#jinki au

[mymoodwriting]

5.2k, android!Key, yandere, possessive behavior, alcohol consumption, drug use, police investigation, missing persons case, manipulation, loss of time, amnesia, delusions, adrenaline, rash behavior, kidnapping, needles, sedation, invasive technology, smut, fingering, breast play, penetration, vibrators, aphrodisiac, over stimulation, memory play, brainwashing, mind control (@starillusion13)

“Please, come back soon.”

Your eyes shot open and you took in a shaky breath. As you composed yourself you recognized your surroundings to be your room and the lack of sunlight let you know it was still night time. You reached over to your phone on the nightstand, checking the time. You groaned as you realized your alarm would go off in a minute and decided to just get up. Oddly enough you felt well rested, but this vague uneasiness was present. A dream you just had lingered in the back of your mind, but it was nothing but a blur that was fading away. There was no point in dwelling on a dream so you got ready for work.

What you should have been focusing on was your current case, and that’s what stayed at the forefront of your mind as you made your commute to the precinct. For the last week you had been investigating the disappearance of some individuals of interest. Unfortunately hundreds of people were reported missing everyday, but law enforcement rarely cared about those. Many were homeless junkies who probably just move to another city, or were later found dead of an overdose somewhere. Others were just average people who probably left without telling their loved ones. Or got mixed up with the wrong type of people. At least that was always one of the answers given to those who made a missing persons report. 

It was extremely heartless, but most officers had murder cases and high-end robberies to investigate. Except for this situation. You had been given a missing persons case, well, multiple in fact. These people weren’t your average blue collar worker or someone society cared little for, but someone whose disappearance was concerning. From the stack of files on your desk you actually recognized a few names. These types of people don’t just go missing, and there haven’t been ransom calls either. It seemed clear that someone was targeting the wealthy class, but that was the only real connection among all the victims. Many of these people never really crossed paths with one other. They all had different backgrounds, professions, and social circles. The only place these people could possibly co-exist together was at big events like a charity auction or gala. Which does nothing to help identify a suspect. You had very little to go off of but your boss was certainly pressuring you to find something since those related to the missing individuals of the case were pressuring him. You could only imagine the type of threats and incentives he was receiving.

As you walked into the precinct you greeted your coworkers, although a few gave you strange looks. You ignored them all, wanting to look over your case and see if you had any new leads, or new names to add to it. When you got to your desk you saw that it was a complete mess, likely someone going through your things, and clearly some files were missing. You wouldn’t be surprised to find out one of your coworkers wanted to solve this before you to get a promotion or some kind of extra reward. Some of the others had wanted this case, but it was given to you regardless of what your coworkers said. This was just childish behavior. For now you focused on tidying up and then hunting down your missing files. You started by going over the case data on your computer and getting rid of unnecessary things. Although before you got to the second part of that plan one of your friends came over, rather surprised to see you.

“There you are. About time you came back to work, how was your vacation?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’ve been gone for two weeks. The boss said you suddenly asked for vacation time. He was super pissed but you were unreachable so he had to give your case to someone else. You’re gonna get an earful soon enough.”

“What vacation are you talking about? I was literally here yesterday and-”

You glanced down at your computer screen, finally noting the date displayed. It really was two weeks later, but those two weeks didn’t exist in your memory. You just went to bed last night and woke up in the future.

“Y/n! My office, now!”

“Looks like it’s time for that scolding. Good luck.”

Your friend scurried off and you made your way to the boss’ office. You shut the door behind you, feeling the heat in the air, he was certainly fuming.

“Sir, I-”

“I know you’re a hard worker y/n, which is why I gave you such a high profile case. So tell me why you ghosted me and took two weeks off! This case is time sensitive and extremely important! Do you have any idea what’s been going on!?”

“No. Not at all. I don’t remember what happened to me the last-”

“So you were out getting wasted?”

“No, I-”

“There are so many people with eyes on this case, important people. You think they were happy to find out the lead investigator went M.I.A and someone else had to start over with this!?”

“Sir, I’m also-”

“They want you dismissed.”

“What?”

“You abandoning such a case doesn’t sit well with anyone who was keeping up with it. They want you to turn in your badge and gun.”

“You’re joking, right? I have been missing for two weeks and you couldn’t care less! I never submitted a time off request and I have no memory of those two weeks!”

“What are you talking about? I have your request in the system, and I never even approved it!”

“Sir, please, just listen to me. You know me, I don’t drink, I don’t do drugs, but I’m missing time. When I woke up this morning I found out two weeks had passed, and I don’t know what’s going on. This could be related to the case.”

“How so?”

“Like you said, this is a high profile case, it’s not really a secret who’s working on it. I was out investigating last night, or two weeks ago, however you want to look at it. I was following a common route one of our victims was known to take. I was in an area filled with high profile people and then… then… everything’s a blur… I woke up this morning and that’s it.”

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m not entirely sure… maybe I was kidnapped and interrogated… either by the culprit or someone who wanted information on the case… then they wiped my memory and dropped me off at home…”

“Y/n, you know-”

“I know, I know, this is all speculation, but you know I’m telling the truth. I’m missing time, and surely my sudden disappearance disrupted the case. It’s probably what they wanted.”

“Y/n-”

“I can do a drug test. You know it’ll come back clean, and I can get a brain scan. Surely there would be some sort of evidence of my memories being messed with and-”

“Stop, y/n, just stop. Everything you’ve said so far sounds crazy, and nobody’s gonna care. Someone else has already taken the case, and you do need to be reprimanded for your actions.”

“I’m not crazy! Something happened to me and it could be crucial to the case!”

“You’re already off the case. Whatever you have, you need to hand over to detective Choi. Then we’ll see about a disciplinary hearing.”

“No!”

“No? This isn’t open for discussion.”

“I’m not crazy! Something happened to me and I went missing! But because I’m not some member of high society you all couldn’t care less!”

“You keep talking to me like that and there won’t be a disciplinary hearing!”

“I don’t need one! None of you seem to care about what happened here, so screw you! I quit!”

You slammed your gun and badge down, loudly storming out of the office. Everyone watched as you went to your desk and grabbed your things. Then your friend quickly came over to your side, stopping you.

“Woah, woah, hey,hey,  what happened!? Are you okay? I heard-”

“I’m done.”

“You don’t mean-”

“I do. I quit.”

“What!? Why!?”

“Cause no one listens to me.”

“About what? You just got back from your-”

“No, no I didn’t. I wasn’t on some two week getaway. I don’t remember anything from those last two weeks. The last thing I remember was investigating those disappearances and instead of concern I’m met with disappointment and disciplinary action. So screw everyone, I quit. I hope they find those missing rich kids.”

“Y/n, don’t you think this is rash? Look, just go apologize to the boss and-”

“Can you do me a favor?”

“What is it?”

“If I do go missing, add my case to the others. I’m sure there’ll be a connection.”

With that said you made your way out of the precinct, not looking back. The adrenaline of the moment kept you going until you made it back to your apartment. You screamed and threw your things once the door was closed, collapsing to the ground. Now you could look back and reflect on your actions, realizing how stupid and impulsive they were. You had no idea why you reacted that way. Everything that was said just pissed you off little by little until you snapped and quit. In the moment that felt so good, but now you were just so confused about your emotions and actions. It didn’t seem like you at all.

Once you calmed down you got up and went to shower, needing to clear your head and process. The sane thing to do was go back and apologize, but you couldn’t do that, at least not empty handed. You had to continue this investigation without any information or authority. Thankfully you still had some case files at your place along with your own notes to look over. Although you didn’t necessarily need them. You knew where you needed to go. Back to where your memories ended. You had to admit you were a bit nervous. The last time you went out you lost time, a lot of it. You didn’t know what happened to you, and you also had no idea why you returned. To go back now, there was a chance you wouldn’t return at all. Still, you needed answers, and this was your job, even if it was just a moral obligation now.

You cleaned around your apartment and organized all the information you had about the case, getting rid of anything that wasn’t important and leaving it in your spare room. It was starting to get late and you knew you had to get going. The area you had been to before was only alive when the sun went down. You grabbed your bag and headed out. There was a strange sense of familiarity as you walked the streets, passing the same places again and again, although it was strange remembering you had been here two weeks ago and not yesterday. Things felt different and the same all at once. You kept to yourself as you walked, mentally going over what you had done before, and then you stopped. Where you stood was as far as your memories went. You had no idea where you went next or what you did. So you were stuck. You looked around, trying to see if anything triggered a memory.

“If you’re looking for a good time, you can find it at the Pleasure Shop.”

A gentleman suddenly approached you and handed you a black card with a luxurious letter ‘P’ on it. You examined the card and looked at the gentleman, a strange sense of dejavu creeping into the back of your mind. There was something familiar about this whole interaction. The gentleman kept a smile on his face, gesturing to a building across the street. You looked over and when you looked back you were completely alone. The streets were empty and the night was quiet. Something told you to go to this Pleasure Shop, so you made your way there. The building was very dull, it didn’t stand out in any way and was probably constantly overlooked. Even the shop name above the door was small and blended with the plain wall. You looked for a handle but there wasn’t one. Instead there was a small scanner. It wasn’t big enough for a whole hand, and too small for a simple finger print, but you soon realized it was the perfect size for a business card, like the one you had just been given.

You placed the card against the scanner, hearing the machine do its thing before beeping twice. You could hear something unlock and then the door slid open. There was a dim light coming from the inside. It probably wasn’t a good idea to enter, but something compelled you to do so. You stepped through the door, cautious with every move you made. As you walked forward the door shut behind you. Before things got darker the place came to life. White lights came on, illuminating your surroundings and your path. On the other end of the room there was a bar and a bartender, as well as a small little couch and table off to the side. There was only one seat at the bar, which was certainly an odd choice. You took small steps forward and then came to a stop. The bartender was motionless, and now that you were closer you could see the wires and tech on them, they were an android, and not just that. They had the same face as the gentleman who had handed you the card for this place earlier. It was probably a business tactic but something certainly felt off here, along with a stronger sense of dejavu.

“Welcome back.”

The android suddenly speaking startled you, making you yell and take a step back. They still hadn’t moved though. Although those simple words made you question something.

“… back? Have I been here before?”

You got no response. It was likely the android was programmed to say that to all customers and it meant nothing but now you had to approach the bar if you wanted any more information. You did so quietly, and took the only seat available to you. The android merely took its hands off the table, letting them rest at their side, not a word spoken. You stared curiously for a moment then a realization came to mind. You held out the card you had been given and the android came to life.

They took the card and scanned it, their right eye glowing a soft blue. They placed the card down on their side of the bar and turned around to grab a glass from the wall behind them. You didn’t understand the design as there was no alcohol visible and all the glasses on the wall were empty. Still, you watched as the android placed an empty glass before you. Although it wasn’t empty for long. As they slid it across to you it seemed to magically fill from the bottom with a mercury colored liquid. Your eyes went wide, and then the memories came flooding in.

Two weeks ago you had been in the area looking around for leads when you had been approached by a gentleman offering you a card to the Pleasure Shop. It sounded like some club, and you figured it was a good place to go and ask about your missing persons. When you saw the building you definitely thought it was some high-end place that was meant to be on the down low. Especially when you realized the only way in was by scanning the card you had been given, meaning this place was invite only, definitely something the wealthy class would partake in. You went inside, finding a place with no business and feeling like you hit a dead end, but your detective side told you not everything was what it seemed. You walked to the bar, realizing the bartender was an android with a familiar face. Probably some marketing strategy and budget restraint. You took a seat, asking the bartender for a drink but they didn’t move, which you found odd. Then you thought to pull out the card and explain but the android soon came to life and took the card from you, scanning it. 

Now you were intrigued, moreso when you noticed the layout behind the bar. You were very confused about the empty glass handed to you until a liquid appeared on its own. You stared at it for a moment, looking at the bartender but they were motionless, not even looking your way. You figured you should at least enjoy the drink so you picked it up and held the glass to your lips. The drink had a lovely taste, and you had it all at once. Just as you put the glass down you began to feel dizzy. For a second you were worried and then a breathtaking euphoria took over all your senses. You felt so at ease, and so happy, all your worries completely washed away. You nearly fell out of your seat, but you vaguely noticed the bartender holding you up before taking you into their arms and carrying you elsewhere. In the moment you couldn’t put the pieces together, but you were absolutely on cloud nine. When you closed your eyes you found yourself somewhere completely different and beautiful, feeling as if you were living in a perfect world. There was no pain, or sadness, nothing but joy and endless wonder.

Time had no meaning, not that it mattered. You thought this could last forever, but eventually you laid down on the beautiful meadow. The soft grass becoming solid. You suddenly found it hard to move, your entire body feeling cold. The beautiful blue sky began to fade from your vision, replaced by a white light hanging above your head. You shook your head, reality starting to settle back in, and you were trying to properly snap out of this daze as soon as possible. You soon realized you were strapped down on a table, arms and legs restrained. You tried to free yourself to no avail. You took in your surroundings, noticing your things spread out on a table nearby, and some medical equipment around. This seemed to be some sort of lab. Then you heard a door open, seeing the android walk in with a tray.

“Who are you!? What do you think you’re doing!? Let me go!”

The android set the tray down on a cart nearby, bringing it over. You could see a needle and some tech but you had no idea what it was for. Either way, you were nervous.

“I am the keeper of exquisite beauty, but you may call me Key.”

“Who’s doing this!? Where is your owner!?”

“I move independently and follow my primary directive. May I ask, what is a detective such as yourself doing in the area? Law enforcement is rarely seen in these parts. Does it have to do with the missing persons case? Record shows you are the detective in charge.”

“I was investigating! This is kidnapping and obstruction of justice!”

“I’ve never had a detective here before, but I care more for your beauty than profession. You are an exquisite specimen indeed, although I understand your career can lead to problems.”

“Exactly! If you don’t let me right now you’ll have my entire precinct on you!”

“Which is why I have already taken care of such matters. No one will be looking for you for quite some time. That is enough for me to take care of matters pertaining to you.”

“… what?”

“I don’t usually let such a wonderful specimen leave my care but you are a special case. I must tie up loose ends and ensure you return to me.”

“… what are you talking about? What are you gonna do to me?”

“Nothing harmful. I take very good care of my things.”

“I’m not some thing! And I’m definitely not yours!”

Key grabbed the needle on the cart, filing it with some liquid before looking for a vein on your arm. You tried to struggle, but he seemed completely unbothered and managed to hold your arm still as he pushed the needle in. All you could do was watch the contents be emptied out into you.

“What is that!? What did you give me!?”

“A sedative.”

Key put the needle down, grabbing the other items off the tray. Now you could see what they were. It was similar in design to what he had, like a headset, but less complicated. He gently lifted your head and adjusted the device on you. It wrapped around the back of your head and stayed in place by hooking onto your ears, although a disc seemed to completely cover your left ear. You had kept up your struggles but now you had little to no strength. You heard this device on you come to life, feeling something slither into your left ear. You screamed and tried to shake it off you but Key grabbed your head holding you still. His right eye glowing once more.

“It is a momentary discomfort.”

You felt strange knowing something was crawling around the inside of your head, but you soon adjusted to the sensation, beginning to feel oddly calm. Perhaps the sedation was really taking hold.

“Good, now we may continue.”

Key’s hands moved down your body, and that’s when you realized you were in different clothes. It seemed to be a white hospital gown, although this one had buttons going down your right side. He began to undo them and open the gown, revealing your naked body. He took in the sight before him, seeming to enjoy the view as a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.

“Beautiful.”

You heard a click and then felt Key pushing your legs apart, having them hang off the side of the table. Now you were completely exposed to him. Key unlatched a part of the table and folded it down, allowing him better access to you. Soon enough you felt cold fingers running along your core, followed by a little shock to your clit. You jumped a bit, still held down by your restraints.

“An exquisite specimen indeed. My data shows this would be a first time for you, I am honored.”

“No… no I…”

“There’s no need to be shy. A profession like yours would not leave you with much time to socialize.”

You felt his fingers along your center once more, and then one effortlessly slid in, coated in some warm lube. It was a new sensation, especially when you felt his finger start vibrating. It was a low thrum but a pleasurable one nonetheless. His finger moved agonizingly slow, as if he was being delicate with you. Then a second finger was added, the same wonderful thrum sending ripples of joy across your body. With two fingers he managed to go deeper, finding your sweet spot and starting to tease that. One sensation was piled atop another and another. Despite being exposed, despite the coldness of the lab, you felt warm. A little bundle of heat forming down below, slowly growing and growing.

“I have something more for you.”

You barely registered Key’s words, more focused on the sudden empty feeling inside you. Although that didn’t last before you felt something bigger against your core. You glanced down just as you saw Key pushing in his cock. He was slow and attentive, not wanting to cause you pain. The stretch made you throw your head back in ecstasy, feeling something indescribable. This was your first, and he was so gentle. As he went in inch by inch, you began to feel a familiar thrum, letting out a desperate moan. You felt as if he would keep going forever, but eventually he came to a stop, letting you feel every bit of him and adjust before he started moving. Of course he had such patience to move slow and steady, nearly pulling out all the way before going right back in.

Vibrating fingers began to trail along your body, making you squirm and lightly pull on your restraints. You still didn’t have much strength to move, not that you’d want to get away from this. As his fingers reached your nipples you mewled, feeling the vibrations tickling something delicate inside you. He stayed there for a moment before one of his hands trailed up to your face, losing their vibration. He ran his thumb along your lips before pushing a finger into your mouth. A sweet taste coated it and you couldn’t help but suck on it like a lollipop. You were starting to feel dizzy as he swirled his finger around before pulling it out with a loud pop. That same finger trailed down your chest, leaving a cold trail of your saliva before getting down to your core and massaging your clit, that wonderful thrum returning.

By now Key was moving faster, the vibrations stronger. The heat was only getting bigger and bigger, meaning you were so close to the edge. Key was well aware of this, yet he unlocked the restraints on your arms and pulled you up closer to him. You could see his face through hazy vision, seeing that satisfied grin still present. He kept a steady rhythm regardless of his pace. That was the thing about sex androids. Their stamina was endless and if you let them, you’d be completely at their mercy. That’s exactly where you were, having completely forgotten just what kind of predicament you were in. By now your body lazily moved with his, wanting to get as much pleasure as you could. He kept an arm wrapped around your waist, the other down between your legs before moving it away and caressing your face.

“Cum.”

It was a command your body had no choice but to obey. You felt yourself fall over the edge, throwing your head back as your eyes rolled to the back of your head. Your entire body shook in his grasp, squeezing him tightly as he kept moving and the vibrations continued to shake your sensitive self. Not to mention the other sensations. You swear your vision went white, but it wasn’t for a moment. All the right things were firing off, overwhelming you with this euphoric feeling, but there was no coming down from it. The same sensation kept playing in your body over and over again for a good minute, as if you were going through one orgasm after another and another. It was a feedback loop of pleasure that left you with your mouth hanging open and drool dripping down onto your chest.

