#kevin moon drabbles

[sungbeam]

𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫

artist!kevin moon x senator's daughter!reader

after a long night, you find yourself on the front doorstep of a man who's heart you still held tightly in your grasp.

4.0k words, exes 2 lovers?, bittersweet angst with a happy ending, kissing, swearing, mentions of arranged marriages and controlling parents, mentions of social class, it takes place in washington dc bc i had a specific place in mind lol but i've also only went to dc once(???)

a/n: dug this up and dusted off the cobwebs — originally inspired (partly) by youngk's cover of moon river <3 (im sorry i always give you angst kevin...)

It was late when you knocked on his door. It was so late, in fact, that the fog had begun to roll over the Potomac and dampen the cobblestones beneath your shoes. You would have taken off the death traps your mother called fashion, but you'd seen your friends on the rowing team get foot diseases before. The streetlights here glowed from their perches in golden yellow flames, not amber like they did in some parts of the district.

You hadn't really expected him to answer. You knew he was almost guaranteed to be awake, but there were always exceptions. You knew he would recognize you, too, but if he would open the door for you… it didn't matter that he was the kindest person you'd ever met, there were always exceptions.

His expression sat carefully blank when you faced him, a war brewing in his beautiful eyes of a long past you shared. He swallowed, scanning your form.

"I'm sorry," you managed to say. You suddenly felt stupid. Why were you here? Why had you run all the way across the river to his place in Georgetown? Why him? Out of all the people, you chose the one person who's heart you let fall to the ground and shatter. It was a miracle he even opened the door. "I—I didn't know who else to go to."

The bobby pins in your hair stabbed your head and intensified the headache building in your scalp. It had been a long night; you weren't sure if you were even of sound mind and thought right now.

Kevin Moon considered you for a moment, his eyes and posture softening at the lines. "Come in," he murmured as he stepped aside in the doorway, "it's late."

You swallowed as you took slow steps into his townhouse and he closed the front door behind you. Everything was as you had last seen it—pictures of him and his family, his friends; his artwork hung on the entryway walls; stair leading up to the upper floors, and hallway traveling back toward the parlor and kitchen. You could extract the memories that you had of this place, but that would keep you up the rest of the night. It would be a dangerous endeavor, you thought, as if coming to Kevin in the first place wasn't already.

"Here." He held out one toned arm for you to grasp. "So you can take off your shoes."

You gave a barely-there nod. "Oh, uhm, thank you," you said, locking your hand against his forearm as you swiftly discarded the stilettos from your feet. When your aching feet met flat ground, a weight fell from your shoulders, and you lined up the pair against the wall neatly by his shoe rack.

He began trekking up the stairs, beckoning you to follow. "You can have the guestroom," he sighed, carding a hand through his hair. It stuck up in the back, you noticed whilst following him up, which meant he had probably been tossing and turning for awhile.

Everything smelled the same, felt the same.

A different weight fell upon your chest, suffocating. Was it a mistake to come here? It was all coming back to you.

And he was opening the only other bedroom door besides his on the floor, leaving the door open for you to follow. He fluffed the pillows and pulled a blanket out from the closet shelf. This room used to be for guests, not for you, but that change was your fault.

"I'll grab you something to change into," he said in the silence with one hand cupped behind the back of his neck. He didn't look at you this time. "You still know where everything is?"

"Yeah," you rasped. You cleared your throat and held your clutch in front of yourself like a pitiful shield. "Thanks, Kevin. I… I promise I'll be out of your hair by the morning."

A beat passed. You felt his eyes on you and met them.

"Just—" his arm fell to his side and tucked into the pocket of his sweats, "—take your time, Yn. Good night."

You watched him leave. "Good night."

The house was quiet again after you finished washing up in the bathroom and retreated into the guest room. Kevin could hear the door close even from the third floor in his attic studio, his feet pressed against the cool wood, eyes staring out at the half-filled canvas on the easel. He'd been stuck for awhile, having not yet decided what he wanted to do with the rest of it. This indecisiveness came with the artist's block, unfortunately.

He didn't like to admit that one of the few ways to get him out were the dozens of canvases shoved against the far corner. There was a drop cloth draped over them so he wouldn't get distracted, but… most nights he couldn't resist.

There was always something soulful about the way he painted your eyes. It had always been that, and your smile, that he intentionally captured first whenever he painted your portrait. It was a greedy, selfish attempt to keep some part of you for himself because he knew that it was and could never be like that in the real world. He knew that fact all too well.

The vision of you on his porch tonight… he'd almost believed he was dreaming.

Kevin released a frustrated huff from his mouth, rubbing his hands down his face, then up through his hair. His brushes remained untouched, canvas on the easel left undone.

He stood from his stool and quietly made his way back down to the second floor.

He could've sent you away, he thought. He could've, but did he want to?—

"Oh. Hi."

His eyes shot up at the sound of your voice, meek and soft. You stood in the doorway of the guest bedroom with his T-shirt and sweatpants hanging from your frame like it was two years ago. He lost his breath for a second; he didn't think you were still awake. "Did I wake you?" He asked, clutching the banister.

"No," you said while leaning against the door jamb. "I was… I wasn't sleeping."

That made the both of you.

"You still have bandaids in the medicine cabinet?" You asked him.

He nodded, stepping down fully onto the second floor. "Yeah. How many did you need?" He shoved the intrusive thoughts away from the forefront of his mind and replaced them with the idea of bandages. He padded over into the bathroom, turning the light on to rifle through the medicine cabinet.

Never mind that you knew where they were and that you were capable of getting them yourself—he already lost when he let you into his house.

You slipped in behind him. "Just a couple small ones is okay—for my feet."

Oh, right. He'd nearly forgotten you must have traveled all the way from across the river to get here in those god awful shoes. Not only that, but no doubt spent an entire night in them at some stuck-up, rich-prick gala—

Not now, he hushed. Most of the time, it was never your choice to even go to those functions.

He withdrew the box of Band-Aids he kept, all beat up from years of figuring out where they belonged. There was a mishmash of sizes, but most of the medium-sized ones were all gone, leaving only the extreme sizes on the spectrum. He picked out a few of the small ones for you, staring at the tile on the floor while you sat on the lid of the toilet to cover your blisters and bruises.

“I know that my showing up here unannounced was really unfair to you,” you suddenly said. He raised his head a little. You were grabbing your heel now, gently massaging your foot. “Especially at this time of night. I—” You paused, “I just—I’m sorry.”

If he didn't think about it too much, he could pretend this apology was only about you showing up unannounced, out of the blue, at an ungodly hour, and not about every other elephant in the room.

“It's okay, I understand,” he murmured. He felt his body move to settle on the edge of the bathtub across from you to take your foot from your hand to rub soothing circles into your aching bones.

You connected gazes again and he saw the flicker of gratitude in them, and something else he didn't want to see. Hope was so cruel sometimes. “You don't have to do this.”

“I know. I want to.”

It felt like college all over again, just you and him. Those four years had been some of the best years of his life—but they were filled with naïve bliss. The long, humid summer days and nights along the river; the golden light filtering through his windows as you read and he painted; the picnics on the Georgetown University lawns; the echo of your laughter against cobblestone walls and streets.

They were engraved into his memory, even with the rose-tinted lenses off.

He would call it a fever dream, but he knew you were solid and real when he held you. Your smile was real, your love was palpable. He could hear your humming in his kitchen in the evenings and feel the ghost of your arms around him in the mornings.

When you were called away by your family to fulfill filial obligations, you would always return home to him. Not them, him.

In this moment, he knew exactly what he was doing, even if he chose to pretend he didn't. Like this wouldn't lead to his heart getting broken again when all that was left of you in the morning was your perfume on his clothes and bandaid wrappers in the trash.

“So what was tonight about?” He piped up, daring another glance at you.

You shook your head. “You don't have to—”

“Only if you're comfortable.” Sometimes it helped for you to talk about it, and sometimes it didn't. He wanted to help, nonetheless. He still cared about you, after all.

You wrestled down a swallow. “It was some dumb charity that wasn't even about the charity,” you rasped, returning your bare feet to the floor when he was done rubbing the hurt away. You had to look away, and he resisted the urge to turn your chin back to him. “And something about—something about marriage.”

His heart fell to the bathroom tiles. “What?”

Marriage?

“It—it’s nothing—”

“Nothing,” he repeated, speechless.

“Not nothing,” you amended, tripping over your words. You shouldn't have mentioned it. Why would you mention it? Out of everyone, you and to say it to him. “My parents mentioned something about it, but it's just one of those things where they're urging me to start looking. I don't know. It's not arranged or anything.”

He said exactly what both of you were thinking, “Yet.”

You looked at him then. He saw the way silver lined your eyes, the hurt threatening to spill over just like what pounded against the floodgates of his heart. Yet.

If you waited any longer, who knew what your parents would do to secure a political alliance? You were a Senator's daughter, your family's jewel and pawn piece. You were born to be someone Kevin couldn't be with and god-fucking-damn did that hurt like a bitch.

They were giving you time to make your own, careful choice. It was an illusion of free will that made him seethe and ache for you.

“It's gonna be fine,” you said with little to no strength behind the words. “I'll be fine.”

Kevin stared at you. You and he had shared plenty of arguments about this exact topic before and it all ended in the same place. He didn't know what to say this time to make you say or think or do differently.

What could he possibly say to make you stay? To make you rethink your entire life and career, to make you turn your back on your own family?

“I'm sorry I said anything about this.” You sighed. “I don't know why I said anything about this.”

He swallowed. “I asked in the first place; it's okay.” His hands yearned to touch your skin, to swaddle you in his arms and rock you into assurance. He missed when he could reach over and warm your knee with his palm to silently tell you he was here and listening.

“We should try to sleep. I've taken so much of your time already. I'm sor—”

“Yn, love, stop saying you're sorry.” You didn't ask for any of this and you kept acting like you did, like it was your fault. He couldn't fault you for anything if he tried.

It looked like you were about to say something to him. He could practically taste the words that sat on your tongue.

Tell me I'm not suffering alone. Tell me that you still love me, even after all this time.

Instead, you nodded while rubbing your eye. “Okay,” you exhaled. “Thanks for the bandaids and your time.”

When you stood, so did he. He pressed a warm palm to the small of your back to lead you out of the bathroom, his other hand hitting the light switch.

He reluctantly drew his hand away from you to step towards his own bedroom.

He heard you stop, his head pathetically raising to meet you as you turned around.

“Kevin, I…” There it was again.

Oh, he wanted so badly for you to say it. But it was late and neither of you were in the right state of mind.

“Sleep on it,” he whispered. He couldn't handle any of those words exchanged now if you were going to regret it later. “Please.”

You inclined your head, lips pressing together. “Good night.”

“Good night,” he said back, for the second time tonight, and for as many opportunities as he was granted. As long as he didn't have to say goodbye instead.

Sleep refused to take you and you tossed and turned for what felt like hours. Two long hours of torture, and you gave up, throwing the sheets off your body to step over to the window. The street below was dark with only a small halo of golden light from a street lamp to provide some reprieve from the darkness. You'd always seen this back street from Kevin's bedroom, never this one. It was so odd seeing it from a different point of view.

You closed your eyes with a sigh and rested your forehead against the cool glass. What were you doing here? Why were you troubling a man who you'd already troubled before? Your being here had to be bad for the both of you, but why did your being here feel right instead? You could separate comfort from rightness anymore, couldn't find where the line was in the sand because maybe you had danced all over it before to muddle it up.

Maybe you didn't want to define it—you just wanted it to be him.

You would never forget this moment, standing with your eyes closed against a cold window pane, that you came to an understanding. You had little to no sleep in your system, but your heart hurt as much as your feet, and while there were plenty of ways to soothe sore feet, there weren't as many to heal a broken heart.

Maybe a glass of water would refresh you enough to fall asleep. It would be terrible of you to wake him up, especially when you'd bothered him this much. He had already done so much for you.

But you'd seen him just hours ago, and you'd seen the tenderness in his gaze, felt the tenderness in his touch.

The way he'd asked for you to “sleep on it” had been loaded with something. Hope was so cruel sometimes.

Your chest tightened and you pulled away from the window. You stepped over to the door to quietly open it and slip out. There was no light coming out from beneath Kevin's bedroom door, and you tiptoed across the landing to make your way downstairs.

When you'd successfully retrieved a glass of water, you climbed back up the stairs, only to freeze at the sight of Kevin stepping up onto the ones leading up to the attic. Your heart galloped at the sight of him.

“I hope I didn't wake you up,” you whispered this time, gesturing to the cup of water in your hand. “I just needed some water.”

He nodded. “Don't worry about it. Can't sleep still?” He asked.

You shook your head. Not even if you tried.

He seemed to understand, and with a sweep of his hand through his hair, he beckoned you up to the third floor with him.

You hadn't been up to the attic for as long as you had been away from Kevin. It was his studio space, somewhere he could let his creativity run wild. There were canvases pressed and stacked up against the slanted roof, paint cans and boxes of brushes off to the side, and the chaise lounge you always draped yourself over when the sun filtered in just right. It was the perfect spot to curl up with a good book, and you could feel its cushioned back imprinted against yours even now.

The memories all flooded back in one, big tidal wave and your hand tightened around your cup.

“Are you working on anything?” You asked quietly, lingering at the stair landing to sip your water. You feared you weren't allowed to venture further, as if you needed permission to wander now.

He glanced back at you from his easel stool, forehead creasing between his brows when he saw you still standing there. “Yn, you can sit,” he said, nodding to the chaise lounge. “Not really,” he confessed. “I just… I've been in a block, I guess.”

You crept over to the lounge chair and seated yourself on the edge, stiff and with your legs crossed one over the other. You leaned your forearms onto your knees, looking in the direction of Kevin, his body half blocked by the wooden easel. “Ah, I see,” you murmured. “Have you had trouble sleeping lately?”

His eyes flickered to yours. “It's… on and off. You?”

“Same.” Your mind went to what you thought about in the guest bedroom earlier. Would it be out of left field to spring it up on him? You didn't even know if he felt the same way anymore, but… but you had to try, didn't you?

Why did you come to him? Out of all the people and places in this city, your feet carried you here.

“I—” Both of you said at once, eyes clashing when you realized the other's voice was speaking.

“You first,” he said.

You shook your head. “No, please. I—I think you should go first.”

He seemed to hesitate, but relented. There was so much emotion in the way he looked at you then; the wideness of his eyes gave it all away. “Why are you here, Yn? Why are you really here?”

It was like he could read your mind. You knocked back the rest of your water and placed the empty cup on the floor a little ways from your feet so you didn't knock it over. “I,” you began, “I don't… at least, I don't consciously know.”

He pursed his lips together. “Do better than that. I know you can.”

You knew he was right; you could do better. You knew the truth, but it was a matter of how much courage you had to face it. “Kevin, I—I should've never let you go that easy, and I should've never let my judgment be swayed by my parents as it had. I'm so sorry for hurting you; you never deserved it. You never deserved any of it.

“I think,” you said, one hand grabbing your other shoulder, “after all this time, I still know who I want, and it's never been anyone but you. That's why—that’s why I'm here.” You wished you could shrink into yourself with his gaze pinned to you like it was. “And this is all so unfair to you—I know. I know it is, and I am so, so sorry.”

You would bear your entirety to him in hopes that he believed you and saw your sincerity. Because while your parents had raised you to be their perfect daughter, they missed the part when you fell hopelessly in love with your best friend from college. It tore you apart that day they forced you to part ways with him—you knew it did just the same to him, too.

Kevin was quiet for a moment with a pensive expression on his face burning into his floorboards. He suddenly stood and made his way over to you, your body shifting to make room for him on the chaise. The pair of you sat side by side with your shoulders and legs pressed against each other, sharing the other's warmth.

“I don't blame you if you're bitter,” you said. “I would be, too. And you can kick me out if that makes you feel better, because I…”

“Don't say it's because you deserve it.”

You tilted your gaze over to him.

He shook his head. “You don't deserve it. You hurt me, yes, but I know why you did it and I can't blame you for it, no matter how hard I try.” He turned his gaze up to the ceiling for a moment. “Sometimes I wish I had been born in a different position so neither of us would have to hurt so much.”

Your chest ached.

“It's not your fault,” you said. “Kevin, it was never your fault.”

His smile curled into something somber as his hand reached over to thumb your cheek. “I know it's not. And it's not yours either.”

For a moment, his hand lingered, and you let it.

“Don't marry someone else,” he said so quietly you thought you'd imagined it. But there was that tenderness in his eyes then, loving and imploring, and you knew you hadn't just kidded yourself.

His hand went to cup the side of your face. “I can't—” he swallowed, “I can't stomach that thought. I love you too much to see you unhappy.” His words were slurring together, voice watery, as he attempted to cover it up by pressing his lips to your hairline.

“I love you so much it hurts,” you told him in earnest. “Of course I'd run back here to you. It's always been you.” No amount of parental control could change that. They could never choose who you fell in love with when your heart was yours to give.

Kevin shifted to press his lips against yours, soft and cautious, giving you the space to back out. You reciprocated though, hands coming up to cup his face. And as you kissed, a sense of comfort settled over you, something akin to contentment, like knowing this was where you were meant to be. All the worries and heartache melted away for one split second of bliss that you found in a man whom you loved too much to let go.

His nose gently bumped against yours, his thumb caressing your cheekbone affectionately. “I love you. You can break my heart when you leave in the morning, but let me have this at least.”

“You can have this, and you can have me,” you said, nodding against him. You were going to fight this time; you would fight until you bled because you would be damned if you let him go so easily a second time. “You've always had me.”

a/n: i have to be up early tmr as usual... but i hope u didn't get bored by all the wordiness sjfbdkdn

tbz m.list

permanent taglist: @flwoie @vatterie @seomisaho @hqrana @ja4hyvn @tinkerbell460 @kaaimins @hyunjaespresent-deobi @otterly-fey @zzoguri @floatingpluto @winterchimez @ethereal-engene @gyulfriend @polarisjisung @jaehunnyy @shakalakaboomboo @loveliestfelix @bless-311 @zhaixiaowen @leaz-kpop-life @amourdsr @pxppxrminty @kqyutie @sseastar-main @kxthleen14 @fluorescentloves @mosviqu @justalildumpling @jaerisdiction @super-btstrash-posts @jundundun @http-gyu @mvvnsseul @outrologist @vernonburger @maessseongs @ericlvr @mars101 @kflixnet

[dlrvuio]

Kevin bf texts, please 🥹🩷

bf!kevin random texts

genre - pure fluff, bf!kevin x gn!reader

warnings - none

2023 | please do not copy, repost, or claim my work

reblogs, likes, and comments are appreciated

[sseastar]

woke up and had a dream - and now i’m in kevin moon brainrot (despite being in sunwoo brainrot just yesterday)

crushing on kevin moon from a distance during high school BAD because he was the cute but goofy band kid with giant glasses and wavy hair who was super polite, a little introverted, but everyone loved. also, everyone was aware of how good he was with art and with kids because his sister or cousins always picked him up with their kids and everyone was gushing over how he ran over to them and picked them up or whatever.

you and him end up at the same university and your crush on him lasted even through the summer vacation. gets worse when you realize you’re in the same freshmen orientation group and when you learn that kevin’s learned how to wear contacts and something other than the same combination of open flannel shirts, graphic tees, and skinnies. you also learn that he’s remotely aware that you went to the same high school, befriends you for the rest of orientation. high fives you the next morning of orientation and that’s how you know you at least become acquaintances with him. you’re too shy to ask for his socials so after a few days of being with him, you lose sight of him for the school year (different majors).

fast forward to the next academic year and you end up in the same gen. ed. class and he plops down in the seat right next to you. you have your headphones on so you kind of just ignore the person who decided to sit next to you in a completely empty classroom until you feel someone tapping on your shoulder and you realize that omg it’s him. you make it a point that’s it’s been so long since you last talked and ask how he’s been. he says you should catch up over coffee or something bc lectures about to start so you slide your ipad over to his with a note on the lecture slides you both have open that has your number and “so we can catch up” and a smiley face. he grins, and pulls out his phone to make a new contact profile for you. when you walk out of class because you have to rush to your next one, you get a text from a new number that says “catch up tomorrow for lunch? :)”

it’s not a secret how head over heels you are for him the more you get to know each other during study sessions. at some point, study sessions turn into let’s grab dinner after this to oops it’s late, do you want me to walk you home to oh it’s good, i drive to campus - did you need a ride? you realize you don’t live too far from each other so y’all carpool now too.

kevin starts to see how much you care for him and how much he cares for you. finds you cute and y’all just become really important people to each other. although you find that you’re falling in love with him more.

kevin, who knows you’re sick just from saying hi and makes it a point that you get enough sleep to get better. kevin, who finds it cute how you pack your lunch in a little lunch bag you got for free for spending so much at a bakery instead of buying lunch from the cafeteria or restaurants near campus. kevin, who regularly asks you if he can take naps in your car bc you have a really soft blanket and that one strawberry plush he won for you at an arcade that feels like the pillow equivalent of mochi.

kevin moon, who didn’t know you knew him back in high school and kept showing you photos of him from high school and who you told, “omg i would totally have a crush on high school kev back then. i totally would now too.”

kevin, who would reply with “what about me now? you don’t like me?”

you, who would stupidly put yourself by saying, “what no i still d- i mean, uh.”

kevin, who would have a shy smile from knowing your feelings and look back down at his physiology homework and just say “good to know.”

you, who would be visibly shrinking into yourself and saying, “good to know that i just outed my feelings for you?” with your head face down on your ipad.

kevin freaking moon, who has the audacity to say “i think it’s cute. besides, i’ve been starting to feel the same too,” as if you hadn’t been completely in love with him for a majority of your life. doesn’t ask you out then and there in the library but decides to ask you on a date when he asks you to park the car and rushes to your side of the car. usually you just park and wait until he gets inside safely but he forces you out of the car and takes you by your two hands as he faces you. smiles and says good night, but not before asking, “i know it’s the weekend tomorrow and you were planning to catch up on sleep, but maybe you can come over and hangout?” atp, he’s still holding your hands and like swinging them.

“only if i can take a nap here, as payment for the times you nap in my car.”

“jacob won’t mind. i definitely won’t.”

“it’s a date then.”

“goodnight yn,” kevin says and he finally drops your hands to swing his backpack over his shoulder. and you’re just watching as he starts walking towards his unit but he suddenly stops and rushes back to you. you’re in the middle of asking what’s wrong but he just swoops towards you and drops a kiss on your cheek. you’re visibly shocked and he just says “cute” before placing one on the other side before running back all giddily to his front door and shouting “drive safe!”

[biaswreckingfics]

Congrats on 3k & happy 5th anniversary!🤗💖

I couldn't resist so...for the request: tbz kevin x roadtrip/mutual pining? I cant help but wonder what could come of being on a roadtrip w/ him

Thank you so much!! 😭😭❤️❤️ Also, I think a roadtrip with Kevin would be so much fun!!

Kevin + Roadtrip AU + Mutual Pining

Excitement zips through you as you climb into the passenger seat. You haven't decided if it's because of the road trip you're going on or if it's because Kevin insisted you be up front with him. He claimed he needed your guidance and that you were much less annoying than the others, but you can't help but think it's something more. Especially when his best friend is one of the ones in the backseat.

"Still can't believe I have to sit back here,' Eric grumbles, causing Jacob to shush him.

"You know why you're back here."

"But couldn't he wait-"

Kevin slides into the driver's seat and slams the door closed. The look he sends Eric through the rearview mirror has the younger man quickly zipping his lips.

You watch the exchange, feeling a swirling sensation in your stomach. They're obviously alluding to something that Kevin doesn't want you to know, but you don't push it. For now.

"Alright, folks! Let's get this show on the road!" Kevin loudly claps before reaching for the gear shift. At the same time, you reach for the drink you placed in the cup holder and your fingers brush against each other.

Both of you snatch your hands back, looking up at each other in surprise. Thankfully, Kevin looks as flustered as you feel. His eyes dart around the car, looking everywhere but at you, while you sink a little further in your seat and try to keep the blush off your face.

"Oh, my god. This is going to be the longest weekend of our lives." Eric drops his head against the rear of his seat and sighs loudly before turning to Jacob and elbowing him. "Do something. Help them before I have to take matters into my own hands."

[daisyvisions]

Thick as Thieves | Octoberfest Day 6

➺ Pairing - childhood bff!Kevin x fem! reader

➺ Drink - Mojito with a shot of gin (aka childhood friend!au x voyeurism)

➺ Summary - How far are you willing to go to help your friend, especially if he’s been your friend since childhood?

➺ Word Count - 1.7K

➺ Warnings - Smut (18+, minors DNI), fuckboy!Kevin, voyeurism, slight exhibitionism, oral (f!receiving), fingering, face riding, hair pulling, dry humping, pussy!drunk Kevin, one-sided love (if you squint), some breast groping, let me know if I missed anything.

➺ Author’s note - Did not proofread this after writing so forgive me if it seems all over the place but I tried my best to make it make sense hahaha hope you enjoy!

➺ Taglist - @deoboyznet @snowflakewhispers @midnightfantasiez

@momhwa-agenda @nyu-topia @jaminthemiddle

➺ OctoberFest Masterlist

Knock knock knock.

You sigh to yourself as you hear the sound coming from your front door. You were just about to plop down on your bed, wrap yourself in your cozy blanket, and call it a day by watching your favorite TV show.

You pause for a moment, waiting to see if you were just hearing things, but your guess was wrong when the sound of knocking was heard once more. And it wasn't just any normal knock. It was a special knock with a certain rhythm to it. Once you heard the special beat, you already knew who was behind the door.

You scrunch your eyebrows in confusion, wondering why he decided to stop by your apartment when he should be getting ready for his "big" date tonight. As soon as you open the front door, you're greeted by a waft of his signature cologne. The cologne that makes you grow weak in the knees (you didn't need to tell him that) but more importantly, a very panic-stricken Kevin as he tries to catch his breath.

To some, the sight of your college's resident fuckboy right at your doorstep would make them faint on the spot, but to you, he's just Kevin, your best friend since you were kids.

"Kevin? What are you doing here?"

"It's an emergency, I need your help—"

"Oh, is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, can I come in?" He pushes past you as if he owns the place.

You don't take offense at his current demeanor but rather it makes you worried even more. You've never seen Kevin like this before, wondering what kind of emergency he's talking about. By the time you close the door and turn around to face him, he's already pacing around the small foyer of your apartment.

"Kev, what's going on—"

"Before you have any violent reactions to what I'm about to ask, I need you to hear me out for a sec." He pauses, lets out a deep sigh, his eyes struggling to meet yours as a blush starts creeping onto his cheeks.

"I need you to show me how you touch yourself," he mumbles as he watches your reaction.

"I'm sorry— Can you run that by me again?" You look at him as if he had grown another head on his shoulder.

"Show me how you touch yourself."

"Now it sounds even more ridiculous the second time," you snickered.

"I'm in a dry spell. All my past hookups have been saying I suck at foreplay and word is starting to spread and I really cannot fuck up my date tonight."

Kevin steps closer to you, placing his hands on your shoulders as he looks you straight in the eyes.

"Look, I know it's weird—"

"It is fucking weird, Kevin! We're best friends!" Your eyes widen at him.

"And that's exactly why I'm asking you!" He matches your tone. "Just this once, can you do me this one solid? And we never have to speak about it again. I— I just want this date to go well…" His voice turns into a murmur.

By how his shoulders start to slump, you could already tell how badly this is affecting him. You want to help him out, you really do! But the thought of how this might affect your friendship weighs on you.

"Nevermind, I'm sorry I asked you—" Kevin's hands drop from your shoulders, a dark cloud suddenly casting over him as he walks past you to the front door. You feel your moral compass being pulled left and right. He's done so much for you over the years and not once has he asked for a favor in return. And it's just a simple favor, right? What's the worst that can happen?

"Wait—" You sigh to yourself, quickly turning around before you change your mind. Kevin turns back around to face you, waiting for you to finish your sentence.

"I'll do it. But just this once, okay?"

"Kevin, can you please back up a bit? Don't make this weirder than it already is."

"Oh sorry—" Kevin scoots backwards, giving you the space to lie back against your pillows. As you get settled and are about to pull down your shorts, his surprised tone halts your movements.

"Woah, woah, wait—"

"What?"

"You're not going to keep them on?" He asks worriedly as his doubts slowly start to sink in.

"What do you— Kevin, how the hell am I supposed to show you if my shorts are on?" You say as a matter of fact.

"Right, right— sorry. Continue—" He shakes his head.

You proceed to hook your fingers to the waistband of your shorts, lifting your hips as you pull the article of clothing down before tossing them to the side of your bed. You pause for a moment, taking a deep breath before you slowly open your legs, exposing yourself to him.

Watching you slowly reveal your exposed bottom half stirred something within Kevin's stomach. It was like looking at porn for the first time in his life. He couldn't believe how mesmerizing you looked in this moment. Suddenly, his cock twitches beneath his jeans as you stick two fingers in your mouth, lubricating your digits before you begin.

"I'm not gonna talk, just watch, okay?" You quickly look at him before you close your eyes, trying not to think about him as you manually get yourself off.

You start slowly caressing your folds, dragging the pads of your fingers around the sensitive skin as you tease yourself into this. Your breath hitches at the featherlight touch, imagining it was someone else's fingers teasing you down there. You do this for a moment before inserting your fingers between your folds, running them up and down until they catch onto your pretty little pearl.

Your eyes scrunch at the sensation as you start to move your fingers in a circular motion. Your legs slowly ease apart as your other hand slips under your shirt to grope your own breast. Kevin could feel his throat drying up, especially with how your small whimpers of pleasure slip out of your mouth. He can't help but imagine what it would feel like to swallow those moans with his own lips.

For a moment, you forgot he was even there, too caught up in the moment as you enjoy yourself until you open your eyes and gasp, both because of suddenly seeing Kevin kneeling before you but also because you started hitting a good spot as you inserted your fingers inside your cunt.

"Fuck, Kev— you're so hard," you moan out. The sight of his erection desperately pressing against the zipper of his jeans, the outline of his manhood giving you a surge of confidence as you pump your fingers inside you faster.

"Hm? Oh—" Kevin looks down at his pants as your statement shakes him from his trance. "Sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about," you smile at him. "It's kinda hot, actually—" You cut yourself off as you curl your fingers.

"Holy shit…" Kevin mumbles, intensely watching you finger yourself. He doesn't notice his body leaning forward, slowly lowering himself onto his stomach to get closer to your glistening folds. He licks his lips, itching to know what you taste like on his tongue as he gets a faint whiff of your essence.

There was something about Kevin being at eye level with your cunt that sent the butterflies in your stomach fluttering like crazy. You've heard of the stories before, but you never thought in this life you'd see the sight before you and now you're thirsting for more of it.

You pull your fingers out, whining as the pads of your fingers play with your clit once more. You go faster, desperately wanting to reach your high.

"Please…" Kevin whimpers.

"Hm?" You slightly prop your head up to look at him.

"Please— need to taste you." He begs as his eyes start to droop from the sexual atmosphere. You nod your head without thinking, your curiosity getting the best of you.

