little quirks about each other and laughing at shared jokes. It was as if you’d known each other for years rather than just a few hours.

Eventually, you circled back to the booth where you’d first collided. Your eyes lit up at the display of handmade ornaments and painted Christmas baubles, just as they had earlier.

“They’re so beautiful,” you murmured, leaning in to admire them. You reached for one, hesitating, then moved to another, clearly torn. “I don’t know which one to choose. They’re all so lovely!”

H/N watched you with a soft smile. The way your childlike joy illuminated your face, the way your eyes sparkled in the twinkling market lights—it left him captivated.

“They are beautiful,” he said quietly, though his gaze never left you.

You turned to him, startled by the softness in his tone. His eyes met yours, warm and intent, and a blush crept up your cheeks. Feeling suddenly shy, you looked away, pretending to study the ornaments again.

A soft chuckle escaped him, and he shook his head. “You really do make this season feel magical, you know,” he said, almost to himself.

Just as you were about to ask for H/N’s opinion on the ornaments, you heard your name being called.

“Y/N, there you are!” one of your female colleagues exclaimed, hurrying toward you. “We lost you in the middle of everything, and you didn’t respond to our messages or calls. We started to get worried!”

“Oh no, I’m so sorry,” you said, flustered. “I got so caught up looking around the booths that I forgot to check my phone.”

“That’s so typical of you,” she teased, shaking her head.

“Once you like something, you get totally lost in it.”

H/N couldn’t help but smile at this description, imagining youwandering through the market, mesmerized by its magic. It suited you perfectly.

“Y/N, are you coming with us now?” your colleague asked, glancing over her shoulder. “Our boss joined us all of a sudden.”

“Oh!” you said, startled. “Uh, yeah, I’ll be there in a second.”

“Alright, but don’t disappear on us again,” she said with a grin. “We’re at the booth selling sweets.” With that, she turned and walked back toward the group.

You turned back to H/N, an apologetic expression on your face as you handed him the shopping bags you’d been carrying. “It seems like our tour ends here,” you said regretfully. “I’m really sorry to leave so abruptly, but as you heard, my boss joined, and I can’t exactly say no.”

You didn’t want to leave. Spending time with H/N had been more fun, more alive, than anything you’d done in ages. But you didn’t have a choice.

“Don’t worry about it,” H/N said with an understanding smile. “I get it. Thank you for all your help. Have a nice evening ahead.”

“It was a lot of fun,” you said, your voice tinged with reluctance. “Have a nice evening, too. So… yeah.”

“Thank you,” he said, his gaze softening. “Maybe I’ll see you again?”

“Yeah,” you said shyly, a small smile tugging at your lips. “Maybe.”

You waved at him and turned, hurrying to catch up with your colleague. Inside, your heart sank a little. “Why didn’t I ask for his number?!” you scolded yourself. The chance of seeing him again in such a big city felt slim, but maybe… maybe he didn’t want to see you again. He could have asked, too.

Behind you, H/N waved back, his hand lingering in the air even after you’d disappeared into the crowd. His eyes stayed on you, a wistful smile on his face. “She’s so cute,” he thought, the warmth of the evening still coursing through him. “Almost like a fairy.”

As he turned back toward the ornament display, his gaze fell on one you had admired—a delicate bauble painted with a soft, shimmering winter scene. His smile widened.

To be continued...

♡ Stay tuned for part 2! ✨🎄💝 @catlove83 @burningemberz @alonahh ｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★ Please like, share, and follow! ♡＼(￣▽￣)／♡ Follow me on: 📸 Instagram: @yumiyue07 🎵 TikTok: @yumiyue07 📝 Wattpad: @LunaVerse_YumiYue

Disclaimer: This story is a work of fan fiction inspired by Stray Kids’ song “Christmas Love”. All characters and events are fictional and are not intended to represent real people or events.

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leenaur143 · 7 months ago

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i hope bambam's doing okay tonight ❤️

#his insta story was something i fear a lot of us have felt before but we shouldnt #he needs rest and this was his way of telling us #bambam #got7 #🙏 please rest and take a break from time to time

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kpopyourcherryy · 10 months ago

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Hey Everyone! It's Jade~

I feel like I keep going on and off from this site It's just not what it used to be imo ever since that big policy change forever ago now But anyways!

I decided to fully get back into writing, a lot has happened in my personal life so I have more time and have found my passion for it again. If you wanna support your girl pls go support me on Dreame; The Love You Want-Dreame

Good Ol' Wattpad; The Love You Want - jxxde - Wattpad

I'll be transferring some of my stories to both sites and kind of creating a book of short stories for each group I've written about, and for my longer collabs with my dear Maya (i miss you bitch idk if you're even still on here :,/) I'll put them in separate "books" of their own so they're kind of like micro novellas.

I also have another book in the works that is a Mafia AU! so be on the look out for that one as well!

And before I go, one of the stories I plan on reworking heavily and really fleshing out to make something super cool is Playing With Fire, my Demon! Wonho fic. It's one I go back to and always fall back into love with. I also have plans to continue 3 years on both sites too, just possibly reworking a bit.

I'd like to think that my long-winded hiatus is finally over <3 ~

Please support me on my little writing journey one more time my loves <3 Feel free to send an inbox here at any time I miss you guys terribly!

With love & light, Your Jade ~

#admin jade #bts #got7 #admin post #wattpad #dreame #fanfics #dark romance #spicy books #spicy stories #fanfiction #kpop #kpop fanfic #kpop au #bts fanfic #support writers #inbox open #fill my inbox #kpop fandom

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sleekervae · 1 year ago

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Spooktober 👻

Happy Halloweekend, babies! I know I haven't been keeping up with my content as much as I would love to, but I wanna spotlight some of my recent supernatural/halloween fics that have been giving major 🥺🥵🤣👀. Give some of these creators some love and be safe out there this weekend!

Cherry Bomb - @retrievablememories

pairing: jungkook x fem reader

summary: “get fucked or die” becomes the motto to live by when a serial killer begins targeting virgins on your campus.

genre: smut, horror/slasher, college!au

Untitled - @talkfastromance4

pairing: calum hood x fem reader

summary: reader meets werewolf!calum at a party

genre: smut, fantasy

I Want to Bite You - @talkfastromance4

pairing: luke hemmings x fem reader

summary: reader wants vampire!luke to bite her

genre: adult (no explicit smut)

Dragon - @the-world-is-spinning-round

pairing: remington leith x fem reader

summary: dragon!remington takes pity on a human sacrifice

genre: fantasy

Haunted - @the-world-is-spinning-round

*honestly everything that this author writes is amazing so definitely go check out some of her work!

pairing: remington leith x fem reader

summary: Bonnie discovers a ghost in a haunted house

genre: fantasty

kinktober day 10 - @floralcyanide

pairing: Austin butler x fem reader

summary: A little naughty fun ensues with you and your boyfriend, Austin.

