#ki hyunwoo

[dragonsareawesome123]

Cha Joowan and Ki Hyunwoo sitting next to each other at Seoul Fashion Week 2025 Spring/Summer (September 7, 2024)

[astredefunt]

ki hyunwoo - 3 avatars © astre défunt

textures : ©d.m.nagu sur instagram

[uhhhhmanda]

I finally watched Jun & Jun today. 🥰

Not only is this clip one of the funniest moments in the show (and it's not even the whole scene, lol) but Ki Hyunwoo's deadly lashes, lips, and beautymark combo are really on display. I found him distractingly gorgeous but also funny as hell.

[elikajinnie]

P: Obsessed Bff!Ni-ki X Fem!Reader

Warnings: Obsession, Implied Stalking, Mentioned Murder, Dark Themes, Blood/Injury, Manipulation, Jealousy, Ambigious Ending.

Synopsis: School was exhausting—early mornings, endless classes, and a future resting on grades you couldn’t bring yourself to care about. The only thing that made it bearable was Ni-ki, your childhood friend who had been by your side for as long as you could remember. But that was the problem. He was always there. You only had him, and now you wanted some space away from him. But Ni-ki had other plans... After all, he wasn’t about to let you go.

a/n: i had jason dean from the heathers in my mind during this :3 now fun fact! i was spacing out during work and the plot just came to me :3

now playing: nowhere to go by bad omens | stalker by badflower | lil demon by future

Watching the clock on the wall tick away the seconds had been your only source of entertainment for the past few minutes. Your eyelids drooped, heavy with exhaustion, as your arm singlehandedly kept your head from fully surrendering to sleep. The droning voice of your teacher faded into the background, blending with the faint scribbling of pens and the occasional cough from a classmate.

Your only solace was the fact that class was almost over. Your second was that Ni-ki sat beside you, taking notes that you’d probably copy after school. Your third—perhaps the most important—was that if you did end up dozing off, he’d cover for you without hesitation.

That’s what you liked about Ni-ki—he could read you like an open book. After years of friendship, he knew exactly what you needed, when you needed it, and what you liked without you ever having to say a word. He was the one person in the whole world you trusted without hesitation.

So, when he subtly nudged your arm with his elbow, not even glancing your way, you knew it was his way of saying, Stay with me, class is almost over. His notes continued to fill the page in his handwriting, and you briefly wondered if he was even paying attention or just writing for the sake of keeping busy.

You let out a quiet sigh, blinking away the exhaustion, but the weight of the day clung to you stubbornly. Your head tilted slightly toward him, and without a word, he shifted his notebook a little closer to your side of the desk, making it easier for you to read.

A silent agreement. If you weren’t going to stay awake, at least you wouldn’t fall behind.

After all, it was you and Ni-ki against everything. You had him, and he had you. No matter what happened, no matter how hard things got, you both knew that there was no one else who would stick by your side the way he did.

When the clock finally ticked down to the last few seconds, and you both gathered your things. Ni-ki glanced at you, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, knowing exactly what was coming next.

"Copy my notes later, yeah?" he said, his tone teasing but warm.

You nodded, a small smile forming despite yourself. “You always know what I need, don’t you?”

Ni-ki’s grin widened, his eyes glinting with that familiar mischievous spark. “I’m practically psychic.” His voice was light, but you could hear the affection hidden beneath.

“You should charge for your services,” you teased back, gathering your books as you stood.

“Yeah, I’d make a fortune,” he said, his voice laced with humor. “But then I’d miss out on all the fun moments, like this one.” He nudged you lightly with his elbow, with a soft smile.

As you both left the classroom, the usual chatter and laughter of your classmates filled the air. You stopped by your locker, pulling out the books you needed for the next class while Ni-ki leaned against the locker beside you, his arms crossed, casually watching the hustle of the hallway.

It was then that Hyunwoo approached, his presence slightly more formal than the usual, his expression serious but friendly. “Hey,” he greeted, nodding towards you. “Got a minute?”

You turned to face him, giving a small nod. "Sure, what's up?"

“I wanted to see if you could meet me at the campus café after classes today,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “We need to go over the presentation for the class project we’re working on together.”

You thought for a moment, then agreed, “Yeah, that works for me.” Hyunwoo smiled, offering a small wave and as he turned to leave, you watched him walk off.

But you weren’t the only one watching him.

Ni-ki had gone still, his attention fully on Hyunwoo’s retreating back. His eyes narrowed slightly, and the usual ease in his posture seemed to shift into something more guarded. You could feel the subtle tension in the air, the way his focus remained locked on Hyunwoo as if he were analyzing every move.

“Is something up?” you asked casually, trying to sound nonchalant, but noticing the way Ni-ki’s gaze lingered, his jaw tightening just a little before he finally looked back at you.

“Nah,” he said after a beat, shrugging like it was nothing. “Just didn’t know you and Hyunwoo were getting all buddy-buddy now.”

You rolled your eyes, shutting your locker with a soft click. “We’re partners for an assignment, Ni-ki. It’s not that deep.”

He hummed, unconvinced, shoving his hands into his pockets as the two of you started walking. “Still. You sure he’s just interested in the assignment?”

You shot him a look. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

Ni-ki glanced at you from the side, his expression unreadable for a second before he smirked, his usual teasing demeanor slipping back in. “Nothing. Just saying, I wouldn’t be surprised if Hyunwoo suddenly starts asking you to ‘study’ more often.”

You scoffed, nudging his arm. “Don’t be annoying.”

“I’m not! I’m just looking out for you,” he said, raising his hands in mock innocence. “If he tries anything weird, let me know. I’ll handle it.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “You’re being dramatic.”

Ni-ki let out a small huff, but there was something serious in his expression as he looked at you. “I just want the best for you,” he muttered, his voice softer now. “I know how people are. They act nice, like they care, but most of the time, they just want something from you.” His hands were still stuffed in his pockets, but you could see the tension in his shoulders. “I don’t want you getting hurt.”

You sighed, already used to him being like this. Protective. A little overbearing sometimes. But it was just Ni-ki—it was how he was. So instead of arguing, you simply stepped forward and wrapped your arms around him.

His body tensed for half a second before he melted into your embrace, his arms circling around you tightly, almost as if he was afraid to let go. His chin rested lightly on your head, and he closed his eyes, inhaling the familiar scent of your perfume. His fingers curled slightly against the fabric of your shirt, holding you close.

He knew you didn’t see it—didn’t see him for what he really was.

Because Ni-ki wasn’t just protective.

He was possessive.

And he knew exactly what he was doing.

You trusted him. Relied on him. And that was exactly how he wanted it to stay.

So as he held you in his arms, his grip tightening just slightly, his thoughts weren’t on Hyunwoo anymore.

They were only on you.

Ni-ki didn’t let go. He held you just a little longer than necessary, his fingers subtly gripping the back of your shirt like he was grounding himself in the moment. You, oblivious as ever, simply leaned into him, used to his warmth, his presence—used to him.

If only you knew.

If only you saw the way his eyes darkened whenever someone else got too close to you. The way he kept track of the people you talked to, the ones who lingered too long in conversations, the ones who looked at you like they thought they had a chance.

He exhaled slowly, savoring the scent of your perfume, the steady beat of your heart against his chest. It was moments like this that reminded him why he did what he did. Why he always kept an eye on you, why he made sure no one got too close—no one but him.

Because no one else could protect you the way he could. No one else knew you the way he did.

You pulled away first, giving him a small smile, completely unaware of the storm in his mind. “Thanks, Ni-ki,” you said, as if his words had been nothing more than friendly concern.

He forced a smile back, shoving his hands into his pockets again. “Yeah, yeah,” he muttered, feigning nonchalance. “Just don’t forget it, okay?”

You laughed, shaking your head. “I won’t.”

But he knew you didn’t understand.

Not yet.

Ni-ki watched you walk ahead, his jaw tightening slightly as his eyes followed your every step. You were so carefree, so unaware of the way the world worked—of the way people worked. It wasn’t your fault, of course. You were just trusting like that. You always believed the best in others.

And that’s why you needed him.

As he fell into step beside you, his hands shoved into his pockets, his mind was already working through the situation. Hyunwoo was a problem—one that needed to be dealt with. Nothing drastic, of course. Not yet. But he would start small. He knew how to turn people against each other, how to make sure someone like Hyunwoo quietly backed off without you ever realizing why.

You glanced at him as you reached the staircase, your expression curious. “You’re quiet all of a sudden,” you noted.

He snapped out of his thoughts, forcing an easy smirk onto his lips. “Just thinking,” he replied.

“Thinking about what?”

Ni-ki tilted his head, as if considering his answer. “You,” he said simply, watching as your face scrunched up in mild suspicion.

You nudged his arm playfully. “You’re so weird sometimes.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “You still keep me around though.”

“Of course,” you said without hesitation. “You’re my best friend.”

A flicker of something unreadable crossed his face, but it was gone before you could catch it. Best friend. That’s what you always called him. That’s what you believed he was.

And for now, he would let you believe it.

Because as long as you thought of him that way, you would always need him. And as long as you needed him, he could keep you safe.

Hyunwoo wouldn’t be a problem for long.

Ni-ki would make sure of it.

After classes ended, you made your way to the campus café, weaving through the late afternoon crowd of students chatting and studying. The scent of coffee and pastries lingered in the air, and the sounds of conversations filled the space as you searched for Hyunwoo.

It didn’t take long to spot him—sitting at a small table near the window, nervously fidgeting with the sleeve of his hoodie. He looked up the moment you walked in, his eyes lighting up as he quickly straightened in his seat, offering you a small, somewhat shy smile.

“Hey,” he greeted, his voice soft but warm.

You slid into the seat across from him, setting your bag down beside you. “Hey, sorry if I kept you waiting.”

“No, not at all!” He shook his head quickly, almost a little too eager. “I—I just got here, actually.”

You smiled, amused by his nervous energy. You had always known Hyunwoo to be the quiet, thoughtful type, but seeing him like this—fumbling slightly, his fingers tapping against the table—was kind of endearing.

“So,” you said, pulling out your notebook. “The presentation. Did you have any ideas on how we should split the work?”

“Ah, yeah,” he said, his gaze flickering down to his own notes. “I, um, wrote down a few ideas, but I wasn’t sure what you’d prefer, so I thought maybe we could decide together?” His voice was gentle, uncertain, as if he didn’t want to overstep.

You nodded. “That sounds good. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

As he hesitantly pushed his notebook toward you, his fingers brushed against yours slightly. It was barely even a touch, but you felt him freeze for half a second before quickly retracting his hand, his ears tinged red.

You pretended not to notice, not wanting to fluster him even more. Instead, you focused on the notes, nodding as you skimmed through them. “These are really good,” you complimented, looking back up at him.

His lips parted slightly, as if surprised by the praise, before a small, bashful smile formed. “You think so?”

“Yeah, you’re really thorough. This is gonna make our work a lot easier.”

He ducked his head a little, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just… I didn’t want to mess anything up. I know you’re really good at this kind of thing, so I wanted to keep up.”

Something about the way he said it—so earnest, so quietly admiring—made warmth bloom in your chest.

“You don’t have to try to ‘keep up’ with me, Hyunwoo,” you reassured him. “We’re partners, we’re in this together.”

He glanced up at you then, eyes soft, for a moment, he looked like he wanted to say something else, but instead, he simply nodded, that small, shy smile still lingering.

As the minutes passed, you and Hyunwoo fell into an easy rhythm, bouncing ideas off each other as you worked through the presentation. The initial nervousness he had at the start slowly melted away, replaced by a quiet excitement.

“I didn’t know you were so into this topic,” you said, watching as he animatedly explained one of his points, his hands gesturing as he spoke.

Hyunwoo laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I guess I just really like researching stuff. It’s kind of fun when you get into it, you know?”

You nodded, resting your chin on your hand. “It’s cute.”

The moment the words left your mouth, you realized what you had just said, and Hyunwoo practically short-circuited in front of you. His face turned bright red, and he immediately dropped his gaze to the table, suddenly very interested in the corner of his notebook.

“Cute?” he echoed, voice a little higher than usual.

You chuckled, amused at his reaction. “I meant the way you get excited over things. It’s nice.”

He swallowed hard, nodding quickly as if trying to process your words. “Oh. Um. Thanks.”

Neither of you noticed the tall figure standing outside the window, watching. Cause Ni-ki had followed you. Of course, he had. He wasn’t going to let you wander off to meet Hyunwoo alone—someone had to supervise. And that was all it was supposed to be. Just making sure nothing happened.

But now, standing outside the café, watching through the glass as Hyunwoo looked at you like you were the only thing that mattered in the world, Ni-ki felt something snap.

He had seen that look before.

Had seen the way people got too comfortable, thought they had the right to be close to you—to be near you the way he was.

And he had dealt with it before.

His fingers curled into fists, his jaw clenching as he watched you laugh, completely unaware of the way Hyunwoo practically worshipped you with his eyes. It made his stomach churn, his mind race. That was supposed to be his job.

Before he even realized what he was doing, Ni-ki was pushing open the café door.

The bell above the entrance chimed, but you were too caught up in the conversation to notice—at least, until a shadow loomed over your table.

You looked up, surprised to see Ni-ki standing there, hands stuffed into his pockets, an easy smirk on his lips. “Hey!” you greeted. “What are you doing here?”

Ni-ki shrugged, his gaze briefly flickering to Hyunwoo, who had gone stiff in his seat. “Just thought I’d grab a drink,” he said casually before pulling out a chair and sitting down beside you without asking.

Hyunwoo glanced between you and Ni-ki, shifting uncomfortably. “Uh, do you guys—do you want me to go?”

Ni-ki’s smirk widened, but there was no humor in it. “Nah, don’t mind me. I’ll just sit here. Keep an eye on things.”

Your brows furrowed slightly. “Ni-ki…”

He leaned back in his chair, draping an arm over the back of yours, completely relaxed despite the storm brewing in his mind.

“Go on,” he said, nodding at Hyunwoo. “Don’t stop because of me.”

And as much as he kept his tone light, there was something off in his presence—something that made Hyunwoo hesitate before continuing.

Because Ni-ki wasn’t here to supervise anymore.

He was here to claim his place.

You barely noticed the way the atmosphere shifted as Ni-ki made himself comfortable beside you, his presence taking up more space than it should. His arm was still draped over the back of your chair, his body angled toward you in a way that felt too close, but you didn’t think much of it.

He was always like this.

Hyunwoo, on the other hand, looked unsure, his eyes flickering between the two of you. He hesitated before continuing to talk about the presentation, his voice quieter now.

But Ni-ki wasn’t interested in the presentation.

“Wow, Hyunwoo,” Ni-ki suddenly spoke up, cutting him off mid-sentence. “You’re, like, really into this, huh?” His tone was light, teasing, but there was something sharp hidden beneath it.

Hyunwoo blinked, confused. “Uh, yeah? I mean, it’s for class—”

“Right, right,” Ni-ki hummed, nodding. “Just seems like you’re trying really hard. Almost like you’re trying to impress someone.” He tilted his head, his smirk widening. “Who could that be?”

You laughed, nudging Ni-ki’s arm. “Stop teasing him,” you chided playfully, completely oblivious to the way Hyunwoo had tensed.

“What?” Ni-ki blinked at you innocently. “I’m just saying. It’s kinda cute, don’t you think?”

Hyunwoo cleared his throat, shifting in his seat. “I just want to do well on the assignment,” he muttered.

Ni-ki chuckled, leaning in a little closer to you. “Sure you do, Hyunwoo.”

You giggled, shaking your head, still not catching onto the underlying tension. To you, this was just Ni-ki being his usual self—teasing, playful, maybe a little mean, but never serious.

Hyunwoo, however, wasn’t laughing.

After a moment, he hesitated before asking, “Are you two… dating?”

The question caught you off guard.

Your eyes widened slightly, and you immediately waved your hands. “What? No! We’re not—we’re just—Ni-ki and I—” You stumbled over your words, feeling the heat rise to your face.

Ni-ki, however, said nothing.

Instead, he simply leaned in closer to you, his body pressing slightly against yours as he rested his elbow on the table. His fingers casually brushed your arm as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

And when Hyunwoo glanced at him, Ni-ki’s smirk remained, but his gaze was steady—watching, calculating, almost daring him to say something else.

Hyunwoo swallowed, glancing down at his notebook, suddenly finding it much harder to focus.

Meanwhile, you were still trying to compose yourself, completely missing the way Ni-ki’s fingers ghosted over your wrist, as if subtly reminding you that he was still there.

“W-We’re just friends,” you finally managed to say, forcing a laugh.

Ni-ki exhaled a soft chuckle, but still, he didn’t correct you.

Didn’t agree.

Didn’t deny it, either.

And as Hyunwoo shifted uncomfortably in his seat, Ni-ki only leaned in closer, tilting his head slightly, watching him with an unreadable expression.

Because it didn’t matter what you said.

Ni-ki knew the truth.

Hyunwoo tried to shake off the unease settling in his chest, but it was hard when Ni-ki wouldn’t stop looking at him like that—like he knew something Hyunwoo didn’t. Like he was silently laughing at him.

And maybe he was.

“Well,” Hyunwoo said, clearing his throat, “that’s good to know.”

You, still flustered, nodded quickly. “Yeah! I mean—Ni-ki’s my best friend. That’d be… weird, right?”

At that, Ni-ki finally let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head as he leaned even closer, his breath warm against your ear. “Yeah, weird,” he echoed, his voice low enough that only you could hear.

You didn’t notice how his fingers subtly tightened around the back of your chair. Didn’t notice the way he side-eyed Hyunwoo like he was sizing him up.

You were too busy trying to compose yourself, too busy scribbling something in your notebook to distract from the heat still lingering on your face.

Hyunwoo, however, noticed.

And he had to wonder if maybe Ni-ki wasn’t as harmless as anyone would think.

“So,” you said, finally regaining your composure, “should we wrap this up? I think we covered most of the important stuff.”

Hyunwoo hesitated before nodding. “Yeah, sounds good.” He cast a glance at Ni-ki, who still hadn’t moved from his spot practically pressed against you. “Uh… thanks for letting me work with you.”

“Of course!” You smiled, completely oblivious to the way Hyunwoo’s fingers twitched slightly against his notebook.

