#kim sunwoo fanfiction | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

papermatisse · 1 year ago

Text

Whispers in the Dark || K.SW

† genre: horror

† word count: 6.2k

† warnings: possession, graphic exorcism scene, violence, idk

† synopsis: it started out small with whispers and body aches and things moving around. now he's a different person entirely—or perhaps not even a person.

† (a/n): it's a little very corny lol it's like every possession movie I've watched compiled into one fic of cliches. but yeah fun times 👍

† taglist: @scuzmunkie @hipsdofangirl @hydroyaksha

anthology | main masterlist

It started out small with barely anything seemingly off or askew. Though then again, the two lovers were up in the clouds and blinded with joy over their new house, so maybe it was just them ignoring the blatantly obvious. But after a few days of settling in, things started to become weird.

There was always this feeling of being watched. Even as Sunwoo would leave for work in the mornings, (y/n) would still feel the eerie presence of someone lingering nearby, eyes trained on her at all times. Particular spots of the house felt most uncomfortable, and so she'd make it a point to avoid them at all costs. Sunwoo never commented on it either way, and so she chose to keep the anomaly to herself. Preserve the ever so fragile peace which remained in this place.

But then it began to manifest itself. She'd catch glimpses of someone—or something—in the corner of her eye, but when she'd turn, it'd be gone. It was always the same image as well. Of a dark, shadowed silhouette of a person. Brooding in the recesses of her house and her mind. The one who continuously watched her every move. Perhaps she was tired and seeing things, or perhaps she had grown more suspicious of the once happy abode the longer she stayed in it.

But those glimpses soon grew more obvious. More intense.

Looking up to see not only her reflection, but something else behind her. Waking up in the night to see a spot of the room darker than the rest. Walking up the driveway and seeing it staring out the window at her.

At this point, she had to voice her concerns to her boyfriend. It was beginning to eat away at her psyche, her body on constant alert and growing weaker with the incessant paranoia. Knowing that they weren't the only ones in their new home.

But Sunwoo was dismissive at best. Not only did he not believe her, but he also questioned her sanity, asked if she was truly okay or not. The way he pressed the back of his hand against her forehead as if ascertaining whether she truly was healthy or not was the breaking point for her, slapping away his hand with an unexpected yet not surprising harshness.

The next few days were rough, walking on eggshells around the other to prevent another fallout in what was supposed to be a happy time of their relationship. The occurrences continued to grow both in frequency and intensity, and (y/n) was merely forced to take it with a grain of salt. Sunwoo was unbothered by it all, his only turmoil seemingly being the strained relations he held with his significant other.

(y/n) took every opportunity she could to stay out of the house. If a friend needed help moving something, an invite to a company dinner was sent to her, a sale at her favorite store—she'd certainly be present there than at the inescapable and suffocating fortress of that house. Anything she could use to delay her inevitable return was taken advantage of.

Sure, it was petty. Sure, she should've pressed more in the communication department. Sure, she was perhaps adding fuel to the flames. But she couldn't find it in her to be any sort of accommodating. Not in that place. Not when this overwhelming and crushing weight seemed to fall upon her whenever she passed the threshold. The debilitating sense of dread seeping into her very being with every moment spent within those four walls. That constant, pervasive feeling of eyes lingering upon her no matter which way she turns.

Yes, she could've talked to Sunwoo more, but it was entirely incomprehensible to her how the man didn't seem to feel anything similar to her. In the sparing hours they spend together after work, he seems none the wiser. Nonchalant as he ambles about the place, this disconcerting rhythm in his mannerisms as if he's well acquainted, comfortable even, with the place already. Like he doesn't feel the heaviness that just hung in the air at all times or the sensation of being watched every moment you're conscious. He just seemed to be existing.

(y/n) could see their relationship growing more and more strained. Morning chitter chatter seemed to dwindle into mere formalities, saying what must be said before departing for work. Movie nights and shared dinners waned into her coming home as late as possible, and Sunwoo well asleep in their bed. They texted when they could, updating one another on their whereabouts and such, though that was about it.

Already, in a mere few weeks, the house had torn apart the seemingly sturdy foundation they once had established as a couple. Though her relationship began to be the last of her concerns.

Sunwoo grew more reclusive. On the days she'd find herself showing up home at an appropriate hour, she'd find him sitting in the living room. Alone, in pitch black, with no TV on whatsoever. It startled her every time, but upon seeing her, he'd stand and greet her as he usually does, though now in a more… empty, rehearsed way. They hadn't really been talking much, so it seemed reasonable for him to be awkward at this point.

They'd eat together, though Sunwoo began to eat less and less, the leftovers he'd leave on his plate growing by the day. In the mornings, he'd take a sip of his coffee before leaving for the day, abandoning his thermos upon the kitchen table. It concerned her, and when he was asleep one night, she found herself raising his shirt, seeing how his body was beginning to wither away. His skin grew pale, his torso defined with lack of fat, his face becoming gaunt. She felt her heart clench upon itself at the sight of her beloved Sunwoo suffering so, and in the back of her mind, she found herself blaming the household.

As much as she loathed it, as much as her body writhed upon itself at the mere prospect of it, (y/n) began spending more time at home. Feeding Sunwoo as much as she could, doting upon him with every fiber of her being, rambling on about whatever seemed to pass her thoughts. The warmth of his smile felt like a remedy to her tortured soul, a reminder of the good that lay within this cursed house. The way his laugh filled the empty space brought a sense of life that was once devoid in their living space. Sunwoo alone had the ability to make this house feel like home, and she remembered why she loved him so much.

After a few days of this new schedule, she was suddenly awoken in the middle of the night by an abrupt jostle in bed. Blearily, she squinted through the fluorescent lights pooling into the dark bedroom. Her mind was fogged by the haze of sleep, though she began to come to—began to process her surroundings. The source of the light deriving from the bathroom, the lack of Sunwoo beside her, and the terrible retching sound now filling the atmosphere.

(y/n) had rushed over as soon as she processed the situation, crouched beside Sunwoo with her hand along his back as he emptied the contents of his stomach. His body trembled beneath her touch, a sheen of sweat caking his skin. And as if to make matters worse, between the upheavals of his body, he managed to make out one word.

"Hospital."

A few traffic laws were broken in her haste to get to the hospital, but eventually she made it, dragging Sunwoo as much as she was able to into the emergency center. Though not even an hour later, they were being sent off.

"His vitals are fine. Perhaps a bit malnourished at the moment from his nausea, but he seems to be fine." The doctor explained, flipping through a stack of papers with a dismissive shrug. "Could be just a bad case of food poisoning, son. Just make sure to take it easy for the next few days. Try to avoid greasy and spicy foods. Drink lots of fluids. Make sure he's eating, though."

The drive home was silent. In regards to Sunwoo's case, (y/n) couldn't tell what he was thinking. He just sat there, staring ahead with this blank expression. In her stance, she was beyond worried for Sunwoo. She didn't understand what was going on. She didn't understand what was happening to her boyfriend at all.

The sight of the house made her stomach churn, grimacing as she reluctantly pulled into the driveway. It was silent between them, though only for a moment before Sunwoo was turning to open the door.

"S-Sunwoo!" (y/n) called out, arm shooting forth to grasp at the sleeve of his shirt. He froze, back facing her as his hand remained on the handle of his door. "Sunwoo, why don't we go someplace else? We can go to a hotel, call out to work in the morning, spend the day relaxing together. How does that sound?"

It was another bout of pure silence, Sunwoo as stiff as a board as (y/n) desperately clung to him. Eventually, he finally turned to face her, and she felt hope at first. Hope that he would listen to her. Hope that she'd be able to get to him for once. Hope that he'd be able to put an end to whatever was happening.

Then she got a look at his eyes.

Soulless, apathetic vats of darkness, glaring at her with such unbridled disdain that she found herself recoiling from him, hand retracting almost instantaneously as he cornered her with those heinous eyes of his. And for a moment, she didn't recognize what was in front of her. She didn't see Sunwoo at all. It was like an entirely different person in front of her.

But then he seemed to snap to, blinking away that momentarily evil farce for a neutral, tired look. Like a poor kicked puppy, Sunwoo came back to her, brows furrowed as he shook his head.

"Sorry, baby, I'm tired. I just want to go to bed for now. Maybe some other time." And then he slipped out of the vehicle. When the door closed behind him, she released the breath of air she'd been holding, pressing a palm to her racing heartbeat as her eyes trailed after Sunwoo sluggishly dragging himself back into their house.

What was that just now? What just happened? Sunwoo had never looked like that before. Sunwoo had never felt like that. It was strange, ominous even. As if some form of an anomaly that wasn't meant to be. As if something beyond her preconceived notion of reality. As if an invitation to begin questioning her world more than she already had been. Yet at a moment's notice, he had reverted right back, as if the turmoil he'd implemented into her mindset was for nothing.

Warily, she watched Sunwoo drag himself into the house, taking this moment to herself to recuperate from the whirlwind of a scene that had just transpired seconds before. He pushed open the door, stepping into the house in his weakened state, body slumping upon itself tiredly. And through the bleary image of her tear ridden eyes, she could see the vague, obscured shadow of a hand sliding upon Sunwoo's shoulder as he sunk into the inky blackness of the house's interior.

That night seemed to be the mere precipice of the hell which would ensue shortly after their return. Sunwoo had gone back to how he had been before. Only eating a quarter of his plate before pushing it aside. He all but rejected every offer of food she presented him, even scowling at her when she tried hand feeding him. He grew thinner by the day, skin practically graying before her, like the rich saturation of his once tanned skin was all but dissipating into thin air. His eyes were sunken with defined bags weighing down beneath them. His lips were down turned most of the time—perhaps all the time. And the few moments of sleep he did manage to receive were disrupted by late night attacks.

Nightmares that left his body shaking, drenched in a cold sweat as he heaved for air. (y/n) would be there to comfort him, stroking back his hair and bringing him back to reality, only for him to pass out once again with no recollection of the night before. At times, she'd catch him staring off places. Sat up in the bed and staring at the corner of the room, leant against the couch and staring at a blank TV screen, standing in the bathroom and staring at his own reflection. She'd snap him out and he'd be off doing whatever he does, again with no acknowledgement of his prior behavior.

At this point, and with no other reasonable explanation for such behavior, (y/n) had taken it upon herself to begin searching for new apartments. They'd be tight on money, but it didn't matter. She'd give every earthly possession of hers to ensure Sunwoo was safe and secure. This house did not provide that certainty.

She spent her free day scrolling through housing selections online, marking whatever caught her eye before proceeding on to the next. Curled into the couch and bundled in a blanket, headphones in and playing one of her playlists. Completely oblivious to the world around her, including that of the presence of the boy now standing behind her.

"(y/n)."

The voice that suddenly spoke made her heart plummet to her stomach. A deep, resounding voice that penetrated through the music playing in her ear. A voice she never once heard a day in her life, now reverberating in her skull like an incessant drum with its residual echo haunting her.

Springing to her feet, she whirled around, breathless as if every ounce of air had been expelled from her lungs from the sheer terror of it all. Though upon turning to the source, a conflicted sigh of both relief and confusion seemed to subtly quell her alight nerves.

"Sunwoo," she huffed out, pressing a shaky hand onto her rapidly beating heart. Nervously, she laughed, trying to make sense of whatever just happened—sort reality from imagination. "You scared the shit out of me."

"What are you doing?" He asked, completely ignoring the state she found herself in. His eyes were zeroed in on the phone in her hands, its screen still displaying local listings for apartments.

"Nothing…"

His eyes lazily rolled up to meet hers, glaring at her through the dark circles that enshrouded his gaze. There was an irritated scowl across his face as his head crooked to the side.