genre: smut

Happy Halloween - @krreader

pairing: jackson wang x bambam x fem reader

summary: a maid outfit isn’t exactly the best idea when having two jealous boyfriends, you know?

genre: smut

Descend - @sombreboy

pairing: kim namjoon x fem reader

summary: ‘’I’d say you are wasting my time, but that was before I saw you..’’ he tugged her face closer to his crotch, the bulge underneath the fabrics visibly twitching from having her attention. ‘’You will make it worth my while.’’

genre: smut, supernatural

Summoned - @emoboijk

pairing: poly!bts x fem reader

summary: You repeat their names as a mantra, as a prayer, as a guiding light when you feel scared. How were you to know it would summon them? You accidentally summon the 7 demons that make up BTS and they tell you to fulfill your contract they have to fuck you.

genre: smut, demon au

That Boy is a Monster - @wildernessuntothemselves

pairing: werewolf!woosung x vampire!reader

summary: You had sworn you would never feed on a human again, and for centuries you had kept your promise. But now, with your blood supply suddenly cut off, that primitive hunger you thought you’d conquered so long ago comes back with a vengeance and you find yourself on the hunt for human blood once again. Only it turns out that the hot boy you’d picked out wasn’t so human after all. Feat. baby Hajoon

genre: smut, violence

If anybody has any other recs I should add to this list just give me a shout!!

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emerymay · 2 months ago

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Support!

To whoever reads this, I would really appreciate some support. I'm an aspiring writer, who journals, writes short stories (can be custom commissions), and currently working on a novel.

If you happen to come by this post, I would appreciate at least even a follow or repost to spread my existence on Tumblr.

I started writing again due to past traumatic experiences and am currently in limbo trying to find a job in my field (BS in astrophysics). I have just been at odds with life. Just putting that out there, and if you relate, "Don't worry, I am here with you, and I get it."

Also, I'm an OG 2 & 3 K-pop fan, just putting that out there. (Aswell as Khiphop, Kr&b, Pyschic Fever, KDrams, JDramas)

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cherryeol04 · 1 year ago

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The Thing in the Lake (M)

➻ Pairings: Mark x Jackson

➻ Genre: Horror au, Thriller au, Camping Au

➻ Additional: humor, romance, ghost story

➻ Word Count: 3.4K

➻ Warnings: graphic depictions of violence & gore

➻ Author’s notes: This story is cross posted on multiple sites under the same username!

“So the plan is to get totally wasted.” Jackson said happily as he plopped down in one of the folding chairs, grinning as he held the bottle of vodka in his hands. The other’s looked at him with a raised brow and he frowned. “What?”

“If you wanted to get drunk, then why did you even suggest coming here?” Mark asked as he looked over at the other quizzically, laughing softly. “Jackson you could have stayed back in town and gone to Halloween parties with Amber like you planned.” he said.

Jackson snorted as he opened the bottle and sniffed it for a moment before looking back at Mark. “And miss spending time with you? What kind of boyfriend would I be?” he asked and quickly pointed to Yugyeom, whose mouth was open and ready for a snarky comment. “Quiet, no one asked you.” he said and snorted. “I would be a very bad boyfriend.” he replied and smiled. “Besides, it’s the holiday season. All holidays are spent with your lovers right?”

“Is that a rhetorical question?” Youngjae asked with a raised brow. “Or do you really want an answer to that?”

“I really want an answer to that. I don’t know these things.” Jackson said with a scoff. “Come on Youngjae, I’m new to this whole good boyfriend thing. I need a little guidance.” he pleaded. Mark laughed and reached over and took the bottle from Jackson’s hand and pressed the mouth to Jackson’s lips.

“Shut up and drink.” he chuckled and looked around their little campfire that they had going. It was Jackson’s idea to come out to the campsite near the lake just outside the city. It wasn’t a remote area, but it felt like it was an excellent place for young lovers to go and spend romantic nights alone. Or for a group of friends, such as they were, to spend one night getting plastered as they told ghost stories and celebrated Halloween.

“So booze, check.” BamBam said. “Friends...more or less check.” he said and laughed when Jinyoung smacked him with the plushie peach pillow he was holding. “Campfire, check. Time to enjoy ourselves on this fine spooky night. What should we do first? Get drunk? Make smores? Tell ghost stories or fuck?”

“We’re not fucking out here.” Youngjae said quickly with a wag of his finger.

“Why not? Brings you closer with nature.” Yugyeom laughed. “What? Didn’t bring the lube.” he teased.

“Shut up Yugyeom. Why would we have come all the way out here just to fuck?” Youngjae questioned.

“Good question. We didn’t. We came out here to have fun and be together.” Jaebum said. “So let’s have fun!”

“Alright, who brought mom?” Jackson asked and grinned as he passed the bottle of vodka over to BamBam who took a swig from it. “Don’t be a Debby Downer Jaebum. I plan to fuck Mark good in the tent later.” he said and threw a wink to his blushing boyfriend.

“Do you mean, Mark plans to fuck you good? We all know you don’t top.” BamBam teased, laughing as Jackson flicked him off.

“S’mores time yes?” Youngjae jumped in as he grabbed the bag with the marshmallows in it and held it up. “Come one, let’s make them and tell some ghost stories.” he said with an eager expression that had everyone stunned in silence.

“I mean…” Jaebum started and coughed to clear his throat. “I know I’m mom and all, but haven’t you fucked the prude out of him already Jinyoung?” he asked, staring at the younger male next to him who was just as in shock at his boyfriend’s words as Jaebum had been.

“Guess I didn’t do a good job.”

“Oh come on guys.” Youngjae whined. “Why is it so bad that I don’t want to talk or listen to talk of fucking and sex and relationships that I have no business knowing about? What you all do is all up to you. Why do I need to be a part of it?” he questioned.

“How did he get into our best friend club?” Yugyeom asked, pointing to Youngjae in question. “We’re men Jae, we talk about this stuff all the time. You need to get used to it. It doesn’t make you dirty or anything. If anything, it’s an expression of our love for our boyfriends and our trust in each other as friends.”

“Someone remove him from Philosophy class.” Bambam laughed and took the bag of marshmallows from Youngjae and opened it. He pulled one out and tossed it at Yugyeom, laughing. Yugyeom stuck out at his tongue at the other and rolled his eyes.

“Just relax Youngjae, okay? The hyungs are here to watch over us. Tonight we get shit faced drunk and have a good time!” Yugyeom said happily.

“We’re not your babysitters.” Jaebum laughed as he stood and walked over to his tent and grabbed the back of supplies he had been told to bring. He pulled out the little dowels for everyone and passed them out before tossing a box of graham crackers to Mark. “You’ll be our designated graham boy.” he chuckled and then looked at Jinyoung who held up the chocolate bars.

“I’ve got the chocolate.” he said happily.

“Good, let’s get cooking. All this talk about food is making me hungry.” Mark said and reached towards BamBam for a marshmallow.

“I thought we were talking about sex.” Jackson inquired.