Ni-ki only hummed, tapping his fingers against the table. “Yeah, this was fun,” he said, though his tone made it unclear whether he actually meant it or not.

As Hyunwoo gathered his things, he hesitated once more before looking at you. “Maybe we can meet up again? Just to go over everything one more time.”

Ni-ki’s fingers stopped tapping.

You, completely missing the way his expression darkened for just a second, nodded enthusiastically. “That sounds great! Just let me know when.”

As soon as Hyunwoo stepped out of the café, Ni-ki’s entire demeanor shifted. The moment the door swung shut behind him, Ni-ki turned his full attention back to you, his smirk returning, but softer this time—more familiar to you.

“Finally,” he sighed dramatically, stretching his arms before draping one across your shoulders with an easy familiarity. “Thought he’d never leave.”

You laughed, nudging him playfully. “You’re so impatient.”

“I hate group projects,” Ni-ki complained, pulling you in just a little closer as if it was second nature. “Especially when I’m not in them.”

“You wouldn’t have helped even if you were in this one,” you pointed out.

He gasped, placing a hand over his heart like you had wounded him. “Wow. You wound me.”

You rolled your eyes, but let him stay close, not thinking much of it. After all, this was Ni-ki. He’d always been touchy, always draping himself over you like it was his right. It wasn’t weird.

Not to you, at least.

But to anyone else walking by?

It was a completely different story.

The way Ni-ki leaned into you, his arm resting so casually over your shoulders. The way his head dipped closer every time he spoke, his voice just low enough that it felt intimate. The way his fingers occasionally brushed against your arm, light, fleeting touches that felt possessive in a way that wasn’t quite noticeable unless you were looking for it.

To anyone watching, there was no doubt about it—

You and Ni-ki looked like a couple.

And maybe that was the point.

Because as Ni-ki sat there, acting like he belonged at your side, his lips curled slightly in amusement.

Hyunwoo would never come in between you and him.

Ni-ki leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming lightly against the wood as his mind raced through the plan he had meticulously crafted. A plan that had been years in the making.

For years, he had quietly worked to ensure that your world revolved solely around him. Slowly, subtly, he'd taken out the people who dared to get too close to you. Each one, a stepping stone to where he was now. They were all nothing more than obstacles to be removed. And every single time, he had been successful. Always.

Now, Hyunwoo had stepped into the picture.

And Hyunwoo, as far as Ni-ki was concerned, was just another pathetic nobody who was standing in his way.

The thought of you smiling at Hyunwoo, laughing with him, looking at him with those bright eyes that only Ni-ki was used to seeing, made something cold coil in his chest. He couldn’t let this go on. He wouldn’t let it.

Hyunwoo wasn’t going to take you from him.

Ni-ki had it all planned out.

Step one was simple, almost too easy. A rumor.

A rotten, venomous rumor that would spread through the school like wildfire. It didn’t matter how small or insignificant it started, because he knew it would reach your ears.

And when it did, when you heard the whispers of Hyunwoo’s so-called true character, you would start to doubt him. You would start to question everything you thought you knew about him.

Ni-ki would ruin him, piece by piece.

The rumor would be about something harmless at first—something enough to be believable, yet still enough to make people look at Hyunwoo sideways. Maybe he had been a felon and just got out of juvie, or maybe he was hiding something from everyone. Something he didn’t want people to know.

It didn’t matter what it was, because the moment it hit the ears of the wrong people, the damage would be done.

Ni-ki’s eyes gleamed with cold satisfaction. He could already see it playing out in his head—the small whispers, the sideways glances, the doubt seeping into your mind. He could already picture you questioning Hyunwoo, wondering if you had been wrong about him all along.

And the best part?

You would never suspect it was him.

No one ever did.

Ni-ki had always been the master of subtlety. The master of making things look like accidents. And he knew exactly how to get what he wanted without ever having to dirty his hands.

And Hyunwoo?

Well, Hyunwoo would be nothing more than a casualty of Ni-ki’s game.

His first move was already in motion. He had already planted the seed, and now it was only a matter of time before it took root and began to grow.

Once the rumor spread, Hyunwoo would crumble.

And when he did, you’d come running back to him. You’d see how right Ni-ki had been all along, how much he cared for you, how much he understood you.

You would remember who had always been there for you.

Ni-ki would make sure of it.

Because at the end of the day, it was always going to be him and you against the world.

And no one could change that.

The next day at school, Ni-ki wasted no time. He was a master of timing—he knew how to slip into people’s conversations, how to make himself just noticeable enough for the rumor to take root, and how to stay under the radar. It was all part of the plan.

He stuck close to you, his usual charm and ease masking the fact that he was meticulously watching every detail, every shift in the atmosphere around you. He was perfectly casual, acting as though everything was normal. He laughed at your jokes, teased you the same way he always did, never letting on that his mind was focused on the bigger picture.

The whispers started slow, like the rustling of leaves in the wind. Little things—insignificant things that didn’t seem to carry much weight at first. But with every passing hour, they grew louder.

Ni-ki heard them all.

It was always the same story, twisted more and more as it passed from person to person. At first, it was just idle gossip. “Did you hear about Hyunwoo? Apparently, he’s been… kind of a player.” Someone would murmur it to another, who would then say it to someone else, until it became something else entirely.

By the time the rumor had made its rounds, Hyunwoo was no longer just a “player” or someone with a bad reputation.

No, now he was something far worse.

“Did you hear? Hyunwoo’s a stalker.”

The words stuck out to Ni-ki like a jagged piece of glass, cutting into his amusement. The rumor had shifted, darkened, morphed into something sinister.

“Apparently, he’s been following women around, sending them creepy messages, even showing up to their home.”

Ni-ki’s lips curled into a wicked smile as he overheard a group of students gossiping about it. He could practically taste the chaos in the air, feel the weight of the lie settle over Hyunwoo’s reputation like a suffocating blanket.

He couldn’t help but feel a rush of satisfaction. The rumor was working. It was twisting its way into people’s minds, painting Hyunwoo as something dangerous.

And the best part?

You hadn’t heard yet.

Not directly.

But it was only a matter of time.

Ni-ki kept his position at your side, subtly steering conversations so you wouldn’t be the first to hear the more shocking parts of the story. He knew you well enough to know how to shield you from it—at least for now.

As the day wore on, the whispers continued, but the one that made Ni-ki’s smirk widen even further was the one that he had planted into the wind himself:

"Did you hear? Hyunwoo's obsessed with a girl he can't have. He stalks her. Followed her home the other day. People say he’s been showing up at her favorite spots, too. Who knows what else he’s done."

Ni-ki chuckled quietly to himself. He knew that version would stick.

Hyunwoo had become the perfect villain in this story, and the seeds of doubt had already begun to sprout in your mind.

He didn’t need to do anything else for now. He just had to sit back and watch it unfold.

And as he saw you later in the day, eyes still unaware of the storm brewing, Ni-ki put his plan into motion again, leaning closer to you as if everything was fine.

“Hey,” he said softly, acting like the best friend he always had been. “You okay? You look a little… distracted.”

You smiled, shaking your head. “Just tired, I guess. It’s been a weird day.”

Ni-ki tilted his head, feigning concern. “A lot of rumors going around today. You heard the one about Hyunwoo?”

You blinked, shaking your head. “What about him?”

“Well…” Ni-ki leaned in just slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper. “I’m sure it’s nothing, but people are saying… well, stuff. About him following girls around. And it’s starting to get out of hand, you know?”

You stared at him, eyebrows furrowing. “Wait, really? That doesn’t sound like him…”

Ni-ki shrugged, his eyes flickering briefly over to Hyunwoo’s direction before focusing back on you. “I mean, I don’t know. I just heard it from a few people. But it’s getting weird. People are talking, and the more they talk, the worse it sounds.”

You seemed troubled, biting your lip. “I’m a bit doubtful.”

Ni-ki just gave you a soft, reassuring smile. “Just be careful, okay? I don’t want to see you get hurt by someone who doesn’t have your best interests at heart.”

You gave him a grateful smile, completely unaware of the dark satisfaction that lurked behind his eyes.

Ni-ki didn’t need to say anything else.

It was only a matter of time before it bloomed into the full-blown truth everyone would believe.

And as the days passed, the rumor continued to spread, slowly poisoning every conversation that Hyunwoo was a stalker. The whispers followed him wherever he went, and soon enough, students began to glance at him sideways, avoiding eye contact or even crossing the street when they saw him coming. It wasn’t long before the gossip turned into outright hostility—people gave him cold stares, making snide remarks behind his back.

Ni-ki watched it all unfold with quiet satisfaction, each twisted word building the barrier between you and Hyunwoo. He saw the small, hesitant glances you shot in Hyunwoo’s direction, the doubt that began to creep into your eyes. Every time you talked to him, it was more stiff, more uncertain.

Ni-ki, of course, stayed right by your side, always the supportive friend. He was always there to offer a comforting word, a soft touch when you seemed troubled.

“Hey, you okay?” he asked one afternoon as you stared off into space, looking like you were lost in thought.

You sighed, glancing at him with a faint frown. “I don’t know… it’s just… I’ve been hearing so much stuff about Hyunwoo lately. People are saying things, and I don’t know if I should believe them or not.”

Ni-ki’s lips quirked up in the slightest, though his eyes were filled with concern, like he genuinely cared. He moved closer to you, his voice lowering as if sharing a secret. “It’s tough, right? I get it. But, honestly, maybe it’s better to just listen to what people are saying. Sometimes the truth comes out in ways you wouldn’t expect.” He paused for a moment, his gaze drifting toward Hyunwoo, who was talking with a few people across the hallway. “I’ve been hearing some pretty... unsettling things, too. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

You stared at him, your expression caught between confusion and doubt. “But... He don’t seem like that type of person. I don’t want to just believe everything I hear.”

Ni-ki nodded slowly, his hand gently resting on your shoulder in an almost possessive way. “I understand, really. But just... think about it, okay? Trust your instincts, and take care of yourself. I’ll always be here for you, no matter what happens.”

His words seeped into you, and you felt comforted. Still, a part of you couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling in your gut. Something didn’t sit right, but you didn’t know what to make of it yet.

Over the next few days, Hyunwoo became more isolated. He didn’t fight back against the rumors—he didn’t have the energy to. He was becoming a shell of the person you had known, retreating into himself, avoiding eye contact, and withdrawing from everyone. It was as if the weight of the rumors was suffocating him.

Ni-ki, though, was always there, watching over you. He continued to play the perfect role, offering you endless support, making sure you never felt alone.

But he was also keeping a close eye on Hyunwoo, watching him from the shadows, making sure the damage he had caused wasn’t coming undone.

And as you noticed the change in Hyunwoo—his slumped shoulders, the way he barely spoke to anyone anymore—something in your heart twisted with guilt. You weren’t sure what was real and what wasn’t anymore. But you couldn’t shake the feeling that something had gone terribly wrong.

Ni-ki smiled to himself as you turned away from the window, your eyes still clouded with uncertainty.

Everything was going according to plan.

Yeah no.

Ni-ki’s previously carefully constructed world seemed to shatter in an instant. The next day, he walked into school, expecting to see the usual whispers, the usual isolation surrounding Hyunwoo. He’d kept his distance, knowing that the rumors were doing their job, eroding the trust between you and him bit by bit. He was just waiting for the final nail in the coffin—the moment when you'd pull away from Hyunwoo for good.

But then he saw you.

Talking to him.

Laughing with him.

As if the past few days had never happened.

Ni-ki stopped dead in his tracks, his heart thudding in his chest. His eyes locked onto you and Hyunwoo as they stood by the lockers, shoulders brushing naturally. You were smiling up at him, and it wasn’t the polite, distant smile Ni-ki had seen before. No, this was the real thing. Your eyes were bright, your laugh light, your body turned toward him with a sense of comfort that made Ni-ki's insides twist with something cold.

No.

No.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

The rumors had worked. They had to have worked. Hyunwoo should have been pushed away, isolated, out of your life. He should’ve been some distant memory by now, something you could brush off as a mistake.

But here you were. With him.

Ni-ki’s jaw clenched, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. His mind raced, trying to make sense of it. Maybe it was just a fluke, maybe you were being nice, but the way you laughed at something Hyunwoo said—the way you looked at him—was something deeper than just a casual conversation.

He couldn’t let it go. He couldn’t let you slip away like this.

Ni-ki’s gaze darkened as he walked past them, trying to stay out of sight, but unable to stop himself from keeping a close watch. He heard Hyunwoo say something, and then, to his fury, you laughed. Really laughed, that kind of laughter that only happened when you felt at ease, when you trusted someone. Ni-ki wanted to storm over and pull you away from him, to drag you back to where you belonged—by his side.

But instead, he just stood there, hidden in the corner, his mind spinning.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

You were supposed to be his.

Ni-ki’s breath quickened as his grip on his phone tightened. He needed to think, to do something, anything. He couldn’t let Hyunwoo take you from him.

It was then that the thought hit him—maybe it was time to escalate. The rumor was no longer enough. He had to do something more.

But what? What could he do to ensure that you would never look at Hyunwoo the way you used to look at him?

A surge of panic mixed with anger coursed through him. He couldn’t lose you.

He couldn’t.

Ni-ki’s mind flicked to the moments he had spent with you over the years, the times he had held you close, promised to protect you. He had been patient, always patient, but now, the slow and steady approach was failing. He couldn’t let it go on any longer.

The next move was crucial. It had to be.

But for now, all he could do was watch as you and Hyunwoo continued to talk, oblivious to the storm brewing just behind the curtain.

Ni-ki's frustration was reaching a boiling point. For days, he had played his cards, whispered his lies, and watched as his plan failed to have the desired effect. He tried everything he could think of: more rumors, subtle hints, and even staging situations that would make Hyunwoo look bad. But each time, it was like you didn’t even notice. You didn’t pull away from Hyunwoo. If anything, you were only getting closer to him. Laughing, talking, hanging out. You, who he had always been able to manipulate and control, were slipping away from him.

It was maddening.

Ni-ki couldn’t sleep, couldn’t focus on anything else. Everywhere he looked, you were there with Hyunwoo, your friendship with Hyunwoo growing stronger, while his grip on you weakened. The anger that had been simmering beneath the surface was now bubbling over.

And that’s when he decided he couldn’t take it anymore.

He found you after class, cornered you by the lockers where you were just finishing up with your books. His steps were quick, purposeful, and he was barely holding back the storm brewing inside him.

“Y/N,” he snapped, his voice sharp, and your eyes flickered up to meet his.

You looked confused at his tone but didn’t back away. “What’s up, Ni-ki?” you asked, voice still calm, like there was nothing out of the ordinary.

He couldn't control the frustration that seeped into his words. “What’s up? Are you seriously asking me that? You've been acting like everything’s fine with Hyunwoo. After everything that's been going on? You still won’t listen to what everyone’s saying about him?”

You took a step back, your brows knitting in confusion. “What are you talking about? I told you, Ni-ki, Hyunwoo is not like that. He’s a shy, quiet nerd, not some creepy stalker. People have been blowing things out of proportion.”

The words hit him like a punch to the gut. The way you spoke, the way you defended him—defended Hyunwoo—it was like a slap in his face. It made his blood boil.

“You really believe that?” Ni-ki’s voice was dangerously low now. He was clenching his fists so tightly his knuckles were white. “You really believe he’s just some shy guy? I’ve been telling you the truth, Y/N. People warned you! And you’re just ignoring it, defending him like he’s some kind of angel. He’s not. He’s a liar and a manipulator. He’s been playing you the whole time.”

The anger in his voice was almost enough to make you step back, but you didn’t. You just looked at him, your face filled with an expression he couldn’t quite read, but the words that left your mouth next hit harder than anything he’d ever heard.

“I’m not going to listen to your lies, Ni-ki,” you said, your voice steady but filled with something he couldn’t ignore. “I’ve known Hyunwoo for some time now. He’s not perfect, but I trust him. And that’s something you’re just going to have to accept.”

His chest tightened, the words stinging him more than they should have. You trusted him. You trusted him more than you trusted Ni-ki.

He could feel the weight of his own breath, shallow now, fighting to stay composed. “You really think he’s worth trusting, huh? After everything that’s been said about him? After all the warnings people have given you?”

Your face softened, but there was an unmistakable firmness in your gaze. “Yes, I do. And I think you’re letting your jealousy get the best of you, Ni-ki. This isn’t like you.”

His eyes narrowed, the words stinging more than he ever expected. Jealousy? Was that all this was to you?

“Jealous?” His laugh was dark, almost bitter. “You think this is about jealousy?” He stepped closer, his voice low and almost threatening now. “You think I’m jealous of him? I’m trying to protect you from someone who doesn’t even deserve to be in your life. You’re so blinded by him, you don’t see it. You don’t see that he’s just using you.”

“I don’t need you to protect me,” you said, your voice firmer than he had ever heard it before. “I’m not a little kid anymore, Ni-ki. I can make my own decisions.”

It felt like the ground beneath him was slipping away. He had always been the one who kept you close, always been the one who kept you from making mistakes. But now, you were pushing him away, trusting someone else more than you trusted him.

And that was something Ni-ki couldn’t—wouldn’t—accept.

He took a step back, his breathing ragged, but his eyes locked onto yours. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He turned sharply, his fists still clenched at his sides. He didn’t say another word as he stormed off, his heart pounding in his chest.

You wanted to believe some random nobody over him? Fine. Then he was no longer playing by the rules.

The days after the confrontation with Ni-ki felt different, unsettling. At first, you tried to ignore the nagging feeling in the back of your mind, but it was hard to shake. Ni-ki had always been the one person you could count on, the one who understood you in ways no one else did. But his sudden behavior, his insistence that Hyunwoo wasn’t someone to be trusted, made you feel... uneasy. The way he’d confronted you, the way he had looked at you like you were making some kind of mistake—it wasn’t the same Ni-ki you’d known for years. And you couldn’t help but feel a strange distance creeping between the two of you.

The more you thought about it, the more you realized just how weird his actions had been. He was clingier, possessive, almost... desperate. And that wasn’t like him. It set off an uncomfortable feeling in your chest, one you didn’t know how to place. You started pulling away, not answering his messages right away, not seeking him out like you used to. It wasn’t that you wanted to push him away, it was just that something didn’t feel right anymore. And it was leaving you with more questions than answers.