"Thank fucking god—" Kevin lunges forward like a madman. His arms pulling your ankles aggressively towards himself as he drapes your legs over his shoulders, wrapping his arms around your thighs as he locks them in place. He dives in and licks one fat stripe between your folds, making you scream his name as your hands fly to his head, gripping his hair as he sucks on your clit like it's his lifeline.

Your head starts to spin the more his mouth moves against your heat. You don't know what the fuck these girls were talking about. Kevin's a natural at this! To be honest, he might even be the best pussy eater you've been with and you're not just saying that because he's your best friend.

You start to mindlessly grind your hips onto his face, trying to desperately reach your high. You feel the mattress rocking slowly beneath you as Kevin ruts into the mattress, seeking his own high as well in the process. Your fingers tighten, pulling his hair as you feel yourself slowly falling off the edge. Kevin groans into your cunt, the sensation of his hair being pulled makes him thrust his hips into the mattress faster.

"Oh fuck, I'm so close. Kevin, please—" You whine as he moans against your folds. The way you say his name switches something inside his brain, making him suddenly insert two fingers inside you, curling and pumping them in and out like there's no tomorrow.

You ride his face into the sunset until you finally see stars, your hips twitching as you fall over the edge. Your thighs involuntarily start closing together, squeezing Kevin's head in the process. Kevin lets out a loud grunt, suddenly stilling his movements as he buries his face further into your sex.

You let out a dreamy sigh afterwards. In all your years being sexually active, this was by far the hardest you've come. You prop your head again to check in on Kevin, whose face is still down between your legs.

"…Kevin? Are you okay down there?" You try not to laugh at the current situation. His head pops up, looking at you with dazed eyes. He lazily smiles at you, looking as if he had reached an all-time high.

"You don't know how long I've been wanting to do that…"

[hcuyk]

okay since you're back, may i please request something around 4am with changmin (or sunwoo?) and make it angst or comfort or whatever just because why not thank you my love i'm so happy you're here you don't imagine how much

[4:01AM]

Not often did you wake up in the middle of the night, yet something felt different. Maybe it was because there was a sudden lump that had developed within your pillow or the temperature in the room had changed, but your dream had slowly faded into darkness. As you adjusted to your senses and reality itself, your eyes fluttered open and caught a glimpse of Changmin in the dark.

Your eyes traced the silhouette illuminated by the moon, noticing his eyes wide and fixated on the ceiling. Unsure of both the time and if Changmin had noticed you, you scooted over to where he was and wrapped your arms around one of his, hugging it close to your chest.

“Why are you up?” you mumbled while tucking your nose behind his shoulder, wanting to remain as close as possible. 

Changmin turned his head to face you, slightly startled that you had woken up, but his parted lips of shock curled up into a warm smile—it was almost impossible to not be in love whenever he saw you. He pressed a kiss to the top of your head before shifting in his spot, adjusting so he could bring you into his arms.

“Why are you awake, hm?” He pulled you in close and against his chest, allowing you to snuggle up against him within his embrace. 

“I asked you first,” you retaliated. You gave him an exaggerated pout before having it interrupted with a yawn. He shook his head and laughed at you softly, his arms squeezing you. He then had one of his hands gently pat you on the head, providing a weak attempt to get you back to sleep.

“Just woke up randomly, and I couldn’t go back asleep,” he whispered.

“You better not be bullshitting.” He giggled at your grumble, causing you to shuffle your feet under the comforters and kick his legs when you found them. Changmin then burst out in laughter at your terrible attempt and refuted the action by locking his legs around yours, trapping you completely in his hold. 

Instead of fighting back, your tired state melted against him, but you still glared at him as a threat. 

“I’m not bullshitting, I promise.” Your skepticism made him coo and kiss your nose, watching as your bunched-up facial features began to relax.

“We sleep together?” Noticing your slight worry, he nodded and pressed a soft kiss against your lips to reassure you.

“We sleep together.”

It had taken less than a few minutes for you to knock out, but Changmin was still completely awake. He would play with your hair, tucking strands behind your ear, before his thoughts drifted off once more. He kissed your cheek with a whispered ‘I love you’ before untangling himself from you to glance at the ceiling once more. 

His eyes then trailed over to the nightstand by their bed, and without much thought, he silently pulled out the drawer to take out a small velvet box. He flipped it open to reveal the ring he had bought you and raised it to where the moon was shining, wanting to look at it one last time before officially getting down on one knee for you.

His heart thudded against his chest and fluttered the moment he thought about you wearing it on your ring finger. He smiled and put it away so he could go back to holding you, finally relaxed enough to fall back asleep.

You were his forever, and he couldn’t wait for tomorrow. 

permanent taglist . . . @armysantiny @stealanity @zzoguri @nyujjan @tinisprout @the-kpop-simp

author's note // first timestamp for changmin! (the other one was unhinged and we pretend it doesn't exist 😭). matty my biggest supporter ilysmsmsmsmsmsmsm thank you for sending this in i hope you enjoy ALSO this may or may not be canon kidult changmin 🫣

[mymegrokosmos]

the boyz as boyfriends drabble. i was left alone watching their content too long today so here you go. if you like this one i'll add the other members these are just my headcanons based on their body language/behaviour observed lately.

jacob is the kind of bf to constantly have one arm slung around you shoulder as he leans into your side or against your back. he makes it look effortless with his other hand casually slipped into one pants pocket. It's second nature to him, like breathing. If you reach up and hold his hand, he won't show it but he's melting just a little inside. he slings one arm around each of your shoulders when walking or standing between you and a friend, male or female (so long as you're both comfortable with that).

kevin is the type of bf to not mind you constantly hanging off of him. in fact, he likes that it shows how much you like him and how safe and comfortable you feel with him. he likes that you let down your walls if you're not usually a particularly touchy person and let yourself be vulnerable with him. that you trust him not to disrespect or overstep your boundaries and just feel like you can be yourself around him.

changmin is the type of bf to always be backhugging you or slipping his hands in your hoodie pockets and burying his face in your back or the crook of your neck. when you call him on it he claims that he's cold but that's always his excuse and if you try to pull away you can bet that he'll whine until you sigh and give in to his cuddling. he will absolutely 100% insist on holding your back to his chest, arms around your waist as he shuffles you both into the kitchen or wherever you were headed before he interrupted.

hyunjae also likes to have an arm around you but he moves around and fidgets, always coming back to you eventually but not usually staying still for very long. he plays with yout hoodie strings or necklaces, or your fingers whenever you reach up to stop his fidgeting or hold his hand in yours. when he laughs he pulls your whole body along with him in whatever direction he flops bc you know that man is collapsing like a rag doll while he loses it.

juyeon likes to rest a hand on your shoulder, or his chin. the type of bf to hook an arm loosely around your neck and hover from behind you staring down anyone you're talking to unblinkingly like a cat while he sizes them up and completely tunes out the conversation around you both until you tap his arm or tilt your head back to look up at him. lace your fingers through his, play with his rings or hold his wrist to have him melting and peering closer to catch whatever you have to say, you now have his full attention. he will stare at you like you've just hung the moon bc he's so endeared by everything you do.

eric is the type of bf to keep an arm around your waist or shoulder not just to keep you close but to let other people know you're taken. he's always hovering close when you're at parties or gatherings. will squeeze your hand or hips to make sure you're still there or when he feels like you aren't paying enough attention to him. he's protective and also likes to know you're safe in crowded places. 100% the type to insist on pouring your drinks for you but doing it one handed bc the man refuses to let go of his hold on you for even a minute he loves affection pls give it to him.

[stealanity]

playlist one , the boyz ( lsg to kvm ) :

ꕤ lee sangyeon ,

someone

⠀

[ 7:02am ]

[ 5:12pm ]

[ 6:14am ]

⠀

ꕤ bae jacob ,

summer love

birthday cake

melatonin

co-lover

white lily

⠀

ꕤ kim younghoon ,

corny jokes

reassuring hands

kinda miss you

i didn't forget

⠀

[ 1:02am ]

[ 2:45am ]

⠀

ꕤ lee hyunjae ,

suffocating ( written serie , discontinued )

this special look

stay

waffle

loser, lover

crazy

too late

only for practice

⠀

[ 9:32am ]

[ 4:35pm ]

[ 10:37pm ]

⠀

ꕤ lee juyeon ,

his s/o waking up in the middle of the night

cute little intruder

bad day, but good boyfriend

daydream

terrible idea

the bet

cold hands

risky

sick of you

⠀

[ 5:34pm ]

[ 10:45pm ]

[ 7:52pm ]

[ 8:57pm ]

⠀

ꕤ moon kevin ,

bad words

the little prince

⠀

[ 3:37pm ]

[ 11:23am ]

⠀

. . . link to maknae line !

[jinnieboosworld]

Fangirling

Kevin Moon x Female Reader

@deoboyznet @a-dream-bookmark @k-labels

Genre: Fluff, Coming of Age

Summary: While at a Beyoncé concert Kevin Moon finds himself befriending a girl who shares the same enthusiasm for Beyoncé as him. So when he sees her crying after the concert he can’t help but wonder why.

Part of The MeetCute Series

Word Count: 8410

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

Y/N had spent all week planning for tonight—her outfit, her playlist, her nails painted in Beyoncé’s latest album colors. This was supposed to be her night. The tickets had been her birthday gift, and she’d been counting down the days ever since. But now, sitting in the passenger seat of her boyfriend’s car, the excitement felt off.

He hadn’t said much since picking her up. The usual banter, the jokes about her singing every word to “Love On Top,” were absent. Instead, his hands gripped the wheel a little too tightly, his eyes locked on the road.

“You’re quiet,” Y/N said, turning to him. She tried to keep her tone light, but his energy was throwing her off.

“Just thinking,” he replied.

“About?”

He hesitated, glancing at her briefly before looking away. “About us.”

Her stomach dropped, and she forced out a laugh. “You’re not about to tell me you hate Beyoncé, are you?”

“No, it’s not that,” he said, his voice low. “It’s… I don’t think this is working anymore.”

The words hit like a punch. Y/N blinked, convinced she’d misheard him. “I’m sorry, what?”

He sighed, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. “I’ve been meaning to tell you, but I didn’t know how. Things have felt off for a while now.”

“And you’re telling me this now? On the way to a Beyoncé concert?”

“I thought it’d be better to get it out before we got there.”

Y/N stared at him, her shock quickly giving way to anger. “So, what? You’re breaking up with me so you don’t have to pretend to like my favorite artist for a few hours?”

“Y/N, it’s not like that—”

“Then what is it like?” she snapped. “Because right now, it feels like you’re blindsiding me for no reason.”

He ran a hand through his hair, clearly uncomfortable. “I didn’t want to keep stringing you along. You deserve someone who’s all in, and… I just don’t think I am.”

For a moment, she couldn’t speak. Her chest tightened, and her throat burned with the tears she refused to shed. “Pull over,” she said finally.

“What?”

“Pull over. I’m not sitting here and listening to you justify this crap while pretending I’m okay with it.”

He hesitated but eventually complied, pulling the car to the side of the road. Without a word, Y/N grabbed her bag and stepped out. She didn’t even slam the door—he wasn’t worth the drama.

As she stood on the sidewalk, the sound of his car pulling away echoed in her ears. The anger and heartbreak collided inside her, but she pushed it down. Tonight wasn’t about him.

She pulled out her phone, calling a rideshare. While she waited, she rummaged through her bag and found her lipstick. If she was going to cry, it wasn’t going to be until after she’d screamed every word to “Formation.”

By the time the car arrived, she had reapplied her makeup and adjusted her Beyoncé-themed jacket.

“Everything okay?” the driver asked as she slid into the backseat.

Y/N gave a tight smile. “Not really. But it will be.”

As they drove toward the stadium, she glanced at the glowing city lights and took a deep breath. Her ex might have ruined the car ride, but there was no way she was letting him ruin Beyoncé.

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

Y/N slid into her seat just as the lights dimmed, sending the arena into an electric frenzy. Her heart pounded, but not entirely from excitement. She still felt raw, her emotions a tangled mess of anger and heartbreak, but she was determined to push it all aside. This night wasn’t about her ex—it was about Beyoncé.

The opening beat of the first song thundered through the speakers, and the crowd erupted. Y/N stood, her hands automatically lifting in sync with the sea of fans around her. As the Queen herself appeared onstage, she felt a flicker of joy break through the haze.

For the first half of the show, Y/N focused on the music, letting the beats and melodies drown out her thoughts. She didn’t check her phone or look at the empty seat her ex would’ve occupied. She refused to let him steal any more of her energy.

It wasn’t until the intermission that she noticed him—the guy sitting one row down and a few seats over.

He had straight blonde hair tucked under a snapback, and his whole outfit screamed “effortlessly cool.” But what caught her attention was his energy. While everyone else around him was taking a breather, he was animatedly singing to himself, drumming on his thighs as if the concert hadn’t paused.

Y/N couldn’t help but smile. He noticed her looking and grinned, his charming smile flashing in the dim arena lights.

“You good up there?” he called over the noise of the crowd.

“Yeah,” Y/N replied, her voice steady but her lips curving upward. “You, uh, really know your stuff.”

“What can I say?” He gestured to the stage as if it were obvious. “Beyoncé’s a lifestyle.”

Y/N laughed, the first real one she’d had all day. “Fair point.”

He tilted his head, studying her for a moment. “You’ve been pretty quiet, though. First-timer?”

“Hardly,” she said, leaning on the railing in front of her. “I’ve been obsessed with her since, like, Dangerously in Love.”

“Then what’s the deal? You’re not screaming like your life depends on it.”

She hesitated, not sure how much she wanted to share with a complete stranger. “Long day,” she said finally, brushing it off.

He didn’t press, just nodded like he understood. “Well, if you’re gonna make it through the rest of this show, you’ve gotta sing like you mean it. Beyoncé didn’t show up here for half energy.”

Y/N snorted. “You sound like a coach.”

“Exactly. And I’m not letting my team down.” He stuck out his hand, his grin widening. “Kevin, by the way.”

“Y/N,” she replied, shaking his hand.

The house lights dimmed again, signaling the second half of the show. Kevin turned back to the stage, but not before giving her a nod. “Let’s go, Y/N. Time to wake up.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t deny that his enthusiasm was infectious. As Beyoncé launched into another hit, she found herself loosening up, her body moving instinctively to the rhythm.

By the time Beyoncé hit her iconic run in “Love On Top,” Y/N was belting out the lyrics alongside Kevin. He threw her an approving thumbs-up mid-chorus, and she laughed, her spirits lifting in a way she hadn’t thought possible just hours earlier.

For the first time that night, she wasn’t thinking about her ex or the breakup. She wasn’t worried about looking sad or out of place. She was just Y/N—a fan in the crowd, celebrating the music she loved.

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

The second half of the show had Y/N completely mesmerized. Beyoncé was magnetic, her vocals flawless, and her stage presence unmatched. The lights, choreography, and energy of the crowd created a wave of emotion that Y/N couldn’t help but get swept up in.

Kevin seemed to have appointed himself her concert hype man. Every now and then, he’d glance back to make sure she was singing along or smiling, giving her exaggerated nods of approval whenever she hit a note.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” he shouted after she nailed the high note in “Halo,” laughing when she playfully shoved his shoulder.

By the time Beyoncé slowed the tempo for an acoustic set, Y/N felt the first twinge of vulnerability creeping back in. When the opening notes of “Resentment” filled the arena, she stiffened.

This was the song. The one she’d blasted in her bedroom during every heartbreak, every fight, every moment of self-doubt. And now, in this massive crowd of strangers, it felt like the lyrics were aimed directly at her.

She tried to keep her composure, but her throat tightened. Her vision blurred.

“Hey,” Kevin’s voice cut through the music, soft but steady.

She turned her head slightly, blinking back tears. He wasn’t grinning or joking this time. Instead, his expression was kind, his dark eyes filled with understanding.

“You okay?” he asked, his voice just loud enough to be heard over the song.

She nodded quickly, waving him off, but he didn’t buy it.

“It’s okay to feel it, you know,” he said, his tone low and careful. “That’s why we’re all here—to let it out.”

Y/N swallowed hard, letting the lyrics seep into her soul. Beyoncé’s voice was raw, singing about betrayal, pain, and resilience, and Y/N couldn’t hold it back anymore. A single tear slipped down her cheek, and she wiped it away quickly, hoping Kevin wouldn’t notice.

But he did.

Without a word, he reached over and gave her hand a light squeeze. It was so subtle, so natural, that she almost didn’t register it. But the warmth of the gesture calmed her. She didn’t pull away.

“Thanks,” she whispered, her voice cracking slightly.

Kevin didn’t say anything in response, just kept his hand resting over hers until the song ended.

When Beyoncé transitioned into an upbeat anthem, the atmosphere shifted again. Kevin released her hand, his playful energy returning.

“All right,” he said, turning to her with a wide smile. “Time to dance it out.”

Y/N laughed, wiping the remnants of tears from her face. “You’re relentless, you know that?”

“Gotta make sure my concert buddy’s having a good time.”

“Your concert buddy?”

“Yep.” He nodded confidently. “We’ve sung, danced, and cried together. That’s a bond right there.”

Y/N rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the grin tugging at her lips. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously fun,” he corrected, giving her a dramatic spin as Beyoncé launched into “Crazy in Love.”

Y/N let herself be pulled into his orbit, her laughter blending with the crowd’s cheers. For the rest of the night, she didn’t hold back. She danced, sang, and even shouted a few ad-libs with Kevin, who was somehow as energetic during the encore as he was at the start.

As the final confetti rained down and Beyoncé bowed to the roaring crowd, Y/N realized something surprising. For the first time since the breakup, she felt good.

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

The crowd was beginning to thin out, the energy still buzzing in the air, but Y/N felt strangely empty. She had enjoyed herself—more than she expected—but the final song had stirred up feelings she wasn’t ready to face. She lingered near the exits, standing just outside the arena where people spilled into the parking lot.

The night had been a whirlwind. She was still processing her emotions about the breakup, but now that Beyoncé was gone, the weight of her own thoughts returned.

Y/N found a quiet corner near a row of vendor stalls, hoping the chill air would help steady her. She leaned against the brick wall, pulling her jacket tighter around her, feeling a familiar lump form in her throat.

She could already feel the hot tears threatening to spill again. She wiped at her eyes, fighting it. She had promised herself she wouldn’t cry tonight.

“You okay?”

The voice was gentle but familiar. She turned, startled, and saw Kevin standing a few feet away, concern in his eyes.

She wasn’t sure how long he’d been watching her. She tried to smile but it felt forced, so she opted for a shrug.

“I’m fine,” she muttered, clearing her throat. “Just… processing.”

Kevin didn’t move. He took a step closer, a hint of hesitation in his step. “Are you sure? You looked… like you were having a good time earlier.”

“I was,” she said, looking down. “I don’t know. I guess it’s just one of those nights, you know?” She managed a small laugh, but it quickly faltered.

“Yeah, I get it.” He nodded, his voice softening. “That’s a lot to deal with. It’s like the universe knows when you’re vulnerable and just piles it all on.”

Y/N was quiet for a moment. He didn’t push. He just stood there, waiting.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. “He broke up with me,” she finally said, the words feeling heavier than she’d expected. “Right before the concert. Like, right before. We were supposed to come here together, and then… he said he didn’t think it was working anymore.”

Kevin stayed silent for a moment, letting the words sink in. Then, he shook his head, disbelief evident on his face. “That’s… the worst timing I’ve ever heard. Who does that before Beyoncé?”

Y/N snorted, a dry laugh slipping out. “Right? I was supposed to have the night of my life, and now… well, now I’m here crying over my ex.”

“You deserve better than that,” Kevin said, his voice firm but kind. He took another step closer, giving her space but making it clear he was there for her.

Y/N swallowed hard. She wanted to say something, but instead, she just stared at him, blinking back more tears.

Kevin didn’t say anything more. He simply sat down next to her, close but not too close, as if he was giving her the option to pull away if she wanted.

They were silent for a long time, the sound of the remaining concertgoers drifting into the background. The crowd was loud, but the quiet between them felt safe.

After a few minutes, Kevin shifted slightly, breaking the stillness with a casual tone. “You know, you could always take this as a sign to let your ex go. It’s like the universe gave you the perfect night to start fresh. I mean, we’re at a Beyoncé concert—she practically hands out empowerment with every song.”

Y/N snorted again, though the sound was more of a broken laugh than anything else. “Yeah, right. Like I can just move on because Beyoncé said so.”

“Why not? It worked for me.” Kevin’s grin was playful, and it lightened the air. “She’s been teaching me how to live my best life for years.”

Y/N chuckled, finally looking at him. “I thought you were just here for the Beyoncé trivia, not life lessons.”

“Hey, both are important. It’s all about balance.” He shrugged, smiling in that easygoing way that made him seem so approachable.

Y/N hesitated for a second before she laughed again. “Maybe you’re right. I don’t know if I’m ready for the whole ‘new chapter’ thing, though.”

Kevin looked over at her with a kind expression. “You don’t have to be. But don’t let one bad night make you forget how much you deserve, you know?”

She stared at him for a moment. His words felt too sincere, and it made her feel things she wasn’t ready to deal with.

“Well, if it’s okay with you, I could use a walk,” she said softly, trying to change the subject. “You’re probably headed somewhere else anyway.”

Kevin grinned. “I’m not going anywhere, unless you want me to. I’m your personal Beyoncé assistant for the night.”

Y/N smiled, the first real smile of the evening. It felt like a small step in the right direction.

“Yeah, okay. Walk with me.”

Kevin stood up and offered her his hand, his eyes bright with an enthusiasm that made her feel just a little bit lighter.

As they walked together through the parking lot, Y/N realized that while her heart was still aching, maybe this night wasn’t a total loss after all.

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

The chill in the air had settled comfortably around them as Y/N and Kevin walked side by side through the parking lot. The sharp hum of the crowd faded with each step, leaving behind a quiet that felt oddly intimate. Y/N appreciated the peace. After everything that had happened earlier—her boyfriend’s sudden breakup, the overwhelming concert, and her unspoken emotions—Kevin’s presence was a comforting distraction.

They kept the conversation light, mostly chatting about the concert and Beyoncé’s killer performance, but Y/N could sense there was something more to Kevin. He had this easy confidence, not in a bragging way, but in a way that made everything seem a little less daunting. He didn’t push her to talk about her ex, didn’t probe further. He just let her take the lead when she wanted to.

“You know,” Kevin said, breaking the easy silence between them, “Beyoncé really knows how to get you out of your head.”

Y/N nodded, letting out a small, relieved sigh. “Yeah, she does. Even when things are falling apart, her music has this way of making you feel like you’re invincible.”

Kevin glanced over at her, his expression softening. “Yeah, like you can take on the world and still look damn good doing it.”

She laughed, shaking her head. “If only it were that easy.”

Kevin stopped walking for a moment, turning to face her. There was an earnestness in his eyes, his gaze steady. “It’s not easy, but it’s not impossible, either.”

Y/N felt a small wave of warmth spread through her chest. It was the kind of comment that seemed simple, but for some reason, it felt like more than just words. It felt like encouragement—like Kevin genuinely believed that she could find her footing again.

“So, what now?” Y/N asked after a beat, not quite sure what she was expecting. But Kevin seemed to have the right answer.

“I’m just gonna say it—if you want to stay distracted from your ex and just keep enjoying life, I’m your guy,” he said with a grin, the humor in his voice taking any pressure off the offer. “You want to go get some coffee? Maybe talk Beyoncé trivia? Or we could just grab a burger. I know a great place.”

Y/N blinked, surprised by how natural the invitation felt. She hadn’t expected someone she’d just met to offer this kind of solace, but somehow, it didn’t feel out of place. In fact, it was exactly what she needed.

“You really like Beyoncé, huh?” she teased, trying to keep the mood light.

Kevin chuckled. “Beyoncé is life. But yeah, I think we should definitely hang out again. You don’t have to spend the rest of the night brooding over some guy who doesn’t know what he’s losing.”

Y/N paused, the words hitting her in a way she hadn’t anticipated. “Thanks, Kevin,” she said quietly, her heart feeling a little lighter. She didn’t want to admit it, but his kindness felt like an unexpected gift, a spark of hope in a night that had been filled with a lot of confusion and hurt.

“No problem,” he said, his smile turning warmer. “Besides, who else is gonna appreciate your Beyoncé knowledge? I’m not just here for the good times. I’m here for the deep talks and the bad dance moves, too.”

Y/N laughed, her mood lifting a little more. “I’ve got a lot of both, so you’re in for a wild ride.”

Kevin smiled, and for the first time that night, Y/N felt like the weight of her breakup was just a little bit lighter.

“Well,” Kevin said, turning toward the exit of the lot, “I’m in for whatever you’ve got. But seriously, text me if you ever need someone to talk to or, you know, vent. I’m all about the backup singer role.”

Y/N paused as they reached the edge of the parking lot, looking at him for a moment. “I’ll keep that in mind,” she said, feeling the tightness in her chest ease just a little bit more. She grabbed her phone from her bag but hesitated before getting in. “And, Kevin… I don’t know if you’re just being nice, but thanks for being here tonight. I really mean it.”

Kevin looked at her, his expression soft. “No need to thank me. I’m happy to be here. I know it’s not the greatest night, but you’ve got this. And if you need some Beyoncé therapy, I’m your guy.”

Y/N smiled, her heart a little lighter than before. She was still hurt, still processing everything that had happened with her ex, but there was something comforting in knowing that even in the messiest of moments, someone like Kevin could step in and remind her that there was more to life than pain.

“Okay, then,” she said, nodding. “Guess I’ll hold you to that.”

Kevin gave her a playful salute before backing away. “You do that. I’ll be ready when you are. But, uh, just so you know, I’m not a serial killer or anything, I promise. I mean, you don’t know me that well, but I’m definitely not that guy.”

Y/N blinked, taken aback for a second before laughing out loud. “Right, because that was the first thing I was thinking of. You’ve got your work cut out for you, I guess.”

Kevin smirked. “Hey, I had to put it out there. Better safe than sorry, right?”

Y/N shook her head with a smile. “You’re lucky you’re funny.”

As Y/N stepped away from the parking lot, she realized that she had to get to her rideshare pickup point. She pulled up her phone, checking her location, and sent a quick text. On my way!

Kevin waved as she started walking away. “Let me know if you need a ride—unless you’re really trusting a complete stranger to take you home. Then I can’t help you there.”

Y/N couldn’t help but laugh as she waved back. “I’ll take my chances. You know, not every guy you meet at a concert ends up being a serial killer.”

With that, Y/N made her way toward the rideshare, feeling a little lighter than before. She wasn’t sure where things would go with Kevin, but for the first time in a while, she was allowing herself to feel something that wasn’t just sadness.

She glanced at her phone again, smiling when she saw a text from him.

Kevin: “Beyoncé trivia challenge next time?”

Y/N smiled, feeling the smallest thread of excitement for the first time that night. She typed back quickly.

Y/N: “You’re on. I’ll be ready.”

And as she slid into the back of the rideshare, the night didn’t feel quite so lonely anymore.

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

The week after the concert, Y/N couldn’t shake the feeling of how surreal everything had felt. Her breakup, the unexpected comfort of meeting Kevin, and the lingering, odd spark between them all seemed to blur together like one big, emotional whirlwind. In the days since, she kept herself busy—schoolwork, calls with her friends, and binge-watching reruns of her favorite shows to numb the pain of what had happened. But there was something about Kevin that kept creeping into her thoughts.

It was a sunny afternoon when she decided to text him. Nothing too complicated. Just a “Hey, how’s it going?” She hadn’t expected a reply so quickly, but less than an hour later, Kevin’s name flashed on her phone.

Kevin: “Heyyy! All good on my end. I was just about to start a deep dive into Beyoncé’s discography again. Want to join me? I’m feeling ‘Formation’ vibes today.”

Y/N chuckled to herself. Formation. Of course. It felt like the kind of thing Kevin would text her. The words seemed to light up the screen, a tiny spark that made her smile for the first time in days. She stared at the message for a moment, then typed out her response, not overthinking it.

Y/N: “You know I can never resist a Beyoncé deep dive. I’m in.”

It didn’t take long before they were making plans to meet up at a coffee shop near campus. She hadn’t seen Kevin in a few days, but the thought of hanging out again felt strangely comforting. They weren’t in a rush to define anything. There was something about the way Kevin made her feel that wasn’t rushed or heavy. It was easy.

Y/N was just about to leave her apartment when she hesitated, glancing in the mirror as she touched up her makeup. It wasn’t like she had anything to impress Kevin with. She wasn’t trying to get back into dating. She wasn’t even sure if that was something she wanted yet. But something about the idea of seeing him again made her stomach flutter in a way she hadn’t felt in a while.

No pressure, she reminded herself. You’re just hanging out with a friend. You don’t need to overthink this.

She left her apartment and caught a quick rideshare to the coffee shop. When she walked in, she saw Kevin sitting at a table near the window, looking as relaxed as ever. His green hoodie stood out against the beige coffee shop walls, and his lips were curved into that easygoing grin that made her feel like she belonged in his world, even if just for a little while.

Kevin spotted her immediately and waved, standing up to greet her. “Hey! You made it.” His grin widened, but it wasn’t the same playful grin from their first meeting. There was something a little more personal in it now, like he was genuinely happy to see her. “Beyoncé trivia awaits.”

Y/N laughed, taking a seat across from him. “I don’t think you’re ready for my knowledge.”

“I’m not worried,” Kevin said, eyes twinkling with amusement. “I’ve been practicing. Bring it on.”

The next few hours passed in a blur of coffee, laughter, and surprisingly intense Beyoncé debates. They argued over the best live performances, the meaning behind some of the lyrics, and their thoughts on her various music videos. Kevin’s humor never wavered, and the way he made Y/N feel so comfortable with herself was starting to sink in. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had this much fun just talking to someone, and the longer they spent together, the more she found herself forgetting that she was trying to move past a breakup.

At one point, they ended up watching a live performance of “Run the World (Girls)” on Kevin’s phone, completely immersed in the music. Y/N was so caught up in it that she barely noticed Kevin’s hand inching closer to hers. And before she knew it, their fingers brushed.

It was a simple, fleeting touch. But it left Y/N with a sudden, confusing flutter in her chest.

“Sorry,” Kevin said, pulling his hand back quickly, his face flushing slightly. “Didn’t mean to… I didn’t know if that was cool. I mean, I thought maybe we could—”

“It’s fine,” Y/N blurted out, her heart racing a little. She quickly cleared her throat, trying to act casual. “I mean, you didn’t—nothing. I’m good.”

Kevin chuckled awkwardly, clearly sensing her tension. “Okay, good. But I mean… you know, I wouldn’t have done that if you weren’t—”

“No, it’s fine,” Y/N interrupted again, forcing a smile. She had no idea why her nerves were suddenly going into overdrive. It was just a touch, nothing more.

But as they went back to watching the video, Y/N couldn’t help but think about it. It was like a sudden shift—a tiny moment that made her wonder if maybe things were starting to feel more than just friendly between them. And that thought made her feel even more confused.

She had sworn off relationships for a while. And yet, there she was, getting lost in Kevin’s smile, in his humor, in the way he made her feel like she was worth more than the person who had broken her heart.

