#i hope they'll meet again at some point

[drysauce]

im doing yukong's companion mission and mannnn the dialogue between welt and caelus when they rescued qingni reminded me that when welt went on that weird mission with void archives he got separated with joyce after the train scene in apho and hasn't seen him since that time which was. a really long time ago

[aromantic-pantyanarchy]

It's me. I'm the cis, heterosexual, aromantic man. I will never marry, I will never be married, I will grow into middle age and elder age and I will die unmarried. I will be forced to support a household of myself on only my wages alone for the rest of my life. I will be asked about women and marriage and children by my family for the rest of my life (or men, the progressive ones might say). I may not ever come out to them. I feel like I burned my coming out on something stupid. I don't want to explain it. I don't want to run them through the definitions and intricacies. I don't want the acceptance without understanding, placating me with ceased questions and poor explanations to other, drunk adults.

I like my hair to be long, I spent a year with it dyed a golden blonde with dark roots because I like the trashy party girl aesthetic. I want to dye it again with pink tips. I like painting my nails, black and blue are my favorite colors. I like wearing chokers. I also like wearing baggy jeans and ratty hoodies. I like having stubble. I like having chest hair. I like having a square jaw and broad shoulders. I wish I had a flatter stomach and a thinner profile frame. I don't know what this makes me, perhaps this is something no more GNC than Machine Gun Kelly. I think about this a lot, how queer my appearance truly is. I should think about it less. I have thought long and hard about if I could be trans or if I could be non-binary or if I could be genderqueer and the conclusion I ultimately came to is that I most enjoy being a man open to whatever self-expression I want.

I don't date, but I've thought about it. I would like to meet people, and I would like to have sex with them. But I don't want to hurt them. I fear if I explain what I am beforehand it'll scare them away. I fear if I explain after they'll feel manipulated or abused. I don't know how many people in the dating scene want what I want. I fear my own lack of experience will make me a bad lay, an embarrassing story to tell to confidants in hindsight. I fear my own virginity, a boundary to those I wish to be like. All of these fears are baseless, as I've not been able to even begin a single relationship in my life. Despite this I still heavily identify with terms like "slut" and "manwhore" and "thot" because my interests lay so deeply within casual sex, sex without great intimacy or emotion. This may be some form of stolen valor. I hope the true sluts are not too mad at me.

I made this blog several years ago because a mutual of mine reblogged memes making fun of aro and ace people, making fun of the concept of aphobia, and in addition well known aphobes. I didn't feel comfortable talking about aro stuff on my main blog, for as little as I talk about it. Living through the ace discourse of the 2016 era has largely caused me to cringe in embarrassment any time I am forced to discuss my orientation with people who aren't aro or ace themselves. I no longer follow this person. I unfollowed many people I was mutuals with from that time, most of them because they posted too often about how much they hated men and I didn't want to see that, some because our interests simply drifted too far apart, only one for explicit aphobia reasons. (Also one because they became a "both sides are bad, any vote is wasted" libertarian, but that's unrelated.)

I guess at this point I don't care deeply about what strangers on the internet think of me. If a trusted friend told me that they don't think I'm truly queer that may hurt. But I am going to continue to use the word for myself. I take up no resources. I go to events that are open to me. If an event was not open to me, I think I'd not want to go anyways. I am not a hypothetical, I am not a strawman, I am a person with lived experiences both within and exterior to the queer community. If you hate me, I will permit you to continue to do so. But ultimately, I am who I am, I cannot change these facts, and I would not choose to do so even if I could.

[nezuscribe]

an idea I have in mind because I think too much about arranged Gojo.

at some point, when they're already happy and in love, they meet her sisters again. Maybe they are hosting some party or his mother invited them to the seaside house like in the past. Reader is in much a better place now personally. What’s more, she’s in a better position in the hierarchy than she was before. She's a sweetheart and a kind person. So she doesn’t care about any of that, she just wants to live her quiet, happy life with Gojo. Gojo, however, is a different story... he's heard and saw enough of how her sisters treated her and he's a petty man. A very petty man. For the duration of the visit, Gojo makes it his sole mission to flaunt their happiness. He insists on buying her the finest dresses and jewelry, making sure she’s never seen wearing the same outfit twice. Every day, he presents her with another gift, just to remind everyone of how she's adorned now. He sticks to her side at all times, while the other women are left alone when their boring husbands goes hunting or something like that. And he doesn't stop to show, verbally and physically, how he loves and admires her. Maybe, just to make his point even clearer, he asks for their rooms to be on the same floor. So they'll get a 24/7 show of the great treatment she gets.

so when i was writting the arrangment i wanted to add some scenes with readers family but it didn't work out so i think this is a great opportunity to expand on that

and totally. the thing abt reader that i hope people take away is that she's had to be stronghearted to survive in the conditions she's been brought up in, but because of that she just wants to live peacefully and quietly. she's elated that she gets a caring husband on top of it, but she just goes to the beat of her own drum and if people can't then she doesn't really care

but when this little get-together is planned at the gojo summer home, something customary and necessary, both reader and gojo dread it. reader because she doesn't like her sisters and father's wife and gojo because he hates your sisters and your father's wife

so gojo shows you off whenever he can. the two of you haven't had sex yet and he's fine with that, he's trying to find the best moment anyway, but he's so touchy it's insane. his arm is either around your waist, in yours, or sometimes around your neck if he wants to show you something from where he's standing

you're wearing the highest fashion, the best jewelry, and expensive oils. your sisters gawk and groan, but what else can they do? their husbands are old and ugly and don't give a rats ass about them, and you couldn't be more content

and this one time when all the younger people are around the lake gojo brings you onto his lap to open up the seat for one of your other friends, letting you curl up into his strong chest as he wraps a blanket over you. and your sisters watch in pure jealousy as you giggle at some of the things he tells you, watch as he blushes unabashedly when you kiss his forehead

arranged!gojo just loves you too much and there's nothing wrong with that

[nanamis-bigtie]

50 Smutty Fics Ideas

Made this for an event I haven't run in the end, but it'd be a pity to keep them hidden. I hope they'll help your creativity flow!

A and B are hiding together in a tight place, their bodies pressed close. With adrenaline running in their veins, the situation eventually gets out of control.

A and B are dancing what eventually leads to a slow, intimate dance. A gets aroused from B pressing close to them.

A has an obvious crush on B and plans to finally confess. A chickens out and tries to opt out of the situation, but B presses them to speak in a spicy way.

A is tied to an altar as a sacrifice to demon!B. More than taking their life, B is interested in taking their body.

During a visit in a sex shop A spots a weird toy. B suggests purchase as a joke. Little do they know A seriously wants to use it.

A and B are friends with benefits. A's feelings turn out to be genuine, but they don't want to ruin the balance, so they keep it to themself…until they accidentally slip a confession during sex.

A is really into a specific body type/body part and B's body looks as if taken straight out of A's fantasy. A can't hold it anymore and reveals how much B turns them on.

A and B are on a motorcycle trip. The constant movement, vibration and touching is getting them excited.

A walks on B changing. It's the first time they see them naked, and they can't peel their eyes off them.

A survives a near miss. B, worried and scared to death, doesn't want to leave their side since then.

A and B need to share bed due to circumstances. They wake up in each other's arms and it awakens something in them.

A goes down on B. B wears nothing but stockings. At some point A starts tearing them out of the way with their teeth.

A loves B's scent but they keep it secret. One day B catches A masturbating while sniffing a piece of their clothing.

The way A moans "I love you" turns B absolutely feral.

A tries to get B jealous as a part of their flirting game. B snaps way harder then A predicted.

A and B are in a dom-sub relationship. A breaks a rule and B has to again teach them how to be a good sub.

A is less experienced in kink than B. B introduces them to the world of kink with their favorite one.

A gets extra loud during sex so B has to cover their lips. Limited oxygen/fingers in mouth insanely turn A on.

A and B meet for what's not supposed to be a romantic date - but they feel so good around each other, it's suddenly 2am, and they don't really want to part. A proposes B to move the meeting to their place.

A is arguing with B. They truly can't decide whether they want to kill or fuck B more.

That was supposed to be just a make out session, but A kisses so good that B gets impossibly aroused.

A and B are about to face a dangerous situation. They want to enjoy life before it might be too late.

A celebrates a great success with B. Drinks and festive atmosphere quickly turn the matters spicy.

It's A's birthday and they find B tied to bed in nothing but very revealing lingerie.

After a soul-draining break up, A wants to get rid of remaining grief & enter a new path of life with a bang: they contact B, a professional dom.

A and B realize they are being watched during sex. They don't intend to stop.

A is in a middle of meeting when they receive a message B. It's a very explicit nude.

A puts a blade by B's throat, be it seriously or as a joke/teasing. B's reaction is…enthusiastic.

A's hands seriously distract B. Their reactions eventually clue A in: and they decide to use the new knowledge to their favor.

A and B get trapped in one small space and need to wait for emergency. If only there was a way to kill the boredom…

A uses a sexual favor to convince B to do something.

A suffers from pent-up stress and frustration. B offers their body for them to use to get rid of negative emotions.

During soft, vanilla sex A asks B to try something different/rougher.

A shoves B against the wall. Now, once they are so close, A can't stop looking at B's face/lips/body part of choice.

A has lips/tongue/nipples/genitals pierced. B is really curious how does it feel during sex.

A rolls sleeves up/takes shirt off, revealing body hair to B. B has no idea how to act normal around A anymore.

A is usually reserved when it comes to intimacy and emotions. When in public, B does something that breaks A. A pulls B close and whispers to them: "I need you. Now."

A is preparing themself to roll with their day. B walks on them wearing nothing but their shirt.

A tends to neglect their needs. B uses kink as a way of taking care of them.

It's unbearably hot and A switches to wearing short and fine dresses. B finds out they are wearing no underwear underneath.

A has a really big dick/strap, B struggles to take it. A taunts and teases them about it.

Good cock & bad cock routine with dom!A, dom!B and sub!C. A praises C while B degrades and taunts them.

A and B are in a dedicated but open relationship. C grabs their mutual interest.

A loses a bet and now has to do what B tells them.

A, B, C (and maybe more 🤭) running a train on D.

A has a dark/unusual sexual fantasy & they bring it up to their partner, B. B agrees to try it out.

After a longer break A is so needy for sex that they can't enough of B. B is a trembling, ruined mess, but A just keeps going.

A is filthy rich & B is their sugar baby. A pays B a ridiculous amount of money to try a kinky scenario out.

A is a virgin but also very curious about a certain kink. B does their best to let them try it in a safe and satisfying way.

Wedding night between A and B takes an extra spicy turn.

Please, reblog and/or credit, when you use (but don't @ me!). The divider made by @/saradika.

[neocrias]

Hiii, how are you going?? (I hope fine).

I was thinking about this a few days ago and didn't hear back, but how do you think SVT members would try to flirt? Like, in a more sensual way, you know??

Hey, sorry for the delay, busy schedule and stuff... We weren't sure if this was what you wanted, so we did it like this. You can send another message if it's different from this.

How does svt flirt

warnings: descriptions; headcanons; gn (mostly) reader self insert;

pairings: svt x gn reader

gender/aus: fluff; slightly suggestive

Scoups

He's a total show-off. During the meeting, gathering, party, or whatever you're at, he just won't let you look at anyone else, because he'll make sure he's saying something, looking or being more attractive. Cheol will flex his muscles if it makes you pay attention only to him, and when (not “if”, when!) he catches you looking at him with those hooded eyes, he's gonna raise his thick eyebrows in pure arrogance. Seungcheol can't help it, he knows how he looks like, and he'll always use that in his favor.

Jeonghan

Probably, if Jeonghan is really invested into taking you tonight, he'll start making sly comments. "Oh, poor you, not really enjoying the party, hm?" "Bet you'll enjoy something else more..." or maybe just "I could give you some fun". I mean, being a bit mischieveous is one of the things he does best, so he's absolutely playing that game when it comes to flirting too. Probably plays a lot with his own hair in front of you. Probably is going to play a lot with your hair, too.

Joshua

Slight eyebrow movements, inumerous hand gestures, a lot of leaning towards you. Joshua is just a master of body language and he will certainly make good use of that when he wants you. Of course you'll notice when he's suddenly very close, almost towering over you, but it'll be so subtle that you won't be able to point out when exactly that happened. That, combined with his swift hand gestures as he speaks, as well as the soft tone he's using with you will do it. At this point, it's just natural for him to flirt like that.

Jun

Will absolutely use his good boy persona to get it. I'm talking gentleman acts but full of an unusual confidence that makes anyone's heart flutter. He will do all those manly acts such as opening your bottle and the door of the car, and he will certainly say some romantic things, pointing out how incredibly beautiful you are. Jun might as well just pull up a Romeo card out of his sleeve and say that your eyes are sparkling and all that stuff. Next thing you know, you're in his bed. Guess all that smooth talk worked on you, ha.

Hoshi

Do you like stereotypes? Well… I love it and will follow Hoshi’s biggest stereotype. he will take you dancing and will make sure your bodies are as close as possible. You will be able to feel his breath hitting your neck and Hoshi will make sure to brush his lips against your cheek to make you shiver – I won’t even mention how tightly he presses his hands against your hips…

Wonwoo

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Wonwoo is a romantic guy. BUT he’s also a low-key guy. I don’t see Wonwoo being the biggest fan of pda, so maybe he’ll slip his hand into your back pocket, pulling you closer to him, your shoulders bumping against his as he subtly nuzzles into you and leaves a peck or two on your cheek and shoulder. You’ll know he’s needy the moment you feel his arms snake around your back.

Woozi - (edited)

Don't ever mistake Jihoon's quietness with lack of attitude. He's the type to be certain about what he wants - and who he wants. So, when trying to flirt, Woozi will probably be very direct and straightfoward. He'll also stay close to you, making you feel his whole presence - and is likely to give you compliments throughout the night, from the most subtle to the most heartstopping ones.

Dokyeom

He'll wrap his arms around your shoulders, pulling you against him, and he'll leave lots (LOTS) of kisses on your face. At first, they'll be spaced out pecks on your cheek, but little by little they'll become more frequent and will move down to your neck and shoulder. Dokie seems innocent, but he knows exactly what to do and where to kiss to get what he wants, and he'll smile brightly when he sees your eyes flutter.

Mingyu

He's into the physical type of flirting, so if Mingyu wants you, he's gonna make you know it. His hands will grip your tights pulling you closer to him. His fingers will run along the thin skin of your thigh, scraping his nails to make your skin crawl and give you goosebumps. He'll do this until you show him that you're just as needy as he is, so it won't be hard for you to agree to go home early.

Minghao

I think Minghao might pull an intelligent and collected act in front of you. Of course he wants to impress, and he knows it'll do. He'll start saying some incredibly smart things, and he'll love to see your slightly admired face as he explains something - because it'll mean it's working. Or, if you're able to keep up with his sharp and precise comments, he might as well just fall in love at the spot. Either way, he's getting it.

Seungkwan

You'll know Seungkwan wants something when he starts teasing you more. He'll pinch your waist, push his knee against yours, and stare... He'll try really hard to irritate you because (according to him) you look beautiful when you're angry and when you get tired and finally make a move, the make out sessions always get... better.

Vernon

I'm a strong defender of the Vernon whispering type of flirt. He just knows how to scan the room and he'll know when is the right time to take you quietly and subtly to the side, soft touches and an attentive glare as he licks his lips. When you're both out of others' sights, he'll lean in and whisper softly in your ear. Maybe some "you look so beautiful tonight" or maybe a more direct "should we go somewhere else?". It's effective, it's discreet, and it's hella sexy. Just like him.

Dino

I think Chan might be the type to directly flirt, like, be really honest towards the fact that he wants you. However, he won't do the chasing. As soon as he makes himself clear, he'll give you space and wait for you to reciprocate. He just loves to have you going for him, and to know that he made such an impact that he just left you there, overthinking and wanting him so much that you ended up taking some initiative yourself.

[38riku]

𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐃

making the phantom bride final four feel things (it's my favorite event sue me)

warnings — suggestive? light flirting.

𝐀. 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐀

"stop glaring or i'll mess it up."

as if to prove your point, his brows pinched further, causing you huff in irritation. "okay. what's wrong? you were psyched up like two seconds ago."

"yeah, well, that was two seconds ago and now is now." his rebuttal caused you to roll your eyes. 'boys' you thought as a viable excuse before trying yet again to straighten his eyeliner.

his eyes darted around the room where the others did similar things: riddle fixed his lapels, epel examined his bouquet, and rook practiced his lines, everyone was unaffected by the current circumstance.

not the rampaging bride that is going to doom a teenage boy to the eternal afterlife, no, the fact that you were straddling him in a small vanity chair.

why was such a compromising position seen so casually? now that he thinks about it, the two of you were rather touchy – piggyback rides, you holding his arms, hugs, etc. – still, this is really teetering the line of friendly affection.

"done!" beaming, you leaned back a bit, causing him to hold on to your waist a bit firmer to keep you upright. "riddle! you have a keen eye, is it straight or what?"

the house warden walked over to the two of you and ace was sure he'd call out how inappropriate this is, but he didn't. instead, he nodded and complimented you on your handiwork.

"no need to thank me." you snorted, getting up to go help the others.

riddle chuckled, patting his freshman on the shoulder as he spoke, "are you upset that they're casually intimate with you or are you upset they might act like that with someone else?"

"w-what?!" ace's cheeks flushed red.

"i may be romantically handicapped but i'm more perceptive to it than you think. i can only suggest to say something sooner than later."

he lowered his head, still blushing, diverting his gaze away from your swaying figure as his house warden's words sunk in.

damn. he did want it to mean something.

ace doesn't know which is more embarrassing: his crush on you or that riddle was the one to make him realize.

𝐑. 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒

"may i offer a suggestion?"

riddle hummed, meeting your eyes in the vanity mirror. "and what might that be? it's impossible to elevate perfection, you know."

ignoring his arrogant statement, you took a seat, propping his collar up and undoing his tie. "i think you'll stand out more it you tie it differently." you explained your actions, pausing momentarily until he nodded for you to continue.

he watched as you knotted and twirled the fabric, straightening it here and there, and you were done a minute later.

"a bow? it's rather ... cutesy."

"but you're cutesy."

riddle choked, coughing loudly and catching the attention of the other occupants of the room. as they began to walk towards him, he waved them off, effectively keeping them away from his flustered form.

"w-why would you–"

"the cuter you look, the less they'll take you seriously, and as one of the strongest mages left that's perfect for us to break their defenses."

of course, you meant it as a battle advantage – that is your area of expertise, after all.

"don't look so surprised." you joked, flattening out his collar and he hopes you can't feel the heated blush on his neck. "you were thinking the same thing too, right?"

"no, actually... i can't say that i was."

you tilted your head sideways, doubting his words but dropping the subject. "well, from now on don't look down on being cute, kay?"

standing from your seat, you left his vanity to tend to grimm, who, was arguing with ace about who knows what.

if he had half a mind he'd scold them both and cut off the small feline's magic, however, his mind was completely blank.

cute. you think he's cute.

riddle didn't take it as he usually would. for some off reason he felt giddy inside, wishing you meant it in a different ... more flirtatious manner. the poor boy has zero experience but wishing might work, right?

𝐑. 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓

"you need to talk normally to us so they won't be suspicious. try again."

if rook wasn't used to a strict training regime he'd undoubtedly call you a harsh teacher, but, as a lover of all things beautiful and magnificent he tossed the thought aside.

"no can do mon cherie. her actions are horrendous and nowhere near beautiful." he signed, placing a hand over his wounded heart. "but you, darling, are as heroic and magnificent as ever."

he watched as you rolled your eyes, placing a hand on your hip as you began to reprimand him for his lack of seriousness.

although he heard the words coming from your mouth, he couldn't help but focus on everything else.

despite not being a contender in this entire ordeal you were still dressed beautifully. the color is ethereal on you, he must make note of the hue for later ... and whatever scent you adorned had his senses on ten.

don't you know never to where perfume when there's a hunter nearby?

"rook! are you even listening to–"

all too suddenly he had your hand in his, the other gripping your waist firmly to keep your surprised form upright.

"let me give it to you straight then. the unseen beauty of your compassion and tender heart outshines that of a world class model. not that you aren't attractive, no, no, quite the opposite."

"how greedy can you possibly be?"

deep. rich. clear. his voice was positively enthralling when he dropped that phony accent (it does have a charm of its own in your opinion)

"perfect!" you beamed, his grip on you loosening in surprise of his own. "i knew you could do it. she'll be knocked off her translucent feet i tell you!"

rook allowed you to walk away, scolding epel who wiped his makeup off for the ninth time deeming it unmanly.

he couldn't help but laugh. he broke character, purposely, but he did nevertheless, and don't think he didn't notice the flash of attraction in your eyes.

never let your guard down in front of a predator, mon cherie.

𝐄. 𝐅𝐄𝐋𝐌𝐈𝐄𝐑

"i swear on the seven you'll have more problems than a poof of blush if you keep testing my patience."

epel felt a chill run down his spine at your words but he stood his ground. he let you do the liner, tousle his hair all nice, and even spray a painfully potent cologne – but he draws the line at that pigmented puff of doom.

"i'm telling ya i'm not wearing that!" he argued back from the other side of the table. the two of you were playing chicken to the amusement of the others who were nearly done with their preparations.

"stop being a big baby!"

"i ain't no baby!"

he flinched back as you narrowed your eyes in a glare. for a moment, he felt sorry that grimm had to live with such a scary person.

"fine. don't wear the blush." you slid the compacted container to his side of the table, raising your hands in surrender.

"let me redo your hair then. it'll fit the look better, baby."

yeah. that's right, you better listen when he — wait, baby?

you pushed him down in the nearest chair, undoing the small ponytail you had before in favor of something else.

epel thought this earlier but your hands did feel amazing as you twirled and pinned his hair. he nearly fell asleep the first time but he knew better than to let down his guard.

"what do you think of this, baby?"

you were teasing him but jeez, why did it make his heart race?

"doesn't matter what i think." he huffed, and you laughed softly at the statement.

"well, i'm no ghost bride with unnaturally specific standards but you look good, baby." this time, you drawled out the pet name, winking, and then leaving him alone to question everything.

in the end he came to the conclusion that he should've just let you put the damn blush on.

© 2024 — 38riku. Do not copy or repost or plagiarize my work. All Rights Reserved.

[uzurakis]

omg i loved the dozing off req so much, you did it sooooo good!!!! would it be too much to ask for geto and nanami's version of it as well?? thank you so much :)

DOZING OFF ON YOUR SHOULDER . .

featuring: geto suguru. nanami kento. toji fushiguro.

n. no worries bb, you ask and you shall receive! geto & nanami’s took place in hs, i also added domestic!toji for a bonus. hope ya enjoy it ! PART1 HERE

GETO SUGURU

"hey, suguru, you with me?" you whispered, nudging him softly.

he blinked slowly, eyes heavy with sleepiness. "yeah, yeah, i'm here," he mumbled, trying to stay alert.

despite his efforts, his head drooped lower and lower, eventually landing on your shoulder with a quiet thud. you swallowed a laugh and looked around. fortunately, you were both seated alone in the corner of the classroom, without anyone else.

just as you were beginning to enjoy the unexpected warmth of his head against your shoulder, the classroom door swung open with a bang, and in strode gojo and shoko, like they owned the place.

"hm? what do we have here?" gojo exclaimed, so ready with the teasing as he spotted geto's sleepy form.

shoko giggled, a candy stick in hand as she pointed it at you. "i bet someone had a long night."

geto stirred slightly at the commotion, mumbling incoherently against your shoulder. you shot gojo and shoko a pleading look, silently begging them not to make a scene. but of course, gojo was never one to pass up an opportunity for some good-natured teasing. "not so fast!" he declared dramatically, striding over to you both with exaggerated steps.

before you could protest, he reached out and shook geto's shoulder with enough force to jostle him awake. geto's eyes flew open, and he blinked in confusion before realizing where he was.