“That too.” Mark agreed with a laugh and stuck his marshmallow into the fire to warm. The others followed soon afterwards as they were given their marshmallow and they sat around in silence for a while. They didn’t need to talk or anything. Instead they just stared at the fire, or worked silently on crafting the best s’more, each trying to outdo each other.

“So what kind of stories should we tell?” BamBam asked after about ten minutes of silence. He was fighting with his gooey marshmallow to stay on the cracker long enough to grab a few bars of the chocolate to put on it. “Like should it be true stories or shit we make up?” he asked.

“True stories, duh.” Jackson grumbled through a mouthful of s’more. “You’re all crap at making up stuff.”

“I take offense to that.” Youngjae grumbled and glared at Jackson. The young literature major was very good at making up stories. He had to do so for many of his class assignments and his teachers always gave him high marks. So he had to be good, right?

“Who cares if we make it up or not?” Jinyoung asked and grinned. “Let’s just tell stories okay?” he said. Looking over at Youngjae, he grinned as he smeared chocolate over his nose, pulling a whine from him.

“Alright, who’s first?” Yugyeom asked. With no one speaking up, a quick round of rock, paper, scissors was played until the order was decided. After a few failed stories from Bambam, Yugyeom and Jinyoung, it became Youngjae’s turn and the boys settled back in their chairs, eyes locked on the male as he prepared to tell his story.

“It better be good, Mr. Lit Major.” Jackson hummed as he sipped his cup. Youngjae rolled his eyes at him and cleared his throat.

“So I know a few of you aren’t natives of this province….or country.” he said and eyed Mark, Jackson and then BamBam. “Anyway, there is a legend in these parts that is really creepy.”

“Ooh what? Mr. Slasher Killer?” Jackson taunted and grunted when Mark smacked his chest.

“Shut up.” he hissed at him.

Youngjae threw a marshmallow at Jackson and shook his head. “Anyway, there is a legend about this lake.” Youngjae continued as he leaned in, hands folded over his lap. “About five years ago there was a string of murders that happened here. Young kids would come out here to party and fuck; what normal college kids would do. A group of friends ventured out here for a weekend getaway. They were here from Friday night and supposed to return home on Monday. When none came back they were reported missing. Police investigated and when they finally came out here to the campsites they found their mutilated bodies. Some parts were hanging in the trees.” He said and pointed to the large tree limb that hung over them. “Other parts strewn about, but there was a distinct way these body parts were left. They created a trail and the police followed it all the way down to the dock of the lake.”

“It was Jason!” Jackson announced. Shaking his head, Mark reached out and covered Jackson’s mouth to keep him from talking again.

“Now the police thought it was just some crazy killer, but when the body parts were examined it was said that it looked like their flesh had been ripped apart by jagged edges of something and then even found teeth lodged into a bone. And after further inspection, it was a tooth that didn't belong to any known animal in South Korea, k or the world.”

“Really?” Bambam asked in shock.

“Ah! That's not true.” Yugyeom shook his head.

“It's true! Look it up.” Youngjae nodded and sat back, grinning. “You're turn hyung.” He called to Mark.

“How about we just drink?” Jaebum asked.

“What? Scared?” Youngjae teased and laughed at the other.

“No, I'm bored. Look I brought my speakers. Let's just rock out and drink before passing out.”

“I second that motion!” Jinyoung chimed in.

“Third!” Jackson shouted through Mark’s hand.

“Oh you big old party poopers.” Yugyeom huffed and glared at them. “Fine, let’s party.” The others cheered. Setting up the speakers, Jaebum connected his phone to them and started the music, officially starting their Halloween bash out in the woods. Yugyeom, as always, was the first to be up and dancing, Bambam joining him shortly after.

Youngjae spent the majority of the time laughing loudly at the two dancing, Jinyoung talking with Jaebum about who knows what. Jackson watched them all with a smile before glancing at Mark. The other seemed enraptured with what was going on, but he wanted to change that. He had come up with this idea because he knew Mark liked camping. He also knew that he wanted to try fucking outside. So what better way than to combine the two and Mark extremely happy?

Grinning, he stood and walked over and took Mark’s hand, pulling him out of his chair and tugging him away from the campsite.

“Jackson, where are we going?” Mark asked as he stayed close to the other, following him down a well made path that eventually led them to the dock on the lake. “Oh Jackson come on.”

“What, scared of the monster lurking in?” Jackson teased, wiggling his fingers in Mark’s direction with a laugh.

“Honestly, yes. I'm going back.” Mark said and turned to head back to the camp, but was stopped as Jackson grabbed his arm and pulled him back against his chest.

“Oh come babe. That was just a story. There is no monster in the lake.” Jackson said, head dipping in to place gentle kisses along his neck. “Come on baby. Let's just have a little fun.” He cooed as he ran his hands over Mark’s chest and sides. “What do you say?”

Mark leaned back against him and whimpered softly as he enjoyed the touch of his boyfriend on his body. “Jackson.” Mark groaned. “I hate you can make me feel this way and I can't fight back.”

“Don't fight it Mark.” Jackson encouraged as he grabbed the hem of Mark’s shirt and pulled it up slowly, teasingly. “Give in and let's play. I'll make you feel really good.” Jackson tried to tempt the other.

“God I know you will.” Mark muttered, letting Jackson pull his shirt off and toss it to the ground. Turning, he pressed against the other and kissed him hard, hand cupping the back of Jackson’s head for a moment before it dropped and started tugging on the other’s clothes.

In a matter of minutes they were both stripped bare and Jackson guided Mark into the water, shivering and laughing at first at how cold it was. Staying near the dock, Jackson pressed Mark against one of the support beams, his lips finding his once more. Soft moans left Mark as he returned the kiss, their hands running over each other's bodies and pressing into hotspots.

They were growing more needy and impatient. The last time they had sex was nearly two months ago when the new semester began. They needed more than anything at the moment and the tension between them was mounting the further they went.

“Oh fuck Jackson.” Mark moaned, head falling back to rest against the hard wound. Long arms wrapped around Jackson’s neck as one leg wound around his waist. Jackson grabbed onto the deck behind him, using it as a balance and leverage as he thrusted into Mark slowly. “Shit just like that baby.” Mark groaned out, fingers raking through Jackson’s hair.

“Fuck baby you feel so damn good around me.” Jackson groaned out in pleasure. “Always so tight and hot. Fuck, I love you so much Mark.” Mark panted softly and smiled widely as he leaned in and kissed him hard, lips parting as Jackson’s tongue pushed into his mouth. Their tongues danced around each other, fighting for dominance as Jackson’s pace grew faster and harder.

Breaking the kiss, Mark whimpered as he rested his head on Jackson’s shoulder as his moans grew louder. “Yes Jackson. Jackson!” He trembled against the other, water lapping at their chests as they moved together, rocking frantically as they chased their orgasms. Jackson’s cock was hitting that spot inside of Mark so well that the other was clenching tightly around his cock, the heat coiling so tightly inside him. Mark could feel his end nearing and just as he reached his peak, he was yanked back from it quickly as searing hot pain ran through his body, starting in his left leg.