The feeling did eventually settle down and you found yourself resting your head against Key’s chest, breathing heavily and very overstimulated. He had stopped his movements, everything still, but he remained inside you. As you were coming down from your high Key grabbed your chin and lifted your head to meet his gaze. You couldn’t see clearly but a stupid smile decorated your lips. Now that you were getting back to yourself you began to remember the circumstances that brought you here. You tried to move away, but your strength wasn’t there, and the smallest move just sent tingles along your body, hitting you with just a fraction of what you had just experienced. It was hard to do anything, and once Key noticed you regaining your senses you felt a subtle thrumming between your legs. A shaky moan escaped you, still very sensitive after that experience. Yet, you had some sense of self.

“Wat… what are you… doing…?”

“Providing pleasure. You see when humans achieve orgasm, for that small little moment the mind is blank. No worries, no pain, just pleasure. The little device on your head is monitoring your brain waves with the intention of learning how to mimic that blissful state of mind. It managed to do so a moment ago. That seemingly endless orgasm as it kept those particular neurons in your brain firing. Of course it takes a bit to perfect, but we have plenty of time.”

“… you… you did this… to others… didn’t you…”

“My beautiful specimens need to be taken care of. My drinks are nothing compared to the bliss of a blank mind.”

“… why… how… how are you…”

“Like I said before, I’m the keeper of exquisite beauty. I don’t care for status.”

“… that means… others…”

“When I see a wonderful specimen I will have them. Although, when it comes to you, I need to do more. You have valuable information, and there’s something I need you to do for me.”

“… what…?”

You didn’t get a response as Key pressed his lips to yours. That sweet taste from before hitting your tongue and making your mind fuzzy. You were in too deep, and Key wasn’t going to let you get away.

You yelled and jumped out of your seat, stepping away from the bar. You were breathing heavily as the memories settled in, showing you the truth. You couldn’t believe it, you didn’t want to believe it, but every ounce of your being was telling this was real. This whole time Key had merely been watching you, silently. You knew you needed to leave this place, you needed to leave this place now.

“Sit.”

Key’s voice startled you out of your own thoughts. His eye was glowing again, and something inside you seemed to calm down. After a moment your body moved on its own, going back over to the bar and sitting down. You were terrified. Even if you remembered being in this place, remembered what Key had done to you, there were still gaps in your memory.

“Did you do as I asked?”

“… yes…”

Your lips moved on their own, and you had no idea what he was asking about, but you knew what the correct answer was.

“You quit your job?”

“Yes.” Your eyes went wide. “How-”

“And destroyed all the vital data from your case?”

“Yes.” You were starting to panic. “What does this-”

“No one will be able to track you here, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Good girl.” Key pushed the drink closer to you. “Drink.”

Your mind was racing, yet your hand moved to grab the glass, lifting it off the table. You fought against your body, the adrenaline in your system filing you with panic.

“You… you… your responsible for all the missing-”

“They’re in good hands. As are you, now drink.”

You couldn’t stop yourself from placing the glass against your lips and tilting it up, opening your mouth to welcome the sweet liquid. As soon as the glass hit the table you felt dizzy, trying to fight against this feeling, but it was all too familiar, and comforting, and so wonderfully rewarding. A smile spread across your lips before you collapsed onto the bar table. Entering a blissful dream you wouldn’t wake up from again. Key watched on with a smile on his face. Another exquisite beauty for his collection.

[vodika-vibes]

So, while I was sick, I watched (almost) all of the scooby doo cartoons. I skipped Scooby and Scrappy because Scrappy annoys me.

I also skipped Mystery Incorporated because I've seen it recently.

Anyway, it never fails to amuse me that people tag Fred as thr jock, when Shaggy shows more athleticism in the original than Fred does.

[dlstmxkakwldrlarchive]

240628 ONEW Fromm Chat Update

Jinki said he's going to practice and that he liked today's sky. He also said that everyone should look up to the sky when they can to feel better! He talked briefly about this barista and how he'll keep cheering for him even though they won't see each other anymore since he's going to work somewhere else, Jinki said he'll miss him but he's still happy because the barista he's going to a nice place! Also, he said they used to greet each other every day

He also hinted at possible announcements for today

[rwac96]

Fandom: Scooby Doo, Johnny Bravo

AU: Crossover AU

Character(s): Johnny Bravo, Velma Dinkley

Summary: Velma been thinking long and hard about her relationship with Johnny. Namely, he never proposed to her yet. To fixed that problem, she decided to make him married her instead!

Theme: Comedy, Crossover Ship, Marriage

Meme: Marry Me Damnit, Knock Out Meme

Velma: Johnny, we need to talk.

Johnny: *doing push ups* Yeah, Velms!

Velma: *clears her throat* Marry me.

Johnny: *stops mid push up* Marriage?

Velma: *exhales* Yes! We've been dating for a long time and you haven't proposed to me!

Johnny: *blinks behind his shades* Um, we're livin' together. Does that count as married?

*Velma takes another deep breath, punches her boy friend and knocks him down to the floor*

[softieming]

Always - Minho ♡

Note: This has been sitting on my drafts for so long already. Finally published it! Hehe. Sorry for any typos and grammatical errors. Just a TW that this will be sad hehe~

-

It was supposed to be a normal day, you went to your usual coffee shop about to order your favorite drink. Until you heard the barista call his name. “One tall americano for Minho” the barista called. You slowly turned, you couldn’t believe your eyes. It was him. It was really him. You met his eyes. He suddenly stopped on his tracks, you stared at each other, no one dared to say a word nor to move. Until the baristas interrupted you, “one tall americano for mr minho/what’s your order maam?” “Oh,” you snapped back to reality, “I-uh, one strawberry frappuccino please.” You walked towards the pick up area and he was still there, standing. “Hi” he greeted with a small smile which you returned. He stared at you for a few seconds before he finally came up to something to ask, “h-hi. I uh, how have you been?” “Good. I’m good. You?” You asked back. “I’m good too.” He flashed you a smile again, your most favorite smile in the world. “One strawberry frappuccino beverage for y/n” the barista called for you and you went to get your drink. “You still haven’t changed.” Minho said with a smile. “Hmm?” “Oh, I mean you still love that drink.” He said. “Oh. Yeah, I guess.” You smiled a little and sat on an empty seat. “Uh, may I?” He asked before sharing a table with you. “Oh, yeah. Go ahead.” You politely said. He gladly took a seat in front of you, “I can’t believe I’ll see you here.” “Yeah me too. It’s been two years.” You reminisced. You heard him sigh, “two years.” You did a little catch up until it’s time for you to go home. “Oh shoot. I have to go home now.” You gathered your things, “it was nice seeing you!” You smiled and started walking towards the door. “Wait up!” Minho caught up to you, “I’ll walk you home.” “No need, my house is just a few blocks away from here, I can manage.” You chuckled. “Please, let me.” You paused before slowly nodding, “okay” “Okay!” He smiled and you exit the coffee shop together. You were walking peacefully with ming when the rain suddenly started pouring. “Oh!” You both exclaimed. Ming covered your head with his jacket and you both ran to your house. Luckily, you were almost in your house when the rain started to pour. You told minho to stay for a while because of the bad weather, “I’ll get you a towel.” “You got a nice apartment.” Minho said as he shut the door behind him. “Thanks!” You said while getting him a clean towel, “here” “Thank you.” “You want anything to drink?” “No, I’m okay.” He politely declined. “Is— is this your boyfriend?” He picked up a picture frame from your center table. “Oh, no. That’s taemin. He’s a good friend of mine since I moved here. He demanded for me to display that picture of us there.” You rolled your eyes. “He looks nice.” Ming stated. “Yeah, he is.” You agreed. “H-how about you? Any girlfriend?” You hesitantly asked. He paused before answering, “y-yeah. We’re engaged actually.” “O-oh. That’s... I mean, good for you.” You faked a smile. “y/n” he moved closer to you before slowly kissing you. You were hesitant but you didn’t hold back. You missed him. You miss him. The kiss deepened. you longed for each other for 2 long years, you both know how much you’ve missed each other. The Next thing you knew, you were already in your room, doing god-knows-what. You were aware that it was all wrong. But you were willing to take the risk. - Minho pulled the covers up to your shoulders and hugged you, “did you know how much i miss you?” He asked and you just smiled and hugged him tighter. He tucked your hair behind your ear, “i missed everything and every inch of you.” He caressed your face and stared at your eyes, “your eyes, your nose, your lips, your smile, everything.” “Do you still love me?” You asked. “I did. I do. And I will always do.” He said as he pecked your lips. “How about you?” He asked back. You sadly smiled, “always.” He kissed your forehead and hugged you tighter. Soon, you both fell asleep. - You were preparing breakfast when you felt a pair or arms hugged you from behind. You giggled, “good morning” “Good morning” he said and kissed your cheek. “Eat up.” You gave him your homemade sandwich which he really loved, and filled up his cup with coffee. “I missed this!” He said and started eating happily. You watched him eat and smiled at yourself. But you were worried. You didn’t know what will happen after this. His phone started ringing, and of course it’s his girlfriend— his fiancée rather. You looked down and avoided ming’s eyes. That’s when it hit you. Everything felt right but still, it was all wrong. Minho turned off his phone, “love,” he reached out for your hand. You looked up to him with a smile but your eyes were already filled with tears. “No” he immediately wiped your tears. “Ming,” you held both of his hands, “go to her.” You said with a sad smile. “No.” He replied. You stood up and pulled him gently to stand up, “we have to do the right thing.” “No.” He pulled you into a hug. “I want to be with you.” He cried. You broke the hug, “minho, what we did last night was wrong. Everything. They were all wrong.” “What we did last night was all out of love. How is that a crime? I have never and I will never make love with anyone if it’s not with you. So how is it wrong?” “Ming... please. Just go. You’re about to get married.” You sternly said. “No. Please...” he kneeled in front of you and cried, “i can’t let you go this time.” You wiped his tears and pulled him up, “if you really love me, you’ll listen to me.” You stared into his sad eyes, “you have to go to her. Maybe... maybe we’re just not meant to be... or who knows, maybe in the future we’ll be together again...” you gave him a smile, “but for now.. ming, this is just not the right time for us.” You backed away from him and smiled, “go now. I’ll be fine. You’ll be fine.” He didn’t move, he just sadly stared at you, “go, ming. Please. I’m begging you.” He sighed heavily and unwillingly walked to the front door, “i love you, y/n. Always.” He reminded you before finally walking away. “Always.” You whispered.

-

Requests are open. // check MASTERLIST for more. Please do not repost without my permission. Thank you ♡  

[spencer-ia]

my peerless paramour ᴬᵁ (spencer & jinki)

Looking up at Jinki as he got down from his carriage, Spencer nodded in thanks to the servant who assisted him. Honestly, if someone told the young earl months ago that he would be competing for his childhood friend’s hand, he probably would’ve sputtered and spouted something about how ‘he didn’t like the duke like that.’ 

Climbing up the stairs to the manor that reminded him of his own back home, Spencer greeted Jinki’s parents with a formal bow before flashing them a smile and giving them each a hug. They’ve known him since he was a child, after all, chasing after dragonflies and pestering their son to take him out to their gardens so they can play.

Once that was over, Spencer eventually came face to face with Jinki as the other’s parents eventually left them alone and the servants busied themselves with moving his luggage from the carriage to his designated room. “Good afternoon, your grace.” His words were accompanied with a bow, and the sincerity in the action contrasted with the teasing smirk on the earl’s face.

“Bet you thought I was throwing you to the wolves when I didn’t respond to your last letter, didn’t you? But really Jinki? A tournament of sorts with your hand as the prize?” Rolling his eyes, Spencer successfully ignored the fact that he had vowed to win despite all costs. He just.. didn’t want Jinki to marry a stranger, is all. If he concentrated hard enough, he can even convince himself that this was all there is to it. “How many people are your parents considering anyways?”

@jinki-ia

[jinkisbelly]

A Simple Request 14/?

Pairing: Jongyu

Rating: M overall, mostly pg this part

w/c: 2.7k

Other parts and posts about this story, here [x]   Ao3  AFF

Summary: The Fae King is under a lot of pressure to conceive an heir, while given a deadline by the Council he turns to his personal guard and best friend to help him with it  

Warnings: Future mpreg

          There, just between the spiraling trees and flourishing undergrowth of the Elder Tree Forest, was Saferus. He was curled up as close to the border as he could be, the early morning sun making his darker scales a bit lighter, reminding Jinki of the way the sunlight looked filtering through the tree canopy. It was still early morning, the sun not yet at the highest point in the sky above them, and the air was still a bit chilly because of it. Saferus lifted his large head, and Jinki felt like he was coming home almost when he heard his voice rumble in his mind, and felt how close his dragon was. ‘Hello, Little One.’  

             ‘Hello, Saferus.’ While they had talked a lot in their time apart, the bond didn’t feel taunt and stretched to its limits, and the throbbing in his skull stopped.

         A hand fell against his thigh and he whipped his head over to find Jonghyun looking at him with warm eyes, a little smile curled on his lips. The man looked so much better than he had on the journey into the Elven lands. His hand was still placed on his thigh as he gestured with his head toward Saferus. “Go on, Jinki. It’s alright.”

         He chewed on his bottom lip for just a moment. His place was right beside Jonghyun for this entire journey, but he couldn’t ignore how much he wanted to go to Saferus as quickly as possible. Jonghyun gestured with his head once again, smile widening, and Jinki gave in, kicking the side of his horse to cross the distance quicker. Soon he was pulling the horse to a stop and slipping from the saddle, gently thudding against Saferus’ snout and a bit up his head, hands flat on either side of his head and nuzzling his cheek against him. His scales were a bit cool to the touch but still soft, ‘I missed you.’

             ‘And I you. I am pleased to see you and your king return safely.’ All he wanted to do then, was climb into his saddle and fly, feel Saferus underneath him and the wind in his hair, the sun on his skin in a way being on the ground never managed to feel like, but he couldn’t. He pressed his forehead against Saferus and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to center himself completely. He laughed as his dragon lifted his head, having to hold on a bit tighter when his feet moved from the ground. Saferus didn’t lift him very high, just a few feet, before placing him back on the ground.  ‘We are being watched, Little One.’  

         Slowly he rose, but his hands were still on Saferus even as he turned his gaze to his right. Just on the fairy-elven border was their small traveling party. The elves had already turned back and were heading further into Elven lands. Jinki’s eyes found Jonghyun though, warm and golden in the sunlight now that there weren’t any trees to cast shadows over him. Jonghyun had dismounted from his horse, arms swinging just a bit as he walked up to them.

         “Hello, Saferus.” Jonghyun placed his hand softly beside Jinki’s, fingers spread just a little. Saferus rumbled in response, causing a huge grin on the man’s face when the dragon ever so gently pushed his snout against his palm. “You’d like to fly, wouldn’t you?”

         Jinki blinked, “How could you possibly know that?”

         “I know you.” Jonghyun nudged him with an elbow, smiling, “Let’s go.”

         What? He cleared his throat, “What?”

         Jonghyun laughed, so pretty and soft, as his wings slowly appeared bright and golden behind him. “Until we reach Faera I have to be with you. You cannot fly without me, and you desire to fly, let’s go.”

         Jonghyun easily fluttered from the ground and a moment later landed softly on the back of the saddle still attached to Saferus’ neck. “You coming?”

             ‘You heard him, Little One.”  

         Jinki sighed quietly, but he couldn’t hold back his grin as he climbed up Saferus to settle in front of Jonghyun. He made sure the man was close enough and holding him tightly after handing him his cloak. “It’ll be cold up there.”

         “Thank you.”

         He held the saddle before him with one hand and rested the other against Jonghyun’s still on his stomach. Before they took off he shook his head and looked over his shoulder at the way the man had his cheek pressed upon his upper back with his eyes closed. “No, thank you.”

         Before long the few remaining members of their travel party were small specks along the dark green of the grass, and then they couldn’t be seen at all. To him at that moment, all there was, was the blue of the sky, the white clouds, Saferus underneath him, and the warmth of Jonghyun pressed along his back. He felt.. At peace almost.

                                                                 —---

         Returning to Faera, there was a comfort to it once their duties began again. Jinki taught healing classes at the Temple twice a week during the time slot Jonghyun spent replying to letters and missives. They still tried to conceive almost every night, Jinki curling up into his back once they were done and falling asleep until early morning when he’d slip off to the Temple for morning duties. It was easy to fall into the routine of things once again, the pain and events of their trip soon forgotten with each passing day. Soon the Harvest Festival would be upon them, a week-long celebration of the successful harvest full of food and drink, and music swirling in the streets. They prayed to the Gods for a safe trip through winter and for their harvest to last them well into Spring.

         It was one of Jonghyun’s favorite times of the year. The way the leaves shifted from shades of green to orange and red, sometimes yellow, falling from the branches and fluttering to the ground. The sweet smells of cinnamon and nutmeg from stands along the street, roasting different nuts over an open fire, and the lowered temperatures allowed for extra layers. As a child, his sister had teased him immensely about being so connected to light and warmth, and hating the summer with a passion. There was just something about the way summer changed to autumn, and autumn to winter with the snow falling across the city like a white crystal blanket, that was comforting to him.

         He gazed out of the large, open windows, and grinned when all of the stands already up in the courtyards surrounding the castle came into view. By the end of the week, the festival would be in full swing, with stands and food for as far as he could see on each horizon. He leaned against the wall just on the side of the large windows and looked over at his advisors currently bickering in the middle of the room, all of them in various positions around the large round table. Jinki was due to return soon from a complicated healing case from the Temple that he had been called for and in his place was Minho. The Guard Captain stood at rest a few steps away, showing just how he felt about the advisors with an annoyed expression on his face. “Your Majesty, are they always like this?”

         Jonghyun snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, “Most of the time, yes. The only thing they usually agree on is my need to procreate.”

         Minho grimaced, shifting a bit before settling once more. “What are they arguing about now, exactly?”

         “During my Father and Grandfather’s time on the throne, the Harvest Festival was kicked off with a grand ball. Then the war happened and I didn’t see the purpose of how expensive the party would be. We were rebuilding, trying to make things better and whole again. It was a waste of money, especially when only certain people from the United Kingdoms were ever invited.” When he had announced that the first year after the treaty was signed there wouldn’t be a Harvest Ball, the outrage had drowned out the support of his decision. “They’re arguing over bringing it back this year.”

         “You’re not really listening to them though, Your Majesty.”

         Jonghyun flashed a little grin, “Correct.”