“So, what do you think?” Kevin asked, pulling her out of her thoughts. “Next Beyoncé concert? I think we can totally make it happen. It’s going to be a whole thing.”

Y/N blinked, realizing she had drifted off again. “Right. The concert. I’m totally in. As long as we get the VIP tickets this time,” she joked.

“Deal,” Kevin said with a wink. “I’ll make sure we’re front and center.”

Y/N couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face. It wasn’t that she was ready to jump into something serious. But, for the first time in a while, she wasn’t entirely opposed to the idea of seeing where things might go with Kevin. For once, it felt like she was doing more than just surviving. She was starting to feel… alive again.

As they continued to talk about their next concert plans, Y/N couldn’t help but wonder what other surprises Kevin had in store for her.

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

As Y/N walked into the coffee shop, she spotted Kevin right away. His green hoodie stood out against the cozy, neutral-toned interior, and his wide grin made her stomach flutter. The usual sense of calm she had around him felt almost reassuring now, but that subtle tension, the one that always lingered when they were around each other, had begun to grow stronger.

Kevin waved, his eyes lighting up when he saw her. “Hey! You made it.” He stood up, pulling the chair out for her. “Beyoncé trivia awaits.”

Y/N grinned, slipping into the seat across from him. “I hope you’re ready to lose.”

Kevin laughed, easing back into his own chair, still looking at her with that playful, relaxed expression. “I’ve been practicing, trust me. I’m ready to go head-to-head with you.”

As they settled into the flow of conversation, Y/N could feel her nerves settling too. It was the kind of easy-going banter they had fallen into the last time they hung out—talking about music, laughing over random trivia facts, and debating their favorite Beyoncé lyrics. Kevin’s energy was contagious, and before long, the hours had slipped by unnoticed.

They eventually found themselves watching a live performance of “Run the World (Girls)” on Kevin’s phone, their attention fully immersed in the beat and the powerful energy Beyoncé exuded on stage. Without thinking, Kevin reached for her hand, his fingers brushing against hers as they both reached for the screen. It was light, almost accidental, but the contact sent a jolt through Y/N.

Kevin quickly pulled his hand back, flushing slightly. “Sorry about that. Didn’t mean to—”

Y/N’s heart was racing, and for a moment, she wasn’t sure how to act. Her breath caught in her chest, and she laughed to cover the sudden awkwardness. “No, it’s fine. You didn’t—nothing, I’m good.”

He gave her a sheepish smile, obviously sensing the shift in energy. “Right, okay. Just making sure. But, you know, I wouldn’t have—if you weren’t okay with it.”

Y/N nodded quickly, feeling her face heat up. “Yeah, yeah. I’m good.”

But as the video continued playing, Y/N couldn’t shake the image of their hands brushing. There was something about it that felt like a subtle turning point. She had sworn to herself that she wasn’t going to jump back into anything serious, especially after the emotional toll of her recent breakup. But here she was, feeling something shift in her chest, and she couldn’t quite pinpoint whether it was fear or excitement.

When the video ended, Kevin shifted his posture, clearly trying to make light of the moment. “So, what do you think? Next Beyoncé concert? I’m thinking we can totally make it happen. It’s gonna be a whole vibe.”

Y/N snapped out of her thoughts, smiling at his enthusiasm. “Right. The concert. We should definitely do that.”

Kevin grinned, “I’ll make sure we’re front and center this time.”

Y/N felt her pulse quicken, though she wasn’t sure if it was the idea of another concert or the thought of spending more time with him. Either way, it felt like something more than just a casual hangout. It felt like a step closer to something undefined, but real.

She forced herself to focus on the present, to not get ahead of herself. “Deal,” she said, offering him a genuine smile. “But only if you get VIP tickets. No nosebleeds this time.”

Kevin winked. “You got it.”

As they continued to joke about concert plans, Y/N couldn’t ignore the feeling of anticipation in her chest. It was as though she had finally found someone who could make her feel alive again, someone who was easy to talk to, easy to laugh with—and maybe, just maybe, someone who could make her believe in the possibility of new beginnings.

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

The week leading up to the concert felt like a blur. The anticipation wasn’t just for the show itself—it was the thought of spending the night with Kevin that kept Y/N awake in the early hours, her mind racing with questions she wasn’t ready to answer. What was this feeling? Why was she so nervous about something as simple as a concert? Was she overthinking things, or was there really something more between them?

As the day finally arrived, Y/N found herself standing in front of her mirror, staring at her outfit as if it were some kind of decision that could change everything. She laughed at herself, shaking her head. No one needed to get dressed up for a concert, right? It wasn’t a date. They were just two people going to a show together. She had promised herself that she wasn’t rushing into anything, that she wasn’t trying to replace one emotional rollercoaster with another.

But there was something about Kevin that made her second-guess all of that. He was easy to talk to, yes, but there was a deeper comfort in him—one that made her feel understood in a way she hadn’t realized she needed. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had made her feel so at ease, so completely herself. And as much as she tried to keep things casual, the way she thought about him was beginning to change.

They met up outside the venue, where the crowd buzzed with energy. The usual excitement of a concert loomed in the air, but something felt different this time. Maybe it was because the whole thing wasn’t just about the performance. It was about spending time with Kevin, about seeing where things might go. She couldn’t deny that the thought made her feel a little lighter.

Kevin greeted her with his usual warm grin, looking relaxed in his jeans and a jacket, not the kind of person who made her feel like she had to put on a front. “Ready for this?” he asked, his voice light, but with an undercurrent of excitement she could feel in her chest.

Y/N smiled, feeling an unexpected rush of anticipation. “You know it. But I hope you’re prepared for me to out-sing you the entire time.”

“Bring it on,” Kevin shot back, eyes twinkling with humor. “I’ve been practicing.”

The concert itself was an unforgettable experience, but not for the reasons Y/N had expected. It wasn’t just about the music or the lights or the crowd. It was about the quiet moments in between—when Kevin would glance at her with that soft, knowing look, the way he would hand her a drink or ask if she was okay without even needing to be told. It was the small things that added up to something bigger.

They talked during the entire show, laughing over shared inside jokes, teasing each other over their respective dance moves (which, admittedly, weren’t as coordinated as they’d hoped), and even commenting on how ridiculous the outfits people around them were wearing. It felt like they were in their own little world, even though they were surrounded by thousands of people.

At one point, the lights dimmed for a quieter song. It wasn’t a moment where they could shout lyrics or get lost in the music, and for a second, the air between them was quiet, the sounds of the crowd fading into the background. Kevin leaned in slightly, as if testing the waters. “Hey, you good?”

Y/N blinked, surprised by the question. She had been lost in thought, in the quiet of the music, but the way Kevin asked it felt different. It wasn’t casual. It was like he truly cared. She smiled, feeling the warmth of the moment. “Yeah, I’m good. Just… enjoying the peace for a second.”

Kevin grinned, nodding as if he understood. “You know, I’m really glad we’re doing this. Not just the concert, but… hanging out like this. It’s been fun, Y/N.”

Her heart fluttered at the unexpected honesty. It wasn’t the kind of thing you expected to hear from someone after only a few weeks of hanging out. But the more they spent time together, the clearer it became that their bond was growing stronger. The concert was a backdrop to something much deeper than just music.

By the time the show ended, the energy in the air had shifted. The crowd slowly started to disperse, and the lights came up, signaling the end of the night. Y/N didn’t want the night to end. Not because she was particularly enamored with the show or because she was still processing the performance. But because, for the first time in what felt like forever, she didn’t want to say goodbye to the person who had made her feel this… alive.

They walked out of the venue together, the cool night air offering a reprieve from the heat of the crowd. The conversation flowed easily as they made their way toward the parking lot, both of them reluctant to end the night.

“I had a really good time tonight,” Kevin said, his voice quiet but sincere as they approached her ride. “I’m glad we did this.”

Y/N smiled, trying to keep the knot in her chest from giving away how much she truly appreciated his company. “Yeah, me too. I’m glad you were the one to drag me into this whole thing. I don’t think I would’ve had nearly as much fun with anyone else.”

Kevin’s expression softened, his eyes meeting hers in a way that made Y/N’s heart skip. “I mean, you made it fun. It’s not just about the concert. It’s… it’s about hanging out with someone who actually gets it.”

The words lingered between them, heavy in the air. Y/N felt the pull between them—the kind that was undeniable but unspoken. She didn’t know what it was, this connection they shared, but she wasn’t afraid of it. Not anymore.

Before she could think too much, Kevin’s lips curved into that playful grin again. “So… next time we do this, what’s the verdict? Maybe a comedy show? Or a karaoke night?”

Y/N laughed, relieved by the shift back to their usual easy banter. “Karaoke sounds good, but I’m warning you now—I’m a beast on the mic.”

Kevin raised his hands in mock surrender. “Oh, I’m terrified already. Bring it on.”

They shared one last laugh before Y/N reached for her rideshare, a quiet sense of contentment settling over her. As she waved goodbye to Kevin, she realized that it wasn’t about what they’d done or where they’d been. It was about who they were when they were together. For the first time since her breakup, Y/N felt like she could breathe again, like she didn’t need to rush or overthink things. The night had proven something she hadn’t known she needed: that connection wasn’t just about grand gestures or big moments. It was in the quiet ones, too—the ones that made her feel understood without needing to say a word.

As she sat back in the car, the city lights flashing by, Y/N couldn’t help but smile. Maybe it wasn’t about finding someone to fill the space her ex had left. Maybe it was about finding someone who made her want to fill the space with laughter and quiet moments that felt just as important.

And for the first time in a long while, Y/N felt like maybe, just maybe, she was starting to look forward to something new.

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

The next time they met up, it wasn’t planned. Y/N was out running errands when Kevin texted her.

Kevin: “What are you up to? I’m grabbing lunch if you want to join.”

Her day had been exhausting—a mix of work, school assignments, and endless errands—but something about Kevin’s casual invite made her pause. A part of her wanted to say no, to just head home and recharge. But the bigger part, the one that always lit up at the thought of him, couldn’t resist.

Y/N: “Where are you? I could eat.”

Kevin sent her the address of a small café near campus, and within 20 minutes, she was there. She spotted him right away, sitting outside at one of the tables, his usual green hoodie paired with a messy bun. He was scrolling on his phone, absentmindedly sipping from a cup of iced coffee.

“Hey,” Y/N greeted as she approached.

Kevin looked up, his face breaking into a smile the second he saw her. “Hey! Glad you could make it. Wasn’t sure if you’d be free.”

“I almost wasn’t,” she admitted, pulling out the chair across from him. “But food and good company were tempting enough.”

Kevin chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Well, I promise the food’s good. As for the company… you’ll have to tell me.”

They ordered sandwiches and talked about everything and nothing while they waited. Kevin was easy to talk to—he always had been—but today felt different. Maybe it was because their conversation drifted away from surface-level topics, sinking into things they hadn’t talked about before.

He told her about his family, about growing up in Canada and how moving away for college had been both exciting and terrifying. She shared stories about her own childhood, the way her parents had supported her in every crazy dream she’d ever had. They talked about what they wanted for their futures, their fears, their dreams. It wasn’t anything groundbreaking, but it was real.

At one point, Kevin hesitated, his gaze flickering down to the table before meeting hers. “Can I ask you something?”

Y/N tilted her head, curious. “Sure.”

“Have you thought about… us?” His voice was careful, like he didn’t want to push her too hard. “I mean, I know we’ve been hanging out a lot, and it’s been great. But I just—sometimes I wonder if maybe you see me as more than just a friend.”

Y/N froze, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest. She had thought about it. Of course, she had. Kevin wasn’t just anyone. He was funny and kind and thoughtful in ways that made her feel like she was the only person in the world when they were together. But the idea of admitting that out loud, of putting words to the feelings she’d been trying to suppress, felt like too much.

“I…” She trailed off, her gaze dropping to her hands. “I don’t know.”

Kevin nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. “That’s okay. You don’t have to know right now. I just— I wanted to be honest. Because I think about it. A lot. And I don’t want to pretend like I don’t feel something when I’m around you.”

Y/N looked up, meeting his eyes. There was no pressure in them, no expectation. Just honesty.

“I like spending time with you,” she said quietly. “A lot. And I don’t know what that means yet, but… I know I don’t want it to stop.”

Kevin’s smile widened, his shoulders relaxing as if he’d been holding his breath. “Me neither.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the air between them feeling lighter, warmer. It wasn’t a declaration of love or a grand romantic moment, but it didn’t need to be. It was enough.

As they finished their lunch, the conversation shifted back to its usual playful tone, but there was a new ease between them. A quiet understanding that something was shifting, even if they weren’t ready to define it yet.

When they left the café, Kevin walked her to her car. They lingered there for a moment, the sun casting long shadows on the pavement.

“Thanks for coming today,” Kevin said, his hands stuffed into his pockets. “I know it was last minute, but… I’m glad you were here.”

Y/N smiled, feeling that familiar flutter in her chest. “Me too.”

For a moment, she thought he might lean in, that their story might take a step forward in a way she wasn’t sure she was ready for. But Kevin just grinned and gave her a small wave as he stepped back.

“Drive safe,” he said.

As she drove away, Y/N couldn’t help but smile to herself. Things were changing between them, and for the first time, she wasn’t scared of what that might mean.

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

It had been weeks since the café conversation, and while Y/N and Kevin hadn’t officially defined their relationship, something had definitely shifted between them. Their texts grew longer, their hangouts more frequent. Even the silences between them felt comfortable, filled with unspoken understanding.

Today, they had planned to meet at the park near campus, a favorite spot of Kevin’s. He had insisted on bringing snacks and claimed he had a surprise for her, though he wouldn’t give any details.

When Y/N arrived, Kevin was already there, sprawled out on a blanket under the shade of a large oak tree. A basket sat beside him, and he was messing with something on his phone, likely adding a new playlist to his ever-growing collection.

“Hey,” she called out, walking over to him.

Kevin looked up, his face lighting up in a way that still caught her off guard. “You’re late.”

“You’re lucky I showed up at all,” she teased, dropping her bag next to him. “What’s in the basket? Don’t tell me it’s just sandwiches again.”

He grinned, gesturing for her to sit. “No sandwiches, I promise. Today is fancy picnic day. I brought charcuterie.”

“Charcuterie?” Y/N laughed as she sat down, pulling the basket closer to inspect it. Sure enough, there were neatly packed containers of cheese, crackers, fruit, and even a small jar of honey.

“I had to impress you somehow,” Kevin said with a smirk. “Besides, I’ve been watching those aesthetic picnic TikToks. This is my debut.”

Y/N rolled her eyes but couldn’t help smiling. “You’re ridiculous. But this actually looks amazing.”

As they ate, their conversation flowed effortlessly, as it always did. They talked about their week, shared updates about school and work, and debated over what movie they should watch at their next hangout. Y/N felt a warmth settle over her, the kind that came from being with someone who made her feel completely at ease.

When they finished eating, Kevin leaned back against the tree, his eyes scanning the park. “So, I promised you a surprise.”

“Oh?” Y/N raised an eyebrow. “Is it Beyoncé-themed? Because I think we’ve exhausted all the possible surprises there.”

Kevin laughed. “Not this time. I figured we needed to expand our horizons.” He reached into his bag and pulled out two small envelopes. “Here.”

Y/N took one, eyeing him suspiciously. “What is this?”

“Just open it.”

She slid her finger under the flap and pulled out the contents. Her eyes widened as she realized what it was. Two tickets to a local art exhibit she’d mentioned in passing weeks ago, one she hadn’t been able to afford at the time.

“Kevin,” she said softly, looking up at him. “How did you—why did you—”

He shrugged, a faint blush creeping up his neck. “You mentioned you wanted to go, and I figured it’d be fun. Plus, I’m trying to earn some best-friend points. Or, you know… more-than-friend points.”

Y/N laughed, shaking her head. “You’re unbelievable.”

“I try.” His grin softened into something more genuine. “I just wanted to do something nice for you. You’ve had a rough few weeks, and I figured this might cheer you up.”

She looked at him, her heart swelling in a way that was both terrifying and wonderful. Kevin had a way of making her feel seen, like every little thing she said or did mattered.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Really.”

Kevin held her gaze for a moment, his smile fading into something more serious. “You don’t have to thank me, Y/N. I like doing this kind of stuff for you. I care about you. A lot.”

Y/N’s breath caught. She had known this moment was coming, had felt it building between them for weeks. But hearing him say it out loud made her chest tighten in a way that was equal parts thrilling and terrifying.

“I care about you too,” she said, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside her. “I just… I don’t know if I’m ready for something serious yet.”

Kevin nodded, his expression understanding. “That’s okay. I’m not asking for anything you’re not ready to give. I just wanted you to know how I feel.”

The weight of his words hung between them, but it didn’t feel heavy. It felt freeing, like a door opening instead of closing.

They sat in silence for a while, watching the sun dip lower in the sky. Kevin reached over and took her hand, his touch warm and steady. Y/N didn’t pull away.

For the first time in a long time, she felt like she didn’t have to have all the answers.

As the evening turned to dusk, they packed up their things and walked back to their cars. Kevin stopped her before she got in, his hand brushing hers again.

“So,” he said, his voice light but his eyes serious. “Next concert, you’re still my plus one, right?”

Y/N smiled, her heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks. “Always.”

Kevin grinned, stepping back as she climbed into her car. As she drove away, Y/N couldn’t stop the small smile that tugged at her lips.

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

[sanaxo-o]

We can’t be friends (Kevin Moon)

Warnings/genre: ah well lovers to strangers, misunderstandings, angst, hurt comfort at the end ig? Not proofread so let me know if there should be any corrections. Plz let me know if more warnings or anything should be here.

Word count: 1,340

Sana: I am back (only for a while lmao) and I present you my first ever Kevin Moon fic which I am slightly proud about. I had to write on we can’t be friends because yes. Like the song is just so SHSHSHDJD it’d be a crime if I did not do anything considering I am known (I like to believe that) for my fics which are inspired by songs. My all time favourite beta reader izzy is not available so no proofread because yas 👏. And a huge thanks to @mosviqu bar for making the banner despite it getting on her nerves. Love you loads mwah.

Tagging: @mosviqu @kimsohn @cloverdaisies

@o-onikix @quaissants @deoboyznet

🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸

Date: March 30th 2024

Sitting in the corner of the room you stare at all the people mingling with each other, laughing and giggling as if everything is normal and going oh so well in their lives when in fact it’s crumbling apart.

Taking a sip of the beer which was almost over you look around the room once again when your eyes meet his, staring at you from across the room.

You could feel your heart beating again, the way it started beating loudly made you scared, not because you feared him but because you feared yourself.

You swore to yourself that you had moved on from him. After everything you both went through, you thought it’s better if you stayed just as friends but you yourself knew that you both cannot be friends.

Every passing second of the day made you loathe him more, not because he was your ex but because he just decided to give up on your relationship just like that when you decided it was the end.

Keeping the can of bear on the nearest table you found you grabbed your coat and walked away from there. Not being able to sit there and act as if everything was alright when it in fact was not. You knew it was not, he knew it was not.

Date: March 20th 2024

Sitting on the bed you hold the necklace in your hand as you take in a deep breath. You hated arguing with him, in fact you hated when you would snap at each other simply because you both would bottle up your feelings.

The countless misunderstandings you both went through meant nothing at this point when your whole relationship is tearing apart like this.

“What’s the point?” You hear Kevin mumble briefly as he sits up from his lying position and places his head in his hands.

You could feel your heart breaking when you heard his voice for the first time ever since the argument you both had in the living.

You muster up the courage and strength to speak as you let out the words which were oh so irritating for someone in his shoes because of the obliviousness “What do you mean?”

You close your eyes when you hear Kevin let out a scoff, “You know what I mean, this is not working out. Whatever we have going on, none of it is working out. We can pretend that it’s all fine but deep down you know nothing is. Let’s stop wasting each other's time and just..end it.” Kevin says that as he stands up from the bed and grabs his coat to walk out of the room.

“Can we still be friends?” You ask him, halting in his steps Kevin turns around and lets out a small sigh when he sees your expectant eyes which were now filled with tears threatening to fall down and roll down your cheeks.

“We can’t be friends..” he says as he leaves the room and slams the door of your house shut.

You sit there in silence as you look around the room, on this very bed you celebrated your 20th birthday with him.

“We can’t be friends, but I’d just like to pretend…” you mumble to yourself as you bring your legs to your chest and let your tears fall down.

Date: March 30th 2024

Time: 12:47 PM

Walking down the street you hug yourself closer as you look up at the sky, it was empty which made you smile but it had no feelings.

You stop walking when you hear footsteps behind you, turning your head you could feel your face stiffening when you see Kevin running in your direction.

“Are you going back home?” He says once he is in front of you. Giving him a single nod you start walking again, not being able to stare at him for another second.

Walking in silence you stare at the ground while kicking the stones on the sidewalk. Taking in a deep breath you look up at Kevin who was walking beside you.

In his words he just wanted to make sure you reached home safely. Hence, the reason he decided to accompany you.

“Do you regret it?” You ask suddenly. You notice Kevin stopping in his tracks for a moment only to walk again as he tries to act nonchalant.

“Regret what?” He asks softly as he looks down at you, his eyes looking like daydreams. You still remember how you always felt seen and heard at night.

For you night is when you can finally be yourself, you don’t have to hide yourself anymore.

“Us breaking up…”

Letting out a deep breath Kevin looks at you with a small smile as he holds your hand guides you towards the end of the footpath to sit down on the ground.

“We needed to put an end to our story Y/N…I did not want to continue feeding on the monstrous fire which was increasing day by day. It’s difficult, yeah…but that’s the best for us.” He says softly as he holds your hands in hid for comfort.

“It’s hard. Really hard. I don’t know how you’re acting all fine..” you tell him as you pull your hand away from him.

“I am not fine if that’s what you’re wondering. I tell myself countless times to just wait for you to come back but then I was the one who broke up with you. I wish we could still be friends but I cannot get myself to do it. I cannot pretend to be your friend when I know I want more than that.” He says as he lets out a small sob.

“I can wait for you. I can wait for your love, I can do that..” you say as you try to stop yourself from crying over this again.

Shaking his head he lets your hand go as he stands up and helps you stand up.

“Can I just say one thing?” You say softly, your words coming out slurred as the alcohol starts getting to you. Giving you a small nod he helps you walk towards your house, “Know that you made me the happiest person when we were together. I couldn’t ask for more than what we had…it feels like you left me hanging by myself but I know I would have to move on and let this story die.”

You say everything in one go as you cough and hiccup. You notice Kevin opening his mouth to speak again but you stop him by putting your finger up telling him that you want to continue and that you’re not done yet, “For now, it’s only me but…but I’d like to pretend that we’re still friends, okay?” You say as you look at him with your expectant eyes.

“Okay…whatever you say..” he says softly as he looks down at your shining eyes which were staring back up at him. “Maybe that’s all you need to move on from me..” he says, mostly to himself but you catch onto it but he doubts you’d remember all this in the morning tomorrow.

Reaching your door steps he helps you stand straight as he looks through your bag to find your keys.

“You keep on clinging to your papers and pens, yeah?” You say softly in a joking manner as you enter the house and slam the door shut on his face.

Letting out a small chuckle Kevin looks at your door as he takes a step back, stuffing his hands in his pockets he takes a one last look at your door and walks away.

That’s an end to a story then, something which was bittersweet. There are some moments he wishes he could forget all together but most of them are the ones he cherishes the most and that’s what matters to him.

You guys maybe strangers to each other now but the time you both spent as lovers was some of the most valuable ones.

🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸

[sungbeam]

nonidol!kevin moon x f!reader

another summer break, another annual trip to the lake! except, it seems like when you and kev get there, you'll have to make some tweaks to the original rescue protocol.

▷ genre, warnings. childhood friends 2 lovers, fluff, hurt/comfort, humor, swearing, motherly meddling and matchmaking, shirtless kevin..., kissing, talks of academic expectations/pressure/insecurity/and lack of fulfillment, kim seokjin is my favorite plot device, this could technically be slow burn, pining-ish?, im sorry joshua + serena, little to no interactions with the other boyz 😔

▷ word count. 29.0k (...hah)

this is the sixth installment of the love in unity series! reading the prev fics is not required, but i do encourage it :] all prev yns will be referred to as _!yn

a/n: return to summer with me 😌 or for those of u on the other side of the world, we can give summer an early welcome :') treat her w kindness pls </3 hope u enjoy!!

EPISODE ONE (PILOT): DON’T YOU LOVE FORESHADOWING?

"IT still feels weird, man." Kevin Moon brushed his hand over the surface of his newly cropped hair, freshly cut specifically for this summer break, just earlier this week. He probably should have gotten it done before he took all those pictures with his graduating friends, but life had been busy as of late.

Jacob Bae, best friend, roommate, and one of the recent graduates, chuckled from the other side of the video chat. "I'm sure it does. But hey, it looks good, so it's not like you have anything to worry about."

Kevin glanced over at the car where his dad was gassing up. His mom was in the back seat, waving her arm out the window to beckon him back to the vehicle. "Thanks," he grinned. "Looks like my mom is telling me to come back. This is probably the last time I'll have signal for a few weeks."

Just behind Kevin was the little gas station he and his parents stopped at for snacks and the last leg of their drive. It was tradition that every summer his family made the trek to their lakeside cabin a few hours out of Vancouver. Except last summer, Kevin couldn't make it; in contrast, this summer, Kevin and his parents were going without Kevin's younger sister. Usually, there were a couple other families that were there at the same time, too, who Kevin had grown up with. It was usually a grand time.

Kevin adjusted the bag of snacks he'd purchased from the store that hung on his arm as he made his way back to the car.

"Make sure to take pics! And say hi to your mom for me," said Jacob.

"Why don't you say hi to her yourself, Jacob-ah?" Kevin's mom chided teasingly as Kevin took his place in the passenger seat next to his dad. Ever since Kevin and Jacob had met at that one, fateful out-of-country student mixer at university, neither of them shut up about each other to their own families. It was like finding a needle in a haystack, locating a fellow Korean-Canadian.

Kevin passed his phone back to his mom, and he heard Jacob's immediate, "Hi imo! How are you?"

"I've been doing well. Wah, you look so glowy," his mom marveled, and Kevin felt her nudge him in the shoulder. "Hyungseo-ah, maybe you should get a girlfriend, too, if this is how radiant Jacob looks after so long."

Jacob's warm chuckle contrasted Kevin's groan. The latter rubbed his hand down his face with an embarrassed wince. "Eomma," he said weakly, sliding down in his seat. Not this again.

The car began to roll out of the gas station and he lowered his window to catch the breeze as they went. He already recognized the pattern of trees in this area, and his heart fluttered at the thought of being so close to childhood again. The lake was always a favorite place of his.

"—Kevin mentioned something about other families being there?"

"Oh, yes. We're always there with the Ln family, and more recently, Kevin's cousin—you know Yuna, right? She and her husband Seokjin meet us there with their kids now."

Kevin rested his elbow along the edge of the window. "Uncle Seokjin is an interesting character, Cobie," he mused. "I think you'd get along."

"Seokjin gets along with everyone," his dad chimed in.

"You know who you should get along with, Kevin?—" Kevin already knew where his mom was going with this, "—Yn Ln! You're not gonna be shy after spending so long away from her, are you?"

Jacob's voice echoed in the car. "Who's Yn Ln?"

Kevin squirmed in his seat. "Just—a family friend. Mom, can we please not make this a big deal?" And why in the world would he be shy around his childhood best friend? Three years couldn’t have changed a person that much, could it? You were cute—but in a dorky way—that was how he had always seen you.

She sent him an innocent look. "What? I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know what I'm talking about," he said, twisting around in his seat to send her a pleading look. "I don't wanna make her uncomfortable, especially since… y'know… we're not kids anymore?"

His mom made a sound of disapproval, but relented. "Aish, fine. I won't say anything; I promise."

A beat of silence. Then from the phone, "I still have no clue what's going on."

The twins were being a pain again. Most of the time, since you were away at college, you actually missed the twin hellspawn, but you should have known that bliss would shatter the moment you had to endure another five hour car ride with them.

"—MAMA, CONNOR IS BEING A JERK—"

"WELL, ALICE WOULDN'T SHARE THE GOLDFISH!"

The noise-canceling headphones weren't working. Usually, they worked substantially well when trying to block out the frat party noises at school, but they weren't holding up well against adolescent discourse. You would have thought that once they had grown out of toddler-hood, they would calm down a little, but sibling rivalry prevailed.

You shucked your useless headphones off and twisted around in your seat to peer into the backseat. "Here, have mine," you said, dropping your bag of goldfish into your little brother's lap.

Connor's eyes lit up in delight. "Thanks, Yn!"

Your ears rang as you turned back to the front.

The drive up to the lake house was something you and your family did every summer, except, you hadn't gone two summers ago for a summer internship. It was a tradition completed with other families—namely the Moons, who were longtime family friends out of Vancouver. You hadn't seen Kevin, their only son who was your age, in two years because of your conflicting schedules. It would have happened again this year, but your misfortune had you internship-less. Then again, a trip to the lake was never a bad thing.

You leaned your head back against your seat rest to enjoy the rare moment of silence in the car. Already, you could begin to point out the familiar scenery out of your window.

“I heard we’re gonna be getting new neighbors this year,” you heard your mother say from the front row, breaking the brief quiet.

You blinked out of your daze, shifting in your seat and to give momentary relief to your aching behind. “Oh, really? Do we know who they are?”

“Aw, so Uncle Jin and Auntie Yuna aren’t coming to the lake with us?” Alice pouted from the backseat.

“No, Uncle and Auntie are both still coming up with us,” you dad piped up from the driver’s seat. He caught your eyes through the rear view mirror. “Their little ones are coming, too. We’re just gonna have even more people this year.”

“Should be fun,” you murmured. You leaned down to rummage through the backpack at your feet for your backup bag of snacks (because some part of your brain just knew that the twins would forget how to share).

“I can’t wait to see Kevin!” This was Connor; you could feel the car shake as he bounced up and down in his seat. “I’ve been wanting to show him my new helicopter—”

Your eyebrows furrowed. “Con, you brought the helicopter?”

“Yeah, and what about it?”

Before further argument could erupt between you and your brother, your mom stepped in. “Speaking of Kevin…”

You could feel the coming conversation like there were dark gray storm clouds forming in the distance—impending doom, you liked to think. You fumbled with the opening of your chip bag. “Mama, could you possibly, by any chance, not try and set me and Kevin up anymore?” There, you’d said it. It was out in the open.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” your mother sniffed. “I only think that you and Kevin would be very nice together! It’s already so convenient that our families are long-time friends, and—”

“Mama,” you emphasized. “I don’t wanna get into a relationship for convenience's sake.” Your skin was already beginning to heat. Having known the Moons for so long, as well as having kids the same age, your mom and his mom had harped on the opportunity to bring your families together through more than one way.

“She just doesn’t want to get into a relationship at all!” Your little brother cackled.

You sent him a dull look over your shoulder. “And after I gave you my goldfish?” The situation concerning relationships wasn’t as Connor so bluntly put it; rather, you simply had yet to find the right person, as it was for many people. A relationship would have been nice, but when it came, then it would come. Plus, you were pretty sure that Kevin wasn’t the most comfortable with being matchmade with you by the Mother Matchmakers either. That was what the pact was for, anyway.