“Ow! Shit!” Mark jerked and pushed Jackson away from him. Tears were already welling as he tried to grab into the deck. “Oh my god!”

“Mark? What's wrong?” Jackson asked worriedly, watching as his boyfriend tried and failed many times to climb out of the water.

“My leg! Fuck get me out of the water!” he said urgently. Chewing on his lower lip, Jackson moved behind Mark and helped the other out of the water and onto the deck. His eyes moved to Mark’s leg and widened as he stared at the large chunk of flesh that was missing from it.

“Oh my god! Oh my god!” Mark shouted as he watched the blood pour from his wound. Jackson felt his heart race and he looked around the water. He thought he saw something appear before ducking back under to his left, but he didn't let himself stay and think about it. He grabbed onto the deck and hauled himself out of the water quickly.

“Fuck, fuck.” Jackson panted and for a moment searched the deck for something to help Mark. He grabbed one of their shirts and the belt from his pants and dropped to his knees next to the other.

“Jackson!” Mark cried out in pain.

“It's okay baby. I'm here. I'm here.” Jackson assured him as he wrapped the shirt around the wound, knotting it in place. He took the belt next and wrapped it a few inches above the wound and tightened it around his leg as tight as he could to stop the blood flow. Mark’s pained screams only grew louder through the process and it was killing Jackson on the inside.

“I'm so sorry baby.” Jackson apologized. He was going to say something else, but something hit the beams of the dock and he could hear the splintering crack of the wood and a sickening realization sunk in. “Okay Mark. Come on. Up we go.” He said and helped to pull Mark up onto his one foot. The other was unsteady and wobbled as pain continued to course through his body. Jackson doubted the other could walk even with his help and with doom looming over them, they couldn't spare a second. So bending, he slipped his arms around Mark and lifted the other up into his arms and started running as the beams were struck by something again.

His feet barely touched the dry ground when the dock gave and caved into the water behind him. Jackson didn't look back though. He clutched tightly to Mark as he ran with the other, heading back to the site. “Jaebum! Jaebum Hyung, start the jeep!” he shouted, hoping the others could hear him over the music. It didn't seem like they could though, and they got a huge shock when the pair came running in naked.

“Whoa. What the fuck happened?” Jinyoung asked as he stood and looked at the two.

“Oh my god is he bleeding? What happened to Mark?” Jaebum asked as he stared at the dark and wet shirt around Mark’s leg.

“No time, get in the fucking jeep!” Jackson shouted as he ran to the sitting vehicle and opened the back seat, helping Mark in before looking back. “Now!”

“But our stuff.” Youngjae protested.

“Fuck our stuff. There is something in the lake now let's go!” Jackson said urgently. The others looked at each other, trying to debate if they wanted to believe Jackson or maybe thought he was just too damn drunk, but in the end they all got up and piled into the jeep. Jaebum took to the wheel and started the car, turning the lights on as everyone got situated.

“What happened to mark?” Yugyeom asked.

“Something bit me in the water!” Mark sobbed and cried out in pain.

“It took a fucking chunk out of his leg!”

“What are you talking about?” Jaebum asked as he turned to look back at the other. “That sounds fucking crazy.”

“I know it does, but it's the truth!” Jackson insisted. The chaos of the jeep came to a screeching halt as Youngjae suddenly grabbed Jaebum’s arm.

“Reverse. Reverse. Reverse!” he shouted and Jaebum turned around in time to see some creature heading straight for them, mouth open wide, rows of sharp teeth on display. Jaebum threw the jeep in reverse and stepped on the gas, tires squealing as they lurched backwards and to the side as the jeep moved. Throwing the jeep into drive, the tires skidded as they lurched forward and sped off, heading back onto the main.

“Holy fuck! Holy fuck!” Bambam shouted as he turned and watched as they drove off the creature becoming nothing but a distant dot, quickly giving up on them.

“Jesus christ.” Youngjae panted.

“What the hell was that?!” Jinyoung shouted in shock.

“I don't know, but whatever it was, it bit Mark and collapsed the dock!” Jackson said, his arms wound tightly around his boyfriend as he rocked the sobbing male gently. “Shhh, baby. It's okay. We're taking you to the hospital. It'll be okay baby.” Jackson tried to reassure him.

“It's real.” Youngjae whispered.

“What?” Yugyeom asked.

“It's real. The story I told. It's really real and that was the fucking thing that killed those people.” Youngjae said, his heart racing. “We just escaped death.”

“Good. I don't plan to die anytime soon.” Jaebum said. “Don't worry Mark, we'll be at the hospital soon.”

~_~

The group didn't return to collect their stuff until the next morning with the help of a police escort. After reporting the incident and taking testimonies, the police went out to search the area but found no trace of whatever creature they had encountered the night before. Though the statements of the dock being broken and submerged into the lake were true. Their campsite had been left untouched, however, which baffled the police even more and added to the mystery. Not a single thing out of place, not even the cooler had been disturbed by the raccoons that would have undoubtedly come out to scavenge.

Whatever happened at the lake would remain a mystery. The police report would read that it was a horrible camping accident committed by drunk college students. Mark, though missing some of his calf, would eventually heal and be released from the hospital a few months later with a clean bill of health. And while time slowly healed all physical wounds, nothing would be able to erase the memories of that night and the terrible creature that tried to kill them.

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thurst-day · 9 months ago

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Hello all! How've you been?

I'm just here to drop a short fic that I wrote in 2020? And when I read it again I felt so overwhelmed because I miss GOT7 so so muchhh it hurts.

It was written from Jinyoung's POV and feelings and his struggle I guess.

I hope this fic could help a little to ease the pain of missing our boys.

The Day // from Jinyoung's POV ♡

#got7 #fanfic #park jinyoung #lim jaebeom #jayb #mark tuan #jackson wang #choi youngjae #bambam #kim yugyeom #i will go down with them forever #i miss my boys so so much #cant believe i found the story again #it's like making me sobbbb #i hope i could see them together again in the future #all 7 of them together again

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write-here-n-now · 2 years ago

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Who can I request?

I'll keep it short and sweet!

Request Away For...

↪ATEEZ ↪BTS ↪Enhypen ↪NCT ↪SEVENTEEN ↪Stray Kids ↪The Boyz ↪Treasure ↪TXT

Someone you don't see on the list?

✨✨↪ Send a message!↩ ✨✨

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theasiaverse · 27 days ago

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250201 | JINYOUNG’S INSTAGRAM STORY

#20250201 #instagram story #got7 #got7 jinyoung #park jinyoung #kpop #kpop group #korean actor #kdrama

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write-it-good-imagines · 2 months ago

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Nothing More(M) - Seven

(Writer's message)Hello everyone, Merry Christmas!! In the spirit of GOT7 returning to our hearts and to the stage I wanted to return to this story and try to finish it. It often happens that I get inspiration every once in a while, so I might have a writing boost these next couple of days. There's much I fantasize about in my head but I'll make no promises. Enjoy the last few days of the year in the Christmas spirit <3

~6k words, implication of sex, romance, hurt/comfort

If you leave this time, I'll feel that you be gone for good So, I'll hold on like leaves in Fall to what is left

It seems that all the autumn leaves are falling I feel like you're the only reason for it...