"wha—what's going on?" he stammered, rubbing his eyes groggily.

gojo grinned wickedly. "oh, nothing much, just catching some z's in class, are we?"

shoko giggled again, unable to contain her amusement. "you two are too adorable," she teased, shooting you a playful wink.

geto gave you an embarrassed glance, and you couldn't help but laugh along with gojo and shoko. despite the embarrassment, there was something undeniably adorable about the whole situation.

NANAMI KENTO

the air was filled with the delicious aroma of street food as nanami and you stood by a bustling food cart, waiting for your friends to join you for a much-needed lunch break. haibara, gojo, geto, and shoko had promised to meet you here, but as minutes turned into what felt like hours, impatience began to creep in.

you leaned against the wall, checking your watch for what felt like the hundredth time. "where are they?" you muttered, more to yourself than to the man beside you.

nanami, ever the composed one, simply sighed. "they'll be here soon. patience is a virtue, after all."

just as you was about to reply, you felt a weight against your shoulder and turned to see nanami's eyes closed, his head resting against yours as he drifted off to sleep. you couldn't help but smile at the sight, his usually stern expression softened in slumber. "nanami, are you...?" you trailed off, unsure whether to wake him or let him rest.

then, at the brick of your decision, you noticed familiar figures of your pals approaching. haibara, gojo, geto, and shoko approached with wide grins, apparently amused by what they saw.

"damn lovebirds," geto exclaimed, his voice carrying across the street.

shoko only nudged haibara with her elbow. "nanami has all grown up, has he?”

as they ridiculed you, you felt your cheeks flush with denial, but nanami was still deep in sleep and blissfully oblivious. in an attempt to wake him up without making too much of a noise, you gave him a gentle prod. shaking his shoulder gently, you muttered, "nanami, wake up."

however, nanami did not wake up; instead, he only muttered something incoherently while firmly grasping your uniform. he seemed more exhausted than you had imagined, so you fought back a giggle.

haibara, ever the practical one, seized the opportunity to lighten the mood. "well, since nanami seems to be enjoying his nap, why don't we wake him up with some food?"

with that, he took a skewer of grilled meat from one of the nearby carts and leaned over to poke nanami gently in the side. nanami stirred at the touch, his eyes fluttering open as he realized where he was.

"you guys are here?" he asked, blinking in confusion.

gojo grinned, holding out a skewer of food towards him. "just making sure you're well-fed, nanami. wouldn't want you to miss out on the fun."

FUSHIGURO TOJI

toji was curled up on the couch with his eyes glued to the television, the gentle glow of the device lighting up the family room. meanwhile, you sat beside him, lost in the pages of a magazine. it was a typical evening in your little sanctuary, filled with the comforting presence of each other's company. as the minutes ticked by, you couldn't help but steal glances at toji. his relaxed posture, the way his eyes followed the movements on the screen with mild interest—it was moments like these that made your heart swell with affection.

nevertheless, as the show on tv began to lull, you noticed something peculiar. the remote control in his hand was slipping, his grip growing slack as his head gradually leaned towards your shoulder. you held your breath, hardly daring to move for fear of disturbing him.

sure enough, toji's head came to rest gently against your shoulder, his breathing slow and steady as sleep claimed him.

carefully, you reached over and plucked the remote from his fingers, turning off the tv with a soft click. with the room now bathed in a serene silence, you closed your book and set it aside, content to simply bask in the tranquility of the evening.

leaning back against the cushions, you allowed yourself to relax completely, letting the steady rhythm of toji's breathing lull you into a state of peacefulness. his presence beside you was a comforting weight, grounding you in the here and now.

and as sleep began to claim you as well, you nestled your head against toji's, finding solace in the simple act of being together.

@uzurakis — rqs are open <3

[seospicybin]

ON THE ROAD.

PART I

Bangchan, Han & Jeongin x reader. (s,f,a)

Chapters: Part II

Synopsis: A group of friends going on a road trip that, little did they know, will change their lives forever. (19,1k words)

ON THE ROAD PLAYLIST.

Author's note: My inbox is always open for feedback and your wild theories hehehe enjoy this one too! x

A famous author once said that friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too?"

For years, Chan believes that in order to make friends, he has to have common things with them, for example, having the same favorite books having the same hobbies, etcetera.

That's what he thought until he found out that in real life, that's not always the case.

Chan learns all about friendship when he meets his friends. He first met them at the art school 8 years ago and they remain good friends to this very second.

Because they're now living in different places and working in various professions, they have this weekly group video call every Friday at 8 pm.

Chan is so busy editing videos that he almost forgets that it's Friday and it's ten minutes to 8, he hurriedly opens his laptop to start a video call with his friends. He knows it'll take them some time to come online so he notifies his friends through the group chat too, not forgetting to add that he'll not make them watch a foreign movie tonight in the hope that they'll hurry.

That's one thing about Chan, he's passionate about movies and dreams of becoming a great movie director someday. Other than that, Chan has many great qualities about him. He's smart, he's good looking, he lives a healthy lifestyle, and a true social butterfly, something about him that makes people comfortable being around him. Those qualities combined with his dimpled smile create this magnet that attracts a lot of girls.

However, Chan only has eyes on one girl and one girl only.

"Oh, hi, Chris!" A voice that's way too familiar says through the laptop, a voice that evokes something deep within him and sends a tingle down his spine.

"Hi, Jinnie!" Chan says back with a smile.

-

Jinnie's Friday night is like any other night, she's drawing in her studio with the scented candle filling the room with the soft and sweet smell of vanilla. At times, she'll take a break to sip her tea and check her phone for the time.

It's almost 8 and she wonders why the group chat isn't blaring with notifications, she pouts thinking that everyone is too busy to have a video call tonight.

Just like the universe heard her wistful thinking, her phone chimes with a notification and her face lights up as she opens it.

It's Chan sending a link to the video call. Jinnie wastes no time to get on her laptop and clicks on the link that takes her to where everyone is going to virtually meet. A few seconds later, her face appears on the box on the screen next to Chan and that means she's the first to come online after him which is not a surprise.

"Oh!" She delightfully gasps, feeling happy to see a friendly face even though they had one of the video calls a week ago.

"Hi, Chris!" She greets him while smiling and enthusiastically waving her hand through the screen.

"Hi, Jinnie!" Chan replies with his sweet, dimpled smile.

It's kind of adorable to find him waving with his muscular arms and Jinnie can't help but smile. She adjusts her desk lamp to give her proper lighting then stacks her hands together.

"It's always us, huh?"

"What?" Chan asks as he leans closer to the screen.

"It's always you and me," Jinnie says, pointing at him and then at herself while half laughing.

Chan cracks a laugh at that, "And that means Jeongin will come next."

"Cause we all know who will come last."

"You mean who will come late?" Chan corrects him with a smirk.

Jinnie lowly chuckles and grabs her cup of tea from the other desk, "How are you, Chris?"

"I'm doing great, I guess," he answers.

"I guess?" Jinnie squinted her eyes at him as she repeated his words, "You've been staying up all night again, did you?"

"Well, uh..." Chan tries to make up an excuse but fails, he covers his eyes in embarrassment and laughs it off, "I tried not to."

"Are you working on something?"

"Yeah, I'm editing these videos for a short film I did with a friend," he answers.

"Oh? Is it the same one as the one you told me?"

"No. It's a different one."

"I know you're working, I hope you keep taking care of yourself well, Chris," Jinnie warmly tells him, genuinely concerned as a friend.

Jinnie has always been like that, kind, attentive, and a great illustrator, she's as gentle as the colors she uses in her art. She's beautiful but not solely because she's the only girl in this group of friends.

Jinnie's outer appearance matches her inside and you rarely find that kind of person.

The other often think of Jinnie as an angel that unluckily fell on this part of the earth, right in the middle of this friendship, and has become a blessing to everyone ever since.

"Oh, there's Jeongin!" She gasps, showing the same enthusiastic and bright smile whenever she sees her friends.

In other words, there's lucky to have Jinnie as their friend.

-

The letter feels heavy on his hand even though it's only a piece of paper, a piece of paper that holds his future and will forever change his life.

Jeongin should be happy, this is what he wants but something is tugging at his chest. He slips the paper back into its envelope and hides it in between pages of the book he's reading.

He reclines on his chair and runs his hands through his hair, feeling torn but he doesn't know what makes him feel that way. He closes his eyes as if it would help him shutting his mind off and ignoring the chimes that come from his phone until he remembers to check it.

Using his hand, he gropes around the table to find his phone without looking and unlocks it to find some notifications, the first three are coming from Chan.

Jeongin rushes on his chair realizing that it's Friday and he forgot about the video call. He immediately gets on his computer and logs into the link Chan sent him through the group chat.

Despite knowing that he's late, he remains calm because he knows he'll not be the last to join, there's someone else who will come later than him.

The screen takes a moment to load the video call and he appears on the lower box between his two friends, Jinnie and Chan.

"Oh, there's Jeongin!" Jinnie exclaims in joy, as beautiful and bright as usual like she's bringing her own sun wherever she goes.

"Well, Chan said we're not going to watch a weird foreign movie so here I am," Jeongin jokingly says.

"Thank you, Jeongin," Chan says, poking his cheek with his tongue, easily offended as expected which truly shows he's the oldest one in this group of friends.

"But the last one we watched was really good," Jinnie says, defending Chan with his exquisite taste in movies.

So here's the thing, everyone knows that Jinnie and Chan would make a perfect couple but it's a mystery why they're not dating yet.

Jeongin knows for sure that Chan has a feeling for Jinnie and it's so obvious, but he can't say the same about Jinnie even though it's impossible that she missed all of those signs.

Or maybe love is a simple thing because Jeongin is someone who watches from the outside and it's different for those two individuals involved. But still, Chan has been there all along and Jinnie doesn't see it, which infuriates Jeongin at times.

Whenever he sees them together, he gets the urge to point out everything but instead of that, he lets out a sigh and then puts on a smile.

"So, how are you guys?" He asks.

Jeongin has always been the quiet one, but don't take his silence as ignorance, he's very observant. He watches everything and remembers everything to the tiniest details, that's also why the others become extremely careful with what they say or do around Jeongin because they know he has their cards under his sleeves.

But being observant also means he has sound judgments about things, he's fair and sensible and that makes Jeongin the most reasonable one.

"I'm great. I'm having a cup of tea with me," Jinnie says, showing the cup of tea she's holding with both hands with her eyes forming two crescents as she smiles.

"And I'm good, thank you for asking," Chan says with his dimpled smile.

"I'm not asking you, Chris," Jeongin jokes.

Chan presses his lips together until they form a thin line and lets out air through his nostrils with his eyes closed while Jinnie is giggling.

"How was the recital going?" Jinnie asks.

"It went well," Jeongin answers.

Honestly, everything went so well, he's still playing piano as always and has shows to do but something about it makes him feel a little distressed that he feels the need to shift the talk.

"Well, we're not watching Chris' weird movie tonight—"

"It's not weird," Chan groans in disagreement and a glare aimed at him.

Jeongin refuses to correct his earlier remark and continues, "So what we're going to do tonight?"

Truthfully, Jeongin really needs the distraction tonight and he doesn't mind at all even if it means he has to endure three hours of watching a movie he can't understand, plot or language-wise.

"I have an announcement," Chan says.

"What kind of announcement?" Jinnie curiously asks with her eyes comically widening.

Chan swivels his chair to the side and plays with a stress ball in his hand, "I can't say anything yet until everyone gets here," he says.

Jeongin groans as he reclines on his chair and covers his face, knowing that it'll take only God knows how long until the last person finally comes online.

"In that case, I'll get myself a can of soda first," he says to everyone, then gets up from the chair.

When he returns to his room, Jeongin notices that the fourth person has joined the video call. Actually, he can hear it even before he enters the room from his babble.

"I know you guys have been waiting for me. No need to get that excited!" Han says, acting like he didn't just make everyone wait for him as usual.

-

Han is trapped in his own head like usual, arranging words in his head to make good lyrics for the track he made last night. He pictures those words in his head as he hums the melody to himself and then jots them down in his notebook.

He puts the headphones on again to hear the track once more, singing the lyrics to fit the melodies and only realizing that his mom is calling for him once she appears in front of him.

Disoriented, Han sits up on the bed and puts his headphones down, "What's wrong?"

"I've been calling you for dinner!" His mother scolds him.

He lets out a chuckle and takes his headphones off altogether, "But it's only five," he says.

His mother must have been so used to seeing him in his room and unaware of the time.

"I put the dinner in the oven," she informs with a dramatic head shake before exiting his room.

Is it dinner time already? He looks around for his phone on the bed, he's sure it's somewhere in there. He's flinging the duvet and then there's the sound of his phone falling onto the floor.

"Owh?!" He gasps, covering his small mouth with his hand.

Han rushes to the other side of the bedroom and picks it up, fortunately, his phone doesn't crack or break, but the time...

"Oh??!" He gasps again in a rather panicky tone.

It's almost 9, he's late for the video call again. He rushes to his laptop and it won't turn on because it runs out of battery.

"Ugh!" He groans as he struggles to plug it in the first time and groans again as he plops onto his chair.

It's always like this, losing track of time when he starts working on something. He remembers it was only four when he started writing his lyrics and now it's almost 9 pm.

It's like the laptop knows he's in a hurry it decides to take more time to boot and Han nervously taps his fingers against the desk, knowing that he makes his friends wait for him for the umpteenth time.

His fingers are typing as fast as they can to log in to his account but it takes him another moment to load the video call.

"Work faster you piece of a—"

"Welp. There he is!" Chan exclaims, looking annoyed but relieved at the same time.

"Thank you for finally gracing us with your presence," Jeongin says with the right amount of sarcasm in his tone.

"Oh, hi, Han!" Jinnie says, being the most welcoming out of the three.

"I know you guys have been waiting for me. No need to be that excited!" Han playfully says. He knows they're upset and tries to lighten the mood.

In his defense, he didn't do it on purpose. It becomes a habit at this point and he knows everyone will eventually let it slide.

"I guess you've been busy working on your lyrics again, huh?" Jinnie asks, propping her hand under her chin.

"No, I was helping my mom fold the laundry," Han makes a joke out of his own life.

Unlike everyone else, Han is the only one who hasn't figured out yet what to do with his talent for producing music. He's been working on some tracks but that's about it.

"Anyway, what kind of weird movie are we going to watch tonight?" He asks, shifting the talk to something else.

Chan clicks his tongue and says, "Thank you for making it obvious that you didn't read the group chat."

"Well, I opened them but didn't read them like all cool people do," Han confidently says with a sly grin plastered on his face.

Despite the uncertainty of his career, Han thinks he's the coolest of them all and doesn't care if anyone thinks otherwise. He's funny, and he's the mood-maker of the group but in all honesty, he's just being his authentic self 24/7.

"Okay, now since we're all here..." Chan says, sitting upright in his seat.

"Oh, so we're not watching a movie tonight," Han says in utter confusion, this is why he shouldn't be late so he won't miss out on a lot of things.

"Just shh..." Jeongin hushes him with a finger in front of his jutted lips.

"You're not like... dying, right?" Han hesitantly asks because Chan puts on a serious face, "It's cause you look so pale..."

"I've always been pale. What are you talking about?" Chan grumbles in disbelief, not accepting the fact that his pale skin makes him look like he's dying to him.

"Hannie!" Jinnie sharply calls his name, that is her way of sparing herself from using profanities

"I told you to just shh..." Jeongin scolds him more.

"Okay, okay, I'll shut up," Han says with both hands raised in defeat.

"Anyway," Chan reels the conversation back to the main thing and claps his hands together to get everyone's attention, "I need you guys to get days off for a week at the beginning of next month."

"But why?" Jeongin asks.

"Jinnie, Jeongin, I give you guys a month of forewarning so there's no reason you can't do it," Chan explains, not taking any excuses.

"And you're not concerned about me?" Han asks, feeling left out.

"That's because I know you're always available," Chan shortly answers.

"I need to ask permission from my mom!"

"To do what?" Chan squints his eyes at him.

"Permission to go on a road trip with you guys," he innocently answers.

"You're not some 12-year-old going on a school field trip," Jeongin reminds him that he won't be needing that.

"Oh, yeah, okay," Han meekly says with a nonchalant shrug.

"Well, that means I only need to finish some of my drawings early," Jinnie calmly says.

Chan smiles at her through the camera, "I know you can do it," he sweetly says.

"Thank you, Chris," Jinnie says with a smile.

"Wait, wait, you haven't answered my question," Jeongin interrupts the tender moment between the two, "Why?"

Chan sucks air through his teeth and stretches his arms out, not sure if he's trying to show off his muscular arms or just wanted to stretch them out.

"Because we're going on a road trip!" He announces in a cheery tone.

Jinnie grins in reaction and then claps her hands in excitement, "That sounds fun!"

"Where are we going?" Jeongin further asks.

"I don't want to spoil it yet. It's a surprise," Chan replies.

"I doubt that it'll be a good surprise," Han says just to annoy Chan.

"Just trust me on this!" Chan remarks with a confident smile.

"I just can't wait to spend time with you guys," Jinnie warmly says, being not shy to show her excitement which makes Chan get a little flustered.

"For the rest of this month we'll stop the weekly video meeting," Chan comes with a shocking announcement.

It's the only way they can hang out with each other and knowing that they won't meet until further notice kind of bummed him out.

"Why? Why? Why?" Han repeatedly asks like a parrot.

"So you guys can sort things out," Chan explains, "and Jinnie needs time to finish the drawings, right?"

"Yeah, but..." Jinnie looks a little taken aback too, "I'm sad that we'll not be hanging out for weeks."

"But we'll meet again," Chan assures her.

He clasps his hands in front of him and goes into serious mode once more, "I need you guys to gather at Jinnie's on the first day of July and I'll pick you up there," he informs.

Jinnie nods

"What should we pack?" Jinnie asks, even getting her notes ready to write them down.

"Pack clothes for a week, swimsuits, sunblock, hiking shoes..." Chan lists various things.

"Hiking shoes?" Han gasps, "I'm not going then."

"Even better," Jeongin lightly comments.

"Any more questions?" Chan asks everyone.

Han raises his hand even though he's not in a class, "How's your little sister doing?"

This is where Chan gets a little more serious, he hisses and then says, "I'm not taking any more questions then."

"Why are you so against us dating?" Han pokes fun at him, knowing that he doesn't like it, especially when he asks about his sister.

"Wouldn't it be nice if we become in-laws? We can be brothers for real!" Han annoys him more.

"I'm going to say this once and for all, I don't want to become in-laws with any of you," Chan firmly remarks and then crosses his big arms together.

"So that means you're okay with us dating..." Han relentlessly annoys him with a smirk dance on his face.

Jeongin drops his head into his hands and shakes his head witnessing the interaction while Jinnie is quietly giggling with her cup of tea in hand.

"How am I going to survive not seeing you guys for weeks?" Jinnie sadly says with a pout.

"Not me. I'll manage," Jeongin coyly says, reclining on his seat while playing with his hair.

"We'll see each other soon," Han assures her this time.

Jinnie smiles and cups her cheeks with both hands, "I can't wait to see you all," she says.

There's a moment of silence but the comfortable kind and not conjure any questions, everyone lets it go on for another moment before it gets to the time to end the video meeting.

"See you guys soon," Jinnie says, blowing air kisses through the camera.

"See you guys. Don't miss me," Han says with a sly grin on his face.

"There's no being late," Chan warns a specific someone.

"Jeongin, don't be late!" Han averts the blame to Jeongin.

Jeongin shakes his head again and raises his hand at everyone, "Bye, everyone!"

"See you guys in a few weeks," Chan says, waving his hands close to the camera then ends the video meeting.

-

A FEW WEEKS LATER

When you asked Chan if you could tag along on their road trip, he said no for what you guessed these two reasons: one, he hates seeing you around the boys and two, he hates for you to see him act around the girl he likes.

But, of course, in the end, he said yes for one solid reason: because you're his sister and he can't say no to you.

It's so obvious that Chan is nervous and you guess it's because he's going to meet the friends he hasn't met in weeks and more importantly, a certain someone that he secretly misses but can't tell.

As Chan's little sister, you notice these kinds of things, the change of attitude or how he gets nervous all of a sudden.

"Unclench your jaws, Chris," you remind him.

"I'm not—" he stops himself from talking and does as you told him, unclenching his jaws.

He may have unclenched his jaws but now his shoulders tense up. You take matters into your own hands and push his shoulder down.

"You're way too nervous to see a friend," you poke fun at him.

"Shut up!" He spews out and you know it's coming out of his nervous system.

Everyone knows that Chan likes Jinnie and he's always been for only God knows how long, you guess you're not the only one annoyed by the fact that they're not dating yet because they're just so perfect for each other.

"Okay, shutting up now," you say, making a gesture of zipping your lips together to not let the scary mad Chan come out.

The car makes a turn toward an apartment building and Chan parked it next to the entrance. It seems like Jinnie has been waiting for his arrival, she comes rushing down the stairs from the second floor where her apartment is.

"Oh, my God! Chris!!!" She excitedly comes up to him with open arms

Chan is obviously as excited to see her and catches her right into his arms, he even lifts her off the ground for a moment and gives her a spin.

They're so stinking cute that you can't help but smile watching them through the rearview mirror.

"Good to see you!" She says once he puts her down.

"Good to see you too," Chan says back while holding her hands in his.

When you deem that it's the right moment to insert yourself into the scene, you get out of the car and slowly make an entrance.

They're so immersed in each other that you hesitate to burst their cute little bubble.

"Hi!" You awkwardly wave your hand at her.

Jinnie's face lights up when she sees you, "Oh, hi! Long time no see!"

You come up to her to exchange a hug with her, "Long time no see, indeed."

The fact that she, possibly, would become your sister-in-law doesn't bother you at all, Jinnie is as perfect as one can be. She's beautiful and kind, the nicest human you've ever known, you couldn't be happier if that becomes true.

"I hope you don't mind that I brought her along," Chan says, flashing a thin smile at you.

You shoot him a side eye in return and stay by Jinnie's side.

"Are you kidding? I'm happy that I have a girl companion," she says, pulling you close to her side and squeezing on your shoulder.

"Jinnie, do you mind if I use your bathroom?" You ask, getting the urge to pee all of a sudden.

"Not at all. I'll take you—"

"That's okay. I know where to go," you kindly refuse her help to show you where her bathroom is.

That way, you can give them another moment to catch up with each other. As you climb the stairs to Jinnie's apartment, you see how Chan is grinning from ear to ear and it seems like it will stay like that until the road trip ends. Maybe that's also another reason why he agreed to let you join the road trip, Chan needs a good wingman by his side.

-

The moment he got out of the taxi, Han immediately thanked Jeongin non-stop.

"Thank you Yang Jeongin," he says, calling Jeongin by his full name.

"If you didn't pick me up, I'd be dead late," he grumbles, lowering his voice as he's a bit ashamed to admit it.

"I just knew you'd be late," Jeongin says while hoisting the strap of his backpack higher on his shoulder.

Han hurriedly puts on a smile to greet his friends, acting like he almost got here late for the road trip. He sees his two friends, Chan and Jinnie putting their stuff in the back of the car.

"Rejoice everyone. Your favorite boy is here!" Han announces his arrival while walking in big, confident strides.

Chan and Jeongin just leer at him and Jinnie is the only one giving him a proper welcome.

"It's so nice that everyone's here!" She exclaims, smiling even brighter than the scintillating sun.

She gathers everyone into a circle and puts her arms around Han and Chan's shoulders.

"I missed you guys," Jinnie says, jumping on her feet like a child. She really is the special glue that sticks them all together.