In contrast, Hyunwoo had been nothing but calm and sweet. He hadn’t let the rumors or the cold treatment from others affect him. And, oddly enough, his presence started to bring a sense of peace to you.

One afternoon, you found yourself sitting with Hyunwoo in the library, reading a book while he worked on some school assignments next to you. The atmosphere between you was calm and quiet, a comfortable kind of silence that let your mind wander. But the longer you sat there, the more you realized that you weren’t really reading the words on the page. You were lost in thought, replaying the scene with Ni-ki over and over in your head.

You didn’t even notice when Hyunwoo had stopped working and was looking at you, his gaze soft, waiting for you to acknowledge him.

"Y/N?" His voice broke through your thoughts, gentle but persistent.

You blinked, snapping out of your stupor. “Huh? Sorry, Hyunwoo. What were you saying?”

He hesitated for a moment, his cheeks flushing as he looked down at his hands. “I, uh... was just wondering if maybe... you’d want to go out with me one night?” He glanced up at you, his eyes filled with a mixture of nervousness and hope, his face turning even redder. “You know, just the two of us. I mean, if you want to, of course.” He stumbled over his words, clearly embarrassed.

You felt your heart skip a beat, a strange tightening sensation in your chest. This wasn’t something you had expected. You hadn’t considered Hyunwoo like that—not in a romantic way. Sure, he was sweet, and you enjoyed spending time with him, but that kind of thought hadn’t crossed your mind.

“I, uh...” You froze for a moment, unsure of what to say. You hadn’t even considered the possibility of going out with him like that. You had just started to get to know him as a friend, but now, the thought of it seemed... strange.

You glanced away for a moment, trying to collect your thoughts, feeling your nerves starting to kick in. "I... I’ll think about it, okay?" you said, trying to sound casual, but your voice betrayed a nervous tremor.

Hyunwoo’s eyes lit up at your response, a shy, relieved smile forming on his lips. “Really? You’ll think about it?” His voice was hopeful, almost too hopeful, and you could see how happy the simple suggestion made him.

You nodded, feeling a strange knot in your stomach. “Yeah... I’ll think about it.”

He smiled even brighter, his face turning a shade darker. “Okay, well... I’ll be waiting, then.” He turned back to his work, but the smile lingered on his face, and you could see the way he was trying to hide his excitement behind his concentration.

You sat there for a long moment, staring at the pages of your book but not really seeing them. Your mind was spinning, your heart racing in your chest. You had no idea what to make of what just happened. You didn’t have feelings for Hyunwoo—at least, you didn’t think you did—but something about his shy, hopeful smile made something inside you stir, a weird feeling that you couldn’t quite explain.

Was this what it felt like to be unsure?

You felt suffocated, like the air around you was pressing down on your chest, making it harder to breathe. Why did he have to ask that? Why now? You liked being around him, but not like that. Not in the way he clearly wanted.

Ugh. You hated this.

You didn’t want to hurt him. But you also didn’t want to lead him on, didn’t want him to think there was a possibility when there wasn’t. And yet, when he had looked at you like that, so full of quiet hope, you couldn’t bring yourself to immediately shut him down.

Now you were stuck in this awful middle ground, confused and conflicted, unsure of what to do next.

You clenched your fists in your lap, your nails digging into your palms. I just want things to be simple again.

“Hey... you okay?” Hyunwoo’s voice broke through your thoughts again, softer this time, like he could sense something was off.

You forced a small smile, even though your chest felt tight. “Yeah,” you lied. “I just... I have a lot on my mind.”

He nodded, not pressing further, and went back to his work. But you weren’t really present anymore. Your thoughts were a mess, your emotions tangled up in a way that made you want to scream.

You barely even noticed the pair of sharp eyes that had been watching you from the moment you had stepped inside the library.

Ni-ki.

He had been waiting, lingering by, watching the way you interacted with Hyunwoo. Watching the way your expression faltered when the other boy spoke to you. And now, seeing the way your shoulders were stiff, the way your smile didn’t quite reach your eyes, he knew something was wrong.

Something had happened.

And Ni-ki was going to find out exactly what it was.

Ni-ki didn’t hesitate. His steps were slow, calculated, as he made his way toward your table. His hands were shoved casually in his pockets, but his eyes—sharp, assessing—were locked onto you.

You didn’t notice him at first, too lost in your thoughts. But Hyunwoo did. His body tensed slightly, his fingers tightening around his pen.

Ni-ki slid into the seat beside you, close—too close. His shoulder brushed against yours, and you startled, blinking up at him.

“Ni-ki?”

He tilted his head at you, feigning innocence. “What? Can’t I sit with my best friend?” He turned to Hyunwoo then, flashing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Hey, Hyunwoo. What are we working on today?”

Hyunwoo hesitated. You could tell he was trying to stay calm, but you could also see the shift in his demeanor—the slight unease in his posture, the way he averted his gaze.

“Uh, just some classwork,” Hyunwoo muttered, not looking at Ni-ki directly.

Ni-ki hummed, like he was actually considering the answer, but his attention was on you again in an instant. His fingers tapped against the table, his leg bouncing slightly as if he were holding back something. “You seem lost in thought,” he mused, tilting his head at you. “Everything okay?”

You opened your mouth, then hesitated.

You could tell him. You could let it all out—the confusion, the pressure, the guilt eating away at you. But something about the way Ni-ki was watching you made you hesitate. His eyes were too sharp. Like he already had the answer and was just waiting for you to confirm it. “I’m fine,” you said instead, forcing another small smile.

His gaze flickered, just for a second, before he leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. “Is that so?”

You nodded, ignoring the way your stomach twisted.

Ni-ki leaned back, exhaling a dramatic sigh. “Well, if something was bothering you,” he said, eyes darting briefly to Hyunwoo before returning to you, “you know you can always tell me, right?” His tone was lighthearted, but you knew him well enough to catch the underlying message.

You swallowed hard. “Of course.”

Hyunwoo cleared his throat. “Um, actually, I think I should get going,” he said suddenly, closing his notebook. “I have something to take care of.”

You frowned, confused by his sudden change in demeanor. “Oh... are you sure? We didn’t even finish studying.”

He hesitated, his gaze flickering toward Ni-ki before landing back on you. He forced a smile. “Yeah, I’ll just... see you later, okay?”

Before you could say anything else, he grabbed his bag and left.

You stared after him, feeling that tightness in your chest again.

“Wow,” Ni-ki chuckled beside you. “Didn’t know he was so jumpy.”

You turned to him, frowning. “Ni-ki, what was that?”

He blinked at you innocently. “What was what?”

“You know what I mean.”

His smile didn’t waver. “I was just sitting with my best friend. Is that a crime?”

Something about the way he said it sent a shiver down your spine.

Ni-ki’s head tilted slightly, his eyes locked onto you. “You’re acting strange,” he mused. “Are you sure you’re okay? You know you can tell me anything.”

There it was again. That suffocating weight in his words.

You forced a tight-lipped smile, gripping the straps of your bag. “I’m fine, Ni-ki. Just… tired.”

He didn’t look convinced. “Are you sure? I mean, I worry about you. Especially with everything going on lately.”

Your stomach twisted.

“I— I have to go,” you blurted out, stepping away from the table so quickly that your chair scraped against the floor.

Ni-ki’s smile didn’t falter immediately, but you noticed the way it froze slightly, like it wasn’t quite real.

“You’re leaving so soon?” he asked, voice still light, but his eyes? They were unreadable.

You nodded, barely sparing him another glance. “Yeah, I just— I need to do something.” Then you turned, quickly walking away before he could say anything else.

You didn’t notice the way he stared after you, the way his expression darkened the moment your back was turned. His smile slowly faded, lips pressing into a thin line, his fingers twitching slightly as he watched you disappear through the library doors.

You didn’t see any of it.

All you could focus on was getting to Hyunwoo.

Your feet carried you through the hallways, your heart hammering against your ribs. You didn’t know why you felt this urgent need to find him, but after what had just happened, you had to. You needed to check on him, needed to make sure he was okay. But as you stepped outside, scanning the campus for any sign of him—he was gone.

Weird...

Your footsteps echoed against the hallway tiles as you hurried from one familiar spot to another, frustration gnawing at you with every passing second.

The classrooms? Empty. The cafeteria? No sign of him. The study lounge? Nothing.

With every place you checked, Hyunwoo seemed more and more like a ghost—like he had disappeared off the face of the earth.

That’s when you remembered.

The photo room.

Hyunwoo had once told you about his love for photography, how he would spend hours developing pictures in the red room, watching them come to life in the dim glow. If he wasn’t anywhere else, maybe he was there.

Heart pounding, you made your way down the quiet corridor leading to the photography lab. The moment you reached the door, you hesitated. Something about the stillness on the other side felt… off. But you shook the feeling away, gripping the handle and pushing it open.

A wave of dim red light washed over you, casting long shadows across the room. The faint chemical scent of developing solutions filled your nose. Photos hung from wires, clipped up to dry, swaying gently in the air.

But Hyunwoo wasn’t there.

You sighed, the tension in your shoulders slowly melting into disappointment. Where could he have gone?

Just as you were about to turn and leave, something caught your eye.

A photo—hanging slightly lower than the others.

Your brows furrowed as you stepped closer, the dim red glow making it hard to make out the details at first. But the longer you looked, the clearer it became. And when you finally realized what you were looking at, your breath hitched.

It was you.

A photograph of you, taken from outside your bedroom window.

Your stomach twisted painfully as your eyes darted to the photos beside it. Some were of trees, the sky, random shots of nature. But scattered among them, hidden in plain sight—were more photos of you.

You in class. You walking home. You reading at the library. You staring out of your kitchen window, completely unaware.

A chill ran down your spine as you took a step back, heart hammering against your ribs.

What the hell was this?

The air in the room felt thick, suffocating as you stood there, staring at the countless photos of yourself. Your hands trembled as you flipped through them, each one worse than the last. Some of them were taken so close, so intimately, that you felt exposed just looking at them.

Then—

The door creaked open.

Your breath caught in your throat as you whirled around.

Hyunwoo stood at the entrance, his wide eyes locking onto yours. For a moment, neither of you spoke. He looked… surprised.

“Why are you here?” he asked, voice laced with confusion.

You swallowed hard, gripping the photos in your hands as if they would disappear if you let go. “I was looking for you.”

His expression softened for a split second—until his gaze dropped to the pictures in your hands.

“You…” His voice was quiet, almost hesitant. “Do you like them?”

Your stomach twisted violently.

"You took these?" The words came out in a breathless whisper, but the disbelief quickly turned into anger as you waved the photos in his face. "You took these?!"

Hyunwoo’s eyes widened in alarm when he actually saw the pictures, hands coming up defensively. “No! No, I didn’t— I would never take those! I don’t know where they came from!”

“You expect me to believe that?” You felt your voice rising, panic and fury twisting together inside you. “These are pictures of me, Hyunwoo! Taken from outside my house! Who else could’ve done it?”

“I don’t know!” he pleaded, his voice cracking. He looked genuinely distressed, but you were too far gone to care. “I only take pictures of nature and trees! Someone must have put them there, I swear!”

His words made you pause.

Because you remembered something.

Hyunwoo had once told you—very distinctly—that not many people had access to the photo lab. That only a few had keys to the room.

And yet, somehow, these pictures ended up here.

Your jaw clenched as the realization hit.

“You’re lying,” you whispered, voice shaking. “I should’ve believed what people said about you. I should’ve known—” You took a step back, feeling disgust crawl up your spine. “You are a creep. You are a stalker.”

Hyunwoo’s face crumbled. “No, please—”

But you were already backing toward the door, chest heaving, mind racing.

You needed to get out of here.

Away from him.

"Please, you have to believe me!" Hyunwoo pleaded, his voice desperate, his hands reaching out like he could physically hold onto your trust before it slipped away completely.

But you were already gripping the door handle, heart pounding in your chest like a drum. You needed to go.

"Stay away from me!" you snapped, yanking the door open.

Hyunwoo moved instinctively, trying to grab your wrist—whether to stop you or just to make you listen, you didn’t know. You didn’t care.

SLAM!

You shoved the door shut with all your strength, and the solid thud of it colliding with Hyunwoo’s face was followed immediately by a sharp cry of pain.

You didn’t stay to see the damage.

Didn’t look back.

You ran.

Your breath came in quick, shallow gasps as your feet pounded against the tile floors, the sound of your own pulse roaring in your ears. The hallways were eerily empty, the school quiet except for the echo of your frantic footsteps.

You didn’t stop.

Not when your legs started to burn. Not when your lungs screamed for air. Not until you were far, far away from that room, from those pictures, from him.

Hyunwoo’s breath was still ragged as he clutched his nose, the sharp sting of pain radiating through his face. He could feel the warm trickle of blood slipping past his fingers, but he barely registered it. His mind was spinning too fast, replaying everything that had just happened.

You—your horrified expression. Your accusations. Your retreating figure as you ran away from him like he was some kind of monster.

His stomach twisted painfully.

He had to find you. Had to fix this.

Gritting his teeth, he braced himself to stand, but just as he began to push himself up—

The door creaked open.

For a split second, hope sparked in his chest.

“Y/n?” he croaked, expecting to see you. Expecting you to have come back, second-guessing your words, ready to listen.

But it wasn’t you.

It was Ni-ki.

Hyunwoo’s entire body went still.

The dim glow of the room made it hard to read his expression, but the way he stood there—calm, relaxed, as if he had all the time in the world—made Hyunwoo’s skin prickle with unease.

Ni-ki tilted his head slightly, eyes flickering down to Hyunwoo’s bloody nose before dragging back up to meet his gaze.

“Tough day?” Ni-ki asked, voice smooth, casual. Too casual.

Hyunwoo swallowed thickly, trying to shake off the chill creeping up his spine. “What… what are you doing here?”

Ni-ki stepped inside, letting the door swing shut behind him. His eyes trailed lazily over the photos hanging from the wires, his lips curling slightly in amusement.

“Just checking in,” he murmured, brushing his fingers over one of the pictures. One of you.

Hyunwoo felt his pulse quicken.

"You—" He hesitated, a sudden thought slamming into him like a freight train. "You did this."

Ni-ki finally looked at him again, dark amusement flickering in his gaze. "Did what?"

"You planted these photos here,” Hyunwoo accused, forcing himself to his feet despite the throbbing in his face. “You wanted her to find them. You wanted her to think it was me."

Ni-ki didn’t deny it.

He simply smiled.

"Wow," Ni-ki said, slow and mocking. "Look at you, putting all the pieces together. Guess you’re not as dumb as you look."

Hyunwoo clenched his fists. His entire body was shaking—not just from anger, but from the sickening realization that Ni-ki had been playing a game this whole time. That he had been set up.

"Why?" Hyunwoo demanded. "What the hell is your problem?"

Ni-ki sighed, stepping closer. "My problem?” He let out a soft chuckle, leaning in slightly, voice dropping to a near whisper. “You are.”

Hyunwoo barely had time to react before Ni-ki’s hand shot out, gripping his throat in a bruising hold.

"You should’ve stayed in your lane, Hyunwoo," Ni-ki murmured, his grip tightening, his expression unreadable. "But you didn’t. You got too close. And now?" He smiled wider, something twisted in the way his lips curled.

"Now you’re done."

Ni-ki's grip was unrelenting, his fingers digging into Hyunwoo’s skin as he struggled desperately to break free. He tried to shove him off, twisting and pushing, but Ni-ki was taller and stronger.

"Let go of me!" Hyunwoo gasped, his breath coming out in short, panicked bursts as he thrashed against Ni-ki’s hold.

But Ni-ki only tightened his grip, forcing Hyunwoo back against the table. His dark eyes gleamed under the red light, his expression eerily calm despite the madness lurking beneath the surface.

"You took her away from me." Ni-ki murmured, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "You were never supposed to be here. You were never supposed to be in her life."

Hyunwoo’s stomach dropped as Ni-ki reached into his pocket, and before he could even process what was happening—

The glint of a knife caught the red light.

Hyunwoo’s blood ran cold.

His struggling grew frantic as his eyes locked onto the sharp blade in Ni-ki’s hand, his heart hammering so hard it felt like it might burst out of his chest.

"You took my girl away," Ni-ki accused angrily. "But that’s okay. I know how to fix things. I know how to get rid of pests."

Hyunwoo’s breath hitched. "Ni-ki, please—"

"She’ll come back to me," Ni-ki continued, ignoring him completely, his grip steady as he lifted the knife higher. "And this time, she won’t leave. This time, she’ll be mine—permanently."

Hyunwoo's eyes widened in terror. "You’re insane!" he shouted, thrashing harder, his body screaming for an escape. "You don’t have to do this—please, don’t do this—!"

But Ni-ki only grinned.

And then—

The knife came down.

You couldn’t believe what your life had come to.

Your body felt ice cold, your fingers numb as you walked aimlessly through the school hallways, your mind clouded with disbelief, shame, and something else—something worse.

Hyunwoo had those pictures.

Pictures of you.

Moments where you were completely unaware—fresh out of the shower, changing in your room, lost in thought by your window.

These weren’t normal pictures. They weren’t innocent.

They were intimate.

The kind of images that no one should ever have taken. The kind of pictures that made you feel exposed, violated.

Your stomach twisted painfully, nausea clawing up your throat.

How could you have been so stupid?

You had wanted a friend. Someone other than Ni-ki. Someone to prove that your world didn’t have to revolve around just one person.

But that person—the one you had chosen to trust—had turned out to be a vile stalker.

He had stolen your privacy, taken something that wasn’t his to take.

And Ni-ki…

Ni-ki had been right all along.

He had warned you. Had tried to keep you safe. Had told you not to trust Hyunwoo, and you—

You had ignored him.

A fresh wave of regret crashed over you, suffocating and overwhelming. You should have listened. You should have been careful.

All you hoped now was that it wasn’t too late.

That Ni-ki would forgive you.

That he would take you back.

Because right now, the only place you felt truly safe was with him.

You spotted him before class, standing near the lockers, casually chatting with a few people. His back was partially turned to you, his posture relaxed.

For a moment, you hesitated.