"Break up with her? What are you even talking about?"

Jonathan looked at Jackson with a disapproving look and almost made a leap into the room if it wasn't for Samantha's acknowledging look. "Did you break up with her?"

Mark's eyes darted back and forth between Jonathan and Jackson. The latter couldn't have chosen a worse time to barge in. Still, Mark straightened his back protectively, shielding the woman from the inquiring looks of the crowd. Truth be told, he was ashamed of himself at how quickly he chose to give up on Samantha, that he instigated that situation himself. He felt the need to make up for the doubts and for the lost time, more so after standing up to Henry's antics.

"No, Jackson, why are you here?"

"I don't have time to explain," after taking his phone out of the jacket, Jackson showed it to Mark. In a hurried motion, Mark took it out of Jackson's hand, understanding the situation right away. "We need to catch that plane, you know?"

It did not mean the position Samantha was in those photos was any less hurtful, even though those men in the pictures should have been well outside of her romantic life. Mark instinctively glanced at Jonathan. The way Samantha's head was leaning against his shoulder, both in motorcycle attire opposite their bikes, in an otherwise peaceful setting, irked him. It also goes without saying that the additional picture where she was kissing the bartender was the cherry on top. Which he never knew about.

At the end of the gallery, the pictures capturing some of the most beautiful moments between Mark and Samantha were displayed: their longing goodbyes at either of their houses, the joyful smiles of the park outing, and him seeing her off at his group's office building. Samantha was watching Mark's finger as he slid between the pictures, the soft skin of her lower lip quickly drenching in blood from the cruelty of her teeth.

"They are going to crucify me," the woman stated matter-of-factly, driving both Leena and Jonathan to demand an explanation.

"Mark will need to make a statement, one way or another." Jackson copied her tone, his attention towards her. "Out of experience, you should not speak to them, nor make any social media post, nothing."

Samantha turned to Mark. "Shouldn't I defend myself?! I am trying to go back to surgery; this is going to effectively shut down all the career I've built."

Mark handed the phone back to Jackson, his other hand sliding away from Samantha's body. He knew all the strict surveillance of the Korean media, the scrutiny of the public, and the haunting chance of destroying the reputations of not only him but his group as well. At the other end of the line, it was Samantha's image and credibility within her professional field. The sun felt like it would shy away from the grey of the clouds only to run away into the void again.

He should have been more careful.

Mark cupped Samantha's cheek to lay a peck on her lips and bring their foreheads together. Beyond feeling baited into what the paparazzi wanted them to feel, he recognized she needed him to be strong for the both of them. Jackson pinched the bridge of his nose, albeit hiding his proud smile. That was when Jonathan knew Samantha was no longer in his reach.

"Do you trust me?"

Samantha grasped his wrist with the faintest of a nod.

"I'll call very soon, okay?"

Mark brought his head to her temple, whispering something inaudible to the assisting public. He then pulled apart, gesturing to Jackson that they would leave. The boys stopped before Jonathan and Leena, with Mark measuring the blonde in a split of a moment.

"I know you both care about each other. The security of the hospital will need to be alerted for forced paparazzi entrance; this is going to be published very soon. Can you take care of her while I'm gone?"

Jonathan scoffed as he watched the two singers walk away hurriedly. "Bet I will."

"We'll make a statement saying you two are acquaintances. We'll come up with the verbiage at a later time."

Everyone was gathered towards the center of the business class, with Mark suffering the protagonist role against his better wishes. Jackson was leaning against the backrest of Mark's seat, assuming somewhat of a defensive stance to face their managers' alarmed looks. Their leader was having a private conversation with one of the managers to discuss the PR strategy, and Jinyoung was impassable.

"So you went in to break up with her, but you didn't," Bambam started. "I never expected you to, and you didn't. And I am very proud of that."

Jinyoung simply scoffed.

"Then he kissed her, you know? That was a statement. So what if they have these pictures? We're not 18 anymore to stalk for exes." Yugyeom continued, agreeing with the other.

Jackson shifted his position, towering taller over the backrest. "To be honest, I have complete faith in our fans. I strongly feel they would not judge nor belittle us. Sooner or later, it would have come out anyway."

Jinyoung kept silent.

"Jinyoung?" said Jackson. "Your silence is scary."

"You know what," Jinyoung retorted, sitting up from his chair. "I support you." Shushing the members with a finger. "I'm serious. Whatever you decide to do, I'm 100% behind you. If this makes you happy, I'm happy, even though I already said this. It's unanimous to say we're behind you in this."

After leaving everyone else with their mouths hanging open, Jinyoung returned to reading his book peacefully.

While Jaebum and their manager were returning from the far end of the isle, Mark was quietly thanking Jinyoung for his lead. As skeptical as Jinyoung was, he never had to be explicit about wishing the best for one another. As was everyone.

"Damn, I expected to come back to some tension in the air," Jaebum chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood. "We discussed an initial scenario to keep out allegations--"

"It's simple. I am going to say she's my girlfriend."

There was a collective mix of reactions, from cheering to shock to content, the group had it all. Ultimately, the leader stepped away, giving Jackson a well-deserved high five.

"Mark, it's not that simple." Their manager stepped up to drive the conversation forward. "You have to give a careful statement."

Mark acknowledged his words. "And my careful statement would be that she is my girlfriend. We can use whatever formulation you think would be best, with this main idea in mind."

"Okay, let's assume for a moment we are doing that. What statement will she give about those pictures, with a considerable variety of men?"

In the heat of the moment, Mark opened his mouth to counter his manager's arguments in advance and understood that he ultimately had no arguments himself. Jonathan, he knew about. It was evident that something had happened in their past together, and the blonde hadn't managed to grow over his feelings for her. Then there was Henry.

Any statement would have meant throwing them under the bus. If there was anything Mark learned about Samantha was that she wouldn't throw people under the bus for her sake. No matter who it was.

"Let's work on something that would not defame anyone involved."

The conclusion of their conversation was left up for grabs. As everyone was scattered around to their own businesses, be it playing, reading, or simply chattering around, Mark changed seats to meet Jinyoung. He noticed Mark with the corner of his eye and put the book he was reading to the side.

"Thank you," stated Mark simply. "Means a lot, having my back."

"I was sincere with what I said. Even if I didn't always agree with what was going on. I reminded myself that you wouldn't go through all of this if it wasn't worth it."

Mark chuckled.

"Do you love her?"

"I do." nodded Mark and brought one knee closer to his chest to lean against. "I love her."

"Does she love you?"

"I think so, yes."

Jinyoung picked up his book and finally displayed a pleased smile.

"Good for you."