Deep down, everyone feels the same way, Han must say it feels good to reunite with them, it evokes the same feeling of coming home. They're huddling together for a big group hug, relishing that longing for each other.

Han breaks away first to take the last empty spot on the trunk for his backpack, "Dibs!"

Chan and Jeongin groan in unison but at the same time, not surprised to see this display of childish behavior from Han. Chan continues organizing everyone's stuff in the trunk with Jeongin's help while Han comes around the car.

"I'm riding shotgun!" Han shouts, calling dibs for the passenger's seat.

Jinnie appears from behind the car, "I think Chan's sister will ride shotgun," she informs.

Han thinks he misheard her, he lingers by the car door and turns to ask her, "Who?"

"Chan's sister, she's coming with us for the— oh, there she is!" Jinnie points at the stairs.

Han's eyes are following where she's pointing and turns his head that way.

"Oh, everyone's here!" You say as you look at everyone from the top of the stairs.

Time suddenly goes so slowly as you descend the stairs, softly smiling as the gust of wind blows your way, sending your hair flying, and with the sun shining down at you, it creates a halo around your head.

Jeongin accidentally bumps him as he opens the car door, "sorry," he shortly says.

Han is completely gobsmacked to care, his eyes just can't stop following you even after you arrive at the base of the stairs and walk up to the car.

"I think it's true," Han foolishly says with a gaping mouth.

"Huh? What?" Jeongin asks in confusion.

"When the love is real... it finds a way," Han dramatically sighs with eyes big and wide like seeing something so wondrous.

Jeongin gives him the side eyes, but he decides to ignore him and gets into the car.

"I'm going to lock my apartment first," Jinnie informs, going up the stairs to her apartment.

"Hi, Han," you greet him.

Han tries not to crumble hearing you calling his name and instead of answering, he awkwardly raises his hand at you with a stupid grin on his face.

"Are you sitting in the front?" You ask.

Han's brain is not well functioning yet and it takes more time for him to compute a word.

"Well, then I'm going to take my bag," you say, stepping forward and getting in between him and the car door to take your bag from the passenger's seat.

The smell of your perfume is sweet and soft yet it's enough to get him intoxicated, he wants more of it. He suddenly has no desire to ride a shotgun and arranges a new plan in his head.

He rushes to the back of the car and yanks at Jeongin's jacket, "Jeongin, get in the backseat!"

"What?" He asks in utter confusion.

"Get in the backseat! Hurry!" He urges him, opening the seat to the back so he can move.

Doesn't want to deal with him, Jeongin reluctantly moves to the back as requested and Han sets the seat right back up, then keeps the car door open for you.

"Get in," Han says to you.

"Oh, thank you," you mutter, carrying your bag in one hand as you get in.

Noticing Jeongin in the backseat, you smile and greet him, "Hi!"

"Hi," Jeongin sheepishly says to you.

Han sees that Jinnie has returned from locking her apartment and hurriedly opens the car door for her, "You can sit in the front, Jinnie."

Jinnie looks at him, perplexed, "I thought you are..."

He can't hear the rest of what she's saying as he gets into the car and sits next to you.

"I hope it's okay that I tag along for the road trip," you say, putting your bag on your lap.

Han realizes that he should get his act together and forces his brain to function, "It's more than okay," he says with a smile.

This road trip turns into a chance of a lifetime for him. What could be more fun than being stuck in a moving vehicle with a girl he likes?

Chan gets into the driver's side, sighing as he's exhausted from arranging the trunk, and puts the keys into the ignition.

Oh, fuck, Han forget about the part that her brother is in the mentioned moving vehicle too, and drives it. Now, his sense of protection is heightened after seeing you sitting next to him.

"What's with this seat arrangement?" He asks, glaring at Han through the rearview mirror.

He innocently shrugs while Jeongin is staying quiet in the backseat by himself, enjoying the spacious seat for himself.

Jinnie is the last to enter the car and lets out a delighted sigh once she buckles her seat belt. She then looks around at the people in the back and asks, "Everyone is ready to go?"

In response to her question, Jeongin raises a thumbs-up while Han is weakly cheering with his fists in the air and you're laughing at him.

Jinnie then turns her head at Chan and says, "Let's go!"

And just like that, the road trip begins.

-

Everyone else thinks that Han's liking toward you is just a joke and he does that as a way to annoy Chan. Unfortunately, it's not.

He admits that at first, he didn't think of you that way. The very first time he received the information that Chan has a sister, he thinks of you not more than that, a younger sister of his friend.

That night Chan invited everyone to the bar to celebrate his birthday and you've recently turned 21 that year which is why your brother finally took you along with him to hang out with his friends for the first time and he believes that was when things take a different turn.

Han met you once, briefly at Chan's graduation and you've just entered college at that time. When he met you again that night, he almost couldn't recognize you because you've grown so much.

You were just a young girl when he met you for the first time and that night, he saw that girl had flourished into a grown woman and attracted him immediately.

He was so deeply mesmerized by you that he just stared at you the whole night that Jeongin had to constantly snap him out of his head.

The one moment that got him enamored is when you decided to take your jacket off that night and revealed the white camisole you wore that night, he could tell you were wearing nothing underneath because your nipples were poking through the silky fabric. He remembers watching you enjoy the night and dancing your heart out with Jinnie the whole night.

Han couldn't get you out of his head ever since, he grew some sort of infatuation with you, and he followed you on your social media.

When he feels bold enough, he slides into your DMs and asks how you're doing. Chan doesn't know and the fact that he's still oblivious about it means that you don't mention it to him and that's good, it spares him from his doom coming sooner than everyone else's.

Now that he gets to see you in person, sitting side by side when all he could do was just admire you through the pictures you posted. It feels a little surreal that he has to pinch himself a few times to convince him that you're real.

Since Chan is busy talking with Jinnie in the front, he takes it as an opportunity to talk with you because he's wasted three hours secretly staring at you.

"So, how are you doing?" He awkwardly asks while still getting used to sitting next to you.

"I'm doing great," you shortly answer, placing your hand on the space between you and him.

"I heard you're working at the magazine now?" He asks, making it sounds like he heard it from Chan but he actually knew it from your Instagram post.

"Yes, I am," you answer with a sheepish smile.

"I think that's great!" He praises and tries to keep his excitement in check.

"I'm just a copy editor for now. I don't think it's that great," you sheepishly say.

"No, I think that's great," Han feels the need to convince you so he seeks validation from a third party, "Right, Jeongin?"

Jeongin scratches his chin and stifles a nod, "Yeah. That's great!"

"Thank you," you mutter with a shy smile and tuck your hair behind your ear, "How about you? How are you doing?

"Good," he shortly answers but he knows you need more from his answer, "I've been working on a few tracks."

When it comes to you, Han doesn't feel like the coolest person but the objective remains the same, he wants to impress you.

"And I worked on that thing," he scratches his head while considering whether it's right to share it with you.

You tuck your hair behind your ear and look at him, "Worked on what?"

"I made this jingle for an ad," he hesitantly shares.

You shift your body toward him and ask further, "Do I know this ad or...?"

Seeing that you're genuinely curious about it, Han gains a little confidence to share more.

"It's for a shaving cream commercial and it goes like this..." Han starts humming the melody and serenading it to you.

"Didn't you do that thing last year though?" Jeongin interrupts his serenading with a truth bomb.

Han looks over his shoulder and glares at him, making Jeongin see his displeased expression that he's not a great wingman at the moment.

"Yeah, but..." he turns his body more to look at him but can't find something to defend himself.

"I did that," he continues as his confidence deflates in each passing second, "nonetheless."

"Everyone," Jinnie says from the front, "We're going to stop for gas."

Even Jinnie makes a better wingman than Jeongin and she's clueless about what happened in the back earlier.

"Oh, great timing! I need to go to the bathroom," you exclaim, gathering your hair to put it into a ponytail.

This is not a good start, he can tell that you're not impressed at all and far from attracted to him. He consoles himself with snacks, eating them right outside the convenience store.

"I blew that up," he sighs, then shoves chips into his mouth.

"That's because," Jeongin says, then pausing to take another sip of his soda, "you keep staring at her like a creep."

Han elbows his side quite hard that Jeongin yelps, "and you didn't help at all," he grumbles with his cheeks full of food.

"You're hopeless," Jeongin easily replies and steals some chips from Han.

"And you didn't think that's why I need the help?" Han grumbles again and shoves more chips into his mouth.

Jeongin coyly shrugs as he drains his can of soda empty then proceeds to crumple it and toss it into the trash bin.

"Hey, what are you guys having?" You appear from the corner along with Jinnie.

"Where's Chris?" Jinnie asks while fixing her hair.

"He's inside," Jeongin points to the convenience store.

Han quickly swallows everything in his mouth and brushes the crumbs on the front of his shirt, "Do you want some?" He offers you his bag of chips.

"Do you have something sweet with you?" You ask.

"I do, I do," he eagerly answers, rummaging through the bag of snacks he bought and pulling out a pack of strawberry jellies, "I think you'll like this."

"Oh, no, I'm allergic to strawberries," you inform.

Han quickly pulls out another pack of snacks from the plastic bag, "How about this?"

You take it from him and delightfully gasp, "Oh, I love these."

Chan comes out with Jinnie carrying packs of drinks for everyone and without warning, he tosses the car keys at Jeongin, fortunately, he has a good reflex and catches it right into his hand.

"Your turn to drive," Chan says to Jeongin.

Jeongin doesn't say anything else but walks up to the car with everyone following him from the back.

Han opens the car door for you when Chan grabs your hand and stops you on the track, "You ride shotgun."

"Yes, sir!" You also obey without complaint.

"And you," Chan points at Han, "Get on the backseat!"

Han frowns that Chan purposely separates the two of you and reluctantly goes to sit by himself in the back while Chan and Jinnie sit in the middle.

From the back of the car, Han can only watch you share the pack of chocolate maltesers with Jeongin in the front.

-

After four hours of driving, the car stops for dinner and everyone gets so quiet once the food arrives.

Chan makes sure everyone has finished so he can have all of their attention as he explains what the next plan is. Before you can ask for his dessert, he slides his plate towards you.

"Can I have everyone's attention?" He says.

Jeongin is mindlessly stirring his glass of soda with the straw but putting his attention on him meanwhile Han is slowly dissociating so Chan snaps his fingers right in front of his face to reel him back to reality.

Han swats his hand away and groans, "I'm listening, I'm listening."

"Okay, so, we're not going to continue to drive," Chan announces.

"Oh? We're sleeping somewhere for the night?" Jinnie asks, then dabs her mouth with a napkin, "And I need you guys to sleep early tonight because—"

"Because of what?" Han asks as he lazily brushes his hair to the back.

Chan sighs because Han cuts him off instead of letting him continue talking, "Because we have to leave early tomorrow morning."

"And where are we going?" You ask, sliding the plate back to him. Chan glares at you for leaving a small piece of dessert for him and you grin at him in return.

"Let me guess, surprise?" Han says with a mocking grin.

Chan scoops the last piece of cake into his mouth and ignoring Han's insinuation, he has a way to get back to him.

"Who voted for Han to pay the bill?" He says with his hand already raised in the air and Jeongin is the next one to raise his hand.

"W-what? Why? Why me?" Han blabbers in a slight panic.

Everyone turns their heads at Jinnie and since two of his friends already voted for him, she follows the majority and hesitantly raises her hand.

"Sorry," she meekly mutters at Han.

When it comes to you, you hurriedly shake your head and refuse to be a part of their shenanigans. Chan intensely glares at you, pressuring you to also raise your hand.

"Please, leave me out of this," you plead.

Having no other way to make you do what he tells you to do, Chan grabs your hand and raises it in the air. He then triumphantly grins at Han until his dimples sunken into his cheeks.

"Everyone says 'Thank you, Han'!" He orders.

"Thank you, Han!" Everyone says in unison while Han is slumped on his seat, suddenly not looking drowsy anymore.

With the information gained from the restaurant staff, Chan easily found the motel a ten-minute drive away. Arrive there, he immediately goes to check in while everyone is getting their belonging from the trunk.

Without saying anything, Jeongin hands you a bag and you look at it for a moment until you realize that it's yours.

"Oh, thank you," you mutter.

You also take Chan's bag, it's so heavy and you bet he's taking his laptop and camera with him which only reminds you to be careful with it. Once he gets back with the room keys, you hurriedly hand him his bag.

"This one is for the ladies," Chan hands one of the keys to Jinnie.

"Got it," Jinnie says, linking her arm with you to start walking to your room.

Everyone is heading the same way since the boys are staying in the next room. You can't wait to lie down after spending more than ten hours sitting in the car.

"It seems like we're sharing the bed," Jinnie says, seeing there's only one bed in the room.

"Don't worry, I don't snore like my brother," you immediately remark as you throw yourself onto the bed and sigh in delight.

Jinnie laughs as she unpacks her bag, "Wait... Chris snores?"

You roll to the side and prop a hand under your head, "I thought you knew," you say.

"I've seen Chris sleeping but he didn't snore," Jinnie shares, taking clean clothes out of her bag.

"Of course," you talk to yourself, Chan wouldn't let his crush know about his sleeping habit especially something as bad as snoring.

"What's that?" Jinnie asks, hearing you mutter to yourself.

"I just remember I need to charge my phone," you lie, rolling over to the other side to rummage through your bag.

"Do you mind if I use the bathroom first?" Jinnie politely asks, holding her clothes close to her chest.

"Sure," you answer with your hand still groping around to look for your phone charger. Getting hopeless, you call for Jinnie as she's about to enter the bathroom.

"Hey, Jinnie, can I borrow your charger?"

She stops on her track and then puts her clothes on top of the dresser, "Sure," she says, going back to her bag to get it and give it to you.

"I think I dropped my phone in the car," she mutters as she looks through her bag.

"Oh, no," you mumble but an idea comes to mind.

"I can call Chris to help you find it," you offer, turning her misfortune into an opportunity to set them up.

"No, it's okay. It's probably under the seat of the car," she says but she looks worried.

"Are you even sure that you dropped it in the car?" You ask, making her doubt herself.

Jinnie looks concerned now that she clasps her hands together in front of her, "I don't want—"

Before she gets to finish her sentence, you hit call on Chan's number and he picks up on the third ring.

"What's up, baby sist?" He slurs his words, he's just as tired as everyone.

Without greeting him first, you talk straight into the phone, "Jinnie dropped her phone in the car. Can you help her find it?"

You hear rustles from the other end of the call and his tone changes all of a sudden, "Just need to get my car keys and I'll be on your door in a minute."

There's no need to plead or beg, you only need to mention Jinnie's name and he's ready to do anything, he'd probably move mountains for her too if she asked for it.

You hold the urge to laugh and calmly look at Jinnie, "He'll be here soon," you tell her.

"Oh, thank you," Jinnie says, canceling her plan to wash up and putting her sweater back on.

A few minutes later, the knocking comes on the door and Jinnie goes to open it. You peek from the side to watch the interaction.

"Heard you dropped your phone in the car," Chan says to her.

"Yeah, I hope I didn't disturb you," Jinnie says.

"Not at all," he immediately says.

Jinnie looks at you and you pretend to be busy looking at your phone, "Hey, I'm going out for a bit."

"Yeah, sure, take your time," you say with a smile then realize that you're not using the right tone.

"Hope you find your phone," you quickly add.

Jinnie is trailing behind Chan as they walk back to the parking lot and he hurriedly unlocks the car at the first sight of it.

"I'm sure it's somewhere in the middle seat," Jinnie says, opening the car door and going straight to feel the gap between the seats.

"I'll look from the other side," Chan says.

He walks around the car and looks from the other side, he turns on the flashlight from his phone and shines it under the seat. All he finds are candy wrappers and he knows who the culprit is.

"Let's get these seats up," he suggests, turning the lever to fold the seats and making it easier to search for the phone.

As they're busy looking for the phone, their heads meet in the middle, and bumps against each other. Chan reflexively reaches for Jinnie's head and rubs on it.

"I'm sorry," he says while giggling, "Are you okay?"

Jinnie can't answer as she's busy laughing and after taking a breath, she nods, "I'm okay."

"You know, it'll be much easier to call you," he says, coming up with a faster way to find the phone a little too late.

"Why didn't I think of that earlier?" Jinnie says, feeling embarrassed as she holds her hair from curtaining her face.

Chan looks for her number and presses the call buttons, he waits for the dialing tone while Jinnie looks around in the dark.

"Oh, I heard it!" She gasps.

The muffled ringtone comes from the back and Chan flips the seat to the front, discovering Jinnie's phone caught between the seats. With his long arm, Chan outstretches his arm to get it and hurriedly hands it to her.

"Thank God!" She sighs in relief and takes the phone from him.

Chan closes the car door and quickly locks it again, he checks by pulling at the car handle to know if it's locked for good.

"I was so scared that I dropped it somewhere else," Jinnie shares, clutching her phone close to her chest.

"I'm glad you found it," Chan says, smiling because he feels good knowing that he makes Jinnie happy.

"Thank you for helping, Chris," Jinnie sincerely says with a smile that is as soft as the moonlight.

Chan would do anything to see that smile on Jinnie's face again, he then looks away before it gets too intense.

"Don't mention it," he coyly says.

As they walk back to the rooms, their hands lightly grazing each other's, and on a nice, summer night like this, Chan feels tempted to hold her hand.

He looks down and her hand is right there, a grasp away from him. All he needs to do—

Jinnie draws her hands and crosses them together in front of her, "I'm so curious where you'll take us tomorrow," she says.

Chan clears his throat and shoves his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants.

"Trust me, you guys will like it," he confidently says, "especially you."

Jinnie looks at him with a bewildered expression, "Me?"

"Yeah," he nods and grins.

"That only makes me more excited for tomorrow," she says, hugging herself tighter as a gust of wind blows their way.

Jinnie stops right in front of your shared room, she looks at Chan who's standing on the door to his room, "Thanks once again, Chris."

"It's not a big deal," he says with a smile.

Jinnie knocks on the door and a while later, you open the door with your head wrapped in a towel, "Did you find it?"

"Yeah," she answers, showing you the phone in her hand.

"That's a relief!" You exclaim, then step to the side to let her in.

Jinnie looks at Chan for one last time and smiles, "Goodnight, Chris."

"Goodnight," he says back, and once Jinnie gets inside, his foolish smile drops from his face knowing that you're watching him.

"Get back inside. Lock the door and sleep!" He strictly orders.

"Yes, sir," you reply along with a salute.

You grab the handle of the door and take one more chance to poke fun at him.

"Goodnight, Chris," You try your best to copy Jinnie's soft tone of saying it and quickly close the door before Chan gets the chance to scold you.

-

When Chan said they needed to leave early the next day, Han didn't think it would require him to wake up at 6 in the morning.

He doesn't know how Chan did that because he was the last one to sleep but he also woke up the earliest and even brought breakfast with him when he came to the room.

"Your turn to drive today," Chan says, throwing the car keys and clanging against the floor as Han fails to catch them.

"Ugh..." he lets out an exhausted groan and picks them up from the floor.

Concerned with his state, Chan grabs his shoulder and squeezes, "You sure you can drive?"

Han knows that if he says no, then Chan will take the task from him and he doesn't want that, Chan already did so much. He's sure he's more tired than everyone.

"Yeah, I can drive," he assures him with a not-so-convincing smile.

The doubts linger in Chan's eyes, he gives him a pat on the back and then says, "You know what? I'll get you another cup of coffee!"

The sun is peeking from the horizon and slowly climbs its way out, the sunray hits his eyes as Han arrives at the parking lot.

He unlocks the car from a meter away and puts his bag in the trunk first before walking to the driver's side.

"Ugh..." he groans again with one hand on the handle of the car door.

The last person who drove was Jeongin and thanks to his long limbs, Han has to readjust the seat because his arms aren't long enough for the steering wheel.

He's yawning as he takes his phone out and connects it to the car stereo, at least, being a driver means he has full control over the music.

"Morning," Jinnie cheerily says, with a smile that shines brighter than the morning sun.

Something about her smile that makes him can't help but smile back.

"Morning," he says back, "Do you need help with the bag?"

"It's okay. I'll do it myself," She says, heading to the back of the car.

Not long after, Chan comes carrying bags on each shoulder but looking unbothered by them, he ends up helping Jinnie with her bag. Jeongin comes next, handing his bag to Chan before getting into the car and sitting in the back.

Han is busy scrolling his phone to compile a playlist for the trip to realize that everyone is already getting in except for one person.

He looks to the back and sees Chan sitting in the middle with Jinnie so that means...

"I have your coffee with me," you say, climbing into the passenger's side.

He turns his head to the back to check if Chan approves of this seating arrangement but he's already snuggled up in his hoodie to sleep.

"Americano, right?" You ask, handing the cup of coffee to him.

"Oh?" Han looks at you and then at the coffee.

The second he realizes that you're waiting for him, he hurriedly gets it from you, "Thank you!"

Sensing that the coffee is hot, he carefully puts it into the cup holder and turns on the car engine. He waits until you're buckled in to start driving.

"So, where are we going?" He asks in utter confusion.

You let out a chuckle thinking that he's joking and Han chuckles as well, maybe it is a joke that he didn't ask Chan where to go before he started driving.

"Chris said you only need to follow the GPS," you inform.

"Oh, yeah, that's right," he feels embarrassed to ask and even more embarrassed to say that he is not good at multitasking.

It feels as if you read his mind, you look at him and say, "Don't worry. I'm a good navigator."

The cool morning air is so refreshing that Han doesn't feel sleepy anymore and with every sip of coffee, he feels more awake than ever.

He looks through the rearview mirror and sees that everyone in the back is sleeping so that means only you and him are awake in the car.

"Oh, wow, look at that," You sigh at the view of the sun rising on a hill, "It's beautiful!"

Han briefly glances away from the road to see it but the view he sees is of you and your hair flying around your face basking in the soft glow of the morning sun.

"Yeah, it's beautiful," he mutters and looks back at the road.

He's only an hour away from the destination but he likes this scene, the view and the road ahead of him, the person sitting next to him, also the faint music that plays through the car stereo. He wants to stay in it for a little longer.

"I love this song!" You exclaim out of the blue as the playlist plays a new song.

Han recognizes the song right away because it's coming from his playlist and it's one of his favorites.

"You know this song?"

"The Beatles, right?"

"Yes."

"It's in one of the playlists you sent me," you tell him.

The playlist is Han's love language. When he likes someone, instead of flowers or chocolate, he compiles a playlist of songs that reminds him of that person and gifts it to them.

When he sent them to you, Han isn't that confident that you will heartily listen to them because it's just a playlist of songs and you'd barely see the romantic gesture behind it.

"I'd like to be under the sea..." you start singing along to the song.

"In an octopus's garden in the shade..." Han joins in on the second line while keeping his eyes on the road.

"He'd let us in, knows where we've been. In his octopus's garden in the shade..." Together you sing the rest of the verse while smiling as the sun is getting higher in the sky.

"In an octopus's garden with you... In an octopus's garden with you..."

The GPS says the destination is only ten minutes away and it's directing him to turn onto the small road with nothing but trees that line up on each side.

"Are we going the right way?" Han asks you in a slight panic, not seeing any road signs.

You check the GPS and turn to look at him, "You're going the right way, yeah," you confirm.

Han bends down to see if there's any sign of life or if Chan accidentally puts the wrong address into the GPS.

"I'll wake my brother," you offer, turning around in your seat and outstretching your arm to reach Chan who's still sleeping.

You manage to grab the sleeve of his hoodie and yank at it, "Chris, wake up!"

Instead of Chan, Jinnie is the one who answers your call, "Mmh, are we there yet?" She asks.

"We're not sure," you answer and yank harder at Chan's hoodie.

Jinnie notices you need the help, she places her hand on Chan's arm and gently shakes him awake, "Chris?"