"We both know you're lying." Slowly, he began to round the couch, and as he drew closer, (y/n) took tentative steps back, clutching the device to her chest as she remained focused on the man nearing. An intimidating tension settled in the air, the adrenaline from before kicking back up as she trembled under his stare. Like a scene of a predator approaching its prey, she found herself utterly cornered as he continued to loom closer until he finally stood right in front of her, caging her against the wall with his presence. "Your God doesn't like liars, now does he?"

Her tongue had gone numb, mouth dropped open as if wanting to speak, but her voice had left her. A chill ran down her spine as she stared into the eyes of the man before her. Someone she didn't even recognize anymore at this point.

In less than a second, she felt her phone snatched from her hands, yet before she could give any sort of reaction to the matter, Sunwoo threw the phone across the room. Helplessly, she watched as the device crashed into the wall with an agonizing crack as both the wall and the device seemed to crumble in unison onto the floor.

"Sunwoo…" Her voice was weak, coming out as a strangled whisper, looking desperately between what just occurred and to her boyfriend who merely stood there staring at the spot with an unreadable expression. Before anything else could be said, Sunwoo tore his gaze from the scene.

"I'm sorry." That was all he mumbled before he ran off to their bedroom, head downcast and steps brisk, leaving (y/n) there in a stupor reflecting on what just happened

"Thank you for coming," (y/n) greeted the elderly woman as she hobbled into the home peacefully, a light grin and a curious eye taking in the place.

"Of course, dear. I don't get many house calls these days," She laughed casually. Her eye caught the hole in the wall, glaringly obvious amongst the otherwise spotless white of the rest of the room. "So I've read your recap in the email you sent. Would you like to add anything else?"

"I'm not sure." (y/n) nervously fiddled with her fingers, nails scraping down her cuticle beds as she recounted the past few weeks. "Things have just been different since we bought the place. I thought I'd just be scared of the house itself, but now…" She bit her lip, refusing to meet the perceptive gaze of the old woman, as if bearing her soul before a stranger. Except this stranger seemed rather receptive to it.

"That's why I'm here to help in any way I can."

The reassurance was enough for (y/n), looking up to the lady with astonished relief and a settled heart. She trailed behind her as the woman waved about burning incense, muttered things in a foreign language, and looked around the house for any anomalies.

At some point, she unveiled a series of objects for (y/n) from her bag of items. Bundles of twigs and ferns tied with a piece of twine. The only indication of it being anything unique was the attached sigil on the string. These were placed above doorways and beneath objects.

"Keep these candles alight." She handed (y/n) a batch of long white candles. Her frail hands wrapped around (y/n)'s arm as soon as the transfer was complete. "It'll ward off any negative spirits that may be lingering. It'll keep you safe."

"Thank you… I appreciate your help."

"Of course. Call me if things go wrong. Keep me posted."

With that, the woman was gone, and (y/n) was once more alone in the house. She spent this limited time setting up the candles, placing them around the living room where Sunwoo would be sat eventually. Her nerves ate away at her, hoping with all her might that this would be the end of this harrowing chapter of their lives. That the candles really would displace anything that's attached itself to their house or themselves. That the normalcy of their mundane lives would return as if nothing ever happened.

The sound of Sunwoo's car pulling up startled (y/n) into action, standing from where she was seated and expectantly staring at the doorway. With every sound outside, (y/n) grew more and more anxious. She recognized the sound of his car turning off, the sound of his door closing behind him, and that of his footsteps growing nearer and nearer. She felt her breath caught at her throat as he unlocked the door, and her head seemed to spin momentarily as he finally entered.

The first thing he took in was the candles, and then his gaze drifted down the hall to their bedroom, and finally he rested his attention onto (y/n). Her stomach twisted at the apathetic stare her way. The way his lids sunk with weariness, as if fed up by it all. Memories of their last altercation briefly flitted across her mind, and she found herself rooted where she stood, as if by standing completely still, he would ignore her entirely.

It seemed to work, as he dropped his stuff on the floor and stormed off into the house, leaving her standing there in a fearful awe, wondering what he'd do next. As if trapped in an enclosure with a wild animal, expecting the unexpected at all times. When he reemerged moments later, there was something clenched in his hands. (y/n) hadn't the time to analyze before Sunwoo ducked under the couch and snatched up another one. Another charm placed by the woman.

The branches snapped in his grip, shards of wood trickling behind him as he went about and removed each and every one of them, as if knowing exactly where to look. Upon seizing the final one placed above the kitchen's entryway, he turned around and left the house, door kept wide open so (y/n) could watch in horror as he threw it all away in the bin outside, completely and entirely unaffected by them.

Once more, she was rooted to her spot, but rather than as a defensive mechanism, it was out of pure terror. Sunwoo's eyes were trained on her as he made his journey back into the house, figure growing more and more imposing as he drew nearer. The door slammed behind him in a violent manner, causing (y/n) to flinch at its ferocity.

When he finally stood in front of her, reminiscent of just a few days prior, his eyes momentarily glanced at the series of candles illuminating the living room.

"I suggest you clean up, (y/n)," He spoke, venom laced in his words as he turned back to face her. "I don't like strangers coming into our house. So remember that next time."

With that, he left once more. She trembled in the wake of his absence, breaths shaky as she attempted to gather herself together and get into action removing the candles, lest he return with a vengeance. She had briefly headed over to their bedroom in hopes of reaching out to him, though stopped short upon stumbling on the state of their doorknob, now indented by the placement of his fingers.

It was perhaps the most startling revelation of this entire ordeal thus far. The one that wrapped up the evidence collected and gave her the conclusion she did not want to accept. Because how else could a man as frail and weak as Sunwoo looks now be able to put such pressure on a doorknob like this?

That day, she slept on the couch, facing the hallway and making sure Sunwoo never stepped out when she least expected it.

The next morning, (y/n) prepared breakfast. Sunwoo sat at the table behind her and she felt the presence of his stare upon her back, monitoring every minute movement she made. Her new phone lay beside the stove where she frequented it with nervous glances, praying for time to move so Sunwoo would go to work. Though upon her umpteenth glance, she suddenly began to receive a call.

An Unknown Number. On any other occasion, she'd have most likely ignored it. Though with the stifling atmosphere and the discomfort of Sunwoo's insistent surveillance, she found herself almost immediately answering the call.

"Hello?" She spoke, voice as leveled and steady as she could muster. Anything to draw suspicion away from the maddeningly paranoid man seated only a few feet away.

"Hello! This is (y/n), correct?"

(y/n)'s eyes bugged out of her skull from the sheer shock of hearing the woman's voice again, heart rate accelerating as she dared a momentary glance to Sunwoo. He was occupied reading something on his phone, not even noticing (y/n)'s subtlety. Turning back forward, she continued with cooking, clearing her throat again.

"Yes." It was all she could think to say. Anything else could potentially tip off Sunwoo—something she wanted to avoid at all costs.

"Is he in the room?"

Another pause on her part before she answered the same way.

"Yes."

"I take it… the measures didn't work? He's still… the same?"

"Yes."

She heard the woman sigh, muttering something and shifting in the other line.

"Stay put. We'll have to go to our second initiative. I'll come retrieve you later at the same time as yesterday. Is that okay?"

(y/n) took a moment to process the information. Retrieve her? Meaning she'd be… taken away from here. Away from this house of terrors. Away from the anxiety that's plagued her soul for so long now. Away from all the darkness that lurks within every corner and carries with in nothing but bad omens.

Away from Sunwoo.

"(y/n)?"

"I'm sorry?" Another pause as she dragged herself back to reality. "I mean… Yes."

"For now, lay low. I'll come with help."

"Okay."

The line went dead, two muted beeps being the last thing she hears before she placed the phone on the counter once more. She didn't know what this entailed. She didn't know what the second plan was. She didn't even know there would be a second plan. And the prospect of there being help needed in this endeavor only served to further propel (y/n) into an internally frenzied state.

Absentmindedly, she scooped her breakfast onto a plate, mind still wandering aimlessly as she turned away from the stove.

A gasp fell past her lips as she came face to face with Sunwoo, his close proximity startling her enough to drop the plate once held in her hands. It shattered as it collided with the floor, ceramic shards skidding across the linoleum and littering the kitchen like a field of landmines. Yet Sunwoo seemed unaffected, far too invested in boring holes directly into (y/n)'s soul.

His eyes were wide, almost in a maddeningly intrigued state, unblinking like a statue. At such a slim distance away from each other, perhaps the closest they've been to one another in weeks, she could see the decay in his character. He seemed entirely drained, as if just an empty vessel at this point. Eyes glazed over with a sort of dull sheen, haggard and tired looking, skin that seemed devoid of any color, having lost the vitality he was once brimming with.

"Sunwoo…" (y/n) mumbled, shuffling back against the stovetop as carefully as she could muster. Her feet bumped against the shards beneath her, their scraping sounds against the floor offering the only sounds within the whole house. Yet Sunwoo again remained unperturbed, still staring at her with every ounce of energy left within his depleted body.

"Who was that, (y/n)?" His voice came out gravelly, almost strangled sounding even, as if forced out after its lack of use, yet still uncharacteristically steady with a low timbre.

She tried answering him, though her mouth ran dry, lips opening and closing helplessly as stuttered clips of her voice seemed to penetrate the hazy state she found herself in. As she floundered before him, cowering beneath his imposing stature which loomed over her with little to no regard for her pitiful state, his facade finally seemed to crack with the most minuscule of eye twitches.

"Who was that on the fucking phone, (y/n)?" He spat out the inquiry through gritted teeth, veins protruding from his neck as he drew impossibly closer to her, practically swallowing her whole as she backed as far into the stove as possible, the harsh metal digging into her lower back to get as far from Sunwoo as possible.

"It was just a coworker!"

"Liar!"

His voice boomed with pure unbridled rage, forcing (y/n) into the appliance behind her with a violent jostle. Her body ached at the impact site, and she could faintly feel the sting of a shard slicing beneath her foot, though she could barely even process the pain at these junctures, what with the voice that had suddenly bellowed forth from Sunwoo's body.

It was something she recognized. Something she had momentarily heard just yesterday, and something she couldn't really understand at the time. Something beyond her comprehension and reasoning. Yet now, it seemed as if her thoughts were as clear as could be.

It emanated from him with this eerie sonority. A disconcerting fusion of tones that seemed to coalesce and diverge in a discordant symphony. It held an otherworldly, menacing quality, as if several voices, each with its own timbre and cadence, were vying for dominance within the same vocal cords of the decrepit man they were housed in. The result was this haunting cacophony of layered articulates, a chilling chorus of spectral echoes that sent shivers down her spine.

A low, animalistic growl began reverberating deep within his chest, its encompassing resonance filling the atmosphere between them. She gazed at him frightfully, wary of meeting his eyes, skin prickling with nerves as she remained trapped before him. A debilitating discomfort seemed to broil within her. Something primal. Instinctual, as if her mind were seemingly overriding every other function of her body for the sole purpose of escaping as soon as possible.

Adrenaline now coursing through her veins, she shoved Sunwoo back with all of her might. It didn't impact him as much as she thought it would have, though it was enough of a surprise for her to take advantage of his momentarily stunned state and run.

The short distance from the kitchen to the main door felt almost endless as she heard his growl suddenly grow louder and infinitely more furious than it had initially sounded.

Yanking the door open felt liberating, and the sense of freedom which came from shedding the all consuming pressures of that accursed house and embracing the open, fresh air was near cathartic. She tumbled into the front lawn, breathless as her heart thumped incessantly in her chest. The blades of grass tickled at her exposed skin, the dew of the morning still lingering on their sharp ends and soaking her clothes, though the cool moisture and the soothing morning chill helped in diluting the rush that had taken over her body.

Still laying across the grass, (y/n) whipped her head behind her, shakily taking in the house once more, with objectively more opened eyes.

It stood as a malevolent force of nature against the unassuming and quaint suburban scene it lay within. It seemed like any other structure throughout this block, blending into the neighborly charm that had first captivated the couple, yet now she could see more closely the stark, ever foreboding shadow that seemed to radiate from within. There was this palpable aura of malignance that exuded from its very foundation, suffusing the atmosphere with this chilling dominance that seemed to both lure unsuspecting victims yet ward off those who knew of its intentions—and (y/n) seemed to have just crossed this threshold of knowledge.