What if he was still mad? What if he didn’t want to see you after how you had doubted him? But you couldn’t keep this weight in your chest any longer. You needed him.

Taking a shaky breath, you pushed forward, weaving through the hallway until you reached him.

“Ni-ki.”

His name came out softer than you intended, barely audible over the noise. But somehow, he heard you. The conversation around him stilled as he turned his head, eyes meeting yours. And just like that his amusement vanished.

The people around him looked between the two of you before one of them nudged his arm. “We’ll catch up later.”

Ni-ki didn’t acknowledge them as they walked away. His attention stayed fixed on you, a slow blink the only reaction he gave.

You swallowed, shifting nervously under his stare. “Can we talk?”

For a moment, he didn’t respond.

Then, after what felt like forever, he tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into a small smile. “Now you want to talk?” His voice was casual, but there was an unmistakable edge to it.

You bit your lip, guilt twisting in your stomach. “Ni-ki, please…”

His smile widened slightly, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

Then, with an exaggerated sigh, he leaned back against the lockers, crossing his arms. “Alright,” he mused, studying you. “I’m listening.”

You shifted on your feet, looking up at Ni-ki anxiously. His expression was tense, his dark eyes locked onto you like he was peeling you apart layer by layer, searching for something.

“I…” You hesitated, your throat dry. “I was wrong.”

He didn’t react. He just stared.

“I should have listened to you,” you continued quickly, hoping that if you just kept talking, he’d say something. “You were right. Hyunwoo was—he is a creep. I shouldn’t have doubted you, Ni-ki. I should have trusted you.”

Silence.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, he let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head as he looked at you through lidded eyes. “You should have,” he murmured.

The knot in your stomach tightened. “I—I know. I feel awful about it. I just wanted to know if we—if you could forgive me.”

Ni-ki tilted his head, watching you. Then, in a movement so slow it made your breath hitch, he reached out, brushing his fingers along your cheek. “I don’t know…” he mused, his voice light, teasing. But his fingers gripped your chin just slightly, keeping your eyes on his. “You really hurt me, you know?”

Guilt crashed into you, making your chest ache. “I didn’t mean to,” you whispered.

“But you did.” His grip didn’t tighten, but the weight of his touch made you feel like you couldn’t move. “You chose him over me.”

“No,” you rushed to say, shaking your head as much as his hand would allow. “I wasn’t choosing him over you, I swear. I was just—”

He sighed, cutting you off. His fingers slid away, and suddenly, you missed his touch. “You know,” he said, voice soft, “after everything I’ve done for you, I really thought you knew me.”

Your stomach dropped. “Ni-ki, I do—”

“Do you?” He gave you a sad smile, “because if you really did, you would have never doubted me.”

Your throat tightened. “I won’t ever again,” you said quickly, desperate to fix this. “I promise, Ni-ki. I’ll listen to you. I’ll trust you.”

He hummed, eyes studying you. “You sound so sure now.”

“I am.”

Another beat of silence, then Ni-ki sighed dramatically, as if this was all so difficult for him. “Well…” He suddenly grinned, his usual, easy-going expression slipping back into place. “I guess I can forgive you.”

Relief flooded through you. “Thank you,” you breathed.

But you didn’t notice the way his smile didn’t reach his eyes. You didn’t notice the way his fingers flexed at his sides, the way his posture shifted ever so slightly—like a predator easing back into position after a temporary setback. All you saw was Ni-ki, your best friend, smiling at you again, forgiving you. That was all that mattered.

You let out a breath you didn’t even realize you had been holding, and without thinking, you stepped closer, wrapping your arms around him in a tight hug. “I missed you,” you murmured against his shoulder.

Ni-ki stilled for a second. Then, slowly, his arms came around you, pulling you in just a little too tight, his hand settling against the small of your back. “Oh,” he breathed, voice dripping with affection. “You have no idea how much I missed you too.”

You smiled, completely oblivious to the way his fingers curled into the fabric of your shirt, as if grounding himself.

As if making sure you wouldn’t slip away again.

When you pulled back, he studied your face, his expression unreadable. Then, in an instant, he was back to his usual self—grinning, shoving his hands into his pockets like nothing had happened. “So,” he said casually, “since I’ve so graciously forgiven you, I think you owe me a little something.”

You blinked. “Owe you?”

He smirked. “Mhm. You ditched me, remember? So I think you need to make it up to me.”

You bit your lip, guilt still swirling in your chest. “Okay… What do you want?”

His smirk widened just the slightest bit, his eyes gleaming. “I have an idea,” he said simply.

You let out a small laugh, rolling your eyes. “Alright, fine. Be mysterious then.”

That was all he needed to hear.

Ni-ki's smirk didn’t waver as he draped an arm over your shoulders, pulling you just a little too close, but you didn’t question it. Why would you?

If his grip on you was a little firmer than usual, you ignored it. If his fingers brushed against your shoulder just a little too slowly before settling, you thought nothing of it. Because you were too relieved. Too happy to have him back.

And Ni-ki knew that.

“C’mon,” he said, leading you down the hallway, his pace slow and easy. “Let’s get out of here before class starts. You owe me, remember?”

You hesitated. “I don’t know, Ni-ki..”

He sighed dramatically, nudging you with his shoulder. “Skipping one school day won’t kill you. Besides, you seem stressed.” He gave you a sideways glance, tilting his head slightly. “You’re still thinking about him, aren’t you?”

Your stomach twisted. “I just… I don’t get it,” you admitted quietly. “How could Hyunwoo do something like that? I really thought he was my friend.”

Ni-ki clicked his tongue. “That’s the thing about people,” he murmured, his grip on you tightening just a fraction. “They lie. They pretend. They disappoint you.”

You swallowed, unsure of why his words made a shiver crawl up your spine.

But before you could say anything, Ni-ki suddenly brightened, tugging you forward. “Enough about him,” he said cheerfully, like he hadn’t just spat his last words. “Let’s go. I wanna spend some time with you.”

You hesitated for only a second. Then, finally, you nodded.

Because Ni-ki was right. You were stressed. And spending time with him would help.

So you let him lead you away.

And you didn’t notice the way his smirk returned as you finally fell into step beside him. You didn’t notice the way his fingers twitched against your shoulder.

Because Ni-ki had won.

You were right where you belonged.

Ni-ki had a way of making everything feel easy.

The moment you agreed to skip class with him, any lingering guilt melted away. He took you downtown, leading you into store after store, insisting you pick out whatever you wanted.

At first, you protested. “Ni-ki, this is too much—”

But he just rolled his eyes, pushing a expensive sweater into your arms. “Shut up and let me spoil you.”

And you did. Because how could you say no when he looked at you like that?

After shopping, he dragged you to the arcade, a smug grin on his face as he cracked his knuckles. “Alright, what do you want?” he asked, motioning to the rows of claw machines and prize walls.

You pointed at a ridiculously large plushie sitting inside one of the machines. “That one.”

He let out a low whistle. “Going big, huh?”

“You said I could pick anything,” you reminded him with a smirk.

Ni-ki laughed, ruffling your hair. “Alright, princess. Watch and learn.”

And, of course, he won. Because of course he did. After three tries—because “I’m warming up, shut up”—he proudly pulled the giant plushie out, shoving it into your arms with a satisfied grin. “There,” he said, watching as you hugged it tightly. “Now you can’t say I never get you anything.”

You beamed at him. “Thank you, Ni-ki.”

Something flickered in his gaze at your words, but before you could question it, he slung an arm around your shoulders again. “Alright, enough fun. Let’s go to my place,” he said, leading you out of the arcade.

That was how you ended up in his room, curled up on his bed, the giant plushie beside you as a movie played on his TV.

You were comfortable, warm, and full from the snacks he had insisted on buying.

It felt safe.

Leaning against his pillows, you sighed happily. “Today was fun.”

Ni-ki turned to you, a lazy smirk on his lips. “Told you.”

You laughed softly, glancing at him. “I am supposed to be the one making it up to you, remember? Doing the things you did today.”

His eyes darkened for a fraction of a second before he grinned. “Oh, don’t worry. You will.”

You blinked, tilting your head. “Huh?”

But Ni-ki just reached over, casually tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “Nothing,” he said smoothly, voice low. “Just relax. I like having you here.”

You smiled, resting your head against the plushie.

And Ni-ki?

He just watched you, a satisfied gleam in his eyes.

Because everything was perfect.

His gaze lingered on you for a moment longer before he paused the movie, his hand casually moving to the remote. “I’ll be right back,” he said, standing up. “Gotta hit the bathroom.”

You nodded absentmindedly, your attention shifting to the movie screen as he disappeared out of the room.

The silence in the room felt heavier than usual, and you stretched your legs under the blankets, the muscles aching from staying in one position for so long. Standing up, you felt the soft rush of air hit your skin as you stepped away from the bed.

You wandered around the room, your eyes taking in the familiar space. Ni-ki’s room was always so... him. The shelves lined with trophies, random trinkets, and a few of his old toys. Your gaze flicked over the pictures on one of the shelves—mostly candid shots, most of them of you and him together.

You smiled softly, memories flooding your mind.

There was one where you both were little, a snapshot of you and Ni-ki running through a park, laughing with carefree expressions. Another where you two were sitting in the same spot at a carnival, a huge stuffed bear between you, just like today.

But what caught your eye the most was a picture of the two of you at a family gathering. You were both a bit older, but the way you were smiling at each other, your cheeks flushed from laughing, made something flutter in your chest.

You picked it up carefully, your fingers brushing against the glass frame. You didn’t remember exactly when it was taken, but the memory felt so vivid—Ni-ki teasing you, making you laugh so hard that you nearly choked on your drink, then gently patting your back when you’d spilled it.

It felt like a lifetime ago.

A soft sigh left your lips as you placed the frame back, running your fingers along the shelf. Everything here felt like home.

You turned to walk back to the bed, about to sink into the comfort of the blankets once more, when something caught your eye.

On Ni-ki’s desk, almost hidden in plain sight among some scattered papers and random objects, was a photo book. You hadn't noticed it before. It looked out of place, lying there as though it had been carelessly thrown aside in a rush, half-forgotten.

Your brow furrowed. You didn’t remember seeing it the last time you were in his room, and curiosity tugged at you. You tilted your head, your feet carrying you instinctively toward his desk.

You reached out, picking it up cautiously, the cover was plain, a simple, dark leather binding that had clearly seen better days, worn from use. You assumed it would be full of memories—pictures of you and Ni-ki growing up, like all the other ones in the room.

But as you opened it, your breath caught in your throat.

It wasn’t what you expected.

The pages were indeed filled with pictures. Pictures of you.

But these weren’t the happy, carefree photos of your childhood that you had seen in the frames on the shelf. These were different.

These were pictures of you when you were unaware. Taken without your consent.

Your heart raced, and your palms began to sweat as you flipped through the pages. Picture after picture, each one more unsettling than the last. There you were, sitting on the bus, walking home, standing by the window of your house, your back to the camera. Your face, your body, captured in intimate, personal moments.

Your throat tightened as your mind struggled to process what you were looking at.

The pictures were disturbingly familiar. They looked exactly like the ones you had seen in the photo room. The ones that had sent a cold chill down your spine. The ones you thought were taken by Hyunwoo.

You could feel your pulse in your ears, panic swelling within you. This was wrong. This was beyond wrong.

You flipped through the pages faster, as if the speed would make the truth less real. But it only made it worse. The photos were endless. You could see the places you’d been, the things you had done—none of it private, none of it yours anymore.

The realization hit you like a slap across the face.

Ni-ki had been following you. Watching you.

Your stomach churned, nausea creeping up your throat. You could feel the tightness in your chest, the pressure building, suffocating you.

And just as you were about to flip the page again, a familiar voice broke through the fog of your thoughts.

“Hey,” Ni-ki called from behind you, his tone light, like he was calling your name in some sort of casual greeting.

Your body froze, and the book dropped from your hands, the pages scattering on the desk as you turned to face him.

His eyes scanned your face, as if looking for something—something you couldn’t give him.

“I didn’t expect you to be so interested in that,” he said softly, his voice almost too calm.

You swallowed hard, the words stuck in your throat, and your heart beat wildly in your chest. You wanted to scream, to run, but all you could do was stare at him.

He smiled then, but it was different. There was no warmth in it. Just something cold, something that made the room feel smaller, darker.

“Why... why do you have these?” you finally managed to ask, your voice trembling.

Ni-ki’s smile widened, and he took a slow step closer to you, his eyes never leaving yours.

“Because I wanted to remember you,” he said softly, his voice oddly sweet. “Every little moment. Everything about you.”

You backed away instinctively, your mind scrambling for some form of defense, but the words tangled in your throat. You were stuck. Trapped.

Ni-ki reached out, a glint of something dark in his eyes as he touched your arm gently, his fingers lingering.

“But don’t worry,” he whispered, his voice soft, almost reassuring. “You’re not going anywhere. You never have to.”

You couldn’t breathe. Your entire body screamed for you to run, but your legs wouldn’t move.

And Ni-ki just watched you, the satisfaction in his gaze unmistakable, as the world around you felt like it was collapsing.

Because now you realized—Ni-ki had been controlling everything.

You couldn’t move. You couldn’t breathe.

Your mind was too fogged, too overwhelmed to process it all at once. You could only stare, your mouth slightly open, your hands shaking at your sides.

And Ni-ki…

Ni-ki just smiled, that same soft, knowing smile that had always comforted you before—but now, now it felt suffocating.

“Oh, sweetheart,” he murmured, stepping closer, reaching out with careful hands as if you were something delicate, something that could shatter at the slightest touch. His fingers brushed your cheek, his warmth stark against your cold, clammy skin.

“You look so scared,” he whispered, his voice drenched in something too sweet, too tender. “You don’t have to be. I’m right here.”

Your body flinched instinctively, but you didn’t pull away. You couldn’t. His presence, his words, his touch—it was all too much, too overwhelming, and you felt trapped, like a moth caught in a web, the silk threads of his affection and obsession binding you tighter with every second.

“This is a lot, isn’t it?” Ni-ki cooed, his hand slipping down from your cheek to your shoulder, his grip firm yet comforting. “I know it must be confusing. But you don’t have to worry about anything.”

His eyes softened, and for a fleeting second, you almost believed him.

Almost.

But then you remembered the book. The pictures. The lies. The control.

“N-Ni-ki…” Your voice came out weak, barely above a whisper.

He hummed in response, tilting his head like he was waiting for you to say something important, something that mattered. But the words wouldn’t come. You didn’t even know what you were trying to say.

You didn’t know what to do.

And Ni-ki could tell.

His expression was gentle, something so sickeningly affectionate that it made your stomach twist. He let out a soft sigh before pulling you forward, wrapping his arms around you like a lover soothing their frightened other half.

“There, there,” he murmured against your hair. His fingers trailed slow, lazy circles on your back, his touch light but firm enough to keep you pressed against him. “I’ve got you. I always have.”

You let out a shaky breath, your entire body stiff in his embrace, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“You’re so cute,” he whispered, his voice almost adoring as his hand came up to cradle the back of your head. “So innocent… too trusting for your own good. You needed someone to protect you, didn’t you? Someone who understood you.”

His fingers tangled in your hair, and he pressed a slow, lingering kiss to your temple.

“I did this for us,” he murmured against your skin. “So you wouldn’t have to be afraid anymore. So no one would ever take you from me.”

Your breath hitched.

You should’ve run. Should’ve fought. Should’ve screamed.

But instead, you just stood there, frozen in place, as Ni-ki held you like you were the most precious thing in the world.

Because you had always trusted Ni-ki.

And that’s exactly what he wanted.

a/n: Answers to possible questions; 1. Ni-ki did kill Hyunwoo in the photo room. 2. Ni-ki wanted you to find the photo book. 3. Ambigious ending, so you choose if you wanna forgive Ni-ki or tell the police :)

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[lucidrims]

            as  it  always  had  been,  hyunki  unabashedly  watches  hyunwoo  change.  they've  known  each  other  for  a  long  time  now  and  have  been  close  since  then,  so  it  was  certainly  not  weird  for  him  to  be  staring,  right  ?  then  again,  there  was  always  that  weird  feeling  that  settles  in  his  stomach  whenever  he  allowed  himself  to  do  these  things  -  something  he  doesn't  feel  toward  their  other  friends  in  the  group.  shrugging  it  off,  the  swimmer  wriggles  his  brows,  "  hot  as  always.  "  shoving  all  sorts  of  feelings  that  came  up  to  the  back  of  his  mind,  he  walks  out  of  the  mansion  with  him,  "  cool,  our  friends  are  probably  there  already  yeah  ?  "  he  asks,  not  retracting  his  hand  away  from  hyunwoo's  grasp.

 ❛  okay  this  it  is.  ❜  he  says,  slipping  out  of  the  hoodie  he  had  been  wearing  so  he  could  change  into  the  buttoned  shirt  ;  not  caring  as  he  was  changing  right  before  his  best  friend.  ❛  how  do  i  look  ?  ❜  turning  around  to  the  male  as  he  was  buttoning  the  buttons  and  then  rolling  up  the  sleeves  after  he  had  tucked  the  shirt  in.  ❛  oh  bet,  we  are  gonna  be  hitting  that  hard  liquor,  you  know  -  the  usual.  ❜  nodding  his  head  with  a  satisfied  smile.  spraying  himself  with  scent  just  to  smell  good,  he  takes  a  last  look  in  the  mirror.  ❛  okay  hot  stuff,  let's  go.  ❜  he  goes  over  to  hyunki,  just  taking  a  hold  of  his  hand.  ❛  so  my  driver  will  take  us.  ❜

[therandompagesblog]

SKZ Pack Chapter 25

Trigger Warnings: angst, manipulation, aggression, domestic abuse.