“I’m just saying that Kevin is a smart, good-looking young man,” your mother teased.

You hadn’t seen him in almost three years, but how much could three years change a guy? Maybe you would admit that he was cute. If you hadn’t known him since he wore Cars diapers, maybe you would have had a crush on him. “No matchmaking,” you repeated.

Your mother sighed melodramatically. “Fine. No matchmaking with Kevin.”

“Thank you,” you said, settling into your seat. Something stirred in the back of your mind, though. For some reason, you had a feeling that this wasn’t the end of this conversation. But as you turned your attention back to the scenery whizzing past you, you let all dealings with matchmaking, boys, and relationships sink to the very back of your mind.

EPISODE TWO: IT’S CALLED AN AMBUSH

THANKS to the convenience of no signal, you could safely attempt to forget about the internship you hadn’t landed this year. The entire debacle had been a headache and a half, but the residual sadness still lingered. There was something about the lakehouse, though, that gave you hope that you could get over it. While you wouldn’t spend this summer doing something “productive” toward your career, you would at least be presented with a pleasant alternative.

Your dad pulled the family SUV into the gravel driveway of your family lakehouse, and childhood flooded back to you. All of the dark oak walls and browned window sills and wildflowers blooming in the front walkway among the grass… You could remember crashing your bike into that one bush to the side of the house where the rain gutter now stood hugging the building.

The twins had fallen asleep sometime between the matchmaking conversation and here, which left the car in a sort of serenity that matched the surroundings. Your house in particular was one of the few houses that was perched a little higher than the lakeshore. There were a couple around the lake that sat directly on the water with docks built into their lower levels though.

You notched your car door open, shouldered your backpack, then quietly lowered your car’s seat. Connor, who was sitting directly behind you, had his head tilted to the side, mouth wide open to catch flies as he slept. With a cheeky smile, you snapped a picture of him. Once tucking your phone away, you climbed into the back to shake him and Alice awake.

“Hey, we’re here,” you murmured. Your parents were already beginning to unload the car of your supplies for the next couple of weeks.

Your brother’s eyes fluttered open, and his arms stretched over his head as he began to compute his surroundings. “Mmm… I’m hungry,” he babbled and smacked his lips together.

Yep, this one was awake.

You patted his face in your version of sisterly affection as you leaned over him to get to his twin. “You gotta wait, dude. You’re gonna ruin your dinner.”

He rubbed his hand over his face. “You always sound like Mom when you say that.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” you huffed. You nudged your sister. “Hey, Alice. Up, hm?”

She shifted in her seat, eyes still closed. “Are we here yet?”

“Yeah, hon. We’re here.” With your task completed, you backed out of the car to make space for the twins to climb out after you. You took a step backwards, your foot catching against something and making you tumble into the person directly behind you. “Ah! Shi—”

“Language!” Your mom called from the other side of the car. “Hi Kevin! Wow, did you get a haircut?”

Kevin…?

You recognized the warm chuckle behind you, and the arms helping to steady you patted your shoulders in greeting. “I did!”

When you whirled around, your mouth stretched in a grin, but you didn’t expect to come face to face with the confident stature of the man behind you. He was in a tank top and shorts, which were definitely proper attire for the humid temperature, and yet, your brain was thinking about the amount of arm muscle there was. Oh, and of course, the cropped black hair. You could have sworn his jaw got sharper, too… This was not the timid-faced Kevin Moon—rising freshman in college—you last recalled.

“Kevin!” Connor’s body rocketed past you and crashed into Kevin’s legs.

Kevin bent down slightly to ruffle your little brother’s hair. “Hey, little man! What’s good?”

“I wanna show you my helicopter—!”

“Connor,” Alice said as she hopped out of the car, “Mama wants you to help bring in your stuff, and then you can show Kevin your helicopter.”

Connor’s mouth gaped open like a fish’s. “Wha—what about Yn?”

“Well, that’s just what Mama said, so,” your little sister said matter-of-factly. She raised a hand in a wave to Kevin. “Hi!”

Kevin returned the gesture with a sweet smile. “Hi, Alice.”

You and Kevin watched as your twin siblings raced into the lakehouse with their backpacks strapped onto their bodies. You could hear their hollering from out here as they fought over who would get the top bunk this year.

“They’ve gotten taller,” Kevin commented, drawing your attention back to him.

You brushed your hair from your face. “Yeah, you should’ve seen my reaction when I came back home and they were like, not small enough where I could trip over them anymore.”

The two of you shared a small laugh, and you held one arm with your other. You hadn’t realized how a few years could reset things between the two of you, but you supposed it was also attributed to the fact that three years away at college could lead to a lot of difference and a lot of growth.

“So what’s new with you?” You asked him and nudged his arm with your elbow. “Have you been working out?” You blurted, but ran with it.

Kevin smiled, reaching back to cup the nape of his neck with that sheepishness you recognized as something distinctly Kevin. Maybe things weren’t so different. “Hah, yeah actually. Is it that noticeable?”

You looked him up and down with what you hoped he saw as teasing and not you actually checking him out. “Yeah, dude. You look good though.”

“Really? Thanks, Yn. I appreciate it.” He stuck his hands in the pockets of his shorts. "You look good, too—and oh my god, I have so much to catch you up on—"

"Hyungseo! Stop hogging Yn and come in to help with dinner." Just a little ways down the path, Kevin’s mom peered out from the front porch of the Moons’ house. The houses in this neighborhood were a little more spread out than the average suburban street, but their house had always been the closest to yours.

You could have sworn you saw a dusting of pink on your friend’s cheekbones. “I’m not hogging her,” he groaned. He turned back to you, throwing a thumb in the direction of his house. “I’ll see you guys over at ours in a few then?”

You gave a nod. “For sure. My mom and I marinated a couple things for tonight this morning, so we’ll be bringing those over.”

“Sweet,” he grinned, already backpedaling toward his house. “See ya, Yn!”

“Bye, Kevin,” you chuckled and bounded up toward your house.

Once everyone in your household had settled in for the most part, your dad corralled your siblings over to the Moon house, while you and your mom brought over your family’s offerings of tonight’s dinner. Instead of entering through their front door, you simply bypassed the invisible property line between your houses and found Kevin and his dad firing up the barbeque on the back lawn.

Kevin looked up from the box of aluminum foil in his hands and dropped it onto the table. "Oh, auntie! Let me get that for you," he said, meeting you in the middle and taking the tray out of your mom's hands.

"Thank you," she said to him. "How has school been, Kevin? Remind me again—you're a…?"

"Photography major," he replied. The three of you swept past Kevin's dad on your way up to the Moons' house.

"Ah, how's that going for you?"

"It's going well—" Your mom slid the screen door open and you all deposited your shoes to the side before entering the kitchen. "—I should be able to graduate two quarters early, which is nice."

Your mom nodded her head. "That's good, that's good. Katherine, it's nice to see you again!"

As your mom shuffled over to the sink where Kevin's mom was washing a colander of cabbage, you and Kevin set the trays down on the kitchen island.

You heard Kevin's gasp of delight when he lifted the foil off his. "No way. I love your mom's short ribs so much," he said, tipping his head back with his eyes closed.

You laughed at his reaction. "Me, too dude. It's never the same when I try to recreate it at school."

"Oh, for sure," he agreed. He cocked his head to the side, a frown coming into his face. "These should probably go back out to the grill then, huh."

You considered the two trays of meat before you. "You're right."

You both covered the trays back over and began to make your way back out to the lawn.

"Has Connor showed you his helicopter yet?" You asked Kevin while you slid your shoes back on.

The screen door slid shut behind him with his other arm carrying his tray. "He did." Kevin brightened, "It's cool. That kid should go into aviation or engineering."

"That's what I'm thinking," you said. "Though, he's not the greatest at math, but I guess he still has a long way to go before he even needs to consider all that."

He nodded, sighing. "That's true. The twins have a long way to go. Crazy how far we've gotten, y'know?"

You both dropped the marinated meat trays over by Kevin's dad, only to greet your dad on the way down to help out. You were sure that you and Kevin were needed up at the house anyway; your dad had mentioned something about having Connor and Alice start on the batch of kimchi. You hoped he had set up some newspaper this time to avoid a mess.

"My sister says your porch swing broke last year," Kevin said as he followed you back into the kitchen.

"Oh yeah!" You snorted. "Pro tip: don't try to fit two families on that thing. Not a good idea."

The moms directed you both over to the fruits and vegetables on the counter that still needed to be prepped, and you picked up a knife, and Kevin a peeler.

Kevin's brows knitted together as he tossed and caught an asian pear with one hand. "You guys tried to fit both families on that thing? It could barely handle two people the last time I remember."

"Hey, in our defense," you started, already giggling at the memory, "we wanted a cool picture, but then we ended up almost putting a hole through our porch. Lesson learned."

"Lesson learned, indeed." He shook his head as he shucked the pretty ring of golden peel he'd gotten from the pear into the paper bag beside him. "Is it fixed now?"

"Should be," you said. You used the blade of your knife to help coax the peel of the red onion off, then diligently began to take the rest off. "We need a maximum occupancy sign to go with it."

He laughed. "Something like 'less than four people' or something?"

"I think it can handle four people!"

His eyebrows arched high. "You wanna test that theory?"

You glanced up from your diced onions for just a second to meet his gaze. "Uhm no. But you are definitely welcome to."

"Oh, no, no! I'm not getting looped into this solo again like you did with the tire swing that one year."

"Okay, that time wasn't my fault! You said that you bet we could ride it together without breaking the tree branch, and I said—"

Your thought train cut off when the doorbell rang. Both yours and Kevin's heads perked up at the sound and darted in the direction like a pair of meerkats. Even from this room, you could hear the front door being opened and the commotion firing up. There was only one family left to join the party, and you knew exactly who had come to make his presence known.

In minimal time, a lanky man with dark brown bangs and a magazine-cover-worthy face barged into the kitchen with his hands raised, full of grocery bags, and a child riding in a carrier on his chest. "Hello, everyone! Your favorite, most handsome uncle has arrived."

"Hi, Uncle Jin," both you and Kevin chorused, as Kevin's mom took the grocery bags from him with thanks. Your mom must have been the one who opened the door since she had gone into the other room to monitor the twins and their kimchi.

"Hello, children—wow," Kim Seokjin said as he made eyes at Kevin's arms, giving them a little squish. "Close the gyms, everyone. What have they been feeding you at college?"

Kevin's face reddened. "It's nothing, really."

"Nothing?" Seokjin made eye contact with you. "You're seeing this, too, right?"

You swallowed your laugh, but you couldn't suppress your smile. "I'm seeing it, too," you confirmed. You set your knife down and gently ran your finger over baby Leena's head; you wondered how she was still asleep with how loud her father's voice was. "Awh, she's adorable."

Your uncle by association put his hands on his hips. "Fatherhood is great, but let me tell you," he said with flair, "after two kids, I don't want anymore. I think I've seen enough dirty diapers for you both combined."

Kevin laughed. "I'm sure Yuna-noona's on the same page."

"Yes, your cousin and I are definitely on the same page," Jin confirmed while clasping a hand on Kevin's shoulder. His eyes widened, and he gave the muscle beneath his fingers a squeeze. "Jesus—"

"Jin! Do you know where the bag with the formula is?" That was Yuna, Kevin's cousin, calling from the next room over. Soon, her head poked in through the doorway, and her mouth curved into a delighted smile at the sight of familiar faces. "Oh, hi everyone!"

"I think it's in the red colored bag, babe," Jin said as he turned away from you and Kevin and waddled over to where his wife was.

"That's what I thought, too, but I can't find it."

With the young couple now off in search of their bag of baby formula, you and Kevin were again left to yourselves with the fruits and vegetables.

You scooped the diced onions up with one hand and the blade of your knife into an empty bowl for later. "Well, that was…"

"Quite an entrance?" Kevin finished. You could still see the rosiness in his cheeks. "Yup."

"You can always count on Uncle Jin to liven up a place."

"Oh, definitely." Kevin picked up another pear to peel; they would probably either be sliced up for the kids to eat or maybe used to make a dessert later. Something of the sort, at least. "Now where were we?"

You raised your brows as you picked up a carrot. "I think we were talking about how you broke the tire swing in seventh grade."

The evening progressed swiftly with everyone's combined efforts in throwing dinner together. By the time the sun was about to make its descent into the horizon, all three families were moved out onto the back lawn with chairs set up and meats cooking on the grill. There was something beautiful about the lake at this hour—then again, there was always something beautiful about the lake. You couldn’t put your finger on it, but even the way the mosquitoes danced in the waning sunlight made your chest feel warm and fuzzy.

If you strained your vision a little, you could even make out the shapes of people on the opposite shoreline beginning to light campfires of their own. Most of the people who lived around the perimeter of the lake sublet their properties during the non-vacation seasons like your family, the Moons, and the Kims. Then, when the time came, they would return to their lakehouse hideaways for much needed rejuvenation.

As golden hour painted the landscape glorious shades of auburn and butter, you caught your mother making her way toward you out of the corner of your eye.

“Yn-ah,” she said to you with a plate of the fruit that you and Kevin had cut earlier in her hands. She gestured for you to take it from her, then nodded up over to the house on the other side of the Moons’ place. “Take the twins and go welcome our new guests.”

You furrowed your brows. “New guests?” When you followed her gaze, you saw that the house next door had acquired a new car in its driveway. You definitely didn’t recognize it, but you managed to spot what looked like someone disappearing in the front door of the house.

“They’re one of the new families, I think,” she told you. She then gave you a little nudge, urging, “Go. We’re still working on dinner anyways.”

You glanced between the plate of fruit in your possession, then searched the back lawn for the hellspawn. When you located their whereabouts (skipping through a pair of hula hoops over by the big oak tree), you marched over to them to repeat your mother’s instructions.

“Oi!” You called out.

Alice looked over at you as she stopped her skipping. “I don’t want fruit,” she said when she saw what you were holding.

You stopped just short of Connor’s hula hoop circumference. “It’s not for you. Mama wants us to go say hi to the new neighbors. Come on.”

“Do we have to?”

“If I do, then yes. And Mama said so.” Plus, you were not planning to go alone upon any circumstance. Your social anxiety could not take showing up at a stranger’s doorstep alone and with fruit.

The twins dropped their hula hoops and begrudgingly trudged after you. No child could trump the “Mom said so” card. At least, not in this household.

With your siblings following after you like two ducklings to a Mother Goose, Kevin saw the line of you walking past from where he was stationed beside his dad. His eyes zipped from you, the kids, and the plate of fruit, then cocked his head to the side in bemused inquiry.

You inclined your head toward the house you aimed for in the distance and lifted the plate of fruit as if that was enough explanation.

He gave a grave nod for your sake, teasing of course, then held up his free hand in a thumb’s up for encouragement.

Nonetheless, you and your siblings carried on.

The lakehouse on the Moons’ other side was similar to all the others around the lake: dark wood walls, doors encased in a protective screen door, grass and flowers growing out of the cracks where the house met the earth. You could feel your siblings converge on you, nearly hiding behind you, as you all approached the front door. It wasn’t that the house looked scary in any way—it was just the prospect of new people that was the scary part. You were sure this family was just as friendly as everyone else, but it didn’t hurt to be a little nervous.

When the three of you reached the front door, you raised your hand to ring the doorbell.

You could hear the echo of the bell inside the house, followed swiftly by a man’s voice, “I’ll get it!”

Footsteps drawing closer… then the locks came undone, and finally, the main door inside the screen swung open.

“Hi,” greeted the young man on the other side.

You paused when his face became clearer after opening the screen door. He was, to put it bluntly, awfully pretty. Dark hair swept back out of his face and behind his ear, a prince’s facial features, and a smile that was as beautiful as the golden hour greeted you and your siblings. Even his voice was soft.

Alice held onto the side of your shorts pocket. “You're pretty.”

The man made an expression of humble surprise, and heat rose to your neck. “Sorry,” you stammered. “We’re from a couple doors down and we wanted to welcome you to the lake. These are for you and your family.” You managed to pass the plate over to him without being any more embarrassing.

He accepted the offering graciously. “Oh, wow. Thank you so much! That’s so thoughtful.”

You placed your hands on either of your siblings’ backs to push them forward slightly. “I’m Yn, and these are my little siblings, Alice and Connor.”

Your siblings chimed in their hellos to the pretty man.

His eyes narrowed in upturned crescent moons, smile widening. “Well it’s really nice to meet you guys. I’m Joshua, but my friends call me Josh or Shua.”

EPISODE THREE: MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN…

IT turned out that your mother had an ulterior motive for sending you and your siblings to greet the newcomers. She had popped up behind you soon after Joshua had introduced himself to invite him and his family to have dinner with you. You could sniff out the conspiracy from a mile away, but you still wanted to give your mom the benefit of the doubt.

When the first night passed without anything happening, though, you slowly let your guard down. (Rookie mistake.)

Everyone crashed into bed after cleaning up dinner. The move up to the lake was a tiring one, and the promise of an early start the next morning proved to be more than enough encouragement to hit the hay.

You were on the living room couch with Alice sitting on the floor between your legs the next day. It was late morning by this time, and you and your siblings had just woken up less than an hour ago. Your dad was still asleep, and your mom? Well, you weren’t really sure where he was.

“Ow, can you stop tugging?” Alice whined under her breath, her hand rocketing up to the back of her head to stop your hands.

You paused your movement for the third time in the past fifteen minutes. “It wouldn’t hurt this bad if you would just let me run a comb through it.”

“The brush works fine if you use it correctly!”

You exhaled sharply and pressed your lips together. There was never any rest between your two little siblings, whether it was amongst themselves or against you. You supposed you could just suck it up for the time being; it wasn’t often that you got to braid your little sister’s hair. She usually just liked to leave it down.

You heard the backdoor open and shut behind you, and the both of you turned your heads to see who it was. Your mom entered the house with perspiration gleaming on her face as she took off her sun hat and tossed it onto one of the dining room chairs.

“Hi Mama,” the two of you said, one after the other.

Your mom settled onto the couch cushion next to you. “Hi girls. Is your brother and dad up yet?”

“Connor’s with Uncle Jin and Aunt Yuna,” said Alice. “Daddy’s still asleep though.”

“Mm,” she hummed. She combed her fingers through her sweat-soaked hair. “It’s a warm morning out,” she murmured, then quickly added, “hey you.” She knocked her hand against your arm.

“Hm?” You asked as you finished up Alice’s braid and tied it off with the blue Cinnamoroll hair tie she’d chosen. You patted her back with your hand. “You’re done.”

Your little sister hopped to her feet. “Thanks!” She dashed away and out of the room—to where, you had no clue. You figured she knew where the food was if she was hungry.

You angled your body to squish your side against the couch cushions and face your mother. “What were you saying?”

“Ah, I was going to talk to you about the Joshua Hong boy.”

Joshua Hong. You didn’t realize you could hear a man’s name so often within twelve hours.

You made a gesture with your hand. “What about the Joshua Hong boy, Mom?”

“Well, isn’t he a handsome one?” She asked you enthusiastically, straightening in her seat. It was alarming how bright her expression became. “I spoke to his mom while Kevin and I were walking just now, and he’s only a few years older than you, you know.”

You heard a metaphorical record scratch. What? There was so much in that one sentence that you needed to unpack. You raised your hands to signal her to pause. “Wait, since when do you and Kevin take walks together?” What could they have been talking about? You knew Kevin was an exceptional conversationalist, but never in your time at the lake had you known of this interaction.

Your mother blinked. “Oh, we started the tradition when you didn’t come up with us that one year.”

“Tradition?” So this happened more than once? You didn’t know why you were so scandalized by this information—it was just Kevin after all. You knew your parents and even your siblings were all fond of him—of course they were. You were arguably even more fond of him, but that wasn’t the point. You hoped she hadn't said anything about you and him as an item at any point of time… you trusted that Kevin could handle that though; that was what the pact was for, after all.

“Why are you making such a big deal out of this?” She arched a brow. “But anyway, yes, so we bumped into Josh’s mom on the last leg around the lake, and she mentioned that he’s majoring in chemistry and planning to go into medicine. You guys might have something in common.”

You pursed your lips. Perhaps the two of you might have something to talk about, but your track was pre-veterinary rather than pre-med. There was probably a middle ground though... Maybe you were just being stubborn.

“Just make friends or something,” she said to you while standing up from the couch. “You need more of those.”

Your eyes shot wide open. “Hello? Mom?” Now that was simply uncalled for.

She chuckled impishly as she walked away and disappeared down the hall, leaving you to yourself. You were lucky neither of the twins were here to hear that burn.

It wasn’t much longer than a couple hours later that you found yourself on the backyard lawn space setting up the badminton net between two oak trees with Kevin’s assistance. Everyone was outside and awake, and the kids were all seated up on your house’s back porch munching on the watermelon that Yuna cut for them.

You tightened the string on one side of the net. “So he didn't kiss her?” You queried.

Kevin sputtered a laugh, yanking his side to test its integrity. “Yeah,” he said. “Isn’t it so funny? According to multiple sources, Sunwoo and Chanhee barged in at the perfect moment, and frankly—” Kevin raised his arms up in the air and let them fall for effect, “—ruined the moment.”

"Pfft.” You considered that for a moment. An almost kiss ruined by a comedically timed interruption from a guy drunk off liquor and love, and the friend tasked with dumping his ass at home. That was bad luck if you ever heard it. “And what about that other dude? The Hyunjae guy? Did he finally fix his eyesight?”

Your friend leaned back against his oak tree, ankles crossed over the other and arms braided over his chest. A pair of shades rested backwards on his head to complete his summer-worthy ensemble of shorts and T-shirt. “His literal eyesight is still shit, but yeah, he and HJ!Yn are together now. Took for-fucking-ever, but—”

“Language!” Jin yelled like a referee on the sideline of a soccer match. “We have children in the vicinity.”

Kevin brushed a hand through his hair. “Whoopsies, sorry!” He turned back to you. “Anyways, yes, they are finally together. Man, having someone watch my cursing makes it seem like Jacob is here with me.”

You noticed the fond twinkle in his eyes as he stared out at the still waters of the lake just down the way from you both. “You talk about this Jacob guy a lot,” you said to him. “I think I need to meet the person who’s threatening to knock me off the best friend pedestal.”

“He already has,” he jested.

You let out an indignant squawk. “Hurtful!”

Connor, watermelon juice smeared all around his mouth, added rather unnecessarily, “So you don’t want a partner and you don’t have friends. What do you have, Yn?”

You leveled a scowl at him. “An annoying little brother.”

“Hey!”

In a tone dryer than the Sahara Desert, Alice chimed in, “Guess that makes me the favorite twin.”

“I should tell you about Sangyeon. I need to yell about Sangyeon,” Kevin huffed indignantly, snapping his fingers as if the thought just hit him. You whipped your head back over. “Oh my god, dude, you know what happened at the graduation ceremony? It was like, straight out of a scene from a movie—!”

You never got to find out what was just like it was out of a movie, because your mom appeared in the distance with the Hongs. They all came wielding badminton racquets—how convenient. You didn’t mind the extra company, of course, and despite your stubbornness, you knew Joshua and his family were very nice people.

You caught the tail end of your mother’s conversation with Josh and his mom: “...Yn used to play badminton on the high school team. She could’ve gone to the Olympics if she really wanted to—”

Well, that was only partly true. Your team had gone to Nationals, but the Olympics was one step above Worlds. You liked to think you were pretty good at the sport, but you hoped your mom wasn’t talking up you and your abilities too much.

“Oh, wow. I’m a soccer person myself,” said Joshua good-naturedly. “I don’t really know much about badminton, but it seems like a really fun sport.”

"Yn's a great teacher. She taught the twins how to play." Ah, there it was.

When they were within a comfortable distance, you raised your hand in a wave. "Hi hello!"

"Hello Yn," Joshua's mom said back. "Hi Kevin."

Kevin dipped his head with a smile. "Hi Auntie."

"Yn-ah," said your mom as she took you by the arm, dragging you over toward Joshua, "I was just talking to Josh about how good you are at badminton."

Your eyes widened slightly, and you noted the way Joshua's did the same. You made eye contact with Kevin as this happened. He seemed caught at a crossroads, unable to help or say anything. "I guess I'm okay at it."

"Liar," Kevin suddenly jumped in.

You sent him a look. Wait really?

He shrugged sheepishly. "I don't wanna downplay your abilities, dude. You're really good."

Oh. "Thanks, Kev," you said, blinking. Your heart warmed at the finger guns he sent your way. It was nice to know he had your back.

"Good! See? You and Josh should play doubles together." Your mother somehow got a racquet into your hand. She clapped her hands and ushered her two other children off their butts. "Come on, you two, you can be on Kevin's team."

"But that's not what doubles means, Mama—"

Joshua sidled up beside you with an apology in his smile. "Sorry, you don't have to do this if you don't want to. I don't want you to be forced to teach me or anything."

Guilt wormed itself into your stomach. "No, no! It's totally okay," you amended swiftly. "This all just happened really quickly, but I'd be so down to teach you badminton, if you'd like."

He bobbed his head up and down, patting the netting of his racquet. "Okay, yeah. That'd be really cool actually."

You nodded, returning his expression. "Cool."

You and Joshua had somehow taken over the makeshift badminton court. The twins had gotten tired of the "big kids" playing too hard, and Kevin… actually, you didn't know why Kevin put down his racquet. But at some point, you noticed that he was just hanging out in a chair, sipping some kind of fruit juice as he observed you and Joshua. (That was what you assumed he was doing. There was a book propped open in his lap, but you hadn't seen him turn a page in a while. And he had put his sunglasses on, so you couldn't exactly see what his eyes were doing.)

You tracked the birdie as it flew over the net to your side. "Nice!" You praised, taking a few steps in the diagonal to hit the birdie back over with an easy backhand flick.

Joshua stumbled forward, but hit it back over. "Shoot," he said, barely catching himself before he crashed into the netting.

You chuckled, "Careful." You backed up and gave the birdie a gentle bump.

It sailed over the net, but it landed too close to it for Joshua to get a clean shot back over. He sighed as he bent down to pick the projectile up from the grass. "Dang. Nice hit, Yn."

Content with your shot as well, you walked over to the net to meet him. "Thanks, man."

"Hyungseo-ah!"

You watched as Kevin stood up from his chair at his mom's call. "Yeah, what's up?"

As she strolled over to him, she was reapplying sunscreen onto her arms and face. "We have more new neighbors. Since you're not doing anything, you should come and welcome them with me. There’s someone I think you should meet."

You and Kevin locked gazes for a second before he turned back to his mom. You didn't know why you kept looking at each other—this all felt like déjà vu, but maybe it was the fact that it seemed like your moms were separating you both instead of bringing you together that was throwing you off.

"Uhm, sure, Mom." He dropped his book into his seat and followed after his mom.

Your gaze trailed after him for a moment before you snapped back to reality. You swiped the sweat off your forehead with the back of your hand. "Sorry, where were we?"

Just then, Seokjin made his way down the lakeshore with baby Leena strapped to his chest again. He threw up an arm in greeting. "Hey, kids. You guys still at it?"

"Yup," you said back. "He's getting good at it!"

Joshua laughed lightly. "Ah, you flatter me. It's just 'cause Yn's a good teacher."

Seokjin's eyes flickered between the two of you. "Huh. I'm sure she is."

"Anyways," you coughed. "Did you just come from the new neighbor's house or something?" He hadn't arrived from the direction of his own house, which was on the other side of yours.

Your uncle by association gave his affirmative, one hand pressed gently on the back of his baby in his holster. "Of course! You know I'm too nosy to not have gone to introduce myself and see what's up. The couple has a girl around your age, Yn-ie. Their son is off in Paris for his job or something though."

The two men could probably see the gears in your brain turning. Another person who was around yours and Kevin's age? You really didn't want to read too much into it, but—you pushed the thought to the side. It probably wasn't what you were thinking, right?

"Uh, you good, Yn?" Joshua asked.

Your eyes shuttered. "Yeah. I was just thinking about something." You gestured with your racquet in a flourish. "How about another round?"

EPISODE FOUR: THE DAMSEL IN DISTRESS DEAL™

THE crickets were particularly melodious tonight. Their chirrups became lovely background music as you perched on the stairs of your back porch beneath the warm glow of the outside light. Moths swarmed the bulb, casting little shadow puppets along the wooden deck.

You were hunched over one of the few books you brought along with you for the trip. Your siblings liked to tease you for bringing “school work” on a summer trip, but these had been purchased out of your own interest. It was an anthology of experiences related to animal behavior. The certain piece that had originally caught your eye had been about the Alaskan husky’s primal nature to run, and their participation in dog sled racing. You’d come across it originally in a magazine on an airplane, finding yourself enthralled in a story of the stamina, determination, and hard work that these dogs faced in the brutal Alaskan winters.

When your plane landed, you had gone online and found more stories like them. Thus, the book in your lap and money down the drain. (Though, you would argue that it was money well-spent.)

“Warm night out.”

You startled, heart galloping in your chest, as Kevin appeared in your periphery and stepped into the light.

To his credit, he took on a sheepish sort of grin. “Oops, sorry. Probably should have given a warning or something.”

You pressed a hand to your palpitating heart and scooted over to give him room to sit on the step next to you. “No, it’s all good. I don’t think there was really any way that you could have warned me.” You were probably way too deep into your book to have even noticed if he was any quieter.

He took a seat beside you, posture mimicking yours with his forearms pressed onto his knees. “You’re right,” he murmured. “Whatcha reading?” He asked while inclining his chin toward the pages in your lap.

“Oh.” You kept a couple fingers wedged between the pages you were on as you flipped to the cover to show him. “It’s just this, uhm, collection of stories on animal behavior. Real fascinating stuff, actually, and a lot of it is kind of inspirational.” You tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, unsure of why you were always shy about telling people about something you were passionate about. You shouldn’t have thought so little of Kevin Moon, though. He never gave you any worries about being judged.

“Oh, that sounds neat,” he said, scooting closer. “Is it for your major? You’re still doing wildlife biology, right—or is it ecology?”

“Wildlife biology,” you confirmed. “It’s not for my major or anything, no. Just something I was interested in.”

A thought suddenly occurred to you and you were rewinding all of the things that had happened in the past couple of days. Before Kevin could comment further on the topic of majors, you piped up, “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something.”

His eyes widened a smidge, his posture straightening. “Oh? What about?”

You felt around the porch deck for the receipt you had been using as a makeshift bookmark, hand flopping around before you snatched it up and slipped it into the pages of your book. You set the book aside. “Is it just me, or are our moms… you know…”

“Doing the Thing again?” He finished. He sighed with a little grimace, “Yeah, I think I’m seeing it.”

The “Thing” that both you and Kevin were referring to was none other than the very act of matronly matchmaking taking place between you and the new kids on the block. At least you could confirm that you weren’t overthinking it.

You recalled the events of earlier today when Kevin and his mom had come back to where everyone else was with the new family that had just arrived. The Xus were another party of just three—their oldest son was in Paris, as Seokjin reported, but their youngest, Serena, was yours and Kevin's age. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who Kevin's mom wanted to introduce her son to.