She didn't know for how long she lay there, trembling from the aftermath of the morning, desperately attempting to regain whatever composure she could. Her eyes had remained locked upon the open doorway, waiting for the moment Sunwoo would come and drag her back into that depraved, ungodly house. Yet he never did. Instead, what drew her back to reality was the sound of a car pulling into her driveway.

"(y/n)!" The woman came rushing over to her with a haste (y/n) thought she'd never embody. The elderly lady helped (y/n) to her feet, practically dragging her up against her will before tugging on her arm. "Come, let's get you out of here."

For a moment, (y/n) followed with a hazy mind, merely following along without any sort of comprehension of what was happening. Though she finally snapped out of it when she saw two men walking by her, adorned in black robes and crosses.

"Wait," (y/n) mumbled, beginning to resist the woman as she turned just in time to see the men enter the house. "Wait, who are they? What's going on?"

"You shouldn't be here for this." Again, the woman attempted to pull (y/n) away, but when she heard a familiar scream inside, (y/n) had suddenly become alert as ever.

"Sunwoo. What are they doing to Sunwoo? I need to get him."

"(y/n)!" The woman grabbed her shoulders, squeezing them beneath her bony touch, eyes widened and frenzied. "That is not Sunwoo in there. You know as well as I do that Sunwoo is not here right now."

(y/n) felt herself sink into this deep, muddled tunnel vision. The voice of the woman seemed to muffle until finally growing mute. (y/n)'s eyes remained on her, but all she could hear was Sunwoo's screams from within. Anguished, desperate cries. Guttural as he screamed with all of his might, nearly drowning out the Latin incantations that were being hollered at him. She could feel her limp body being pulled away again, her bloodied and bare feet brushing against the cool dew of the grass once more, the yells growing further and further away, until one cry reached her ears.

Her name.

She slipped out of the woman's hold, whirling around as she booked it for the house. Her mind screamed at her to turn back, to leave this horrific scene, as if her great morning getaway was for naught. Though she was too compelled by the weakness in her heart that couldn't bear to be without Sunwoo, especially at a moment like this.

Barreling into the house, she froze at the nightmare taking place. Sunwoo bound by ropes onto a chair, thrashing about with every fiber of strength in his feeble body, head whipping to and fro as the two priests spoke affirmatively before him, bearing crosses aimed his way as they read from a small leather bound book. Visible veins now spread across his face like cracks of lightning in the sky. Blood pooled the whites of his eyes, his irises near indecipherable from the darkness now encompassing them. The sight broke her heart.

She felt the woman's touch rest upon her back, no longer attempting to pull her away as she had beforehand. She now merely served as an anchor for (y/n), as the girl bore witness to her beloved Sunwoo in this anguished, horrid state.

The room seemed to quake with the guttural symphony of Sunwoo's screams only growing louder in intensity, his skeletal form writhing against the restraints that bound him. The air grew thick with this suffocating tension, walls trembling as they attempted to contain the battle of light and darkness within. The priests pressed on, voices unwavering as their incantations poured forth like a tide against the dam of evil that obstructed them.

And then, in an instant, the abhorrent cacophony of screams that had once consumed the room ceased. Sunwoo's body fell limp, sagging against the chair in an unconscious state, his once wild eyes now vacant, staring into the abyss of the unknown until finally sliding shut.

Without any hesitation, (y/n) rushed to his side, skirting past the company that stood motionless in waiting. Her hands trembled as she gently lifted his head into her arms, cradling him against her chest as tears pooled in her eyes.

"S-Sunwoo?" Her voice quivered as she whispered his name, eyes darting across his face for any sign of life. Only silence greeted her as the first tears began to pour down her face.

For a moment, it was pure and utter silence. Her quiet sobs broke the tension as the priests and the woman slowly reconvened, watching the scene before them with tormented hearts, allowing (y/n) her time to grieve. Though that hadn't lasted as long as they had intended.

With a suddenness that sent a shockwave through the room, his eyes had snapped open. (y/n) paused in her crying, analyzing the face that looked up at her. His eyes were no longer that of a tormented soul they had been just moments prior. Instead, they now gleamed with this… eerie serenity. A calm that seemed to stretch infinitely.

A macabre smile curled upon his cracked lips, blood seeping from the corners as they slowly dripped forth from his mouth, staining his skin a ghastly crimson. And in a cracked, hollowed manner, he spoke.

"He's gone."

The words dripped with finality. A statement for the people who stared at him with irrevocable fear. As if an undeniable truth which could not be refuted. As if he spoke not of an unfortunate departure, but instead that of an inevitability forced upon the lot.

His lips spread even further, watching (y/n) with intent fascination as she drew away from him, trembling with tears streaking her face. He laughed, this raucous, jarring sound that immediately prompted the priests to continue their incantations. Though (y/n) knew their efforts were fruitless.

She had collapsed onto the floor, breaths growing shorter and more frequent, chest convulsing upon itself as she crumbled in upon herself. She could feel his stare still upon her, hear his crazed laughs flood her mind, taunting her with his demented victory. And all she could do was lay there, vision growing blurry and hearing growing fuzzy, world spinning and reality deteriorating before her. Left only to confront the daunting truth forced upon her.

Her beloved Sunwoo. The man who she bought her first house with. The man who filled her days with joy and laughter. The man who rekindled the spark of love within her that she thought had gone dormant. The man who showered her with his endless waves of love. The man who she had promised her life to.

He was truly, undeniably gone.

#sunwoo x reader #the boyz x reader #kim sunwoo x reader #sunwoo fanfiction #the boyz fanfiction #kim sunwoo fanfiction #sunwoo fanfic #the boyz fanfic #kim sunwoo fanfic #tbz x reader #tbz fanfiction #tbz fanfic #kpop x reader #kpop fanfiction #kpop fanfic

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bae-del-moon · 1 year ago

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With Love, From the Other Side of the Apocalypse | Preview

pairing: sunwoo x f.reader rating: M (for suggestive and violent themes) | TW: death, blood, and zombie-decaying bodies genre: angst, romance, post-apocalyptic!au | childhood friends-to-lovers-to-exes-to-lovers, slow-burn fic summary:When the world came to an abrupt end, the years you spent avoiding your hometown and those who came with it after graduating high school fell kaput. After months of solitude, you find yourself packing what you can and driving for days just to get back. Unsure of what you expected, you find yourself having to confront the mess you left behind. You're no stranger to a broken heart. Neither are they. You're the one who broke Sunwoo's heart, after all.

A/N: a stolen moment in time from the draft fic that leads to one of my favorite scenes. here's to the new year & posting this fic soon 🥂

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Your breathing is shallow now, and you're half convinced you're going to pass out just as you're about to meet your end. It’s hopeless, you finally accept. You stop trying to pull your foot out of the mud and fall onto your ass, hands falling beside you, fingers digging into the mud.

All around you, the zombies clump together, hands outstretched as if you were already in front of them. You wait for them and suddenly wonder if zombies are capable of teasing. Or does this count as torture? Because you're sure you've watched them move faster before, crowd around something living like it was a race. Or were they only fast during the apocalypse, when they were all freshly turned?

There’s a sudden rustle to your left, and you flinch.

There it is. The zombie (zombies?) coming from that side has yet to lose its zeal. Against better reason, you twist towards it to wait for it and watch as it comes through the tree line.

He bursts through it like a bull on a rampage, the hood of his poncho falling off his head like a parachute, and everything slows down. Lightning flashes. Zombies start to burst through the tree line behind him. And your life flashes in front of your eyes.

You lock eyes with him. Suddenly, Sunwoo’s ahead of you. Not the one who found you by coincidence looting a grocery store for food, but the fifteen-year-old you left behind. He’s smirking at you, his backpack slapping against his back as he runs toward you. He’s still in his soccer uniform, cleats and all, and his hair is damp in sweat. Strands of it clump together against his forehead.

He laughs.

“It’s not sweat!”

Your lips don’t move, but you can hear yourself answer him.

“Yes, it is!”

“It’s not! Come here! I swear! I want my kiss!”

“It totally is! Even your face looks all sparkly with sweat.”

“That’s because you think I’m handsome! OH!” He kneels in front of you, hands around one of your legs, huffing. “Shit. You can’t blame me for this. All I wanted was my kiss.”

“Yes, I can! I was running away from you!”

“You promised me a kiss.” He whined, pouty, and you could feel yourself fight back the laugh that was building up inside you at the look on his face. You'd only been teasing him. Sweat or not, you were going to kiss him like you always did before the two of you went home.

“Sunwoo.” You huffed out with a barely suppressed laugh. “I’m only joking.”

“How was I supposed to know that?”

You laughed and shook your head, “Sunwoo.”

He lifted his gaze from your leg, the pout still prevalent over his lips. You smiled widely, and then locked eyes. Your smile dissipated without a single word exchanged between the two of you. Before you knew it, you could feel his breath fanning over your lips, your nose nearly brushing his. Your body buzzed, and you could feel your breath start to come out in long shudders.

“Y/N, you need to try pulling your leg out! Pull! Pull it!” Sunwoo, voice raised into a near yell, fell onto his knees next to you.

You stared at him, stunned as fifteen-year-old Sunwoo disappeared, and the twenty-three-year-old Sunwoo took his place. He struggled, both of his hands wrapped around your ankle as he yanked at it frantically, trying to dislodge your foot from its muddy mold of a prison.

A shuddering breath, much like the one you'd just remembered, escaped you suddenly. The world sped up again, your will to live resuscitated, and you pulled at your leg again. It continued to refuse to budge.

Desperate, you took a quick glance around and felt your hope start to falter again. The group of zombies following you were closer now than ever. Half a minute, you decided, maybe less.

“This isn’t working,” Sunwoo grunted.

“You’ve got to go.”

“Stand up.”

You could still feel him pulling at your shoe. “Run.”

“Stand up!” Ten seconds. The flat, croaking moans of the zombies melded together and muffled the sound of the rain falling through the trees. You stood up as he wished, clutching his arms, and forced him onto his feet, even as he resisted you.

A second later, when your eyes met his wide ones, you mustered all the strength you still had and pushed him away.

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You can find the FULL fic teaser here!

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heestoleurgirl · 13 days ago

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park sunghoon 𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔

₍ᐢ. .ᐢ₎ texting w your bf sunghoon pt 2!! tryna be more active but midterms exist :((

genre: fluff, crack (some pinterest inspired texts) pairing: bf!sunghoon x fem!reader tw: a little suggestive

part 1 ₊⊹⁀➴ part 3

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hcuyk · 8 months ago

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OUR INFERNO | CHAPTER ONE

SYNOPSIS ✧ despite being your greatest archnemesis/rival/enemy/frenemy/whateverthefuck he was, hyunjae had always been by your side. that changed when your boyfriend was brought up, creating a newfound rift in your whateverthefuck relationship with hyunjae

PAIRING ✧ rival!hyunjae x fem!reader

GENRE ✧ high school au, enemies to fwb, angst, smut, fluff(?), humor(?) (these mfs bicker a lot), pining

WARNINGS ✧ 18+ MINORS DO NOT INTERACT — cheating, profanity, mentions of physical fight/bruises, underaged drinking, obsessive/possessive hyunjae : NSFW TAGS : outdoor/semipublic sex, dubcon recording, spit/drool/tears, oral and fingering (fem receiving), penetration, scratching/ripping, humping, minimal praise, degradation, sub!hyunjae for 0.002 seconds, petnames (princess, good girl, babe/baby, slut)

WORD COUNT ✧ 19k

⋮≡ [ OUR INFERNO EXCLUSIVE ] @deoboyznet @flwoie @sanaxo-o — fill out the form or comment/send an ask/dm to be added!