Five days they spent in the Alps with Monsta X. Their Head Alpha, Hyunwoo was very hospitable. He made sure everyone was involved. He even showed Chan his security, to make sure no one would get in their compound as Hyunwoo was worried about his mate, Elsie who was scared of other wolves. Y/N learned from speaking to her, that she grew up in a small pack and her pack didn't interact with others. It was only Hyunwoo making a deal with her pack that he found his soul mate there. It was nice for Y/N to hear someone else talking about being a mate and how intense it was as a soulmated omega. "I once lied to Alpha Hyunwoo about a note I received from a crush. It was harmless the boy was seventeen and I ended up spanked relentlessly. Never played up again." Elsie said as they watched the wolves prepare the car to head into the city. "I mean I've risked it twice or thrice," Y/N said as she drank her Bailey's hot chocolate. "You never?!" Elsie gasped. "Oh, she did." Hyunjin teased, as he gave her a quick heated kiss. "Can I ask?" Elsie whispered as they walked around the side of the house so no one could hear them. "Do they get jealous of each other?" "No. I thought perhaps Hyunjin did, but a lot of it is bedroom talk. None of them make jealous comments in general. Why?" Y/N questioned. "Joo sometimes gets jealous of Ki and vice versa. It causes arguments." Elsie said sadly. "Maybe when we leave, call a pack meeting. That might help relieve any tensions in the pack. It will give everyone the freedom to speak. That's what we did. For a different reason of course." Y/N stated.

Before Elsie could respond Chan called them into the car so they could drive off to the city. Changbin and Jeongin were the two most excited whereas Y/N was going to opt out. She was feeling a bit under the weather as she felt Joshua following them again. The last time they went into the city with Elsie she felt him and now she was feeling it again, but she didn't want to say anything. Yes, Y/N knew a bruised ass was coming for her but she wanted to be sure. "Can me and Y/N watch over there? You'll see us. Please, Alpha Woo." Y/N cringed at the name it reminded her of her younger self. "Only if Chan is happy to," Hyunwoo asked Chan. "Hyunjin and Seungmin are over there getting geared up so yes, but no further," Chan said as he pulled her into a kiss. He could smell her nerves. "Luna. We're all around. Nothing will happen to you." "He's right Luna Y/N. Changkyun and Kihyun are over there too." Hyunwoo reassured so Elsie looped her arm around Y/N's and dragged her off to watch the boys come down the slopes in their dinghies. Y/N and Elsie set up some rules that the first pair down would get to do whatever they wanted. The second pair would get a kiss and so on. It was a race from the highest point which they were so excited about, until the air changed.

The wolves hadn't come down and they had been at the top too long that it was worrying Y/N and Elsie. Y/N was going to phone them when Joshua appeared. "Woah. I meant no harm, omega Y/N." Joshua said, holding out his arms. "Elsie phone Chan," Y/N growled as she pushed the younger omega behind her protectively. "You've changed. There is something different about you. I do mean no harm." Y/N was getting dizzy as she looked into his eyes. She was being sucked into him. "I understand Joshua, but you abused him," Y/N said softly. "That wasn't nice." "I'm here to make amends. Can you accept that?" Joshua asked, placing a hand on her arm. "Sure. But not here. The other wolves won't like it." Y/N said with a smile. "Y/N?!" Jeongin shouted, running down the hill. "What are you doing here?" "Y/N said I can speak to Chan!" Joshua said calmly. "You did?" Jeongin asked. "Yes, I did!" Y/N growled, but she didn't.

Jeongin wasn't buying it and dragged Y/N off, leaving Elsie with Hyunjin. Jeongin was confused and knew there was something wrong with his mate, which was true. As soon as Y/N broke away from Joshua she came back to her senses. She was angry at herself as she kicked the snow. Jeongin crossed his arms waiting for her for her to explain. Y/N did explain what had happened even though it was brief. She explained how one minute she was growling at him and then everything changed. She wanted to tell him to fuck off but it was like she couldn't. Her words were re-written forcing her to speak other words that weren't to exist when it came to Joshua. Jeongin didn't like that knowing Joshua influenced her and the fact Joshua touched their Luna. It made Jeongin feral. It made him lose control. If Y/N wasn't there to hug him, he would have phased in front of everyone. Jeongin was beyond angry and took it upon himself to shout at Chan who wasn't impressed. Chan had even gone as far as to defend Joshua, but Y/N could see it was Joshua's weird essence that made whoever was near him believe in him. Why it wasn't really working on Y/N no one knew but Minho had an idea, but Chan wouldn't hear it. Chan was angry at them all for yelling at him and bringing up old memories on holiday.

It was true this was all a bad time, but Y/N wasn't prepared to lose her alpha to Joshua. She didn't trust him. Not with the power she faced from Joshua. "Chan listen to Minho. You are not you right now just-" "I am not me. What are you going on about Y/N. You are nothing but an omega." Chan shouted pointing at her. Chan never called her an omega. "He's in your head-" "Chan." Minho gasped and pulled Y/N back after Chan slapped her across the face. Y/N grabbed her face and stormed out she was not preparing to lose her alpha. Y/N called Seungmin to come with her but he was too struck to understand what was going on. Y/N wanted to confront him. Y/N took a knife storming out of the house alone to go and find this fucker. Minho ran after with Jisung who tried to call her back but the snow was starting to become heavier that it made them slip. Minho phased into his wolf form to run faster to stop her. His wolf got in front of her moving in her way causing her blue eyes to glare. "Do not stop me, Min," Y/N growled but the tanned wolf whined. "Please. Fuck. Please wait. We need a plan first." Jisung called out as he slid on the snow. "You can't just kill him in front of humans. Think baby. Think Luna please." "Then what do I do? He has my alpha's thoughts in his hands." Y/N cried out as she watched Chan in the distance getting into his car. "I swear to God, you better not Christopher." "This isn't your business, omega," Chan shouted. "If you go. You don't come back." Y/N spat, laughing. Chan stormed up to her his hand going for her throat while Minho growled trying to get in between them. Chan let go and entered his car. "You leave. You'll never be a father."

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[redrandomposts]

hey 🌻~! I saw that you might have forgotten to anonymize your post, so i decided to copy+paste it here... if it wasn't a mistake or you'd like to send in the ask again, then i'll c+p my response and put it there instead! srry i didn't respond earlier, either, i had to study..

hey me 🌻 again! I had a few thoughts about the Till raising his and tills test tube kid- firstly I think despite the fact that Ivan had no part in the kids actual conception Till would tell the kid all about his “father” kind of in the way one would talk about a dead spouse. he would make comments whenever the kid would do things Ivan used to do- and tell stories from their childhood, so Ivan feels like an active presence in their lives. Eventually the kid gets very skilled at drawing and as a gift on their parents anniversary (the anniversary of round 6) the kid draws a beautiful picture of their family- one that includes a smiling Ivan standing beside till- and it becomes tills prized possession- And maybe over time the kid gets into the habit of sketching Ivan into scenes of their family, movie nights in the couch show Ivan tucked into the corner holding them both close, pictures of them cooking in the kitchen show Ivan taking something out of the oven, and in a way despite the fact that he was long dead before the kid was ever born he feels as close as any parent. (And obviously people are worried about what this is doing to the kid emotionally- having such a clear reminder of their loss in their faces every day but it seems to be helping Till heal so they can’t begrudge him this small comfort) And then I was thinking that as time went on Till might start thinking of Ivan as a lost love, one he didn’t realize was love at the time but was love nonetheless. And as time goes on he becomes more and more comfortable with the idea that what they could have had together was love, and that despite the fact that Ivan is gone Till loves him now. The till that is far wiser in his age and experience can see that relationship in a new light and falls for Ivan all over again. (And they probably have a little shrine/memorial in their hose that till will talk to when when he thinks their kid isn’t looking so he can keep Ivan up to date about how their kid is doing.) And then I was thinking their afterlife reunion in this au would be so good!! Cause Till has been in love with Ivan for decades by the time he passes away of old age so he’s been waiting to get to see Ivan again for so long- but Ivan has NO CLUE that till has spent the last 50 years loving him relentlessly so till walks up to Ivan and is like “I’m sorry I kept you waiting so long my love 🥰” while holding his face and poor Ivan is like “EXCUSE ME IM YOUR WHAT-“ and I think it would be such a fun twist on their usual dynamic to have till be the openly romantic and forward one and Ivan be all flustered <3 Thank u for always having such fun concepts to think about!!! I literally haven’t written this much in months lol

this concept came from an ask, so it's not necessarily mine... only the parts i've added onto it can be considered mine; that's the same for any other asks i get btw!

honestly the afterlife reunion would be wild. would they age in the afterlife? what form do they take on; the one they desire, the one they see themselves in, etc... imagine a seventy-year-old till, a 22 yo ivan, and a kid that's like... 30. lmaoooo. the thought that they can't watch the living also makes it kind of... sad. imagine sua and ivan waiting there for decades, maybe hyunwoo too, for mizi, till, and hyuna respectively (...maybe luka. if hyunwoo wanted to see luka for whatever reason). and ivan not telling sua the exact details of his comp so she won't make fun of him?

in some cultures you can send items to the dead by burning it. so like. what if the child and till sent letters, drawings and paintings, music sheets, etc. to ivan through that and ivan's recieving all of it, kind of confused ("since when did i have a kid?"), thinking that maybe it's a gimmick of some sort. there'll be tear smudges on till's paper, conveniently blurring till's confessions of love, so it remains a surprise...

how did this become a consideration of afterlife ivan and living till again?

[monsta-x-jagi]

Crown and Chrome - Chapter 6

Synopsis: You have good friends. Kihyun gets what he deserves.

Word count: 4.2k

Triggers: none

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Past (Kihyun focus)

You saw Kihyun regularly throughout the semester, usually a couple times a week. Most afternoons, he would pick you up after classes and bring you to the warehouse where you'd study. Saturday nights remained for racing. Kihyun and Yunho had also gotten much more familiar now since Kihyun often went to pick up your custom jewellery orders. Occasionally, you’d try placing orders for Kihyun too, but Kihyun somehow kept convincing Yunho to cancel them and use the money to add something a little extra to whatever piece you ordered for yourself. 

But watching you wear these jewellery pieces, with a series of dresses as colourful as your personality, always made Kihyun feel a twinge of insecurity. Every couple of weeks you went to networking events, sometimes for your mother’s firm and sometimes with other law school classmates. Many of these classmates were dating other university students too. You always offered to take Kihyun as a plus one, which was half the reason you kept ordering extra pieces (usually lapel pins or brooches to match your outfits), but after a couple events, Kihyun began declining most of them. 

He would make up excuses about needing to work on his bikes more, but the real reason was that he wasn’t good enough for you. Someone like you - beautiful, educated, well-liked - couldn’t be with someone like him - a grease-covered biker whose biggest achievement was staying alive while racing at inhuman speeds. The solution to his dilemma came in the form of a meeting he’d never expected to have: a meeting with MX Property Development’s Executive Team. None of the names or faces in that meeting room were particularly memorable, aside from the CEO and the chief engineer, Son Hyunwoo, who offered Kihyun an ultimatum.

“Mr Yoo, I will say that your relationship with my daughter has not influenced my decision to buyout your warehouse for our redevelopment,” the CEO said. Noting Kihyun’s shocked face, she added, “I‘ve known for quite some time actually. My daughter isn’t subtle when she is happy, so I knew she was seeing someone. All I had to do was check the CCTV footage in the city to find out exactly who you were.” 

Kihyun gulped. This woman was terrifying. No wonder you kept saying you needed to feel safe.

The CEO continued. “Now lucky for you, I did consider your relationship with my daughter when I decided on the pricing.” She slid a sheet of paper across the conference  room table to Kihyun with a sum written on it that was so high Kihyun nearly fell out of his seat.

“Let me be frank, Mr Yoo. Even though you make y/n happy, I don't think you’re the man for her. She’s young, she’s starting out in life, and she needs someone of her calibre. Now the money I’ve given you is what my analysts think will be enough for you to turn your life around and become someone worthy of my daughter.”

A small smile started to break out on Kihyun’s face. 

But the CEO’s next words quickly dashed it. “However, this sum is conditional. If you leave y/n, without a single word, I will personally wire this money to you,” she said while tapping at the sheet of paper. “However, should you choose to stay with her, I will only give you the legally required amount of compensation.” The CEO sighed and finished with, “Simply put, I do not want to see you with my daughter until you are a respectable man.” 

The Past (y/n focus)

Finally, the last day of semester. Almost two months of vacation awaited you, meaning almost two months of non-stop Kihyun time. It was Friday, Kihyun was probably adding the final touches to his bike before the race tomorrow. Excited, you went to the warehouse, like you did every Friday night.

“Ki, baby, it’s the holidays!” You shouted happily as you tried pushed the door, but your voice died down quickly, as did your strength. 

The warehouse door was chained shut and couldn’t be opened fully. You pushed it enough to peek inside and saw that it was dark.

“Kihyun? Honey, are you in there?” You called into the dark, but got no answer. You fumbled for the flashlight on your phone to shine it through the door. Maybe he was asleep or something. You guided the light around, looking for the familiar couch but didn’t see it. You shifted the light some more to see if there were any bikes around, but there were none. 

The place was cleaned out. 

“K-Kihyun?” You said, much quieter, your lips quivering. 

Suddenly the wind whooshing around the harbour felt cold. All those little pathways throughout the harbour were suddenly unfamiliar and scary. And to think you walked here by yourself. You sat on the ground by the warehouse door, hugging your knees while tears slowly dripped down your face. You dialled Kihyun’s number, heard it ring, but got no answer. You tried several more times but still got no answer.

Then you tried another number - Joohoney’s. Kihyun used your phone once to call him, so it was probably in your history. 

To your surprise, Jooheon actually answered. “Hello y/n.” 

You sniffled and returned the greeting, then asked, “Where’s Kihyun?” 

You heard Jooheon sighing on the other end. “He said you guys broke up. We don’t really know where he is either.” 

“What??” You gasped. “But we literally spoke yesterday. I was going to come see him after class but he’s not here. Who said we broke up?”

“Kihyun did. He said you broke up today,” Jooheon repeated.

“How even…” you murmured, your crying intensifying. You then cleared your throat and asked, “Could you send me your address please? Maybe I can wait for Kihyun at your house?”

There was a pause, and you heard shuffling and muttering on the line before Jooheon spoke. “I am sorry y/n, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Dejected, you said goodbye to Jooheon and ended the call.

The Past (Kihyun focus)

“Are you happy now, hyung?” Jooheon asked bitterly when he put the phone down.

Kihyun groaned from his bed. “You know I didn’t have a choice.” 

“Well have you at least thought about what you’ll do with the money?”

“Yeah a bit,” Kihyun replied, sniffling away his own tears. “I’ll go to university, I’ll get whatever goddamn degree I need, and find her again.” 

“If you’re that sure about her, why didn’t you stay and fight for her?” Changkyun said from the doorway to Kihyun's bedroom. 

“I know she is everything I want in life. But I want to become everything she will ever need or want in life. There’s a difference there and currently, I am not what she needs or wants.”

“Eh judging by how much your phone has been ringing in the living room, she probably needs and wants you pretty badly,” Changkyun said with a shrug and walked away. 

The Past (y/n focus)

There was one more person you could contact. Kihyun wouldn’t like it, but it was his fault you were in this mess anyways. You had found Mingi on Instagram once, so you searched for his account and DM’d him, hoping for a response. 

You: Hi Mingi, it’s y/n here. If you’re free I’d love a favour.

He replied about 10 minutes later.

Mingi: Well this is a surprise Mingi: What can I do for ya?

You: Can you pick me up from Kihyun’s warehouse? I will explain when you get here

Mingi: Oooh mystery Mingi: I like it Mingi: Be there in 5

True to his word, Mingi arrived in 5 minutes. He even had the decency to bring a spare helmet for you. Since the last time you had seen him, he had changed his hair to black with blue highlights.

“Hello y/n. What did you need? Can’t lie, I am shocked you texted me,” Mingi said, walking up to your huddled form by the warehouse door. When you looked up at him with your swollen, red eyes, Mingi hurriedly pulled his helmet off and crouched down in front of you. 

“Oh no, what happened? Was it Kihyun? Did he dump you? Do you want revenge? Did he hurt you? Are you lost? Did something happen to Kihyun?” The words tumbled out of Mingi who wasn’t exactly sure what favour you could possibly want but never expected to find you like this.

You tried nodding, since one of those guesses were right, but you started crying before you could form any words. Mingi watched you for a few seconds, unsure of what to do, then stood up and walked away back to his bike. 

“No wait, Mingi, please don’t leave, please, just stay” you called after him, your voice cracking between your sobs. 

Mingi turned to look at you, his gaze being the softest you’d ever seen him. “Relax, y/n, I’m just going to grab that helmet for you,” he replied. 

He returned with the helmet, and placed it over you, gently trying to push it on to your head. You noticed he was struggling, probably worried about hurting you by pushing to hard, so you pulled the helmet on yourself. “Are you taking me somewhere?” 

Mingi bit a finger while he looked you up and down. “I was hoping you could tell me. You look like you’re dressed for something nice.” 

“Oh…” you looked down, smoothing the business dress you’d worn today. It was white, and probably stained now. It also fit very, very tightly over your hips, and would almost certainly ride up the second you got on that bike. “I had things on today,” you said in explanation.

“Things?” Mingi asked. “You look like you were supposed to go to a wedding or something.” 

You giggled at that, and Mingi smiled with you. At least you weren’t crying on the ground anymore. 

“I just dress nice for my classes. Law school and stuff, y’know?” You offered as an explanation.

“Oh boy, law school,” Mingi said with a low sigh. “Kihyun really won the fucking lottery with you huh? Though considering how you’re stranded here, he probably doesn’t realise it.” 

Your face immediately turned into a scowl. “Mingi, I get enough shit about that from everybody else alright?”

“Right, right, sorry, touchy subject, I see,” Mingi said, pursing his lips.

You sighed, stood up and hoisted your bag over your shoulder. “I texted because I need a ride home. I’ll give you money for the petrol when you drop me off.” 

Mingi blinked confusedly. “And I presume Kihyun can’t take you home?” 

“Mingi,” you said his name with gritted teeth. “Are you dense? Did you not notice he’s gone? The warehouse is empty?”

“Huh???” Mingi’s jaw dropped open. “No fucking way,” he said as he walked past you to peek into the darkened warehouse. “Shit, you’re right.” 

“So then, can you take me home? I can tell you the way,” you asked after giving Mingi a few moments.

“Yeah, alright.” 

You followed Mingi to his bike and got on behind him. He almost snorted when he felt you hands ghosting over his waist, unsure whether to hold on or not. 