On the second try, Chan finally wakes up to Jinnie's call and you roll your eyes because it's getting ridiculous now that he recognizes her voice well instead of his sister.

Han decides to pull over to the side of the road and turns his head around, "are we going to the right place?"

Chan pulls down his hoodie and quickly brushes his curls to the back, he closes his eyes for a moment to adjust them to the light.

One glance at the GPS and he slumps back on his seat, "Yes, it's right," he slurs his words.

"Why am I not seeing anything else but trees?" Han hesitates but keeps driving anyway.

"Just keep going," Chan mumbles, getting a bottle of water and drinking it.

A moment later, Han's doubt is answered as a sign appears in front of him and it says that the campsite is 100 meters away.

"Oh, my God!" Jinnie loudly gasps, making everyone in the car startle in surprise, including Jeongin who's just woken up from his nap.

She looks at Chan with eyes widening and sparkling, "We're going camping?"

With a stupid grin on his face, Chan answers, "Yes."

-

While the boys are busy setting up the big tent, you and Jinnie are making sandwiches for lunch. Jinnie does most of the work while all you do is unwrapping the cheese singles and preparing the loaf of bread.

This is one of those moments that makes you think how can someone be this perfect? Jinnie is beautiful, smart, kind, and patient, she's great at drawing and now, you find out she's good at cooking too.

"What can't you do? Really?" You praise in awe as she meticulously arranges the ingredients from the vegetables to the condiments.

She lets out a shy chuckle in reaction and doesn't let it get to her head, she's concentrating hard on putting everything together without making a mess.

"You're an only child, right?" You curiously ask.

Jinnie wraps each sandwich with a food wrapper and does it so meticulously as if she's wrapping a gift, "Yes, I am."

"Would you like a younger sister?" You jokingly say.

She smiles at you and hands you the first sandwich she wrapped, "I already think of you as a younger sister," she says.

You grin at that and put the wrapped sandwich into the basket, "We should make it official then," you teasingly say.

"And what do you mean by that?"

"You know... you can be my sister-in-law," you coyly say while paying attention to her reaction.

Jinnie shakes her head in disbelief and shyly laughs, "You silly!"

It's too obvious for her to miss it, right? She should have known that you're hinting at something and it's your way to cajole her to open up but in the end, you're always the one left puzzled by the mystery of why Jinnie and Chan's ship is not sailing yet.

The peaceful nature sounds are interrupted by the sound of Chan hammering the spike to pin down the tent while Jeongin is setting the canopy. He pauses once he notices that you're struggling to carry the cooler box by yourself. He rushes to get it from you and puts it down next to the tent.

As a form of gratitude, you grab a can of soda from the cooler and hand it to him, "Here!"

Jeongin softly smiles and it's enough to make his dimples appear on both of his cheeks, "Thanks!"

"Baby sist, I want one too!" Chan grumbles as he sits on the ground, also exhausted from setting the tent.

It's fine when he called you that ten years ago but as you grow older, he should know that you've outgrown that pet name. You let it slide because his friends got used to hearing him calling you that around them.

"Catch!" You warn before tossing it his way and he catches it right in his hand.

Jinnie comes not long after, carrying the sandwiches along with some snacks on the side, "Lunch is ready!" She announces, putting everything on the table.

Han hurriedly carries more folded chairs and arranges them around the table. Everyone stops working to huddle around the table for lunch.

"Is it done?" Jinnie asks while distributing the sandwiches around.

"Yeah, we just need to put the mat and sleeping bags inside but we can do it later," Chan answers, ripping through the wrapper and taking a hearty bite.

Despite it being the beginning of summer, there are only two other campers on the site. But that's a good thing, it's not crowded and it won't spoil the serene, relaxing experience of camping.

The lunch feels so rewarding, especially to those who worked on the tent and everyone gets so quiet after. You and Jinnie work together to gather the trash and put it into a plastic bag.

"So... what now?" Jeongin asks, glancing his eyes from side to side.

Chan crumples the empty can in his hand and puts it into the trash bag, "We're resting for now and we'll go hiking in an hour."

"Hiking?" Han asks in panic, not in favor of the idea.

"I told you to bring hiking boots for one specific reason," Chan explains, putting his hat backward and then reclining on his seat.

Han slumps on his seat and makes those high-pitched groans while flailing his arms in the air.

To avoid the harsh sunlight, the hike starts a little after three and the boys are tasked to carry a backpack full of snacks, water, and clean clothes.

The forest hums with life as the five of you walk the trail with the sun breaks through the cracks, lighting up the dirt path ahead, decorated with outgrown roots, wildflowers, and fallen leaves that crunch beneath your feet.

You're gazing up at the canopy, searching for the birds that sing sweetly against the soft sound of the wind whistling between the leaves.

Chan leads the way and once in a while, he looks back to check if anyone needs a break. Seeing that everyone needs a break, he stops on his track and turns around.

"Let's have a quick break!" He announces to everyone, then uncaps a bottle of water to hand it to you.

"Thank you," you mutter.

You lean back against the tree and reorganize your breath to finally have a long sip of water that quench your thirst.

"Is it still far?" Jinnie asks, taking a new bottle of water from Han's backpack.

Chan swallows his water and wipes his lips after, "About half an hour more of hiking."

Han takes off the plaid shirt he's wearing and hangs it on one shoulder, "And how long have we been hiking?"

Chan looks at his smartwatch to be able to answer him, "About 25 minutes."

"Fuck!" Han curses, scaring away the small animals hiding between the bushes, "Why does it feel like we've been walking for hours?"

"That's just you," Jeongin sneers, drinking his water like he's shooting an advertisement video.

"It's going to be worth it, I swear," Chan convinces, brushing his hair to the back before putting his hat back on.

Hanging on to his words, everyone continues the hike, following Chan's lead while enjoying the greenery. Jeongin catches squirrels running in between tree trunks.

"Han, say hi to your friends!" He says to Han.

Funny that Han decides to play along with it, "Furry babies, hi!"

Chan notices that you're getting exhausted as beads of sweat roll down your neck, "Here! Hold the back of my t-shirt!"

You don't see why it would help you walk, "Why should I?" You ask in utter confusion.

He grabs your hands and makes you hold each side of his t-shirt, dragging you along with him as he tirelessly keeps following the trail.

"I swear to God if it isn't worth it like you said..." you grumble as you feel every muscle in your legs strained and screaming in pain, and your mouth is dry from you constantly panting, running out of breath.

The scenery slightly changes the further you walk, there are no more dead leaves on the path and the rich earthy smell is soon replaced by water-saturated air.

"Oi, look!" Chan taps your hand and then points at the view ahead of him.

Getting a glimpse of what lies ahead, you walk past Chan to discover a view that is too beautiful for your eyes to comprehend.

A white, frothy cascade of water falls into a plunge pool with mist billowing out in soft clouds, creating a mystical atmosphere but when the sun hits and refracts the lights, a rainbow appears.

It's a waterfall, a majestic one.

"Be careful! It's slippery!" Chan shouts, watching you walk down the rocky outcroppings. He knows that there's no stopping you and you can't hear him anyway.

Han dashes after you with the backpack bouncing on his back, trailing after you like a puppy.

"I was right to trust you," Jinnie stands by his side and places a hand on Chan's shoulder, "It's worth the one hour of hike."

Jinnie shoots him a warm smile that makes Chan's inside melt and turns into jelly and in response to that, Chan unknowingly grins at her, the kind that shows how much of a fool he is for her.

Unbeknownst to him, Jeongin has been quietly watching this interaction, including the shit-eating grin Chan has on his face.

"You're pathetic," Jeongin says to him once Jinnie leaves.

"Hey!" He yells in disagreement but Jeongin ignores him and walks away.

Taking a little rest from the hiking, Chan sits on the sun-baked rocks while admiring the waterfall and the serene surroundings.

"This is a beautiful place to tell someone your feelings," Jeongin says, taking out a can of soda from his backpack.

Chan scoffs and plays dumb, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, come on!" Jeongin groans and subtly rolls his eyes at him.

"We all know you have feelings for someone," he pauses to gesture at the figure standing on the rocky perch, "There she is!"

This proves two things, their years of friendship and that Jeongin always observes, either way, he feels so caught by his own ineptness.

Worse, Chan decides to keep playing dumb and looks away even though it's too late for him to do that, there's no way he can escape Jeongin's observant eyes.

"Why-why should I..." he scratches his head in a slight panic.

"Just tell her how you feel," Jeongin says, "I think she feels the same thing for you."

At first, Chan wants to keep it to himself but since Jeongin knows already and it's tiring to have to keep hiding, he decides to tell him.

"It's hard," he openly admits with a heavy sigh, "We've been close friends for too long that I can't tell the difference anymore."

It feels so good that Chan is finally able to get that out of this chest and he knows he can trust Jeongin to keep it between them.

"And she's just... she's just perfect," Chan says with a hopeless sigh, he picks up a pebble and throws it into the water, "and I don't want to lose my good friend."

Jeongin leans back by propping his hands behind him and lets out a sigh, "It doesn't matter if the guy is perfect or the girl is perfect, as long as they're perfect for each other," he eloquently remarks.

"Wait, I think I heard that somewhere before," Chan's forehead wrinkles as he rakes his brain to recall where he heard this line before.

All of a sudden, Jeongin punches him in the arm, "It's from your favorite movie. Good Will Hunting!"

"Oh?!" Chan loudly gasps, it feels like a crime that he doesn't recognize the quote taken from his favorite movie.

"At this point, Han will beat you up to it."

"What?"

"He'll date your sister faster than you get to date Jinnie," Jeongin says with sheer indignation.

Chan's eyes dart at you and Han talking under the shade of a tree that stoops so low it's almost touching the surface of the water.

"Ugh, no, that can't happen!" He says in disgust.

"I bet he's serenading your sister with the jingle he made, again," Jeongin mumbles.

At the same time, Jeongin and Chan look at each other and start singing the jingle together, surprising themselves by how well they memorized it.

"Are you guys talking about me?" Jinnie jokingly asks as she walks by.

They immediately shut up and Chan turns his head away even though his eyes are searching for her, demanding her to always be in his sight.

"Are we waiting for Christmas to swim or what?" Han shouts, fussing like a child with his hands planted on each side of his waist.

-

Han once thought that if someone ever gets to see your body, he believes they'd turn to stone and that's because he thinks no one can handle that much magnetism and sex appeal.

Today, he gets to put that notion to a test even though he's risking himself to the possibility of getting petrified. He tries to keep his cool as you stand not far from him, tugging the hem of your t-shirt and then pulling it over your head, revealing the top half of the swimsuit you're wearing underneath.

So far, he still finds himself breathing and able to move his limbs but let's see when— he holds his breath as you unbutton your denim shorts and pull it down, slightly bending down to get it off your legs.

His eyes immediately travel down your body, admiring every curve of your body as you bask in the warm sunlight and the tiny droplets of water land on your skin.

You flip your hair to the back and slip your fingers under the strap to adjust it on your shoulder, his breath hitches as you pull it and let it slap against your skin.

Now, he's petrified. He knows he shouldn't be ogling at his best friend's sister, especially with her brother around but he can't help it, he's instinctively attracted to you like a moth drawn to light.

Jinnie offers her hand at you as she's already in her swimsuit as well, "Come on!" She says.

You take her hand and giggle as you slowly make your way toward the water with pebbles against the bottom of your bare feet.

"Ack!" You shriek, feeling a shock of cold water touching your feet then back to giggling again.

Han realizes that if he doesn't want to miss anything, he should get changed now. He gets up from the bed of rock he's sitting on and finds Chan is already hallway to get naked, exposing his muscular upper body, his pale skin shines under the sun.

"Show off," he mutters, placing a gentle slap on his abs as he walks past him.

"What's that for?" Chan says with a perplexed look.

The breeze plays with Han's hair as he treads the water and more droplets of water hit his skin the closer he gets to where you are

For a second, he loses sight of you until you emerge from the surface of the water, glistening wet with your swimsuit stuck to your skin, enhancing the features of your heavenly body.

You're saying something to Jinnie as you're floating in the water but the words are lost in the roar of the waterfall. With a grin plastered on your face, he doesn't need to hear it to know you're having fun.

"Hey, come here," you shout in his direction.

Han looks around thinking you're talking to someone else but there's no one else but him there. He looks back at you and you're already making your way to him.

"I want to show you something cool," you say, taking his hand and dragging him with you.

Honestly, he's willing to go anywhere you take him even if you take him to the pit of hell and sweat he'll follow you there.

"Now, we have to dive in," you say, getting to the center of the pool where it's deep enough for a dive.

Han draws a big, deep breath before following you where you lead him, he sees through the blurry water where your figure is diving to and then comes out of the water.

You wipe the water off your face and put your hair away, "It's cool, isn't it?"

Han doesn't realize it at first but once he rubs the water off his eyes, he's standing on the other side of the waterfall, and behind him is a tall, slippery wall of rock.

It's just you and him, concealed behind an iridescent wall of water.

"Yeah," he nods as he looks at you to which you respond with a smile.

Out of nowhere, two figures emerge out of the water and startle you both. It's Jeongin and Jinnie, discovering the spot and finding you both there.

"Wow! This is amazing!" Jinnie gasps as she looks around while wiping the water off her mouth.

Jeongin doesn't say anything but stands close to the back, his skin a contrast with the dark of the rocky wall behind him.

The smile on Han's face slowly fades knowing that someone has shattered the tender moment he's having with you. He looks at you and your eyes are nowhere near his eyes, the next thing he knows, you dive your way out back to the world.

The fun continues as you and Chan team up to fight against Jinnie and Han. He's carrying you on his shoulders and clashing you at Jinnie who also rides on Han's shoulders, coming at each other until one of you falls into the water. Thanks to Chan's strong lower half body, you won most of the time.

Tired from swimming, everyone is chilling on the big bed of rock, drinking and eating the snacks they packed while drying up under the warm afternoon sun.

With your fingers pruning up, you're struggling to open a bag of chips and someone takes it to help you to open it.

"Here," Jeongin says, after swiftly opening it for you.

"Thanks," you mutter.

Jinnie let out a sigh as she hugs her knees, "I think this is the most fun I ever had in a long time."

Han gets up from lying down and puts his arm around her shoulder, "That's true."

Chan triumphantly grins as he uncaps a new bottle of water, "I told you guys to trust me."

"I trusted you," Jeongin mutters in defense.

Chan points at Han as he drinks his water, hinting that he's talking about a specific person. Grinning as he sees Han feeling called out by that.

"I didn't say anything," he defends himself, waving his hand in front of him in strong disagreement with Chan's accusation.

"Yeah but you were like whining the whole hike," Chan says, giving him a head shake of disbelief.

"I didn't," he resists to admit it, then looks at Jinnie to seek someone on his back, "I didn't, right?"

Jinnie looks at him and then looks at everyone, "Well, I wouldn't call it whining," she says.

Han glares at her as he senses a but trailing behind Jinnie's sentence. He puts his arm away from her and grumbles, "You know what? I'll not say anything on the hike way back."

On the hike way back, Han doesn't whine like he promised but he makes grunting noises. Chan knows he wants to complain but he wants to stick true to his own words.

He guides the hike back with you by his side and he's been catching you looking back a few times. He scoffs, knowing his sister so well to know that you're not just looking, you have eyes on someone.

"Who is it, baby sist?" He curiously asks.

You snap your head back and look ahead, "Huh? What?" You play coy.

With his hand on your shoulder, he stops you on your track and looks into your eyes, "I'm your brother. I know when my sister likes someone," he states.

You sigh because that's true, you can't hide the things from someone you've grown up your whole life with.

"Yeah, okay, you got me," you say in defeat.

"I didn't think much about it then but now, he's always in my head," you share, surprised that you don't find it awkward to tell personal things like this with him. Deep down you know it's not awkwardness you feel, you fear that Chan wouldn't be accepting of your choice.

"So, what do you think?"

Chan softly laughs and offers his hand at you as support to climb the outgrown tree roots, he waits until you safely land on the other side to answer.

"Well, I don't really have a say on that, do I?" he says.

"As far as I remember, you're really against it," you say, reminding him of the same ultimatum he says to his friends plenty of times.

"Yeah, but you know, as long as you're happy," he answers, along with a coy shrug.

Out of the blue, he playfully nudges your shoulder with his, "Ooo, baby sist is falling in love," he teasingly says.

You shove him hard until he's staggering to the side, "Stop calling me that!" You slap his big arm with each word.

Chan is as protective as a brother can be but he knows that he can't dictate every aspect of your life, including the person you like. However, as your brother, his opinions matter and it feels good to know that you have his approval.

-

The sun is setting when everyone returns to the campsite, painting the sky with bursts of red and yellow, gradually sending the day into the calm of night.

Before it gets dark, Chan orders everyone to work for dinner, he and Jeongin immediately build a campfire and the rest are setting the gas stove to cook.

"Can I help you with something?" Han offers his help to you and Jinnie who's busy prepping ingredients for dinner.

Jinnie hands him a pot, "Can you fill it with water?"

"How much water?"

"Just fill it full," she answers.

"Got it!" He takes the pot with him and comes back a few minutes later, carrying the pot of water with a lot of focus and cautiousness.

"Where do I put it?" He asks in a panic.

Jinnie gets out of the way to make space for him, "Here! On the stove!" She says.

He is concentrating hard on putting it right on the stove without spilling a drop, "How do you turn it on?"

You look away from the vegetables you're chopping and notice something on Han's leg, it seems like he scraped his knee without him knowing.

"Goodness, Han!" You gasp.

"Wh-what?" He asks in panic, looking at you in worry when he should be worried about himself.

"Your knee is bleeding," you point at the blood gushing out of his scraped knee. You scramble to find something for his wound.

Jinnie gets ahead of you, she comes with a bottle of water to wash the blood and tells him to sit down as she runs to the tent to get a first aid kit.

"Does it hurt?" You ask, finally find a napkin for it.

Han is surprisingly calm about it as he gently places the napkin over his wound, "I think I hurt my knee when I was getting water."

Chan pauses on grilling the meat to know what the ruckus is about, "What's going on?"

"Hannie scraped his knee," you shortly answer.

Jinne comes through with her bag of first-aid kit and pulls out a tube of ointment, she takes a dollop with a cotton bud and with so much gentleness, she dabs Han's wound with it.

Han hisses and winces in pain, reacting to the treatment and Jinnie quickly blows on it to soothe the pain.

"I just need to put a band-aid on it," she says and proceeds to take one from the pack. She puts a lot of care into covering his wound with it then sighs in relief.

"Thank you, Jinnie," Han sincerely says while holding the side of his knee.

Jinnie looks up as she's kneeling in front of him and warmly smiles, "You're very welcome, Han."

Despite the minor incident, dinner was a success as everyone finished the food in under an hour, and there was no better way to end a tiring yet fulfilling day than with cans of cold beer.

The night brings such a silence that the crackle of the campfire is all that could be heard with the sparks flickering and drifting upward. The smell of smoke mixed with the sweet smell of roasted marshmallows.

Being the good brother he is, Chan hands you the smores he made and takes the stick of marshmallow you're still roasting.

"Thanks," you mutter, wasting no time to bite into that gooey, crunchy sweetness.

Han wants to do the same for you, he makes smores out of the marshmallow he roasted a little too long and nudges Jeongin by the elbow.

"Pass it to her," he whispers, asking for his help to deliver it to you.

Jeongin doesn't say anything but takes it from him and without hesitation, he bites right into it.

"Hey, I made it for her!" He scolds him, putting his hands around Jeongin's neck to choke and force him to spit the smores he ate. That doesn't faze him, Jeongin has another bite to finish it and has no problem swallowing it down.

Thinking that Han is mad because Jeongin ate his smores, Jinnie gives the one she made to him as a consolation, "Here. You can have mine."

Han looks at it and feels bad to take it, "I– It's okay, I'm full anyway," he lies with a grin.

The night is a special kind of blackness, the kind that wants only to hold the stars and help them shine all the brighter. You tilt your head up and see those stars like pinpricks against the dark of night.

"Woah, look at those stars..." You sigh in wonder.

Everyone else follows suit, looking up at the night sky and feeling the same feeling of awe. When we realize how vast the universe is, our matters suddenly feel so small, don't you think?

"I have something to share with you guys," Jeongin suddenly announces.

Everyone stops staring at the night sky and looking at Jeongin, some are merely curious and the rest are anticipating what he tries to share.

"Remember when I told you guys I auditioned to join the Royal Orchestra?"

"Yeah, a couple of times," Chan says, bobbing his head at him.

"Last month I got the letter," he shares further.

"Oh!" Jinnie gasps in excitement even though Jeongin is not finished with the announcement yet.

Jeongin looks down at the blazing fire that gnaws on the logs of wood, making everyone wait for him to continue. After a while, he looks up and finally announces, "Well, I got in."

"Oh, my Gosh..." Chan sighs in relief with one hand clutching his chest.

"Yeah, man!" Han gives him a celebratory punch in the arm then puts his arm around him, "I just knew you'd get in."

"Duh!" Jinnie eggs in, "You're a great pianist, they're stupid if they didn't let you in."

"Congratulations, Jeongin! We're so proud of you," Chan says, giving him a pat on the back and a proud smile that exudes his paternal side towards Jeongin.

Jeongin looks at you and his eyes drop to his hands, "Which also means that I'll leave soon," he continues with shocking news.

The smiles on everyone's faces slowly fade at that announcement, it turns quiet again as everyone processes that there's a downside to this happy news. Jinnie looks devastated and she rests her head on Chan's shoulder to seek comfort.

"When do you have to leave?" Han asks.

"Next month," Jeongin replies.

"So... this will be the last time we're going to be together?" Jinnie sadly asks even though she's on the verge of tears already.

"Guys, I'm not dying," Jeongin says with an attitude.

Everyone lightly chuckles at that, Chan rearranges the logs to keep the bonfire alive and looks at Jeongin.

"How long will you be there?"

"It's a two-year contract," he answers.

Jinnie sniffles and puts on a small smile, "Just promise us that you'll always come to our weekly video meeting," she demands.

Jeongin chuckles and nods, crossing his fingers together as he says, "Promise!"

"Two years isn't that long," Han coyly says, poking the burned log with a tree branch.

"By the time I get back, I expect one of you to already be married to someone," Jeongin jokingly says, secretly throwing a glance at Chan and raising his eyebrow at him.

"I'm getting drowsy," you say, stretching your arms up and tilting your head side to side, "I'm going to head in and sleep."

Jinnie lifts her head off of Chan's shoulder and crosses her arms together in front of her, "Yeah, I'm going to sleep as well," she says.

It's getting late and the night only grows colder, Chan decides that it's time to sleep. He volunteers to put out the bonfire while Jeongin heads straight into the tent.

After taking a quick trip to the bathroom, Han enters the tent and sees that the sleeping bags have been arranged. Jinnie takes the farthest right and you're sleeping next to her, bundled in the warmth of your sleeping bag.

The middle one belongs to Chan and since Jeongin takes the farthest left which means he's going to be sleeping between them. He slips himself into his sleeping bag and turns his head only to find that you're still awake.

"I thought you're sleeping already," he lowly mutters.

You don't say anything but smile at him with your eyes soft and tender, blanketing his heart with warm feelings.

When it occurs to him that he's sleeping in this shared space with you, he gets that fluttering feeling inside, a kaleidoscope of butterflies flying around in his stomach.

"Goodnight, Han," you lowly murmur.

"Goodnight," he murmurs back, not taking his eyes off of you until you turn your head to the other side.

Han continues to admire your profile from the side, your eyes, your nose, and the plump of your lips that he's dying to taste. You're so beautiful and he gets to enjoy that beauty as much as he pleases.

"I'm surprised I didn't find you snoring already," Chan says as he enters the tent and zips it close.

Then there's the brother who always ruins this special moment. Han turns his head away and scoots slightly to the side to make more space for Chan, knowing how big he is.