. . . . . . OUR INFERNO M.LIST ✩ next [ TWO ]

⋮≡ [ PERMANENT TAGLIST ] @armysantiny @stealanity @zzoguri @nyujjan @tinisprout @the-kpop-simp @sunwoosberrie @winterchimez — fill out the form or comment/send an ask/dm to be added!

THE BOYZ MASTERLIST | NAVIGATION

AUTHOR'S NOTE : in honor of my three years of officially stanning the boyz on this very day, let's celebrate with my smut debut and writing comeback 😋 enjoy my loves

PART ONE: CHASING THE SPARK (THE FIRE TETRAHEDRON) — fuel, oxygen, and heat | CHAPTER ONE

“Genuine question.”

“Shoot.”

“Who the fuck does Hyunjae actually think he is?”

Unphased by your up-and-coming rage rant, Kevin resumed snacking on the protein bar he had brought with him. He tossed his free arm over the camera equipment and backpacks sitting next to him on the bench, watching you stride back and forth within one of the many hallways in the recreational center.

“Well, he is your boss.”

“No, he’s the student executive producer,” you corrected, your legs unwavering as you kept a consistent pace to release your frustrations. Kevin shrugged and tossed one leg over the other, staying relaxed despite the hot fumes emanating from your upright and angered figure. You paused momentarily to look him in the eye.

“Emphasis on the student,” you clarified.

“Emphasis on the executive, Y/N.”

Baffled at how he was defending your greatest archnemesis (well, more like your greatest frenemy), you ignored his rebuttal and started pacing again. Your steps slowed as you envisioned the sensations you experienced just minutes before, back when you, Kevin, and Hyunjae were at the indoor pool to report for your school’s broadcasting channel. Technically, you were the one reporting and filming while Hyunjae was the subject of interest, and Kevin was there for physical support.

Chills latched onto your skin as you remembered what it felt like to have Hyunjae’s bare torso looming over you, his eyes peering over your shoulder to glance at your footage. While staring at the camera, his gentle, irregular breaths would continuously hit your skin. Water from the pool would trickle down his hair and into your shirt, reaching your backside. When it happened, you could barely comprehend Hyunjae’s ‘advice’ and instead focused on feeling every cold droplet travel through the crevasses created by your spine. You winced at the thought of that happening again, yet somehow you could still hear his irritating voice near your ear, telling you all the reasons why your B-roll of his lap swimming was ‘trash’ and ‘unusable.’

For a moment, you stood there in the hallway frozen, unsure of how to move, before realizing you were just reliving a moment from earlier and that Hyunjae was still in the locker room changing.

“I’m going to make a complaint,” you declared, turning back towards Kevin for his encouragement. Alternatively, you were met with the sight of your best friend completely failing to conceal his judgment and disapproval towards your suggestion.

“Against Hyunjae? You gotta be kidding, right?”

“Yes,” you answered confidently. “Wait, I mean no, I’m not kidding, but yes, against Hyunjae.”

Kevin eyed you skeptically, trying to decipher why you felt threatened enough to report someone like Hyunjae. You may not have spent all your previous years in high school with an affinity for Hyunjae, but it wasn’t like you hated him either—not in the way you truly loathed others. If that were the case, you wouldn’t spend nearly every day with him, bickering until the sun chose to set.

“Sure, maybe my B-roll was trash, I can attest to that, but that does not give his bitchass the right to not only shit on how ‘awful’ I was doing, but also yank the camera out of my hands and delete all the footage I got because they weren’t ‘perfect enough.’ What kind of psycho is that?” You glanced over at Kevin, trying once again to get him to back you up, but the most he gave was a slight nod. Everything you were spurting was half-mindedly being decoded because he had ended up placing more significance on inhaling protein. Regardless, you continued.

“And you would think, hey! As the student executive producer of a high school broadcasting team, he would understand that no! I indeed do not record half-naked people swimming in a pool, whether it be for a career or a hobby. He should also at least have the decency to not swim seven hundred miles per minute while I’m recording. Of course I’m not going to catch up, especially when he barely told me how he wanted things to be recorded? Isn’t he fucking insane for that? Not to mention all the goddamn splashing because of how fucking long his limbs are—”

“You’re explaining this like I didn’t witness the whole exchange,” Kevin grumbled.

“And you would think he knows, right? That Mr. Executive-slash-Captain-of-the-Swim-Team should either be more considerate when, A, he’s kicking water in my direction when he’s swimming or, B, station me away from the edge of the pool? Just a thought, but fuck me, I guess.”

“Well yeah, but the—”

“Also! Not to mention the camera has the fucking ability to zoom in, so why was there even a need for me to stand by the pool anyway?” You scoffed at the absurdity, almost tempted to cackle like a villain because of it. “The least he could do was tell me how to record it or find a way to adjust and compromise without occasionally soaking me with water on purpose, which I know damn well he was—”

“That’s just how-”

“We have a tripod, for god’s sake!” you exclaimed. By now, Kevin had given up on providing you with his input. He opted to rest against the wall, finishing up whatever he had left of the protein bar, and occasionally would roll his eyes.

“But even then, who the fuck wants to see him swim anyway? We’ll probably only need like…what? A minute of the footage for the B-roll? So why the hell is he treating it like it’s about to be nominated by the goddamn Oscars for Best Picture? He just loves to nitpick and control me like a fucking puppet—”

“Keep talking and you’ll potentially strain your throat,” a new voice interrupted.

You jerked around to find Hyunjae, the culprit of your rant, exiting the locker room with a small duffle bag that contained both his swim gear and his school clothes from earlier in the day. His brown hair was only halfway dry, some strands still stuck to his forehead as he approached where you were pacing.

You halted in your path and stared him down. Hyunjae immediately caught onto the mood you were in, and instead of being shocked or hurt, he grinned.

“You.”

Your attempt at threatening him with one word made Hyunjae laugh.

“Hey, I’m just looking out for you.”

“Oh here we go again,” Kevin mumbled, tossing the wrapper of the protein bar to the side. He pulled out his phone and went on TikTok, deciding it was more worthy of his attention than listening to you two banter—something he had been experiencing for well over five years.

As a mutual friend of yours and Hyunjae’s since middle school, Kevin understood the frenemy dynamic better than either of you. Eventually, over the long years he had known you both, he learned to leave you two be.

“What about me, though? Are you going to try and tattletale on me?” Hyunjae feigned sympathy as he gave you an exaggerated pout, tilting his head like a puppy’s. “C’mon. I’m just doing my job.”

“Sorry, but I don’t remember ‘being a dick�� being listed under the requirements for your oh-so-important position of power.” You huffed at him and crossed your arms, choosing to face elsewhere as you rooted the soles of your feet to the ground.

Hyunjae furrowed his brows, his eyes never leaving you, as he addressed the third party within the shared space.

“Kevin, was I being a dick, or is Y/N exaggerating?”

Kevin glanced up at his phone and scrunched his nose at Hyunjae in annoyance.

“Don’t even try to bring me into whatever…this mess is.”

“No, tell him,” you demanded, now looking at him. Your glare was enough to burn Kevin into ashes, but it was nothing compared to Hyunjae’s gaze piercing into your back. Knowing that he never looked away made you shiver, hating how fixated he seemed to be—and seemingly without reason too.

“Listen, I wasn’t being a dick. I was treating you the same way I treat everyone else. I’d honestly argue that you’re just narcissistic and think everything is about you when—”

“Oh wow, thank you for admitting that you’re a dick to everyone else!” You tossed your hands up for dramatic appeal as you spun back around to look at him. He scoffed, but his demeanor was quickly shadowed by a smirk that appeared on his lips, testing you with the arch of his brow.

“Oh really? Do you see anyone else complaining?”

“I’m complaining,” Kevin muttered.

“People don’t complain because they’re scared of you, Sherlock,” you retorted. At this point, Hyunjae had already caught onto your bullshit of making evidence up, and it was why this exchange ended up lasting for as long as it did. Nevertheless, his ego continued to build the more you spoke.

“You’re not scared of me?”

And you keep falling for the bait.

“Why should I? You’re nothing.” You approached him and pressed a finger into his chest, taunting him as you stared straight into his eyes.

Suddenly a competition seemed to have materialized because now you both were locking eyes, too stubborn to look away.

“One day you’ll wake up and realize your position doesn’t mean shit. You take it too seriously and make everyone’s job your job when this should be a learning experience for the rest of us.”

“And who exactly is ‘us,’ babe?”

You narrowed your eyes at him.

“Don’t call me that–”

“And it’s also starting to sound like jealousy to me.” Hyunjae’s eyes finally shifted, but instead of looking away from you like you initially wanted him to, you trailed his line of sight down to your lips. He eyed them shamelessly—technically making you win the unspoken eye contact competition, but at what cost? “I won’t believe you until I receive firm evidence and testimonies from the other students in the club, then maybe I’ll consider your concerns. Deal?”

What you despised most was how well Hyunjae knew and provoked you to get under your skin. He was a raging flame, making your blood boil from both irritation and excitement. You couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was, but after nearly six years of banter with Hyunjae, you knew damn well you enjoyed every second of it. It was like a nonstop competition, and you were always on the edge of winning.

Maybe it was also because you were so used to him constantly being above you. He was the president of the student council, the swim team’s captain, and specifically the one who snatched the executive position away from you in the broadcasting team, yet somehow you were still able to compete at his level of arrogance and egotism.

Even though you may never be able to top him in the foreseeable future, you at least knew how to match his fury—his fire, with your own.

“You’re pathetic.” You took a few steps back to gain some distance while his eyes flickered back up to yours. He bit his lip playfully, his smile only growing even wider.

“Woah, Y/N. Exposing my degradation kink so soon?”

“I-...you- w-what?!” you sputtered, your jaw falling slack as Kevin’s head snapped up, staring at the two of you in disgust.

“Get a room—!”

“I’m going to make sure you get degraded from your position, you freak!”

“Not exactly how that word works, princess, but I’m glad you’re at least passionate.” His cooing made you want to slap the living shit out of him, your eyes protruding from their sockets are you glared.

“Are you fucking bricked up or something right now—?”

“Hey guys,” a woman’s voice called out. Your heads turned to look at the end of the hallway, catching one of the recreational center’s workers waving in your general direction. She pressed her lips together and smiled, attempting to be as professional and understanding as possible. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but is it okay if you guys turn it down a notch?”

You and Hyunjae both nodded and whispered apologies, feeling like kids who just got scolded for shoving paintbrushes down the drain. Fortunately, the worker’s smile radiated genuine warmth and consideration, providing you some sort of reassurance that you guys weren’t too much of a disturbance (even though you guys totally were).

“You two are the most childish fuckers I know,” Kevin deadpanned, finally shoving his phone away as he switched between looking at you and the man by your side. His eyebrows bunched up.

“And apparently horny too.”

“I would move across the country if it meant I never had to see him again,” you grumbled, striding back to the pile of equipment to pick up your backpack and the bag with all your reporting necessities (boring script, stationary, and a couple of notebooks shared with all the broadcasting students to collect notes and inspiration in).

“Hello? I’m still here.”

“Look at that. He already misses me.”

“I’m going to hurl,” Kevin unnecessarily announced, and Hyunjae’s face soured.

“Ew.”

“Exactly. That’s how you two make me feel whenever you guys are together.” Kevin got up on his feet and grabbed the wrapper to shove into one of his pockets (no littering, kids) before outstretching his limbs dramatically.

“I swear I developed back pain from always listening to you guys bicker.”

“Or, hot take,” Hyunjae interjected, “maybe it’s because you’re always sitting with your back arching forward like it belongs in the Arches National Park–”

“Yeah yeah, shut the fuck up.” Kevin waved him off with his hand and rolled his eyes. “I came here to help carry stuff, not listen to your bullshit.”

He picked up the bag that contained the camera and passed it to Hyunjae. He offered to hold one more thing, but with only his backpack and the tripod left, Kevin didn’t see much need for his friend’s assistance.