“You know what’s crazy?” You said to him then, “On the car ride up here, I asked my mom—like, point-blank, you know?—to not try to matchmake us anymore.”

Kevin perked up. “Dude. That’s crazy, because that’s what I asked my mom on the car ride up here.”

You sputtered, “You’re kidding.”

“Great minds think alike,” he said, lip curling upward into a smile and his arms coming up in a halfhearted shrug. “But I should have known it wouldn't be that easy.”

Now that you were thinking back to your own conversation, you should have known something fishy was going on when your mom mentioned Kevin specifically… You only thought that she was being thorough in her understanding of what you were asking her to do, but turned out, it was only a loophole. “You’re so right,” you groaned and tilted your head backward. “Literally what are we gonna do?”

The two of you stewed in silence on this fine night.

There was one night, similar to this one, where you had sought each other out. You couldn’t remember what year it was—something close to sixth grade when both of you had the mind to realize the game your moms were trying to play. From that night came a pact of sorts, one that would hopefully try to steer each other away from a fate that neither of you were sure that you wanted yet. After all, eleven years old was a little premature to be talking about who you wanted to spend the rest of your life with, right?

Kevin leaned back onto his palms. “We need to make a new pact, I think.”

Your head swiveled over to him. “Amendments to the pact?”

“Either amend it or come up with a new one to fit our current situation,” he said. “A rescue protocol.”

A rescue protocol… you could see it begin to take shape in your head. The previous pact was different—an agreement between you and Kevin that you were both simply friends, no matter how many times your moms made you do chores together, or tie each other’s shoelaces, or swap numbers and emails and social media. And it had worked, for the most part; you were both still friends after all these years.

But this time would have to be different. Your moms weren’t driving you toward each other anymore.

“The Rescue Protocol—is that what we’re calling it?” You mused in an attempt to bring mirth to the conversation.

Kevin made a sound like a laugh. “Better than ‘the pact,’ I like to think.”

“How about the ‘Damsel in Distress Deal?’”

He let out an actual laugh this time. You got to watch his eyes turn up into crescent moons, the corners crinkling with pretty smile lines. His smile was always contagious, even after all this time. “The ‘Damsel in Distress Deal?’” He parroted. When he allowed the phrase to soak into his brain for a second, tongue massaging his bottom lip, he relented. “Okay, that’s actually not bad.”

You giggled. “So we either call it the Rescue Protocol or the Damsel in Distress Deal, trademark.”

“Trademark?” His reaction sent you into a flurry of snickers, hand clamped over your mouth so the sounds wouldn’t wake up your family. “What? Are we gonna advertise this idea to people?” He chuckled.

“It’s a good idea!”

“We don’t even know what the parameters are yet,” he sputtered. Kevin lightly punched your upper arm. “Silly goose.”

“Geese are not silly,” you found yourself replying. They could be mean creatures. “But I think they’re cute.”

“Jacob thinks they’re scary.”

You gave a playful roll of your eyes. “This Jacob guy again?” After a moment, you sighed, toeing the dirt on the bottom step with the tip of your shoe. “Hey, can I ask you a question?”

Kevin sobered a little, but the remnants of his merriment remained in the shine of his irises. “Shoot.”

“Are you…” You struggled to string the words together. There was a question you’d come up with already, but you didn’t know if it was too forward or not. “Are you ready for a relationship?”

The question caught him off guard. His gaze flickered from you, to the grass, to his lap, to the moon-soaked surface of the lake further down the hill. “I… I’m not sure, really,” he muttered, then added, “I think I would know the right person when I meet them.”

“Yeah,” you agreed.

“Or maybe not,” he shrugged. “Maybe I’ve already met the person I want to spend the rest of my life with, but the relationship just hasn’t gotten there yet.”

You pondered on that for a moment, then realized you agreed with that, too. If you already met the person you were meant to be with, the thought of a relationship was a little less daunting. You already knew this person. “So we’re in agreement then? This new pact is something we both want?”

“As usual, we are in agreement,” he nodded. “What’s our plan then? Fight fire with fire?”

You snorted. “Pretty much, right? We just have to, you know, swoop in whenever we can to counteract their movements. Help each other out, y’know?” You laughed at how ridiculous this all sounded. “I guess it’s really just doing what they’ve wanted us to do this whole time.”

Kevin grinned to himself. “Spend time together?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m down for that. You?”

“Yeah, man.” You shifted to angle your body toward him and stuck your hand out. “You still remember it, right?”

Kevin sent you an incredulous look, as if offended that you could think so lowly of him. He reflected your angled body, hand primed and ready. “Uh, yeah. Do you remember it?”

You clicked your tongue. “Of course, I do! It's the seal."

You knocked the back of your hand against his to signal the beginning of the handshake.

Like second nature, the two of you made your way through the unnecessarily (but also completely necessary) convoluted masterpiece that was your sixth grade handshake. It was what you used the first time you sealed the deal on the pact, and whenever you made any other agreements of significance (e.g. the Juice Pouch Accord of Eighth Grade). Now, it would seal the Rescue Protocol/Damsel in Distress Deal, too.

When the handshake combination finished (marked by twin flicks to the forehead—"Ow! You always flick so hard.”; “Yikes, hope that doesn’t leave a mark…”—and a… proper handshake), the only thing left to do was put it into motion.

Teasing, you sent him a look of approval. “You did remember.”

“Funny how you say that as if you have the better memory out of the two of us,” he quipped back with an unimpressed look.

You hummed your own amusement back to him, taking the book that you’d set aside earlier back into your lap but leaving it unopened. There wasn’t any signal in this area, so devices were practically useless, so books and board games and sports became the go-to for entertainment. It was what your parents originally liked so much about the place, and eventually you and your siblings. It allowed for moments between the moments like this… whatever this was.

Kevin leaned back onto his palms again, and the shadows and moonlight cut across his jawline like glass. “I didn’t think you’d be up so late.”

“Yeah,” you drawled and picked at a strand of grass sticking out between the boards of a stair step. “I couldn’t sleep for some reason and decided to read, but then I opened my window and realized it was a nice night out, so here I am.” You nodded to him, “You?”

He gave a soft sort of chuckle. “You know I never sleep.”

Your chest felt heavy all of a sudden. “Still have the sleeping issue?” You asked softly. It had been a big thing when he was a kid. It had started off as being a very light sleeper, but over time, you discovered that sometimes Kevin just did not get sleep.

“Yeah…” he said, "I'm usually able to sleep when I'm here though, y'know? The peace, the quiet, the familiarity—it all helps. It was just tonight that was out of the ordinary." When he glanced over at you, the side of his lip quirked upward. "Don't worry too much."

You'd always thought about the lake as your home away from home, your safe space. A part of you had always thought it was the same way for him.

“How could I not worry?" You asked, poorly masking your concern as you leaned over your knees and looked at him. “How did you ever get used to your place at uni?” There must have been some reason that he was able to survive over there.

The corners of his mouth curled upward into a smile. “I was lucky,” he admitted. “I met people who have become some of my best friends and family. I guess it’s just weird being so far away from them and it's catching up to me.”

As much teasing as you did about this Jacob character, you were glad Kevin had found him and his other friends. Being away from home like that could not have been easy. At least you could rest assured that he was taken care of over there.

He had grown so comfortable over there that even his subconscious missed them.

You shifted a little closer to him and gently leaned your head onto his shoulder. He seemed surprised at first, but relaxed and let you keep your head there. “That’s good,” you whispered. “I’m happy for you.”

A beat passed, and the crazy thought occurred to you that maybe you should have asked to do this first. “Is this okay?”

His hand warmed the top of your head. “More than okay.”

The two of you sat there like that for however long—you couldn’t really tell. Time passed by differently here, it seemed. Friends definitely comforted each other like this though, right? Right.

EPISODE FIVE: [SHENANIGANS ENSUE.]

"KEVIN, would you mind giving this snack pack to Serena?"

"Oh, I got it, Auntie!" You snatched the Ziploc bag of trail mix from off the counter where Kevin's mom had set it out. "I haven't properly introduced myself to her yet," you said as some kind of explanation.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Kevin look away to conceal his laugh at your inconspicuousness.

Today, the five families planned to go on a long nature hike as a large group. There was a specific path that your family, the Moons, and the Kims always took at least once every year that led out to a waterfall. It was a beautiful slice of nature, but then again, you thought this entire area was beautiful.

You swung out of the Moons' kitchen and out onto the back lawn where everyone was slowly gathering to take off. Eyes scanning the immediate area, you located Serena Xu standing off to the side plaiting her hair into a simple braid over her shoulder.

As you made your way over to her, your Uncle Jin suddenly appeared beside you. “You look like a woman on a mission, Yn-ie. What’s the sitch?”

Your brain took a second to register the reference. “Has Sana been watching Kim Possible or have you, Uncle?”

“And if I said it was both of us?” He sniffed. Sana was his eldest daughter, only three years old, but Jin and Yuna were very updated in the essential kids shows they wanted their daughters to watch.

“As you should,” you said with an indulgent nod. You turned your gaze over to your intended target.

Serena’s eyes wandered up from her hair and met your eyes, then glanced over at Jin. You hoped she didn’t think the two of you were ganging up on her or anything. Two new people at once could be intimidating.

“Hi, Serena, right?” You asked as you and Jin approached her.

She gave a small nod, pulling her braid’s end over her shoulder as she fidgeted with it. “Uh, yeah. And you’re Yn?”

“We already met yesterday,” Jin said chipperly.

Serena nodded again.

Your fingers danced along the edge of the Ziploc baggie in your hands, squeezing along the edge to make sure that it was closed properly. Your teeth ran over your bottom lip before you were passing her the bag in your hands. “Kevin’s mom made all of us snack bags, and I just wanted to say a proper hello.”

She accepted the bag, eyes wide as she inspected its contents through the clear plastic. “Oh, wow. Thank you; that’s really thoughtful.”

“Oh!” Seokjin illuminated like a lightbulb, clapping his hands loud enough to make both you and Serena wince. (You and she met each other’s eyes with awkward laughs.) “Didn’t you mention yesterday that you were pre-law?”

Your eyebrows flew upward. “Pre-law?” Your head bobbed up and down with a low whistle. “That’s cool.”

“Yeah, uh, I guess so,” she said. “It’s a little intimidating right now, if I’m being honest.”

“Yn!” Ripped out of the conversation, you excused yourself and found the source of your name. Your mom was perched on one of the picnic benches outside of the Moons’ place, slathering sunscreen on your brother’s face. Connor’s face was wrinkled in extreme displeasure as she patted the white cream into his skin with a slapping sound.

Always amusing.

Perched upon the picnic table next to them was none other than Joshua Hong. He sent you a friendly greeting wave.

“What’s up?” You asked, leaving Uncle Jin with Serena so you could make your way over to your chagrined little brother, your mom, and Joshua. “Where’s Dad and Alice? Hey Josh.”

He replied pleasantly, “Hey Yn.”

“Your dad’s grabbing something from the car with her,” she dismissed. “Would you mind showing Joshua where we put our bandages? We have so many of the little ones—”

“It’s just a little cut; I swear I’m fine!” Joshua chuckled good-naturedly. He showed you the slice in the side of his finger that was only a couple of centimeters long, but you could tell that he’d just recently cleaned it up and was holding it with a small piece of napkin.

Your mom made a noise of disagreement. “It’s going to get infected on the hike.”

You shuffled on your feet, offering him a small smile. “Sorry, man. I have to agree with her.”

“Thank you. You remember where the bandages are, right? You and Josh just go run up really quick together.”

You didn’t even realize when Kevin got here. “Oh, why don’t I just get one from my place for you?” Kevin waltzed into the conversation with an innocent expression, hands tucked into the pockets of his shorts, as he appeared at your side. “Since we’re just right here.”

Joshua gestured toward him with his hand-clutching-hand situation and hopped off from the picnic table top. “If you don’t mind.”

“Yeah, dude, it’s no problem.” Kevin’s hand met the place between your shoulders with a warm pat, and he led Joshua up to his family’s cabin for the bandages.

Your amusement followed after them as you watched them leave. Your mom sent you a curious look, eyes narrowed in question, and you could only shrug helplessly.

The hike commenced shortly after the boys got back from raiding the Moon’s medicine cabinet. Your dad and Alice returned sometime before they did, and Alice had once again requested you put her hair up in, as she said, “Something nice.” As if the wilderness would care about her nice hair-do, but you gave her a plait that matched Serena’s.

Your brother and sister kept near to you as you led the group through the beginning of the trail. Though you didn’t consider yourself as someone who exercised religiously, you never turned down a good foraging session. Your freshman environmental science course had presented you with plenty of opportunity to dive into the dense forest areas near the building. Even in the early reaches of the morning (8:30 morning labs were sometimes difficult to be disciplined about, but you were determined), when the fog clung to the forest floor and dew slipped down velvety oak leaves, you found yourself at peace.

At some point in time, Connor picked up a large fallen stick and used it as a hiking staff. “You shall not pass!” He declared after running a little ways ahead of you and mimicked the deepness of Gandolf’s voice.

You snorted as you passed by him and ruffled his hair. “Name the series that’s from and then we can talk, dude.”

“You’re never any fun!” Connor garbled, jogging after you.

You scoffed, pressing a hand against your chest in feigned offense. “I’m way more fun than you are,” you retorted.

“Okay, prove it! Make this more fun.”

“So you’re saying this hike isn’t fun?” You gasped.

Connor stabbed at the dirt path warn into the ground that weaved through the trees ahead for miles. It was by no means a challenging hike, just a lengthy one that required a bit of enthusiasm and endurance. “Well last time, you brought that thing—”

“Sugar water,” you supplied.

“—yeah, that one—and we caught butterflies!” Painted Lady butterflies were a common species of butterfly that was widespread among North America. Luckily, it hadn't been too difficult to find them.

“Woah, you guys caught butterflies last year? Without me?” Man, this guy was just everywhere today, you thought jokingly, as Kevin appeared on your other side with a boyish grin on his face. “That’s cool.”

“We didn’t catch them,” you corrected. It was more so a lure with the sugar water (a substitute for nectar), letting the kids see the insect up close, and then setting it free. You were no lepidopterologist—butterflies were cool, but no special interest of yours. “They just landed in my hand for a little. You should’ve been there to take pictures.”

Kevin hit the palm of hand against his forehead. “That’s what I forgot! I forgot to bring my camera on the hike.”

“Tsk tsk, what would your sister say now?” You chided playfully.

He pressed his lips together in a grimace. “Don’t bring her up—I can hear the echo of her voice as we speak.” To prove his point, he pressed his fingers to his temples, eyes fluttering closed, as if he really could hear his sister’s teasing from wherever she was.

You humored him with a laugh—

“Yn! I’m gonna climb that boulder!”

Okay, fun time was over. You tracked the sound of your brother’s voice, and with barely enough time to catch up to him, you set off the beaten path to follow. “Hey, you better be careful or Mom’s gonna put you on bedrest for the rest of the trip,” you chuckled as Kevin fell in step beside you. You said to him offhandedly, “Would you possibly mind…”

“Yeah, I got it.” He did a small jog over to the cluster of boulders your brother had begun to scale. Going bouldering wasn’t a new activity for you and your siblings, but you remembered that these ones were a little larger than your mom was usually comfortable with. You were grateful Kevin understood immediately.

He was already standing below where Connor was, playing along with whatever roleplay your brother had made up, all the while hovering in case he fell.

The rest of the party caught up to you at this point, and Alice, Uncle Jin, Sana, and even Josh converged upon the rock formation in a flurry of giggles and mirthful playtime. You observed the action with ill-concealed fondness for everyone there as they came together and helped one another climb to the topmost boulder as if it were the peak of Mount Everest. Something warmed within you at the sight.

On your left, Yuna, who was on Leena duty this morning, came to stand beside you. Some of the parents were pulling out cell phones to record all the chaos going on. “Why don’t you go up with them?” She asked, inclining her head to the rock formation.

Josh was just beckoning Kevin up with him, and you saw Kevin’s head turned back over his shoulder. When his eyes found yours, Kevin waved you over, too.

“I should,” you murmured in agreement.

Yuna hummed as she adjusted the little bonnet on Leena’s head. “You know, Kevin…” she began. You waited for her to finish, but she smiled instead, shaking her head. “Nevermind. Go have fun, you bean.”

You giggled at the nickname, then wasted little time going to join everyone else. You could probably ask her what she was going to say later.

The evening found the group of you gathered on the shady back lawn between yours and the Moons’ cabin for dinner once again. The Xus and Hongs had all retired to their own respective houses for downtime, so it would just be the three original families. You perched a little ways away on the back stairs of your house’s porch, a bowl of peelable tangerines in your lap. At your feet, you had rolled the edges of a brown paper bag you’d found beneath the sink to use as a disposal. All of the compostable waste you and everyone else produced while here would become great fertilizer and mulch. It was something you usually had your siblings help with, especially before you left the lake.

Kevin had his cap turned backwards as he made his way over to you in flip flops. “That seat taken?” He asked with a nod toward the board next to you.

Your eyebrows rose. “All yours.”

“Thanks,” he beamed, doing a silly waddle, then sitting down next to you. He reached into the bowl on your lap for an orange, and you moved the compost bag between your bodies. “Your mom was talking about Josh again,” he said as he dug his thumb into the skin of the tangerine. Its juices sprayed into the air and released its sweet fragrance.

“Why am I not surprised?” You sighed with a shake of his head. “You know, he’s really good with my siblings though.”

“Oh, is he?”

You shrugged, shoveling a tangerine half into your mouth. “Mm—yeah,” you said once you’d swallowed. “But you’re also good with my siblings. I dunno, it was just an observation.” Based on what you saw on the hike, you could confidently conclude that your siblings agreed with both Kevin and Josh. They were both friendly beyond means, easy on the eyes, kind on the soul.

Kevin didn’t say anything for a beat, and still didn’t say anything until he’d finished the orange in his hands and picked up a new one. “I hear he’s going into medicine. I have a friend who’s going into medicine.”

“Which one?” You asked, then joked, “Don’t tell me it’s Jacob now…”

When Kevin gave you a sheepish expression, you shook your head, “Okay, now I think you’re obsessed with this guy.” All the teasing was in good fun, of course.

“He’s just my soulmate,” he lamented with a hand draped over his forehead for added effect. “No biggie.”

“Damn,” you laughed. You popped a wedge of tangerine into your mouth, eyes going to the sky for a moment as you pondered on something. “So you say that when Jacob met his current girlfriend, it was because of you.”

“Yup.”

“So you set them up? You matchmade them?”

He nodded. “I’m very proud of myself, actually. I take credit for all of their milestones and anniversaries. I better be the Best Man at their wedding, and—”

“But you matchmade them; doesn’t that make you a hypocrite?”

Kevin’s speech came to an abrupt halt. You watched, in blatant amusement, as his face contorted and arranged itself in the five stages of grief. “Oh my god… I am a hypocrite.”

For a moment, you felt bad for laughing at his blanched expression. “It doesn’t make you a bad person,” you assured him.

“It makes me a hypocrite.” He hung his head, but shot back up just as quickly. “Okay, but wait! It’s different.”

“Do tell.”

“It’s different because Jacob never told me he didn’t want to be matchmade.” The calculations taking place in his head were as stark to you, the observer, as if he was working it out on a white board. His eyebrows knitted together. “Yeah. That’s the difference. Plus, that match was fully successful, and he ended up putting in a lot of the work himself by the end anyway.”

You bobbed your head in agreement. “Fair enough.”

Kevin settled his chin on his hand, eyes slicing back over to you. “Aren’t you a hypocrite, too, then?”

You blinked. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

His face said it all. “Jenna from fifth grade.”

Oh. It all came rushing back to you…

But before anything else could be commented on the matter (read: before you could go through your own miniature existential crisis like Kevin had), a presence appeared, squatting down between the two of you. “What—” Jin covered Leena’s ears as he sat down, “—is the mother-effing tea?”

You and Kevin immediately scooted over to make room for the uncle coming in hot. You moved the compost bag back to the other side of your leg.

Kevin chuckled. “You said ‘mother-effing.’”

“Aish,” he exhaled, wrinkling his nose up. “Yuna’s on relax mode right now and has two beers in her. I get a pass, okay? Now catch me up on all of the exciting stuff.”

You and Kevin traded glances. “What exciting stuff?”

Jin’s expression flattened into a deadpan. “Don’t be like that. You two have been so secretive lately; I wanna be let in on the secret stuff.”

“I don’t know if it’s necessarily a secret…” You drawled.

Kevin scratched the back of his head. “Uh, yeah. Well, we’ve kind of figured out that our moms are trying to set us up with Josh and Serena instead of each other now.”

You didn't know what you were expecting Uncle Jin to reply, but he gave a nod. "Ah, I can see that." He sucked in a breath through his teeth, "Why did they suddenly go 360 on the two of you? It seems kind of out of left field."

"Well, we kind of asked them to stop trying to get us two together."

Jin hummed. "Yah, that makes sense. It all makes sense now." He made an old-man noise out of his throat as he shifted his position and the way that Leena rested on his chest. You and Kevin buckled down and hung off his words. "They probably only mean well, you know that, right? Right. But I can see that you both are still uneasy about that, and I get that, too. So—I'll tell you what.

"I'll help you guys out," he said. "I think they already know I'm nosy enough to butt in everywhere, so it shouldn't be a problem for me to… tch tch, y'know—" He gestured very indulgently with his hands, "—do my thing—am I making any sense? It's been a long day."

Another look passed between you and Kevin, then you both shared a laugh, relief making your postures relax and your grins widen. "No, we understand completely."

It seemed like you just gained an ally.

EPISODE SIX: CAN I BE A ROCK IN MY NEXT LIFE? THANKS.

THERE was a collection of jet skis that someone around the lake owned, and Kevin's parents would rent them out once every summer for everyone to use. Of course, it was mainly for the older kids and adults; thus, your siblings and the little Kims were banned from partaking in the festivities, much to your siblings' chagrin. It was for safety reasons that they were forced to find some other method of entertainment for the day.

You trudged your way down the path from the Kims' house to yours. In your hand, you wielded the light blue stick of baby sunscreen Seokjin asked you to fetch for his girls, but based on the fact that Leena, Sana, nor Yuna were even out here, it was safe to assume it was really for him.

Those who were participating in riding jet skis, and some who just wanted to watch and soak up the summer sun, were gathered somewhere between your house and the Moon house again. The two properties shared a single dock made of wood faded out from the sun and washed by the lake water. You could recall summer after summer running down the pier and cannonballing into the water.

"Hey! I got your sunscreen!" You hollered as you neared the group down by the water, raising the sunscreen stick up in the air.

The five or so heads turned toward you at the sound of your voice. You didn't miss Kevin's presence specifically, his arms sticking out from the life vest strapped to his chest. You did not deign to look further.

Jin raised his hand. "My Savior! Thanks, Yn-ie!"

You tossed the sunscreen down to him and he caught it between both of his hands before beginning to slather the cream all over his face.

You noted the last life vest sitting on the edge of the dock closest to land and made a beeline for it.

Just as you descended the hill, your mom appeared in your view with an empty plate in her hands, the bottom ringed in a translucent red liquid. "Yn, honey. Can you do me a huge favor and chop up the last watermelon? I didn't realize we would need more. Your dad and Kevin's dad are driving into town right now for some extra provisions and an extra large watermelon."

"Oh, sure." Your eyes skittered to the vest on the dock, but you realized slicing the watermelon wouldn't take too long.

You took the plate from your mom without further comment and began making your way up the hill to your house.

As you slid the door open, the sound of chatter carried from the living room floor. Eyes peered up from where they were seated, surrounding the coffee table on the floor. A colorful array of beads and string was strewn over the surface, and you came to a distinct conclusion as to where all the non-jet-skiers had gone.

"Hello everyone," you mused, closing the screen door behind you.

Josh was the first to say hello back. "Wanna join us? We're making friendship bracelets." He lifted the craft in his hands as if the beads and materials displayed weren't proof enough.

You leaned over the back of the couch. "Looks like fun! Maybe I will."

Outside by the lake, Kevin monitored the back door of your cabin for when you would make your way back out. He had been wanting to race you on a jet ski ever since the owners brought them over for everyone to use.

There were a grand total of five people surrounding the opening to the dock: Kevin and his mom, your mom, Jin, and Serena. Everyone except for the moms were strapped in lifejackets in preparation to board one of the two jet skis sitting in port.

"Huh," Jin said as he craned his head up in the direction Kevin's was in. "Wonder what's taking her so long."

"I'm sure she's just taking her time or something." Kevin pushed off of the post he was leaning against. "I'll go check up on her—"

“Oh, no-no-no! It’s okay,” your mom protested, her body already turn-tailed to head up to the house. Even Kevin’s mom made a gesture for him to stay put. “We’ll go check up on Yn.”

Kevin’s mom then gestured with her arm toward Serena, who had wandered off further down the dock to inspect one of the vehicles waiting in the water. “Why don’t you go help her with the jet ski?”

“And me!” Seokjin boisterously slung an arm around his cousin-in-law’s shoulders and swung him toward the entrance of the pier.

Kevin’s eyes went wide when he almost tumbled face-first into the hardwood. “Shit,” he sputtered. “Uh, Uncle Jin?”

“Yep?”

“That sounded fishy to you, too, right?”

Jin let out a laugh and patted Kevin’s shoulder in consolation. “Yep.”

“I feel like I haven’t seen you all afternoon.” The words left your mouth as you blocked the unforgiving golden hour sun with a hand to your forehead. The light at this time of day gleamed across the surface of the lake and gave the illusion of a molten pot of gold. You imagined swimming in it, dipping your toes into its warm innards from the end of the dock.

Kevin stood at the edge of the lake’s shoreline with his hair dried from a day of jet skiing, a fresh T-shirt over his chest and the lifejacket from earlier nowhere to be seen. That, along with the jet skis. Those had been returned a little over an hour ago. “We were off doing our separate things, I guess,” he said, his arms folded across his chest. “Speaking of, where’ve you been? You went to cut watermelon and never came back.” He added a small laugh to his words, hoping you wouldn’t think he was bothered by the fact that the two of you didn’t get to hang out on jet skis together.

“Oh, heh.” The sheepishness in your voice made him glance over at you. You didn’t know why you were suddenly getting so shy about it, but from the pocket of your shorts, you withdrew a small piece of beaded string, tied at the end in one of those fancy loops that were adjustable. You didn’t know how it was done; Joshua had done something with the end like magic. “Yuna, Josh, and the kids were all inside making friendship bracelets and they kind of roped me into it.”

“Ah.”

“This one’s for you,” you said, holding it out to him. It was a quirky piece with white block letter beads strung together next to acrylic star and pony beads. You’d scavenged a crescent moon somewhere amongst all the pandemonium, and it sat next to the letter N on the chain.

Kevin peered at you and his irises gleamed with the brilliance of golden hour. He frowned in joy, delicately accepting the chain from you with his bottom lip jutted out in a combination frown-pout. “You’re incredible,” he gushed as he inspected the little gift. “Dude, I’m honestly so touched. This is so cute.”

You broke out into a grin, your heart bursting with pride in your chest. “Glad it’s not cringy.”

“I’m offended for you,” he scoffed, aghast. “How could you think this is cringy?” It was probably a genuine question, but you kept silent as you watched him loop the end of the bracelet around his wrist and struggled to figure out how to tie off the end with one hand.

You stepped forward, and he stuck his hand out to you. “Shua showed me how this works,” you murmured, wracking your brain for the quick how-to Joshua showed with his own wrist. (You had been too confused to ask him to see it done again, and only nodded and smiled.)

“Shua?”

“Mm, yeah, apparently he makes a lot of friendship bracelets, especially for friends at school.” Your tongue stuck out of the corner of your mouth as you tried something and… “Ta-da!”

With the bracelet secured onto his wrist, Kevin beamed like a kid on Christmas, and held it up to show it to the setting sun. “It’s great—it’s perfect. Thank you, Yn.”

It was some sort of cosmic magic that corralled everyone back down to the shoreline again, but this time, with all of the kids and non-jet-skiers, as well. Another tradition that your party liked to share every year at the lake was rock-skipping. Perhaps it was more of just an activity than a tradition, but it was something that none of you failed to remember to do whenever you were up here. Since you were a kid, you had been practicing to hone your technique.

Your siblings and the Kims, especially, all ran up to the shoreline beside you and Kevin, and the search for the perfect throwing rock began. In the chaos of merriment and childlike glee, the lot of you trudged into the cooling water of the lake’s shallow shore.

“I know you just gave me the coolest friendship bracelet ever,” said Kevin from beside you as he sifted through the rocks beneath his flip flops, “but I hope you know that I’m gonna crush you this year.”

You snorted. “Okay, Kevin.”

“No, I’m serious!” You guffawed at the sight of his expression; he’d even stood up straight in the water, a pair of flat stones in either hand. “My friend YH!Yn—she’s an engineer, right—”

“Oh, so you’re gonna win by cheating?”

“Nuh-uh,” he rolled his eyes, unimpressed by your posturing. “She showed me this video online. You know Mark Rober? She’s a huge fan, but that’s besides the point. The point is that the video taught me the perfect technique to rock-skip.”

Something in you liked to think that was still cheating, but then again, neither of you had ever really established any ground rules to this, and certainly none about doing research. Your eyes narrowed. “Explain yourself.”

Kevin decided between one of the two rocks in his hands with a brief peek at both of them, before discarding the one in his left hand back into the water with an anticlimactic sploosh. “You’re supposed to launch the rock so it hits the surface of the water at a twenty-degree angle.”

Joshua trudged into the water near both you and Kevin with the sleeves of his plaid over-shirt rolled past his elbows. “I don’t even know what kind of rock to look for, and you guys are bringing trig into this?”

“Oh my god, don’t even get them started,” Jin grumbled from a handful of meters away from the three of you. He kicked through the shallow water with his eyes pinned to the ground in his own search for a rock to skip. “Yn almost gave me a black eye one year.”

“That was an accident and I was ten!”

“Yeah, well rocks hurt!”

Joshua bent down slightly and scooped up a rock from the water. He considered it for a minute, taking in its size, its weight, and how pretty it was. “I guess this can work. So do you guys have, like, a training boot camp for beginners or something?” He chuckled.

“I can show you,” you offered once you’d decided on your own rock for the first round.

“Tch,” Kevin huffed, “if you wanna show him the wrong way to do it.”

Your jaw unhinged. “If you keep this up, I will take back that friendship bracelet, Moon Hyungseo.”

Jin covered his mouth with one of his hands and sidled up next to Joshua. “Ooh, she used the government name.” That coaxed another laugh out of the Los Angeles boy.

Kevin held his decorated wrist to his chest. “You can pry it from my cold, dead hands.”

Suffice to say that when it came down to it, Kevin did have the better technique. There were really four main things to consider when rock-skipping, one of them being that the rock ideally should hit the water at twenty-degrees, as Kevin had mentioned before. Though, you did have to give yourself some credit for managing to work your way up to thirteen skips in a row without the help of an engineer friend.