         Minho let out a chuckle, turning away from the advisors to gaze out the window. “I see, Sire.”  

         After a few moments, Jonghyun quietly asked. “Do you have plans for the festival?”

         “I am in charge of the security for most of it, Your Majesty. There won’t be much time for personal plans.” Jonghyun frowned. He had hoped that the man would have a few days off during the festival to properly enjoy it. Minho’s gaze lowered, hands held behind his back when he continued, “I had hoped to see someone rather important to me during the festivities, but I don’t believe they’ll be in the city.”

         “I’m sorry to hear that.” The other voices in the room slowly died down and Jonghyun took a deep breath before turning back to them. All of the advisors were looking at him, all in their seats even if the ones closest had to twist to see him. He let his arms fall to his sides, stepping down the dew steps away from the windows, and tried to keep his voice clear. “The ball will not be returning. That is my final say on the matter. If that’s all, this meeting is dismissed.”

         “But Your Majesty, you must-”

         Jonghyun raised his eyebrow, “I must what?”

         The older man swallowed thickly. “I just mean to convince you that the ball would be a good idea. It’s good for your public image.”

         “The Harvest Ball was only ever good for the image of the elite. The festival is for us all, every one of us. I stand by my decision.” Out of the eleven advisors, five were from when his Father was King, including his head advisor, Chanhyuk Choi who didn’t even think to hide how upset he was. Jonghyun knew for years the man disapproved of many of the things he had changed from the way his Father had ruled and hadn’t thought he was ready to take the throne when he had. Jonghyun cleared his throat and waited for everyone to look at him, but he kept his eyes on Chanhyuk. “If you wish to drink yourself silly surrounded by beautiful beings in nice clothes, there are plenty of upscale brothels in the city. We won’t use tax money for our own entertainment. Have a good day, everyone.”

         Minho leaned in closer, facing away from the table to softly ask, “Where to, Your Majesty?”

         “The library. The Keeper will meet us there.”

                                                       —----

           Once the soiled linen had been pulled from his body, Jinki scrubbed at the dried blood on his cheek. It wasn’t often anymore he was called in for such a severe injury, but there was a thrill that came with a high-stakes healing session. The poor man had gotten into an awful fishing accident out in the cove while teaching their son how to use the harpoon. He would live, but Jinki hadn’t gotten to him in time to save his hand. Once the man awoke from his trance and his temperature signaled he was out of the proverbial woods from infection, Jinki would speak to him about a possible prosthetic. Craving each prosthetic from wood was difficult and very time-consuming, but he had put so much time into developing the methodology and perfecting it. It had been his final assignment, the one that showed he had mastered all Wixu could teach him and signaled he was ready to become Keeper.

           He tossed the cloth into the hazardous textile bin to be taken care of by one of the apprentice healers once he was done, flashed a smile at the attending Master Healer Sooyoung, and slipped out of the doors. Jonghyun should be out of his advisors' meeting if those old relics managed to stop talking for once, and they had agreed to meet in the library if Jinki finished before dinner. The quickest way to the castle was through Saferus, but the courtyards and streets around that were large enough for him to land were full of stalls and other things for the festival. He didn’t mind the walk, even if it could take a bit of time, but Jonghyun was safe and well looked after. Without any real pressing engagements to arrive at, a nice walk through the city felt like a good decision. Maybe the bakery off of the main street had those apple doughnuts Jonghyun adored. After the probable travesty of an advisor's meeting, he deserved something sweet.

           Just as he was making his way down the center staircase that led to the surgery and recovery rooms, he heard his title. There at the base of the stairs was Kibum, finely pressed elven silk tunic and dark hair twisted away from his face. “Do you have time, Keeper?”

           “I could make some, Councilor.” He came to a stop just before the man. He was slightly taller, but he had always been even as a child. Much had changed since then and even after so long it still hurt to be reminded of the many casualties his decisions caused. Shaking off that thought process, he smiled, “What seems to be the problem?”

           “I wouldn’t have bothered you with this if I didn’t need to,” With his left hand he reached over and pulled back the long sleeve of his tunic to reveal the wood of his prosthetic. It had weathered a bit over time, as was normal, even if it was evident Kibum had tried his very best to take care of it. “Something is wrong with the connection between my stump and the wood of the prosthetic. Every time I try to move or articulate the fingers there are excruciating pains.”

         “May I?” Once Kibum nodded, Jinki stepped closer and lifted his hands to touch either side of the connection between flesh and wood. He closed his eyes, feeling up and down the smooth wood as he sent his magic through the grains until finally he found the source of the problem. Jinki withdrew from Kibum’s space then, frowning just a bit. “There are many individual connections that go into your control of the prosthetic, eventually connected through the fibers of the wood all the way down the arm. It’s all woven together like a big web of energy. There’s damage to where those energy fibers are connecting and it’s causing harmful feedback because of it.”

         “Can you fix it?” Kibum tugged his arm close, his left-hand curling around the underside of it.

           “I could try to repair the damage to the prosthetic, but I think it’s more wear and tear than anything else. You’ve had this since just after the war ended, right?” Once Kibum nodded, Jinki gave a little smile. “I should still have the plans in my records, but I can come by at your earliest convenience to discuss a new one. If that’s alright with you.”

         “Between the two of us, Keeper, I think we can agree you are the busier of us.” The smile Kibum gave him reminded Jinki of so many he received as childhood friends. “What should I do in the meantime?”

         “If the pain is as terrible as you’ve described I can give you a tonic to help alleviate it if you still wish to use the prosthetic in the meantime. Or,” Gently, Jinki ran his fingers along the wood again before holding them just at the connection sight, “You can remove it until I’ve carved you a new one.”

           “Could you send the tonic to my lodgings?”

           “You’ll receive it tomorrow morning.”

           Kibum gave a little nod, arm still held tightly to his chest when he turned away. He stopped after a few steps and flashed a smile and bowed his head. “Thank you, Keeper.”

           “It’s a pleasure, Councilor.” Jinki stood there long enough to watch Kibum’s retreating form disappear, an ache in his chest over the formality of their once familiar relationship, before beginning to move toward his own destination. As he stepped outside of the large, round front doors of the Temple he noticed how low the sun was in the sky and cursed quietly. He’d have to go quickly if he was going to make it to that bakery before it closed for the day.

 —--

[piratefalls]

surprise! bet you thought you'd seen the last of me! life is not less busy, i'm recovering from being sick, and the words are still not coming, but i did manage to work something out for psych au. anyway, in this longer than usual snip (to make up for the absence, obvs). they're running from bad guys, hiding in a thrift shop, and looking for disguises in the dark. tags and more fic under the cut!

Henry reaches for the first thing he sees which is, unfortunately, a truly horrendous orange turtleneck. Normally he wouldn't have given it a second glance - it truly is atrocious - but beggars can't be choosers when mob enforcers are chasing you and you're stripped down to your boxers. The fabric has just enough give that he's confident it will fit, so he pulls it off the rack and over his head and starts to pull it down over his chest. Only it keeps going down. And down. And down. It's mid-thigh when he hears Alex approach. "Jinkies." It's, well. It's close enough that Henry understands the impulse to make the reference, even if he's not in a position to appreciate it. "How many times must I remind you that I carry a gun and know how to use it?" "And how many times must I remind you that that's an empty threat? You hate filling out the paperwork for discharging your weapon more than you dislike my witty rejoinders."

And, well...Alex kind of has him there. Alex, who is dressed in perfectly acceptable jeans and a t-shirt. The fact that Alex had managed to sniff out the very few pieces of menswear in that place, in the dark no less, is equal parts awe inspiring and absolutely fucking infuriating. "Okay, so now that you're successfully disguised, we should head out before they catch up." Henry sighs but follows him to the back door to the alley anyway. "You know, we wouldn't even be in this situation if you hadn't mouthed off to the wrong people. Again." Alex snorts as he peeks around the door, checking in both directions. "You really need to start managing your expectations." After one last glance, he waves for Henry to follow him. "It's clear." And Henry...hesitates. It hadn't hit him until this moment that he'd actually have to go outside dressed like this. There's no reasonable explanation for this outfit. It's not Halloween, there's no themed party. They're in the business district. Is he ashamed to wear a dress? No. But he is a little put off by the fact that his shoes don't pair well. "I am wearing a dress, Alex." "I did notice that, yes, and Pez would be very proud if he could see you right now. So, like, sissy that walk or whatever and let's go."

thanks to the people who've tagged me the last few weeks! @blueeyedgrlwrites @indestructibleheart @taste-thewaste @firenati0n @iboatedhere

@jmagnabo92 @priincebutt @stellarm @alasse9 @hgejfmw-hgejhsf

@ninzied @onthewaytosomewhere @kiwiana-writes @myheartalivewrites @sophie1973

and now i'm tagging @forever-fixating @nocoastposts @jellibuns @duchessdepolignaca03 + an open tag!

[ideaofheaven]

— LESS SUGAR (onew x reader)

Synopsis: A playful first impression with a certain shining idol in your own coffee shop takes your life into an interesting turn. A merge of two worlds, you never expect Jinki to provide you company and comfort. But he does, all the while ordering lattes and pastries.

Pairing: Lee Jinki x fem!reader

Genre: coffee shop!au, idol!Jinki, fluff (like, lots of fluff), piniiiing, angst, smut

Word count: 17376 words (lmao its a SLOW burn)

Warnings: sakura jinki!! (Yeah it’s a warning), mentions of diet, implied depressive episodes, heavy make out, vaginal fingering, Jinki big dick agenda, domsub undertones, penetrative sex, unprotected sex, cream pie (careful folks), minors dni!

AN: Happy 525 everyone! What other perfect timing to celebrate my love for SHINee’s leader. But actually, I wrote this one almost 2 years ago now?? And I thought yeah no way this will stay in drafts forever. I just need a sweet fic for dearest Jinki, you know? Please enjoy!

+++

You empty a box of newly arrived goods. After a few considerations, maybe you should’ve arranged the displays at night when you have more time instead of in the mornings before you open the store. But they look fine as it is; the coffee grounds are lined up neatly, and the rustic decors compliment them well. Deciding the shop is all ready, you check the time. It’s only a few minutes before 7 o’clock, so you flip the wooden sign from ‘close’ to ‘open’.

Almost a year has passed since you opened your own cafe. The journey wasn’t a walk in the park. From the loans, experimenting in your apartment kitchen, and the amount of time and energy spent gathering the resources. But you made it, now owning a small cafe that can house up to fifteen customers. Often perceived as a friendly person, you managed to gather a handful of regulars.

The bell chimes, and you turn to see your regular coming in through the door. “Good morning, Eunmi!” You chirp, before noticing her gloomy visage. “You look particularly bright today. The usual?”

The regular, Eunmi, is a working woman who lives nearby with her husband. She sighs before nodding. "I only slept for a couple of hours.” She drags herself to the counter. “Do you remember that co-worker I told you about?”

She rambles on, complaining about this and that while you tinker with your coffee machine. Occasionally you laugh, but you mostly take your time to listen. Eunmi is the one who requested you to open the store earlier. Not having any problem with mornings, you happily oblige. Ever since, with a raging need for someone to vent to and a caffeine boost, she visits daily.

“You should take a day off,” you advise while finishing off the beverage. You grab the paper cup carefully, gesturing to Eunmi who’s still sitting down. “One almond caffe mocha to go.”

“I’ll think about it,” she murmurs tiredly as she gets up, dragging herself to her coffee. “I’m off, then. Thanks for the drink!”

With a wave, she leaves the cafe. There goes your early morning regular. You go back to your favorite pastime, rearranging the items on your shelf. You are contemplating putting the house blend on the front counter to replace the Vietnamese Arabica when the door chimes. Delighted, you shout, “Welcome!”

A man walks in hesitantly. At that moment, you can't possibly recognize him. He wears a mask and a baseball hat. The hoodie and the dark jeans make him appear like one of the people from your neighborhood. 

What you notice is that he’s a new customer, and his eyes are... pretty.

You push the last thought aside and switch to your customer service mode. “Here’s the menu,” you gush, your voice sounding too pitchy to your ears. The man blinks at you before his gaze falls on the printed paper.

Your mind betrays you and chooses to zone in on the man before you. He’s tall. His dark brown hair stops above the nape of his neck with soft strands of fringe framing his defined heart-shaped face. Though it's hidden by the mask, you can see his high cheekbones. Despite that, you can’t help but focus on his hooded soft brown eyes.  From your place behind the counter, you’ve seen many attractive people. You noticed their neat makeup, their perfectly curled hair, their luscious lips, or the way they dress. Being attracted to someone’s eyes seems incredulous. But even his eyebrows look nicely groomed.

He lifts his gaze which inevitably meets yours. Your stomach lurches in embarrassment and you stupidly let out an “oh” before putting your best smile. Please don’t notice. “What would you like to order?”

If he notices, he doesn’t show any sign. “Can I have a brown sugar latte to go?” 

His voice sounds like the drink itself; warm, sweet, and syrupy. You perk up. “Great choice. Will that be all?” The man tilts his head, humming. Cute.

“Make it with an extra shot of espresso.” You’re already grabbing the pack of grounds when you respond with good humor, “Tough day ahead?” At that, he chuckles, low and bright at the same time. Warm and syrupy indeed. “Everyday is a tough day at work.”

You laugh, but perhaps the curiosity in your expression is too obvious, because the mysterious customer’s eyes crinkle with amusement. 

“It's tough work, but I love my job,” he says in what you perceive as teasing. 

“Sure, sure,” you snicker, now pouring measured liquid brown sugar into the paper cup. You’re confident in your coffee-making skills, and you can’t wait to hear his reaction. Maybe he can join your not-so-long list of regulars.

“Brown sugar latte with double shot.” You give him the paper cup. “Enjoy!”

Another eye crinkle smile grazes his covered face. With a closer look, there’s a slight jaw movement behind his mask. “Thank you very much,” he responds and you notice the formality. “By the way, do you happen to sell any food?”

You bite the insides of your mouth. “Yes, but I only stock them later,” you explain ruefully. “The bakery usually delivers the pastries at 9 o’clock. I apologize.” You bow and he immediately raises both of his hands, waving them frantically. 

“Oh, no, no, it’s okay. What do you have?”

“We have a selection of buns, scones, pound cakes, egg tarts,” you gush. “They’re all delicious. But I personally like their traditional pastries. Injeolmi, red bean rice cake, yakbap, fried tteok dumplings. Auntie does a great job every time.” 

Unlike other cafes that bake their own food, you work together with the local bakery that happens to make the best traditional pastries you’ve ever tried. You know they aren’t as popular as the more western pastries, but they always pull the older customers to your cafe, even becoming your regulars.

His eyebrows shoot up all of a sudden, “You have yakbap?” He asks in apparent surprise which you mirror excitedly. “Yes! Oh my god, do you like them?” He nods. “Would you like to try? I can have them stocked tomorrow.”

“Isn’t that too much trouble?”

"Of course not. But," you emphasize. "You have to come visit tomorrow morning. Promise?” The surge of boldness takes you out of nowhere. He’s just one customer who only bought one drink, but you can’t deny the urge to see him again. So when you saw the chance, you knew you had to take it.

“I will, I promise,” he chuckles and your worries melt away, swept away by the soothing voice of his promise.

+++

At 8 o’clock, the door chimes. You almost jump from behind the counter.

“Good morning,” the man from yesterday greets you with a small bow. Today he’s wearing a dark jacket over a simple tee. Without yesterday's baggy clothes, the outfit centers on his broad shoulders well. A mask is still in place, but now without the hat, you can see more of him. At least more of his soft-looking short brown hair. A surge of familiarity rushes through you. After a quick run through your memories, your mind comes up blank. You shrug off the thought but he’s faster to notice you zoning out.

“What? I promised, didn’t I?” He mumbles, and you respond with a small laugh, “You did.”

You usher him to the counter, pulling out a small basket. “Now here’s my end of the deal.”

“What’s all this?” He glances in the basket. Inside is a handful of pastries, covered neatly in plastic wrap. “There’s so many!” 

You smile proudly. “I asked the bakery for a sampler basket. So these are their best-sellers. We have a kaya bun, blueberry lemon scone, garlic basil bread, yakbap,” you wink, “fried tteok dumplings, and red bean rice cake.”

“Wait--”

“And I’ll give you a special price.” You send him another cheeky grin, and you feel triumphant when you see his resigned face.

“I didn’t expect you would prepare a whole basket… But thank you,” he sighs before breaking into one of his eye-smiles. It looks so familiar and the feeling starts to gnaw at you once more. Like reaching out to remember a dream, it feels close yet you can't come up with a name to associate his face with. You snap back to reality, hearing him say something in your direction. “Yes?”

“I’d like to have the drink from yesterday,” he states almost giddily. “It’s delicious. I thought it’d be too sweet.”

Oh. You cover a smile with the back of your hand, secretly proud of yourself. Elated, you lean in before you even know it, catching your customer's attention.

“Be sure to come back for more, then.” Right after the words leave your mouth, you recoil. You sound like you were flirting, and you don't flirt with customers.

“Oh, don’t mind if I do." You stare at him in surprise, seeing the teasing glint in his eyes. Flustered, your throat tightens.

“R-right. One brown sugar latte coming up.” Warm, sweet, syrupy… Sticky.

After finishing the latte with sprinkles of cinnamon powder on top, you put the plastic cap on and bring it to your only customer. The man is sitting in the corner, on one of the chairs that has its back on you. He's eating a piece of yakbap from a plastic wrapper when you approach the table. “Here’s-"

Perhaps, that day you forget that people eat with their mouths. Uncovered. In the end, nothing prepares you to witness the face behind the mask.

A few weeks ago, you were watching TV on your couch. One of your favorite dramas had just ended, so you were stuck watching a random variety show. Loud screams pierced your ears, making you jump so you checked the show. A couple of people were sitting at the table, and one of them, a handsome young man with light brown hair and lovely eyes, was reenacting his version of the famous Gwiyomi song. What a weird guy, you thought with a laugh while seeing him kiss each of his fingers just a little too passionately.

“- your drink,” you finish shakily. The new information almost freezes you in place but you put on your best (worst, stiff) customer service smile anyway. Defying another expectation, Onew - oh god, it is him - takes the paper cup from your hand. Your fingers touch briefly and you swear there's a jolt that tickles. The idol is staring at you with a hint of worry, indicating he knows the cat's out of the bag.

You should leave him be, he might be uncomfortable. But then, a sight of empty plastic wrappers catches your attention. "How's the food?" You inquire placidly. Creative.

The worry in his face dissipates very slightly and you realize how different he looks now without the mask. You can see the plump lips parting before he says, "You're right, they're so good."

The compliment somehow melts your worries. 