Kevin then faced you, his face stern and rid of emotion.

“You too, Y/N,” he stated seriously. “None of this ‘he said this,’ ‘he said that,’ ‘please fuck me’ bullshit from you either.”

You gaped at him, arms wrapped tightly around the crew’s bag.

“Now why the hell do you think—”

“Zip it.”

Without giving you much of an opportunity to continue, Kevin sped off in front of you, ready to leave the building. You couldn’t even look at Hyunjae as heat rushed to your cheeks, struggling to trail after Kevin’s speedy steps.

Despite carrying heavier items, Hyunjae caught up to you with ease. You wanted nothing more than for Hyunjae’s feet to either slow down or speed up tremendously, but of course he purposely chose to walk by your side, attached to you by the hip.

“He sees it,” Hyunjae sing-songed. “Everyone sees it.”

“Sees what?” you snorted, oblivious to what he was indicating.

“That you want me,” he replied nonchalantly.

The moment you two stepped outside the doors of the center, you stopped to face him, trying to confirm what exactly he was implying.

“You can’t be serious.”

Hyunjae, who also stopped with your steps, shrugged.

“You’re the one in denial.”

Realizing that he was serious, you felt every muscle in your body tense up.

“Hyunjae,” you stated firmly. “I have a boyfriend, remember?”

Instead of receiving something witty from Hyunjae like normal, his relaxed facial features suddenly scrambled into one that expressed remote shock. His lips were slightly parted, eyes searching yours for any hint that indicated you were lying or messing around with him, but you were serious.

The aggressive playfulness from earlier had evaporated faster than boiling water, and you watched as he became stilled. Your heart started pounding, anxiety creeping up within you due to not being able to read Hyunjae like you normally do.

“Since when?” he asked. His voice was quiet, his tone firmer, and by now, Kevin was already by his car, too far from the two of you to understand what was going on. Hell, even you could barely understand what was happening.

“Earth to Hyunjae?” you joked, nervously laughing in an attempt to eliminate the newfound tension looming in the atmosphere. “It’s always been Jiwoong, remember?”

For a moment, Hyunjae could feel his mouth drying up. All his thoughts were held captive in his throat, and his lips remained parted as if they weren’t meant to collide at all. He stared at you like you had just teleported in front of him.

“Y/N,” he stated calmly, “he cheated on you.”

Your initial response was to get defensive, claiming that you already knew that because hell, it was your relationship, but then your brain acknowledged the true elephant in the conversation.

“How-...how the hell do you know about that?”

“I- You know word just-…That doesn’t matter. What matters is why in the world—”

“It was a mistake, okay?”

“A mistake?” As Hyunjae’s brows raised, so did his tone. “You know, people—decent people, don’t make mistakes like that.”

Seeing how Hyunjae was gritting his teeth, how his eyes were locked on yours, built up a foreign frustration within you. Something about the way Hyunjae was behaving felt like he was trying to control you.

All the rage from before had now returned, yet this time, there was no more leniency from you—not when Hyunjae was being more condescending than he had ever been.

“You know nothing, Hyunjae, so frankly, I really don’t care about what you think about my relationship with my boy-”

“You’re still with him??”

“Look,” you snapped. “Just because you have the luxury of crushing my hopes and dreams on a daily basis, it does not give you the right to dictate what’s wrong or right about my love life and my decisions. Understood?”

And just like how you always are, Hyunjae refused to shut up.

“How is it dictating when it’s common sense to dump a shitty person?” He dropped the bags onto the ground, and not once did he look away from you. “He’s never treated you well either, and you know that—”

“It’s not your decision to make,” you repeated. You could feel the three key elements of creating a fire stir up within you. You had the fuel, the oxygen, and the heat, and Hyunjae was the chemical chain reaction that would set it off. “How dense can you fucking be to not back down?”

“He cheated on you,” he reasserted, and there was a rage in his eyes that you had never once encountered. “He’s done so many shitty things, and he hasn’t changed–”

“Again, none of your fucking business–”

“And I’m pretty sure I saw—”

“I am not going to repeat myself-”

“Can’t you just listen to what I-”

“Drop it.” You were seconds away from yelling at him, ready to unleash all your anger because never once has someone threatened your love life—Jiwoong, the man you considered your soulmate. Your flame had officially engulfed his, and all Hyunjae could do was stare at you in disbelief and disappointment.

Turning to look away, you gazed up into the sky and scoffed, not understanding why tears had begun to pool up in your eyes. At the end of the day, Hyunjae meant nothing to you—you didn’t even consider him a friend.

After moments of experiencing what it was like to be suffocated by a tension so unbearable, you eventually found a way to ground yourself.

“I can’t blame him, you know,” you whispered, using the back of your hand to wipe away your tears. “We were angry. He just–...he needed an outlet, and at that time, that outlet happened to not be me, okay?”

Hyunjae stared at you, his mouth desperate to say something, anything, to make you see what he sees—a relationship that isn’t meant to be. That you didn’t deserve to be treated this way. Maybe you were no more than an acquaintance to him, but he knew you have always deserved better.

“He isn’t someone worth fighting for.”

“And that’s none of your business,” you scowled.

“It isn’t right—”

“Stay in your fucking lane, Jae.”

Hyunjae clamped his mouth shut, and the sight of you completely breaking down tore him apart. Possibly it was all the years you spent together growing up, constantly arguing, yet he knew he was always one to look out for you.

You sucked in a cheek, gnawing at it as your chest urged for you to forgive him, to apologize for lashing out without much notice, but in the end, you prioritized your pride over him.

Not only was Hyunjae’s persistence a stab to your heart, but you suspected that Kevin was the one who told him. By spilling your secrets, it was as if Kevin saw the knife that impaled you and yanked it out of your chest, causing you to bleed to your death.

“I’m done with this conversation,” you muttered, dropping the bag in your arms to the ground by his feet. Your plans had changed to you walking home alone, wanting nothing to do with the other two boys for the next hour or so.

When you turned around to walk away, you knew Hyunjae was going to try and say something. You knew him best whenever he was at his worst, so you spun around to face him for the last time that day to cut him off.

“Never fucking cross that line with me again, got it?”

And with that, you left.

Kevin apologized to you the morning after.

He normally drove you to school, and you debated getting into his car when he showed up. Thankfully you chose to do otherwise because the second you stepped inside, Kevin was apologizing profusely. He talked about how anxious he was all night when Hyunjae told him what happened, and he wouldn’t have known what to do if you didn’t forgive him. Obviously you did, and the rest of the car ride was spent with him explaining his side of the story.

According to Kevin, he only told Hyunjae about how you got cheated on because it seemed like Hyunjae already knew. As Kevin recalled the whole scene, you two assessed the signs, such as how Hyunjae didn’t provide any sort of reaction when Kevin dropped the news. In fact, it had seemed like Hyunjae had brought it up to Kevin instead.

Regardless, it became the last of your worries because all that mattered was that you were back to being on good terms with your best friend.

But avoiding Hyunjae felt like lighting a match in the rain.

It was your agonizing reality for the next two months, and although you could argue that you had gotten closer to your boyfriend during the supposed ‘Hyunjae Drought,’ you were still plagued with him being everywhere around you.

He was in all your classes, and you never truly processed the extent of how involved Hyunjae had always been throughout high school with you. You weren’t on the swim team, but you were stuck with him during meetings for both the broadcasting team and student council.

Yet it all felt so different.

Unless he was called on, Hyunjae would talk much less unprovoked and would never look at you during meetings. When he would address the entire team, he would glance at you for a split second before looking elsewhere, no longer watching you like a hawk.

You had also gotten quieter because without Hyunjae to banter with, you recognized that you barely had friends in any of those classes either.

There was no longer a fight between your flames, and you two kept as much distance as possible. You were thankful that there hadn’t been an instance that interrupted that, such as being forced to record more B-roll with him, and you could only hope that the rest of your senior year would remain the same.

Then you would never have to see him in college.

Now you were back to being the mediocre student that faded into the background. People knew your name at best, but none have ever tried to become your friend aside from Kevin. No matter how involved you tried to get, the closest you were to anyone was a classmate.

Hyunjae had always overshadowed you too, and for the first time in years, you were detached from his fumes—yet somehow, some way, the smoke from his fire would remain in your lungs, continuing to suffocate you even more than it had before. It didn’t give you that breath of fresh air of new friends or a better life; instead, it helped you realize that you didn’t matter. It was a miracle that you even scored Jiwoong as your boyfriend.

But then that begged the question: why did Hyunjae bother spending his time ridiculing you?

From the very beginning, you had always meant something to him, and you couldn’t pinpoint how or why. When there was no competition in academics, he treated it as if there was. Every time you ranted, he would listen, whether it be about him or something else. Even when you talked about how your chicken from the cafeteria was burnt, he would give you his own before calling you stupid for not noticing until you sat down.

He never shrugged you off like you were nothing or shut you down because your emotions were invalid. He entertained you each time with ease, and most importantly, he knew when to respect your boundaries. Hyunjae was probably the most mindful person you knew and could often tell when you were distressed or needed another form of reaction from him.

He knew when to stop.

Yet when it came to the one instance involving Jiwoong, he crossed the line multiple times. Why?

“Hyunjae isn’t here today.”

“Huh?”

“Didn’t show up for a single class.”

Kevin watched you play with your food with a fork, rolling the cold, barely spherical peas around and into the stale rice.

“That’s not like him,” he replied.

“Yeah.”

“I wonder why.”

“I wonder too.”

After the driest possible conversation in existence, you sighed and dropped your fork into your tray.

“I need to stop forgetting to pack myself lunch. This shit makes me lose my appetite, I swear. We should call the police and tell them the food they’re serving is illegal and a disgrace to this country.”

“Keep it away before I lose my appetite too.”

You didn’t react nor respond to what Kevin said, letting the conversation rot as you pouted at your food. The cafeteria was unusually louder today, making it easier to space out into thought.

Kevin took out his sandwich with a wide grin and started eating, grateful he never had to deal with what the school was feeding thanks to his mom, but eventually his eyes shifted over to you. You were unmoving with your gaze locked onto an empty spot on the table, so after moments of debating between asking you what’s wrong and ignoring you to devour his lunch, he opted to set his sandwich aside and stared straight at you.

“Why are you thinking about him?”

That was enough to garner your attention, your head snapping up to stare at your best friend like he was the craziest person you knew for mentioning Hyunjae, much less suggesting that your mind was wrapped around him.

“What?”

“Hyunjae. With his perfect attendance, a day without him should be a blessing, yet you brought up how he didn’t show up today and then moped harder than anyone I’ve ever seen mope. You should be over the moon, dancing on the tables and stealing people’s food, not-...” Kevin waved a finger at you, “whatever this is. You seem out of it.”

“Well it’s not because of Hyunjae, I’ll tell you that,” you snorted. Your eyes fell back down to your tray, and the more you looked at it, the more nauseous you got. You scrunched your nose. “If anything, it’s probably because of this shit food.”

Kevin rolled his eyes before tearing his sandwich into halves. You perked at the sight and ogled the half Kevin taunted you with. You were about to thank him and take it into your possession before Kevin jerked back his arm, making you whine.

“Throw away your food, then I’ll give you it.”

“Fine,” you grumbled. As Kevin returned to his delicious, most scrumptious, packed lunch you had ever seen, you picked up your tray and walked it to the nearest trash can. As you dropped the whole thing inside, you heard your name being called.

“Y/N!”

You whipped around to check to see who it was and smiled at the sight of Eunseo waving at you. You wouldn’t consider her a good friend, but you knew her well enough since she was the vice president of the student council.

She ran over to you with a stack of paper in her arms, relieved to have caught you.

“Y/N, hi! I’m so glad I found you. I was scared I wouldn’t because of how packed it is.”