EPISODE SEVEN: ALWAYS TREAT YOUR PLANTS WITH CARE

VACATION granted you the express permission to be the laziest bum in the world. After three years of college work, sometimes it was nice to have even a single day to yourself to do what you always wanted to: relax. In a world that moved as fast as this one, it was nearly impossible to take breaks without feeling the aching guilt of a day without productivity.

But there was something about the lake… you didn't know. Maybe it was just because years of coming here and associating it with the ease and carefree air of childhood that made it easier to sleep in and feel the sun on your toes.

The house and the neighboring ones were quiet this late morning. At ten or so, the Kims had swept up your siblings and their children and towed them off to town for ice cream and provisions. (You hoped they remembered to grab you some bird seed. You still had yet to replenish the bird feeders around the lake.) You weren't sure where your parents were off to, but you recalled them briefly mentioning a visit to the hidden swing at Lookout's Peak about a three mile hike from here. That meant that you had the whole house to yourself.

And what else did that mean? That you would not be in the house.

When it hit noon, you ate a quick lunch at the kitchen counter before gathering up your supplies to head outside. There was always a spare picnic blanket stashed in the hallway closet, and you grabbed a book, your neglected sketchbook, and a pencil to come along with you.

The weather was perfect, you liked to think—temperate, and not popsicle-melting, with a hint of a breeze wafting through the boughs of the oak trees. You trudged your way over to the largest oak tree with the most amount of shade, gunning to get some full relaxing done when you realized that you were not as alone as you thought you were.

You and Kevin locked eyes from where he sat against the trunk of the tree, his iPad left at his side and his camera being fiddled with between his fingers. The friendship bracelet you gave him the other day still hung around his wrist.

"Hi," he grinned. "I thought you went into town with the twins."

"Ah, nah" you sighed pleasantly as you shifted the things in your arms, "I decided to sleep in. You?"

"Same here." He amended, "Well, as much as someone like me can sleep in." He gestured to the picnic blanket bundled over your arm. "How about I help you with that?"

With teamwork (because that made the dream work), the two of you laid out the picnic blanket on the shady grass beneath the oak tree, overlooking the view of the lake. You settled yourself atop it while Kevin moved his things beside you; shoes were discarded at the edge, so you both sat comfortably on the blanket, half-facing the other.

You reached for your sketchbook, inclining your chin toward the DSLR now sitting abandoned as he picked up his iPad. "What were you up to before I got here?"

"Oh, uh, just looking through some photos I took this morning to maybe use as a reference," he said, twirling his Apple pencil between his fingers. "I keep forgetting to take pictures on this trip."

"Maybe it's a good thing," you offered. You tucked a lock of hair behind your ear and flipped to a blank page. "Let's you live in the moment, y'know?"

"Yeah. I guess so." He tapped the end of his pencil against his cheek. You were never the type for fancy technology and equipment, mainly because you were a little stubborn, but nothing could beat a good pencil and paper. "I'm gonna draw you," he suddenly declared.

A giggle bubbled out of your chest. "What? Me?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Well then, I'm gonna draw you."

His eyebrows shot up, an amused smile worming onto his face. "You do you, honey."

The two of you, coincidentally, came to share quite the handful of interests. One of them was sketching, and you liked to give credit to your ecology and biology classes at school that gave you the time to practice your drawing skills, even if super accurate drawings weren't always required. It just gave you an excuse to combine two things you loved.

You never did pick up how to use a DSLR though. At least, not like Kevin knew how to.

You sat there for a moment with your cheek to your fist and your eyes glued to the man across from you. Drawing people was difficult—it was always the subtle details that threw you overboard, the movement of the hands and fingers, the crevices in the wrinkle of one's eyes, the… the look. The thing that made them look like a human being.

Kevin had always been a beautiful subject matter. His bone structure was near perfect in your eyes; his smile was awful to draw just because it was so pretty, and you couldn't do it justice. You could never achieve the right curl of his lips, or infuse it with his humility. And even now, you watched the way his eyelashes fell so gently over his eyes and the dusting of pink falling across his cheekbones…

"You're staring."

You blinked, breaking out of your daze. "I'm studying my subject," you clarified pointedly and began to sketch out a rough outline of his head. A portrait would do just fine for the day.

Kevin mimicked your position from earlier where he leaned in slightly and rested his cheek against his fist. "There was this internship I turned down this summer."

His words made you glance up from your paper for a moment.

He continued on, straightening, then absentmindedly sketching out an outline for your face. "It was supposed to be in New York, at this studio, but…" He blew air out between his lips, "I don't know; I couldn't do it. It was a great opportunity and it didn't call to me, but I feel so guilty about not even trying."

You waited a beat in case he wanted to continue. You could see the conflict warring across this face, the subtle flex in his jaw at his frustration—with the portrait or himself, you weren't sure.

"Sorry, I don't know why I suddenly just thought of that," he said to you. "I was just thinking about this place and not being here last year, and I think my brain just went to that."

You looked over at him in earnest. "I feel you, I mean… some things just aren't meant to be, and you shouldn't force it. That's how you get burnt out, y'know?"

"Yeah," he murmured in agreement.

"I was looking at an internship, too," you piped up with a shape exhale. "I—I didn't get it, clearly, but uhm…" It still hurt.

Kevin frowned. "Oh, man. I'm sorry, Yn. I feel like I'm just complaining now that—"

"No, oh my gosh, no!" You hurried to interrupt him. "Don't be silly," you said gently, "you shouldn't invalidate your feelings like that. Some things just really aren't meant to be." It didn't mean it hurt any less that they weren't, but maybe this was the path you were meant to take instead. "It's something I'm coming to terms with, too, but don't compare your troubles against mine. Please."

He worried his bottom lip between his teeth, and it took him a little to finally try for a half smile. "You're gonna get the next one."

You smiled back at him. "Thanks. And you'll find one that suits you."

"I hope so."

"Do you ever worry about," you began as you played around with the slightest curve of his nose on your paper, "not being who people want you to be?"

He hummed. "What do you mean?"

"Like, successful. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this." You didn't know where this had sprouted from in the first place, but one insecurity in particular had nested in the inner cavities of your chest and made itself a home. As someone who wanted to be at wildlife encampments, not catering to fancy rich dogs in a clinic, your path wasn't conventional. You were becoming a veterinarian, but your parents always thought you would end up someplace nice with a pay that was equally nice. Something practical, something they didn't have to worry over. Your calling was… elsewhere though. Somewhere a little more difficult to reach without the prying eyes and mouths of those around you.

Kevin marinated on it. "I think… the two of us are kind of similar in that way. We're both not taking on things that people have expected of us."

Out of everyone you knew, you had a feeling he would be one of the few who could empathize. "There's—there's this thing I want to do," you said. You couldn't figure out the words to string your thoughts into coherent speech; you felt like it would never come out right. But Kevin was patient. "I've always wanted to go on safari expeditions, and observe wildlife in the wild, and do research, and work with conservatories. It feels so unattainable sometimes, when I think about the people looking at me and expecting something good. Does that make sense?"

He gave a thoughtful nod, his Apple pencil tucked behind his ear for the time being. "Yeah, that makes sense. I remember you talked about it before."

That rang a bell. "When I made you watch the David Attenborough Our Planet doc series," you mused. In association, your brain sparked images of late nights, blue-light screens, and flashlights beneath blanket forts. You had been fully convinced Kevin would say the documentary series would be boring like everyone else, but to your pleasant surprise, he had been just as enthralled as you'd been.

"You didn't make me," he smiled. "I liked it."

Your chest warmed. "I still have it downloaded on my phone if you wanna watch."

He screwed his face up in amusement, shaking his head. "You're one of the biggest dorks I know. And I know so many dorks now."

"I'm still your favorite dork though, right?" You smiled down at your paper when you were satisfied with how his eyes turned out.

"Always."

A beat passed, and from your periphery, you saw him tap the blanket in front of you to get your attention.

"Hey, you're gonna be okay," he said. "One day, you will go hide in a bunker in the Siberian winter to wait for tigers like a crazy person—"

"Okay, wait, out of all the examples you watched in the doc, you chose—"

"Anyways!" He grinned at the look you sent him, unfazed. "We're both gonna be okay, alright? We're chasing dreams, and sometimes the chase is hard, but the reward is sweet."

You knew he was right; of course he was right. Talking things out was always a good idea, especially with a trusted person, and who better to trust than Kevin Moon? You had friends who understood, but not really understood.

You reached for his pencil with the end of yours and you bumped ends like ET. The corners of your lips curled upward as you met his gaze, and you were struck by the softness in his rich, chocolate irises. No sketch, painting, portrait could do those beautiful eyes justice. "Don't call me a nerd for this."

"No promises."

You fixed him with a look. "There's this thing that plants do called phototropism. Because plants need light to synthesize into food and energy, they often turn and grow towards the nearest light source. So even in, let's say, a dark hole in the ground—if there's a crack in the roof that brings light in, the plant will grow in that direction, and probably grow its way out." You cleared your throat. "Thanks for showing me the light."

Kevin's eyes shone big and wide, doe-like you liked to say, almost in awe of the explanation of a basic function plants performed to survive. But twisted in a certain way, and one could apply it to everyday non-plant life, as well.

"Now how can I possibly call you a nerd after that?" His voice went raspy and he had to clear it, too. "I think I'm getting misty-eyed," he said, fanning his eyes.

You chuckled at his antics. "Oh, hush. I guess it's my way of saying thanks for reminding me I'm not gonna be a failure." It was scary how often you thought about it, especially at college.

Kevin reached over and warmed one of your hands with his. "You're not gonna be a failure, Yn. I promise you that."

All of the kids were asleep in the back of the Kims' minivan, and it took two trips back and forth between the car and the living room to transfer all four sleeping munchkins. By the time Jin and Yuna were done, the former was certain he was going to need a cane much earlier in his life than previously anticipated.

He held his back as they made their way out onto the back porch. "I think I'm aging faster," he said to his partner.

Yuna sputtered out a laugh. "Aye, so dramatic, and for what? You're gonna survive."

"No sympathy," he sighed melodramatically as he hung off her frame. "I wonder where everyone else is."

His voice trailed off as they stood on the porch and overlooked the valley below. Just further out, they could easily see the occupants of the big oak tree between yours and the Moons' houses. You and Kevin sat slightly angled toward one another, not quite sitting next to each other, but not quite facing each other either.

The laughter was apparent on your faces as Kevin showed you something on his iPad. You grabbed the screen with ill-concealed delight, your eyes lighting up like a pair of fireflies. "No, oh my god, the little sprout on top of my head! You didn't!"

Yuna murmured softly to her lover with a chuckle, "Should we go say hello?"

Seokjin adjusted his position so now his arm rested around her shoulders. A smile etched onto his face at the view; he was so fond of the very thing neither you nor Kevin could see just yet. "Well, how could you possibly want to break that up?"

EPISODE EIGHT: NOD AND SMILE… YUP.

YOU weren't really sure why it took so long before you all deigned to take a proper dip in the lake, but as they said, better late than never.

The sun beat down on the little lake population, even at ten in the morning, which made it perfect weather to go swimming. Your house was a-bustle with life, thunderous footsteps, and motherly yelling to her children of “You better all have sunscreen on!” You were just finishing up the task yourself, rubbing in the last handprint of sunblock onto your calf before you were grabbing your towel at the end of your bed and heading out.

You caught Alice coming down the stairs with her floral one-piece on and a set of blue goggles strapped to her head. This morning, her hair was in two braids. “Do you have sunscreen on?” You asked her as you opened the back screen door.

“Yes,” she groaned as if this was the hundredth time she’d been asked that question today. Knowing your family, it probably was the hundredth time. “Do we still have the flamingo floatie?”

“We can probably pop down to the shed and see,” you suggested. You blinked in surprise at the person you found leaning against the railing of your back porch. “Why hello there.”

Joshua glanced up from the piece of string in his hands that he had tied at the ends to form one, large ring. “Hi guys! Either of you ladies know how to play Cat’s Cradle?” His hands slipped in between the string so that the ring rested on the backs of his fingers. In a movement that sent a wave of nostalgia down your spine, he maneuvered his hands through the string to form the zigzag pattern correspondent with the beloved childhood game.

“Ooh! Me, me!” Alice bounced around on the balls of her feet and rushed over to where Josh was to pick out the next pattern.

The screen door behind you opened up again as soon as you stepped foot onto the deck. Your dad appeared with your little brother, both of whom were dressed in rash guards and swim trunks. Your dad hustled his son along. “Yn-ah, we’re going down to the shed to get swimming things. Wanna come?”

“Wait, Daddy, can we get the flamingo floatie?” Alice asked your dad. Joshua finished up the next pattern, and your sister was quick to grab the next.

“Sure. We have to go now, though.”

With little else left to say or do, your dad ferried your little siblings off and around the house to where the shed was. It was tucked out of the way somewhere between your house and the Kims’ place.

You sidled up beside Joshua and slung your towel over your shoulder, noting his tank top and shorts. “You going for a swim with us?”

He gestured to his attire, nodding. “Seems like it. My parents wanted to run into town to do some shopping, see the sights. Your mom mentioned last night that you all were planning to go swimming today, so I thought I’d tag along, if that’s okay.”

“Yeah, man—it’s totally cool.”

You gazed far out toward the lake down the lawn. There were already a few people there, including Kevin and the Kims. Sana and Leena were already frolicking around in the water with their dad, while Yuna and Kevin stood off to the side on the dock. It seemed that Yuna had brought down a pair of foldable chairs to set up there, perhaps to soak up a little sun.

The two of them exchanged a couple more words before Yuna left him there so she could go pick up Leena from falling face-first in the water. Leena was still an infant, after all.

You decided that this would be a good time to run and join him, but your thoughts slowed to a halt when Kevin picked up the bottom hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. You even heard Joshua beside you lose his breath. The sunlight had to be a paid actor or something, because the way it glowed across your friend’s shoulders, enunciating the firm muscles in his back, had to be illegal in nature.

Joshua’s low whistle of appreciation met your ears. “Wow… he’s ripped.”

You nodded absentmindedly. “Yeah.” Whoops, did you say that out loud?

The man simply chuckled and bounded down the porch. “C’mon, Yn. Let’s go join them before he catches you staring.”

If there was anything else that you and Kevin took seriously besides rock-skipping, it was the game Marco Polo. The rules were simple: an elected tagger would play with their eyes closed, yelling out “Marco” in order to locate other players in the water. The tagger had three or five opportunities to open their eyes (this was enforced for safety reasons) in order to tag everyone. Those who were not the tagger were required to reply with “Polo” in response to the tagger’s call.

Boundaries of the game ranged from your house to Kevin’s house, and no hiding beneath the dock. (Only the tagger could pass beneath that zone.)

By the time it was Kevin’s turn to tag, nearly an hour and a half had gone by, and you could feel the sun’s rays seeping into you. The heat was getting to you, and by the looks on everyone else’s faces, it was getting to them, too. But… one last round never hurt anybody.

"Are you guys ready?" Kevin's mom stood on the dock with her hands on her son's shoulders. Kevin's eyes were screwed shut where he sat on the edge of the dock, his feet swinging where they dangled over the water. Everyone stood scattered in the water, biding their time before Kevin's mom let him hop in.

She surveyed the surrounding water for nods of confirmation. You lingered just at the outer edge of the boundary, face half in the water with your eyes peeking out to hide your smile. You would swim back in should he come this way, but the buoy behind you kept you from cheating.

When she was satisfied with what she saw, she patted him on the shoulders. "Okay, Kevin."

He lowered himself into the water. "Marco!"

"Polo," came the wary response, a voice from every corner and reach of the boundary, it seemed.

He honed in on a voice—not yours, it seemed, but Uncle Jin's—and slowly treaded over toward that direction. You saw your uncle's eyes widen in fear, and he ducked under the water for a swift second to attempt at a silent getaway.

"I can hear you," Kevin chuckled as he swung his arm over his head to adopt a freestyle stroke. The tone of his voice sounded awfully menacing.

"YAH! GET AWAY FROM ME!" Jin screeched, no longer trying to stay quiet.

One by one, Kevin picked people off. Yuna had a little disadvantage since she had Sana clinging to her back the whole time, so she was given a merciful second life. But when she was caught once more, it was onto dry land for her and her daughter.

Kevin treaded water on the other side of the boundary. In the water, it was just you two.

"Fighting, Yn-ie!" Jin cheered from the shore. A towel was draped over his shoulders with Sana sucking on a watermelon by his leg.

You saw your siblings and Josh raise up their fists in encouragement. "Get him, Yn!"

"Wow, thanks guys," Kevin replied dryly, shaking the water out of his hair. His eyes were miraculously still closed; you had no idea how and when he got so good at this. He still had one more opportunity to open his eyes.

You grinned. "Are you sure you're not cheating by the way?" You drawled with a feigned look of consideration, as if he could see what you looked like.

He gasped. "Me? Cheating? My abilities are far greater than the need to cheat."

"Okay, prove it."

Why did the universe curse you with such a big fucking mouth?

A swear left you as he launched himself across the safe zone. It was like he knew exactly where you had been hovering in order to reach his ridiculously long arms over his head to try and tag you. You gunned out of the way, narrowly missing the dock as you backstroked back from where he came to avoid him.

"Marco!"

"Screw you—polo!"

His white teeth glistened as he grinned, eyes closed completely shut still. Damn. "I can smell fear."

"Sometimes you can be so dramatic," you taunted.

"Now that's just hurtful." And he took it personally.

Around and around you both went, lakewater thrashing as your arms and legs kicked and pumped as hard as you could. You felt so agile and free at times, a dolphin in your own right.

There was a lull in the game for a minute when you managed to evade Kevin's grasp yet another time. He was patrolling the other side of the dock while you loitered just around the corner, by a post. You could hear on land that everyone had turned their attention away from yours and Kevin's competitiveness in favor of the bag tossing boards Kevin's dad brought out.

"Oh, Yn," he smiled, brushing a hand through his hair absentmindedly. "I'm gonna get ya."

If you weren't worried about being so close to him, you would have thrown a retort right back.

But there was another poor, poor hinge to your plan, and that was the very core of the game you were playing.

He whispered, "Marco."

You screamed internally. "Polo," you whispered, barely audibly.

His head whipped in your direction, and before you could even blink, he used his shortcut beneath the dock to yank your wrist back toward him. "Gotcha!"

"Goddamn it," you groaned as you rested up against the post behind you. The water in this area was just shallow enough that your feet could reach the bottom.

Kevin chuckled as he finally opened his eyes. He blinked feverishly to adjust to the sunlight, then ran a hand through his slicked-back hair. He was so close that you could see the water droplets on his head dribble down the sharp slope of his nose. He took in his surroundings, a sly kind of smirk curling up onto his face. "No hiding beneath the dock, Yn."

"I technically wasn't beneath the dock," you shot back.

"Mhm," he pressed his lips together, brows furrowing. He moved closer and braced one arm against the post above your head. "Say I believe you."

You brushed the sudden butterflies in your stomach away as the heat melted your brain (and not Kevin). "That sounds like you don't believe me."

"Well, either way…" He brought a finger close to your face and tapped your nose. You could have sworn you saw his eyes dart downwards for a second, away from your eyes, toward your mouth. "I win."

EPISODE NINE: KINDLING FOR ALL KINDS OF FIRES

A campfire was always in order.

There were quite a few things that needed to be done before it could happen, however. One of the few things on the list just happened to be going out to find firewood, as well as filling up the bird feeders you left hanging out in the forest beyond. You could kill two birds with one stone. (Definitely not literally though. You hoped you never needed to kill two birds with one stone unless it was for pure survival purposes.)

The bird seed you'd requested to be brought back was… somewhere around here. You couldn't remember where exactly Auntie Yuna said they put the bag, but you would go hunting for it.

You meandered through the first floor of your lake cabin, gradually approaching the kitchen area where you heard voices. As far as you were aware, your parents were holed up in the kitchen with Kevin’s parents, as well as Kevin himself. Your siblings were probably either upstairs or at the Kims’ place. Probably.

“—know Judy’s daughter, right?” You recognized your mom’s voice among the fray. By this time, you stood in the middle of the living room with your hands on your hips. Where in the world was that sneaky bag of bird seed?

Kevin’s mom replied next, “Ah, she’s doing that drawing major or something, right? I forgot what it’s called—”

“Animation,” supplied her husband.

“Yes, that’s the one.” A clinking of metal on china; they were most likely digging into the trifle cake that was assembled earlier in the day.

“I hear there’s something going on and it’s getting more difficult to find work for them.”

A disgruntled sound. “Yah. That's the risk that comes with those art majors. If she had gone into bioengineering like Judy wanted her to, then she wouldn’t be worrying so much.”

You paused from your position in the living room. From your vantage point, you got a clear view into only part of the kitchen, but it was where Kevin lingered with his back to one of the cabinets. He had a bowl of dessert in one hand, the other using the tines of his fork to prod at a bite of cream and cake. His head was tilted down though, and you caught his periodic glances toward the part of the kitchen you couldn’t see where the adults probably were, prattling on and on as if he weren’t standing right there.

Your heart sunk to the pit of your stomach.

Why was he subjecting himself to this? Why didn’t he just pick himself up and leave—? The thought came to you that maybe he thought he deserved to hear this.

Having surveyed the living room enough to know that the bird seed wasn’t here, you did happen to note the presence of his camera sitting on the coffee table. You snatched the device up and headed for the kitchen.

“I think it’s good to cultivate creativity, but there’s a difference between a career and hobbies—”

“Psst.” You grappled onto the side of the doorway, quietly catching Kevin’s attention.

His head perked up at the sound and his eyebrows shot up in question. He offered the bowl in his hands to you. Want some? He mouthed.

You shook your head, then used your free hand to wave him over. Bird seed?

He seemed to understand. With one, massive bite, he finished the rest of his bowl, deposited it in the kitchen sink, then quietly slipped out of the room with you.

When the two of you were in the clear and you were following him over to the closet beneath the stairs (damn, had you really forgotten that this closet existed?), you handed him his camera. “I’m invoking rescue protocol,” you told him.

Kevin accepted his camera with a furrowed brow, watching as you opened up the closet door and found a canvas sack of birdseed sitting there. Huzzah! “Wait, but…” He considered you for a moment, and a slow smile slid onto his face. He ducked his head and threw his camera strap around his neck. “I appreciate you. Have I told you that?”

“And I—” You grunted as you picked the bag up into your arms and used your foot to kick the door closed. “—appreciate you. How’d you know this was where the bird seed was?”

“I just remembered what Uncle Jin said,” he told you with a shrug.

The two of you meandered out of the backdoor and onto the porch in a silent agreement to go fill some bird feeders together. The forest at this time of day was streaked in golden sunlight, emerald green leaves painted over in an amber wash of glitter. It felt warm and comfortable like autumn, but with the color palette of summer. The air was fresh, not crisp, and there was still a dollop of pollen floating around in the air from the tailend of spring.

You and Kevin entered the forest proper, and you shifted the bag into your right hand when you finally got the bag’s handles up and at ‘em. “I know the protocol wasn’t meant for those kinds of situations,” you started.

Kevin let his camera rest in his hands at midriff once he had fiddled with the settings enough to his liking. “I know.”

“They’re wrong, you know?” You turned to look at him as you stopped at the first feeder and let the sack of seed and grain fall to your feet with a thump against the earth. Before you opened up the bag, however, you peered up into the wooden house hanging from the branch, slobbered in messy paints and melting smiley faces. There wasn’t a speck of grain or seed left in this one. Satisfied, you bent down to rip the bag open and take out a scoop with your hands.

The shutter of a camera lens fired. He sighed, lowering the camera so he could inspect the test shot he took. “I’ve come to terms with that—all of their opinions, I mean.” He lifted the viewfinder back up to his eye and took another shot as you shoveled the bird seed into the hole. A small stream of it missed and tumbled to the forest floor. “Sometimes I do think like that, though. Whether or not I should have stuck with psychology and become a teacher instead of photography.”

You folded the edge of the bag over itself after dusting your hands off, and the two of you continued onward. “Are you happy with photography though? Do you like the things you’re learning, the work you’re doing?” That was one of the few metrics that kept you clinging onto your dreams—your hands were getting scraped and sweaty holding onto the side of the cliff face, but even though your shoe slipped against the ledge and threatened a long drop, you held on. Some days, you thought it was a sad, desperate effort; others, you found extra strength to dig your soles in.

He didn’t have to think much before answering. “Yeah, I do. It’s… it’s fulfilling.” He shot you a glance. “I guess it’s something I enjoy so much that most days it doesn’t even feel like work. All of the logistic, ‘real world,’ adult stuff is kind of a headache, but…” Even though his sentence trailed off, you could still follow.

You plopped the sack of seed down on the ground beneath the next bird feeder. “I know that it’s hard to think about what-ifs, and I’m kind of a hypocrite about it, too—but I think—” you scooped up a handful of bird seed and poured it into the opening. This house had a little sunshine painted on the roof. “—Kevin, I think you made the right choice. Obviously, it shouldn’t matter what I think; that’s just what I’ve observed so far.”

“It matters what you think,” he replied quietly. “To me, at least.”

The two of you shared a smile as you dusted your hands off again. The chase is hard, but the reward is sweet—those had been his words to you the other day.

“Do you want me to carry that for you?” He mused, in view of your struggle to pick the damn thing off the ground.

You suddenly gained a spurt of strength and energy. “I’m—great.”

His low chuckle followed you as you went. You could hear his shutter go off again.

“Thank you for assuring me that I took the right risk.” Kevin fell into step beside you once more with his camera cradled in his hands. There was a softness to his eyes again, a kind of tenderness you recognized only when it was just the two of you.

You went for a smile. “I feel you, you know? Maybe not on the same level, but you’re not in crisis alone, okay?”

His shoulder bumped against yours. “Get on my level,” he jested.

Your smile haplessly curled up further. “Yeah, yeah, you five year old.” You leaned over his arm to peer at his camera screen. Your heart hammered, blood spiking, when you saw what the subject of all his shots had been thus far. “Oh my god, have you been taking pictures of me?”

He giggled at your reaction. "What? What else am I supposed to be taking pictures of?"

"Uhm?" You gestured with your arm in a wide arc. "There is literally a whole world around us. Nature is much more photogenic than I am." A nervous laugh bubbled out of your chest as you adjusted a lock of hair that had gotten in your face.

"You are totally photogenic," he scoffed. "Literally look."

The two of you stopped in the middle of the path so he could show you the pictures he had taken thus far. Like most people when they saw a picture of themselves, you wanted to grimace, but you tried to search for what Kevin was seeing.

They were all incredible candid shots. The color was so vivid and bright, the edges crisp and focused. He had captured you at the moment when you were smiling, peeking into the bird feeder. It was that split second before the smile bloomed into something bigger when it only teased at the corner of your mouth.

You leaned back and coughed. "I only look good because you made me look good."

"Now that's bullshit."

You both resumed your walk to the next bird feeder. He said to you, "You can't possibly appreciate nature's beauty without appreciating your own, Yn."

You tilted your head and sent him a sidelong glance. "Why did that sound actually profound?"

"What do you mean actually profound?" His face arranged into an expression of offense. "Am I not regularly profound?"

You smiled to yourself. "I mean… if you had to ask—" Click! "Hey, now wait a minute!"

He beamed something boyish at you from over his camera lens. "Whoops?"

The bird seed bag thumped onto the forest floor again and you moved to check the inside of the next bird feeder. To your utter delight, you were greeted by the sight of sticks and mud and leaves slotted together in a messy riffraff, otherwise known as a bird's nest. You could hear the bright chirping coming out from the feeder's hole, and dark gray feathers poked out.

"We won't disturb these ones," you whispered, backing away to collect your bird seed. But before you left, you took a little of the grain to sprinkle on the outer landing ledge.

You didn't even realize you had been smiling out of pure giddiness until you reached the next feeder on the path. You had always secretly hoped that a bird would take over one of the houses as their own. Lo and behold, that hope manifested into reality.

Kevin helped you out with the next one since this tree was hung with a duplex. It was similar to a human duplex; the house was split down the middle to hold double the feed. The two of you carefully transferred seed and grain into its proper place.

"If you really are uncomfortable with me taking pictures of you," he said as the two of you picked up where you left off, "then I can totally delete them." He made a gesture with his hand. "No harm, no foul."

Heat rose to your cheeks. "It doesn't bother me that much," you admitted sheepishly. "They were good pictures."

"See!" Elated, he slung an arm around your shoulders and tugged you against his side with an affectionate shake. "You see the vision? Do you see it now?"

You couldn't possibly say no to him when his expression was brighter than the sun at high noon. At this moment—this perfect moment—when the sunlight streaming through the trees painted his face in a filter of buttery gold… you could definitely see the vision, but perhaps not the exact one he saw.

EPISODE TEN: YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE YOUR EYES…

"OH, thank god, you guys went and got firewood!" Jin pressed his hands together in prayer as he jogged over to you and helped transfer the lumber in your arms over to his. On your way back from replenishing the bird feed, you let Kevin hold the remainder of what was left in the bag while you picked up any spare tinder for the fire. There were quite a few loose sticks around that would work nicely for the campfire tonight.

He walked off with your gatherings from the trip, and you and Kevin continued up to your lake house to drop off the bag of bird seed.

"So you were saying about the animal representation thing?" You piped up, recalling where the two of you last ended before your return to home base.

"Oh!" Kevin grinned. "It's so funny because some of my friends—you can totally see the resemblance of an animal, right? But then others don't really get an animal. Like Younghoon: he's just kind of bread."

You nearly tripped over a patch of dirt. "Bread?" You stammered incredulously. "Come again?"

"Bread," he nodded. He murmured in thanks to you when you slid open the screen door for him so he could shuck off his shoes and step inside the house. "But Changmin's a squirrel. Or a giraffe. That's what JC!Yn calls him, anyway; it's because of his long neck."

"Huh," you pondered. Interesting friend group they had going on there. You wondered what you would be…

As you passed by your bedroom on the first floor, you could hear your phone sounding off in aggressive vibrations even through the wooden walls and the closed door. You swore under your breath and pushed into your room to turn it off, then paused when you realized why it had gone off in the first place.

Fireflies.

"Everything okay?" Kevin's voice came back around the bend, his head poking into the space and the bird seed bag nowhere to be seen. He must have put it away just now.

You glanced up at him as you silenced the alarm and tucked your phone into your pocket. You hadn't needed it all that much this entire trip, but you would definitely hold onto it tight tonight. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Ready to head out?"

He didn't question your behavior and nodded. "Ready when you are."

Sometimes campfire smoke burned Kevin's eyes, but that was mostly when he was younger and didn't know any better. The embers of the fire were always so warm and inviting, always luring him toward it and inviting him to stare into its core. He could still feel the sting of the ash in his pupils as he looked at it from afar now.

The summer sun had sunken down into the horizon and gave way to a comfortable nightfall. Above your heads hung curtains of leaves from oaks, and above them was the blanket of night sky bedazzled in stars. Nature, as you had said earlier today, was quite photogenic.

He sat perched slightly away from everyone in the group, settling at the picnic table with his back to the table surface so he could still face into the fire. When everyone regrouped, Joshua had brought along an acoustic guitar and played it for everyone now.

"Sunday morning, rain is falling."