"Right? They taste exactly the same since I was a child. Auntie had just started baking the western pastries a few years ago, but she’s too tired to run the bakery full-time. So I thought having her pastries in my cafe would be perfect," you stop, internally scolding yourself for rambling all that to the celebrity, "I talk too much don't I?"

"You own this cafe?" The man asks instead, his mouth gaping and eyes wide. Adorable.

"Owner, barista, waitress, slash everything," you rub the back of your neck, pressured by the questioning gaze he has on you. Without his mask, he seems more intense. Or, you are subconsciously affected by his idol status. While this is not the first time you meet a celebrity from behind the counter, it is the first time you're engaged in conversation with them. Especially with someone of a high tier like him. Someone amazing.

"That's amazing." His voice echoes, jolting you back to reality

"What?" You sputter. He definitely notices you zoning out because his smile - you can see his mouth now, oh god - is too mischievous and knowing. This is getting too much.

Rigidly, you peek into the paperbag, noticing the amount of pastries left. "What are you going to do with them?" Onew looks at the paperbag before standing up and grabbing the bag. "I'll share them with people at work."

You step back with a laugh. "Do you think they'll like it?"

"I think they will. Well, some can't enjoy it due to… a strict diet. But one won't hurt." Onew takes his coffee in one hand, and the paperbag in the other. He raises both hands slightly, gesturing with the items. "Thank you. I'll be going now."

"No,” you begin tentatively, “Thank you, Onew." 

You internally pat yourself on the back for letting that out.

His ever so expressive eyebrows rise before he lets out a bark of laughter. "Well, isn't that unfair."

"What is?"

"I see you know my name already," he supplies, staring down at you with a pretty gummy smile. "But I don't know yours."

Heat rushes to your cheeks when his words sink into your brain. You would pray it wouldn't show but you find your tongue unable to form useful words. Instead, as an uncontrolled fight or flight reaction, it responds haughtily, "Come back tomorrow, and I'll tell you."

You curse the random unsolicited rush of courage. But Onew's surprised expression is already morphing into a half smirk, and you can't decide if you regret it.

"Deal. I'll see you tomorrow, miss."

Exactly one minute after the door closes, you curl up on the floor and let out a groan. What just happened?

+++

Jinki knows he shouldn't be doing this.

That morning, he woke up exactly three hours before his first schedule of the day. The warm sunlight tempted him to go for a jog, but the ache crawling through his body reminded him what a bad idea that was. The day before, the dance instructor had drilled them with another wild choreography, and in the morning, his joints were positively protesting.

So he took a walk. Enjoying the sunlight, he left the rows of high-rise apartments for the quiet residential complex. The bustle of the crowded market and gossipy house-wives felt like a calming noise, and he continued his walk until he turned one corner.

Nothing should've caught his attention, but everything did. The shop's facade of pale red bricks was a splash of color in between the other buildings. A couple of vintage lantern lamps decorated the shop, and there were wooden signs with intricate lettering on the wall and glass door. Jinki realized it was a coffee shop, a small one. There and then he thought he needed his caffeine, and the nearest Starbucks was blocks away. So he went in, met the cute barista, got a delicious latte, and left.

And ever since, he keeps coming back for more.

“Someone enjoys visiting this little place,” she laughs one morning, cocky and amused. It’s his visit for the third time in a row. Borrowing her high energy and boldness, he smirks in reply.

"You’re the one who asked me, though," he mentions, holding a small cup of her manual brew. A new house blend, she had mentioned. It has a subtle sweetness to it, which Jinki likes.

"Asked what?"

"To come back here." 

She chuckles, that rare hint of shyness surfacing once more. "I was just messing around."

But he wasn't, and back then, he would do anything to get to know her name. So the day after her request, Jinki returned. After an order of one brown sugar latte and five miscellaneous pastries, all to-go, Jinki sat down and propped his chin on top of his folded hands, waiting. His legs were fidgeting, a sign of anticipation and nervousness that he was well attuned with.

"Are you dining in?" She asked, probably feigning innocence, as she shuffled through various packets of coffee. What a tease.

"No," he responded curtly.

She moved away from the shelves to the edge of the counter, facing him. Oh, she's doing this on purpose. With a hand covering her mouth, she laughed silently. Jinki thought she shouldn't hide her laughter, or her smile, because it’s pretty and bright, just like her. 

"I'm sorry, I owe you something, don't I?" She asked sweetly, like those drinks she makes for him.

"Yes, you do." Jinki managed out, a crooked smile gracing his lips in a low effort intimidation.

"Okay, okay," she resigned. "You should make a habit of checking the bill, Onew."

Realization hit him and he rushed to pull the bill out of his pocket. There, written in neat handwriting, was a name. In awe, he said it once, testing it on his tongue—and he heard a crash.

"Oh--oops," she clambered to grab the fallen coffee packages. Jinki was wondering how attached this woman was to her coffee supply before he took a glance at her face. Pink tinted her cheeks and he wouldn't lie, it was a sight to see. Presumably annoyed, she was about to say something but Jinki just called her name once more, abruptly stopping her. So he raised his chin, taking a better look at the flustered barista with a satisfactory smile, “Everything okay back there?”

She nodded once before turning away, cheeks still flaming as she broke their eye contact. He just laughed. Cute.

Today, he finds himself once more in front of her store. Earlier, he found out Minho already had plans to visit his mother, and so, Jinki was left alone in the dorms. He's used to being alone in the apartment, but today he has a particular yearning to be somewhere else but home.

"Onew," she greets, ever so cheerful in the mornings. "The usual?"

Despite the merciless schedule in his line of work, Jinki hasn't met a lot of morning people. Especially the ones who are comfortable with an early schedule by nature. It took him years after debuting before his internal alarm worked properly. And after hundreds of cranky morning schedules, he finally could manage his mood well. She must have been born with the sun smiling upon her. Perhaps that is her destiny, to wake up effortlessly and share her energy through caffeinated beverages. Jinki has an urge to ask if she ever stays up late, maybe later.

"Actually, can I have an iced americano?" Jinki asks after a quick glance at the menu. This time he needs something with less sugar.

She is beaming, as usual. "Sure. But I recommend you drink it fast, it's warm outside—"

"I'm having it here." Jinki already grabs a seat, putting his bag and pulling out a book. Her expression is a mixture of confusion and delight. "...Is it okay?"

"Of course!" She exclaims all too fast before rushing to her tools.

An amicable silence stretches. Hisses and clamor from behind the counter occasionally fill the air, but otherwise it's quiet. After endless days in a loud environment, he appreciates the silence. He can’t remember the last time he sat still like this, without TV or a Youtube video to accompany him. He takes his book, a best-selling novel he picked up from the airport months ago during his work trip, and starts reading it. When his iced americano arrives, he thanks her properly and dives back into the story.

It's peaceful. At some point, she puts on music. Slow to medium-tempo songs in foreign languages, and it doesn't disrupt his reading, in fact, he enjoys it.

During his stay, customers come and go. He can't see them, because his back is facing the major part of the cafe. But he can hear them clearly. And interestingly, they talk a lot. One customer, a young girl, comes up to you, gets a large glass of iced chocolate milk, and proceeds to tell you about her crush. Another, an elderly man who apparently visits regularly, orders one hot barley tea and a red bean paste bun. Then he starts to give her updates on his newborn grandchild. Jinki hears her squeal before she asks for the man’s wife or daughter.

He finds all the interaction endearing, somehow.

"So, what's the occasion?"

The sun is now high up in the sky, signalling it's nearing noon. Jinki was feeling tiny pricks of hunger when she appeared near his table, a few tupperware in hand. "It gets lonely," she said cheekily. With each little talk they exchange, Jinki wonders why he didn’t ask her to sit here earlier, enjoying her company very much. And not before long, she offered some of her food to him, which he accepted with little resistance.

“You’ve never dined in before, what’s the occasion?”

Jinki takes one slice of rolled omelet with his chopsticks. "It's my day off," he answers.

"You have a day off, and you came here?" She looks up from her food and gapes at him. He nods.

"The apartment's empty, Minho is visiting his parents."

"It must be lonely."

"Not anymore,” he responds in earnest, and a grin emerges when he sees her fluster. Jinki is not a prideful person. He doesn’t absorb compliments like it’s his source of energy. However, knowing he can affect people like this, especially in such tight interaction, does boost his ego in a productive way. Additionally, he enjoys seeing her reaction. She’s very put together, confident, sometimes cheeky, but those rare moments when she gets caught off guard charm him. It’s like her fire turns into cotton candy, all cute and sweet.

Jinki can’t get enough of her.

“Is that one of your killer moves, Onew-ssi?” She says, hiding her strangled laugh by raising her chin with defiance. But he knows better. See? Charming.

He puts his chopstick down, and proceeds to lean his head on one knuckle. The gesture seems to affect her, because her smile falls and she’s blinking rapidly at him. “No, it’s not," he states before an idea pops into his head. "Call me Jinki."

Her mouth falls open. “What?”

“Please call me Jinki.”

He watches as she gapes wordlessly, like a cat got her tongue. In the end, she just nods softly, saying a quiet “Okay,” with a bashful whisper of his name. Hearing it, Jinki can’t help the giddiness bubbling inside him and a smug smile that graces his lips. His name sounds pretty on her tongue, and he immediately knows he will want to hear it more. 

Jinki thinks maybe that is his killer move.

+++

To have a celebrity coming back to your cafe, and getting to know them is an oddly enjoyable experience.

One morning Onew--no, Jinki arrives with all his attention on his phone. He’s typing furiously before craning his neck to see you. “(Y/n),” he says in an exaggerated whine, eyebrows furrowing and lips pouting comically cute, “Kibum is being mean to me. He said we can’t hang out today. I’m so sad. I need my sad coffee so can you please get me a--”

“Jinki, don’t--”

“A despresso?”

“Oh my god,” you sigh audibly, a fond grin in place, making him snicker as he rubs the back of his head.

"Get it? Like espresso but depress-"

"Yes, Jinki. I get it."

Every time Jinki visits, you enjoy his company. Granted, he’s not the type to talk much, and when he does, he always manages to surprise you. You don’t know what’s worse, his dad jokes, or the fact that he’s not aware how much he’s driving you crazy. Does he know his teasing words can be wrongly interpreted as flirting? Does he know he looks good in even worn out shirts? Does he know you start to think he's been coming here not only for the coffee? With that being said, you weren’t prepared for Jinki’s presence in close proximity almost everyday.

"Whatcha' doing?" Jinki asks, his face leaning over the high counter, peeking into your workspace. His mask is off, and like his perfect face is not distracting enough, he's wearing a black sweater that snug nicely on his body. You notice how broad his shoulders are, or how his collarbones look so prominent, hanging above defined pecs. Focus, you have a job.

"I'm trying to make a new drink," you reply, measuring in teaspoons of the powder you prepared. You take the recently bought bamboo whisk to mix the powder. New tools in the kitchen always get you excited, especially if it’s your first time using it.  "Do you know hojicha?"

He tilts his head, thinking, and you wonder if it's necessary for him to jut his lower lips like that. "No. Is it Japanese?"

"Mmhm, it's Japanese roasted green tea.” You start whisking the water and the hojicha powder, and Jinki gawks. As the mixture gets frothy, you elaborate. "I've been wanting to try to make it, maybe someone will be interested." Grabbing another cup, you mix the diluted powder and the milk, the ash-colored tea mixture turning the milk into gray-ish brown. "They say it tastes best with milk."

"Ah, really?" Without a warning, Jinki shots one hand forward, taking the glass from your nimble hand. You yelp at the sudden movement. He then takes a big gulp, craning his neck to drink it properly and you can't take your eyes off of his Adam's apple as it moves with each gulp, and the veins running on his neck. Shit. He pulls the glass away, and using his other hand, he wipes his mouth. Your throat goes dry. 

Unaware of your struggle, he hums, "It's good. Bitter, but good.”

Shaking yourself back to reality, you take a deep breath. "I was about to say I hadn't put the sugar in."

"I think you don’t need it. Or just put a little," he grins, gesturing the aforementioned amount with his index finger and thumb, a small distance lingers between them. His fingers are pretty, you think absentmindedly. His other hand puts the empty glass back onto the counter. "You're really good at this."

At that, your heart swells with pride. "Of course, I don't want my customers to go."

"Me as well?"

"You as well,” you state, genuine. You can tell him that as much. “My early morning was never this fun."

Jinki snorts. “Me? Fun?” He asks, pointing a finger at himself. “People say I’m weird.”

“No offense, Jinki, I didn’t say you’re not weird.” The man barks a laugh and you join in. “But that’s what makes you fun. You're not boring."

Not for the first time, you witness his expression turn sheepish, almost shy and awkward. His fingers fidget behind his folded arms. But he quickly recovers, waving off your compliment.

"What about the other customers?"

The question perks your attention. "I have the best regulars," you reply, thinking of all your customers and their anecdotes. "I love talking to them."

"They seem to like gossiping with you."

"They do! Jinki, they talk a lot. There's this lady who will order parfaits only when she's upset or having a fight with her boyfriend. And also the working man who usually comes in evenings, he always asks if I serve alcohol. It's really hilarious—"

"But you always listen to them."

"Of course I do. Like I said, I love talking to them, I really do. Granted, mostly I just listen to them venting out their problems. But I guess it helps and my beverages too - " you stop yourself. "Sorry. D-did I bore you?"

"No, not at all," he answers, short and fast and most definitely teasing. "I enjoyed it. Come on, tell me more." Jinki is still leaning on the counter. His head is in his propped hand, eyes crinkling in amusement, and his plump lips are curling into a soft smile that makes your heart race. You feel warmth crawling on your cheeks.

"Don't say that. Gosh, that was embarrassing." You're still trying to hide your face behind your hands when a large palm lands on your head. You look up, and see Jinki who has straightened his back to full height, looming over you. Then, his hand is in your hair, ruffling it playfully.

"Cute," Jinki coos with a smile that shows his brilliant teeth and melts your insides into goo. After messing with your hair, he pulls his hand back and you swear his fingers brush past your cheekbones, the touch eliciting shivers down your spine. Unbothered, Jinki goes on his merry way and continues talking about random things as if nothing happened.

The audacity.

+++

"Alright, spill, what's up."

Eunmi's voice pulls you back to reality. Smell of food floods your senses, sweet and sour from kimchi and vinegar, and you remember your lunch with Eunmi. You look at your friend who's grabbing her spoon with a slight annoyance clear on her face.

"What? Nothing," you insist, diving back to your buckwheat noodles to avoid her piercing stare. She tsks at you, not buying the excuse.

"Nothing my ass, you've been staring at the pickles this whole time."

You're not in your cafe, in fact, you close it up for a while to have lunch out. Eunmi invited you to a restaurant near her office, only one station away from the store. It’s a cozy diner that’s not too crowded or loud, so you can talk comfortably. Eunmi brings her own car, and promises to drive you back after lunch.

The fact that even Eunmi realizes your weirdness makes you startled. You listen to her a lot, but it’s never the opposite case. You know your friend well enough to understand she won’t usually catch up on your mood swings, especially because you’re not the kind of person who shows your emotion on your sleeves. But that man just won’t leave your mind, not after driving you crazier with each passing day. Jinki keeps coming over, all smiles and charms and never forgetting to compliment you and your drinks.

And for whatever reason, you always end up talking about yourself for a good amount of time. That never happened before, not before him. You prefer to listen, and you do that well. But with Jinki, rarely does he ramble to you, instead it’s the other way around. Without a doubt, you’re getting too comfortable with him. And how can you not? He’s humble, polite, his smile lights up the whole room, and he looks like that. All soft brown hair and handsome.

"I know that face," Eunmi interrupts your trail of thoughts, her face beaming with mischief. You blink your eyes. That can’t be good.  "There's someone, isn't there?"

"What? No!"

"Nu-uh, you can't fool your unnie. You’re smiling like a teenager just now,” she teases while grabbing another spoonful of her dried pollack soup.

You splutter. “I-I did?”

“So, who is it? Come on, tell me something. My coworkers suck and I need some drama."

Cursing your luck, you grumble. Eunmi must be very perceptive to recognize the look on your face. But telling her about Jinki is impossible. You won’t be able to get away by saying “I think Onew from SHINee has been flirting with me non-stop.” It’s going to be a mess--no, a mess would be an understatement.

You take a deep breath, “It’s complicated, okay?”

"Tell me about it." Eunmi snorts.

“I can’t tell you just yet.”

She stares at you directly. “But?”

“It’s just…” You begin, hand already moving to cover your mouth, as if it could help you from the massive embarrassment you feel while discussing this. “I don’t know if I’m reading things correctly,” then, “Like, what if I’m wrong?”

“So you don’t know if he’s into you, or he’s just being nice.”

"Exactly!” you gasp.

She suddenly smirks, leaning back against the chair, "That's easy, just make a move."

"Make a move?"

"Yeah, make a move,” she repeats easily, “Do something similar to what he did to you, and see his reaction. Maybe he's just waiting."

You ponder upon her advice. It’s solid, and actually doable. Albeit unsure, you keep it in mind. "Alright, I’ll try.”

You finish your lunch and go back to the cafe. Eunmi, being the best combination of a friend and a customer, requests a chocolate marshmallow frappe before she returns to her office. Back to your usual place behind the counter, and Eunmi on the chair, she tells you about her vacation plan.

“A long weekend trip with your husband? That’s amazing!” You exclaim to Eunmi who’s radiating happiness.

Eunmi slurps at her drink, humming pleasantly from the sweetness. “Mm-hm,” she responds, the joy radiating from her is a refreshing sight compared to the usual gloom. “We’re going to Damyang.”

“I’m so happy for you,” you gush, patting the older woman’s shoulder. “So you’re leaving tomorrow?” 

She nods. “Finally, a time off from those douchebags.”

You laugh, remembering her stories of the god-awful co-workers, then a jingle halts you.

“Oh, welcome!” You say and immediately feel your stomach drop as you see Jinki. Shit, the timing is so bad. Jinki rarely comes in the afternoon, what's up with the rare occurrence? And just by scanning his clothes, you’re more baffled, because today's outfit today is more extreme than usual. He’s wearing one of his worn out track pants and regular trainers.The grey jacket looks okay but he’s wearing the hoodie over a snapback. You can’t see even a strand of his hair. By default, his mask is also on, so you’re not too worried about him being recognized by Eunmi.

Jinki makes his order, glancing at you with sharp eyes, something he doesn’t usually do because you already know his usual menu. You just respond formally before dashing to where your drink machine is at, from the corner of your eye you see him taking a seat near the corner. Not long after, Eunmi’s face is in front of you, worried.

“He looks sketchy,” she whispers in a rush. Jinki? Sketchy? You bit your lip, trying to hold your blank expression in place, instead of the urge to grin.