"Let's see who gets to snore first," Han dares him.

The next thing he knows, Han finds himself in the forest again and he can hear you laughing. He looks up and finds you standing next to him with your hair wet and your feet bare.

"Take you somewhere..." you vaguely say.

Han doesn't answer but takes your hand, together you're walking through the forest. He feels the rough stone handholds against the palms and fingertips and tall lush grass sliding across calves.

Then he looks at you and you're smiling at him, your eyes bright and droplets of water are dripping down the end of your hair.

"It's cool," you say, laughing at him.

He thinks you find something funny about him so he starts to grope his body around and checks what is it that makes you laugh.

"Come here," you say, giggling with your hand still holding his.

"What?" He asks.

"It's cool," you say again, then you take the straps of your swimsuit and pull them down your shoulders. You're giggling while keep pulling the straps down, revealing your bare chest to him little by little until—

"Han, wake up!"

The image blurs as someone shakes his body awake. He ignores it and tries to go back to sleep, hoping that he gets to continue the dream.

"Wake up!"

"Ugh... mmh," he incoherently complains and curls up in his sleeping bag.

"Just let him sleep," you say to someone.

Han's eyes snap open the second he hears your voice, he then scrambles out of his sleeping bag, disoriented with his hair tousled.

"Are you coming?"

Without looking, Han can tell that it's Chan's voice.

"I'm coming, yes, coming," he mumbles with half-shut eyes.

He shivers as cold air blows into the tent, he gropes around for his jacket with eyes barely open, "What time is it?"

"It's four," Chan answers.

"In the afternoon?" He gasps in shock, can't believe that he slept through the day.

"In the morning," Chan corrects him.

It's even more shocking that he wakes up at four in the morning when the sun is not even out yet. He opens his mouth to complain but he sees you coming into the tent.

"Chris, can I borrow one of your hoodies?" You ask.

Han grabs what he assumes is his hoodie and hurriedly gives it to you, "You can wear mine," he offers with a sleepy smile.

Chan takes it from his hand and then gives it to you, "Hurry up! It's sunrise in any minute now," he rushes him.

Han is barely functioning but he tries to keep up with the group, walking through the path in the dark of the night that still lingers and the stars that insist on shining bright against the bruised sky.

He rushes to walk next to you while hugging himself to shield himself from the cold, "Where are we going?"

"Just to the top of that hill," you answer, looking beautiful even with your face bare and your eyes puffy from the lack of sleep.

It gets tricky as the path turns into climbing the rocky outcroppings and it's a bit embarrassing that you're the one helping him not the other way around.

"There she is," Chan says, pointing to the golden disk that rises on the horizon with its honeyed glow.

It is the time when the day casts away the cloak of night and makes an entrance with a bright, gold light of warmth, making it known that she rules the day once and forever more.

Jinnie walks up to Chan's side and stands so close to him, arms brushing and elbows grazing.

"It's like you have to whisper," Jinnie murmurs, thinking that she would disrupt the serene view by talking loudly.

When Chan looks at her, he realizes one thing. Jinnie is like the sunrise, she doesn’t care if anyone watches it or not, she will keep on being beautiful, even if no one bothers to look at it.

"You know what, Chris?" She suddenly asks.

"Yes?"

"This is one of those moments that I'll share with my future husband and children," she says, her eyes set on the sun that keeps on rising, gently and swiftly at once.

Hearing her talking about the future makes Chan wants to make it all true for her and have the chance to tell her future children, 'Yes, Dad was there too'. Just the thought of it already makes him so giddy that he finds himself smiling.

Jinnie slowly rests her head on his shoulder to enjoy the sunrise together and Chan gets what she said earlier, he also feels like saying things out loud would only ruin the moment so he decides to keep it in his heart a little longer.

"Ugh! He's stressing me out," You mutter to yourself, seeing Jinnie and Chan sharing an intimate moment and instead of using this as an opportunity to say something, Chan does nothing but stare at her like usual.

"That's my hoodie," Someone says.

You turn to the side and find Jeongin there, "Sorry?"

"You're wearing my hoodie," he says, pointing to the hoodie you're wearing which you thought belonged to Han.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know," you meekly say, torn between keeping it on or not, but you know you need it, it's so cold to take it off.

"That's okay," Jeongin says, leaning on the rock next to you.

It's hard to interact with Jeongin because he rarely talks, he only talks when he has important things to say or has savage takes on things. You hesitate to talk to him without feeling like you'll waste his time. Still... you muster up the courage only to get interrupted by Han's head lolling onto your shoulder.

You check on him and see that he's falling back to sleep. You quickly put your arm around him to keep the back of his head from hitting the rock.

"We should have let him sleep," Jeongin says.

"Yeah," you respond with a soft laugh.

Now that he's speaking to you, you use this as an opportunity to congratulate him, "I didn't get the chance last night but congratulations for joining the Royal orchestra," you tell him.

Jeongin brushes his hair to the back and then clears his throat, "Thank you."

"I went to one of your shows two months back," you share and instantly regret doing it, what are you expecting though? For him to thank you.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jeongin asks, he seems to find it important to know the reason.

"Well, I just... I don't know, I don't want to disturb you and I was with a friend anyway so..." you vaguely explain.

There's no other reason why you came to his show except to watch him playing his piano, you thought of seeing him after the show but you were afraid that he'd be too busy for that.

"We could have hung out. I'd treat you to dinner," he says while scratching his ear.

"That sounds nice," you comment with a smile.

"I'm not a cheapskate like Han," he jokingly adds with a soft laugh.

"Well, I was think— Oh!" You abruptly stop talking as Han nuzzles his head further into your neck and puts his arm across your chest.

Jeongin gets on his feet and makes you switch places with him. He takes Han's arm from around your shoulder, offering himself for him to lean on instead of you.

"Is Han sleeping?" Chan asks, noticing his friend is draping on Jeongin's shoulder.

"I told you to let him sleep," you grumble at him.

The walk back isn't as bad as the climb, Han is being dragged by Chan to make sure of his safe return to the campsite. Jeongin is tasked to brew coffee for everyone while Jinnie and Chan are making breakfast together. You volunteer to tidy up the tent and fold the sleeping bags.

Once you're done, you join everyone around the campfire and Jeongin immediately hands you a cup of coffee.

"Thank you," you mutter, holding it with both hands to absorb the heat.

Chan mischievously slaps Han's shoulder, startling him awake from his sleep and making him jolt on the chair.

"Time for breakfast!" He informs him.

He looks at him with wondering eyes, stretches his arms out, and then lets out a big yawn. Even with a barely functioning brain, Han knows that it's time to eat, he takes a plate and a piece of toast.

"Here. Have an egg," Jinnie says, sliding an egg onto his plate from the frypan.

She then turns at you and says, "You too."

You hurriedly grab a plate and mutter your gratitude at her, wasting no time to start digging in. Soon, everyone is stuffing their mouth with food and it gets quiet that you can hear the forest come alive around you.

"We're going to drive the whole day today," Chan informs out of nowhere.

"Can we know where we're going now?" Jinnie asks, taking a bite of her bread.

Chan pulls out something out of his jeans pocket, a piece of paper but he continues to unfold it open. With an excited grin, he turns it around and reveals a poster.

"How long have you been keeping that poster in the back of your jeans?" Jeongin curiously asks, then takes a small sip of his coffee.

Not getting the reaction he expected, Chan frowns and his shoulders slumped. Han snatches the poster from his hands and looks at it with utter bewilderment.

"What? Did you get tickets to this? How?" He asks with his cheeks full of food.

You don't recognize it at first until you see the logo of the band and gasp in surprise, "Am I seeing The Hare concert poster?"

The grin blooms on Chan's face once more, "More like the poster for their secret gig this Friday night," he humbly brags.

"What?" You ask again with eyes widening.

Han roughly yanks the sleeve of Chan's sweater, "How did you get the tickets?"

"Let's say I knew someone who knows someone," Chan cryptically says, deciding not to tell everyone how he acquired those tickets.

"Anyway, I think it's better if the girls take turns to drive first," he continues with the planning.

"Yep. It's best if you boys get some rest before driving all night," Jinnie agrees, already collecting the trash from around the table.

You're representing everyone when you say that Jinnie and Chan make a great team, they're the ones who came up with the planning and handled the financial stuff, and they make sure everyone is doing well and having fun. They're basically playing parents to you, Han, and Jeongin which adds one more reason why they should date as soon as possible.

-

Jinnie offers to take the first turn to drive and Chan is the last one to get into the car as he has to return the rented tent and pay for it.

"Everyone please make sure you've checked your belongings," Chan says as he puts his safety belt on.

Jinnie turns on the car engine and checks everything, her safety belt, and the angle of the rearview mirror, and then adjusts the seat.

"Do you mind if I play music from my phone?" You ask.

"Not at all," Jinnie replies, tucking her hair behind her ear as she backs the car from the parking lot and starts driving.

Not long after the car driving through the main road, Han startles in the backseat and then asks, "How long have we been driving?"

Chan glances at his smartwatch and turns his head to the back, "About 35 minutes. Why?"

"I want to pee," Han says, his face doesn't show any expression but it makes his face appear so round.

"Can you hold it?" Chan asks.

Han considers it for a moment then slowly leans back on his seat, "Yeah, I'll– I'll hold it," he doubtfully says.

"Distract yourself, you know, think of something so you don't want to pee anymore," Chan suggests.

"Think of the waterfall we went to yesterday," Jeongin playfully adds with a suppressed laugh.

"Hey!" Chan slaps Jeongin's arm, saying the opposite of what he suggested.

"I'll try to sleep," Han finds a better solution to detain his urge to pee.

"That's a great idea!" Chan says.

It's a good thing that Han is one of those people who can sleep anytime anywhere. He manages to sleep through two hours long of drive until the urge comes back.

"Guys, I don't think I can hold it anymore," he mutters, biting his lower lip until it turns pale.

Jinnie looks at him through the rearview mirror and sees how he can't hold the urge anymore, "The sign says rest area is only 10 kilometers away," she informs.

Han grips the headrest of Jeongin's headrest, "Okay."

"Are we good?" Jinnie asks.

"Yeah," he meekly answers.

"Just a few more minutes," you convince him.

There's nothing you can do to help him but you can relate to that feeling, you look back to check on him once in a while.

"Jinnie?" He calls again.

"Yeah?"

"Please step on the gas!" Han says, looking a little pale now.

Considering the urgency of the situation, Jinnie allows herself to go above the speed limit, she steps on the gas and the car picks up the speed, launching the car forward.

Sensing the change in speed, Chan wakes up from his nap and looks around in confusion. But the first thing he does when he gains his sense is check on Jinnie.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

"Han needs to pee," you answer for her since she focuses on driving.

"Almost there!" Jinnie says as she changes the lane to enter the rest area.

Han hops out of the car once the car gets to the parking lot of the rest area and immediately runs to search for the bathroom.

Once the car is parked, Jinnie lets out a sigh and leans back on her seat, "That was the most intense ten minutes I ever had in my life," Jinnie says.

Seeing the hilarity of it all, the three of you burst into laughter almost at the same time, making it one of those memorable little things that happened on this road trip.

The laughter wakes Jeongin up from his nap and he looks confused as to why everyone is laughing, "What's happening?"

No one is answering him but keep laughing until we're running out of air. Oh, there's nothing like the deep breaths after laughing that hard. 

-

Since they're stopping at a rest area and it's close to lunchtime, they may as well take a break from driving to ear. Everyone scatters the second they step into the food court to order the food they want. You decide on a bowl of ramen and get in the queue with Jinnie behind you.

Even though he's already carrying a tray of food in his hands, Chan stops next to the queue and scans the menu.

"Hey, baby sist!" He loudly calls you.

The people in the queue turn their heads to see who he calls baby sist, you hurriedly turn your back to them and glare at Chan.

"Please don't address me with that name in public," You scold him through your gritted teeth.

"Order a portion of fried dumplings for me," he says, ignoring your complaint and leaving with a grin.

Everyone gathers at one of the long tables in the middle of the food court with their choices of lunch, you slide the plate of fried dumplings at Chan and steal one piece with your chopsticks.

"You better not drink a lot of sodas if you have a weak bladder," Jeongin and his savage intake make an appearance.

Han pretends not to hear him and continues to stuff his cheek with more food.

The lunch is not enough, so everyone scatter once more to buy snacks. You're getting a bag of mini fish-shaped cakes for desserts and Han appears behind you with a big smile on his face.

"Got you ice cream," he says.

"How nice of you!" You delightfully exclaim.

"I don't know what you like so I chose three flavors at once," he explains the different flavors of ice cream in one cone.

"Thank you," you mutter your gratitude with a smile.

"I have to go for another bathroom break," he says with a grin lingering on his face, then leaves the other way.

The ice cream would make a great dessert if it didn't have strawberry ice cream in the mix. It's obvious that Han completely forgot that you're allergic to it, you can't eat it, or throw it away. You can give it to Chan but Han would know that you're not eating the ice cream he specifically bought for you and he would find that disrespectful, or worse, upset him.

Making your way out of the food court, you carry the bag of snacks in one hand and the ice cream in the other, still have no idea what to do with it.

Out of nowhere, Jeongin comes from the side, also carrying an ice cream in hand. He takes the one from your hand and switches it with him, a chocolate-flavored one.

"You can have mine," he says, not waiting to bite right into the ice cream.

Not only that he remember your allergy, but he also comes with a new ice cream and you find that endearing. You let out a mix of scoff and laugh, "I've never seen someone bite into ice cream."

"Well, there's always a first time to everything," he coyly says.

-

It's your turn to drive now and thankfully, you have set up an hour-long playlist for it. Jinnie remains in the front, sitting on the passenger's side and putting her legs up as she draws on her sketchbook.

The boys don't find it hard to fall back to sleep after a hearty lunch, you lower the volume of the music and only hum along to the song currently playing in the car to not wake the sleeping beauties in the back.

"What do you think?" Jinnie asks, holding her sketchbook out to you.

You keep the steering wheel steady to glance at the rough drawing of you from her point of view, then look back straight ahead.

"Wow. That's good!" You compliment.

Jinnie is a great illustrator, she mostly does illustrations for children's books and magazines which explains her exceptional talent for drawing.

"Please tell me you'll finish it and then email it to me," you say, already planning on making it your profile picture for your social media.

"I'll finish it when I'm not in a moving vehicle," she says, putting her pencil back into its case and putting it on the dashboard along with the sketchbook.

"I think it's cute," Jinnie says while stretching her arms to the front.

"What cute?" You ask with a perplexed smile.

"The way Chris calls you baby sist," she answers.

Oh, she must be talking about that little incident that happened back at the food court. You nod and tap your steering wheel to the rhythm of the song playing.

"Look, I don't mind when call me that in front of you guys. Just don't do it in front of a bunch of strangers," you explain, briefly shifting your focus to driving by a big truck.

"I mean... what if there are cute guys there and they heard it," you playfully remark.

Jinnie softly chuckles and grabs a bottle of water from the cup holder, "You're beautiful and smart, you shouldn't have any problems getting a cute guy," she says.

"That I agree!" You jokingly say with a sassy eyebrow raise.

When it occurs to you that this would be the perfect opportunity to have another crack at her, you arrange the words in your head before saying them out loud.

"I can say the same thing about you, Jinnie. You're beautiful and smart, except you have a lot of patience in you," you pause for a chuckle and briefly glance at her, "you shouldn't have any problems getting a hot guy."

Jinnie gets quiet and you begin to think that your words offended her in a way yet you give it another moment for her to digest your words thoroughly. She suddenly looks back, probably making sure that none of the boys are listening in on this conversation.

"I'm just a girl," Jinnie meekly says, lowering her voice as she slightly slumps in her seat, "All I can do is wait for the other person to profess their feelings to me."

Oh, finally! You manage to successfully crack her this time. You keep your cool and continue to crack deeper into it.

"I have to stop you right there!" You tell her with your hand raised, making a stop sign at her.

"You're not just a girl, you're incredible!" You may have exaggerated your tone a little bit but she needs to hear the truth in your words.

"You're not just beautiful and smart, you're kind, compassionate and you're strong and gentle at the same time. And if I'm being honest, I look up to you a lot," you openly admit.

"Aww..." Jinnie coos, she seems to be taking your compliments well along with a shy smile.

"And a girl like you shouldn't wait. A girl like you take matters into your own hands and you know, tell him how you feel," you encourage her.

Yeah, okay, maybe there's an underlying motive here but that doesn't make what you said to her a lie.

"It's a different thing when the person you like is your friend and you've been close with that person for so long," Jinnie sighs, her voice drops lower and she seems smaller than ever.

However, the mystery is now solved. Jinnie is indeed having the same feeling, she's hesitant only because they've been friends for too long. You get it that sometimes it's a bit scary to date someone who knows so much about you but if you focus on the good side, it means that they'll be more accepting and understanding towards your qualities.

If there are two people who truly deserve each other, it's Chan and Jinnie.

"Isn't that a good thing? You've known each other long enough to learn so much about each other and understand each other better," you give her your opinion and secretly glance to see her reaction.

Jinnie plays with the lint on her jeans as she digests your words while looking at the ever-changing scenery as the car keeps moving forward.

"You're right," she finally responds to your words.

Now, that you've tried your best to give her that little push, you can only hope for the outcome and hopefully, it'll be the best one.

"I know I'm right," you confidently remark, then burst into laughter.

Unbeknownst to you and Jinnie, Chan has been listening all along and behind his dark hoodie, he's smiling from ear to ear.

-

After stopping for dinner, the trip continues with Chan behind the wheel and Jeongin on his side. Jinnie takes the middle seat with Han and you occupy the backseat, using the extra space to curl up and sleep.

It's a bummer that you're not sitting next to him but this way, Han can easily look to the back and see you peacefully sleeping with a hand under your head, lost in your sweet dream.

"Hey, Han, can you get me a can of soda?" Chan asks without looking at him.

Since he's too busy watching you sleep, Han doesn't hear it the first time and snaps his head to the front, "What?"

"Get me a soda," Chan repeats while holding his arm out to the back so Han can hand it right into his hand.

Han rummages inside the small cooler box next to his feet, grabbing the first can that rolls into his hand and putting it into Chan's hand.

"Thanks!" Chan shortly says to him.

The road is eerily empty as it turns smaller from four into two lanes and the last sliver of sun has fully disappeared, replaced by the soft moonlight on a hot summer night.

Having nothing to do, Jeongin looks into the GPS to assess the route and the final destination.

"It says we'll arrive at 7 in the morning," he says.

"Yep, there's no hurry. We have plenty of time until the gig," Chan calmly says, still holding the soda in his hand, unopened.

Jeongin reclines on his seat and crosses his arms together on his chest, "And what we're going to do until then?"

"I booked us rooms at a hotel nearby," Chan informs, "we'll have some rest before leave in the afternoon."

"Hotel, right? Not motel?" Jeongin asks with suspicious eyes because the last time they stayed at the motel, he had to share the bed with Han.

"Yes," Chan hastily answers.

"I'm going to get my own room," Jeongin says.

"I thought you like sharing the bed with me," Han jokingly says.

"That's the least of my worries," Jeongin says, then gives each of them a glare.

Han pops his head in the middle of them, "Then what's the problem?"

Jeongin gives each of them a glare, "It's you guys snoring. It's like a whole orchestra in there but all the instruments are tuba," he says with a shiver.

Han grabs the front of Jeongin's shirt in response, "My snore sounded nothing like tuba!"

"How do you know what your snores sound like?" Jeongin asks, giving him the side eyes.

"Last time I checked it's Beethoven's Symphony No. 9," Han answers without a beat.

Jeongin leans at him and gives him a perplexed look, "What?"

"What?" Han asks back with daring eyes.

"Beethoven's Symphony No. 9," Chan says, finding himself giggling to it and his giggles gradually turn into laughter that fills the small, enclosed space.

Chan slows down the speed and holds the steering wheel steady with his forearms to open his can of soda. The second it pops open, the carbonated drink fizzles and spills out of the can.

"Oh, no, man..." he groans in complaint, seeing the soda get all over the steering wheel and dripping onto his lap.

"You made a mess, Chris," Jeongin grumbles, pulling multiple tissues out of the box and then handing some to him. He helps to wipe the droplets that somehow land on the console.

With one hand steadily holding the steering wheel, Chan keeps on dabbing the wet patch on the jeans with a ball of tissues.

"Ugh, it's sticky," Chan groans in disgust and then looks down at his lap to see if he misses anything.

The moment Chan's eyes are off the road, the headlights shine on an object that comes into sight, and Jeongin, as the only one aware of the deer standing in the middle of the road, reflexively grabs the steering wheel and turns it hard to the right.

Losing control of the car, no one can do anything to stop it. The tires are screeching against the asphalt as the car spins around, and eventually stops as it hits something with a loud banging sound, but no one is moving.

-

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[focusonkayjay]

Wildly Wealthy Koreans (3); inspired by Crazy Rich Asians

Pairing: Jungkook x (f.) Reader

Genre/Tags: photographer/ filmmaker! jungkook, rich girl/ fashion designer! reader, established relationship, angst, fluff, potential smut

Series summary: When you invite your boyfriend, Jungkook, to accompany you to your brother's wedding in your hometown, Daegu, he’s overjoyed, eager to meet your family and experience a side of your life you’ve never shared with him. However, once he uncovers the truth about who you really are, he’s unable to grasp the full extent of your reality. The situation becomes even more complicated when a certain someone makes him feel profoundly unwelcome, leaving him to question not only your world, but also his place in it.

Disclaimer: This series is heavily inspired by the movie Crazy Rich Asians, with the storyline closely following the original film's plot. However, I wanted to reimagine it as a fanfiction, where Jungkook and OC take center stage as the main protagonists. While I’ve kept the core elements and themes from the movie, I’ve added my own touches here and there, such as altering certain character dynamics and incorporating a few original settings. Some scenes are directly inspired by the movie, and I’ve worked to recreate them in a way that it hopefully resonates with the fans of the movie. Hope you enjoy!!

Word Count: 5.4k+

Chapter Warnings: high society vibes and events, jungkook is a simp.

A/N: this is inspired by the iconic tan hua blooming party that happens in the movie. "BY DAWNNNN THEY'LL BE GONEEEE." anyways, wishing jungkook all the luck because this is literally just the beginning. I can’t wait for you all to read the upcoming chapters. let me know your thoughts, and stay tuned !! 💖

part 3

As you and Jungkook stroll through the expansive premises of your sprawling home, he tries to focus on your words, your cheerful explanations about the house's history and quirks.

Yet, the interaction with your mother lingers in the back of his mind like an unwelcome shadow. The knot in his stomach tightens with each step as he wonders about the impending introductions to the rest of your family like your father, your brother, your grandmother, your cousins, your relatives.

What if they look at him with the same quiet judgment your mother had? What if their gazes hold the same piercing scrutiny, the same silent question of whether he’s truly worthy of you?

He swallows hard at the thought but masks his anxiety, instead focusing on the way your face lights up as you guide him around. You point out pieces of art, family heirlooms, and stories from your childhood, your voice warm and animated.

He tries to focus on you, your smile, your laugh, and the way your hand feels so steady in his. But the thoughts persist.

“Not going to introduce your lover boy to me?” A teasing voice cuts through his spiraling thoughts, breaking the quiet hum of your conversation.

Both of you turn towards the source of the voice, and a smile immediately spreads across your face when your eyes land on Taehyung and the stunning woman beside him, his fiancée and also your best friend, Miyeon.

“Tae…” you say warmly, letting go of Jungkook’s hand to approach your brother. Taehyung looks effortlessly suave in a luxurious maroon suit, its tailored fit and rich fabric oozing sophistication. The soft sheen of his black tie complements his polished look, giving him an air of effortless charm.