Later that night, Samantha entered an emergency surgery to deliver a pair of twins. Hands were moving on autopilot while mind was racing at an unthinkable speed. How she coordinated the medical team to a tee, even when feeling so tense, only added to her tension. When the surgery finally came to an end, Samantha left the operating room hurriedly, heading for her private office. The entire picture came tumbling down.

Mark was a celebrity, a public figure. What did she think was going to happen? Did she think she would have a soft pass? A hail Mary? And what if she had a Hail Mary? Would she have been better off with it?

Hard no everywhere.

Samantha sighed. Suddenly, all those frozen moments in digital representations came to life vividly. When Changwook lifted her up against the bar counter in a fervid kiss, the intoxication of gin and vodka was still muddling the air. Shortly after Samantha came to Korea, evading and hiding away from the humiliation and despair Henry put her through, her cousin's club allured her into a sweet fantasy. Drink pouring after drink after dance after faceless men—she never knew Changwook was working there at that time. A tall, handsome, foreign male who was there at the right place, wrong time. She was destined to face an uncomfortable situation during her first shift at said club.

Another dirty case of memory was the exotic vacation with Henry in the tropical islands, enjoying the sun and the love. Samantha felt still the warmth of turquoise waters sliding through her fingers and the elusive touches of a man she once knew. She laughed at the prospect of a time so far in existence that it lost all meaning to matter.

And Jonathan, oh him. In the exceptional that never happened, there was a golden smile with champagne hair and meadow eyes.

"Hey." A faint knock echoed, revealing Leena's figure. "I came to ask if you're okay."

Samantha shrugged her shoulders with a defeated smile. "As okay as I can be, I guess."

Leena seated herself to Samantha's right. "There's a half-full part of the glass always. Congrats for you and Mark!"

Despite Leena's attempt to bring a note of optimism, the other's face was troubled. "I know you saw the pictures, Leena. I have so many things to account for," Samantha turned her face to her friend. "To you, too."

"I know Jonathan loves you".

Samantha cusped her hands together.

"I also know how hard he's working to accept it. There's a quote I read somewhere; that the one thing we can control is how to love someone, not what they do with the love we give to them. I don't think there's something that better describes John".

She nodded, then continued. John, she thought. He's a different man to her than he was to me.

"You must be thinking you made me feel like the second woman. Sometimes, I do, other times I don't. Someday he'll accept the answer. I don't think he loves you the way he loves me, and I know for a fact he does love me".

"I think so too, saying it out loud just makes me feel like an asshole".

Leena chuckled. "I can say it for you if you want".

And Samantha gestured for her to go ahead. If you don't rip the bandaid, you never allow the wound to heal.

"You hurt his feelings and his ego when you chose Henry over him," Leena caught the shimmer of surprise in the other's eyes. "It's true that I only know his half of the story. He always thought you'd be his college sweetheart".

"Did he say this to you?"

"Oh, he did. We had plenty of heart-to-hearts lately. Even though I was inclined to say Henry triggered his actions, I now know it was Mark who did".

In the exceptional that was happening, there was a radiant smile with copper hair and amber eyes.

"He told me you have a bet but didn't tell me what that was. Said it's your story to tell".

"Since Jo wanted a two-people dare, two-people dare it is!" one of the boys in the group cheered, raising a toast with another shot of tequila in the air. "What's the dare, Jo?"

"The first card we flip will give a striptease dance to the next card!"

Another loud cheer reverberated through the room. Between a dozen eager, tipsy young adults, such vulgar propositions made them ecstatic. Amongst them, a younger Samantha, accompanied by Jonathan, Henry, and Jo, the four were in their feelings. A long midterm and a good drink would do that to them.

"Flip the cards!"

Samantha seemed to be less enthusiastic when her queen of cards showed up chaperoned by Jonathan's king of spades. It wasn't long before short hoots and whistles echoed in the fraternity room and quickly dissipated in the rowdy atmosphere.

Among the group, there was no secret Samantha was regarded as a high-value prize, even in their larger sophomore-year group. In a smaller setting, both Henry and Jonathan were chasing the same woman. Jonathan transferred at the beginning of that year and had no major trouble integrating into the group, notably having a larger affinity for Samantha. Henry was a year older than the group and met the same girl via their shared sports club, in which Samantha was the captain of the volleyball club.

Jonathan had the opportunity to score a much more definite chance than his opponent. He sealed his eyes with Samantha's, who, for the first time took a drawn-out look at the blonde counterpart.

"I'm down if you're down," Jonathan dragged out, slowly peeling off the floor.

"Come on Sam, you're no coward, are you?" Jo taunted, watching the scene with a lot of interest. Samantha untied her hair from the bun she was wearing, messy hair outlining her face. As the latter prepared another shot of tequila to strengthen herself, Jo gestured for everyone else to get lost on the dance floor. Henry rose reluctantly, even as he easily found another girl to occupy himself with, his eyes were earnestly watching Samantha.

With just the two of them left in crumbles of intimacy under piercing eyes, Jonathan stepped closer to Samantha, bursting out in a torrent of chuckles, dubbed by the woman's own giggles.

She smiled an alluring smile that captured a string of Jonathan's heart, "What are we even doing?"

"I believe I am supposed to be dangling my ass on you or something like that," she replied, taking Jonathan by the hand and dragging him to the dancefloor. The man followed her lead, a smirk growing larger on his features.

"If you don't want to do this, you don't have to. I don't want to force you into anything," Jonathan completed, allowing Samantha to get closer to him, her back pressing into his chest. He understood her message and rested his hands on her upper hips.

"I appreciate myself a respectful guy," She leaned her head against his shoulder, extending her torso to speak into his ear to counter the loud music, "You don't have to be respectful now".

Just as Samantha started curling her body, Jonathan felt the alcohol in his veins mix up with the unorthodox desire to lower his hands. "Even with all these eyes watching us?"

A small pause until Samantha turned around to face Jonathan, one hand pushing into his chest. Her eyes harvested a cunning feline glance. "Let them".

Jonathan reached closer to the woman, noses brushing against one another before Jonathan whispered in her ear, "I'd rather watch you on my own".

Samantha circled her arms around his neck, head tilting back in intimate laughter. Henry felt his own blood boiling at the passionate scenery. "If you planned to turn me on, you're successful".

Jonathan reciprocated her laughter. "You're giving me a boner, might as well do something to turn you on". He brought her closer to his chest, opting to take her lead. He would have devoured her laughter with his lips if it was for him, including Samantha adding to the friction between their bodies.

"Perhaps we could continue our conversation in a more private setting," suggested Jonathan, wrapping his arm around her waist to guide her through the crowd to a separate part of the building, where he had the key to his room. Jonathan's chamber was tidy and bright, all his belongings put in their respective place.

"It feels like you premeditated this" teased Samantha, her finger tracing the cover of a John Steinbeck classic.

Jonathan closed the door behind them, turning the key into the lock. The way he knew all their friends, an unpleasant surprise could have happened at any time. Maybe if his mind was a little more sober, he would have remembered Jo was especially keen on a threesome.