“Really? I think he’s been here before, though.”

“How can you recognize him? This guy’s all covered from head to toe, (Y/n). It’s so creepy. I hope your man doesn't look like that."

You almost choke on air. Internally you're praying Jinki didn't hear the last part. “Right, right.” You peek at Jinki with a bothered expression, crafted meticulously to deceive Eunmi. You're definitely going to tease Jinki about this later. “I’ll be careful.”

Eunmi grabs her plastic cup before hoisting the bag up her shoulder. She points her manicured nails at you. “You better be, ‘cause I have to go now. Call me if anything happens, okay?”

“I will, don’t worry,” you smile at your customer. Eunmi waves at you, gives a pointed look at Jinki’s back, and goes out of the store. As soon as the door closes, you slump on your post, letting out a loud and exaggerated sigh. You turn your sight to Jinki and find him facing you in his chair. The shit-eating grin on his face makes you more tired.

"Don't get closer, (Y/n)," he acts out, and you're already rolling your eyes. "I might bite."

You blow a raspberry while striding towards his table, a drink in hand. "Sure, sure, can't trust strangers who wear too many hoodies all the time," you grumble, putting Jinki's iced americano on the table.

The man has the audacity to pout at you in retaliation. "Not all the time."

You giggle. "What's the occasion, then?"

"Nothing." He slurps the black coffee, nonchalant and ridiculously bad at lying.

Baffled, you glare at the man who keeps drinking the beverage without care. With another brief observation, you note his outfit is actually not that different than usual. But he never wears a hoodie and a snapback. You can't even see his hair.

Oh.

“I get it!” You clap your hands excitedly as if you’re a seal. “It’s your hair, isn’t it?”

Jinki hisses through gritted teeth, forcing a crooked grin while his eyes are already looking away from yours. Bingo.

“Is it a new color? Did you cut it short?” 

Mischievously, Jinki puts a finger in front of his plump lips. “Company secret.”

You pout, and he chuckles. The mischief in his face is annoying yet somehow innocent, you can't bring yourself to get mad at him. It doesn’t help that he looks positively entertained by his own game of guess. But you're ever the curious one, and seeing there's no other customer right now, you have to find out what's behind the hat. 

Without much thought, you swat a hand at his snapback, tipping everything that's covering his head backwards. 

"Hey!"

As if in slow motion, the hood of his jacket is pushed back, and the hat falls to the floor. Anticipation builds up in your mind when you realize you’re about to see the hair. You hear Jinki yelp, and—

"It's pink!" You gasp out, overwhelmed. Out of all things, you didn't expect to find a mop of mauve pink colored hair underneath the hat. The shade is slightly muted, making it look less artificial. For some reason, it fits Jinki so well. His lightly tanned skin and the hair combined creates an exotic appearance of him.

Jinki is now pouting again, jutting out his lower lip like the hair is a punishment. "I wanted to surprise you, you know."

You tut at him, but leans down to take Jinki's cap off the floor, dusting it slightly. "How long would I have to wait?"

"Uh, until the comeback?"

"You haven't even announced the date," you reply with an unamused expression.

Jinki chuckles. "That's true." Out of a sudden, he poses. "Ta-da! Now you know I have pink hair." The sight brings warmth, because gosh, he's a sight to see. Then, with a huff, Jinki twirls the locks of the aforementioned hair, playing it around. "It's my first time, too."

You, however, are not paying attention to what he's saying. Questions pop into your head, wondering if Jinki’s hair feels soft like how it looks right now. With the lighting in your store interior, combined with warm natural light from the outside, the hair color looks chrome-like. It’s, no pun intended, shiny. All of a sudden, you feel a strong urge to touch it, curious how it will feel against your fingertips. Albeit hesitant, Eunmi’s words echo in your ears, motivating you to test the waters.

Leaning down, you ignore Jinki’s confused gaze and pull a lock of the sakura-colored hair. Your hunch is proven correct, it’s soft and luscious. As if in entrance, you caress more of his teresses, moving them out of his eyes while your fingertips occasionally graze his ear. You’re positively jealous of the care that goes into this man’s hair. It’s so soft, you want to pet it all day. Jinki can lay his head in your lap and you’ll definitely caress his hair all day long without a single complaint. The thought makes you giddy.

Your silly daydream is abruptly stopped when a large hand closes around your wrist, gentle yet firm. Realizing what you’ve done, you yelp.

“I’m sorry, I just--” You look down from the mop of hair to Jinki’s eyes, wide and as surprised as you. The close proximity catches you off guard. When did you lean in this close? 

All of a sudden, every word dies in your throat. But his next words bring more surprise.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Y-yes?"

“Do you have a boyfriend?” Jinki cuts through the endless chatter running in your head. That’s not a question you ask out of nowhere, isn’t it? His voice, as usual, is warm… syrupy, but there’s a darker edge in it that you can’t comprehend. You blink at the question, still mute from the shock.

As if shocked by his own question, he visibly gulps, Adam’s apple bobbing and stealing your attention for a second.

“That customer said something about your man.” he murmurs reluctantly. Realization hits you hard, and your jaw drops. So he did hear your conversation with Eunmi.

“No!” You blurt in a rising panic. “There’s no man. No boyfriend.” With each word, your voice becomes more quiet, the embarrassment sucking away your confidence in front of him. But It doesn't help that Jinki’s scrutinizing you from under his eyelashes, making you shrink even more. Finally, the corners of his lips quirk up.

“Really?” He asks, sounding pleased.

"Yeah. She's just teasing me. She does that a lot," you explain with a nervous laugh. You don't know how convincing your lie is, but it makes him hum, the sound is like music to your ears.

“Good,” he whispers before you feel his thumbs rubbing circles on your wrist, languid and relaxed. The calluses of his thumb drag against your smooth skin and you inhale sharply, feeling ripples of heat course through your body from the touch. His half-lidded eyes are now assessing you and you can’t look away as they move on to your lips. As if falling under a spell, the action triggers you to spontaneously look at his lips in turn, full and parted and driving you crazy.

A loud voice jolts you two back to reality. A ringtone. Phone call.

Jinki lets go of your wrist, now panicking and patting his pockets. "It's mine. Where is it, where is it..." When he finds the phone, he picks it up while standing up. "Yes, hyung?"

You see him walk away with clouded senses. Unable to pick which feeling is appropriate to express, disbelief or relief, you give up and run away from the premises, choosing to bury yourself behind the workspace.

+++

"How did it go with your man?" Eunmi asks, face literally glowing after her vacation.

You only groan in reply.

+++

It's closing time.

Moving on to the table top surfaces, you take a cloth, spraying it with a liquid cleaner and getting it ready to wipe the surface. It's going to take a while, but you don't mind. Cleaning makes your mind wander, but at least you're doing something productive.

It's one of the nights you stay late to tidy up new items and play around in the kitchen. You had finished the second attempt of an earl grey frappe before you began tidying up. The clock struck 10 o'clock a few minutes ago, so it's already an hour after your closing time. You already flipped the sign to close, but your lights are still on, intending to turn them off when you leave the store.

Days had passed after that weird confrontation with Jinki. The close proximity you shared that day still brings you heat and confusion in equal amounts, and Jinki didn't make it easier for you to get through the following days. You never addressed that day, not at all. But do things go back to normal? Not exactly.

Jinki keeps getting closer to you. You notice the brush of his fingers against your skin while passing his drink, when you talk on his table he'd tap your arm, or when he's about to leave he likes to give a playful squeeze on your shoulders. On rare occasions, he would tuck your hair out from your face while smiling sweetly before rucking the tresses into a mess. Unhelpful. In addition, you can’t stop talking to him. The man has an excellent capability to extract words from you, asking things about yourself, from your favorite drink to your life before this cafe. 

With the comeback date getting close, it’s not surprising when he doesn’t visit as often anymore. Once in a few days he’d come through your door and then scream your name, saying a nonsensical “I miss you!” Little did he know you share the same sentiment, but multiplied and definitely lack the jest. 

With his absence, your heart longs more for him. You realize the intangible distance between the two of you has decreased, and you can’t suppress your feelings anymore. It’s silly to fall for an idol, cliche, even. But with his soft demeanor and warm smile that always graces his heart-shaped face, it’s impossible not to.

Despite the admittance of feelings, you’re still in a limbo. You’re not an expert in love. Chasing your dream from a young age, you have no time for romance. You’ve had a fair share of crushes here and there, but never this complicated. It’s impossible to ask for advice, too.

Remembering Eunmi's words, you did make your move on Jinki. And his response was something you never quite get. Did he hate it when you touched his hair? Can you even consider making a move that time a success? Do you even know what success would be like? Many times you stopped yourself from touching him again, whether it’s his hair (which is still bright pink, by the way), or to grab his hand for whatever reason. You’re so drawn to him, like a moth to flames and it’s making you helpless.

By the time you finish polishing the last inch of the counters, the door jingles. An annoyed sigh escapes your mouth, someone doesn’t read the sign on your store. You turn to the door.

"I'm sorry, we're already closed—"

Upon recognizing the visitor, your heart beats faster with surprise and inexplicable yearning. You haven’t seen him in days, and you already forgot what he sounds like. He’s wearing another random baseball hat, but the usual mask is absent. His lips are turned into a frown, his brown eyes, usually so full of life, are unfocused, and the eyebags look prominent. The unusual state makes your stomach twist with discomfort.

"Jinki?” You take a step closer. “It's very late."

The mention of his name jerks him back to reality. Raising his head, his gaze locks with yours wearily. Tentatively, he opens his mouth, trying to get words out, but nothing comes out and he looks away, looking so defeated. Running by instincts, you step closer to him, pulling him by the wrist to drag him in. Now with him standing close to you, you can see the tiredness on his face. The little freckles on his skin are like constellations of stars, you notice he’s not wearing makeup, and you can’t help but find the mole on his chin endearing. He looks so beautiful, but tired.

"Jinki," you call out again, worry lacing each word. "Are you okay?"

As if on cue, Jinki lets out a quiet sigh that makes your heart drop. He doesn’t sound like the usual Jinki you know, and you immediately receive the answer to your question. Gathering your courage, you put a hand on his broad shoulder, and take the other to pull his hat off in order to take a closer look at him. You succeed without any restraint from the man. Then, you rub your hand on the fabric of his shirt, trying to give some sort of reassurance, for what, you don’t know yet, but you’re trying. You see Jinki’s eyes glint for a second, and suddenly a head thumps against your collarbone. Oh. Your hands stop moving, and his hat falls to the floor soundlessly.

Jinki sighs again, this time his warm breath fanning over your clothed shoulder, making you freeze even more. Your head is filled with nothing but the close distance you share with Jinki. His forehead presses firmly on your shoulder, the weight starts to feel heavy, so you stand tall, pushing against the man who’s significantly taller and larger than you, with your hands hanging awkwardly by your sides.

"...It's difficult." You hear him whisper.

You try to peek at him, but all you can see is his soft pink locks. It looks fluffy, despite the hat covering it before, if not slightly damp. Quietly, you inhale his scent, floral and musky but mostly covered by the smell of sweat. It must be from a dance practice. For some reason, you don’t mind it.

"I know my limits, and I've been doing this for years," he murmurs into your shoulders, voice weak and slightly muffled but you still can hear every word. "But it really doesn't get easier."

The words hang in the silent air, with no one speaking afterwards. Deciding to stay and listen, you let him there on your shoulder. Questions run through your head, along with many emotions you’ve never felt before for the man; pity, worry, adoration, and surprise, but you don't dare to speak or ask. Not in such vulnerability.

The next minute runs slowly, and the only thing you can hear in the empty cafe is you and Jinki’s breathing. You hope yours doesn’t sound too fast, but you try to ignore the self conscious thoughts for now.

Suddenly, Jinki tenses and pulls himself away, straightening his back that’s been hunching to reach your height. With his face bare from any makeup, you can see a light flush on his cheeks, and his ears are pink, adorably matching with the hair. He's devastatingly beautiful, and you can’t help but stare in awe. Still drowning in embarrassment, he doesn’t seem to notice.

"I'm very sorry," he whispers, formal all of a sudden, voice still close.

"It's okay." You pat his back with a smile, hoping to cease his groundless embarrassment. "You don't need to apologize, I don't mind."

Jinki looks at you for a moment, mouth parted and eyes expressing an emotion you don’t quite understand, then they turn to crescents as he smiles softly. 

"Really?" He asks, voice surprisingly even, a contrast to the state he was in before, and nimbly you nod. "Can I borrow your shoulder again, then?"

Oh. "Y-yeah." Your stomach does the twisty thing and when Jinki once again lays his head on your shoulder, you can hear your heartbeat going faster, thumping softly in your ears. For god's sake, you hope Jinki won't be able to hear or worse, feel them. Without a warning, Jinki shifts his head to the side, and--is he nuzzling? You swear that’s the tip of his nose touching your neck and now there’s puffs of air caressing your veins.

This is too much. It's your first time being this close with him, and it's not the best time to have physical reactions from this intimacy. Ignoring the shivers crawling on your skin, you will yourself to stay still, and even your breathing.

The two of you stay there. Again, you hear Jinki's breathing, then you hear your own. You’re not a physically affectionate person, but all you wish right now is to embrace him properly, to stroke his back and let him stay there for as long as he needs.

So you do that, you raise a hand to his head, caressing his pink tresses. Almost greedily, he leans into your touch, as if he's been waiting for it. With a fond sigh, you can't hold yourself from ruffling his hair further.

“You’ve worked hard.” 

Maybe those words won’t be enough, but you find no fault in trying.

You hear Jinki inhale sharply, then he exhales in resignation before pulling back. He’s now standing at his full height, and you have to raise your head to see him properly. Relief blossoms when you catch his calm expression. With that, you share a moment of comfortable silence, exchanging unsaid words through intangible mediums. Then, you pat his shoulder twice before moving away from his personal space.

“Sit down, I’ll make you tea,” you declare to the now panicking man, rustling to get the kettle. Jinki's face is glowing, despite the lack of makeup. He looks animated, tired, but breathtaking. It's almost like you're seeing him in a new light.

"I thought you're already closing up," he complains weakly, and you offer him an innocent smile, pulling one tea bag from the box.

The sound of a chair being pulled is your winning declaration.

"You don’t have to.”

"And you have to drink some tea. Chamomile can help you sleep better," you chide, bringing the cup to the table. As you sit down, you see him fiddling with his hands.

"So… How's your day?"

"Like usual," you shrug. "But less fun without you." His face lights up and you stifle a laugh. "I made an earl grey frappe, but it still needs something."

"A new drink? Can I try?"

You smile widely. "I'll make it for you next time."

"Make sure you don't put too much sugar in it," he winks, and it prompts a laugh from you. Jinki looks better now, more refreshed and light but you catch him zoning out a few times, his gaze seemingly focusing on your face, making you squirm internally.

"What?" You ask, noticing him staring at you again. And he just grins, showing off the adorable gummy smile.

"Nothing." And he's back to his tea. By the time he empties his glass, he offers to wash it by himself. You almost drag his hoodie to stop him, but you finally relent - he already rushes to the sink, that man - and lets him do what seems to be one of his ways to thank people. Relieved, you start to recognize his usual self once more, so you join him with a lighter heart.

You’re taking off your apron when you notice a solemn expression on his face.

“How are you getting home?” He asks.

"I take the bus from the main street, then I walk for a few blocks."

His face turns dark. "Every night?"

You blink at him, searching the issue. “Yeah.”

"Let me drive you home," he declares, walking to your side. "It's already late."

"It's not my first time going home this late, it's fine."

His eyebrows furrow. "No it's not." Much to your surprise he gently takes your hand in his, like he’s hesitant. After seeing no discomfort from your part, he squeezes. “Please, let me drive you home.”

You know you can’t say no, the sincere concern in his face melting your resistance. You simply nod, requesting a few minutes to turn off the lights and pack your bag. He complies before preparing to leave the store first.

"I park my car near the convenience store.”

"The one in the main street, right?" He affirms, and stops. Confused, you wait until he leans closer. He ruffles your hair, messing with it playfully. You yelp a complaint while he laughs, and suddenly, he puts his snapback on top of your head. 

With that, he leaves the store to prepare the car.

The gesture leaves you reeling, so you hold the cap to ground yourself. Belatedly, you realize this is going to be the first time you go out with Jinki outside of the comfort of your store. You know it’s nothing big, but it feels new, and exciting. And he’s going to drive you home, the gesture feels too intimate.

Arriving at the main street, you catch a sight of a black car parking near the convenience store. Right by its side is Jinki, waiting for you. He notices your form walking towards him and immediately opens the passenger door for you. Seeing you gawk, he grins.

“Come on,” he says, leading you closer with his hand on your lower back. The action makes you warm inside. You go inside the car wordlessly, and he joins in.

Maybe it's because of how late it is. Perhaps tea does have a good amount of caffeine. Regardless, the two of you are way too lively, especially after a long day of work. Jinki keeps playing random R&B songs and almost plays SHINee’s new song by accident, eliciting a gasp from the man and a delighted squeal from you. You keep telling him the directions, and the car strolls from amidst tall buildings to the residential area, where there are only smaller apartments and condos. He takes the final turn, and you excitedly point at one building, your apartment building. It’s a humble one, but you like how the location is far from dangerous areas of the city, and it’s neat. When Jinki finally parks the car, both of you whoop a drunk-like yaaay! while still laughing at each other.

Jinki gets out of the car first, humming sweetly, and you follow suit, the quietness of your neighborhood contrasts deeply with how loud it was inside the car. But it's a nice and welcomed contrast.

You skip to the staircase to the lobby, and you notice Jinki following you before he stops right before the first stair step. Turning towards him, you're not unfazed by the ever present smile on his handsome face. 

The high energy you both share simmers down, turning into a calm and light atmosphere. Surrounded by comfortable silence, you drink in the sight of him, a man that's shining so bright even in the middle of the night, on a sidewalk. However, the moment must come to an end.

"Thank you for driving me home."

"No," Jinki begins, looking straight at you with his dark eyes. "Thank you, (Y/n)."

"Don't mention it," you giggle. Realizing the item on your head, you take it off, offering it to him. "Your hat."

He waves it off. "Keep it until I see you again."

You only grip the snapback since it doesn't look like he's giving you another option. So you nod before taking a deep breath. "Alright then, good night." You exhale, disappointment creeps within your words, unnoticed.

"Wait."