Someone lit up in a small hoot of approval. Kevin observed the group before him, the several families that had come together. He was especially pleased that the Hongs and the Xus were still hanging out with the lot of them, the latter being around a little less, but still coming out to join the fun, nonetheless.

He hadn't even realized when the last time his mom tried blatantly pushing him towards Serena. At some point, she stopped and it slipped his mind.

"Clouds are shrouding us in moments, unforgettable. You twist to fit the mold that I am in."

Kevin scratched his jaw as he turned his eyes down to the iPad settled in his lap. After he had finished up dinner, he ran inside to swap out his camera for his device to get some sketching done. There wasn't a particular project he was working on; he just wanted to practice a little.

When he lifted his gaze back up to pick a subject, he found himself looking in your direction. Your dad and Connor brought out the goodies to make s'mores. Long, slim skewers were passed around the circle, and the kids were the first to receive marshmallows to spear.

You and your sister sat beside one another and you helped her grab two of the mallows to impale. The light from the fire flickered across your face in differing levels of shadow, a play on contrast. Your expression seemed softer here—he wasn't really sure what it was. Maybe it was the tenderness at the corner of your eyes as you laughed at Connor's marshmallow falling burnt into the pit; maybe it was the triumph you shared with Alice when you helped her sandwich her marshmallows between a slab of chocolate and twin graham crackers.

He liked to believe his hand started before he consciously knew what he was doing.

"That may be all I need… In darkness, she is all I see."

"Are you sure you don't want me to make you one?" You asked your brother as he grabbed his redemption marshmallow from the bag.

Connor huffed, puffing out his chest. "I got this."

Your eyebrows flew upward. "Okay, big guy. Have at it." You chuckled and grabbed a marshmallow for yourself, sticking it onto your skewer to let it broil over the heat.

Kevin traced the lines of your face with his eyes, his hand transferring that memorization onto his screen. Sometimes human expressions were a little difficult to portray accurately, and there was a thorn pricking the back of his mind, urging him to do you justice. He didn't know if he could.

Your head slowly swayed to the sound of Joshua's pretty melody, the corners of your mouth tilting upward. Kevin shifted his position on the bench and drew the little tick mark at the edge of your mouth for that slight smile.

He always knew you were beautiful—for fuck's sake, he'd practically said it today in the forest. It had been among the crush of other important conversations, but he meant it. He still had the image of you engraved in his brain, the moment when you discovered the family of birds in the feeder house. You'd lit up like a goddamn star.

You stood up from your spot once your marshmallow became the perfect golden tone over the edges. You stepped over to the chair that held all the ingredients and smooshed the marshmallow between chocolate and cracker. Then, you turned and marched over to him.

Surprise alerted in his features, and he subtly tilted the screen of his iPad up against his chest. "Hey," he greeted softly while you approached.

You returned the expression and held out the s'more to him. "Here. It's for you."

The organ in his chest did a somersault. "What?" He laughed, "For me?"

"Yeah, silly. I don't know why you're so far away, but I know you like 'em." You settled on the bench next to him with one arm braced behind you on the table and your legs crossed, one over the other.

"Thank you," he said, using one of his hands to bite into it with childlike giddiness. The mixture of flavors exploded in his mouth—the crunch of the graham cracker, the soft, gooeyness of the chocolate and marshmallow. A perfect, sweet treat, and done exactly right. "Mmmh, this is so good," he mumbled behind his hand to catch any crumbs on his lips.

You chuckled. "Nice, glad it has your stamp of approval." Your eyes wandered down to his iPad, and you could see the white screen lit up against his shirt. "What have you been up to?"

His eyes widened a smidge, and there came a bashfulness to his face. (Cute.) "Oh, uhm," he swallowed down the remainder of the s'more and tilted the screen away from you. Huh, strange. "It's nothing really. Just sketching."

You hummed in understanding, though it was a little out of character for him to hide it from you. "Ah, I see."

The two of you descended into silence, and you leaned your back against the table to get comfortable. Kevin passed you sidelong glances from the corner of his eye, unsure of how you knew he wanted you to stay. (Because he definitely did want you to stay.)

Perhaps this was a sign. Thoughts had been brewing in his head as of late, and he wasn't quite sure what to do with them. They all just… sort of piled up in his hands and he didn't know how to free them up to reach out to you.

He opened his mouth to say something—anything—maybe even about the pact—to retract the pact?—it didn't matter.

But when he turned to look at you this time, your gaze was elsewhere. That soft, tenderness remained, but you had turned your attention to Joshua.

Ah. He shouldn't have jumped so soon. A hopeless kind of ache twisted in his stomach that made him uncomfortable. He briefly glanced down at his screen of what he'd sketched of you so far and decided it might be better to finish it later.

Fireflies. You nearly forgot that you planned to sneak out and see fireflies tonight.

By the time the campfire was cleaned up and everyone was tucked away into their beds, it was probably nearing midnight. You quietly rustled around your room in the dark and used only your phone's flashlight to gather things into a little knapsack—just the essentials, of course. There was no need to get fancy with it.

You wished you had signal so you could text Kevin and warn him ahead of time that you were about to go appear at his window, but you figured it would be fine anyhow. Even if he wasn't awake, the excitement buzzing inside of you could hardly wait.

Shouldering your bag, you headed out the door and crossed the divide between your house and the Moons'.

You located Kevin's window on the second floor, quietly rejoining when you realized it was cracked open. This had to be fate; what other reason would his window be open? (Clearly not for the cool, evening breeze or anything…)

You cupped your hands around your mouth. "Kevin!" You stage-whispered. "Kevin!"

A moment later, a head popped out the open frame. His hair stuck up a little bit and his eyes squinted down into the darkness at you. "Yn?"

"Yes," you said with a grin that he probably thought was idiotically too large. You waved him down. "I'm gonna go see fireflies!"

It took him a second to compute. "What time is it?"

"Like, midnight."

"Okay."

Seven minutes later, Kevin emerged from the back door with a T-shirt and sweatpants on, a yawn splitting his face. He shook his head out as if he was shaking out the remaining remnants of sleep from his system. You met him on the back stairs.

"So what's this about fireflies?" He asked you as the two of you ventured off into the wilderness.

Last year when you were up here at the lake, there was one night when sleep refused to take you. Your solution had been to go on a walk, and as completely dangerous as that sounded (because it was), you'd stumbled upon the meadow you now took Kevin toward. You hadn't the faintest why you never knew about this place after years of coming up to the lake town, but it was where the fireflies took flight.

The meadow was not too long a walk from where you both lived, and by the time you arrived, Kevin was wide awake.

"It's just over this crest," you told him, the jubilation in your voice nearly spilling over.

Kevin smiled at the sound of your excitement and eagerly followed you up the hill.

As soon as you made it over, you lost all your breath in awe. The meadow sprawled at your feet for miles was completely a-glow. Little beads of yellow-green light dotted the field in every corner like light bulbs strung together by invisible string. You had only ever seen this once in person, the rest via the internet and popular culture (movies, TV shows, and the like), and yet, it never compared to the real life experience.

You and Kevin stood there for a moment to soak in the sight. What a wonder of nature this was.

When you finally gained the sense to, you dug around in your bag for wherever you'd stashed your phone. Your tongue stuck out of the corner of your mouth as you fidgeted with the settings on your phone camera. You just wanted one little picture to show one of your professors at school, but it seemed your camera-working skills left much to be desired.

"Here, let me," Kevin murmured and gently took the phone from you. He showed you the screen as he fixed the settings—et voilà! Like magic, the field before you became visible on your camera screen in the crispiest, sexiest quality you had ever seen. "And… there you go."

He clicked the photo for you and handed you back your phone.

Mouth agape, you zoomed in on your completed photo. "Thanks, Kevin!" You gushed as you admired his handiwork.

He clasped a hand against the back of his neck. "No worries. Just a few tricks I learned."

You still warmed at the gesture. With your phone now tucked away, the two of you could sink back into the glory of the field of fireflies.

You heard Kevin's voice, soft, "How do they light up like that?"

"Bioluminescence," you replied in a whisper back. "It's a biochemical reaction that basically lets them convert energy into that light you see." There were plenty of other examples of bioluminescence in nature, as well. One particular instance you'd read about once, was a wave of bioluminescent algae appearing on the shores of a Southern Californian beach during the summer. It was neat stuff.

"Wild," he marveled.

A wave of calm fell over your form. You'd never felt so at peace in your life—just you, the outdoors, and one of the few people who made you actually feel this comfortable. You swallowed at the thought.

You were suddenly hyperaware of how close you were standing to him, the backs of your hands grazing against each other. You could feel his skin, his knuckles against yours—and maybe your brain was making it up, but the touch felt intentional.

For a second, you indulged yourself in what it might be like to close the distance and take his hand into yours. Of course, it wouldn't have to be in the romantic way; friends could hold hands… right? They could hold hands and your heart could skip several beats and he could look at your lips, and you would still be friends. Right?

You cleared your throat, and the sound seemed to thunder in the silence. "We should—we should probably head back," you said, sparing a glance at him.

He caught your eyes and held them. His lips turned upward, and the shine in his eyes was fond. "Okay."

With renewed energy, you made the trek back into the neighborhood. Your bucket list items for the summer had nearly all been checked off—not like you had a physical list written out. These were simply traditions you hoped to fulfill every summer while you were here in your happy place.

The crickets chirped a lovely serenade as you and Kevin strolled back onto the street where your houses stood. At the point where you both needed to split off, you nudged him with your elbow. "Thanks for coming out with me tonight."

"Thank you for inviting me," he countered with an amused hum.

"Good night, Kev."

You both lingered for a second. "Good night, Yn," he said back, pausing for a moment. Then he leaned over toward you and pressed his lips to the crown of your head. Your eyes fluttered shut. "Hope the lovebugs bite."

EPISODE ELEVEN: ROCKING THE BOAT

IF there was one thing that Kevin Moon was good at (besides the myriad of things he was actually good at), it was waking up his cousin to exercise with him in the morning.

"I think I deserve a nice, fat stack of pancakes after this," Yuna grumbled after nearly tripping over a raised tree root and kissing the forest floor. She grappled onto her cousin's shoulder to steady herself, the cousin in question giving a light chuckle at her antics. "When your mom said we should exercise together, I thought she meant the next time I was in Vancouver, not right now."

"Well, it's only because Yn's mom planned to go out with my mom this morning," Kevin mused. "Usually I have a designated walking partner."

"Woe is me. Alas, I have become your Plan B," Yuna sighed melodramatically with a hand draped over her forehead.

This morning, at a lovely 9:46am, the lake and its surrounding forest was just as alive and awake as Kevin was. The sun had taken up its perch in the clear, blue sky and the birds had long since begun their morning songs. They were awfully loud at this part of the lake, the exact three-quarter mark around the perimeter. Kevin thanked his parents for choosing houses away from this area—he would have never slept ever if they bunkered up here. (Not that he slept anyway, but that was beside the point.)

The walk began a little later than he usually did with your mom, but he granted Yuna a bit of leeway since she hadn't exactly been given a head's up. (He argued the opposite, but he let this once slide.)

"You're so dramatic," he chided playfully. "Watch out for that rock."

Yuna's mouth morphed into a deep frown, eyes wide open, as she narrowly missed being nature's fool another time. "Oh, speaking of Yn… Yn's mom? Whatever, I just mean Yn."

Kevin perked up at the topic change. His brain was fresh from last night's midnight endeavor with you and the fireflies. His lips still tingled from when he ventured to kiss you on the head… he wasn't sure where that courage had come from, but the memory of it kick-started his heart into a gallop. "What about Yn?"

She shrugged. "I dunno. You tell me." A smile crawled onto her face, and Kevin could smell her slyness a mile away. "The two of you have been hanging out a ton recently."

"We usually stick together," he sniffed, fidgeting absentmindedly with the beads on the bracelet you'd made him.

"Aish," she pressed her features into an unimpressed look that reminded Kevin of a typical Chanhee deadpan. "You're so unhelpful. You know what I'm talking about!" She smacked the side of his arm, and Kevin erupted into a fit of laughter.

His smile grew shy. "I don't really know what to say! I'm sorry—that's the truth." Because how could he even begin when it came to you? Where did it end, where did it begin?

"I see the way you look at her, Kev."

Kevin shoved his hands into his shorts. Suddenly the bird nest he spotted in a nearby tree became all too interesting. The bird nest reminded him of the birds who had made a home out of one of your feeders, and that reminded him of the adorable elation on your face when you discovered it and that reminded him of—he came to a stop. Oh, god, he was so far gone. "How do I look at her?"

Yuna peered at him curiously, then stopped to face him. "You look at her like I look at Jin. At least, that's how I think I look at him." She offered him a supportive smile. "But right now, you look like you're going through your midlife crisis."

"I might as well be."

She barked out a laugh. "Save that for when you buy a house, my friend."

He rubbed his temples with a wince. "Houses, domesticity, money, partners. Why is adulting so hard?"

"Hey, you'll get through it," she told him and nudged his shoulder. "What's going on, dude? What's on your mind?"

Kevin swallowed. He still hadn't the faintest idea where to begin, but everything had to start somewhere. Yuna had always been kind to him (a menace at times, but that feeling was mutual), and he trusted her with his vulnerabilities. He toed the ground. "Okay, last night, I kissed her—"

"YOU WHAT?"

He sputtered, red rushing to his face, as he grabbed her shoulders. Her eyes were practically falling out of her head. "Nonononono! Let me finish, you—I kissed her on the forehead, okay?"

Her gaping mouth closed only slightly. "Oh…" She thought about it some more. "Oh."

Kevin nodded gravely. "Yup."

Yuna straightened with a furrowed brow. "Well, that's not that big of a deal, is it?"

"What do you mean that's not a big deal?" His hands shot to the top of his baseball cap. "How is that not a big deal!"

"That's because the two of you refuse to acknowledge or entertain the obvious!"

Kevin hissed when she reached over to give his forehead a very hard flick. He rubbed the spot that began to smart; getting flicked in the forehead twice in one lake trip was twice too many. "The obvious?"

"That you guys can have the mushy gushy feelies without it being a product of the placebo effect from your moms' collective matchmaking efforts."

He made a face. "That was a lot of words…"

She deadpanned. "Kevin, listen to me: just because the two of you made a stupid pact when you were ten—"

"Eleven."

"Whatever. Eleven—doesn't mean that you can't leave room to, you know, amend that. You have to give yourself the opportunity to explore it, especially when I can clearly see that your feelings are changing about this girl." Yuna grasped her cousin by his shoulders this time in an attempt to telepathically insert these words into his brain. Or at least, just make him listen.

The words seeped into his head. The two of you had already made amendments earlier this trip, but you had never commented on the "only friends part." He even entertained the idea of bringing it up to you last night at the bonfire.

He didn't realize Yuna already began tugging him along the path to circle around the remainder of the lake to get back to the house. Everything was so muddled… but a part of him recognized that Yuna was right. He just wished he could get an idea of where your thoughts laid.

There were moments when you thought life could be like a movie, but then why was doing this pedal boat thing so much less glamorous than it seemed? Then again, maybe you shouldn't have thought doing this at high noon was the greatest idea.

You should have been like your Uncle Seokjin, who sat to your left, swallowed up in a blue lifejacket, a pair of big sunglasses, and a crocheted bonnet with a duck face to keep his face out of the sun. Yeah, maybe glasses would have been a good idea.

Sweat dribbled down the side of your face and down the slope of your nose, and you wiped it off with the back of your hand. "It's so hot, Uncle. We couldn't have waited until later today when it cooled down?"

He leaned back, his cheeks and skin reddened and damp from the heat and the fire in his calves from pedaling. "Okay, okay. Let's stop here."

"Right in the middle of the lake?" You asked incredulously, but immediately brought your feet off the pedals to give your legs a deserved break.

"What better place to do so?"

The two of you lounged in your seat beneath the molten afternoon sun, limbs screaming, water draining from your bodies through your pores. This would have been nice if you brought a sun umbrella… or maybe some water… man, did you make so many poor choices today.

"So what's going on with you and Kevin?"

The question snapped you out of your heat-fazed daze. You nearly thought you hallucinated him saying that. You stammered, "What about me and Kevin?"

You could see his overexaggerated facial expression even from behind his sunglasses. "Yah, don't give me that. You know what I'm talking about—I saw you two last night."

You lurched out of your seat and caused the violent rocking of the boat. You and your copilot let out twin swears as the boat evened out on the waves, and luckily, did not capsize. "Sorry—the fuck? You did?"

"Actually, I didn't," he snickered. "But now I know something did happen. So what's the tea, girl? Hit me with it. It's hot outside but I always take my beverages scorching." He shifted in his seat, carefully, in order to give you his full attention.

You couldn't believe he dragged you out to the middle of the lake just for this conversation. Total Uncle Seokjin move. You walked (or pedaled) right into his checkmate.

Moments of last night flooded into your brain—the campfire, the fireflies, the kiss, the… the him. Kevin. You gulped. Where did you even think to begin? "I took him to see fireflies last night."

Jin scrunched his eyebrows together. "Fireflies? Since when did we have fireflies? You didn't take me to see the fir—oh, you know, what? It was your little romantic moment; I got it."

"It wasn't a romantic moment!" You sputtered helplessly, uselessly. "It was—it was a moment of serenity and scientific marvel."

"You are such a nerd. What did he do, huh? Did you guys hold hands or something?"

Almost. "No," you said. "He… he did kiss my forehead once we got back though."

"Aha!" You both careened as the boat trembled violently from Seokjin's sudden Einstein epiphany. "I knew that something happened," he said once the boat slowed to a stop again. "I just had a feeling in my gut."

"Are you sure it wasn't the yogurt you had this morning?"

"How dare you," he huffed. "I brought my lactose pills. And hey! Stop changing the subject."

You laughed aloud, but inwardly, your gut was churning. Maybe you could blame the heat, but you knew the real reason why you were suddenly feeling as unstable as the pedal boat you sat upon. The idea that the entirety of your friendship could be so easily uprooted… well, perhaps not easily. Picking apart your friendship would be like flushing weeds out of a garden—you would have to get at the roots, and right now, the roots were so deep that you would fall into the ground before finding the bottom.

Not that you wanted to uproot your friendship, or relationship, with Kevin. Of course not.

What did that forehead kiss even mean? What did all of the moments you shared between him this summer, as a whole, even mean? Why, all of a sudden, did you want the way he looked at you to mean something different besides platonic affection? Why did you want more when you had never really thought about more before?

You voiced all of this aloud to your uncle, who sat staring out onto the calm surface of the lake. When you were finished with your ramble, he said, "You need to get your shit together, girl."

You coughed. "Thanks, that was so helpful."

"I'm told that a lot," he beamed. "But really, those are all very good questions, Yn. And they're super important, too."

You frowned, lifting the rim of your baseball cap to wipe away the perspiration collecting at your hairline like a cult. "Do you think that these mixed feelings are a result of all the matchmaking going on? Like, somehow, we've let it affect how we view each other?"

"Honestly?" He sighed, his shoulders lifting and dropping in a half-hearted shrug. "Could be. But, Yn honey, is it really such a bad thing? And let's think about it this way—how do you feel about Joshua?"

You didn't need to think too hard about it. "He's a catch, but not my type of butterfly."

"Exactly, and oh my go—"

"Don't," you chuckled menacingly, "call me a nerd."

He gestured vaguely with his hand. "I wasn't; I was gonna call you a dork."

You snorted. With another swipe at your dripping neck, you said, "But Kevin and Serena—"

"'Kevin and Serena' don't exist," he told you with a smack of his lips. Jin peered at you from over the rim of his glasses, which in kind, made the duck's beady eyes stare straight into your soul, too. "That girl bats for the other team, and Kevin has shown zero interest in her other than helping her not fall off a jet ski."

Huh. You leaned your elbow onto the knee of one leg, propped up to your chest. "Well when you put it that way…"

"When I put it that way," he finished for you, "it makes it a little clearer, hm?" You were quiet for a moment, and Jin gave your shoulder a pat. "Some things are just meant to be."

The words, so familiar to you, rang true as a bell. Some things are just meant to be. You couldn't help the smile that started to work its way onto your face, and it was all thanks to Seokjin helping you sweep away some of the webs confusing your brain. You weren't completely confident, but you could feel yourself being nudged in a certain direction, and this time, you weren't pushing back.

The tide could take you where it may.

Your uncle by association added quietly, "Haven't you thought just once that, after all this sneaking around, there's been another reason for it other than a pact?"

EPISODE TWELVE: FISH IN THE SEA, ANTS IN THE GROUND

BY the time you and Jin returned to solid ground, you discovered that Kevin was away with his dad helping the Xus pack and clean up. Today they would be departing the small lake town, as they hadn't planned on spending as much time up here as the rest of you did. You and most of the others already said your goodbyes at the campfire, so you had little else to do but twiddle your thumbs until you could confront Kevin with your thoughts.

A shower always produced productive results, especially after melting Wicked Witch of the West style in the middle of the lake.

There was time, you realized, to bring things together. Of course, there was a part of you that shied away from wanting to even address this epiphany. What if bringing this up opened up a whole new can of worms? In other words, what if talking about the elephant in the room only led to regret? You didn't want to lose Kevin, and because your families were always so close, you didn't want to lose this. This connection, this tradition, this place.

Too many memories made their home here at the lake. It was your happy place… his happy place. It was everything.

Everything could change, and wasn't that terrifying? But it could also be great, and who best to share the scariest, greatest moments of life with other than your Kevin Moon?

As rubber tire wheels ate gravel, Kevin nodded to his dad and set off back across the lawn toward your cabin. The afternoon had him busy with helping the Xus head home, which he didn't mind doing, of course; the lot of them had fun with his party, and his party with the lot of them. He and Serena left on friendly terms, undeterred by his mother's half-hearted attempt to get them sort of talking. Serena said she understood.

Kevin needed to talk to you though. After the morning was spent with Yuna getting him to see the big ass elephant in the room—trunk in his face and trumpet in his ear—there was no other course of action left but to tell you the truth.

The truth. God, the truth. The truth was that he didn't want the old pact in place anymore. That was it, plain and simple. It was crazy to think about how long the two of you had let it restrain your relationship—wait, did you want it to though?

"Hey Kevin!"

Kevin slowed to a stop, attention perking up at his name when he saw Joshua making his way over to him. He worried his bottom lip. You didn't… like Josh, did you? He just had to be sure because, well, that would throw a rock into things. "Oh, hey, man."

Joshua offered him a bright smile. "Hey. Did Serena and her parents just take off?"

Kevin cupped the back of his head. "Uh, yeah! Just now, actually."

"Cool, cool." Joshua nodded his head. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

His heart threw itself over the side of a cliff. Oh no. He let out a laugh, hoping to push the nerves out of his voice, but he was sure it wasn't too convincing anyhow. "Really? What—what about?"

"It's about Yn—" Oh, double no. "—I kind of," he winced, "noticed that her mom was trying to… nudge us together?"

"Oh god, let me be the first to apologize—"

Joshua broke the tension with a chuckle. "Hey, it's no worries! I just didn't know if you were aware or not because you and she kind of seemed like a couple to me, but I didn't know if her mom knew."

Kevin blinked, heart quickening for a different reason. "What?" He stammered. "Sorry, can we rewind?"

"Hm? That you and Yn are a thing? Are—are you not?" He gasped, eyes going wide. "Shit, that was stupid of me to just assume. Sorry if that was totally awkward!"

Oh, but quite the opposite. Kevin could feel the blood rush to his cheeks, clear as day. There was a warm feeling in his chest knowing that more people thought that you and him looked like a couple. It was ridiculous how the thought got him giddy now. Kevin shook his head though. "No, no, you're good, dude. But we aren't a couple." Yet. Hopefully.

Joshua cocked his head to the side curiously. "Oh? I guess… it's still a little strange of me to assume, so I apologize. You're…?"

"Interested?" A nod. "Yeah." (Wow, that was a verbal admittance. One step closer to the real thing.)

Kevin cleared his throat and grabbed his shoulder with his opposite hand. "You're not—you're not interested in her, are you? I mean," he rushed to add, "it's totally fine. I understand—"

Joshua shook his head. "Oh shit, no, I'm not interested. Not that Yn's a bad person or anything, but I'm taken."

Pause.

…that made sense.

Joshua laughed, ducking his head to hide the smile that blossomed on his face. "Yeah, I'm already spoken for. My parents don't really know yet, but… yeah. I didn't wanna get in the way of whatever you and Yn have, and hopefully I'm not saying this too late."

On the contrary, a weight lifted from Kevin's chest and he sucked in a lungful of summer breeze. "Nah, man. Thanks for saying it in the first place; I appreciate it."

"Yeah," Joshua said pleasantly. He nodded at him, lips pursed with one eye squinted. "She digs you, too, you know? I've seen it all throughout this trip."

Hope filled his heart like the air ballooning his lungs. He didn't know what to do with all of these. They just kept coming up onto the stack of things in his hands that he wanted to take into consideration and tell you to your face, once and for all. Your face just kept flickering in his mind's eye, and the nerves were slowly melting into excitement. He wanted to share this with you, as the two of you had done for years.

"I hope so."

Joshua clasped a hand on Kevin's shoulder. "I would say 'go get 'em, tiger,' but I have a friend at school who is scarily obsessed with tigers, so I'll just say—" A squeeze of his shoulder, "you got this."

Kevin didn't know what to do with that extra factoid, but he gave Joshua a grateful grin. "Thanks, man."

The pair split off from there, one heading back toward his own cabin, and the other, marching toward the future. Whatever laid ahead, he could take on.

His step gained a skip, and soon, he was jogging across the green until he appeared at your back porch. He hadn't really prepared anything—no romantic gestures, no flowers or candles, no chocolates. All he had were the words on his tongue and his newly realized love for you. Love, a strange phenomenon. He had his love for you stashed away in his breast pocket and it blossomed every summertime.

He let himself into the house and went poking around for you. "Yn? Yn, you back yet?"

No answer.

He ducked his head into the kitchen, the living room, before he came upon your bedroom door left slightly ajar. Through the sliver, he saw the bottoms of your feet on the bed, and he gently knocked on the door before pushing through.

"Yn…? Ah," His voice quieted to a whisper.

You were curled up over the bedsheets, asleep. Kevin slowly tiptoed his way over to you where your body was angled toward your phone screen, lying discarded on the pillow and actively running an episode of Our Planet.

A smile, fond and tender, pressed itself into his mouth. He reached over to carefully turn the downloaded episode off to descend the room in complete silence.

His head swiveled toward the foot of the bed where your patchwork quilt hung off the railing. He carefully draped it over your sleeping form, then made his exit.

You deserved the rest. And though he couldn't confess to you now, this gave him the time to ensure he got this exactly right.

EPISODE THIRTEEN: THE DAMSELS IN DEVOTION DEAL™

TIME passed by differently here.

One moment, you were biding your time and indulging in an episode of Our Planet; the next, the bedroom was dark and the house was quiet. You roused from sleep confused and delirious. You stretched your limbs up over your head, taking note of the quilt draped over your body.

Huh, you wondered how that got there.

Your eyes fluttered and squinted when you stood up and saw a flicker of amber light from outside your window. The view looked over only part of the backside to the house, so all you could see were the shadows that the campfire created. They danced by way of the breeze, their puppetmaster.

The time on your phone read a (slightly alarming) ten o'clock. You hadn't realized you slept that long. Maybe you were more tired than you originally thought.

Wait, then why was the campfire still blazing?—

"Yn! Psst!"

You pressed your face against the open slit in the window to track the sound of your name. Déjà vu swept over you as you discovered Kevin making his way over toward you from the outside. "Kevin? Is everyone still up?"

He shook his head. "No, no. I've just been waiting," he admitted sheepishly. "Come on out. Have you eaten yet?"

"Oh, no. I just woke up."

"Ah… right." He clasped the back of his neck. "Well, come out anyway. We can sit together."

Together. You liked the sound of that.

Without wasting more time, you promised him two minutes and scurried out of your room to round to the back door. The campfire crackled on your side of the lawn, rather than the middle of the properties this time, and Kevin tended to it on one of the two foldable chairs present.

You took a seat in the open seat. "S'mores?" You chuckled, noting the basket of ingredients at his feet.

He ducked his head. "Yeah," he loosened a laugh, "I thought I'd make you a s'more this time."

It was just a s'more, and yet, here was the organ in your chest palpitating in your chest. You didn't reject the s'more, of course, and watched him skewer a marshmallow and hold it over the blazing embers. As he did so, you caught the way his other hand fidgeted with your bracelet on his wrist, how his tongue darted out to wet his bottom lip. Was he as nervous as you were?

The thing, Yn.

"There's something I—" You both stopped short at your simultaneous words. They were the same, too, and had the pair of you fumbling.

"You first," you said, gesturing to him.

He hummed and tried for a smile. "Do you remember that night in sixth grade when we made the pact?"

You nodded.

"It was kind of like this actually," he mused. The marshmallow had browned into a beautiful gold, and you reached into the basket to help him assemble the chocolate and graham cracker pieces. Your fingers grazed his as he squished the outer crackers together to hand it to you. "A late night, s'mores, the campfire."

You took a chunk out of the s'more and swallowed before adding, "Seems like so long ago."

"Right?" He slipped the metal skewers back into the basket and leaned his arms onto his knees, body angled toward you. "The pact, I…" He considered his words as they melted on his tongue like the chocolate and marshmallow on yours. "I wanted to ask if you would think about another amendment."

You met his eyes now. The burning fire reflected in his dark irises, warm and bright. "An—an amendment," you parroted. Was this what you thought it was? You finished off your s'more, hoping not to choke when he told you whatever he wanted to tell you. You suddenly wondered if the s'more was just to soften the blow.

Kevin nodded. "Yeah, another amendment. We didn't really discuss the biggest part of the original pact when we made the rescue protocol."

"The 'just friends' clause," you finished, breathlessly.

"Yn, I don't wanna be just friends anymore."

It didn't hit you at first. You swore the ash from the fire was making you hear things, but it hit you, milliseconds later. "Oh."

He pursed his lips for a moment. "It's taken me a stupidly long time to come to this conclusion, and I was thinking about what we were talking about the other night—about if we were ready for relationships. And I said that maybe the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with was someone I already met.

"Yn, I think I'm in love with you," he said. "Not just in a way that friends love each other, but something… something more. And I wanted to let you know because—if I'm being completely honest—I want to share everything with you."

You could feel the way your lips curled upward and your heart soared. "I wanna share everything with you, too. And I don't know how long I've sat on this, but what I do know is that I feel so much for you." Every admittance that was released into the night air like sparks flying was another card laid out between you two, face up. "This place, the lake, has been my place, Kevin. But I want you to be my person."

He smiled at you, sweet and boyish, the type of smile that made you feel on the edge of seventeen. He helped you out of dark places with that smile; he was always showing you the light. "Your person," he murmured, letting that sink into his tongue and be familiarized with it. "I would love to be your person, Yn."

Your hand found his across the gap between your chairs. His thumb caressed over the side of yours, and he tucked his other hand over top until you were enveloped in his clasp—safe and sound.

When the fire was reduced to nothing more than ash and memory, you and Kevin raced each other down to the water's edge. The lake was stilled beneath the moonlight, a pool of silvery mercury. You reached for his hand again and intertwined your fingers firmly, a comforting weight and hold.