"Not even close. Believe me, I never fathomed I would lock myself up with you here when this night started."

Samantha chuckled. "You're not drunk enough if you're using such fancy words".

"I'm not drunk enough to commit to ripping your clothes off right now".

Jonathan drew closer to the girl, taking his time to admire the rose hue in her cheeks. Even so, her smile only suggested she'd grown more bashful.

"Why not?" she challenged. "Are you a virgin?"

Jonathan laughed. "I'm not. I just don't picture myself as a brute," as Samantha laughed, he lifted up her left hand to place a kiss on the inside of her wrist. "Are you?"

She shook her head, gliding her hand to Jonathan's nape. Blonde strands of hair felt silky against her fingertips and a sigh departed from her lips. "I'm just hesitant".

"Tell me why. Maybe I could ease your mind".

Using his other arm, Jonathan traced a faint line with the back of his hand on the skin of her neck, leaving agonizing shivers in his wake. Met with no objections, he slid his fingers under the red material of her sweatshirt to feel the goosebumps on her collarbone. The man kept to himself the indisputable fact that Samantha was not wearing any top piece of lingerie.

Samantha was closing the distance between their bodies with her right hand playing at the rim of Jonathan's jeans. She deliberately attached her pelvis to Jonathan's, fully enjoying the appetite of their height difference.

"My humble experience tells me pretty boys like you are not ready to be personal with one girl only".

"I was ready since I first laid eyes on you".

The girl scoffed. In a swift motion, she unpeeled herself from Jonathan to undress herself from the annoying sweater. Samantha was admittedly impressed that Jonathan's eyes never went lower from her eyes, even if the boner he courageously pointed out was still there.

"Don't know if you're sincere or just stubborn," she completed, encircling her arms around his neck once more. Jonathan inhaled a sharp breath at the smell of her skin and simply adored the sheepish pretend look in her eyes while her visage communicated anything but.

It was clear as day that Samantha was offering herself up on a silver platter while testing his guts, knowing it could slide away any second. Perhaps that was the moment Jonathan fell for her.

"Tell you what," countered Jonathan, broad hands gripping the small of her back. The muscles twitched under his touch. "Let's make a bet".

"Oh? What do you have in mind, Jonathan?"

There was something so obscene in the way she breathed his name that it took all his might to oppose the raw longing to consume her lips. Instead, he imprisoned the back of her head with a sensual flicker of hand and protected her lower back with his other. He took her approving moan as stimuli to move forward with his proposition.

"I will not kiss you until you decide to kiss me. And when you finally will, I will date you with the intention of marrying you".

"That's stupid, playing out Pretty Woman like this" she laughed while unbuckling his belt. Jonathan restrained her movements, forcing her eyes to look at him.

"I'm serious. I will show you that us having sex now will not stop me from winning you".

"What makes you so sure you are going to win me over?"

Jonathan picked her swiftly off the ground in his arms and forced Samantha to circle her legs around his waist. He seated himself on top of her in the softness of the bed, his physique towering protectively over her.

"On the one hand, you didn't deny we are going to have sex now".

Jonathan threw his own T-shirt somewhere in the corner of the room.

"On the other hand, I'm sure I am not like the other boys who were in your life".

Samantha watched his every action with awe and a rapid beating in her chest. As much as she offered herself to him, he proudly accepted her with the freedom of her actions. She suddenly felt shy and angled her face away from him. Jonathan noticed and lowered his head to mildly bite into her neck. "Don't play coy with me now, Sam. Are you accepting this bet? Tell me before I undo your jeans because I don't know if I'll let you go after that".

"Up until recently, it had been the best sex of my life," settled Samantha through short melancholic nods of the head.

Leena smiled, accepting the intricate past between Samantha and Jonathan as it was. "Then why let him go? Why choose Henry over him?"

"In the mirage of youth, most of us tend to fall to illusions. Henry spoke fairer and almost always told me what I needed to hear. He never was unfaithful to me nor treated himself with too much superiority. If you ask me now, I don't know the answer to that. Jonathan was, is, more raw. I didn't know how to treat such a man before, even if I knew in my heart he never let me go entirely. He dated other girls while we were in college, he and Jo had a good thing going on for a while. At some point, she told me there was a 1% of him with one foot out".

"Because of you," Leena followed, and it was her turn to lower her eyes and aim them at her hands.

"Because of me. Gosh, I feel like a whore now, but I wanted you to have the full picture".

Leena picked up the remorse in Samantha's voice. Beyond that, she was thankful. "To tell you the truth, John had already told me this. I lied".

Samantha laughed as if the entire pressure on her heart just dissipated. She suspected as such yet felt the need to leave the past in the past and the tension out of her chest. Leena was a good one in all she did, and most of what she did recently to support Samantha through the tumult of past days. "You needed your confirmation, I know. I would have done the same".

Leena wrapped her arms around Samantha, and the both of them let out a weighty sigh. "I will forever be grateful for what Jonathan did for me, and part of me will always love him like a close confidant. We both know our train left the station long ago. I just hope he's not stupid while your train is still here".

"Between you and I," Leena said, "I sure as hell hope he's not. I saw him in sweatpants a couple of days ago, and girl, let me tell you a thing or two".

The atmosphere eased into laughter, and Samantha hugged the other woman tighter. "I'm so lucky to have you, Leena".

In the pocket of her doctor's coat, Samantha's phone started vibrating. The two girls pulled away, and Leena stood up when she noticed Mark's name on the luminous screen.

"Hey princess, is this a good time?"

There was static noise combined with loud background music on Mark's end of the line. He must have been in the concert venue. It took her aback to listen to Mark's voice so calm and so certain when speaking to her. Like the world was their cradle and nothing else mattered in the world.

"Hey Mark. Yes, I just got out of surgery. I brought twins into this world today".

Samantha felt the remnants of the smile Mark was wearing on the other end of the line. "That's amazing, you're amazing, love. I'm sure the parents must be very happy."

Love. Undoubtedly, that was the first time he ever called her that. An abrupt avalanche of the past day's memories collapsed over Samantha, the blending of agony over ecstasy over fear, of belated forgiveness and let-go's. Somehow, Mark rose above everything, wearing his radiant smile. With love.

After a short pause, his voice echoed as if it transcended from a faraway land, "How are you holding up?"

"It's a lot," confessed Samantha. "I don't know how I led the medical team in the OR. My head was spinning with everything going on."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"What could you possibly be sorry for, Mark?"

"I'm sorry for not protecting you the way you needed me to."

It was the same sensation she lived the very first time they shared a smile, the bed, and their intimacy. He carried the same striking transparency, that of a glass shining in the bleak midwinter when the sole beam of sunshine found that one last refuge. Come to think of it, most of their visceral conversations happened on a phone line. A hundred times easier to hide the unseen through the deceit of the voice when the eyes cannot find the sensitivity of the soul and the arms cannot hug away the uncertainty.