You're about to turn towards the lobby to climb the stairs when his hand grabs yours and unceremoniously pulls you to him. There's a short moment of clarity and your five senses heighten, noticing his smell, his presence and—His lips press unto yours, soft and slightly chapped, you note in a daze. Warm rush of joy fills you, and you're about to return the kiss when he pulls back, the sight of him leaving you speechless. If he was glowing before, now he looks like the sun, all warm smiles and overwhelmingly bright. Even in the dark his pink hair paints an unreal picture. Catching you off guard, he leans in to plant another kiss, this time on your cheek, your disappointment is too apparent because he’s chuckling softly when he drags his lips to your ear.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he whispers hotly, eliciting pleasant shivers down your spine. Leaning back, he waves innocently, gesturing at you to get into the building.  Speechless and flabbergasted, you give a small bow before practically running towards your apartment.

That night, you plop onto the bed feeling giddy like a teenager. Your mind wanders to Jinki, and Jinki only, from how he visited you tonight, how his breath feels against your skin, his laugh, his silly pink hair, and - the kiss. After a glance at his hat, which you hang near your bed side, you giggle into your pillow, looking forward to seeing the man tomorrow. 

Little do you know you're not going to see him again.

+++

Days pass.

The door to your cafe stays silent at 8 o'clock. There is no sight of a tall man in oversized clothes and mask, no sight of his sakura-colored hair. Ignoring the pang in your chest, you hope he's doing okay at work.

But days turn into weeks, and you know he won't be coming back. You hear news about SHINee's comeback, how successful it is and how all the members look mesmerizing and more handsome than ever. You also hear rumors about a certain man. The news say they spotted him a few times with a female, starting from them getting coffee together, to the more recent one, a picture in which the female had her hands in the crook of his elbow, both of them were smiling, clearly head over heels towards each other. People say they look good together, an idol and a famous actress. Even the fans are supportive of their presumed relationship, saying it's about time their oppa settles down with someone good enough for them.

That day, your heart breaks into pieces.

You drown yourself in work. The auntie from your regular bakery comes over to send you a variation of new cakes, asking about the customer behind regular orders of her traditional pastries. With a strained smile, you say he’s out of town, skillfully lying to the lady, and you don’t know when he will return - this time you’re telling the truth, bitter and a hard pill to swallow. The older lady pats your back, a sad look on her face, everything takes time, my dear, she says with a very knowing gaze. You swallow down a cry, unwilling to be seen so emotionally naked in front of her or anyone else, so you tell her you'll visit her tomorrow. Eunmi knows something's wrong. You hide emotions behind your cheerful self but she recognizes a broken hearted person anywhere, especially when it's her friend. So she takes you out to a pocha - a street vendor - near the neighborhood trying to wash away your pain with eo muk tang and soju. Having quite the high tolerance, you can't even drunkenly spill your secrets to her. But loosened up from alcohol, you tell her about your expectations and how it hurts you. You're grateful for her, nonetheless.

Weeks turn into months. The cold season melts into spring, a season too famous for blossoming love and all that bullshit. You never see him again, not on the news, not in person. He becomes a figment of your memory, a shadow that never fully comes into a tangible form that you can touch, or even gaze at. You toss and turn at night, trying to forget a man who managed to capture your heart, then breaks it mercilessly. You want to punish yourself for missing him, longing to hear his warm voice, his sweet laugh, and how happy he made you feel.

+++

It’s one of your bad days.

Granted, you haven’t been in your best state for months now, but you never let it bother your daily routine. Today, however, is just not your day. You wake up with a dreadful feeling in your stomach, like you’re walking on thin ice. So you wash it down with a cup of triple espresso, letting the caffeine induce faux energy in your veins.

Now you're in the bathroom of your cafe, glaring at your reflection in the mirror. You apply more lip tint and you discover it does improve your appearance, now you're less pale, much to your relief.

"With all due respect, (Y/n), you look like shit" was what Eunmi said to you before she left for her job. Grumbling, you give in and finally fix your appearance in the bathroom. Deeming yourself presentable - in fact, you look good, your hair's on point, you note with a grin - you leave the bathroom.

You see a figure standing in the middle of your cafe.

And he is awfully familiar.

Unbidden, a wave of anger hits you. Clenching your fist, you eye the man has been haunting your mind almost every single night. A shadow that somehow has taken his form, now.

"(Y/n)," he stammers. His voice is like a wake-up call, reviving a ghastly affection that you pushed down in your heart. You always like hearing your name on his tongue, luscious and teasing, but it never sounds this bleak.

Jinki looks different, the most apparent change is his hair, which is now dark brown, reminiscent of the first time you meet him. When was that again? Half a year ago? His fringe is slightly longer, a bit wavy and it fits him so well. Begrudgingly you admit his beauty did not fade, he's still as handsome as ever, if not more, and his cheekbones are more prominent, giving him a sharper appearance.

It's clear as day that he's somber, and the fact incites more anger on your part. Inhaling through your nose, you stomp back to your place behind the counter. From the corner of your eye you see his gaze following your movement.

"What would you like to order?" You ask, because even though you're heartbroken, you're a professional.

"I need to talk to you," he says. Of course he does. Nevertheless, you put on a charming smile before his guilt-stricken face.

"Your order, please."

He leans forward. "I'm sorry - " And that's the wrong answer, not when your day is already bad as it is, not when you feel so awful from the moment you wake up in your bed. Especially not after so many questions and non-existent answers on his behalf.

"If you're not buying anything, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave," you say through gritted teeth, your customer service mask slipping off.

After an excruciating silence, he ducks his head, biting his lips, like he needs to stop himself from speaking any further. Then slowly, he walks towards the door. At that point, you should feel triumphant. But the pang in your heart says otherwise as you see his hunched back, filled with disappointment. Before leaving, he turns one more time, looking at you in the eye with a gaze that squeezes your heart painfully.

"I'll come back to visit again."

You watch the empty store, breathing harshly. There's a storm of emotions going inside you, and nothing you do afterwards helps you calm down. You've never been this shaken before, not even when you first heard of Jinki dating on the news. That day, you thought of course, of course he would date the actress. Not someone he randomly kissed after a particularly rough day. Idols are unreachable for a reason. But his reappearance opens a Pandora's box, releasing the feelings you locked in so many months ago.

To make it worse, this time Jinki is not lying. Because the next morning, he's back, he's wearing a black turtleneck shirt paired with slacks and covered by a dark brown coat, looking dashing all while smiling hospitably as he orders a huge americano and a dozen pastries for dine-in. He sits in his usual corner, fiddling with his phone all the while throwing glances at you. It's easy to ignore him with the presence of other customers, but when it's only two of you, it's a whole different kind of challenge.

Surprisingly, the man doesn't attempt to talk to you, at all. Jinki just sits there, waiting. He nibbles on one snack to the other, and continues to wait. You can hear him receiving calls silently, trying to hush his voice, but you hear words like "I'm not coming" and "I'm sorry, but I already told you yesterday” which start to melt the ice that’s settling within you.

The sun is setting when you decide you can't stand it anymore. He's been eating nothing but pastries, he had ordered another glass of coffee and he. Just. Won't. Leave. Checking the time, it's been 9 hours, and you’ve waited long enough, way too long, to get the answers you’ve been asking for.

With dread clawing inside your stomach, you stand up and walk to his table. Jinki notices your presence and immediately perks up. You despise the glimmer of hope in those familiar brown eyes.

"Why are you here?" The tremble in your voice is evident, and you inwardly curse. Jinki, however, looks determined and stares back with a steely gaze.

"I want to talk to you," he states evenly.

"Right now? The store is still open."

The air on his face changes abruptly, and you almost step back, feeling his anger. After throwing you an unexpected sneer, he speed-walks to the door, grabbing your wooden sign and flipping it over from ‘open’ to ‘close’. You stammer a protest, but he's already in front you, looming over with his taller body.

"It's closed." Motivated by desperation, you know he will do anything to get what he wants. But internally you shake off the tingles of warmth you feel when seeing him this assertive. "Can we please talk now?"

You chew the insides of your cheek, biting off your frustration, because you know he got you cornered. With a sigh, you nod. You've listened to many people, many stories ranging from sorrow to joy, and you listen well, quiet and composed. Now, you're anything but. You can't bring yourself to look him in the eye, uncomfortable with the increasing tension in the air. He remains silent, and you feel more uneasy. When he finally speaks, you should’ve seen it coming.

"I'm sorry." You feel each word stabbing your chest. "I'm sorry for not coming back, I have my reasons so please let me explain first."

You inhale sharply. "You have a girlfriend."

"No, I - "

"You have a girlfriend. Why did you even kiss me?"

Hurt flashes on his face. "She's not my girlfriend. And I kissed you because I wanted to."

Anger rises in your veins.

"Everybody says it. It's all over the news." You hold the urge to sneer, to laugh at his attempt to lie. Jinki’s mouth opens and closes a few times, his hand flailing helplessly. Then, he holds a hand up.

"Give me a minute," he insists before opening up his phone. You're close to berating him for lack of manners but he suddenly holds the phone to you. You look up at him quizzically. He only nods, somber and knowing, so you take it.

You gasp, your stomach churns with dread.

On his phone screen is a picture of the two of you, clearly taken by someone who's not supposed to see it. It was from that night before he stopped visiting, and it has you and him on the main street, right before you enter his car. Your face is hidden by the cap he lent, but he is ushering you into the car with a hand on your lower back. Unlike your features, Jinki's are crystal clear. He’s not wearing anything to cover his face, and his pink hair is bright in the dark. From the proximity, it's obvious what it looks like.

"T-this is - "

"Paparazzi. We managed to prevent the worst case with the help of media insiders, but we still needed to do preventive measures.” At that moment, SHINee was about to start promoting a comeback, if it went wrong, it'd ruin everything. “So, one of my agents suggested I fake-dated another celebrity to cover it up."

Your eyes widen. He stops, and stares at you knowingly.

"I was under heavy scrutinization. The media had their eyes on each and every movement I made. They followed me everywhere." He ducks his head, chuckling with an uncharacteristic self pity in his voice.

"I couldn't visit you. It was too risky. So I waited, and played along with the plan. Thankfully, announcing the relationship was not necessary. The pictures and interactions were enough. In the end, all we had to do was deny the rumors, saying we're just friends who helped each other in her acting gigs. Furthermore, I don't think they managed to publish the original picture. If they did… Let's just say I wouldn't be here."

Silence stretches between the two of you. Your mind is still processing all the things he’d said, but you can feel the blooming hope within your heart, trying to tell you to listen and to give him a chance. 

Jinki inhales, chest expanding before letting out of his frustrations through a harsh exhale. Then, he moves forward, taking your hand with his hesitant ones, testing the waters. Staying still, you watch with anticipation and thundering heart as he pulls your hands up.

“I miss you. I miss this place. Being around you makes my worries disappear, as if the only thing that matters is the time we spend together. I've always enjoyed your company since I first visited this place by chance but…” he takes a deep breath, eyes boring straight into yours.

“I didn’t expect to fall for you." 

Your breath hitches, and he moves closer. Just an inch closer, testing the waters.

"Please, give me a chance. I didn’t mean to stop seeing you. To stop visiting for months, not being able to see your smile… It was a torture.”

With shallow breaths, the aftermath of your shock, you find yourself unable to say anything. Your head is light and dizzy - clouded with emotions after his revelation. He pulls your hand to his lips, pressing a light kiss that stills you even further. His eyes are solemn, filled with so much longing that suddenly becomes clear to you.

"Will you forgive me? Can I try again?”

Months of learning to forget and hate him melts away. There's something in your expression that makes Jinki's eyes soften. You miss that gentleness that brings so much life to the man, but most of all, you miss him. Just him. Letting instinct take over, you pull your hands away from his grasp as his face falls.

"You idiot," you murmur helplessly, moving forward only to punch his chest, albeit weakly, ignoring his protests as he stumbles back with a yelp. "I waited. I waited for you but you never came back, I thought you - you got bored of me or something."

"(Y/n), no - "

Something inside you snaps, and you let words come out like a waterfall.

"I like you a lot, Jinki. More than a lot. I-I think I'm falling for you too. I didn't know what to do when I saw the news. It made me feel so bad about myself. And you just kissed me too. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

He scratches the back of his neck, a little embarrassed.

"W-well, I don't have your number."

Unbidden, you choke out a strangled laugh, noticing the tears that's appearing in your eyes. With trembling fingers, you grab his shirt, hiding your face away in his chest. 

"I waited for you." You repeat, voice hoarse and weak.

With a tenderness you never felt before, he holds your face and frowns, regret paints his eyes darker. 

"I'm sorry, I'm here now."

"Is it even safe for you to be here?"

"It's been months, I'm out of their radar now, my team made sure of it."

"Stupid."

"I know, I know. I am stupid, I'm sorry."

"I missed you." You finally say, and in a second warmth engulfs your body as he pulls you into his arms. The scent that is undoubtedly Jinki, oh so familiar to you, comforts you almost instantly.

"I missed you, too." He says into your hair, and you return his embrace with a hiccup. "Are you crying? I'm so sorry."

You pull back, stubbornly trying to show him you are not crying but he just laughs - bright and warm, shit, you really missed it - cupping your face so tenderly it makes your cheeks burn. But something in your face makes him frown.

“What’s on your mind, sweetheart?” Your eyes widen at the nickname and his face falls. "Um, is it okay if I call you that?"

"S-sure," You reassure him, secretly melting inside.

"Good. So, what's on your mind?" He inquires with a hint of worry. You bite your lips, thinking about a question that has been lingering in your mind.

“So that night, when you kissed me… It wasn’t a mistake?”

At that, a smug smile graces his plump lips. Gosh, you even miss this side of him, the one that takes enjoyment in flustering you.

“I never regret it."

Relief floods your heart, and it leaves blossoms of hope. So you look up at him, putting on a cute expression that hopefully melts him.

“Can you do it again?”

He chuckles, not showing any protest before leaning in to capture your lips.

“Gladly.”

+++

"Are you sure it's safe?"

"I parked the car at a market two blocks away from your cafe, I think we're okay, (Y/n),” he sighs, pushing your back for you to start walking. Due to someone’s reckless action, you closed the store hours before it’s closing time, and now you even get to go home early.

You laugh. "Fine."

There's a part of Jinki that will never agree to you going home by bus, hence why he's insistent on driving you home once again. With a lighter heart, you accept.

But contrasting the previous trip, the ride home is silent. You can hear the faint sound of keys jingling against the dashboard, and the constant clack of pedals being stepped on. You turn your gaze to the driver, the sight of his side profile greeting you. He's breathtaking, you think, the mole on his chin is beyond adorable, and all of a sudden, the man turns his face. He offers you a smile before patting your thighs - as if knowing that smile makes your legs weak - and within seconds his eyes are back on the road, leaving you flustered.

Jinki parks the car across your apartment building, bringing a deja vu to the whole situation. You open the door and step a foot outside, thinking of saying good night to Jinki there and then. But he doesn't share your thoughts, because he's already leaving the car, intending to see you to the lobby.

"Alright then," he says softly. "Good night, (Y/n)."

The insides of your stomach twists. You don’t want him to leave yet. Months passed without him in your life, and despite having brighter days ahead within the new relationship, a selfish part of you still wants to spend time with him, making up for the lost time. You don't know what pushes you forward that night, but you’re already pulling the cuff of his sleeves, fingers curling around the fabric.

Jinki turns around, confusion clear in his brown eyes. "Yes?" He's tilting his head, cute.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" You blurt out and his eyes turn into saucers. "You haven't eaten a proper meal today. I can make something for both of us."

His surprise melts into a bright smile, his eyes crinkling with happiness. You see his ears turning red. "I'd love to."

You step into your home first, taking off your shoes and changing them to slippers. Gingerly, yet excited, you pull another pair of slippers to give to your guest. It’s a pair of white bunny slippers, with little ears as the decoration. You hope he doesn’t mind the design.

"Oh, thank you," he says, stifling a laugh at the object - rude - before ducking to follow your gesture. Then, he removes his coat, hanging it on the rack, revealing a set of broad shoulders and chest, the fabric of his low turtleneck shirt emphasizing the swell of his arms. You hang onto the sight for a little too long, and by the time you look away, Jinki already has a knowing smirk, amused at your dumbfounded expression. With a huff, you practically rush inside your home, ignoring him.

Without even looking, you know he's scanning your room. You're quite proud of it, because it may be small, but you made it as comfy as possible.  You don't have dining tables, instead you have island counters and high chairs. Gesturing Jinki to sit there, you excuse yourself to change into more comfortable clothes. As you're about to reach your room, Jinki calls your name. You turn to see him holding a familiar cap from your shelves.

"You kept it with you." He's grinning as he flails the hat, looking all giddy and adorable, and it's contagious.

"Of course, you told me to."

"That I did. But I didn't expect you to hold it after what happened."

He's not wrong. Many times you wanted to throw it away, since it's the only item you have that's left of him, the only string left of the frail connection you had with Jinki. But you couldn't, despite the bittersweet feeling that came from seeing the hat, sometimes you found comfort from it. 

As if sensing the deflated mood, he pushes the hat on your head playfully, pulling a laugh from you which halts when the back of his hand caresses your cheek, his eyes assessing you with intrigue. The same hand ends up on your shoulder, giving a light push.

"Go on, aren't you going to change?"

You scowl half-heartedly, trying to ignore the subtle suggestive tone in his voice.

Quickly, you go into your room to store the hat away and change into your usual attire at home, lounge shorts and a large t-shirt. You stride to the kitchen area and take a second to drink in the sight of Jinki in your kitchen. It’s real. The scene is so domestic you can feel butterflies fluttering in your stomach. 

"Does soybean soup sound good to you?" You ask, now standing in front of the island counter. You laugh internally realizing how similar this is to your usual dynamic at the café. "I have some pork dumplings too.”

Jinki blinks, then he looks at you from your head to toe with half hazed eyes. The way he’s drinking in your form triggers the heat pooling in your belly, especially when he stares at your thighs for a moment too long, and you can't help but squirm under his gaze. It's a truce, you suppose, for you've ogled at him as well. 

"That sounds lovely." His voice is quiet, eyes hazy like he wasn’t paying attention to the conversation. "Can I do anything to help?"

Bless this man. "Then, can you chop the vegetables?"

"Sure." He gets up and walks to your side, already eyeing a cutting board that’s hanging near the sink. Meanwhile, you’re rummaging through the freezer, acquiring a bag of frozen pork and leek dumplings, trying to distract yourself from the fact that you're cooking together and it's so domestic, fuck - you move to the shelves, intending to get the soybean paste container up there. It's not that high, you swear, but you do need to tiptoe.

Then unexpectedly, a hand goes past yours to grab the container. Familiar scent tickles your nose and warmth seeps through your back, with that you know Jinki’s standing behind you.

Sheepish, you turn to thank him but stop when you realize how close he is. He's looking at you with hooded eyes, intense and filled with emotions you're familiar with, because perhaps, you're mirroring it. A rustling sound catches your attention, and you notice Jinki putting the container down to the counter. You can feel the top surface of the same counter digging into your hips, and belatedly you catch up with your situation, it almost feels like you're cornered.