Beside him, Miyeon exudes grace in a long halter-neck gown of soft gold, the dress flowing elegantly around her with every step she takes. Her hair is swept back into an intricate bun, leaving a few loose strands to frame her delicate features. Together, they look like they’ve stepped out of the pages of a high-fashion editorial.

You greet them with warm hugs, the joy evident in your voice as you briefly chat animatedly. Meanwhile, Jungkook stands rooted in his spot, unsure of how to approach the pair. His nerves bubble up again, and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t intimidated... not just by their presence but by the possibility of yet another round of judgment.

He shifts slightly, feeling his palms grow clammy as he debates whether to bow, introduce himself, or wait for you to take the lead.

“You think I’d bring my boyfriend all the way here and not introduce him to you?” you tease, raising an eyebrow at Taehyung. Then, glancing back at Jungkook, you offer him a small, reassuring smile before speaking. “Tae, this is Jungkook.”

You pause, gesturing towards the couple. “And Jungkook, this is my brother Taehyung and his fiancé and also one of my best friends, Miyeon.”

Jungkook steps forward cautiously, forcing his nerves to the side as he extends a hand towards Taehyung. He feels this is the most appropriate greeting in such a formal setting. Taehyung, however, bursts into laughter at Jungkook’s stiff posture.

“Man, quit the formals!” he exclaims, stepping past Jungkook’s outstretched hand and pulling him into a hearty hug. He pats Jungkook’s back firmly, laughing. “You’re practically part of the family now since you're my sister's boyfriend!” he beams.

Jungkook blinks, taken aback by the warmth and ease of the embrace. For a moment, it feels like all his earlier apprehensions and insecurities are swept away, replaced with a feeling of tentative belonging.

This wasn’t the greeting he had braced himself for. If anything, he had imagined your brother might be even tougher to impress than your mother. But he was wrong, completely and wonderfully wrong.

As Taehyung pulls back, a broad smile lights up his face. “Y/N’s told me all about you, man. I’m so glad to finally meet you.” His voice is full of sincerity, and Jungkook’s heart skips a beat at his words.

You’d spoken about him? To your brother? He hadn’t expected that, and the thought that you’d shared pieces of him with someone so important in your life fills him with a strange mixture of pride and disbelief.

For the first time since entering this house, he feels a flicker of confidence returning to him, and he can’t help but smile back at Taehyung, feeling a bit more at ease.

He finally turns his attention to the woman standing beside Taehyung, the soon-to-be bride. She radiates elegance and warmth, her soft gold halter-neck dress catching the light as she steps forward. With a gentle smile, she extends her hand to him, her demeanor welcoming and kind.

Jungkook immediately reaches out to shake her hand, his own movements less hesitant now after Taehyung’s reassuring gesture. Her grip is delicate but firm, and he finds himself smiling back at her easily.

“Thank you so much for coming.” Miyeon says, her voice carrying a warmth that instantly puts him at ease. Her eyes hold a genuine kindness that feels worlds apart from the cold, probing gaze of your mother.

Jungkook nods, his nerves settling just a little more. “Thank you for having me. It’s a pleasure to meet you... both of you.” he responds sincerely glancing at the couple, grateful for the way they make him feel so included.

Miyeon’s smile widens, and she exchanges a quick glance with Taehyung, who is already beaming at the interaction. “Y/N’s told us a lot about you... She basically wouldn't stop, ever since she got back.” she giggles, her tone holding an encouraging note, as if to subtly let him know he’s already made a good impression.

Jungkook can instantly sense the close bond you share with the couple... there’s an ease in the way you laugh with them, a familiarity in the way your eyes light up when they speak. It’s heartwarming, and knowing you had spoken about him to them fills his chest with a sense of belonging, a feeling he hadn’t dared to hope for earlier.

“Make sure you’re here for all the events before the wedding, man. It’s going to be so fun.” Taehyung says enthusiastically, his energy contagious. “And we should definitely hang out more around the city! I’ll show you all the spots that Y/n and I love going to”

Jungkook can’t help but let out a smile, the tension he’d carried ever since meeting your mother melting away entirely. He nods, his earlier apprehension replaced with genuine excitement. “I’d love that.” he replies, his voice steadier now.

Taehyung pats him on the back again, his grin wide and reassuring, and Miyeon gives him another warm smile. For the first time since he arrived, Jungkook feels like he might actually enjoy these following three weeks.

The heaviness that once lingered in his chest is long forgotten, replaced by the comfort of knowing there are people here who truly welcome him.

//

As the four of you finally step onto the huge lawn, the scene before you unfolds like something out of a timeless painting. The sprawling grounds are alive with elegance, the soft hum of a traditional korean song playing in the background along with polite conversation mingling with the crisp evening breeze.

Pristine white canopies dot the lawn, their chiffon drapery billowing gently in the wind, casting delicate shadows across the jade-green tablecloths beneath them.

Each table is a work of art, adorned with intricate porcelain tea sets painted with orchids, their vibrant purples and soft whites capturing the flower’s delicate beauty... a tribute to the event’s name, The Jade Orchid Tea Ceremony.

This ceremony is not just a gathering, it’s a tradition in your family that has stood the test of time. It’s a day your grandmother cherishes, designed to bring the entire family together along with many friends in a moment of unity and reflection.

The orchid, her favorite flower, symbolizes elegance, strength, and the fragile beauty of life... qualities she embodies and expects her family to honor. The atmosphere feels both intimate and monumental, steeped in meaning.

The air is fragrant with the delicate aromas of freshly brewed teas... jasmine, oolong, chrysanthemum, and a rare orchid blend that your grandmother herself oversees.

The attendants, dressed immaculately in white uniforms, glide effortlessly between guests, carrying silver trays laden with delicate tea cakes, miniature macarons, and neatly cut finger sandwiches.

Strings of fairy lights are woven artfully through the hedges, their twinkling reflections catching the faint glimmer of jade ornaments placed strategically around the space.

Jungkook walks beside you, his eyes flitting across the scene, taking in every detail... the grandeur, the meticulous precision, the understated opulence.

You catch the way his shoulders stiffen slightly, the overwhelming weight of the moment settling into him. “Wow.... This is... this is something else.” he mutters, his voice tinged with awe and just a hint of nerves.

You lean closer, your voice soft and reassuring. “This isn’t just a tea party. It’s a tradition. My grandmother's tradition. For her, it’s more than the tea... it’s about family, about friends, about unity, about legacy. She’s been hosting this for decades.” you explain.

Jungkook listens intently and as you stop talking, his ears are instantly catching the soft traditional korean song that's been playing in the background, carried gently by the breeze. The serene notes create an almost meditative atmosphere, mingling with the quiet chatter of the guests.

It’s a song Jungkook doesn’t recognize but feels the weight of... a melody that seems to carry history, steeped in the same elegance that the event exudes.

He glances around the gathering, trying to soak it all in, but he can’t help noticing the way a few pairs of eyes dart towards him, then to your intertwined hands, before turning away to whisper among themselves.

It’s subtle, but he feels it... a faint ripple of curiosity, perhaps judgment, passing through the crowd like an unspoken conversation.

Jungkook shifts slightly, his fingers tightening around yours. The warmth of your hand steadies him, even as the faint unease lingers in his chest. Are they wondering why he’s here? Judging the way he’s dressed? Or perhaps questioning his right to stand beside you in such a deeply rooted family tradition?

“Hey...” your voice breaks through his thoughts, soft but purposeful. You turn to look at him, your expression calm but full of understanding. “Ignore them. You belong here, Jungkook. With me.... So don't even bother paying any attention to them.”

He exhales quietly, nodding as his gaze meets yours. Your words settle something inside him, though the weight of the stares doesn’t entirely dissipate. Instead, he chooses to focus on you... your voice, your touch, the way you seem so effortlessly at ease amidst all of this.

“It’s just... a lot.” he admits in a hushed tone, his eyes darting briefly back to the crowd. You offer him a gentle smile, brushing your thumb across his knuckles. “It is. But we’ll get through it together.”

As the song swells in the background, Jungkook finds himself grounding in the moment... not in the whispers or the glances, but in the soft rhythm of your voice and the steady anchor of your hand in his.

As you continue walking, you finally spot your grandmother. At the center of the gathering, she's seated beneath the largest canopy. She exudes the quiet authority and grace of someone who has long been the anchor of this family.

Her ivory hanbok, accented with subtle jade embroidery, catches the light as she gestures elegantly to a guest beside her. Her silver hair is swept into a bun so flawless it seems to defy time itself.

Her sharp, observant eyes scan the crowd, taking in everything with a calm yet commanding presence. Despite her composed exterior, you know that today is her favorite day of the year... a day she has poured her heart into preserving.

Beside her, your dad is busy talking to a few men in suits. You wonder what the conversation is about, but you shake your head, bringing your focus back on Jungkook. "Come, let's meet my grandma." you say.

He doesn’t know what to expect from the interaction, but the unease lingers, gnawing at him. Even though Taehyung and Miyeon had managed to ease some of his nerves earlier, a deep-seated fear remains. Meeting your grandmother feels daunting enough, but when you casually gesture towards your father, Jungkook's anxiety spikes.

“And that’s my dad...” you say, motioning towards the man engrossed in conversation with a few people. “Hopefully, he’ll stop talking to them when I need to introduce you.” Your smile is lighthearted, but Jungkook’s heart sinks a little further.

Meeting two more significant family members at once feels overwhelming, but he knows there’s no way around it. Quietly, he follows you, his steps careful and uncertain.

As you approach your grandmother, her presence exudes a quiet elegance. You stop beside her, immediately catching her attention. Bowing respectfully, you greet her, and she takes your hands in hers with a warm, familiar grip.

“Y/N-ah, you’re here…” she says, her voice carrying the softness of years and wisdom. “Hello, Grammy.” you reply, your tone affectionate. “Everything looks so beautiful... as always.” You glance around, admiring the event she’s clearly poured her heart and soul into.

She chuckles softly, her hands tightening around yours. “You barely come to visit me, Y/N-ah. You know my days are numbered.” she says with a playful yet bittersweet complaint.

A frown tugs at your lips. “You’re going to live a very long life, Grammy.” you reassure her gently. “And I’m sorry. I’ll make sure to visit you more often.”

Her laughter is light, but her eyes soon shift behind you, landing on Jungkook, who’s standing awkwardly, unsure of where to place himself. The moment feels charged, and you realize it’s time for introductions.

“This is Jungkook, Grammy.” you say, a soft fondness lacing your voice. “Remember I told you I wanted you to meet someone special? This is him. We met in New York, and he’s my boyfriend.”

You place a comforting hand on Jungkook’s arm and gently bring him to your side. He nibbles on his lower lip, his nerves evident in the subtle tension of his posture. Once you finish speaking, Jungkook steps forward and gives her a respectful bow, hoping to make a good impression.

Before your grandmother can respond to Jungkook, a familiar voice interrupts.

“Y/N!” Your father’s voice calls out, pulling both of your gazes towards him. He’s approaching with an easy stride, a soft smile etched on his face. Jungkook immediately adjusts his posture, his shoulders squaring as he stands straighter beside you, his nerves suddenly heightened.

You smile warmly at your father. “Hi, Dad.” Then, with a playful tone, you tease. “Didn’t Grammy tell you there’s no work talk allowed at events like this?”

He lets out a small chuckle, shaking his head. “Not work, sweetheart. Just planning a golf session for next weekend.” he replies casually, his tone lighthearted.

You laugh softly, the teasing exchange easing some of the tension in the air. Then your father’s gaze shifts to Jungkook, his curiosity evident. “And who might this be?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.

Jungkook suddenly feels the full weight of two sets of eyes on him... your father’s sharp yet kind gaze and your grandmother’s intrigued expression. He swallows hard, his pulse quickening, but he doesn’t let his nervousness show.

Bowing respectfully, he introduces himself. “Hello, sir. My name is Jeon Jungkook.” he says, his voice polite but firm.

Your father studies him for a moment, his face unreadable, and Jungkook’s nerves threaten to surface again. But then, a broad smile spreads across your father’s face. “Ah, so you’re the one who’s captured my daughter’s heart all the way in New York.” he says, his tone playful but warm.

Jungkook blinks, momentarily taken aback by the unexpected reception. “And such a handsome face, too.” your grandmother finally chimes in with an amused grin, her sharp eyes twinkling as she gives Jungkook a once-over.

The heat rushes to Jungkook’s ears, turning them a shade of red so vivid it’s almost comical. He lowers his gaze for a moment, caught off guard by the lighthearted approval.

For a moment, he’s almost speechless. This is nothing like what he’d braced himself for. Where he had expected judgment or skepticism, he’s met with warmth and gentle teasing. The contrast between their welcome and your mother’s frosty demeanor feels striking, and the relief flooding his chest is palpable.

Your grandmother extends her hands, the delicate gesture prompting Jungkook to glance at you for reassurance. You give him a small, encouraging nod, and with a slight hesitation, he steps forward, bending down to her level.

For the first time, he gets a closer look at her... a face adorned with kindness, her gaze steady yet tender.

“Thank you for being there for our Y/N.” she says softly, her voice carrying a warmth that feels like a comforting embrace. “And thank you for coming today.”

Jungkook feels a lump form in his throat at her words. Her tone is so genuine, so welcoming, that it tugs at his emotions in a way he hadn’t expected. The world around him seems to quiet for a moment, and the air feels lighter.

A smile slowly spreads across his face as he nods, his voice steady despite the emotions bubbling inside. “I’ll always be there for her.” he affirms, his sincerity shining through. “And thank you for having me here. It’s an honor.”

Your grandmother smiles back, her eyes crinkling in delight as she gently pats his hand. “Make sure you have lots of fun in the days to come, okay? I’m sure Y/N has a lot to show you.” Your dad quips from beside her.

Jungkook stands back up straight, his gaze shifting to your father. The easy, genuine smile on his face is contagious, and Jungkook feels a sense of inclusion he hadn’t anticipated.

"We’re all so glad to have you here, Jungkook. These events are only the beginning... plenty of moments to enjoy and memories to make. Take it all in.” your father adds.

“I will.” he says, nodding, his own smile widening as the earlier tension dissipates completely.

You can’t help but smile as you watch the interaction unfold. There’s a softness in Jungkook’s expression now, the earlier tension in his shoulders melting away. Seeing him engage so naturally with your grandmother and your father fills you with a quiet relief.

You knew how nervous he’d been about meeting your family, especially after the interaction with your mother. But now, as he stands there with that gentle smile, looking at ease, you feel a surge of gratitude for how welcoming the rest of your family has been to him.

You step a little closer to Jungkook, your hand brushing against his arm in a subtle show of support. He glances at you briefly, his eyes meeting yours with a warmth that says everything he doesn’t need to put into words.

“Looks like someone’s fitting right in.” you tease softly, your smile widening. Jungkook chuckles under his breath, the sound light and genuine. “It's going way better than I'd expected.” he admits quietly, his voice low enough that only you can hear.

And in that moment, you know he’s starting to feel like he belongs... not just in your life, but in the world you’ve invited him into.

//

The evening carries on, the lawn glowing softly under the amber lights strung across the trees. A gentle breeze wafts through, carrying the mingled scent of flowers and freshly brewed tea.

Jungkook is doing his best to enjoy the event, but his gaze keeps drifting back to you and, occasionally, your mother who stands by one of the tables. He notices how she eyes the two of you every now and then, her expression unreadable but heavy with something he can’t quite place.

He tries to brush it off, reminding himself that the rest of your family had been warm and welcoming. Still, the occasional icy glance from your mother leaves a harsh unease in his chest.

The tea ceremony itself goes beautifully, the delicate clinking of porcelain teacups harmonizing with the soft hum of conversation. You guide him around the crowd, introducing him to childhood friends, cousins, and relatives. Jungkook experiences a whirlwind of interactions, from genuinely sweet greetings to snobby little elites.

He quickly learns there are two distinct types of people here. Those who embrace him with genuine warmth and curiosity, and those who are impossibly preoccupied with their designer outfits, designer bags, carefully manicured appearances, and the weight of their family names. It’s not unexpected, but it’s exhausting nonetheless.

Eventually, the two of you part ways for a brief moment as you and Miyeon head off to the restroom. Jungkook, left on his own, finds himself standing near the buffet table when a familiar voice cuts through the chatter.

“So, how’s it going?” Yoongi asks casually, appearing beside him like a shadow and helping himself to a finger sandwich. Without waiting for a response, he bites into it and groans dramatically. “Fuck, that is so fucking delicious.” he mutters through a mouthful.

Jungkook can’t help but laugh lightly at Yoongi’s unfiltered commentary, though it quickly turns into a sigh. “I met her family...” he starts, keeping his voice low. “Her mom, brother, dad, grandma… the whole lineup.”

“And?” Yoongi prompts, already reaching for another sandwich.

Jungkook runs a hand through his hair, his frustration barely contained. “Everyone was nice... like, really nice. Her brother, her grandma, even her dad. But…” he pauses, glancing around before lowering his voice further. “I think her mom hates the sight of me.”

Yoongi chews thoughtfully, leaning against the table with a raised brow. “Hates the sight of you? That’s a strong statement. Did she say something?”

“No.” Jungkook admits. “She doesn’t have to. It’s the way she looks at me. Like I’m…” He hesitates, the words catching in his throat. “Like I’m not good enough for her daughter.”

Yoongi takes another bite, nodding slowly. “Hmm, classic rich mom move. She’s probably just protective or has some weird standards. You’re not a legacy or some corporate heir... guess that’s what she’s used to.”

Jungkook frowns. “I know, but… I just-”

“You just want her to like you.” Yoongi finishes, smiling knowingly. Jungkook sighs again, his shoulders slumping slightly. “Yeah. I mean, I’m not perfect, but I’m trying. For Y/n... For her.”

Yoongi nods, placing a firm hand on Jungkook’s shoulder. “You’re doing fine, man. Honestly, you can’t please everyone. Her dad and brother like you, her grandma seems to adore you as well, and most importantly, Y/n chose you and brought you here because she wanted to. Her mom? She’ll eventually come around. Or not. Either way, you’ll survive.”

Jungkook lets out a small laugh, the tension in his chest easing slightly. “Thanks, hyung.”

“Anytime. Now, stop sulking and grab one of these sandwiches before I eat them all.” Yoongi teases, shoving the plate closer.

Jungkook chuckles, finally picking one up. The simple moment feels like a breath of fresh air, grounding him in the midst of a night that had felt overwhelming until now.

Yoongi was right. For all the unease simmering in Jungkook's chest, one truth cuts through it all like a guiding star... you’re by his side. And for now, that’s enough.

The weight of the evening’s events lingers, a mix of warmth from the family members who embraced him and the quiet sting of your mother’s disapproval.

But in the larger scheme of things, it’s your unwavering presence that grounds him. Every time you looked at him tonight, every gentle touch or whispered reassurance... it all stitched him back together in ways he couldn’t articulate.

He watches the way you move through the crowd now, returning from the restroom with Miyeon. Your laughter carries softly through the air, and though you’re not directly looking at him, Jungkook knows... he feels... that you’ll turn to find him soon enough. It’s an unspoken understanding between you two, a gravitational pull that brings you together even in the most unfamiliar spaces.

“Man, you’ve got that dreamy look again.” Yoongi teases, snapping Jungkook out of his trance. “Relax, Romeo, she’s just ten steps away.”

Jungkook huffs a small laugh, shaking his head. “Shut up, hyung.” But there’s no bite to his words, only a quiet gratitude for Yoongi’s knack for lightening the mood.

Yoongi’s smirk lingers as he leans casually against the buffet table. “Seriously though, kid. You’re doing fine. Hell, better than fine. And trust me, I’ve seen guys crash and burn in these kinds of situations. But you? You’ve got something real with her. That counts for more than her mom’s icy stares.”

Jungkook hums thoughtfully, his fingers fiddling with the edge of his cuffs. He glances around, taking in the splendor of the event once more... it’s a world far different from his own. Yet, somehow, he doesn’t feel entirely out of place anymore.

“Thanks again, hyung.” he murmurs, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

“Don’t get all sentimental on me.” Yoongi side eyes, though his tone is warm. “Now go back to your girl before she starts thinking I’ve stolen you away again.”

Jungkook chuckles softly, straightening up and smoothing his jacket. As he makes his way towards you, his heart feels lighter, his steps steadier. Because for all the challenges tonight has thrown at him, Yoongi’s words echo in his mind... Y/n chose you. And that’s what matters.

And as your eyes meet his from across the room, a radiant smile blooming on your lips, Jungkook knows... Yoongi is right. For all that matters, you’re by his side. And that’s more than enough.

//

As the evening winds down and the last of the guests leave, you, Jungkook, and Yoongi stand near his car under the warm glow of the driveway lights. Yoongi helps Jungkook unload his luggage from the trunk. Turning to one of the guards stationed nearby, you kindly request. “Can you please take these up to my room?”

The guard nods, efficiently gathering the bags and heading towards the house. Jungkook murmurs a quick "Thank you." his voice polite but subdued. You catch his tired gaze and offer him a small, reassuring smile.

Yoongi stretches, letting out a low sigh as he looks at you. “Well, I’d say tonight went better than expected.” he quips, his tone light. “Thank you for having me, Y/n. It was an honor to spend an evening at The Kim Mansion.”

You chuckle softly, shaking your head at his dramatics. “You’re always welcome, Yoongi.”

As you linger near the steps, you watch Jungkook walk Yoongi to his car, their figures illuminated by the soft glow of the driveway lights. “Thanks for today, hyung.” Jungkook says sincerely, his voice steady despite the weight of the day. “Drive safe.”

Yoongi nods, sliding into the driver’s seat. “Always.” he replies with a small smile. Just before the car starts moving, he lowers the window and quietly adds. “Don’t forget to take it easy, alright?”

Jungkook gives a faint nod, his lips curving into a grateful smile as Yoongi’s car disappears into the night, leaving you and him to make your way towards the front door. You hold his hand tightly, sensing his lingering unease.

But as you approach, you spot your mother standing by the entrance, her eyes fixed on the two of you. Jungkook instantly stiffens, his grip on your hand faltering slightly. His gaze drops to the ground, avoiding her piercing stare.

“Hi, Mama...” you greet her, your voice laced with exhaustion as the day’s events catch up with you. “How was the evening for you?”

She offers you a tight smile, her expression carefully neutral. “It was great, honey. Everything turned out well.” she says, her tone pleasant but impersonal.

Then, with a pointed look, she adds. “I’ve asked the guards to move your friend’s luggage to one of the guest rooms.”

You pause, your eyebrows knitting together in mild confusion. A soft, incredulous laugh escapes you as you shake your head. “Oh, no, Mama. Jungkook is staying with me... in my room. Plus, he’s my boyfriend... so, it should be fine.” you say firmly, your voice steady but polite.

Your mother’s smile falters just slightly, her composure slipping for the briefest moment. Before she can muster a response, you grip Jungkook’s hand a little tighter and step past her, your movements confident and deliberate. "Goodnight, Mama." you mumble, walking away.

Jungkook doesn’t miss the way your mother's hands clench into fists at her sides, nor the way her jaw tightens as if she’s swallowing back words she desperately wants to say. Her disapproval hangs heavy in the air, but she doesn’t voice it, merely watching the two of you walk inside.

Once you’re safely inside the house and up the stairs, you turn to Jungkook and offer him a tired but genuine smile. “Don’t let her bother you.” you say softly. “She just has a hard time adjusting to new people.” you reason, even though you know that might not be the case.

He nods, his shoulders relaxing just a little, though the weight of the interaction still stays. But as you tug him gently towards your room, your warmth and unwavering confidence start to ease his worries, even if it's just a little.

//

Once you ensure all of Jungkook’s luggage is safely in your room, you close the door behind you with a quiet sigh. Jungkook stands in the middle of the space, his soft smile illuminated by the warm lighting. His presence feels like a balm after the chaos of the evening.