What use was there to keep on lying when the mask fell and shattered into a million pieces?

"I'm sorry for daring to give up on you. I'm sorry for being selfish and for putting myself first. There are so many things I wish I told you tonight, Sam."

"You haven't lost me, dearest. Not tonight."

The echo of an exhale could be heard on the other end of the line.

"When the news breaks out, I want to make a statement. And I will tell them you are my girlfriend".

Samantha's shock could be palpable through the phone call. "What? I mean, shouldn't you not associate yourself with me? Won't that ruin your image?"

Mark inhaled a great amount of air before replying. "I plan to make you forget about that ex. In truth, I loved the idea of you overthinking all your texts. And I wanted all your neighbors to hear you yell when we make love. I don’t want it to be a problem when we come together. And I don’t want us a secret. This is the shittiest time to ask, but will you have me? Will you be my girlfriend?"

In retrospect, Samantha would have seen Mark's confession coming from a mile away. All the possible hints he could have dropped, he did. In the little time they spend together, hurriedly, sneakily, and intensively, Mark changed her world the very first time they crossed paths. What Samantha grew to nurture for him did not carry a name but still felt like a Mediterranean breeze caressing the surface of the ocean, akin to the warmth of the summer morning.

"Yes, I will be your girlfriend," Samantha smiled and instinctively touched the back of her neck, where Mark's favorite spot to hold her was.

"Good. Good. I can totally make that statement now," he laughed, and her heart eased into his serenity. "We have a lot to tell each other I think, when I'm back".

"We do, we do indeed. I talked to Leena today, about Jonathan".

"Oh? And? Are they going out now, as they should?"

She snickered. "They had an obstacle until now. Me."

"Oh, I know. Figured as much."

"How did you--?"

Before she had the chance to continue, Mark interfered. "I am a man, Sam. And not a blind one at that. Is he better in bed than me? Wait actually, don't answer that."

They both laughed.

"Out of the kindness of my heart, I'll let you know he is not".

"Ah, I figured as much 'cause I refused to tell him when he asked. I kinda got the gist back then. But now, seriously, what's in the past is in the past. What matters now is that you are in my present, and I hope in my future, too".

"We can't know that, Mark."

"I know. I know you don't like all these plotted plans. I'll work as hard as I need to make us work. To give you what you need. If we're meant to be, we'll be, but I don't want to regret never trying."

The moon was lurking out into the dusk, leaving traces of stars in its wake. In his words, Samantha heard what Mark whispered at their parting.

I love you too.

In the barren parking lot of the SMP hospital, the hazy contours of two motorcycles still governed the vast space. A well-known silhouette of a man stood amongst the night shadows, casting tamed lights from the clicking and unclicking of a zipper lighter.

"Thought you would have rushed home after today, Johnatan."

"What about you, then?" a smirk appeared in the corner of the man's mouth. "I am in no position to add to your future scandal right now."

Samantha laughed loudly. "Why wait for me, then? Go on, get lost."

The loud click of the zipper captured the woman's attention. "Figured that if we're raising a storm, might as well ride the waves."

"That we are, my friend."

Samantha dropped her bag next to the motorcycle to take out her biking gear. Jonathan put on his protective helmet, as he was already equipped for the ride.

"Jo called me today."

"Really? How is she doing?" chirped the woman, happy to hear any news about their old friend.

Jonathan kicked off his engine. "Follow me to find out more."

Samantha heeded the invitation and rode out to follow Jonathan soon after he departed from the parking lot. The autumn air welcomed a gust that brushed against open neck skin. Jonathan's riding style had always been elegant but rushed, comparable to its owner - it always reminded Samantha of those blurry colored lines in the Hollywood movies when the night traffic melted under the car lights. She smiled even if Jonathan didn't know; he was made of Hollywood material.

Following a short period on the offroad roads of the suburbs, Jonathan led Samantha up a hill, which enclosed a good part of the city and led to the unwinding of the imagination. Summer heat was still present in the air as if making its last stand against the autumnal chill. Samantha followed Jonathan's figure and left her motorcycle next to his under a tree. He seated himself on a patch of grass, giving the woman a helping hand to follow.

"Okay, so, Jo," Samantha continued as she crossed her legs next to Jonathan. "What's up?"

"She said she's flying out to Seoul in two weeks' time; she has some long-term project here as creative director for some big initiative, I couldn't remember the names she told me. I gave her your phone number 'cause she didn't have it, and she said she bought two front-row tickets for the Got7 final concert here."

Samantha nodded her head. If Jo had called her during any other time, she would have taken the ticket in a heartbeat. She was not so sure she would anymore.

"Assuming she was not asking me to come with her and that you are not scared to go, that ticket was too expensive to pass."

"I don't know, Jonathan. Last thing I want is to be sliced to death during a Got7 concert because I had men in my life before Mark."

"Auch," he joked, and Samantha turned to him apologetically.

"I didn't mean it like that."

Jonathan's eyes were focused on the veil of darkness over the city. "This was the first place we rode to when we transferred here, do you remember? I thought I'd kiss you here back then."

Samantha followed his eyes into the far away. "I do. You led me here then, just as you did now."

"I don't think we should come here alone anymore."

She nodded her head once more. "We shouldn't."

"I told Leena we had sex."

"I know."

"News travels fast around these parts, huh?"

The both of them laughed energetically. Jonathan had the talent to make them feel as if they were sitting on the football pitch in college in the middle of the night, just the two of them.

"I still get the feeling I'm a whore. Especially to Leena."

Jonathan cocked an eyebrow. "If we have a whore, the grand prize is mine. Imagine how stupid this situation is. I was in love with my college friend who hung me out to dry and still pinned for her while having eyes for another."

"Pretty boy traits--"

It hit her then that Jonathan spoke in past tense. That must have been the finish line, which delayed its bitter-sweet arrival. Indeed, it felt like a crystal key fell from a drawer to shatter into nothingness. Only the golden string remained.

"You hit the jackpot with Leena."

"Crazy part is that I knew. I allowed myself to hurt my ego in the same fucking situation, albeit I knew the consequences from the beginning this time. And she waited, Sam. She waited. The way Jackson flirted with her, I thought I would kick the bucket again."

Samantha looked at Jonathan, at how the moonlight lit up his face. She smiled again, knowing he finally found peace with her choices. "I don't know how to give you closure, Johnny."

He tilted his head towards her direction, with a condescending sneer. "I think I got it when I convinced myself you are in good hands now. And knowing I was always better than Henry the dickhead."

"Indeed you were. You are in good hands now, too. We can let each other go."

"You know I'm not dying or whatever. I'll still be here to break Mark's neck if he hurts you and make it look like he failed in surgery."

Samantha leaned her head against his shoulder and Jonathan shifted his position to make her more comfortable. "No punches will be needed this time. If we break up, it's on me."

A furious torrent of beeping and fervent phone vibrations interrupted the content silence between the two. Samantha took out her phone to witness the shocking headlines of Got7's Mark's mysterious alleged girlfriend.

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