She flashed you her usual glowing smile, and you noticed that she was a bit more giddy than usual, making you question why she was choosing to talk to you in the first place. All your conversations normally took place before, during, and after student council meetings, so this was slightly out of character.

“What’s up?” you asked. As you looked at her, you noticed how her outfit was slightly more put together than it normally was. She had on a cute top that suited her chest perfectly and a skirt that you had never seen her wear.

“Your outfit’s really cute today.”

“Really?!” Her bright demeanor then faded into concern. “Wait, is it too noticeable or out of the blue? Is it bad?”

“No, no. Not at all!” you reassured. “It’s just the right amount of perfect.”

“Great! God, that means the world coming from you. It’s because!...” She stopped to glance around, making sure that no one was eavesdropping, before taking a step closer to whisper. “It’s because I was finally asked out on a date by my crush!”

She could barely contain her excitement, holding back a squeal with her bottom lip latched between her teeth. Her sunshine-like energy made you grin.

“That’s great! I’m glad you’re making progress.” Your eyebrows pinched as you tried to recall the last time Eunseo had updated you about her crush. “You’ve been pining after him for so long—whoever ‘him’ is, anyway.”

The question of who Eunseo liked had always gone unanswered. She never told anyone, not even the ones who knew her best, but she loved gushing about her mystery crush to everyone she knew. All people really knew, you included, was how down bad she was.

A part of you wondered if it was someone you knew—someone pretty like Juyeon or well-known like…Hyunjae.

“Oh, I wish I could tell you, and maybe I will if things go really well and we become official!” She squealed and hopped in her spot, unable to resist giving you a half-hug with her free arm. “This is so exciting, Y/N!”

“I’m really happy for you.” Your smile was genuine until you thought about why she was looking for you, starting to doubt that she called you over just so she could tell you about her date.

“I’ll let you know how it goes, swear. But! That aside, I also have something for you.”

You knew it.

Your brows raised, and when you didn’t catch on, she gestured to the papers in her arms with guilt.

“I know this is kind of a dick move, and I’m really really sorry, but I promised to put up fliers for prom today. My date is right after my last class.” Her frown had deepened, and for a split second, you found yourself sympathizing with her because who wanted to let down such a cheerful personality, especially when this was life-changing for her?

“So you want me to do it?”

“Exactly! Please, that would be great. It shouldn’t take too long, too.”

You thought about how you would have to give up an evening of playing on your switch or extra time to study for an upcoming exam, but you knew it was your duty as secretary to help out whenever needed.

Not to mention that it would also make you a decent friend not to hold Eunseo back from her soon-to-be love life despite her poor date planning. If you were in her shoes, you would have wanted her to do the same for you too.

“Sure,” you accepted. “Why not?”

“You’re the best, seriously!” She handed you the fliers as she began to fill you in on the extra details.

“I already told Mr. Barajas that I wasn’t feeling well and that you were going to do it, so he said it all worked out and to not worry about it,” she rambled, happy to give the extra weight (both literally and metaphorically) to you. “I just printed these out, so everything should be perfect to go. Oh, and don’t worry about any extras! Just set them on Barajas’s desk when you’re finished. Hyunjae will also be in 142 with tape ready for you.”

The mention of the forbidden name nearly made every cell in your body halt.

“What?”

Eunseo tilted her head at you, confused, before finally realizing.

“Oh crap, I forgot! I’m so sorry, I really did forget you guys weren’t on good terms. I hope it’s okay that he’s helping you out. I mean, he’s supposed to, but it was meant for him and me to do it together, not you two, so…God, I’m really sorry Y/N.”

Before you could even react to the newfound information, she continued.

“I really have to go now. Thank you again! I promise I’ll make it up to you!” And with her rosy pink cheeks and a stunning shade of red on her lips, she basically skipped away and waved goodbye to you with a smile, so you reciprocated it with an awkward one of your own.

When she turned her back, your smile immediately dropped and you sighed heavily.

“Have fun on your date,” you mumbled, your eyes falling to fliers in your arms. As you skimmed the one on top, you noticed it was to promote going to prom while also including a big QR code to vote for who should be your school’s prom king and queen. You expected it since it was the last meeting’s topic of discussion, but what you weren’t aware of was who were listed as nominees.

There were eight names listed under ‘Prom Court,’ and while you expected Hyunjae’s, Eunseo’s, and your boyfriend’s names on it, your jaw nearly hit the ground at the sight of your own.

With every passing class period, your anxiety would kick up a notch.

The dread of talking to the face you had been avoiding for two months engulfed you, and it caused you to develop the urge to ditch your current class to go hunt for Jacob, the student council’s historian. You wanted nothing more than to dump the stack of fliers into his arms, and knowing Jacob, he wouldn’t ask any questions. Hell, you were certain that if you asked him nicely, he would do it for you because of how naturally sweet and endearing he was.

But the guilt of ditching your secretary duties kept picking at your skin, and besides, all you had to do was treat Hyunjae like a colleague. That should be easy, right?

As you suffered through the last few minutes of class and your teacher’s incessant ramblings about the upcoming exam, your thoughts drifted over to what would happen the moment you stepped into room 142.

Hyunjae hadn’t shown up to a single class all day, yet he was expected to set up fliers after school. As your thoughts snowballed, you arrived at the baseless conclusion that maybe Eunseo wasn’t aware that Hyunjae was absent today, therefore someone else (like Jacob) would take over.

Suddenly, your back had straightened with feigned interest in your teacher’s last few words. Something about Jacob being there instead of Hyunjae had excited you; it felt like you were free and that the universe was listening to your prayers. The gamble of seeing whether it would be Hyunjae or Jacob (or literally anyone else) had your right leg bouncing, eyes on the clock, and when the bell rang, you shot up from your seat, backpack over your shoulders and fliers in your arms, before dashing out of the classroom.

You sped down the hallway to 142, Mrs. Zhang’s room for Chemistry, bug-eyed, before having your delusions crushed at the sight of Hyunjae’s stupidly large height leaning against one of the counters. Your feet stood glued to the ground by the doorway, your eyes locked onto him.

Covered from head to toe in sweats, Hyunjae was immersed in whatever was on his phone, scrolling through something as his brown curls peeked out from inside his hood. Without any hint of him acknowledging your presence, your shattered hopes slowly began to rebuild.

Maybe if you were quiet enough, you could sneak out with the tape and do everything on your own, avoiding him at all. Actually, scratch that. You didn’t even need the tape. All you had to do was go to another teacher’s room, steal their tape for half an hour, and then return it with ease.

The plan was effortless, and you mentally smacked your forehead for not thinking of it earlier. Right as you were about to execute it, your backpack slammed against the doorframe as you turned on your heels.

“Nice try.”

You groaned out of embarrassment (and slight pain) and forced yourself to turn around. Hyunjae’s phone was now face down on the counter, and his arms were crossed over his abdomen. His face remained stoic as his eyes met yours, wielding a tension you didn’t recognize.

Now that you could properly look at him, you noticed a few details that you hadn’t before, such as the small tear on his lower lip and the bandaid on his cheekbone. If you looked long enough, you could catch light patches of purple across his skin, and the sight hindered all your thoughts, your brain too occupied with piecing together how he ended up like this.

“What happened?” you blurted, your gaze shooting up from his lips to his eyes.

Hyunjae staggered at your suddenty, but he managed to keep himself stilled, his brows pinching.

“What do you mean?”

Even if Hyunjae didn’t mean to, his question became an invitation for your unfiltered thoughts to spill out of your mouth.

“You didn’t show up for any of our classes today,” you began, “but now you’re here? For some stupid fliers? You’re barely dressed properly like you normally are, your hair isn’t straightened, you look pale, Jae, and what’s up with the bruises or the bandaid on your cheek–”

“Are you seriously psychoanalyzing me?” he asked with a scoff. There was no humor in his tone. Instead, it looked as if he was irritated, perhaps even more than you were.

Hyunjae barely met your eyes, and his arms closed himself off from you.

“What–?”

“You’re evaluating me like I’m some sort of lab project, Y/N.”

“No, no I’m not,” you rejected. “I’m just saying things are a little off.” You kept your eyes firm on his, even as he pushed himself off the counter with his phone and made his way over to you. “And you know, you really can’t blame me for being somewhat worried when one, you don’t show up, and two, you look like a whole mess—”

“Just hand over the fliers—” he interrupted, gritting his teeth as he outstretched his arm in your direction. You dodged him by turning your body 180 degrees and stood your ground.

“What happened?” you repeated, this time more firmly.

Hyunjae looked at you, a blank expression on his face, before turning back around to grab the roll of tape left on the teacher’s desk. When he returned, he shoved it into your arms while simultaneously stealing half the stack. You protested with an exclaimed ‘Hey!’ yet he didn’t bat an eye and skimmed over the contents of the flier on top.

Bothered by his lack of response, you frowned and made sure to block the doorway, refusing to let him leave until you received answers.

“Why are you acting like this? Pretending that I’m not even—”

“I’ll do upstairs, you do downstairs,” he muttered.

“Did you get into a fight? Why weren’t you here today? Why are you here now—”

“You’d think you’d know,” he finally answered, pushing past you like you weighed none less than a feather.

Your brain had fully malfunctioned at that point, unable to decipher what he meant as Hyunjae walked off to the nearest staircase. As his footsteps echoed down the hall, you thought about what he was implying yet came to no resolution. Did he assume that you were caught up in your school’s latest gossip? Or that you were the main admin for his biggest fan page on Instagram?

The idea made you snort, and you scowled bitterly at his childish attitude. It wasn’t like you were a complete stranger intruding on his personal life—hell, you felt like you deserved an explanation because of how you were forced to do this with him.

As you stormed off past the remaining lingering students to the nearest bulletin board, you questioned how you were going to do this on your own.

You had put up fliers countless times in the past few years yet never alone. Luckily, you had a general idea of where the fliers should go when it came to the school’s hallways, but as you approached your first destination, you struggled with ripping off pieces of tape while holding the stack at the same time. It would’ve been easier with a partner by your side, one who either did the tape ripping or placing of the fliers, but you weren’t desperate enough to fall into the role of a helpless princess in need of her pretty (useless) prince.

After some trial and error, you found a method that consisted of setting the stack on the ground occasionally so you could rip off pieces of tape. Then you would slap said pieces of tape onto your wrist, having them readily available as you put up a few fliers at a time.

Although slightly time-consuming, it was working well and kept you at a steady pace until you heard crashing footsteps behind you from afar. Without paying any mind to it, you bit back your curiosity in order to focus on the wall in front of you, but then you made the mistake of taking a step back, bumping into the person who was sprinting.

You lost your balance and fell forward before catching yourself shortly after. However, the fliers had already flown out of your arms, scattering across and down the long hallway.

Ready to curse out the offender for running down the hallway, you were surprised when you saw that it was Eunseo behind you, pouring out apologies while a loopy grin was smacked onto her face.

You steadied your anger and told her it was okay, getting down onto your knees to collect all the fliers. Her ‘sorry’s could only go so far with her smeared lipstick, a dazed gaze, and her hair holding the mold to someone else’s (presumably her crush’s) hands in them, but you still excused her, knowing that she was over the moon right now.

“It’s okay, Eunseo, I promise.” You forced out a chuckle as you crawled to scavenge for the ones that flew a few feet away.

“I really didn’t mean to,” she pouted, but it was shortly followed up with bubbly giggles. “God, Y/N, can you believe this? Oh, it’s going so well! I think I love him, I do.”

“Good for you,” you grumbled, hoping that she didn’t hear it as you continued to move down the hallway, hating how far the fliers had escaped from you. You also hated how she just stood there without intent on helping you at all.

“I have to really go now. Got volleyball practice soon, but I think I’m seeing him tomorrow too!” She waved you goodbye.

And just like that, she continued running off.

You stared at how you were only able to collect half the mess, hating how Eunseo had somehow managed to delay you even further from being in the comfort of your bed. You were also salty at how her date was taking place at the school, wishing she could’ve dragged him around while she taped stuff up before getting dick-downed of some sort.