“Y/n, all bikers understand. You hold on for safety. Kihyun won’t kill either of us.” 

You sniffled behind him but eventually wrapped your arms around his middle. “Kihyun would never hurt anybody.”

Mingi revved up his bike. “No, what you mean is Kihyun would never let anybody hurt you. He’s always been incredibly protective of you, did you know?” 

“Sorta,” you mumbled. “Turn left here.” 

Mingi did as you said. “Did you know he won’t even tell most of the other bikers your name?”

“Wait what?” This was news to you.

“Yeah, one day he came up to me and had me swear to never reveal your name to other people. I assumed he was just being a jealous possessive asshole, who thinks with his dick and not his head…”

You smacked Mingi’s shoulder for that, making him laugh. Eventually, he continued. “But I started to suspect there was another reason a few months ago when I dropped by the warehouse one time and heard you telling Jooheon about why he shouldn’t buy a restaurant in a particular suburb. It really sounded like you knew your shit.”

“Are you trying to tell me you’ve never met a person who understands the property market? Also, enter the highway over there.” 

“No, it wasn’t that, there was one more thing,” He said as he changed lanes. “I heard you say something about a company like you almost owned it.”

“Oh, I see.” 

“I feel like I’m hitting something here. There is a connection between that company and why Kihyun doesn’t want people to know your name, right? Also which exit do I take?” 

“The one in 3 kilometres. And yeah, I guess you’re right about that company,” you replied.

Mingi was quiet for a few seconds, focused on reading the signage for the exit. He then asked, “So since I already know your name, will you tell me the whole story?” 

You sighed. “Yeah alright. It’s not like my identity wasn’t known by my whole school or something. But, you’re right, I do technically own a portion of a property firm. Have you heard of MX?”

“MX? Bloody hell who hasn’t? Don't they own all those fancy apartment buildings? Fuck y/n, who even are you?” Mingi cried out, shocked, then said calmly, “Also, did I miss the turn to your street?” 

“No, it’s the next road on your left. And maybe when you drop me off, you’ll see MX’s CEO,” you replied. 

“I can’t tell if you’re joking there.”

“I’m not. She’s my mum. Also, stop over there, that’s my house,” you replied. 

Once Mingi killed the engine, you climbed off his bike and gave him back his helmet. 

“Thank you for the ride,” you replied as you rummaged through your purse and pulled out some cash. “This is for the petrol.” 

Mingi took the money and stared at it, scrunching his face. “Man I feel strange taking money from you. Like you’re Kihyun’s girl, and you’re you know… that,” he said with a nod towards your house. 

You pouted and shook your head. “No, I’m just y/n. And I’m not Kihyun’s girl anymore.” Your voice cracked at the last word of your sentence. 

“Oh hey hey, no more crying. He fucked up, not you, alright? And I know we only said hellos at the weekly races but you seem like a nice person. You’ll find someone better, okay?” Mingi said, squeezing your shoulder gently.

“Mingi you used to ask about my week and try flirt with me to piss off Kihyun,” you replied. 

“And somehow you always dodged the flirting and told me about what you were studying instead. It’s how I figured out you’re probably a cool person, and…” Mingi paused, unsure whether you’ll cry again. “…and I saw very quickly that you only had eyes for Kihyun.”

“Thanks for that,” you said with a sad smile. “But you won’t be seeing me at the racetrack anymore, so good luck to both you and Kihyun for tomorrow. I’ll get going now.” 

“Thanks y/n. See you around.” 

The Past (Kihyun focus)

“Hey asshole, you mind explaining why you left y/n stranded at your empty warehouse last night?” Mingi said he pulled on his racing gear beside Kihyun in the change rooms.

“Stay away from y/n,” Kihyun said through gritted teeth.

“I dunno man, she asked me to pick her up and I found her crying on the ground. She said you broke up,” Mingi continued. 

“Yeah we did,” Kihyun said without meeting Mingi’s gaze. 

“Can’t believe you fumbled that. She’s pretty, she’s smart, she practically owns MX, what more could you want?” 

“For you to not have the hots for my girlfriend?” Kihyun said with gritted teeth.

“Didn’t you just say you dumped her?” Mingi scoffed. 

“Shut up or else I’ll throw something at you.” Kihyun grumbled. Then he asked, “Hold up, what do you mean MX?”

“I mean exactly what you’re thinking. I know who she is,” Mingi replied nonchalantly, while folding some clothes into his bag.

“Mingi,” Kihyun said sternly, “how the hell did you find that out? I swear man if you did something to her…”

“Jesus Christ Kihyun, you really do think the world’s out to ruin your relationship huh?” 

“Shut up, you don’t know the half of it,” Kihyun said as he slumped down onto a bench.

“And neither does she, I bet. Did it ever occur to you to actually speak to her before breaking up via Joohoney’s phone, you dumb fuck?” 

“Listen Mingi, can we cool it with the criticism? I am sure she called me a bunch of names too,” Kihyun said, glaring up at Mingi. 

Mingi shook his head, keeping his voice calm. “No, she actually tried to tell me you’re a good person who would never hurt anyone. But then you left her crying at an abandoned warehouse. She trusted you to do nothing more than love her, and you failed.” 

The Present (Hyunwoo Focus)

With Hyungwon’s departure from MX Property Development, Hyunwoo was tasked with finding the replacement. He looked through the applications with Hyungwon, until one caught his attention: Yoo Kihyun. The name was admittedly familiar, and a look at the candidate’s LinkedIn profile picture showed he was precisely the young man from several years ago, all the way down to the orange hair. And he wasn’t a bad candidate either with a stellar record of negotiating some very lucrative deals. 

Hyunwoo slept on his thoughts for a few days - would you even want to work with Kihyun? By and larger, Kihyun was the best candidate, so Hyunwoo eventually told Hyungwon the story of your past. Hyungwon already knew about how your little first year uni student self fell in love with a biker, but he had no idea this biker’s workshop was part of an MX acquisition, or that your mother paid him off to leave you. Hyunwoo and Hyungwon were both pleasantly surprised that after Kihyun disappeared, he really did become the kind of man you were supposed to be with.

Hyungwon was the first to suggest an interview with Kihyun. Even without you two being star crossed lovers, he was still the best candidate, and maybe it wouldn’t hurt to finally give their lovely new CEO the happiness she needed right? But what if Kihyun had already moved on?

Luckily, Hyungwon had an answer to that. He went down the good old personal friends route. You’re school friends with Somin of Kard, who was Kihyun’s supervisor and also happened to be his reference. A quick phone call and mention of your name was all she needed to explain that Kihyun was currently single. So Hyungwon advised Hyunwoo to invite Kihyun for an interview. The two decided to hold the interview away from you, so the Friday before Hyungwon’s retirement, Hyunwoo invited Kihyun to MX’s gym of all places. Still, he did let slip there was a potential party date waiting for you at the gym that day.

The Present (y/n focus)

Having you, his boss and the love of his life bring up all the ways he unintentionally hurt you while standing in a deserted parking lot was not how Kihyun thought his evening would go. But your voice had gone from practically spitting venom to something introspective. Both of you were still holding each other’s hands too.

“Y/n,” Kihyun began. “I know I fucked up. Everyone around me who knew you made sure I knew that every single day.” 

You hung on your head, looking down at your interconnected hands. “Kihyun, I just don’t understand why you did it. If you just wanted to be sponsored, you could’ve asked the company. If you wanted to keep dating while you got your degree, you could’ve. But why did you have to leave?”

“It was your mother, y/n. She paid me to when I gave up the warehouse,” Kihyun said, somewhat worried for your reaction. 

“Are you saying you left because you were angry my mother’s company wanted to buy your warehouse?” You asked, looking up at him confusedly.

“What? No!” He said a little too quickly while pulling your hand, finally bringing your bodies together. 

You let out a small cry at the impact, and stared up at Kihyun, your faces inches away from each other.

Kihyun looked at the ceiling, trying to keep his calm and collect his thoughts. With a long exhale, he said, “What I meant is, your mother personally paid me to become a man worthy of you.”

You rolled your eyes at that. Even after all these years, you were stuck at this one question. “Jesus fucking Christ Kihyun, you still don’t get it,” you said, laughing to yourself. “You keep forgetting that I was happy with you. You gave me the affection I wanted, the support I needed and everything in between.” 

Kihyun shook his head. “No, that’s not true, y/n. You deserve to live like a princess, and as much I wanted you to have that life, I couldn’t give it to you.”

You moved your hands to hang around his neck as you spoke. “But wasn’t I your princess?” 

Kihyun leaned down to press a kiss on to the inside of your arm. “What if I still want you as my princess?” He murmured into your skin while his arms loosely circled your waist. 

You smiled at his words. “You know, the moments when I felt most like your princess was when you simply took care of me and tried to make me happy.” You started tangling your fingers into his hair as you spoke, your eyes looking dreamy and distant as you reminisced. “Stuff like packing a lunchbox for me so I could sleep more, picking me up from all my events because I wanted to drink. And more recently, how you’ve been restocking my fridge at work without telling me.”

Kihyun’s eyes widened at that. “I didn’t know you knew that,” he said sheepishly, looking to the side, away from you. 

You giggled at his reaction. “Minhyuk dobbed you in.” 

Tentatively, you leaned your head down on his chest. Almost immediately, his arms tightened around your waist. Your heart felt like it would burst out of your chest, and you knew your cheeks would begin to hurt soon with how much you were smiling. Being in Kihyun’s arms again felt like home. You felt like every bit of tension you had carried, every worry, problem and fear, had all disappeared.

 

You weren’t sure how long you stood there, wrapped up in Kihyun’s arms until he spoke. Playing with your earrings, he said, “You kept them. I am surprised.” 

You took his hand and kissed it. “Why is that?” 

“Yunho told me you returned most of the jewellery you had ordered,” Kihyun replied. 

“Oh.” It was true. Since Kihyun kept getting Yunho to add a little something extra to all the pieces you commissioned during your relationship, you ended up returning everything and having them remade. Despite this, you had one question. “How did you find out?”

Kihhyun traced his finger down your neck to your scarf, playing with the material. “When I went to order more pearl cufflinks to match all my suits.”

You plucked his hand off your scarf to examine the cufflinks. It was the same design as the earrings you gave him. The giddiest smile crept on to your face seeing that and Kihyun smiled with you. “Does it really make you that happy?” He asked. 

“Yes,” you replied, pressing yet another kiss to his hand. “It shows we are together.” 

Wait did you really say that? You hadn’t even talked about it yet. Did you and Kihyun want to be a couple again? Like sure he was holding you like this and talking about the past but what if this was just a random moment? 

“Uhh what I meant was…” you began.

“Do you actually want to give me a second chance?” Kihyun asked quickly. 

“Um well,” you tried again. 

“Please y/n.” 

“Ki…” you sighed. “Just… I don’t know. Do you want to try again?” 

Kihyun cradled your face in his hands. He couldn’t believe what you were asking. “God y/n, you’re like an angel. I would try absolutely anything in the world if it meant I could be with you. I am not letting you go again, not without fighting.” Kihyun’s own tears threatened to spill as he said this, so you stood up on your tip toes and kissed his jaw. 

“Yes. Let’s try again.”

His tears finally fell. But they were happy, relieved tears. Everything he ever achieved in life, it was all for you. Returning to you had been his only purpose in life for several years, but he could finally step up and realise his dream: loving you again.

“My princess, can I kiss you?”

[rye-views]

Queen of Tears. 눈물의 여왕. 7.9/10

I wouldn't recommend this drama to my friends. I would rewatch this drama.

Hyeon Tae's face expressions are funny. Lmaoo at when Hae In calls Hyun Woo sexy dynamite. That's too good. I like her lusting over him. Wait so funny when Hae In hits her brother to drink the water and Hyun Woo is like she's not like that to me. Comedy gold. Lol at when we're like how'd you get into Seoul Uni when talking about Hyun Woo being bus man. Same with Young Sook.

The acting chemistry between the protags are flawless to me. Hae In's isolating feeling towards her sickness is so sad. The romance I feel with Hyun Woo's fake actions i feel. Hyun Woo is a hottie husband who always shows up. Wife me up. Jiwon is soo good at facial acting and also she's still so pretty. What a great concept of a show. Hae In following Hyun Woo's bus is shown so cutely. I'll date you Soo Cheol. His love for his family is so beautiful. But, Hyun Woo, wife me up. He's such a simple, adorable, smart guy. Damn that glass seal is cool. Damn this wine collection is awesome. I like the Beomja and Hyunwoo duo. I like Hyunwoo and Haein's dads supporting each other, especially watching a drama together. I love Hyunwoo's parents. I love the epilogue. Not this miracle of Hae In's memory journal surviving. Ohoo at Soo cheol's improved biking.

Eeek! so cute when Hyun Woo zooms to Hae In on their first night together. Hehe at Hae In's "왜 저래, 진짜?" when she thinks Hyun Woo wants to come into her room. I squeal. Her reopening her feelings is so cute.

Hae In's memory flashes are so scary.

Da Hye's ex is disgusting. Eun Sung is manipulation 101. Eun Sung picking up Hae In's journal thing for after surgery is a big nono. My anger at Eun Sung's behavior post-surgery and destroying the journal. Why does Moh Seulhee fit so perfectly in prison.

I'm crying the whole time Hae In goes to Germany alone and her aunt finding out about the illness. I'm crying so much at Hyun Woo telling his mom about Haein's illness. I'm crying so much at Soo Cheol loving his family so much. There's no stopping my bawling in all the scenes after Haein reveals to the press that she's sick. Ep. 11 is a killer.

I can't imagine wanting someone dead and then later reigniting the old love.

Song Joong Ki's appearance was so random. lol. Also the fact that he's Vincenzo here. LOL at Hong Jin Kyung's cameo.

It's actually tragic what a horrible life Eun Sung had because of his own psychoness and his mom's. Like he's out here just loving, but he happens to be crazy about it. He could've had the girl and a mom in another life, you know.

[rizzkisworld]

➜ enhypen

Heeseung

nothing found

Jay

nothing found

Jake

rizz diaries (smau)

Sunghoon

sentiments pt2 (fluff)

Sunoo

nothing found

Jungwon

nothing found

Ni-Ki

sentiments (fluff)

bf!riki thoughts (fluff)

morning kisses (fluff)

OT7

seeing their s/o on the red carpet

exes to lovers

➜ &team

K

nothing found

Fuma

nothing found

Nicholas

not so lonely (fluff)

bf!Nicholas thoughts 1 (fluff)

bf!Nicholas thoughts 2 (fluff)

EJ

nothing found

Yuma

nothing found

Jo

basketball-player!Jo (fluff)

Harua

nothing found

Taki

nothing found

Maki

bf!Maki thoughts 1 (fluff)

football-player!Maki (fluff)

bf!Maki thoughts 2 (fluff)

OT9

seeing their s/o on the red carpet

➜ BND

Sungho

nothing found

Riwoo

nothing found

Jaehyun

bf! myung jaehyun who...(fluff)

Taesan

nothing found

Leehan

nothing found

Woonhak

nothing found

OT6

seeing their s/o on the red carpet

when their s/o has pneumonia

receiving flowers from their s/o

➜ ZB1

Jiwoong

nothing found

Hanbin

nothing found

Zhang Hao

violin-tutor!Hao (fluff)

Matthew

nothing found

Taerae

nothing found

Ricky

nothing found

Gyuvin

nothing found

Gunwook

bf!Gunwook thoughts (fluff)

Yujin

nothing found

OT9

christmas with zb1

➜ riize

Shotaro

nothing found

Eunseok

nothing found

Sungchan

nothing found

Wonbin

nothing found

Seunghan

bf!Seunghan thoughts (fluff)

Sohee

nothing found

Anton

bf!Anton thoughts

OT7

nothing found

➜ xikers

Minjae

nothing found

Junmin

nothing found

Sumin

take the shot (fluff)

Jinsik

nothing found

Hyunwoo

nothing found

Junghoon

nothing found

Seeun

nothing found

Yujun

nothing found

Hunter

nothing found

Yechan

nothing found

OT10

nothing found

[irissise]

• 𝙉𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙤 𝙙𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙖 - 𝘕𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘢 𝘳𝘪𝘬𝘪

• sinopse: Vocês estão em um namoro de mentira para livrar Ni-ki de certos boatos indesejados, como é um romance falso, é totalmente sigiloso então nenhum do grupo no qual ele participa, sabe sobre essa grande mentira de vocês. Em uma festa qualquer que Jake e Heeseung preparou é onde se passa nosso cenário.

- Narrado em primeira pessoa (narrado por dois personagens

- Imagine grande, não consiguir fazer menor 🥺

Nesse exato momento faz três horas na qual eu estou em pé em frente a um balcão de bebidas olhando todas aquelas pessoas se divertindo, dançando e cantando como se fosse a última coisa que elas estivessem fazendo, bom sabemos que no dia seguinte uma gota de arrependimento vai cair sobre todos. Dou o primeiro gole na taça de vinho não muito grande na minha mão, enquanto vejo algumas das varias mulheres subindo as escadas da casa.

Normalmente essas resenhas gigantes são feitas em casas grandes que os staff dos meninos alugam, eles contratam as pessoas para organização e os membros chamam as pessoas, resumindo, essas festas são totalmente privadas, são feitas para ficar bem longe da mídia em si, pra falar a verdade eu odiava essas festas, Riki me obriga a vim em todas, não entendo isso, ele me detesta, não me suporta e faz de tudo para que eu fique longe, mas sempre, sempre quer que eu apareça nessas festa cansativas.