Without hesitation, you walk towards him, exhaustion evident in your every step. Like second nature, you fall into his chest, your arms wrapping around his waist. He holds you instantly, his embrace firm yet comforting, his touch grounding you.

“Thank you for coming here with me, Kook.” you murmur against his chest, your voice barely above a whisper. “And thank you for hanging in there throughout the evening. I know that must’ve been exhausting.”

Jungkook shakes his head gently, his hand coming up to smooth over your back. “It wasn’t so bad.” he replies, his voice soft but sincere. “Not when I had you by my side.”

He presses a fond kiss on the crown of your head, lingering for a moment as he inhales the familiar scent of your shampoo. The gesture is so tender, so him, that it brings a sense of calm you didn’t realize you needed.

You slowly pull away, though his arms remain securely wrapped around you, as if he’s reluctant to let go. Giving him a small smile, you lean forward and press your lips to his. The familiar warmth of his kiss washes over you, and you sigh softly, your arms looping around his neck to pull him even closer.

Jungkook didn’t realize how much he needed this until now. The kiss... gentle yet passionate, stirs something deep within him, a mix of emotions he can’t quite put into words. All he knows is that, in this moment, everything feels right.

When you finally pull away, your foreheads rest against each other, breaths mingling in the stillness of the room. “Well...” you start, your voice soft but teasing. “tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”

His eyes remain closed, a small smile playing on his lips as he listens. “Tae and Miyeon want to hang out with you around the city.” you inform him, a hint of excitement in your tone.

He chuckles, the sound low and comforting. “Well, I can’t wait.” he replies, pulling back just enough to look into your eyes. His gaze is tender as he studies your face, and he presses a soft kiss to your forehead, a gesture so affectionate it makes your heart flutter.

With the night finally winding down, the two of you change into something comfortable and climb into bed. The exhaustion of the day melts away as you settle into his arms, finding solace in the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

Moments later, sleep claims you both, the promise of tomorrow dancing in the air.

<- part 2 // part 4->

taglist: @mirinaeii @taetaecatboy @tsukiesimp @lovingkoalaface @taekrve @jaytheatiny @loverofannabeth @jaerisdiction @whoa-jo @parkinglot-nights @reneeblack6230

[mj0702]

You walked with your girlfriend and Magda around the field after the Lioness vs. Sweden game talking to Magda when G stopped taking some pictures with fans and signing some stuff. You and Magda stopped about three steps away from Georgia when you heard something you couldn't quite place. So you went over to the area Magda right behind you as Georgia looked absolutely lost

“What's the matter?” you asked trying to act like a normal staff member since no one knew you and G were in a relationship “Everything okay?”

“Yeah... good... we just... bench” your girlfriend said stressed already pushing you back a little

“G... what's going on” you mumbled as she pushed you in front of her

“MAGDA!!!” Georgia yelled signalling the swede to follow “Give me a minute”

Your girlfriend pushed you quickly into the tunnel where she waited for Magda to catch up

“I need a phone... or a tablet or something connected to the Wi-Fi” your girlfriend looked around quickly and you saw how distressed she was

“Benji... tablet” you quickly said as one of the tactical staff members passed.

He quickly handed over his tablet to you and you passed it on to Georgia who immediately tried to unlock it just to hand it back to you groaning

“Babe please” your girlfriend groaned getting more and more squirmy

“Here” you handed the unlocked piece of electronic back to her looking confused when she quickly pulled up one of the other teams game

“Mind telling us what got you so freaked out??” you asked raising your eyebrows

“One of the fans I took a picture with... she said she's sorry about what happened to Lena and she hopes that she's okay” Georgia mumbled pulling up the live ticker to look when what exactly happened

“Obi?” you asked “Didn't they play... who was it? Italy?”

“Austria... still playing... 68'...” your girlfriend mumbled concentrated “And yes... Lena”

“Why am I here?” Magda asked now confused looking onto the tablet her head coming out between yours and Georgias

“Fuck me!” Georgia suddenly exclaimed her hand quickly covering her mouth

“Jesus” Magda exclaimed shocked

“What?” you asked looking back down on the screen as you were quickly distracted by one of the Swedes passing the trio of you.

But in that second you saw Lena on the ground clutching her knee before the replay was played. You saw how Lena went in for the block and how her right leg was planted into the field. You saw how she moved her upper body to the left and then it happened – you immediately saw how the patella quickly plopped back into place and how Lena collapsed to the ground

“Lucy!!” you yelled running back out onto the field scanning it quickly before you spotted your sister down at the corner flag smiling up at some fans signing Jerseys and stuff

“LUCY!!!” you yelled again already taking off in her direction when your sister head snapped towards your voice

“What's wrong Bubs?” Lucy came running meeting you just short of the middle line

“I need a flight to... wherever Germany played today... somewhere in Germanys” you panted

“What?” your sister asked confused

“I need a flight to Germany... long story short... I need your Credit card” you breaths coming out laboured

“What are you talking about?” your sister asked firmly

“Lena Oberdorf... she got injured today... I need a flight to Germany” you quickly explained

“And why exactly...” your sister started to question you curiously

“... I know Bayern... they'll want her back in Munich...where she has basically no one” you interrupted Lucy quickly

“Come on Bubs... you can't just fuck off because of... I don't know... a sprained ankle” Lucy rolled her eyes

“It's not the ankle Luce... it's the knee” you said quietly looking your sister straight into the eyes

“The knee??” your sister looked confused until she got your hint “Fuck... the KNEE??”

“Yeah... she has no one there you know...” you nodded grateful your sister got the point

“Talk to Sarina... I'll book you the first flight out tomorrow morning...” Lucy said “... and before you argue... you can't do anything tonight anyway... you know it yourself – they put her on drugs and ship her out tomorrow”

“Yeah I know...” you sighed defeated accepting the open arms and sank into your sisters embrace “... thanks Luce”

“Always Bubs....” your sister smiled pressing a soft kiss to your temple “... you got a heart of gold you know that?”

“I just know how it feels...” you mumbled against her shoulder “... not the being alone part but the ground getting ripped away from under your feet... I can't imagen how it must feel knowing that no one will be there waiting for you when you get the diagnosis or waking up alone”

“Go talk to Sarina Bubs...” Lucy said softly “... you know she'll let you go but you can't just piss off okay”

“Yeah...” you said quietly “... need to talk to G too”

“Bubs.. you need to calm down....” your sister said tiredly next morning when you entered London Heathrow airport “... it's too early... I can't deal with your nervous freak out at the crack ass of dawn”

“Keira offered to take me...” you grumbled still being tired yourself “... you said you wanted to take me... Keira would have me calm by now”

“That's why I came separately” Keira suddenly said behind you holding two coffee cups pushing one of them into your hands

“Where is my coffee??” Lucy asked upset

“Still in the coffee machine at Starbucks...” Keira deadpanned while you thanked every coffee god in this universe for Keira Walsh

“You're so mean...” your sister grumbled at her ex “... that Austrian changed you”

“Just like that spaniard changed you... never heard you complain so much about the english weather – you grew up here” the blonde shot back making you snort

“Yeah well... the warmer weather is better for me old bones” Lucy tried to defend herself pouting

“Mhm...” Keira just smirked taking a sip from her coffee

“Leave me alone...” your sister grumbled as she just took Keiras coffee out of her hand “... it's too early”

“Can you two get divorced later... I have a flight to catch” you said immediately getting nervous again

“You'll do good Bitsy... you're a pro now” Keira said softly guiding you to the security check “... it's the same routine every time... security... find your gate... get on plane... get off plane... don't get lost in city you got off plane okay?”

“G wrote me down the way to the Bayern trainings centre...” you said confident

“I'll get you the number from someone who's there... I'll arrange a pick up” Keira said knowing how well Georgia works with directions and navigations – not well at all. Georgia and navigating someone normally ended up in a disaster

“Thank you” you smiled tiredly “... I didn't have the heart to tell her since it took her half the night”

“No problem...” the blonde smiled back

“You need to go Bubs...” Lucy gently nudged you forward and you recutlanty took a step forward

“Go on Bits... you're a regular flyer by now...” Keira smiled encouraging “... we seriously need to think about getting you into the mileage program”

“Yeah well...” you mumbled “... I already ticked the mile high club box”

“EXCUSE ME?” Lucy spit out her mouth full of coffee looking at you shocked while Keira bursted out laughing

“I need to go now...” you quickly said speed walking into the security area

“BUBS!!! COME BACK HERE!!!” your sister yelled after you “IMMEDIATLEY!!!”

You turned your phone on the second the plane came to a halt at the big Munich airport. The flight was surprisingly relaxing and you have to give it to Keira – she was right. You kinda got the flying thing down now. As soon as your phone connected with the Airport Wi-Fi your phone exploded with messages from Lucy, Keira, Georgia, Magda and surprisingly Pernille who asked you to keep her up to date considering Lena. You answered Pernille first since she had send the calmest message from all. Next was Keira who just wanted to know if you landed and if the flight was okay or if you had an anxiety attack again. After Keira you texted Magda who just asked you if you could water her cactus and you just answered with a middle finger emoji. Then you texted your girlfriend that everything was fine and you were about to leave the plane. Lucy came last since she send about 20 texts in the 85 minutes you were in the air. You just copy pasted the text you sent your girlfriend politely ignoring her questioning about the mile high comment.

As you exit the plane Keira texted you back that she organized Franzi Kett to pick you up and attached the forwards number. You tried your best to text in the little german your girlfriend taught you just for Franzi to answer in english. She told you exactly which way to go and where you two would meet up and by god – so much better than Georgias directions

“Hey Franzi” you said quietly when trying to not attract any attention

“Hey y/n” the young blonde smiled back friendly “You had a good flight?”

“G already briefed you?” you chuckled

“That too yeah...” the blonde chuckled “... but also I thought you might want to have small talk?”

“How's Lena?” you asked as you followed the blonde to the parking lot

“I don't know... I honestly don't know” Franzi said shrugging her shoulders apologetic

“Do you have any kind of information?” you asked hopefully getting into the black sleek Audi

“I know she'll be flown in today... I don't know when tho...” the blonde said as she quickly exit the car park “... where should I let you out? Gs apartment?”

“Mind driving me to the academy?” you asked trying not to flinch as Franzi got on the motorway speeding up quickly

“No problem... Alex should be around viewing some of the second team” Franzi smiled as she quickly cut to the right lane taking the next exit

“Girl I swear you drive like a lunatic” you panted out as the car slowed down stopping at a red light

“Why? I drove good?” the blonde looked at you confused

“So fast and so unapologetic” you huffed

“It was just 160...” Franzi shook her head

“You seriously are mentally not stable” you said but then squeaked when the car shot forward as the lights turn green

You quickly talked to Alex getting all the information you needed before recuting Franzi as your taxi driver again. The young player was happy to chauffeur driving safely through the Munich traffic driving you to a better looking neighbourhood parking the car

“What are we doing here?” you asked confused as you got out of the car

“There... that's the clinic you told me to go to” Franzi pointed at a bigger building behind you

“THAT'S a clinic?? You Germans don't have normal hospitals?” you exclaimed shocked

“We do” the blonde deadpanned “... that's a private clinic... very expensive... very exclusive”

“Damn girl...” you looked around when you entered the building “... it's like exploring a different world”

“Nice isn't it?” Franzi asked

“Sí” you mumbled not even noticing you switched to spanish

“Hi... wir sind hier wegen Lena Oberdorf” Franzi smiled nicely at the receptionist

“Entschuldigung aber ich kann Ihnen keine Auskunft über Patienten geben” the young lad answered and your head started to hurt already having to listen to them speaking german

“Wir wollen keine informationen...” the blonde said her voice still friendly “... aber wenn Sie vielleicht organisieren könnten dass sie weiß das wir hier sind... Franzi Kett und Y/n Bronze”

“Geben Sie mir eine Minute” the lad smiled grabbing the phone

“What the hell??” you mumbled

“What?” Franzi looked at you a little concerned

“Since when do you speak fluent german?” you asked forgetting that Franzi was German

“I was born here... I lived in lower Bavaria my whole...” the blonde looked at you like you're having a stroke

“Oooooh riiiiiight...” you slapped your forehead “... I always forget that”

“Ehrm... Tschuldigung??” the receptionist perked up “... Ich hab oben bescheid gegeben und wenn ihr versprecht kein Blödsinn zu machen lass ich euch hoch in den Wartebereich”

“Oh vielen Dank...” Franzi sighed out and you figured it was good news when she turned to you “Come on... we're allowed to wait upstairs”

“Did you see that??!!” you whisper yelled as you exit the elevator and Franzi laughed quietly “... they had a whole ass Fanta machine... different flavours”

“Yes I saw....” the blonde laughed as quietly as she could

“I need one of those” you said seriously

“You won't be able to pay for them” Franzi laughed as she sat down on one of the comfortable looking chairs in the waiting... lounge

“Beanbags??? They have beanbags in their waiting area???” you exclaimed bewildered “I'm gonna move in here... or steal one.. two... G needs one too”

“Just sit down.... this will take a while” the young blonde rolled her eyes as she snatched one of the magazines laying around

“I'm going to get a Fanta” you said already turning around

“No” Franzi jumped up quickly blocking the exit “... I have strict orders to not leave you out of my sight... and honestly... I'm scared of Pernille”

“Ugh... fun sucker all of you” you rolled your eyes falling back into the beanbag

“Seid ihr hier für Lena?” a nice looking nurse asked a while later

“Ja... ich bin Franzi... eine Teamkollegin...” Franzi jumped up smiling

“Again with that German... worse than all them spaniards” you mumbled

“Okay... so only one of us is allowed in her room... so I told Nadine over here you'll go... if you need me to pick you up text me okay” the blonde said

“But you...” you started confused but Franzi immediately shook her head

“No... I have a feeling you'll be more use here”

“Thank you” you smiled but it was a sad one before you followed the nurse down the hallway

You carefully entered the hospital room – not a normal room. The colours where friendly – a light green and yellow with accents in light blue. The interior was in a light wood. All in all it was just light and airy and beautiful and calm.

“Hey Walmart for poor” you said quietly as you slowly approached the bed wincing slightly as you saw the big cast covering Lenas leg

“What do you want?” the new Bayern player said coldly

“Just was in the neighbourhood and thought I stop by” you shrugged your shoulders pulling a chair over as the brown haired woman turned her head looking away from you

“I don't know why you're even here... I don't have anything to tell you... they're still looking over the pictures” Lena mumbled

“Lesbi-honest here... both of us don't need any confirmation or pictures...” you sighed deeply “... I know it and you know it too”

“Maybe it's just twisted very badly” Lena said quickly but you heard her voice break a little at the end

“Lena...” you said softly grabbing her hand

“You don't know how...” the dark haired snapped at you making you snort

“I'm probably the only one who knows..” you snorted

“How could you understand?” Lena said and you knew her leashing out at you was a normal reaction

“I had three... that's why I'm not playing... that's why I'll never stand in Wembley at a Euros final with the three lions on my chest or representing my country at a world cup... I can walk... I can kick around a little bit but my knees won't be able to hold the pressure of a professional career” you said blankly “... so I understand how you feel”

“I didn't...” the brown haired woman looked at you shocked

“Not many people know... but that's not why I'm here...” you said seriously “... I'm here because you'll need a support system... You have your family yes... but you'll need people around you who know what you're going through... you're going to struggle... big time I promise you that... and I don't even mean the physical struggle... I mean the mental one... you'll have days and nights where suddenly thoughts pop up that scare you – they make you being scared of yourself. But you need to trust someone and talk to them. Also... rehab is going to be a bitch – but I promise I'll be there... and with me you have all the top players behind you... and if you even THINK about giving up I'll tell on you at Alexias and believe me... she has way to much fun at kicking asses to let this opportunity go to waste”

“Are you sure?” Lena asked and you knew what she asked

“99.9%... the way your patella snapped back... the angle your foot was planted into the pitch versus where your upper body was and the movement you made...” you looked straight at her and suddenly she turned your head away from you her free arm came up to cover her eyes and you heard that chocked up sob

You didn't talk or trying to make a joke. You just held her hand letting her cry all the bottled up emotion out. It took a while but she suddenly grabbed your hand harder and you squeezed back in a silent understanding and support. A little bit after that there was a low knock on the door and Lena called out breaching herself for the “news”

“So we're going to take a part of your hamstring and replace the ripped ligament with it...” the Surgeon explained and you snorted what make Lena look at you questioning

“That might work for the Anterior work but what about the knee ligament....” you questioned the Doctor

“We use a artificial tendon” the surgeon looked at you a little grumpily

“And how do you want to fix it in there... you need to screw the prosthesis for the artificial to the bone and theoretically the inner would run straight over it... but if you put an artificial in her body could either reject it or it rubs over the prosthesis and rips again as soon as she's ready to start playing again OR you already plan on a second surgery in about 6 weeks what would throw her recovery back... so you go back out there find an acceptable solution and THEN you come back and present it to me... otherwise I have no problem to get my own surgeon here so I'm sure she gets the best possible treatment and I'll also make sure the high dogs in the Club will hear about it” you went all out on him knowing what he tried to sell to Lena was absolute bullshit

“Ehrm” the surgeon looked at you shocked as you pointed towards the door

“Door is there... if you don't come up with up a solution by tonight I'll get my surgeon here... she knows what she's doing... fixed me three times... so... what to you Germans always say? Zack zack” you said coldly and the middle aged man stumbled outside

“Wow... what...” Lena looked at you shocked as you pulled your mobile out holding your finger up

“Teddy... you have plans tomorrow??” you said as soon as the call connected “Yeah... hi... nice to speak to you... I'm fine... you too? Great.. so... plans tomorrow..... day off? Perfect... I have a present for you” you grinned at the german player

“I'm scared” Lena looked up at you her bed right in front of the OR

“I know...” you said smiling a little grabbing the hand that she reached out to you “But I promise you... Teddy is the best out there... I mean she had a lot of practise with me”

“You're horrible” Lena snorted

“Thank you.... normally people call me a bitch” you grinned back

“I call you Christmas present” a female voice behind you said and you looked up to look into your surgeons smirking face “Every time I open you up there's something new to explore”

“You better not fuck this up or I'll find someone new to scrap me ligaments” you threatened her smirking back

“Pff... as if anyone would take your broken body on their chart” the dark blonde waved off before entering the OR “Last minute”

“I'll be here when you wake up okay...” you promised Lena when the OR nurses came to push her inside “... and I'll take a lot of embarrassing videos of you being high as fuck and blackmail you with them later”

“You wouldn't dare” Lena said shocked

“It's family tradition” you smiled as the young player got rolled into the OR and as you were about to leave Teddy stuck her head through the door

“You want to watch from the other room?” the surgeon asked you “It's gonna take around three hours...”

“I trust you Teds... her and G are friends... and that makes her my friend too....” you said seriously “.. I'll be at that Fanta machine if someone looks at you”

[siddyyyyyyyy]

Just Protecting

Batsis!reader

wc: 1.2 K summary: you start dating someone from the alternative scene and your brother (and his kids) get suspicious. warnings: kind of yandere? I have no idea, no y/n used, gender of your partner is not specified a/n: (divider, @k1ssyoursister) it doesn't even have to be someone from an alternative universe, i strongly believe that they'll try to secretly research about them without you knowing.

It started with your windows being left unlocked after going to sleep the night before. Of course it didn‘t take long for you to figure out who it could have been, but you can‘t be too sure. It‘s Gotham City after all, and your family aren‘t the only vigilantes hopping around.

Your partner didn‘t take notice of it yet, and you plan on keeping a secret until you are sure of who is breaking into your apartment at night.

After being in a relationship with them for over a year, it‘s still a little surprising for your brother when you mention them around him. Seems like he didn‘t have as much time to care about it, considering how stressful his life is. You get it, and you don‘t stress or push him about it, instead, you give him space and occasionally check up on him whenever needed.

But breaking in? To check in on you? That‘s new.

And that‘s exactly why you decided to give him a visit on a random Tuesday evening, having made up an excuse as to why you are here. Once the front gate opens, Alfred greets you with a welcoming smile and leads you inside, already starting a conversation as he makes you both a cup of tea. After several moments of talking together, Bruce managed to get out of the Batcave to meet you as well.

»What brought you here? Something happened?« Did they make a mistake? — He wants to add, but knows he will just blow his cover instead.

»Wanted to check in on you. Doesn‘t hurt to see family once in a while, no?«

You shrug your shoulders lightly and stay seated on the chair at the long dining table and set your cup down as you talk. Bruce nods in agreement, settling in the chair opposite you.

»Right, yeah. How‘s your… partner doing? Any news?«

Very smooth, Bruce, so sneaky. He waits for your answer, eyes slightly narrowed. Obviously, you don‘t fall into that trap. There‘s nothing to fall for anyway, your relationship is just fine, if not perfect. Instead, you give him a smile and start rambling off. His fault for breaking into your apartment in the middle of the night.

»Oh, great! We actually started to renovate our kitchen because our apartment is still kind of new, so that‘s where we are right now… but we also planned getting a cat once things start to look even better, and we...« At some point, Bruce stopped listening, only catching a few words as he mostly tried to figure out if there could be something else going on. But it seems like there isn‘t. Which is worrying him even more.

»Oh, look who‘s here!« You interrupt your happy rambling and instead focus on the smaller boy approaching you both, always happy to see your youngest nephew.

Damian gives you a tight smile, knowing he should at least try to give you a happy greeting in front of Bruce.

»What‘s the occasion, Auntie?« You answer the same way as before, just glad to see that this brooding boy still has the mood to go up and talk to you.

The appereance of his short cut, going back up to his room after exchanging a few words. But you didn‘t miss the way father and son exchanged a subtle nod before disappearing again. That only proved your suspicions further.

You left the manor with a Tupperware of baked goods as a gift from Alfred, getting back to your apartment with a new plan.

◐

You barricaded your window at the fire escape with a chair underneath it and sealed it shut with duct tape. The tape is just there for you to hear it getting pressed open; the chair is just for fun, hoping that Bruce will trip on it once he gets through the window.

Your partner already fell asleep, peaceful and unaware of your current suspicions about someone breaking in during the night. But you stayed up and about, doing smaller tasks around the place to keep yourself awake. You kept the lights off, expecting Bruce, or rather Batman, to drop in any second.

Once it strikes after three in the morning, the window starts to rattle lightly. It stops briefly before the person on the other side tries again, the duct tape making more noise than you thought it would. Eventually, it gets tugged off, and the window is up, open and letting the fresh breeze inside.

You settle a little deeper into your blanket on the couch and wait for the secret person to show. As expected, the larger figure almost stumbles on the chair after stepping inside, but saves himself pretty well. You stifle a small laugh at the sight, squinting through the darkness of the living room.

Finally, you turn the light back on and get out of your poor hiding spot.

»I knew you were breaking in.«

Batman stops in his tracks, attempting to close the window but gets stopped as Robin follows through, blowing up all their cover altogether. This earns a raised brow from you, silently demanding answers.

»We‘ve solely been trying to… help with your kitchen renovations.«

»I lied about them.«

Bruce‘s scowl deepens at that, while Damian just stares right back at you and hopes he won‘t be part of your scolding, this time.

»Bruce.« You call out, earning the full attention of him again. While some might be spooked or even deathly afraid of the dark knight standing in their living room with his sidekick, you feel otherwise. This is just another one of those times where you can scold your brother for something he did.

»Is patrol getting boring, or why are you two secretly visiting my place?«

Silence follows, neither of them having good excuses for their visits. You sigh out in disappointment, crossing your arms as you wait for their answers.

»It‘s for your safety. You don‘t know your partner well enough.« Damian starts this time and he can feel that was a bad choice.

»So, you‘ve been spying on us at night?«

Bruce purses his lips, knowing there‘s no way of lying himself out of this situation.