Jinki puts his hand on the counter by the side of your torso. With the rolled sleeves, the muscle of his arms draws your attention once more, his bicep tensing as the hand presses on the surface. Now you're cornered by his strong arm, and he moves the other to your hair, fingers tickling your temples, dragging them slowly to move your fringe out of the way.

"Are you okay?" Asks Jinki, almost rhetorically, voice lower than you've ever heard in all the time you've known him. He smells like wood and a hint of something floral, and you start to feel intoxicated from it. He's moving closer, at first you can only hear his breath, but within seconds you can feel each puff of air on your skin.

You take note of your heartbeat that runs a mile, the way you breathe in shallow intakes, and the wild butterflies in your stomach. You notice how desperately you want him to touch you, kiss you, it's inappropriate. Then, the answer should be no, you're far from okay.

Instead, you gulp. "Yes," you rasp the answer and the corner of Jinki's mouth quirks up, devilish yet sweet.

"Good."

And then he's on you. His lips descend on yours, urgent and feverish, and you melt against him immediately. You know this is not the first time you kiss, but it wasn’t like this before, that one was short and sweet, you didn't think it could be this hot and intoxicating.

His hand cups your cheek, tilting your head to mold your mouth better, the gesture makes you weak and you let him guide you to his will, and by the time he succeeds, you're already gripping his shoulder for balance and support.

Jinki opens his mouth, pulling your lower lip in between his teeth, grazing and teasing it until you accidentally let out a whimper that causes him to inhale sharply. The noise fuels your need to be closer to him, so you kiss him back harder, trying to take any sort of control. But Jinki's not having it,  he puts his hand on your lower back, gripping them tight enough to make you gasp. He uses the opportunity to sneak his tongue past your swollen lips.

Overwhelmed by him, you push your own appendage against his, meeting it shyly. He groans, voice rumbling low like never before and it goes straight into your core. Your lips dance together in a sensual rhythm as the temperature between you seems to increase. Eventually, you grow more breathless, and pull back. He follows suit, detaching your mouth but keeping you close to him. Like tunnel vision, you can only focus on the man who has you in his arms.

Jinki touches your forehead with his, which feels really warm. His whole body radiates heat, like a furnace, and you want the warmth to engulf you more. Pulling back, he cups your face tenderly, calloused thumb rubbing your cheek carefully, as if too much pressure will break you into pieces. You won’t break, but the weight of his gaze does cause you to squirm. Feeling self conscious, you bring a hand up to your face, attempting to hide your disheveled self only to have Jinki tut at the action.

"You always do that." With his large hands, he pries your smaller ones away, showing your flushed face for his delight. He smiles in awe, and you can’t look away.

"You're so beautiful." He whispers.

Elated by the compliment, you mirror his smile before pressing a chaste kiss to his full lips. The harmless peck turns into another heated kiss in no time, with you pressing yourself against him and him parting his irresistible mouth to welcome yours excitedly. Abruptly, he retreats again, chuckling nervously as he puts his hands on your shoulders.

"I’m sorry.” He sounds strained. “If we keep doing this, I won’t be able to stop.”

Again you’re reminded of how much of a gentleman Jinki is, how proper and patient he is. But you had enough. With a ridiculous amount of desperation coming from the ever-growing tension in the air between you two, you muster all of your courage. "Then don't."

With eyes as big as saucers, Jinki is about to say something when you take the chance to grab his arm and lead him to the couch in the middle of your room. You're in no rush, you know he knows what you want, and he's following your lead soundlessly. You sit down, he follows suit and you notice the way he takes no time to turn to you, cupping your face as you lean into the palm of his large hand. Despite the gentleness of his touch, you can see the storm in his eyes and how it waits to crash unto you. 

So you end his uncertainty.

"Don't stop." You whisper before leaning in, capturing his lips in a languid kiss. He reciprocates, returning the favor eagerly while his hand wanders on your exposed thighs, the skin to skin contact bringing shivers to your spine. It doesn't take long until your frenzied self shifts closer to him, ending up sitting in his lap, and his lips have left yours in order to explore the skin of your neck. He parts his mouth and starts sucking on your skin, exposed by the large t-shirt. You breathe shakily, positively quivering in his hold. Never would you know the usually calm man can turn you into a molten heat under his touch. 

Wanting to feel more of Jinki, your hand wanders from his chest to his abdomen and lower to his thighs, eliciting a hiss from him. Mesmerized by his reaction, you crave more, so you shift in his lap, moving in a way that will make your thighs brush against the hardness between his legs.

"Oh god," he moans out loud, voice gravelly but still melodic to your ears, it brings a proud grin to your face, provoking his eyes to turn dark. He tuts. "Don't get ahead of yourself, sweetheart."

The endearment alone sends a familiar wetness straight to your core. He smiles, knowing exactly what he does.

"May I?"

You nod, and suddenly his hand is on your inner thigh, dancing dangerously close to your center, and your breath hitches, knowing how wet you are by now. His other hand travels to your back, sneaking under your shirt to rub circles there, fingers brushing with the back of your bra repeatedly, the sensations make you whimper and the satisfaction on Jinki's face only brings more excitement in your veins. You almost let out a moan, biting your lip when you feel his finger pressing on your core through the pants.

"What was that?" He hums, putting more pressure.

"Don't tease me," you manage out, holding his upper arm with a trembling hand. Your last sliver of pride seems to fire a challenge within him, so you curse out loud when he easily pulls your pants down along with your panties, leaving you exposed. He rubs your thighs appreciatively, making you whimper.

"Jinki, please…"

The way his name sounds on your tongue right now must be so erotic, because you can feel his erection twitch in response. He hums, leaning in to ghost his lips over yours.

"What do you want, sweetheart?"

"Please touch me." Your voice comes out in a breathy whisper.

Deceptively calm, he slowly spreads your legs, putting one foot on the couch and the other dangling on his strong thigh, and drags his thick finger on your slit. That first contact alone pulls a moan out of you causing him to sigh with appreciation.

"You're so wet for me, aren't you?"

"Don't say that - "

He gives you a crooked smile. "What? It's true, you're soaked."

It's not a secret that he enjoys teasing you until you lose your composure, but this time he's driving you crazy, and you know he's reveling in it. Losing control, you gasp as you feel a touch on your clit before his finger enters you easily. You bite your lip, closing your eyes as the glorious sensation takes you by surprise, and you lean forward to hide your face in the crook of Jinki's neck. He whispers sweet words, his other hand holds you tightly as the other keeps fingering you. Then, he pulls your body away, raising your chin, his eyes meet your questioning ones. Your answer arrives when another finger pushes into your wet cavern, making you keen. "A-ah - "

"Is that okay?"

The consideration doesn't go unnoticed. You nod, and he pulls you closer for a kiss as you wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him as close as humanly possible. It's messy, you keep moaning into his lips, leaning back to pant as Jinki picks up speed, you have to hold a scream when he goes deeper, and crooks his fingers to a spot that rocks your body into a quivering mess.

Your control breaks when he rubs your clit with his thumb, feeling the pleasure building, and you can't stop the euphoric moans coming out of your mouth. Jinki stares at you with wonder in his eyes, appreciating your form as you gasp and pant his name so beautifully.

"Are you close?"

Feeling the intense heat coiling in your lower abdomen, you can only nod, but he persists, taking your chin rather forcefully you almost feel ashamed of how much you like it. His usually warm brown eyes are like molten lava, burning with desire and it lights you up in flame.

"No, tell me, are you close?" He demands with a harsh swipe on your clit and you arch your back in intense pleasure. You clench harder on his fingers, struggling to find words to answer him.

"Please, I'm so close - ah," You haven't finished your words when his hand increases the speed, going deep to rub your inner walls all without warning. You are in a sweet delirium, not caring of anything else at the moment. Your breaths are shallow, chest heaving up and down as your orgasm is teetering very closely.

Knowingly, Jinki looks into your eyes, hunger visible in the depths of brown. But his words are soft. 

"Cum for me, sweetheart."

With a high pitched moan, you let your climax crash into you, pussy walls clenching around his fingers that have been fucking you for a while now. You bury your face in his neck, inhaling his scent that starts to mix with sweat. It calms you, so you breathe in more, still panting from your orgasm.

"Good girl," he murmurs into your hair, peppering kisses on the crown of your head, and you respond with a strained laugh.

"Oh my god, you're insane."

He joins in, ruffling your hair playfully. Looking back up, you see him staring at you with equal parts adoration and lust and the huge hardness underneath you calls your attention.

"Hey, what's wrong?" His voice is strained yet gentle, slightly concerned with the sudden silence. You look down, and he immediately knows what you're thinking.

"(Y/n), we don't have to - "

"Jinki, I want you." You lean closer, brushing your lips against his alluringly, silencing him. "I told you not to stop. Don't you want me?"

He swallows, control slipping.

"I want you so bad." He whispers, voice strained. He's devouring you with his gaze, hands cupping your face possessively. Intending to push him to his limits, you take his hand and slowly kiss each finger, pressing light pecks on the callused skin. You start sucking on his thumb, and he curses before eagerly pushing the thick finger in your wet mouth, pressing against your tongue. He's a storm about to explode, and you know it.

"Shit, I want you all for myself," Jinki grits out. He grabs your waist roughly, making you gasp around his thumb, before he pulls it out. "I want you begging me to let you cum, like you did just now."

You moan at his words, unconsciously rolling your hips to his, which pulls a pained groan from him. At that moment, you know he can't resist you anymore.

"Do you want it, sweetheart? Are you sure?" He finally asks, and you nod, eyes determined and rightfully desperate. You're a wet mess and you want nothing but to have Jinki inside of you. No longer wanting to wait, you finally go for his ear, whispering your one and only wish for the night.

"Please fuck me, Jinki. Make me yours."

He inhales sharply. With shallow breaths, he tugs you closer, kissing you deeply before shifting you in his arms. You yelp as he picks you up easily and starts walking towards your bedroom.

"There's no way we're doing it on a couch." He winks before dropping you on the bed while your squeal fills in the room.

As if there's a switch, the laughing subsides. With one glance at the man before you, you can only focus on one thing. You rush to pull off Jinki's shirt, and you marvel at his body and all the defined muscles. Taking a little too much time ogling him, Jinki chuckles, but you can hear the slight nervousness, and goes ahead to unbuckle his belt. The action jolts you back into reality, so you help him to remove the offending fabric.

Your hands are trembling, but Jinki's too, and you find comfort from it as you fumble around, too excited to care about anything else in the world.

Growing impatient, you capture his lips again which he responds to eagerly. God, his lips are soft. Your hand goes south to palm him through his briefs, trying to stimulate him more. With a muffled moan, he asserts his strength and takes your hand before flipping your position and resuming the kiss. Trapped under his strong body, you let yours go pliant as his hands explore it greedily.

He all but rips your oversized shirt before pushing you back down on your bed. Satisfied and not being able to hold himself back anymore, he cups your breast through your bra, making you gasp, and he quickly removes it before going straight to tweak a pebbled nipple. Sighing in pleasure, you move your hips upwards, needing some friction. Jinki notices it and smirks.

"Impatient, aren't we?"

Perhaps you should feel more ashamed for your wanton, but there's no remorse, only a painful need for the man before you. Who you’ve waited for so long.

You let out a whine. "Please?"

"Please what?"

"I want you inside me - oh!"

Without a warning, Jinki pushes in two fingers into your heat, the earlier wetness and your own release help in slicking his fingers.

"Like this, sweetheart?" He asks, clearly teasing you, playing with your bundle of nerves, your noises encouraging him to arouse your body further.

"Jinki, please…" You all but beg, hands reaching to touch his body, down to his cock, still in the briefs, trying to send an obvious message to your lover.

With a smile, he pulls out his fingers. Like the patient person he is, he takes his time to take off his briefs, finally freeing his hard cock. You can't help but feel intimidated by his size. Deceptively slow, he strokes himself while peering down at you, enjoying the fucked out look in your eyes and leaving you almost drooling at the sight he provides.

"God, I want you so bad," he grunts. "You don't know how long I've wanted this."

"It wouldn't take too long if you hadn't left," you whine instantly, making him pout.

"I'm going to make it up to you, okay, sweetheart?" He leans in, peppering kisses on your cheeks while slowly pulling your legs open. “We have all the time now.” You marvel at his gaze, loving and all heat at the same time. After wetting his cock with all your essence, he finally starts pushing in, tensing your whole body.

"Relax," he says, caressing your thighs softly and you nod, letting him push himself inch by inch. God, he's huge and he's stretching you so well.

"More," you whimper and he knows you're growing impatient as well, in one swift motion, he pushes all the way in and makes you moan in pleasure. You can feel his girth around your walls, and you clench unconsciously.

"Shit (Y/n), don't do that." He pulls back while chuckling, the tip of his cock almost leaving your core. "Let me make you feel good first."

You nod weakly, about to say something, anything but get cut off when he pushes in again, this time deeper.

"Jinki," you moan as he replies with a quiet "Okay?" To which you nod.

And he does. He slides in again, and again, and you can't even form words to save your life. His cock feels amazing, fucking you like there's no tomorrow. You pull him closer by the neck, kissing him hard and sloppy. Taking advantage of your muffled mouth, Jinki wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you up slightly and making your legs wrap around him before he starts pounding into you relentlessly. He swallows your euphoric screams, only pulling away to enjoy your expression, basking in pleasure.

As soon as his cock hits your pleasurable spot, you gasp out and clench hard, earning a guttural moan from him. "Jinki, I'm - "

"You're close, aren't you sweetheart? Are you going to cum for me again?"

"Yes! Please - oh my god," you ramble before your words turn into a high pitched moan as you feel Jinki's fingers playing with your clit. You're so close, the second orgasm already creeping up to you, more intense than the first. 

"You were so beautiful when you cum earlier, will you show it to me again?" He offers a sweet smile, contrasting the way he's pounding into your pussy and you only whimper in answer. He pinches your engorged bundle of nerves, expression turning dark.

"Answer me, can you, sweetheart?"

"Yes!" You gasp out, the stimulation jolts fire within you. "Yes, only for you Jinki."

With a particularly harsh thrust, you choke a gasp before a wave of pleasure hits you. You can feel yourself clenching uncontrollably, legs shaking as Jinki pulls you closer, pressing a kiss on your temple.

"Good girl, my good girl," he rambles, chasing his own high desperately. Dropping his head into the crook of your neck, he gives one last push before groaning in release, spilling his essence inside you. You sigh with content, running your fingers in his soft brown locks. After a moment, he leaves your neck, craning his head up before smiling broadly, the post-coital glow so apparent on his face. You grin, pressing a kiss on his nose, which makes him laugh.

"Hang on," he murmurs, pulling out of you before plopping down on your side. "Hi."

"Hi," you respond, moving to his arms, grinning and giddy from your own high. He wraps his arms around you, pressing his cheeks into the skin of your neck.

"Still up to cook?" He asks, and you realize all the cooking supplies you've prepared in the kitchen. You get up, but he stops you. "Let's just order a takeout. I'll help you clean out the kitchen."

You sigh. "Fine."

"You can cook breakfast tomorrow."

You blink owlishly, which gets a sheepish smile in return.

"Can I stay over?"

A large smile blossoms on your face. "Of course."

“Give me a second then.” He begrudgingly gets up, looking slightly lost for a moment before finding his phone. The sight amuses you so much you don’t realize Jinki pouting as he makes a call.

"I won't be coming back tonight," Jinki says to the phone before a loud shouting blasts from the device. He laughs, looking behind to catch your gaze before smiling wide. "Sure, I'll introduce her later to you."

"Wha - Taemin?" A scoff. "You two have fun, then."

Finishing the call, he crawls back to your embrace in the bed, making you giggle. Jinki hums with contentment before nudging you back, wishing to see your face. You don't know what he sees, but his smile turns softer, and he really looks like the sun.

"You're insane." he half-whispers, and you laugh, boisterous and too giddy. You decide to tease him.

"But you haven't seen nothing yet."

His lips quirk into a devious grin. "Is that a challenge?"

You only smirk in reply, which encourages Jinki to lean up and try to kiss you, but something comes to your mind so you push yourself off him.

"Wait here, we need to clean up." Ignoring his disappointed look, you stand up and start to walk away. Suddenly, you hear a loud rumbling noise. When you see Jinki, he already has a hand on his stomach with only a mild surprise, like he knows it will happen sooner or later. You huff.

"And you need to eat."

He laughs, following suit only to wrap his hands around your waist, seemingly unable to detach himself from you for too long. You grumble, attempting to wrestle away from him. But he's stronger, and holds you so you're looking at him. With a voice as warm and sweet as his favorite drink, he murmurs.

"Just one more kiss, sweetheart, then dinner."

The nickname works like a charm. Albeit having disbelief in his self-control - and yours too, to be frank - you give in, relaxing your body and accepting his lips on yours again, thankful that he returns, excited for the days you'll spend together with him in your life.

[xotaemintol]

I want to do a breeding FF but idk who to write it for…so y’all can pick, it’ll be posted Wednesday with part 3 of the Jisung AU.

[toobusyshrimping]

Wip tag from @pimosworld

rules: list the names/titles of docs in your wip folder + open your inbox to asks about them.

Explosively Yours Cooper Howard x Lucy sugarbaby au: Cooper Howard is an out of work actor after an unfortunate accident on set that left him disfigured and he pays for people to just spend time with him. Lucy is a sugar baby looking to get help paying for expenses while she's in university. She goes to a support group for ex cult members, she escaped the vault cult at 23.

Untitled phone sex hotline Cooper Howard x Lucy au: Lucy calls to learn how to talk dirty. She was embarrassed when her ex Monty made fun of her for saying fudge and shoot in bed. Enter Cooper teaching her how to dirty talk while secretly loving her saying "jinkies" while touching herself.

Home is Wherever I'm with you (working title) Worst Wolverine!Logan x Wade: about a 1k drabble of Logan building a home for him, Wade, Mary Puppins, and Al as a courting gift.

If you want to tags: @pennyserenade @ceilidho

[mymoodwriting]

2.1k, yandere, car accident, amnesia, stalking, drugs, kidnapping, restraints, chains (@starillusion13)

“I know this place…”

Minho wandered the streets every night, finding himself following the same path over and over again. He’d always wind up at this bar, stumbling in, drunk on memories and pain. He was haunted by the past, by his lover. This was a place they’d frequent together, and he’d always come here looking for them. He’d confuse the girls around for his lover, and that would always get him into trouble. Every night he’d be dragged out and beaten, but that never discouraged him from going back there and looking for the one he loved.