Deciding that she and her business weren’t worth your time, you continued to pick everything up as quickly as you could, wanting nothing more than to go home.

When you finally finished collecting every last flier, you were prepared to get back into the groove of things before feeling your phone vibrate in the side pocket of your backpack. Wondering if it was something important, you took it out and beamed at the idea of it being a new message from Jiwoong.

Dating him felt like falling in love with him all over again whenever he texted. Your heart would pound in your chest when you thought about him and explode whenever he gave you his attention and time. You were addicted to him, especially knowing that he was yours after liking him since middle school.

So to say you were disappointed was far worse than an understatement. It was from a number you hadn’t saved yet always recognized and undoubtedly remembered by heart.

Of course it was Hyunjae.

You had Hyunjae’s phone number due to previous class projects and group chats, but you had never once saved it because you thought he was undeserving of being a contact in your phone. Nonetheless, with how the years have passed and how much his number infiltrates every group chat you were in, it was only fair that your brain had unintentionally memorized all ten digits.

The message he sent consisted of him saying that he was done with the fliers, and you rolled your eyes. Even after the way he treated you earlier, he still chose to let you know and brag about how fast he was.

You shoved your phone away vigorously, ready to return to your slapping-fliers-on-walls duty, before perking at the sound of footsteps behind you once more.

Automatically assuming it was Eunseo or another student staying after for a club or sport, you were stunned when you heard his voice.

“You’re not even halfway yet?”

In no fucking universe are you turning around; not for him.

“Go gloat somewhere else,” you snapped. The next flier you taped up was nearly slammed onto the wall, but Hyunjae was left unphased by your sudden outburst. He stood next to you and remained quiet, even when you left to place the next flier a few feet away on the opposite wall.

When he didn’t follow, you sighed out of relief, yet somehow you couldn’t help but peek at him, eyeing his hands that were tucked into the pockets of his sweatpants. He was staring straight at the lopsided flier you had put up, and when you decided you had enough of peering at him, he was back by your side.

“What are you doing?” you grumbled. He was the one who pushed you away, yet now here he was, glued to your side like how he was two months ago.

“You’re taking too long.”

“I had a mishap,” you explained, “but that’s none of your concern.” The lines on your forehead bunched up, and you waved him off, bending down to place the stack on the ground. Figuring it wasn’t weird at all, you continued your method of ripping off pieces of tape and slapping it onto your wrist.

And Hyunjae was totally judging.

“You can’t be serious.”

“Just go home.”

Despite being on the ground and sitting on your heels, you could physically feel the heat on the back of your head due to his eyes burning a hole into your skull, and for a split second, you knew exactly what he was thinking.

“I can do it myself,” you explained.

“What are you even doing?”

“Can you just go?” You picked up the stack once again as you rose to your feet, doing your best to avoid whatever look was on Hyunjae’s face. He was probably stifling a laugh or keeping his expression smug, but when you did cave and peek, his face was still solemn, his eyes on your wrist with concern.

“You’re struggling.”

“Thank you for your observation, Mr. Obvious,” you retorted.

“Let me do it.”

Taken aback, you whipped your head over to his direction.

“You’re kidding.”

“You don’t even want to be here,” he reasoned through gritted teeth. “Just go, and you can thank me later.”

“Thank you?!” Appalled at his audacity, you couldn’t help but laugh out of disbelief. “Seriously, Hyunjae? You want me to thank you for stealing my job? Again? You can’t be fucking serious.”

“Because you can’t take any criticism ever, or in this case, any form of help, so just let me do it.”

Hyunjae was eerily calm about the whole ordeal, his energy far from matching yours.

“I do take help,” you refuted. “I just don’t take yours, and neither do I need it, too.”

“You’re so goddamn stubborn.” And within a blink of an eye, he had managed to snatch the stack of fliers from you.

“Hey!” you yelled, feeling as if it was deja vu from earlier (you really needed to step up your defense), and reached out to take them back, but he was quick to turn his body, shielding them from you.

“Give me the tape and go,” he urged, emotionless. The Hyunjae in front of you now was someone you truly didn’t recognize because the Hyunjae you knew would have made fun of you and held the fliers above your head, teasing you for being so weak.

Yet he stood still, creating a barrier between you and the duty that was forced upon you. You didn’t want to be here anyway, yet you were so insistent on making sure Hyunjae wasn’t stealing your work again. You weren’t incapable, and you hated how he always managed to be faster.

Even now, he was miles away from being playful with you, and yet he still had a way to shove it in your face.

“Hyunjae, I swear—”

“Give me the tape, and you can run off to your little boyfriend waiting for you by the entrance.”

Your lips parted at his words, eyes wide as you worked to comprehend his words. You questioned how he knew about Jiwoong’s whereabouts, how he knew that Jiwoong was waiting and that you didn’t, but knowing that he was serious, you reluctantly gave up and dropped the roll of tape on the ground, forcing him to pick it up.

You were sick of constantly arguing with him, and even if he was lying about Jiwoong, at least you would be away from Hyunjae. There was no point in fighting for your dignity anymore, not when Hyunjae’s narcissism was insufferable.

By walking away with heavy and quick strides, you hoped he felt humiliated by how poorly he was treating you—how he had always treated you like this.

As much as you wanted it to be true, you hoped Hyunjae was lying just so you had more evidence against his self-absorbed and shitty personality, but alas, you found Jiwoong standing precisely where Hyunjae said he was.

Regardless, all stress and frustrations had lifted from your being, and you called out to your boyfriend with a smile that would make your cheeks ache in minutes.

“Woong!” You waved your hands with a small bounce in your steps as you rushed over to him.

Your boyfriend’s head shot up, surprised to see you. His utter shock quickly switches to one of sheer happiness, tucking his device away before opening his arms for you.

“Hey, baby!”

You tossed yourself into his embrace, hugging him tight after pressing a quick kiss to his lips.

“What are you doing here?” With your face in his neck, your voice came out muffled, and it made Jiwoong laugh.

“Had to stay after to discuss my grades with a teacher, then I decided to stay back a bit for you.” He cooed and kissed the top of your head, holding you incredibly close. When you pulled back, his hands had moved from behind your backpack to your hips instead, holding them as you stared up at him.

“You were waiting for me?” you asked, eyes wide with stars in them.

“Of course I was, baby.”

You were radiating, feeling happier than ever. The last time you saw Jiwoong was a week ago, and with your clashing schedules, you two very rarely get the opportunity to make plans. Your hands rested atop his shoulders, and when he pulled you in for a kiss, you smiled.

But then it fell.

Something felt off.

If someone were to inquire Hyunjae about who his heart belonged to, your name would be his answer—whether he intended to say it or not.

Hyunjae had always been considered the school’s favorite. His intelligence may not be up to par with others, but his authority was what made him a prominent member of your high school. Some blame it on his looks, but most were aware enough to know that wasn’t the case.

Hyunjae knew how to think on his feet, and his problem-solving skills outwitted everyone within his grade level. Reaching tranquillity had never been an issue for him, allowing him to be levelheaded while making decisions. He emitted an aura that made classmates truly listen to him and the ideas he shared, and overall, it made him a great contender to lead every group and organization he was in.

Additionally, Hyunjae’s heart was what won over most people. His lack of vulnerability seemed to be his only flaw, but it was an obstacle he could overlook when it came to empathizing with others. By actively being involved in the community through volunteering and holding fundraisers, everyone could recognize Hyunjae’s devotion to hope for humanity.

All these traits were what led Hyunjae up onto the pedestal and the public eye, a household name for all families in the district. Titles and awards naturally gravitated towards him throughout the years, resulting in him winning the vote as president of your school’s student council and enough scholarships to provide him a full ride at most universities.

It was safe to say that competition against Lee Hyunjae was sparse, and you were no different.

Your grades would teeter around his standard, hence how you two collectively ended up in the same classes, but aside from that, you had nothing else that could compare to what he was capable of.

Except for one thing; your fury.

There was an inferno inside you at all times, and instead of your body shielding off your heart with steel, people around you would come to find out that your heart was the reason for that large blaze of fire, possessing a passion unlike any other.

Hyunjae had never once seen a peer with as much fight as you. It was a trait only you encapsulated, one that you weren’t afraid to express. You stood up for yourself and your beliefs, and it was easy to pick fights with him when he had been troubling you from the very moment you two were assigned to sit next to each other in seventh-grade algebra.

Hyunjae yearned for you ever since, his only want being your attention. You gave him the drive to succeed in high school and thrive in his senior year, and he was positive that he wouldn’t be doing this well without a reason to show off in front of you. He wanted your praise, your acknowledgment, but he loved the chase the most.

Unfortunately, that was the exact reason he ended up here.

The chase was what made him fall for every part of you, wanting nothing more than your lips on his and the ability to have you by his side at all times, but it was also what landed you with your current boyfriend.

It was like his life was a video game with God giving him the hardest difficulty setting by making sure you were obsessed with someone undeserving of all that he wanted. There wasn’t even a chance of you two possibly being friends in your eyes. Meanwhile, Hyunjae would argue that you two had more chemistry than any other couple in your class, but that hope was crushed, shredded, and stomped on when he found out you still devoted your love to Jiwoong.

Regardless, it didn’t change who you were as a person. Your heart was still just as large and beautiful, and your drive to succeed hadn’t lessened. The bickering never faltered, and it wasn’t like Hyunjae was opposed whenever you expressed disgust at the thought of him being turned on because of you (and that was because he found the idea of you thinking about him hot—yes, his expectations were that low).

So it was why after two months of almost zero to no contact, you treating him as if those months didn’t exist created the largest dilemma he had ever faced. He spent the next week thinking about your intentions and why you seemed to care so much, specifically right after when Hyunjae had willed himself to believe that he meant jackshit to you. You effortlessly toyed with his heart, leaving him in everlasting misery, while you seemed to do completely fine.

What was a typical and ideal lifestyle for you was a nightmare and tormenting hellhole for Hyunjae. He didn’t just crave the warmth and comfort from your undying flames.

He wanted to burn.

Insanity engulfed him on the days spent without you, leaving him to wonder why you had to make things extensively worse by pointing out his absence or how he had put less effort into his hair. Why did it seem like the concern you expressed was genuine? Why pretend that you cared for him as much as he cared for you?

He was going insane—so insane that he drove to a college party with three other friends in his sedan on a Wednesday night.

It was being held by a fraternity he and his friends were far more than familiar with thanks to Jongin, an upperclassman he met in his sophomore year and remained friends with since then. The beginning of the senior year marked the origin of parties and hook-ups in weak sporadic attempts to get over you.

At this rate, Hyunjae could argue that he was more experienced than half of the current college freshmen class. Getting girls in bed was the easiest part; the hardest part was forgetting about you. From what was a method created to move on from you became one that prepared him for when you wanted sex with him.

But with your constant longing for Jiwoong, Hyunjae made sure that this party would be different.

Although accustomed to having sex with various women, Hyunjae had never been one to drink. This was a fact about him that raised brows, specifically Jongin’s when he first tried urging Hyunjae with a drink, but tonight he vowed to change that. He was normally their designated driver, but when Hyunjae informed Sangyeon of his plan, the elder was more than delighted to remain sober so Hyunjae could get a taste of alcohol.

“Hey, man! It’s about time!” Jongin exclaimed the instant he found out about Hyunjae’s willingness to drink, pulling a fresh bottle out of the cooler specifically for his friend.

“That’s what I told him!” Sangyeon projected his voice over the music, giving Hyunjae a supportive pat on the back.

Hyunjae rolled his eyes at his friends’ remarks and thanked Jongin for the beer, hanging around by the counter as the three conversed and caught up. The two laughed at the way Hyunjae’s face scrunched up at the taste, Sangyeon shoving him lightly with the claim that Hyunjae was being overdramatic.