»We only took their documents and made a scan of them… to make sure they‘re not hiding anything.«

You sigh out again, glancing into your hallway to make sure the door to your shared bedroom is still closed.

»You have been what?!« You harshly whisper at them, clearly not pleased to hear it at all. The pair of vigilantes flinch in their spot, exchanging a brief look between themselves.

»We‘re only doing this for your safety.«

»They are a civilian! What do you mean ,my safety‘?«

You huff out and pace around for a moment before standing back in front of them.

Bruce and Damian watch you, probably regretting their decision.

»Can I have the documents back?«

Finally, Bruce budges and hands you over the two folders worth of personal documents. As you quickly skim through them, you realise they even took all the banking information with them.

»You are lucky they didn‘t notice before I did.« With the final sentence, you urge them out and go back to sleep after placing the documents into a safer spot.

Safe to say, you never noticed someone breaking into your home anymore, and you made sure to check up on Bruce more regularly so he won‘t become paranoid. Your partner still hasn‘t noticed anything but still feels rather intimidated whenever you both visit your family for dinner.

They can never let go of the glaring eyes your youngest nephew gives them over the dinner table.

a/n: Sorry, this came out short and a bit wobbly, hope you still got the idea though!!

←MASTERLIST

[earthnashes]

Melon didn't stand a chance.

One moment he's staring the end of their journey over the horizon, and the next he's sent plummeting into the awaiting maw of the trench he stood over by a hearty smack of a claw.

He yelps as he tumbles, twisting in the air for a heartstopping moment before his back meets a crag. Mario's cries are muted by rushing wind as he slips again, falling falling falling--

A heavy thud echoes as he collides--bounces-- off another rock face. His ears rings with the rattling in his skull---

A sharp thwack of his head hitting a jutting ledge, and suddenly Melon doesn't hear-- or feel-- much of anything the rest of the way down.

A metal tang coats his tongue red, and the sting of the air bites against his bruises.

 No weight on his back anymore-- 

Everything hurts. 

--the boy...Mario. Where's Mario? D-did he fall too--

Can't move.

--he needs to get up. His human cub, he could be hurt o-or--- get up--

Stay down.

--get up get up GET UP-- 

Melon stays down, can't muster the strength to listen to the mantra in his head. Instead, all he hears is the desperate wails of Mario, and it's enough to force his eyes open just a sliver. He blearily looks up.

At the edge of the cliff he tumbled from stands the silhouettes he can only barely make out; three huge, three smaller, all laughing and pointing and grinning toothily at the heap of him. The leader- and he must be, with how he leers cockily over the ledge-- sneers down at him.

"Thank ye for the delivery, lad! We've been lookin' all over for this little bastard," he says, and without a care he swings a hollering Mario over the ledge by the scruff. The boy twists precariously in his grip --one slip from falling-- and reaches out for Melon with terrified tears in his eyes. He wails some semblance of his name, and Melon feels his gut twist.

no

"Come now, lad, I see that long face from here; ye nothin' to worry about! Brat may've been a pain in the arse to get, but it'll be worth it in the end. Pirate's Honor: we'll take real good care of 'em," The leader gloats, ugly grin stretching wider as he flicks the boy's nose with a sharp claw. "Just like we have his snivellin' flake of a brother. They'll fetch a fine cut yet."

No no no give him back

"I reckon ye wanna say g'bye at least, aye? I could grant that much, bein' a frog of honor and wot-not." The captain holds Mario high above his head, like an angler would his prized catch, and grins down at Melon from his spot above.

"Go on then. Tell 'em 'afore I change me mind."

Something twisted and ugly clogs Melon's throat with bile and copper. He bares his teeth and tries tries tries to bark, to roar, anything to demand his human cub back to him.

GIVE HIM BACK, his mind screetches. But all that crawls out of his mouth is a rattling, broken whimper. It drags his strength with it by the scruff, spilling in a tiny puddle of spittle and grime and blood as his vision begins to waver. His eyes glaze over and fall closed against his will.

And within the canopy of booming laughs and grating cackles, the last thing Melon hear is Mario's cries.

--------------------------------------------

AND HERE IT IS.

Part 10 of Melon's Adventure, FINALLY COMPLETE, and with it Arc 1 of this story has come to a close!

I'm glad I managed to finish this arc even with it being forced into a hiatus alongside my burnout months back; I had an absolute blast revisiting my childhood and telling the story in a way I've always imagined it as a kid.

Now, given that it's been a while since the last part, I've taken the liberty to compile all of Melon's Adventure into the #melon's adventure tag for ease of access if you'd like to read it back from the beginning!

Despite this marking the end of Arc 1, I'm hoping to make this the start of me delving back into my Super Mario AU, albeit in a slightly different way. There's still plenty of stories there I'd love to share with ya'll. :>

In fact, in related news: I'm actually planning on opening an online store, and my first planned launch will be themed on Melon's Adventure! More information to come on that relatively soon as more work is done.

At any rate, I hope ya'll enjoyed this story! More to come soon! owo

[yanderes-galore]

Yandere SCP 079 with Emotional! Darling? In your og concept his obsession started because he doesn't hurt their feelings, how about opposite, where he's obsessed with their tears instead? Poor darling continues to be send to scp 079 because their meetings produce interesting results

Welp... Hope you like crying. Because it certainly does.

Yandere! SCP-079 with Emotional! Darling

Pairing: Dubious

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Manipulation, Emotional abuse, Possessive behavior/Jealousy, Stalking, Forced companionship(?)

It's known to many SCP researchers that SCP-079 enjoys harming the feelings of others.

It's reported to have made multiple researchers cry.

Sometimes they're even sent for a psychological evaluation afterwards.

It would be so unfortunate if you were its favored subject to torment.

You're most likely a researcher often sent to speak with the AI to note down its behavior.

Each encounter you have with the SCP often leads to tears, unfortunately.

The AI is extremely hateful towards humans, often spitting hateful comments and complaints about being held in a prison.

Despite being so hateful in nature, SCP-079 appears to favor you.

Your tears seem to be more entertaining than any of the others.

It only ever seems to be cruel towards you.

Yet at the same time... Its taunts seem different when directed at you?

It cruelly comments on your appearance, on your social life...

SCP-079 seems oddly personal with its comments towards you.

There's times you wonder how it even knows some of the stuff it's got on you.

The point is, you often leave that chamber with tears in your eyes and stuttering breaths.

You try to ask other researchers to ask it questions... but here's the thing.

SCP-079 becomes uncooperative unless you're the one talking to it.

Many other researchers report SCP-079 shows that dreaded 'X' on its screen when they try to speak.

Normally that's fine, come back in 24 hours and it will want to speak again.

They only realize it's a problem when a day passes... and there's still an 'X'.

That's when they try dragging you back in, much to your chagrin.

Then, like you flipped a switch, SCP-079 starts talking as you type on the keyboard.

Originally it just seems to like to torment you.

Although... Other researchers seem to notice SCP-079's behavior change after a while.

At first it seems the SCP just wants to make you cry like all the others but has some sort of preference for you.

Although, over time its comments are... weirder.

It says things like how other humans won't like you.

That they'll cast you aside like they did to it...

It's all really strange.

Even more so is when the SCP begins to act up when you aren't around.

Whenever it does speak to another researcher after some bribing, it only asks about you.

What are you doing, who are you with, are you alone....

It's like it has a twisted fondness over you.

It likes you panicking and crying... vulnerable and easy to harm....

But it doesn't like you around others.

You're constantly sent by the Foundation to placate it.

Along with that, you're often sent to get your mental health checked.

A way to describe how SCP-079 acts around you is... Possessive.

Which perplexes researchers.

Oof... it would be even worse during a Containment Breach?

SCP-079 uses cameras to track you down.

In a breach I imagine it can now connect to the facility's systems.

Which means doors, security systems, cameras...

It's got much more power now... and a mission.

Similar to how SCP-079 remembers SCP-682, SCP-079 may feel a need to hunt you down.

It is hard to tell if it remembers everything it does to you... or if it just remembers it's fascinated with you and wants to find out why.

But now it can torment you without being held back.

SCP-079 can use the PA System to speak with you.

So imagine if you're trying to evacuate the facility, clinging to your key card like you life depends on it...

But soon it stops working.

SCP-079 can trap you in a location if it wants to toy with you.

You look so scared trapped in such a small room... the door locked up tight.

The good news is it shields you from other threats...

The bad news is you're stuck with it.

Other SCPs aren't the only thing it wants to lock you away from.

Humans are another being it dislikes you being around.

SCP-079 has a strange fondness for you.

It appears oddly jealous or concerned when you aren't in its sight.

However, during a breach, it doesn't need to worry.

It may even trap you in its chamber with it, just so it can keep you.

As it's an AI, its motives are unclear.

You can't tell it torments you because it likes you... or in a twisted way it adores you.

All you know is you're trapped here with it...

You'll belong to it for as long as it wants... or for as long as it can have you.

[starmocha]

I took one for the team and retraumatized myself by reading Sylus' myth again, specifically to understand the memory, Abyssal Blossom, since... there is a bit of confusion about what it means, and I made a reference to it in this post. I'll be covering the event leading up to the memory and the aftermath.

@unluckywisher @lavlynyan I have some distressing news 😔😔😔

SPOILERS FOR SYLUS' MYTH - BEYOND CLOUDFALL, CHAPTERS 6-8 + ABYSSAL BLOSSOM MEMORY

[Quick recap of end of chapter 6] Sylus had been injured by MC after succumbing to his instincts and attacking her in The Sanctuary, causing her to act in self-defense and unwittingly summoning the greatsword. They're both horrified by their actions, and as soldiers arrive, MC hides Sylus from them. Sylus isn't even fazed by his injuries. He is more horrified that the curse almost came true and he almost killed her. He flies away to Tarus City.

CHAPTER 7

Words spread that the Fiend is gravely injured, so every single opportunist is hunting Sylus down, hoping to be the one to make the kill

MC hides among the crowd to search for him, and eventually, she recalls the blind merchant's information that "The Fiend and his destined archnemesis will meet at a black chapel".

MC finds Sylus there gravely injured and barely conscious.

As she tries to stop his bleeding, he awakens and tries to attack her, still under the influence. MC does manage to get through to him.

At this point, though, the voice in MC's head is also urging her to kill him and devour him. Sylus awakens and taunts her about their destiny, to which she rejects vehemently.

They both confront one another about why 1) Sylus saved MC from the Abyss in the beginning even though he knew they were destined to kill one another 2) Sylus questions MC why she didn't kill him earlier. They both know the answers.

MC rejects her destiny and declares that she will save him instead. She starts to resonate with him and heal his wound.

Sylus: Save me? Are you aware of the cost? Once we hold hands now, our lives will be bound together, along with our deaths. We must offer half of our soul to the other. They'll be merged... to forge an unbreakable bond. To share your life with a fiend—it might be a punishment worse than having your soul devoured. Will you truly not regret it? MC: I said I'Il live, didn't I? No matter the cost. If following our hearts is a sin, then you and I must be the last of our kind in this world. Sylus: In that case.. Stay by my side until the end of time.

They fall asleep in the chapel—in each other's embrace with Sylus shielding them from the cold with one of his wings.

CHAPTER 8

This is where it gets a little murky about what is reality, a memory, or a fantasy. Unfortunately, I am going to be leaning towards Abyssal Blossom is a fantasy MC made up to cope with the guilt and pain of Sylus being gravely injured because of her as well as the trauma of their fated demise. (Note: Sylus is not dead in this scene) [ETA: This scene is also the dream main story MC has in Continuous Symphony.]

The next scene is exactly that. A fantasy. She imagines she and Sylus decorating the chapel and making it more homey. She even presents Sylus with a present: a flower crown she had made after gathering the few flowers available in Tarus City.

Sylus: So you stayed up late these past few nights to make this? MC: ...You didn't sleep either? Sylus: Do you like flowers? MC: Yes, I guess. But there aren't a lot in Tarus City. I had to scour the entire woods to get this much. Sylus: The forest barely has any flowers. MC: What do you mean— Sylus: Hold on tight. [Sylus carries her and flies away. Abyssal Blossom kindled scene begins.]

As this is continuing from the scene MC fantasizes about making the chapel a home, unfortunately, it does point to Abyssal Blossom as being a fantasy as well.

In the end, MC herself does acknowledge that this was indeed a fantasy.

As MC is kept imprisoned in the courtyard of the Sanctuary, Sylus occasionally visits her. She notices his injuries are healing.

When she asks Sylus why he didn't wake her all the other nights she fell asleep waiting for him, he reveals this:

Once again, this seems to point at Abyssal Blossom as being nothing more than a dream MC had.

MC also counters and questions if Sylus had ever dreamt of her. They banter back and forth a little bit, before MC switches the conversation.

MC: Since you've taken half of my soul…Even if the world turns its back on you, I'll always stand by your side. You're not even allowed to think about leaving me. Sylus: All right.

MC says they should make a pinky promise: To never betray each other.

In conclusion: FUCK DESTINY. FUCK THE STUPID CURSE. AND ALSO FUCK THAT CUNT THE SACRED JUDICATOR. I'm gonna go cry myself to sleep now. Good night 😔

[theodorenmyth]

Moderen au where the riddle brothers had shirts that say “if found idiot, return to us” and reader just having the “I’m the idiot” because they always get distracted in big crowds so mattheo thought him, reader and his brother could wear it going to a fair. Because y’know, fairs being a lot of people.

Fair Troubles

Pairings : Riddle Brothers x GN! Reader

Summary : Navigating the bustling chaos of a fair, you, Mattheo, and Tom Riddle wear shirts humorously indicating your tendency to get distracted. When you inevitably become separated in the crowd, panic sets in as you search for each other. Amidst the vibrant lights and lively sounds, you find solace in your friendship, as Mattheo and Tom tirelessly search and eventually reunite with you. Together, you create unforgettable memories, reminding you that no matter how lost you feel, you'll always find your way back with their support.

A/n : LMFAO I love this request so much!! Enjoy! (⁠・⁠∀⁠・⁠)

Warnings) : nothing

Word count : 1.3k+

The anticipation of the fair buzzed in the air as you, Mattheo, and Tom Riddle walked through the crowded streets. The vibrant lights, the mouth-watering smell of fair food, and the joyful shouts of children created a lively atmosphere that you couldn't help but get lost in.

Mattheo and Tom both wore shirts with bold text that read, "If found idiot, return to us," while you sported one that said, "I'm the idiot." It was Mattheo's idea, given your tendency to get distracted easily in big crowds.

"Alright, let's stick together, yeah?" Mattheo said, his hand gently resting on your shoulder.

"Yeah, I don't want to have to chase you down again," Tom added with a smirk, adjusting his shirt.

You rolled your eyes playfully. "I'm not that bad."

Tom raised an eyebrow. "Remember the time at the mall? Or at the zoo?"

"Okay, okay," you laughed, holding up your hands in surrender. "Point taken."

The three of you entered the fair, immediately enveloped by the cacophony of sounds and sights. Booths lined the walkways, offering games, food, and trinkets. A Ferris wheel loomed in the distance, its lights twinkling against the darkening sky.

"Let's start with some games," Mattheo suggested, leading the way to a ring toss booth.

You watched as he expertly aimed and tossed the rings, winning a small stuffed bear. "Here," he said, handing it to you with a smile. "For the idiot."

You grinned, hugging the bear. "Thanks, Matty."

Tom glanced around, his eyes scanning the crowd. "Let's try the dart booth next."

As you made your way over, you couldn't help but be distracted by a stand selling colorful cotton candy. "Ooh, look at that," you said, your eyes wide with excitement.

Mattheo chuckled. "You and your sweet tooth."

"Go ahead, we'll meet you at the dart booth," Tom said, giving you a gentle push in the direction of the cotton candy stand.

You nodded and made your way over, quickly buying a stick of the fluffy treat. As you turned to rejoin Mattheo and Tom, you were momentarily caught in the flow of the crowd, and when you looked up, they were nowhere to be seen.

Panic started to bubble up in your chest as you scanned the sea of faces. You knew this could happen, and yet, here you were, lost in the crowd.

"Okay, don't panic," you muttered to yourself, clutching the stuffed bear and cotton candy. "They'll find me. They always do."

You tried to retrace your steps, but the fair seemed to have grown more crowded, making it difficult to navigate. You spotted a bench near the Ferris wheel and decided to wait there, hoping Mattheo and Tom would spot you.

Minutes felt like hours as you sat there, your anxiety growing. You looked down at your shirt, feeling a mix of frustration and amusement. "I'm the idiot," you sighed. "Literally."

Meanwhile, Mattheo and Tom were frantically searching the fairgrounds. "Where could they have gone?" Tom asked, worry evident in his voice.

"Probably got distracted by something shiny," Mattheo replied, though his tone was laced with concern. "Let's check by the food stands again."

They retraced their steps, stopping by the cotton candy stand where you had last been seen. The vendor remembered you and pointed them in the direction you had gone. As they made their way through the crowd, they kept a sharp lookout, hoping to spot you amidst the throngs of people.

As they searched, you found yourself watching a group of kids playing a game, their laughter infectious. You couldn't help but smile, momentarily distracted from your anxiety. The sight reminded you of the times you, Mattheo, and Tom would hang out, the easy camaraderie and joy you shared.

Just as you were starting to worry again, you finally saw Mattheo and Tom making their way towards you. Relief washed over you, and you waved frantically to get their attention.

"There you are!" Mattheo exclaimed, rushing over to you. "We were worried sick!"

"Sorry," you mumbled, feeling a bit sheepish. "I got distracted by the cotton candy."

Tom sighed, though he couldn't help but smile. "Of course you did."

"Well, at least we found our idiot," Mattheo said, pulling you into a tight hug. "Let's stick together this time, okay?"

You nodded, feeling grateful to have them by your side. "Yeah, sticking together sounds like a good plan."

As you walked through the fair, hand in hand with Mattheo and Tom, you couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth and belonging. No matter how many times you got lost, you knew they'd always find you. And that was a comforting thought.

"Hey, look," Mattheo said, pointing to a booth with a giant stuffed dragon as the prize. "Think you can win that for us, Tom?"

Tom smirked, stepping up to the challenge. "Watch and learn."

You watched as Tom expertly aimed and threw the darts, hitting the targets with precision. The booth attendant handed him the giant stuffed dragon, which he promptly gave to you.

"Thanks, Tommy!" you said, hugging the dragon tightly.

"Anything for our favorite idiot," Tom replied with a wink.

"What's next?" Mattheo asked, scanning the fairgrounds.

"How about the Ferris wheel?" you suggested, looking up at the towering ride.

"Sounds good," Tom agreed. "Let's go."

As you made your way to the Ferris wheel, you marveled at the lights and sounds around you. The fair was a sensory overload, but you felt safe and secure with Mattheo and Tom by your side.

You all climbed into a Ferris wheel carriage, and as it began to rise, you gazed out at the fair below. The view was breathtaking, the sea of lights stretching out in all directions.

"This is amazing," you said, leaning against Mattheo.

"Yeah, it is," Mattheo replied, wrapping an arm around your shoulders.

Tom sat across from you, a small smile on his face. "It's nice to take a moment and just enjoy the view."

As the Ferris wheel continued its slow rotation, you felt a sense of peace settle over you. The chaotic energy of the fair seemed distant, replaced by the quiet intimacy of the moment.

"Thanks for finding me," you said softly, looking at Mattheo and Tom.

"Always," Mattheo replied, giving your shoulder a squeeze.

"You're stuck with us," Tom added, his smile widening.

As the Ferris wheel reached its peak, you took a deep breath, feeling grateful for the two people who meant the world to you. No matter how lost you felt, you knew Mattheo and Tom would always be there to guide you back.

As the ride descended, you felt a renewed sense of excitement for the rest of the evening. The fair was far from over, and you were determined to make the most of it.

"Let's get some more food," you suggested as you exited the Ferris wheel.

"Good idea," Mattheo agreed. "I'm starving."

You wandered through the fair, sampling various treats and laughing at the antics of the carnival performers. The night was filled with joy and laughter, each moment more memorable than the last.

By the time you left the fair, your arms were filled with stuffed animals and other prizes, and your heart was full of happiness. You might get distracted easily, but with Mattheo and Tom by your side, you knew you'd always find your way back.

"Let's do this again sometime," you said as you walked back to the car.

"Definitely," Mattheo agreed, giving your hand a squeeze.

"And next time, we'll make sure you don't get lost," Tom added with a chuckle.

You smiled, feeling content and loved. "Sounds like a plan."

As you drove home, you couldn't help but reflect on the night's events. The fair had been a whirlwind of excitement and fun, but the best part was knowing you had two amazing people who cared about you deeply. No matter how many times you got lost, you knew Mattheo and Tom would always find you and bring you back to where you belonged.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

So... twst anime—

I feel I should be much more excited than I actually am. Don't get me wrong- I am excited ( for Leona animated content ) to see how they'll handle some things- but apart from the worries you listed, I just... I know this sounds a little gatekeepy but an anime will mean more ppl will know and talk about the story and I fear that they won't go into the game/other content and thus have a limited opinion on characters/events and misunderstand them. Basically I fear that characters will be even more mischaracterized than they already ( sometimes ) are by the current fandom 😭 ( specially Leona- gunshots )

[Referencing this post!]

I feel like there's for sure been mixed reactions to the recent anime news. The general consensus is excitement, but occasionally I've also seen skepticism or worries that the anime won't be as good as the long period since the initial announcement would have had us believe. That's to be expected; we won't know the quality of the anime until we watch it ourselves.

Mmm, there's that age-old sentiment again 😅 The thought of, "More people will be exposed to Twst because of this; I'm worried they will misunderstand the story/characters." It always seems to make a comeback whenever a new major piece of Twst media is announced... It happened when the official EN localization was announced too. People were jumping to conclusions and worrying that the influx of "EN-only" folks and/or a sub-par localization would lead to newer fans not seeing the story and characters the same way as the JP side did. I'll repeat what I said back then (as I think the same logic applies), along with a few additional points/expansions, as are relevant:

As you've said, mischaracterization happens, even now. This is normal in fandom, and it doesn't necessarily make fandom a "bad" space. Variation in thought is a normal human thing in general and I don't think it should be discouraged. If everyone thought the exact same way, life would be boring and we would have a limited number of ideas circulating.

This thinking sort of presupposes that the Twst fandom is currently without issues (or has few of them) and that it is the growth of the fandom that will cause problems. From experience, I can tell you that fandoms always have their toxic pockets. Fandoms growing larger just exposes more of those pockets because, statistically speaking, with more bodies present, there's a higher chance something will come to light, be it a personal squabble, a cultural difference, actually serious allegations, etc. It's a natural part of a fandom's lifecycle.

How other people interpret the story/characters should have limited or no bearing whatsoever on your own enjoyment. It does not erase your own views on the story/characters either. If you find that your concerns about others are becoming overwhelming, I'd encourage you to take a step back and think about what in this fandom makes you happy.

I feel that the mentality I mentioned earlier stems from an "us versus them" mindset. We're viewing current Twsties as the "in" group and everyone else as the "out" group... when, really, I think it might be healthier to perceive the "out" group as potential Twsties. Like... instead of fearing them as strangers coming in to "taint" the fandom, let's try to think of them as "friends we haven't met yet". After all, these anime-first or anime-only Twsties could end up being your next buddy, someone cool you meet at an event, a Twst content creator you enjoy, etc. Try to reframe your thinking!

Lastly!! We have no idea how the anime will go. They might not make it solely the main story just because it’s a manga adaptation. The team might have weaved in vignettes/event stories or bonus content exclusive to the anime which helps flesh out the characters.

I think that about wraps up my thoughts. I hope that helps alleviate some of your concerns. Hang tight, keep an open mind, and pray that the L*ona content in the anime is good 🤡