Every day he lived in a nightmare. He lost his lover in a car accident, but he’s still looking for them. This night was like no other. Minho was making his way over to the bar when something caught his eyes. There was a girl looking around the area, she seemed a bit lost, but in his mind that was her, the one he had lost. Without a second thought he ran over and hugged the girl, holding her tight, afraid to let go. Of course she squirmed beneath him until she got free. Now that he was close Minho would realize this wasn’t who he was looking for, but he was caught off guard seeing the girl’s face. She looked just like his lost love.

“I… I’m sorry…”

“Do I know you?” The girl asked. “I-”

“No. I just thought you looked like someone I knew.”

“Oh… sorry…”

“I’m sorry… I’ll be leaving now…”

Minho offered a quick smile and stepped away. He knew he was chasing a ghost, but those little moments when he thought he saw them again, they could spark such peace in his heart. That simple hug, thinking it was someone, it eased his worries, even if only for a second. As he walked away he could still feel the warmth of the embrace, deluding himself into believe it was-

“Y/n!”

Minho stopped dead in his tracks, feeling his heart sink. Hearing your name brought so much to the surface that it overwhelmed him. Tears built up in his eyes, and a tightening was felt in his chest. He looked back at the doppelganger, only to see another familiar face by their side. A friend of their deceased beloved. Without realizing Minho was already walking back over, confronting the pair.

“Alya.”

“Uh…”

The strange gentlemen that had hugged you moments before came back, and was speaking to your friend. The fact he knew their name, you figured they were acquainted somehow, but Alya didn’t seem happy to see him.

“You called her y/n, why?”

“Who… who are you again?”

The stranger suddenly grabbed your arm and pulled up the sleeve, revealing a scar you had. He traced his fingers over it for a moment before you managed to free yourself from his grip, rolling down your sleeve.

“It’s you… you’re y/n…”

“Do… do I know you?” You mumbled. “I… I was in a car accident recently… it caused amnesia and-”

“That’s enough.” Alya covered your mouth. “We should be going, it is late.”

Alya kept your mouth covered, offering the stranger a fake smile and trying to move away, but he grabbed her arm.

“Why didn’t you tell me she was alive!” Minho yelled. “All this time…”

“How dare you!” Alya snapped. “You’re the reason there was an accident in the first place! I may not have all the details, but you and y/n were fighting that night and she left you! She was driving under duress and called me, trying to explain things when I heard the crash…”

“You-”

“Don’t put this on me, Minho! You didn’t reach out either. You were there that night, you saw her laying on the ground and bleeding, yet you walked away, believing her to be dead. She’s better off without you.”

Alya tried to walk away again with you, but Minho wasn’t going to let you leave that easily. Although soon enough a group of men saw the scene and intervened, pulling Minho away from you both. They threw him to the ground and started kicking him. You wanted to stop them but Alya held you back and pulled you away from the scene. All you could do was watch and hear how the men had repeatedly told Minho not to come around here and harass girls. When you got to Alya’s car you couldn’t help but ask.

“Who was he? Minho? Is he an ex of mine?”

“The worst of it. Don’t worry about him, he was awful, and you don’t owe him anything.”

“But-”

“Y/n, he nearly got you killed. It’s better you don’t remember him.”

A lot had changed for you in what felt like an instant. So much of your life was just gone, but you knew that couldn’t hold you back. This place felt like a ghost town. Everywhere you went, everywhere you looked, you felt some faded connection. The doctor had told you that your head trauma from the crash caused your amnesia, and that it was unlikely for you to recover your memories. With all that in mind you figured it was best to move somewhere else, to start over and build your life. 

You still planned to keep in touch with Alya. She was there for you when you woke up, and stayed by your side throughout all your recovery. She admitted that she’d miss having you so close, but she understood your need to find yourself. You still wondered about that ex you ran into, but you knew you couldn’t dwell on the past if you wanted to move forward. You were starting a new chapter in your life after all.

🖤

Minho was still stuck in a routine, but things had changed. He was no longer searching for the ghost of you, but for the one he had lost. After that night he was just focused on finding where you had disappeared to. His best bet was to wait by your friend’s house, surely you would show up, and from there he could find out where you were. It took him days of waiting before he got to see you again. He had to hold himself back from running over to you and embracing you in a hug. Now was not the time.

When you went into your friend’s house he snuck over to your car, placing a tracker on it and going back to wait. Once you came out of the house he had to hold himself back again. As you pulled off into the street he carefully followed you, discovering where you were now. He could see that you moved out of town to a neighboring one. You lived in a small apartment building, and it put his mind at ease knowing where you were now. So he’d spend the days watching you, seeing how you went about your life. You seemed happy, and seeing you smile again made him remember the past.

He thought back to all the time the two of you spent together. Your death made him feel an indescribable guilt, but this was a second chance. Not just for him to make things right, but another chance for the both of you. After some time of watching you, he decided to approach.  You’d go to the farmers market about once a week, and that’s where he’d run into you. He was nervous, but he knew he just had to be himself. Although he did have to encourage himself multiple times to say something or else lose out on speaking with you.

“…ha… hi…”

“Hm? Oh, hello there.”

“I… uh… I’m-”

“Minho?”

“Yes. My name is Minho.”

“It’s nice to meet you, I’m y/n.”

“I know- I mean, it’s nice to meet you.” Minho offered his hand, which you took. “How… uh… how have you been?”

“I’m doing alright. Still adjusting, but the hard part of my journey seems to be over.”

“I’m glad you made a full recovery.”

“Thank you.”

“Could I… uh… would you like some coffee?”

“I’m good, thank you.”

“Of course.”

Minho had no problem following you around the market, helping you with your bags and picking out fruits and vegetables. It was nice to be together, it felt like old times, like nothing had changed.

“How have you been?” You asked.

“Me? Uh… I’ve been doing okay, doing my best.”

“You should take better care of yourself too.”

“What?”

“Your face.”

“Ah, I’m alright, no need to worry.”

Minho helped you get your bags to your apartment. He only got a small peek into your apartment though.

“Get home safe.”

“Ah, thank you.”

He was sad that you didn’t invite him in, but he could also understand that. Still, he wasn’t gonna just let you go, so he’d watch you from afar. It wasn’t until some days later that he approached you again. He offered you some flowers, your favorites, and you took them with a smile on your face.

“Thank you, they’re lovely.”

“I thought I’d come around to see how you were doing.”

“I appreciate it. I’m doing alright, and you?”

“Better.”

“I can see. Your face doesn’t look so bad anymore.”

“Yeah… I was wondering if I could treat you to a meal.”

“Uh, thank you, but I’m not looking for a relationship right now.” You explained. “I’m trying to move forward with my life and make my own path. You’re someone from my past, and also the reason my present is this way. I don’t know what happened, but the old me left you, and now we’re here. I’m sorry, but I’d appreciate it if you stopped coming around. I don’t have a connection with you anymore.”

“But I-”

“It’s weird having you here since I know no one told you where I was. I won’t call the police, but all I ask is that you leave. Please.”

“I… uh… I understand… sorry…”

🖤

Minho stared down at his wedding ring, remembering that fateful night. He could still hear the yelling in his head, but it was all muffled. That was the night he had proposed, but you didn’t seem ready for that step. You ran away and he could only think to chase you down. He thought he could talk to you, and instead he witnessed the crash, getting into an accident himself. He thought it was all over like a fool, but he had a second chance now, and he wasn’t going to ruin it. Although he had to take matters into his own hands.

He kept his distance as you had asked, watching you from afar and seeing how you lived your life. Just as he had his routine, you seemed to have yours. A way to keep you grounded and moving forward. Once he had a good idea when to make his move he stepped into action. While you were away he broke into your apartment. It was pretty empty as he had expected, you didn’t have much to start over with. Now all he had to do was wait for you. In theory you shouldn’t be gone for long, but any minute apart from you felt like an eternity.

Eventually when he heard you returning he hid, watching you in silence. You put down your grocery bags, starting to take everything out when you heard the floor creak. You looked around, but there was no one. It was probably just the apartment, so you paid it no mind. Then you suddenly felt a hand around your throat, and a rag was over your mouth. You breathed in a strange scent and started feeling dizzy. The edges of your vision were turning black and you felt your strength leaving you. Fear was eating you up, and it consumed you just as the darkness did.

When you regained consciousness your head was still spinning, but you were also worried. Nothing around you looked familiar, and this place was really dark. As you tried to get up you felt something cold against your leg, reaching over and finding a chain. You were really starting to worry, and then you heard a door open. You moved away from the sound, finding your back against a wall and pulling your knees up to your chest. Then you saw a hauntingly familiar face approach you.

“Please… please let me go… I won’t tell anyone…”

“I’m sorry. I know you said you wanted nothing to do with me anymore, but I can’t give up on this so easily. I know you can remember again, or we can just start over and do things right. Either way, I am not losing you again.”

“…”

“I didn’t like how I felt without you. It’s not right. I’m always going to chase you, so let’s try this again.”

[sorryimananti-romantic]

Ateez - Character Concept

Lore: 'An Empire of Dreams and Illusions'

[faerie prince!ateez au]

[Name/Titles]

Kim Hongjoong Prince of Light

[Kingdom]

Kingdom of Scorpio

[Cities]

Antares (Capital) Acrab Jabbah Schubba Sargas

[Sea]

The Topaz Sea

[Animal Form]

Lion

[Court members]

Got7 (Jaebeom as Right Hand, Yugyeom as Captain of Guard) Red Velvet (Seulgi as Head Healer)

[Powers]

Bending light Burning with light Great affinity for healing Only magic to break through illusions 'Unheal'

[Appearance]

Ginger hair Blue eyes Translucent orange wings

[Name/Titles]

Park Seonghwa Prince of Dark

[Family]

Princess Yena of Space (soulmate/wife)

[Kingdom]

Kingdom of Aries (State- Hamal)

[Cities]

Hamal (Capital) Bharani

[Sea]

The Diamond Sea

[Animal Form]

Wolf

[Court members]

Seoho/Jinki (ex-Right Hand) Exo (Kai as Captain of Guard) (G)I-dle (Soyeon as Right Hand, Miyeon as Head Healer)

[Powers]

Bending dark Blinding with darkness or increasing vision when dark Penetrating mind Accessing memories Nullifying most magics

[Appearance]

Dark hair Grey eyes Translucent silver wings

[Name/Titles]

Jeong Yunho Prince of Water

[Kingdom]

Kingdom of Aries (State- Sheratan)

[Cities]

Sheratan (Capital)

[Sea]

The Diamond Sea

[Animal Form]

Sea Dragon

[Court members]

The Rose (Woosung as Head Healer) Itzy (Ryujin as Right Hand, Yeji as Captain of Guard)

[Powers]

Bending water Altering water bodies Controlling temperature of water Element of ice Accessing memories through water bodies

[Appearance]

Strawberry blonde hair Dark brown eyes

[Name/Titles]

Kang Yeosang Prince of Spirit

[Family]

Princess Yena of Space (twin-sister)

[Kingdom]

Kingdom of Gemini (State- Pollux)

[Cities]

Mebsuta (Capital) Makbuda Propus Pollux

[Sea]

The Pearl Sea

[Animal Form]

Meerkat

[Court members]

BTS (Namjoon as Right Hand, Taehyung as Captain of Guard) Mamamoo (Solar as 'Left Hand', Hwasa as Head Healer, Wheein as Vice Captain of Guard)

[Powers]

Detection of living souls Ruler of the 'Other' Dimension where spirits dwell Portals Ability to kill a spirit so it ceases to exist from every plane Astral Projection

[Appearance]

Platinum blonde hair Grey eyes

[Name/Titles]

Choi San Prince of Earth

[Family]

Princess Gaeul of Underworld (soulmate)

[Kingdom]

Kingdom of Cancer

[Cities]

Altarf (Capital) Arkesh

[Sea]

The Ruby Sea

[Animal Form]

Fox

[Court members]

Seventeen (Dokyeom as Right Hand, Mingyu as Captain of Guard) Twice (Jihyo as Head Healer)

[Powers]

Bending earth and the elements within Altering landscapes and geography Great affinity for healing- mostly soothing purposes Commanding animals

[Appearance]

Dark hair with ash ends Dark brown eyes

[Name/Titles]

Song Mingi Prince of Fire

[Kingdom]

Kingdom of Leo

[Cities]

Regulus (Capital) Algieba Denebola

[Sea]

The Turquoise Sea

[Animal Form]

Salamander

[Court members]

Day6 (Jae as Right Hand, Wonpil as Head Healer) Blackpink (Lisa as Captain of Guard)

[Powers]

Bending fire Controlling the temperature of fire Extracting lava from earth Detecting burning souls (either from magic or sth else) Seeing through masking magic and illusions

[Appearance]

Red hair Dark brown eyes

[Name/Titles]

Jung Wooyoung Prince of Air

[Kingdom]

Kingdom of Sagittarius

[Cities]

Rukbat (Capital) Ascella Nunki Kaus Medionalis

[Sea]

The Peridot Sea

[Animal Form]

Hawk

[Court members]

Stray Kids (Changbin as Captain of Guard) Dreamcatcher (Siyeon as Right Hand, Jiu as Head Healer)

[Powers]

Controlling the element of air Controlling properties of air Altering weather Detecting the presence of life Tracing whereabouts of something/someone from scent

[Appearance]

Dark hair with streaks Dark brown eyes Translucent silver wings

[Name/Titles]

Choi Jongho Prince of Nature

[Kingdom]

Kingdom of Libra

[Cities]

Zubenelgenubi (Capital) Zubenelschemali Zubenelakrab

[Sea]

The Opal Sea

[Animal Form]

Bear

[Court members]

Monsta X (Jooheon as Right Hand, Hyungwon as Head Healer, Changkyun as Captain of Guard) Gfriend (Sowon as High Healer)

[Powers]

Controlling element of nature Maintaining harmony and balance in nature Command over life forms Meditative state allows him to connect with nature on another level Great affinity for healing Can 'breathe' life into things (unpractised)

[Appearance]

Dark brown hair Dark brown eyes

[mysteryideasgroup]

MSA X Scooby-Doo and the Witch's Ghost Chapter 3: Meet Two Mayors of Oakhaven and Two Pharmacists/Hex Girls Rocks and Girls Rock Team called Metal-Stars Team/T-Shirt with I met the 2 Ghosts of Oakhaven (and Lived)

They go to him. He’s talking to a tourist.

Mayor Corey: Welcome to old Oakhaven. Have a wonderful time. So glad you can come.

Ben: Mayor! Mayor Corey!

Flik: Mayor, Mayor Blaine!

Mayor Corey: Ben, my boy! I'm glad you can come home to see this. And I see you brought some friends and their dogs.

Mayor Blaine: Flik! I’m good seeing you coming home to see this, you came with Mystery Teams.

Scooby-Doo: Dogs? Where?

Sarah: I think he means us, Scooby.

Sapphire with Two Sisters, Samantha and Ruby is shocked and confused

Mayor Corey: (Laughs) Welcome! The more the merrier!

Ben: But what is all this?

Mayor Corey: It's great, isn't it? Business is booming, not like a few months ago when it was slower than maple syrup on a cold day.

Another man walks up, carrying a box. 2 Another man walks up, carrying a box of Metal-Stars Girls Team.

Man: Hey, Ben.

Man: Hey, Flik.

Ben: Hi, Mr. McKnight.

Flik: Hi, Mr. Delightson.

Mr. McKnight: Welcome home. Here, have a T-shirt before my store sells out. You can wear it to the concert, tomorrow.

Mr. Delightson: Welcome home. Wait, need ready to before my store sells out. They can wear it to the rocks, tomorrow ready.

Ben: Concert?

Fred: The Hex Girls.

Lewis: Oh, it’s Metal-Stars Girls.

Daphne: You've heard of them, Fred?

Fred: Just now.

He points to a banner tied to two lamp posts.

Daphne (Reading the banner): “Oakhaven Autumn Fest. Featuring the Hex Girls”.

Vivi (Reading the banner): "Meeting with Metal-Stars Girls in the Tonight".

Sarah: Whoa, just the name alone sounds rockin’.

Ruby: You said it, Sarah.

Mayor Corey: A local group. You'll like them, kinda spooky.

Ben: (Reading the T-shirt he was given) “I met the ghost of Oakhaven and lived"?

Shaggy and Scooby: Ghost?!

Sarah: Oh my God! A ghost! This place has everything!

Velma: Jinkies! Looks like you got a ghost in your own backyard, Ben.

----

For @laurasanchez36

AUs Alternate Universes Crossovers belongs to me

All belongs to my msa x sd ocs sonas and my new msa x sd ocs sonas 

All belongs to her msa x sd ocs sonas and her new msa x sd ocs sonas

Mystery Skulls Animated MSA belongs to Ben and MysteryBen27 of YouTube YT Series Shows

Scooby Doo SD belongs to WB (Warner Bros) and HB (Hanna Barbera) of Animated Movies and TV Series Shows

[buttholeincorporated]

i posted this on twt but i finally edited and updated my yellowjackets scooby doo au after over a year !! it took a while for me to get back in the right place to write again and i never once forgot about this story so now that life is better, i want to continue it more regularly. i fixed chapters 1 & 2, updated with chapter 3, and plan on chapter 4 starting with a lottie pov intro and containing the first taivan interaction oOoOo :0 im nervous but excited to be posting publicly again and i hope it’s not ass :)

[pajarinwrites]

SHINee RECS

directory | general masterlist

✨ favourites

Onew

less sugar @ideaofheaven 17.3k there isn't nearly enough onew ff on this planet pls give me more jinki TT barista!reader, idol!au, there's yearning, there's angst, there's a happy ending, there's big dick jinki agenda, i couldn't ask for more

punch drunk love ft. minho @youaremy-dreamgirl series this is mostly minho, which is why i can't re-read it for some reason, i miss jinki too much right now, i love jinki too much right now, but when i first read it some time ago i really liked it

Jonghyun <3

i don't go looking for jjong's fics but if you wanna put me onto smt, feel free. either way, shinee's five so he needs to be included. sorry if you were looking for recommendations for him.

Key

melt @muselin 1.8k smut, temperature play, short but sweet, well not sweet but u get what i mean

5:30 @muselin 1.4k possibly my favourite so far, you and kibum go to the practice room early to have it to yourselves for... not-practice

hell-tel 6 @kpoptrashlord-007 1.3k suggestive, the first kibum fic i rmmb reading here

Minho

handle the heat @prettywordsyouleft 1.5k this is way too hot i wish the lap scene was ten thousand words longer TT

punch drunk love ft. jinki @youaremy-dreamgirl series this is mostly minho, which is why i can't re-read it for some reason, i miss jinki too much right now, i love jinki too much right now, but when i first read it some time ago i really liked it

Taemin

nothing yet