Sou uma garota totalmente caseira, odeio movimento e pessoas demais, viro de frente ao bar olhando aquelas bebidas a mostra, apoio meu braço no balcão e coloco minha mão na testa, eu tô implorando por uma cama. É exatamente duas e doze da madrugada e minha velha interior pede uma cama, um chá de camomila, um cobertor e novelas, mas não é isso que eu estou fazendo agora

- Você nunca se diverte nessas festa né? - Uma voz totalmente desconhecida por mim fala ao meu lado, direciono meu rosto a tal voz e vejo um cara que eu nunca tinha visto na minha vida, ele era mais alto que eu, e tinha cabelos extremamente pretos e não era tão grande, não era muito bonito mas tem um charme

- Quem seria você? - pergunto e bebo mais um gole daquele péssimo vinho

Ele ri baixo e responde minha pergunte - Lee hyunwoo, um prazer s/n - Estranhei assim que falou meu nome, ele disse meu nome, não meu sobrenome, o que era estanho, nunca vi esse homem na vida - Sempre te vejo aqui, sei que namora o Nishimura, mas é intrigante...nunca te vejo com ele - Ele bebe um gole de whisky e desvia o olhar de mim e procura alguém pelo lugar e parecia ter achado assim que parou no Riki que estava sentando em um sofá bebendo alguma outra bebida que não me importava, ele tava rindo com uma garota qualquer mas parecia adivinhar o olhar de Hyunwoo para ele.

Assim que Riki percebeu o olhar do homem, ele o olhou sério, mais do que o normal assim que percebeu que ele estava comigo, Hyunwoo desviou seu olhar pra mim e sorriu com os olhos

- Distantes, os olhares de vocês, são distantes - Ele parecia analisar tudo

- Você tá viajando, eu só não curto essas festas, inclusive nunca te vi por aqui - largo aquela taça de vinho no balcão e olho pra ela tentando ao máximo não fazer contato visual

- Você nunca olha pras pessoas né, tá sempre admirando essas bebidas mas sempre bebe o mesmo vinho e sempre faz careta como se o odiasse assim como odeia essas festas, não é? - era problemático a forma como ele sabia, como ele era observador e analítico

Olho pra ele e rio de canto, desacreditada, eu estava ficando com medo na real. - Você é estranho - Deixo escapar em voz alta e escuto ele ri fraco, e sinto olhar dele sobre mim

- Você é adorável sabia? - Ele fala sorrindo e me olhando com uma cara totalmente estranha, ok, eu realmente estou com medo.

- É eu sei, obrigada, tenho que ir, tchau - Fujo totalmente do assunto e tento sair dali, não estava gostando do olhar dele, da forma de como ele se aproximava e tentava pegar na minha mão, e a forma como me analisava com aqueles olhos castanhos de amedrontar , ele segura minha mão e me puxa para mais perto me segurando pela cintura, enquanto sua outra mão aperta fortemente meu pulso, eu tenho certeza que vai ficar marcado.

- Me solta, louco - consigo trocer a mão dele fazendo ele me soltar, e saio correndo dali, subo as escadas o mais rápido possível, olho pra trás e ele estava me observando com aqueles olhos pequenos e estranhos, corto o contato visual e entro em um quarto que estava com a porta aberta e tinha algumas garotas conversando, assim que entrei percebi que não era bem vinda ali, mas não ia sair, não vou descer nem fudendo.

Elas me olham estranho e todas saíam do quarto, por um momento quis sair por medo daquele cara esquisito vim atrás, mas fiquei ali assim que olhei pra cama, que estava me chamando, fechei a porta e tirei os malditos saltos, me deitei na cama e me enrolei naqueles cobertores aconchegantes, nem sequer me importava com o som extremamente alto lá em baixo.

Nishimura Riki:

Quando aquele cara me encarou não conseguir tirar meus olhos deles dois, s/n não era de muito papo, ela odiava está aqui, por isso eu a obrigava a vim pelo contrato que temos, era engraçado vê ela me olhando como se fosse me matar quando tivesse tempo. Nunca reparei nesse cara em nenhuma das festas, mas era estranho, ele falava com ela como se tivesse intimidade, como se a conhecesse, ela o olhava como se achasse ele estranho e esquisito e com certeza ela achava isso

- Aí Jake, quem é aquele cara falando com a S/n mesmo ? - Chamo pelo meu amigo e ele me olha

- Aquele é o Hyunwoo, um amigo do Heeseung, conheço muito ele não, agora vou voltar lá para minha estrangeira - Ele fala saindo de perto de mim e a garota que tava falando comigo se despede de mim e sai juntamente com o Jake

Contínuo a observar aquela cena que estava me dando nos nervos e tento decifrar o que eles estavam conversando mas não estava conseguindo, ela acaba a conversa tentando sair dali mas ele a segura pela mão e agarra seu pulso e põe sua mão livre na cintura, ele apartava com força que dava pra vê a cor do pulso mudando, eu estava preste ir lá só que ela é mais rápida e troce o pulso dele e corre pro segundo andar da casa.

Ela sobe rápido as escadas e olha por um milésimo para trás, esse filha da puta ainda estava olhando para ela, ela corre mais rápido e entra em um quarto aberto no qual não dava para vê muito bem, mas as garotas que aparentavam está lá saíram assim que ela entrou, todas elas desceram as escadas e passaram por mim, algumas delas esfregava suas mãos em meu braço e ai tive a certeza que precisava lavar essa jaqueta o mais rápido possível.

Vejo o cara se levantar rápido e sobe as escadas rápido indo em direção ao quarto em que ela estava.

Esse fudido.

- Ni-ki!!! oiii! Quanto tempo, você não me manda mais mensagem e nem me responde né - uma voz extremamente fina e insuportável se aproxima e me puxa quando eu estava indo subir as escadas, ela se envolve em meu braço e eu olho rápido para o andar e vejo ele indo em direção do quarto

-Me solta garota - Me solto dela a força e subo as escadas, eu vou é jogar fora essa jaqueta, isso sim.

Corro até o quarto e ele estava parado em frente a porta, com a mão na maçaneta, ele ia entrar, esbarro em seu ombro de propósito fazendo ele gemer de dor baixo, escuto ele xingar e o olho

- Riki?! Porra

- Hyunwoo né? O que faz aqui? - falo e entro em sua frente ficando na frente da porta, rio pra ele e ele me olhava furioso

- Eu? Bom...eu estava apenas procurando o banheiro...só isso - ele respirava fundo a cada frase, e escondia as mãos

- Ah...entendi. Minha mulher tá nesse quarto, e sabe, eu sou ciumento, não curto homens perto dela sabe? E ela tá dormindo, ela vira uma fera se acordar ela - falo quase rindo e ele respirava fundo e tentava manter a calma, antes que ele falasse alguma coisa abro a porta o bastante pra que ele olhasse ela, vou até ela que estava virado de costa para a porta, ando ao redor da cama ficando de frente a frente com ela, ela estava mesmo dormindo, ou tentando, ainda não tinha dormindo. S/n sempre franze a sombrancelha quando dorme e ela nao estava franzida, mas ela estava deitada calmamente.

Olho de relance para ele que estava paralisado com os olhos vermelhos, beijo no canto dos lábios dela, me levanto e vou ate a porta acenando pra ele e só espero o xingo dela

- Riki seu porra, porquê fez isso? - Ela vira pra mim e me olha com os olhos cansados e com a mão no canto onde beijei, ela estava linda com essa cara lavada e de cansada

Tiro a jaqueta e jogo no chão do quarto e me deito ao seu lado e me viro pra ela - depois eu explico gatinha, agora dorme, dorme - dou tapinha no braço dela e ela devolve os tapas mais fortes e grito de dor fazendo drama, ela da outro tapa no meu braço e vira de costa para mim, eu ri fraco e me viro pra ela e o abraço, estranhei porque ela não reclamou, levanto um pouco minha cabeça e vejo suas sombrancelha franzidas

- Dormiu...bom - fecho meus olhos e depois sinto ela se virar de volta pra mim me abraçando. Ela parece um gato arisco, mas é uma gatinha carente quando está inconsciente. A abraço mais forte e assim fecho meus olhos pra poder dormir junto com ela.

Fim.

[dragonsareawesome123]

Jeon Changha, Cha Joowan, and Ki Hyunwoo running into each other at Seoul Fashion Week:

[jaemirani]

He'd been dreaming about this for a long time.

San tak tahu apa yang salah, kala dirinya dan Wooyoung tak sengaja bertukar pandang di ruang ava—tempat berlangsungnya teater musikal siang ini—Wooyoung melengos begitu saja. Ia rasa hubungan mereka semakin membaik akhir-akhir ini, terbukti dari pemuda kecil yang seringkali kirimkan pesan padanya bahkan hampir setiap hari. Namun, melihat gurat raut datar milik Wooyoung kala netra mereka secara tak sengaja beradu pandang, seolah mengatakan ada yang salah di antara mereka berdua. Dan San tak mengerti kenapa.

Usai tonton pertunjukan teater musikal tiga jam lalu, San belum juga pulang, bahkan ditolaknya ajakan Yuqi dan Arin untuk pergi ke tempat karaoke sebelum mereka benar-benar pulang ke rumah. Pikirnya, ia tak akan tenang jika persoalan dengan Wooyoung tak segera diselesaikan. Dan akhirnya, di sinilah ia sekarang, berdiri di depan mahakarya hasil jemari ajaib milik pemuda kecil. Kembali injakkan kaki di tempat pameran, berharap akan kembali berjumpa dengan Wooyoung secara tak sengaja seperti beberapa saat lalu.

Namun, belum sampai lima menit ia berdiri di sana, pesan dari Hyunwoo masuk, berhasil buyarkan lamunannya. Isinya cukup panjang, rentet kata dengan banyaknya kata tanya itu kalau diucapkan mungkin akan terdengar cukup mengintimidasi.

Mas, jujur aku ga tau masalah Mas ambek Wooyoung apa, tapi tadi Wooyoung ngomong mbek aku, dia pengen ngobrol ambek Mas, tapi Mas lagi bareng cewek. Mas lagi sama siapa tadi? Mas bareng cewek, tah? Iki Wooyoung e galauan, loh, Mas. Mas ki sebenere serius ga sih ambek Wooyoung? Lek emang suka yo diusahake. Iki Wooyoung salah paham aja kan pasti? Diobrolno dulu coba, arek e murung terus daritadi, Mas ga kasian, tah? Arek lain pada ketawa-ketawa, Wooyoung malah cemberut. Lek pengen ngobrol ambek Wooyoung, saiki arek e ndek selasar gedung D18. Samperno yo, Mas. Lek dia nanyano aku, bilang aja aku masih onok urusan.

Dan usai baca tuntas isi pesan itu, San sontak pijat dahinya pelan, ia jelas tahu Wooyoung tengah salah paham sekarang. Dimasukkannya kembali ponselnya ke dalam saku celana, lantas ia beranjak dari sana, susuri selasar gedung menuju parkiran.

Masuk ia ke dalam mobil, keluar dari parkiran, lantas kemudian dibelahnya jalanan menuju gedung D18 yang tak terlalu jauh dari sana. Di sepanjang perjalanan, ia merapal doa, berharap Wooyoung benar-benar masih berada di sana. Dan tepat saat gedung dengan tulisan berbunyi D18 terpampang jelas di hadapannya, ia sontak hentikan laju kendaraannya, lantas turunkan kaca mobil untuk bisa lihat lebih jelas presensi pemuda kecil. Pemuda dengan setelan kaos putih berlapis kain sifon berwarna senada itu berdiri dengan gelisah, berkali-kali mengecek ponselnya, tampak seperti tengah menunggu seseorang untuk datang.

“Wooyoung?” Lantas, yang di sana tolehkan kepala dengan ekspresi terkejutnya. “Lagi nungguin siapa?”

Pemuda itu sedikit mendekat ke arah mobil milik San, untuk pastikan siapa yang baru saja lontar sapa padanya. “Loh, Mas belum pulang?”

“Belum. Kamu lagi nungguin siapa? Belum mau pulang?”

Diliriknya sejenak oleh Wooyoung ponselnya di tangan, sebelum akhirnya ia kembali tatap San di dalam mobil. “Lagi nungguin Hyunwoo, katanya mau pulang bareng,”

“Hyunwoo barusan chat saya, katanya dia masih ada urusan,”

“Loh, serius?”

“Ayo pulang bareng, nanti saya antar sampai kosan.”

Pemuda kecil sejenak berpikir, merasa tak enak kepada Hyunwoo jika pulang lebih dulu, namun ia juga tak bisa menolak tawaran dari San untuk pulang bersama.

“Wooyoung? Ayo, langit juga udah gelap, bentar lagi mau hujan.”

Lantas, akhirnya, ia beri anggukan kepala, kemudian masuk ke dalam mobil senada langit malam milik Choi San. Sejenak ia buka ponselnya, kirimkan permintaan maaf kepada Hyunwoo sebab ia pulang lebih dulu, sebelum akhirnya ia simpan ponselnya, memilih diam perhatikan jalanan di depan.

Baru saja mereka keluar dari gerbang, hujan tiba-tiba turun basahi jalanan, buat orang-orang yang tengah berjalan di pinggiran jalan terbirit berlari, menepi di selasar gedung ataupun di bawah atap ruko.

“Kasian mereka gak bawa payung...”

Gumaman itu tak sengaja ditangkap oleh telinga pemuda tinggi, buat kedua ujung bibirnya terangkat, pamerkan senyum tipis miliknya. “Padahal dari pagi tadi langitnya udah kasih tanda dia bakal nangis hari ini.”

Dengar kalimat itu, buat pemuda kecil tolehkan kepala. Ia tak balas sepatah katapun, hanya pandangi bagaimana netra dibalik kacamata itu berusaha fokus pada jalanan di depan selagi kaca mobil dihantam tetesan hujan habis-habisan. Dan kala netra mereka akhirnya bertemu tak sampai tiga detik, Wooyoung memilih untuk alihkan pandangan, lagi.

Usainya, mereka berdua memilih untuk bungkam. Dengarkan suara tetes air hujan yang menghantam mobil, setidaknya itu bisa usir sunyi panjang yang selimuti dua nyawa di dalam mobil yang dingin.

ㅤ

ㅤ

“Ini, keringin rambutnya. Aku bikin kopi dulu.”

San berakhir di sini, di dalam kamar kosan milik Wooyoung. Usai disambutnya handuk kecil dari tangan Wooyoung, ia lantas duduk di tepi kasur milik si tuan kamar. Diusapnya sejenak rambut basahnya akibat tetesan hujan kala mereka berlari dari gerbang kos sampai ke kamar milik Wooyoung yang berada di lantai dua. Kosan ini tak punya parkiran untuk mobil, jadi mereka terpaksa harus hujan-hujanan menuju kamar milik Wooyoung.

San hentikan gerak tangannya yang tengah keringkan rambut, biarkan tetes air dari rambutnya jatuh ke atas kemeja putih yang nyaris pamerkan seluruh tubuh bagian atasnya akibat tetes air hujan yang terlampau deras.

Ia edarkan pandangan, melirik ruangan itu dari sudut ke sudut. Kamar ini tak terlalu besar jika dibandingkan kamar milik Wooyoung di rumahnya, namun isinya cukup lengkap. Ada toilet dan kamar mandi, dapur kecil, meja belajar, tempat tidur, serta nakas kecil di sampingnya. Namun, mengingat bagaimana mewahnya hidup Wooyoung dahulu, San cukup yakin kosan dengan ukuran tak terlalu lebar ini tak akan cukup nyaman bagi Wooyoung yang terbiasa tinggal di tempat yang luas.

Beberapa mainan yang terpajang di rak dekat meja belajar itu sontak curi atensi pemuda tinggi. Pikirnya, mungkin pemuda kecil kembali koleksi mainan selama mereka berpisah dulu. Ia tak pernah tahu, bagaimana usaha si tuan kamar untuk membuat ruangan ini tak terasa sepi.

Lantas sekarang, pandangannya kembali beralih, kali ini ditatapnya punggung kecil milik Wooyoung yang tengah sibuk di depan pantry. Tadi, di perjalanan menuju kemari, yang lebih kecil ajak ia untuk mampir, dengan tawaran akan diseduhkan kopi hangat, lantas San iyakan tawaran itu tanpa banyak berpikir.

Kalakian, ia berdiri. Dengan handuk kecil yang tersampir di pundak kiri, ia hampiri si tuan kamar dan berdiri di balik punggungnya selagi pemuda itu sibuk aduk kopi di dalam gelas berukuran mini.

“Wooyoung,” dan suara dingin itu sontak buat yang lebih kecil berbalik untuk hadapkan tubuh ke arahnya. Sedikit terkejut temukan ia yang berdiri dengan jarak sedekat ini.

“Kenapa? Duduk aja, ini kopinya bentar lagi selesai.” Ia tiba-tiba mendecak kala dilihatnya rambut serta kemeja itu masih basah. Diraih handuk yang tersampir di pundak pemuda tinggi, kalakian diusapkan pada rambutnya yang basah, bantu ia keringkan rambutnya. Sesekali tangan itu sedikit kibaskan kemejanya, berusaha kurangi basah pada kemeja yang hampir jiplakkan warna kulitnya.

San berharap Wooyoung omeli dirinya selagi tangan itu sibuk keringkan rambutnya, namun ternyata pemuda kecil tetap diam, fokus pada kegiatannya. Satu menit sudah mereka bertahan di posisi yang sama, pemuda tinggi diam tundukkan kepala agar tak sulit pemuda kecil usap rambutnya.

San tak tahan, akhirnya, dengan tiba-tiba ia dorong tubuhnya ke arah Wooyoung hingga yang lebih kecil menubruk pantry di belakang, dikungkungnya pemuda kecil dengan kedua lengan yang raih sisi pantry. Wooyoung kaget? Jelas, handuk di tangannya sampai terlepas dan jatuh begitu saja ke lantai.

“Kompornya masih nyala—”

Gesit sekali jemari itu matikan kompor, tak ingin buat pemuda kecil beranjak dari kungkungannya. Lantas sekarang, ia terdiam. Tatap wajah pemuda tinggi yang datar tanpa ekspresi. Ia tiba-tiba merasa sesak, berada sedekat ini dengan pemuda tinggi dengan baju dan rambut yang sama-sama basah, buat dinginnya atmosfer di dalam kamar itu tiba-tiba berubah menjadi hangat. Seolah hujan dibalik jendela itu sama sekali tak pernah hantarkan hawa dingin.

“What's wrong with you today, Wooyoung?”

Ditanya seperti itu oleh San, buat Wooyoung tiba-tiba ketakutan. Jika keadaan saat ini terjadi pada mereka tiga tahun lalu, mungkin Wooyoung akan mendorong San menjauh lalu memakinya tanpa ampun. Namun, sekarang semuanya sudah berbeda. Wooyoung yang selalu ingin terlihat kuat dan terlampau keras kepala itu telah hilang, sisakan ia dan sisi lemahnya yang selalu mengais kasih sayang dari orang-orang sekitarnya. Lantas, kala San memojokkannya seperti sekarang, ia merasa sesak dan ketakutan.