It felt right.

"So since we made an amendment to the protocol again," you started as he swung your laced hands between your bodies, "we need to seal the deal."

A grin bloomed on his face, and he bit his lip. "Hear me out," he drawled. "Maybe we should update the seal, too."

You narrowed your eyes in jest. "You just don't want me to flick your forehead."

"Sue me, you flick hard," he laughed.

"But shoot."

He licked his lips and turned to face you. "Can I show you?"

Your heart gave one big lurch as he leaned over to you. You closed the rest of the distance and sighed something happy at the feel of his lips against yours. It was gentle and brief, his mouth parting from yours to give you enough room to back away.

You could feel your twin smiles. "I kind of like it."

"Yeah?" He hummed. "Well, that can be our practice round."

You shook your head and threw your arms around his neck to pull him back over to you. His arms curled around your middle, hands pressed to your sides and holding you close.

When you broke apart this time, his warm chuckle ran a delicious bolt of electricity down your spine. "I know things are gonna be different now… But we got this."

It was the way he looked at you—the one that assured you he was the same Kevin he was three years ago and beyond; the kid who broke the swing set when you challenged him to a bet; the kid who sketched butterflies in meadows, and now sketched you in the firelight; the kid who would never judge you or ridicule you for your feelings, but validate them, always. You didn't know how you were so blind to it before.

It wasn't so scary anymore, not when you knew he would be there with you.

"Yeah," you said softly, running your thumb down the back of his neck, "I'm not really worried."

He let out a breathy laugh, and it coaxed one out of you, too. Kevin pressed his forehead to yours, pressed a kiss to the tip of your nose, pressed his heart to yours.

Some things really were just meant to be.

a/n: now the question is how are they gonna tell their moms... 🤡 if you enjoyed, pls remember to reblog, or comment, or send in an ask!! thanks for reading :] see you in at your convenience!

permanent taglist: @flwoie @vatterie @seomisaho @hqrana @ja4hyvn @tinkerbell460 @kaaimins @hyunjaespresent-deobi @otterly-fey @zzoguri @floatingpluto @winterchimez @ethereal-engene @gyulfriend @polarisjisung @jaehunnyy @shakalakaboomboo @loveliestfelix @bless-311 @zhaixiaowen @leaz-kpop-life @amourdsr @pxppxrminty @kqyutie @sseastar-main @kxthleen14 @fluorescentloves @mosviqu @justalildumpling @jaerisdiction @super-btstrash-posts @jundundun @http-gyu @mvvnsseul @outrologist @vernonburger @maessseongs @ericlvr @kflixnet

[cupidjyu]

oooh if you're still taking requests can you please do a shy Kevin x reader? I love your writing 😭

distract the cook

kevin x reader (request! tysm for loving my writing <33333 hehe)

genre: chef kevin bc i admire him, shy kevin, cuddling, neck kisses, kissing, he's a fool-ish notes: there is a big day coming up for me soon~~ i don't think ill do anything special for it though... i hope you like this anon! word count: 0.6k

“it is normal to not have much in common with your partner,” you read aloud after searching it up. it was the first article that came up.

“okay but-” kevin pointed at the many rows of plushies and stuffed animals stacked up on your bed. “can i please disagree with this?”

you glared, putting your hand on your hips, “what’s wrong with this?”

“it’s a mountain!” he complained. “your bed is supposed to fit two people but it can barely fit half of one…”

“they’re cute!” you defended, shoving a beady-eyed cat in his face for proof.

“they are but…” he dragged his hand down his face in a stressed manner. “there’s just so many.”

you didn’t reply. instead, an amazing idea appeared in your head. you approached him quickly, making him jump momentarily.

you looked him straight in the eye, “shush.” and then you jumped at him, pressing a firm kiss to his lips. when you pulled away, his eyes were wide as he stared at you in utter shock.

“y-you caught me off guard…” he muttered.

you could only giggle. at least you won the argument.

you settled down on the bed and looked up at him.

“won’t you join me?” you posed, looking at him teasingly. he instantly flushed and shook his head, looking away.

“i have to cook dinner now, actually,” he replied.

“aw,” you pouted. “but i missed you…” you batted your eyelashes at him. “dinner can wait a bit.”

“uh…” he looked conflicted as he looked between you and the exit of the room. eventually, though, his shoulders sagged and he sighed, defeated. “fine, but just for a few minutes.”

he climbed in next to you and as soon as you felt his body warmth, you immediately relaxed and smiled. you hugged him tightly, throwing an arm over him so he couldn’t possibly escape. he laughed fondly and simply patted your head.

soon enough, you fell asleep. a very comfortable nap that you haven’t gotten in a while.

when you woke up, the spot next to your bed was empty. you frowned, already missing your boyfriend as you yawned and went to the kitchen where he was currently chopping vegetables for what you presumed was dinner.

an apron was wrapped around his waist, making his shoulders look broader than usual. you gulped.

and then there was another fantastic idea. you quickly snuck behind him, making sure to take light steps. and at just the right moment, you wrapped your arms around his torso, pulling him into a back hug as you buried your face into him.

he startled and glanced at you briefly.

“you’re awake?”

“mhm,” you leaned up, and without a second thought, you pressed a light kiss to his neck. you could see goosebumps erupt over his skin as he shivered.

he tried to shove you away with his elbow, “g-get away…” he stuttered. “i’m holding a knife, you know.”

“i missed you,” you whispered, snuggling closer.

“you literally just saw me,” he sighed, unable to hide his smile.

“but still.” you looked up and you broke into a fit of giggles. his ears were severely red. “since when were you so shy, kev?”

“since i met you,” he simply muttered. you cooed, holding even tighter. he shook his head and continued with the cutting. once he was finished, he turned around and looked at you with a frown.

you looked at him confused, “what?”

“i don’t know,” he shrugged. “you make my heart embarrassingly beat fast.” you smiled affectionately. you leaned up and pressed your lips against his once again. when you parted, you could see that he was dazed, his eyes glossed over. he quickly turned around to salt the food he was cooking.

you gasped.

“kevin, that’s sugar!”

he cursed, hiding his face in his hands, “look what you’ve done.” he groaned, “you always distract me.”

[tbzxnight]

paint me naked

warning: nsfw, contains smut, body painting, nipple play, messy sex, long (well over 2k).

"Honestly, it's all pretty subjective," Kevin says, looking over at you mid-stroke. "You could paint anything and it'll be considered art by at least one person, I promise." You try to nod along to his words but looking down at your painting so far, you think yours might be the one and only exception. It was very easy for him to say, he has these naturally gifted hands that helped him make masterpieces while barely trying. Right now, even, he's painted a landscape with just his fingers and you couldn't believe how lifelike it looks. You pout, looking at the mess in front of you, "Hey, why don't you come help me here? Give me some pointers, maybe? "

Kevin smiles, softly calling you cute under his breath and pads on his hands and knees over to you. He sits beside you, looking over your "art " so far. "Actually I really like it, we can build off of this. May I? " You nod, almost too fast, relieved you didn't have to keep doing this yourself. Your jaw drops slightly when you realize what he meant by this; he moves behind you, wraps his hand to cover yours and dips your fingers in the navy blue before leaning both of your bodies forward, looking over your shoulder, and moving your hand with his over the canvas. After you see the beautiful strokes that your fingers are suddenly making under his guidance, you're so awestruck, you find yourself turning your neck around to stare at his face.

"What do you think? " he asks, once he's finished, turning his head to face you. "Gorgeous," you answer immediately, in a semi-daze looking into his pretty brown eyes. He chuckles, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he says, "You didn't even look at it, though? " "Oh, right," your face heats up, embarrassed that you've been caught. He just smirks, your breath hitching when he leans closer and you see his mouth part open, his eyes moving down to look at your lips. Bringing his hand up to your cheek, he turns your face towards him even more before taking your lips in his. The paint from his fingers feels cold against your cheek but the kiss sets your whole body aflame and buzzing with energy.

You smile into the kiss before pulling back a bit to stare at his face, eyes getting drawn down to his lips. Without thinking, you grab his face with both hands and kiss him again, this time much deeper than the previous one. His strong arms pull you into his lap, caressing up your bare thighs under your skirt before wrapping his arms tightly around your waist. Your hands move down to grip the front of his shirt, lips parting against his and letting his tongue slip into your mouth, in a fight for dominance, which he definitely won. You break the kiss, gasping for breath when you feel his hips move up to grind against your crotch. Still moving his hips, Kevin kisses your cheek, his lips moving past your jaw and down your neck.

You can't help the little moans you let out as he nips at your neck, sucking on the tender skin. "Hey, wanna try something with me? " He mumbles against your skin, "If you don't want to, we don't have to." "You mean sex? " you breathe out, "Of course, I want to." He laughs, his shoulders shaking with it. "No, I mean yes, but I meant something else first." He lifts you up, places you back on the floor and adjusts himself, before walking away. You sigh at the loss of his body against yours and the delicious friction you were creating with him mere seconds ago.

He comes back a few seconds later with a drop sheet and a paint tray palette with 5 wells of red, orange, blue, purple and pink paint. "I want to paint you, on your body, naked," Kevin says, already unfolding the drop sheet in front of you. Damn artists and their damn random bouts of inspiration. But you had to admit, the thought did turn you on - more than you expected actually. "Okay, but you have to get naked too," you reply while pulling off your t-shirt and bra. He chuckles again but obliges, taking his shirt off. His abs and biceps looked glorious, you had to stop yourself from nearly drooling. "Fuck," you hear Kevin mumble under his breath as he stares at you taking your skirt and panties off too.

Stepping to the middle of the drop sheet, you're about to complain about how Kevin still has his sweats on when he steps forward and strokes a brush coated in orange paint down and around the curve of your breast in a long sweeping motion. You shiver as the cool of the paint sends a tingle down your spine. Your nipples harden and you're not sure if it was necessarily due to the cold. Kevin's eyes drift from the line of his paint to your breasts, his cheeks and ears turning a light pink. "Is it too cold? " He asks you. "It is cold, but I don't think that's the reason," you reply coyly.

The blush darkens on his cheeks, his ears a fiery red as his tongue glides over his bottom lip. He makes eye contact with you before leaning down, putting his soft lips around your nipple. You intake a sharp breath when he swirls his tongue around it, taking turns kissing and sucking on it. "Kevin..." you sigh, your hand holding his head. His tongue curls around your hardened nipple and when he pulls back, his teeth graze over it, making you press your thighs together subconsciously. He turns his attention back to his art as you blink and shake your head, trying to focus back on the art instead of the heat building between your legs.

He spends the next few minutes adding some purple strokes on your stomach, tickling you when he fills the colour in. He dips his thumb into the blue on his palette and traces it along your hip bones, his mouth slightly parted with concentration. As much as you were enjoying his touches, you couldn't help but crave more, especially when you see his muscles flex with his movements. Picking up your brush, you dip it into the red paint and coat your hand and fingertips. Kevin raises an eyebrow but doesn't say anything as he continues his work. You press your red palm against his toned chest. "What do you think? " The corner is his lips lift, "Best thing you've done all night," he quips.

"Hey! " You smack him on the shoulder, forgetting about the paint and splattering it everywhere. "Oh, now you're asking for it," he laughs, eyes darkening. He begins painting his palm pink. "Hm, where should I put this? " He teases, eyebrows wiggling mischievously. You smile, swallowing loudly with anticipation, your body screaming for him to touch you, anywhere. "How about here? " he whispers, watching you as you shiver slightly, subconsciously pushing your chest towards him. He licks his lips and moves his hand up to around your neck, "Maybe here? " Fuck yes, you thought as your head jerked in a nod.

He steps closer so your chests are touching, moves his hand down around your waist and smacks it down on your ass, hard but not painful. You gasp as he drags you forward, his fingers digging into your ass. "Yeah, here," Kevin breathes, pressing his lips against yours. You kiss him like a woman starved, your arms wrapping around his neck as his other arm goes around your waist. His hands make their way to your front and up to your ribs, smearing the paint in his wake. Without breaking the kiss, he moves you backwards, pushing your back against the wall. His hands grip each of your breasts and brings them up, breaking off the kiss so he can lean down and suck on your nipples again.

Letting out a moan, you let your head fall back against the wall and wrap a leg around him, needing that sweet friction between your now bare pussy and his clothed erection. His cock is hard and strains against the thin material of his sweatpants. He groans quietly against your skin as you slide up and down over his bulge, giving you even more butterflies in your stomach. He sucks and bites at your breasts, making sure to move from one to the other and back again, driving you insane. "Kevin," you moan, "I need you, please." He groans louder at your pleading and pins your body against the wall, spreading your legs further to fit his whole body in between them.

He holds you up with one arm - since when was he this strong? - as he pulls down his pants and boxers with lightning speed. He lines his erection up, his tip teasing your entrance and starts kissing you again, hard and passionately. You eagerly match him, bringing your tongue to meet his and swirling it around, your arms tightly wrapped around his neck. As you feel yourself get lost in the kiss, he suddenly thrusts up so he's fully inside you, eliciting a gasp from you as you arch your back off the wall into him. Without waiting for you to adjust, he begins thrusting deep in and out of you over and over, the head of his cock hitting your cervix with each thrust has you moaning loudly into his mouth.

You bunch your hands in his hair, the paint on your hands clinging to the blonde strands, sticking them together in red clumps. You could feel your climax building already thanks to all the foreplay from earlier. "I'm close, Kev-" you moan out, voice strained. He looks taken back for a split second before smirking and rolling his hips up into a rhythm, harder than before, one hand now on your nipple, tweaking it to further your pleasure. You cry out and your orgasm hits you, shuddering through you and making all your muscles seize up. Kevin keeps thrusting, fucking you through it until you have to squeeze his shoulder when the overstimulation gets too much.

"Sorry, baby," he murmurs into your hair, hugging you closer. He pulls out and turns around, still carrying you, away from the wall and lays you down on the drop sheet. He positions himself above you, kissing you again, grinding his cock in between your pussy lips. You shiver at the movement; feeling yourself getting turned on again, you let out a shaky breath you didn't realize you were holding. "Fuck, Kevin, inside me again - please," you spread your legs wider, insatiable for him apparently. He smiles are this, "That's my good girl, I knew you had it in you." He pushes his cock into you again, this time at a painstakingly slow pace.

Grabbing ahold of the sheet under you, your eyes close, your jaw slack as you take in the delicious feeling of his cock inside you. You both sigh in relief when he bottoms out, you open your eyes to see his perfect face an inch away from yours. "God, you feel so fucking good," Kevin moans out, his thick arms flexing in their planking position as he holds himself above you. You clench around him, taking pleasure in the way he moans even louder when he pulls back out and it's even tighter than before. He lets out more curse words and mutters under his breath how you'll be the death of him.

He thrusts in you with that same slow pace, spreading your legs apart further to reach even deeper inside you. Your whole body jerks forward when he touches your g-spot and continues to hit it dead on with every snap of his hips. "Oh my- fuck, Kevin, right there-," you whimper out, putting your arms around him to pull him closer. You bite down on his shoulder, making him groan into your neck and speed his thrusts up, you could tell he's as close as you are. "Babe," Kevin moaned into your ear, "come with me." You nearly melted at his words combined with how deep and raspy his voice sounded. Nodding, you move your hips to match his rhythm, both settling on a faster pace.

Kevin slows himself down, just the tiniest bit, his breath hitching and steadying again as he tried to make sure you would come together. Listening for changes in your sighs and moans, the tightness of your grip on his hair tells him when you're getting closer. You gasp when he angles your bodies up a bit to somehow hit even deeper and wrap your legs around his waist, crossing your ankles behind him, holding him impossibly close to you. "Now," he breathes against your skin, "cum with me now, baby, fu-!" He lets out a deep groan as he thrusts his orgasm inside you, hugging you tight as your orgasm washes over you too. This time is more intense than the last, knowing he's right there at the peak with you.

You both breathe heavily, staying in that position for a few moments when he lifts himself up to face you. He pushes your hair back to caress your face, similar to the way you run your fingertips along his jaw. It's then that you notice the absolute mess you've created around you two, paint in every which direction. "We ruined your art," you say, looking down at your body. "I think we made it better, a personal touch is always nice," Kevin replies, touching his forehead with yours. "You're pretty," he says after a minute of staring into your eyes. "You're not so bad yourself," you quip. He scoffs out a laugh before he brings his face down again to kiss you again, tenderly and deeply.

🖤

[noisyquokka]

Could I request a blurb with kevin from the boyz where we get stuck at home during a snowstorm but then eventually have to go back to work/school, the regular grind ig? Fluffy and cute stuff plz ^-^

The Place To Be

PAIRING - Kevin x GN!Reader

SYNOPSIS - Spending three days in the house can easily bring on cabin fever. Well, except when Kevin's around... It's even harder to get back on schedule when he's actively doing his best to keep you near.

WORDCOUNT - 1.9k

WARNINGS - Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, sarcastic comments/insults incoming (It's just that kinda relationship), just two (2) dorks doing cute shit together and being cute together, Kevin being a menace

A/N - So it's not a blurb (I'm basically incapable of writing anything under 1k words) but I hope you enjoy it all the same!💛 Edit: I'd like to formally apologize for thinking I posted this like 3 weeks ago when it, in fact, sat in the drafts 🤡 send me to the pit of flames, y'all!

"Good God, how many shades of the same yellow does one paint kit need!?" Kevin shakes his head, squeezing the tiny tube of Cadmium onto the palette. He's sitting beside you, working on a paint-by-number piece that he'd bought months ago. What better time to crack it open than today? You turn your head to the canvas, taking in his progress.

"Those are not the same shade, Kev." You point to the few yellows you assume he's referring to, along with the one he'd just added to his palette. "That's a light yellow compared to this one. This is more of a lemon." You reach for two others; Golden and Saffron. "And these are two different shades, babe."

"Golden, Lemon, Banana Cream, Pineapple, Pear. I don't see a difference!"

"And you call yourself an artist... pfft." It's a mumble that's loud enough for him to hear, one that earns you the bump of his knee into yours under the table. You chuckle in response, bringing your palm to rest under your chin.

His eyes rove over the canvas, and you can see the cogs turning in your boyfriend's head as he figures out how to twist this paint-by-number into his own little masterpiece. The box was labeled Cottage in the Mountains but you knew Kevin. He'd add his own little touch to the canvas in the end.

"I know I'm hot, but quit staring, babe!"

"Oh, so hot that the snow is still falling." you pipe up, sarcasm thick in your tone. Kevin places a hand on his chest dramatically, rubbing at his pec as if you've wounded him. He leans into you, pressing a kiss to your hairline before he diverts his attention back to the tubes of paint.

"Felt that one deep in my chest, at least five years off my life." He presses another kiss to your nose, finding the smirk on your lips when he pulls away. "You trying to kill me off early?"

"Ugh, you got me. I'm actually an assassin." You reach for one of the painting knives on the table, running your fingers over the blade like a villain in a movie. "Unfortunate that I have to break it to you when we're stuck in this house together, snowed in... no one to come looking for you..."

"Well, when you say it like that." he trails, taking the knife from you. He's so unbothered, too used to this back and forth that you two have conjured as your love language. The corners of your lips curl up in a grin, and you bring your hand up to cradle his jaw, pressing your lips against his cheek in a quick kiss.

"You are the only thing saving me from this hell. So thank you for staying with me." you say. Kevin chuckles, dipping his brush into the dollop of Cadmium.

"We live together, you know." 

"Well yeah, but you could've chosen to paint in the office or something."

"But I didn't." The paintbrush moves over the canvas with sparse flicks of a wrist, the man's attention taken up by the careful strokes of his workspace. Your smile hadn't faded by much, but watching him work brightened it like morning glories.

"No, you didn't." you murmur. You get up from your seat, carding your fingers through his hair before leaving a kiss on top of his head. 

It's a simple thing, really; with below-zero wind chills and a snow band that wouldn't let up, you two were stuck inside. The whole town had shuttered with the storm, putting the safety of the citizens above all else, which in turn, canceled any non-essential traveling. With the snow falling at a pretty good clip, plows couldn't clear the streets fast enough. Living in a cold climate long enough had humbled you, and you easily knew when it wasn't worth going out. It also taught you how to make a mean chicken and veggie soup. Speaking of...

The paintbrush halts its movement over the canvas, brown eyes sliding back to where you disappear into the kitchen. His stomach rumbles, those familiar scents of seared chicken and simmered vegetables distracting him from his work. Kevin finishes the bit of paint off before cleaning off his used brushes, standing from the dining table and padding after you.

"Need any help?" He smiles, watching the moment your head turns to find his form standing in the doorway. You wave him over, stirring the soup in the Dutch oven. Long arms find their respective place around your torso, pulling you slightly away from the stovetop flame.

"You're like a dog," you mutter, setting the ladle down on the counter. You turn to face him, his fingers sweeping your midriff with the action, leading him backward until his hip meets the island. "always sneaking into the kitchen, nosing around for scraps."

"Does that mean I get whatever my heart desires?" He leans against the marble, dipping his head down till his forehead bumps yours.

"Depends." you reply with a sly grin, hands sliding over the fabric of his hoodie. "What exactly are you looking for?"

Your question is met with a cheeky smile and a raised brow, strong hands slipping around your waist.

"Nothing too demanding, just you and me cuddling on the couch after we eat?" The corner of his mouth quirks up, and he cocks his head to the side. "And a taste of that soup?"

You twist away from his grasp, bringing your attention back to the stove. The soup simmers on medium heat, steam rising above the broth as you stir the menagerie in the pot. You hum to yourself, feign thinking it over. Kevin's arms catch you as you instinctively lean back into his chest, fingers trailing over your side. After a moment, the ladle is placed on the counter again, and you reach to the left to wretch the drawer open for a spoon. It's all the answer Kevin needs.

“Nothing too demanding?” you finally ask, a teasing lilt in your voice. The remark is too easy to pass up cracking jokes, and it earns you a breathy laugh as your boyfriend rests his chin on your shoulder.

"Maybe later, if you're feeling up to it." He matches your humorous teasing easily, following it with a kiss on your shoulder. You bite back a smile, taking the spoon to the pot with a careful hand, a sample taste that you blow on before turning to your boyfriend. You keep your free hand under the spoon as he takes a sip from the utensil, licking his lips just like a dog.

"Perfect!" he replies, eyes soft as he glances down at you. Fingers glide up the wrist that's holding the spoon, stealing it easily to go back for seconds.

"Biased!" you counter, reaching for the spice rack.

"For you? Always," Kevin admits, taking another sample from the pot. "But your comfort food always tastes the best."

"I'm not sure if that's an insult or a compliment to my cooking skills."

"Both." The word falls off his tongue quickly, and you scoff.

"Don't go eating it all, there's still ten minutes left on the timer!" You swat his hand away from the pot, stealing the spoon back with a half-hearted glare.

"Is that your way of telling me patience is a virtue?" he questions, taking you back into his grip. He catches the sidelong glance you spare - the shoulder that you shove back into him in retaliation - and he grins. 

"That's exactly what I'm saying." You take from the few spices you've used in the soup already, adding a little more into the pot. Kevin intently watches you work, a looming heat over your shoulder that warms you more than the flame in front of you. He doesn't let go of you when you finally back away from the stove, opting to pull you with him until he's once again leaning against the counter and you're pressed against his chest. With seven minutes left on the timer, you let your attention drift to the man clinging to your waist.

Large hands sweep up your back and pull you closer, brown eyes locked with yours for a brief moment. Patience practiced, his gaze briefly drops to your lips and then he’s leaning in, a gentle brush of his against yours that has you instinctually wrapping your arms around his neck. The warmth of his breath makes the hairs on your neck stand like electricity coursing through your veins. You nuzzle your nose playfully against his, earning yourself a lazy grin.

The space between you dwindles to nothing once he captures your lips in a kiss. It's soft and sweet, a simple little thing that has a smile pulling at your lips, and suddenly the kitchen is the coziest place to be. Kevin's ears twitch at the sound of your laughter, heard in between liplocks and small pecks.

The best sound he's ever heard.

It's when you lean into him and curl your fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck that he pulls away, pressing his forehead into yours. Just in time for the timer to go off.

It's like this for the three days that you're stuck at home; a simple routine that you quickly grow accustomed to as the hours drag on. While you don't mind sticking it out with your boyfriend, you're not against the idea of racing out into the yard to bury yourself under the several feet of snow that has fallen. Kevin makes it bearable when he's got you wrapped up on the couch or in bed, nothing more than the sound of your collective breathing and tangled legs under blankets.

It only becomes a problem when the snow has ceased and snow removal has wrapped up.

"Kevin, baby, I have to get up!"

You're still in bed, imprisoned in your boyfriend's embrace while you watch the minutes quickly deplete for you to get ready for your shift. Kevin whines into your neck, his arms tightening when you try to pry them off.

"Don't you have sick days left?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Take a sick day." he pleads, eyes closed as he snuggles into you.

"You know I can't do that."

Cue the grumbling like a perturbed feline being chased from the bathroom sink. You can't help but laugh at the response, trying once again to escape the man's clutches. He only tightens his grip again.

"Kev, come on, now," you whisper, turning your head towards your boyfriend. "We've been stuck in the house for three days."

"Take a sick day," he repeats, mumbling the words against your neck. His lips are warm against the skin, nipping at the delicate flesh lazily before he lifts his head to meet your gaze.

"Please?"

It's hard to protest when he's looking at you like that; like you're his only reason for staying in bed another day. The heat of his body sinks into yours and you feel the protests on the tip of your tongue succumbing to the thumb massaging circles into your hip. To be completely honest with yourself, you'd be willing to skip work daily if you could stay wrapped up in Kevin's arms like this for the rest of your days.

You sigh softly, knowing your attempts to convince him to let you go are failing. The puppy eyes have won you over, and he'll melt any defenses you can muster up with them.

Your hand juts out for your phone, grabbing it from the nightstand. It's a quick unlock and a couple of taps, a quick call to your supervisor that you can't make it in due to the driveway being snowed in. A little white lie. When you hang up, you shoot your boyfriend a look.

"Happy?" you ask.

Kevin sighs contentedly, pulling you close as he makes himself comfortable again.

"Very."

Psst!! If you made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read my work 💕 I appreciate you!

[daisyvisions]

[11:38PM] - Close to You (k.m)

Warnings: Smut (18+, minors DNI), boyfriend Kevin, thigh fucking, accidental p in v and eventually unprotected sex (rough sex), hair pulling, pet names (baby, sweetheart). Word count: 0.7K

A/N: Exercising the writing muscles with this one! Short but a part 2 to this fic and for the anons who requested for a part 2 many times a while back. Sorry for the wait, hope you still enjoy this! My very late birthday gift to Kevin! Tagging @deoboyznet @winterchimez @snowflakewhispers @snowflakewhispers

Thinking about boyfriend!Kevin, who’s been nothing but a sweetheart to you from the beginning of your relationship and the most selfless man you had ever met. You were so blessed to have him in your life.

Despite all his loving gestures and praises, there would still be that little voice in your head convincing you he was just being nice and that soon enough this honeymoon-like stage would eventually wear off.

But Kevin would prove time and time again how strong his love for you was, especially ever since that night you became intimate with him.

You could never get enough of each other whenever you were left alone. And even when things started to get incredibly hot, Kevin still kept his word and never pushed you to do anything you didn’t want to do (even when you could clearly see how worked up he’d get).

God bless his beautiful soul.

Eventually, the horny bug had gotten to you, and you couldn’t take it anymore. You wanted him closer than ever before. You were ready to give yourself to him, body and soul.

“You’re doing so well for me baby, that’s it.” Kevin hisses in your ear as he continues to fuck himself between your thighs, the tip of his manhood nudging at your sensitive bud deliciously.

You could feel both his hesitation and hunger whenever the tip would slightly prod at your entrance, begging to go inside just for a moment.

Suddenly, as Kevin continued to thrust himself harshly between your thighs, he pulled back a little too much. When he thrusted forward once more, the tip of his member got caught at your entrance, accidentally pushing his entire length inside you in one swift motion.

You moaned so loud, not because of the pain but because of how well he stretched you out. The way your walls enveloped him easily, like he was meant to be there. And it felt so good.

While you were nearly fucked out by this, Kevin froze completely still. While yes it felt so amazing to finally be inside you, he was internally freaking out, doing something he knows he’s not allowed to do yet without your full consent.

“Oh shit baby- I’m so sorry-” Kevin stuttered. As he tried to pull out you grabbed his hips and pulled him aggressively, making him go deeper inside you and hitting that spot you couldn't reach on your own.

“Don’t stop, please!” You whined, your hips thrusting to get him to move inside.

And it was like a switch had turned on within Kevin, because he instantly locked you in place and started fucking you like there’s no tomorrow. Deep hard thrusts going in and out of your heat as his arms wrapped around you, making you absolutely delirious.

“Fuck you feel so amazing baby, so tight…” He mumbles against your lips as he kisses you, continuing to pound himself into you. He slightly grabs a fistful of your hair, pulling it towards him as you moan loudly.

“Oh so you do like it rough, don’t you?” He chuckles as you nod your head, smiling back at him as drool starts to spill from the corner of your mouth.

Who would’ve thought his sweet angel would be a nasty little thing? He thought to himself. The idea of you like this, completely giving yourself to him, the way you look at him like he gave you the stars makes his cock throb inside you? It was enough to make him pussy drunk.

Eventually, you reach your highs together, Kevin making sure he cleans you up and gets you everything you need before lying back down to cuddle. You rest your head on his chest, his breathing slowly lulling you to sleep.

“Kevin?” You look up at him, eyelids heavy as you feel yourself slowly closing.

“Thank you,” you whisper. “You’re so good to me, how did I get so lucky?”

“I could ask myself the same thing,” Kevin sighs. “I’d do anything for you, you know that, right?”

“Mhm.” You yawn as you snuggle up to him. “I love you.”

Kevin smiles back at you, kissing your head slowly as he brings you closer to him.

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

[hcuyk]

[ 18+ ] . . . . . . . . will the inferno rekindle?

[ OUR INFERNO ] WORD COUNT : THREAD

OUR INFERNO elaborates the complexities within a relationship—the spark, the blaze, the pain. your love with hyunjae is a never ending fire; it's something so strong, so beautiful and powerful, that it suffocates you both into believing that your relationship would last, only for it to go down in flames.

C—URRENT WOR—D . C—OUNT : 22k

please consider supporting by joining my taglist(s)!!

—-—-— i want us to experience this journey together <3

OUR INFERNO —T—AGLIST <- | -> PERM—T—AGLIST

lovely beta readers : @simpforsunwoo @stealanity @drunkdrazed @winterchimez — they own my heart

THERE WILL BE A HAECHAN VERSION AS WELL

< 4/16 > scene five (final rewrite) : 3219 : finished

< 4/16 > scene five (third draft) : 2481 : finished

< 4/15 > scene five (second draft) : 408 : discontinued

< 4/14 > scene five (first draft) : 2091 : unfinished

< 4/14 > chapter one : 19272 : posted!

< 4/12 > scene four (final rewrite) : 10261 : finished

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< 4/10 > scene four (final rewrite) : 1492 : finished

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