“Kenapa cerewetnya hilang? I don't think there's anything wrong, why are you being so quiet all of a sudden? Kamu marah karena saya bawa teman-teman saya ke kampus kamu?”

Pemuda kecil beri gelengan, usai ditatapnya sejenak manik legam milik pemuda tinggi, tak sampai satu detik. “Aku gak marah. Kenapa juga aku harus marah?”

“Bener? Kamu gak salah paham sama mereka, kan?”

Kali ini ia diam, tundukkan kepala hindari tatapan San yang semakin lama semakin terasa mengintimidasi. “Aku denger dari temen sekelasku yang kenal sama Mas, katanya Mas sama temennya Mas yang namanya Arin pacaran,”

“Terus, kamu percaya?”

Lagi, gelengan lemah itu ia tunjukkan. “Enggak. Kan Mas pernah bilang kalau Mas gak punya pacar,”

“Iya, saya sama dia gak pacaran, dan gak pernah pacaran. She's just my ex-crush. Temen sekelasmu mungkin salah ngira soal hubungan saya sama dia.”

Ia kembali anggukan kepala, cukup paham, walaupun penuturan itu cukup buat ia meringis pelan.

“Now it's clear, right? Kamu cuma salah paham, saya gak punya pacar, Wooyoung,” serius sekali netra itu beri tatap pada pemuda kecil yang masih setia memalingkan wajah. Yang di dalam kungkungan hendak beranjak dari sana, namun kembali ia tahan, lebih didekatkannya wajah mereka hingga buat rambut basah mereka berdua hampir bersentuhan.

“Apalagi? Udah, kan? Mas bilang aku cuma salah paham,”

“No, there's still something wrong with you. Kenapa, Wooyoung?”

Pemuda kecil sejenak diam, hanya pandangi pundak milik pemuda tinggi, sejenak berpikir apakah hubungan mereka akan membaik atau malah sebaliknya setelah ia buka suara dan jujur perihal apa-apa yang ganggu pikirannya saat ini.

“Jung Wooyoung?”

Ah, peduli setan dengan hasilnya. Ia ambil satu tarikan napas, lantas kembali muntahkan kata.

“Mas kalau risih sama aku, bilang aja. Aku tahu Mas pasti kaget karena aku tiba-tiba deketin Mas, padahal dulu tiap diajak ngobrol aja aku gak pernah mau. And I can see that you're straight, so you might be surprised to be approached by a guy like me—”

“Siapa bilang saya risih? Saya gak pernah bilang saya risih dideketin kamu,” suara itu tiba-tiba meninggi, buat yang lebih kecil semakin tundukkan kepala.

“Tapi, Mas kayak risih, aku tau!”

“Don't just look away when you're talking. Mata saya di sini, bukan di pundak.”

Pemuda itu sejenak teguk ludahnya sendiri, sebelum akhirnya dongakkan kepala, sabung mata dengan pemuda tinggi. Hingga kemudian, ia kembali muntahkan kata. “Mas gak pernah jawab tiap kali aku mention kalau aku suka sama Mas. Sekarang juga Mas selalu saya-kamu ke aku, padahal dulu aku pernah bilang kalau aku gak suka, Mas jadi mirip Papa kalau kayak gitu. Terus juga, Mas gak pernah panggil aku Wooyo lagi. Manggilnya selalu Jung Wooyoung Jung Wooyoung terus. Mas lupa, ya? I hate my fullname.”

Kuasa pemuda tinggi terangkat, usap kristal bening yang tak sengaja jatuh dari pelupuk mata pemuda kecil. Kiranya pemuda itu juga tak sadar, sebab raut wajahnya kaget saat jempol itu usap pipinya dengan lembut. “Maaf, ya, Wooyo.”

Semudah itu untuk terbitkan senyum di wajah itu. Setidaknya, tak semustahil dulu.

Pemuda kecil beri anggukan kepala, “gak apa-apa, Mas,”

“Aku gak pernah risih sama kamu,”

Lagi, kepala itu mengangguk. “Tapi, aku gak boleh naksir sama Mas, ya? Cmiiw, ya, Mas. Cium me if I'm wrong.”

Ia ucapkan kalimat itu hanya untuk cairkan suasana di antara mereka yang sudah kelewat canggung. Namun, sepertinya, pemuda tinggi tangkap kalimat itu dengan serius, sebab selanjutnya, kuasa itu tangkup pipinya lantas daratkan kecupan pada bibirnya tanpa permisi.

“Mas, aku bercanda—umphh!”

Kecupan yang didaratkan tanpa pikir panjang itu berakhir menjadi ciuman yang cukup panas. San lumat bibir Wooyoung berkali-kali selagi tangan kekarnya melingkar pada pinggang pemuda kecil, buat tubuh mereka yang lembab bersentuhan. Sejenak, berhasil Wooyoung imbangi kecupan demi kecupan yang San bubuhkan di atas bibirnya, sebelum akhirnya pemuda tinggi lebih dulu tarik diri, sisakan pemuda kecil yang pejamkan mata bersama juntaian bekas saliva di ujung bibirnya.

“You can't just decide someone's sexuality however you want, Wooyo.”

Wooyoung tak benar-benar mendengarkan, ditariknya pundak lebar milik San, berusaha buat wajah mereka kembali berdekatan. “Mau cium lagi, Mas.”

“Kopinya keburu dingin, Wooyo,”

“Gak apa-apa, nanti aku bikinin yang baru,”

“Nanti lagi,”

“Then, what are we?”

Yang lebih tinggi lantas terdiam.

“Mas kissed me without my consent, aku bisa laporin polisi!”

Kedua alis itu terangkat, tak mengerti apa yang salah dengan pemuda kecil yang tiba-tiba lemparkan keluhan usai ciuman yang ia tahu mereka berdua sama-sama menikmati.

“Are you okay with dating first?”

“Hah? What do you mean by okay with dating first? Of course, I'm okay! Jangan bilang mas mau langsung ngajak nikah?!”

“Is that a bad idea?”

Pemuda kecil tertawa. Dikalungkannya kedua lengannya ke leher pemuda tinggi, lantas dekatkan hidung mereka. “Not really. Kita nikah kalau aku udah lulus kuliah, ya? Sekarang pacaran aja dulu.”

Oleh yang lebih tua, dibalasnya kalimat itu dengan senyum manisnya. Dilingkarkannya lengannya di pinggang pemuda kecil, lantas lanjutkan ciuman mereka ke babak kedua. Tak lagi peduli pada hujan di luar jendela, lupakan lantai yang basah, bahkan anggurkan kopi yang mulai lenyap kepulan asapnya.

[apcomplexhq]

RETORNO DIVINO: “WHIP-WHIPLASH”!

Enquanto as decorações e aparelhos são desmontados, o ar denso que cercava o condomínio na noite do dia das bruxas também ameniza, trazendo consigo uma grandiosa sensação de leveza. A vela e o livro amaldiçoado foram retirados da mansão assombrada de Mount Olympus, pelo simples intuito de evitar que algum adolescente intrometido traga, outra vez, as filhas de Hades e as almas perdidas para o mundo dos mortais.

Artemis e Demeter se livram das possessões e voltam a ter poder sobre o ambiente gregoriano, fazendo uma grande ronda por cada bloco a fim de terem certeza de que o condomínio estava são e salvo outra vez.

PREMIAÇÕES!

Para aqueles que participaram da competição de abóboras, o resultado será publicado hoje à noite pela conta do síndico, então fiquem atentos.

Agora, sobre a adorada e odiada CAÇADA DAS BRUXAS, teremos dois tipos de prêmios: para quem mais pegou pokémons e também para quem chegar próximo da contagem exata deles (colocamos como "próximo", pois sabemos que tiveram bem mais esse ano, a chance de terem se perdido é alta). Para buscarem seus prêmios da contagem, vocês tem até o dia 05/11 para mandar na DM do síndico da seguinte forma:

Mimikyu: (número de aparições) Misdreavus: (número de aparições) Litwick: (número de aparições) Pumpkaboo: (número de aparições)

Sem mais delongas, temos total certeza de que muitos de vocês estão ansiosos para ver as pontuações!! Então, definindo como o personagem ganhador da caçada das bruxas desse ano é… PARK MINGYU (@MO01PM)! Você, agora, possui 1 reaplicação extra, totalizando TRÊS REAPPS e você pode acessar o título de seu personagem buscando na MASTERLIST e, também, vendo O FINAL DE SUA FICHA.

Menção honrosa ao segundo e terceiro lugar: PARK JOHN HYUNWOO (@EF96PJ) e o MOON SEOJUN (@EF92MS).

Abaixo vocês podem ver o placar completo:

✦ 1º. Park Mingyu (@MO01PM): 42 ✦ 2º. Park ‘John’ Hyunwoo (@EF96PJ): 33 ✦ 3º. Moon Seojun (@EF92MS): 21 ✦ 4º. Bae Bora (@AM01BB): 11 ✦ 5º. Bae Bohan (@BB01AM): 10 ✦ 6º. Rhiannon Lee-Dovey (@TT01RH): 07 ✦ 7º. Im Yumi (@TT97YM): 06 ✦ 8º. Phan Malisa (@TT02ML): 06 ✦ 9º. Kim Taeri (@): 06 ✦ 10º. Choi Sangyeol (@EF92CS): 05 ✦ 11º. Jung Chaeyeon (@TT02CY): 05 ✦ 12º. Verena Jung-Brecht (@MO96VJB): 04 ✦ 13º. Ki Jongsik (@MO89SIK): 03 ✦ 14º. Jung Jhin (@JJ93MO): 02 ✦ 15º. Park Naeon (@TT00NA): 02 ✦ 16º. Park ‘Amaryllis’ Yeonwoo (@EF94YW): 02 ✦ 17º. Min Doah (@EF98DO): 02 ✦ 18º. Han Sungjae (@EF91HS): 02 ✦ 19º. Ahn ‘Francesco’ Jiwon (@EF93AJ): 01 ✦ 20º. Choi Minki (@TT84MK): 01

AVISOS E AGRADECIMENTOS!

Como mencionamos lá no post inicial deste evento de halloween, nós fizemos alguns ajustes em dinâmicas, tempo de atividades e, até mesmo, na duração dele de acordo com os feedbacks que foram deixados pelos players para nós em alguns formulários que disponibilizamos. E, dessa vez, convidamos vocês a dizer o que acharam não apenas desse evento, mas também estamos abertas a escutar suas demais opiniões em relação à comunidade!

São perguntas opcionais, então pode responder apenas o que você gostaria, mesmo os que já tenham respondido ano passado, sintam-se à vontade para atualizarem caso alguma opinião tenha mudado ou possua alguma proposta para nós.

A Acropolis se encontra em um período de mudanças, então várias coisinhas ainda serão adaptadas de acordo com os vários feedbacks de vocês e faremos diversos testes de coisas diferentes (como, por exemplo, aquele canal de prompts que liberamos esse mês), mas em passos de tartaruga, pois somos lentinhas.

Inclusive, gostaria de aproveitar a deixa para pedir a vocês mais uma vez que entrem no nosso SERVIDOR DE DM’s, para participar dos grupos de estabelecimentos, clubes e, especialmente os de moradia! Estamos planejando um eventinho já tem um tempo, pois ele ia acontecer no mesmo dia em que o maldito do Xwitter foi de aleluia, então após discutirmos bastante resolvemos realocá-lo para metade de novembro e início de dezembro. Terá todo aquele esqueminha de coleta de pontos e prometemos que será o último evento maiorzinho deste ano (ainda teremos eventinhos, só que mais simples)!

✦ FORMULÁRIO DE FEEDBACK. ✦ FORMULÁRIO DE SUGESTÕES DE EVENTOS.

E, por último, mas não menos importante, queremos deixar um agradecimento ENORME para todo mundo que interagiu nem que seja apenas um pouco com os eventos, plotdrops, dinâmica, fofocas, os filminhos… É mesmo muito importante pra nós ver tudo isso, claro que em algumas situações iríamos adorar ver bem mais personagens do que apareceram, mas não é como se isso nos desanimasse, muito pelo contrário, só ficamos ainda mais determinadas em buscar fazer algo que incentive mais gente a participar e caso alguém tenha sugestão, estaremos dispostas a ouvir!

Aliás, deixo aqui o lembrete de que a TASK OBRIGATÓRIA deve ser entregue por todos os personagens que já estavam na comunidade no dia 15/10! O prazo para postagem do selfpara é até o dia 15 de novembro, às 23:59, não esqueçam.

— Um cheiro divino, Artemis e Demeter. 💜💛

[ao3feed-ateez]

Battle Royale

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/eOKRlj2 by sundaysandrain When the annoying man in a black fedora warned him that even worse things will be coming than their revolution in Strictland,he tries to find a way to protect his crew, at struggles,at first,at at least. Who's a true friend and who's an enemy in this story? Only time will tell. Words: 613, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: ATEEZ (Band), Dreamcatcher (Korea Band), P1Harmony (Band), SEVENTEEN (Band), E'LAST (Band), BE:FIRST (Band), TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band), EPEX (Band), ENHYPEN (Band) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/F, M/M, Multi Characters: ATEEZ Ensemble, Dreamcatcher (Korea Band) Ensemble, P1Harmony Ensemble, SEVENTEEN Ensemble, E'LAST Ensemble, TOMORROW X TOGETHER Ensemble, ENHYPEN Ensemble, Be: First Ensemble, Epex Ensemble Relationships: Kim Bora | SuA/Kim Minji | JiU, Kim Yoohyeon/Lee Siyeon, Han Dong | Handong/Lee Yubin | Dami, Choi Taeyang | Theo/Yoon Keeho, Hwang Intak/Kim Jongseob, Choi Jiung/Haku Shota | Soul, Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Kim Mingyu, Xu Minghao | The8/Yoon Jeonghan, Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi, Jeon Wonwoo/Lee Jihoon | Woozi, Boo Seungkwan/Lee Seokmin | DK, Chwe Hansol | Vernon/Lee Chan | Dino, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa, Jeong Yunho/Song Mingi (ATEEZ), Choi San (ATEEZ)/Choi Yeonjun/Jung Wooyoung (ATEEZ), Choi Beomgyu/Huening Kai/Kang Taehyun, Lee Heeseung/Sim Jaeyun | Jake, Park Jongseong | Jay/Yang Jungwon, Kim Sunoo/Nishimura Riki | Ni-ki/Park Sunghoon, Choi In/Choi Seungyeop, Choi Youngmin | Romin/Oh Yejun, Lee Wonjun/Won Hyuk, Keum Donghyun | Keum/Kwak Dawit | Wish, Kim Hyunwoo | Baekseung/Kwon Yejun | Ayden, Lee Jaeho | Jeff/Seo Yewang, Ikegame Junon/Kamimura Leo, Hirose Manato/Kubo Shunto/Kuroda Ryuhei, Kang Yeosang/Choi Soobin/Choi Jongho, Byun Yongseop/Baek Sunwoo, Suh Kyungmin/Cho Minwoo Additional Tags: Pirates, Ghosts, Revolution, Sirens, Warlocks, Vampires, Werewolves, Superheroes, Royalty, Betrayal, Trauma, Flashbacks, Hallucinations, Everyone deserves better, this is just dark, Angst with a Happy Ending, inspired by many things, No beta we die like me when I saw S-coups's "Water" performance, Plot Twists, Psychics, mermans, Everything's the Cromer's fault, Blood and Injury, References to Drugs, Car Accidents, Past Torture, The Author Regrets Nothing read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/eOKRlj2

[zombiipcps]

( layout ib : @/stcpidcupid )

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ˙ ˖ ✘ . . . HI, HELLO, MY NAME IS WHAT YOU WANT IT TO !

ZOMBIE POP (KR: 방랑벽) is a seven membered joint boy group under STARBORN CREATIVE and CULT CREATIVE. They debuted originally with seven members, each one representing a deadly sin and woth medium popularity. However, fans soon noticed the uncanny resemblance between the group and their predecessor from STARBORN CREATIVE, TWILIGHT ZONE — a boy group that debuted back in 2010 and disbanded in 2016 after rumors of fighting and bullying within the group, which turned out to be true.

In 2019, only a few months after their initial debut, member CHANGWOO suddenly left the group and was replaced with a new member, NOIR. There was no explanation for the sudden change, but many fans speculated that there was fighting and bullying within the group again.

To this day, ZOMBIE POP is known for their sound and concept, as well as for being "the main visuals in kpop."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ˙ ˖ ✘ . . . BASICS !

NAME › Zombie Pop

MEMBERS › Ethan, Noir, Seulki, Dean, Akira, Inseo, Echo

FORMER MEMBER › Changwoo

LABELS › STARBORN CREATIVE, Cult Creative

COLORS › #909090 (Battleship Gray), #85ACE3 (Ruddy Blue), #015AFD (RISD Blue), #002D94 (International Klein Blue), #000435 (Penn Blue)

FANDOM  ›  Survivalists 

GREETING  ›  "Eat our hearts, we are Zombie Pop!" 

DEBUT DATE  ›  December 16th, 2018 

DEBUT ALBUM  ›  Loverholic 

DEBUT SONG  ›  Lucifer

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ˙ ˖ ✘ . . . SOCIALS !

INSTAGRAM › zombie.pop__offcl

TWITTER › ZOMBIE_POP_OFFCL, BRAINLESS_BOYZ_TWT (members)

TIKTOK › zombie.pop__offcl

YOUTUBE › ZOMBIE POP OFFICIAL, BRAINLESS BOYZ TV (members)

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ˙ ˖ ✘ . . . MEMBERS !

Ethan Lee / Lee Woosung ( Ethan ) . . . 1997

Kim Seul-ki ( Seulki ) . . . 1997

Natthawut Sangsingkeo ( Dean ) . . . 1998

Hong Inseo ( Inseo ) . . . 1998

Cha Dongyoon ( Echo ) . . . 1999

Yang Hyunwoo ( Noir ) . . . 1999

Harano Akira ( Akira ) . . . 2000