With his earlier mindless decision of tossing on a mesh long-sleeve shirt over his black tank top, Hyunjae had attracted another partygoer by his side momentarily after his first sip. She wrapped her arms around one of his and inserted herself into the conversation with hopes of getting Hyunjae in bed by the end of the night, and crazily enough, he considered it for a moment before feeling his phone vibrate in his back pocket.

Normally it would be something he’d ignore, but it remained persistent, signifying that he was receiving a call. He didn’t know who would be calling at this hour—well, aside from Minghao and his usual complaints about Hyunjae partying as a high schooler on a school night.

After setting the glass down on the counter to grab his phone, any urgency to intoxicate himself as quickly as possible vanished the very second he saw your name glowing on his screen. With an awkward retraction of his arm and a forced cough, Hyunjae excused himself and answered the call.

“Hello?”

With music pounding inside his ear canals, it was expected that he couldn’t hear anything you were saying. He navigated through various crowds to reach the entrance of the house, his heart replicating the booming vibrations from the loudspeakers as he prayed that you wouldn’t hang up on him.

“Okay, I…I should be free now,” he stammered after stepping outside. The sudden stillness of Mother Nature was a drastic change from the party scene, coercing him to focus on his racing heartbeat and the anxiety accumulating in his tightening chest. He was breathing heavily, both from pushing through people in a rush and also because of you.

You never failed to render him weak and helpless, leaving him like a puppy longing for their owner’s guidance.

There was a silence, but he could hear your gentle breaths hitting your phone.

“I need a ride.”

Hyunjae blinked, his body tensing up, as the many thoughts in his brain scrambled to make meaning of what you meant. However, it didn’t matter because you hung up shortly after, leaving him alone to revel in your words.

Your bluntness and suddenty made Hyunjae malfunction, his thoughts leading him to question if he had even heard you correctly. Rarely did you ever reach out to him, and what could you need him for? Especially after lashing out at him and ignoring him for two months? Of course, there was that one day a week ago when you two were forced to talk together, the day he was given a one-day suspension, but you two returned to treating each other like strangers like it was natural.

He stared at his phone in hopes of receiving more information, that you’d perhaps call again to reconfirm or say you had the wrong number. He felt like he was dreaming—that the person he had wanted for so long needed him for once, but he couldn’t help but also believe that this may be the beginning of another nightmare.

But it was you, and Hyunjae was willing to risk it.

After checking his call logs to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating, he rushed back into the fraternity house, thankful he didn’t proceed with drinking any more than he did.

He found everyone exactly where he had left them (the girl included) and announced his departure. The girl made sure Hyunjae knew how disappointed she was, but that was his last concern as he grabbed the beer bottle and handed it to Sangyeon, giving him a pat on the back.

“Drink up and find an Uber.”

“No fucking way you’re leaving us this soon, man.” Jongin shook his head in disapproval, his forearms resting against the countertop.

“Another time, I promise, yeah?” Hyunjae started walking away, waving to them as his heart continued to thrum in his chest.

“He’s lying,” Sangyeon snorted, taking a swig before bidding Hyunjae a bitter goodbye. “You owe me!"

Hyunjae ran out of the house, his legs making quick and long strides as he ran to his parked car down the block. His newfound adrenaline made him think about what he was sacrificing to be with you. Was leaving the party and betraying his friends worth spending even a second with you? What if you were asking him to drive you and your boyfriend somewhere? Could his heart even deal with being used like that?

But as much as Hyunjae hated it, he knew he was making the right choice. The self-respect he had for himself was buried six feet deep beneath the surface of the earth when it came to you.

God, he really hoped he wasn’t hallucinating.

For a split second, Hyunjae truly debated what he was doing after getting into his car. He was already driving, but he didn’t know where to go. Luckily, it didn’t take you long to send him a text with your location, and it was a place he was familiar with.

It was a park that he often frequented as a kid since it resided by his old neighborhood, and he was thankful he knew exactly where to go because he knew he would’ve definitely crashed the car while pulling up your location on his GPS. Hyunjae was doubtful it was the alcohol in his system making his fingers shake and his mind uneasy. He blamed you for his hysteria, one that had developed over years of endless longing.

Luckily the drive wasn’t long thanks to the roads being mainly void of other vehicles (and maybe he did speed a few times, but he considered it justified). Before pulling into the parking lot, he spotted a lone figure curled up on a nearby bench. A small weight had been lifted off of him, relieved it was just you, and he parked aimlessly while his eyes rested on you.

You seemed unphased by his added presence, your arms unmoving as they stayed wrapped around your legs. The bench you were sitting in was facing away from the parking lot, but with his headlights illuminating the view in front of you, you certainly had to know he was there.

In an ideal world, Hyunjae would leave his car, join you by your side, and, if he was lucky, he’d pull you into his arms and hold you close against his chest. He wanted to be there for you in whatever way he could, but he ended up being a deer in headlights, too afraid to make the wrong move and lose you again.

He sat there for a minute, watching you, and as soon as he received the confidence to reach for the handle of his door, you were up on your feet. His fingers paused midair as he traced your movements, his arm eventually falling to his side as you approach his car.

Despite how slow his mind was working, Hyunjae knew to unlock the car right as you opened it (he would’ve died out of embarrassment if he had forgotten), and neither of you greeted the other.

Without any explanation from you, Hyunjae refrained from staring at you like he normally would, but your outfit made it incredibly difficult. It wasn’t much, just an oversized long-sleeved shirt that reached your thighs, but it was far from the usual clothes he’d seen you wear, like jeans and a nice-fitting blouse. For a moment, he believed you had no pants on, but then he knocked some sense into himself, realizing that you were probably wearing shorts that were hidden.

While Hyunjae attempted to keep his composure and respect your boundaries, you were eyeing him shamelessly, once again analyzing every detail about him. Beads of sweat pooled up on the back of his neck, and his hair was straightened yet fuzzy. As your eyes trailed downwards, you noticed how the mesh hugged his biceps, catching every crease that defined his muscles. He was quiet, his index finger resting against his lips.

Where did he even come from?

And why was he so quick to listen?

You held back your tongue from dumping out your thoughts, knowing your questions would end up unanswered like before. Your body instinctively rested against the divot between the car door and your seat, keeping your distance from Hyunjae. He was meant to be a stranger, perhaps someone you loathed, yet there was an odd comfort that encased you from him just sharing the same air as you.

You cleared your throat, turning your head to look away when he flinched and snapped his gaze towards you.

“Drive.”

Your demand was no louder than a whisper, but Hyunjae picked it up effortlessly and was already backing out.

“Where to?”

“Anywhere.” Hyunjae raised a brow at your answer, and you buried yourself further into his seat, directing your gaze out the door. “Just-...anywhere, Jae.”

The nickname had his throat tightening and his chest leaping, nodding in your direction as he drove on autopilot. With no destination in mind, he strolled through familiar roads, his fingers tapping against the wheel.

You stayed silent, creating a tension that was unbearably thick, yet none of you felt the need to leave; neither of you wanted to leave the other, even if it meant having to deal with the looming elephant in the room (or in this case, Hyunjae’s car).

After spotting the recreational center from afar and its empty parking lot, he instinctively pulled in. There wasn’t a proper explanation for why he decided it’d make a great destination, especially when it was the place that created a rift in your relationship with him, but it felt right.

It was empty, open, and serene—a perfect place to stay as the moon shined.

Hyunjae stepped out of the car after parking in the middle of it, and when you didn’t follow, he moved to your side and opened the door. He was hesitant but took the risk of offering his hand to you, a warm, nervous smile on his face. He wanted you to know he was there to listen, to be there for you, because, Lord, he would hand you the world if he could.

“I’m not in the mood for walking,” you mumbled, but Hyunjae shook his head.

“We’re not going to walk, I promise.”

Your eyes flickered up to his briefly, skeptical of what he had planned, but ultimately caved. You ignored his hand, and he pulled it back with regret. When you stood there, your eyes on the sky, he closed the door behind you and guided you to the hood of his car.

Without a second thought, he sat on top of it and gestured for you to do the same.

“I sit here all the time. Helps me think.” He leaned back against his windshield, his hands holding the back of his head as he kept his eyes on the sky. When you didn’t move, he started to feel stupid, wondering if you two were better off in the car, but then you joined him.

You copied his position, staring upwards as your hands rested over your abdomen.

Hyunjae opted to keep to himself, deciding that he didn’t want to make this worse for the two of you. Instead, he fixated his thoughts on the stars in the sky.

There were only a few, but it was a rare sight due to the constant air pollution in your city, so he considered it a miracle. You, on the other hand, were spacing out in thought, and Hyunjae could tell through his occasional peeks. Without much control, his eyes started tracing down your arms. They then landed on where the hem of your shirt rested, now looking at your bare thighs.

Feeling as if he just reverted back to being the shyest virgin in the country, he gulped and immediately looked elsewhere, trying to get you off his mind despite you being right next to him. His racing heart was all that he could hear, and now he wondered if you could hear it too—if you knew how much you affected him.

And your voice broke the silence.

“How long have you known?”

Okay, maybe his brain did fall out of his skull because Hyunjae had no idea what you were talking about. He turned his head and caught how you stared up at the sky. Your eyes were glossy, holding the reflections of the whole galaxy within them. They sparkled, and for a beat, Hyunjae had forgotten your question, too infatuated with your beauty.

His silence resulted in you turning your head, gaze meeting his, and that was when he noticed the tears.

“About Jiwoong and Eunseo.”

Your light, your flames, his burning desire; all were gone in a flash.

Your voice was delicate, and Hyunjae knew that with one move, he could break you.

Directing his gaze heavenward, Hyunjae sighed and brought his arms down to rest over his chest. Somehow he was able to feel all the pain you were experiencing, his heart twisting while his stomach churned and sloshed around in his body. He thought about how to respond as he chewed on the inside of his lip, questioning if he should answer at all to avoid hurting you.

But you asked, and as always, Hyunjae delivered.

“I don’t think I ever really knew until last week,” he explained, “but I could always tell.” Suddenly, the fight from a week ago had resurrected, and Hyunjae was forced to relive it all.

The hallways were empty when Hyunjae left the broadcasting room, a backpack strap slung over his shoulder while the other dangled behind him. He was in the middle of scrolling through his emails when he picked up on the sound of Jiwoong’s voice around the corner.

His footsteps halted, and Hyunjae caught Jiwoong’s fatal words.

“How does tomorrow sound?”

Eunseo’s squeals followed after, and Hyunjae stood motionless.

At first, Hyunjae had no thoughts circulating in his brain, but after hearing their lips collide, he started coming up with solutions, such as interrupting or taking a video to send to you. Unfortunately, before he could act on either of them, he heard footsteps dashing off, practically skipping, as the two bidded one another goodbye.

Hyunjae couldn’t pinpoint the reasoning behind his upcoming actions, but he knew how to describe how he felt.

Anger was the first and only emotion to surge up within him, his fingers instinctively balling up into fists. His muscles had tightened while a forest fire ran rampant through his veins, causing his blood to boil.

Then with quick strides, Hyunjae shoved his phone away and made a sharp turn around the corner, tossing his backpack on the ground after spotting Jiwoong against the lockers. The latter had a dazed look on his face, his lips curled into a smirk as he typed away on his phone, but that was changed once he looked up at the sound of Hyunjae’s backpack crashing against the ground in front of him.

There wasn’t a second in between Jiwoong’s face of surprise and Hyunjae’s arm being raised, and before Jiwoong could react, Hyunjae’s fist had slammed into his jaw.

It was a blur from there, but Hyunjae knew he had won even after authorities dragged him off Jiwoong’s body. He had received a few jabs in return, but it was nothing compared to the black eye Hyunjae gave him.

The fact that Jiwoong managed to cover it up with makeup the day after was a miracle, and no one in the school knew about the fight since it happened after school. Hyunjae wanted it to stay that way, but a selfish, cruel part of him wished that everyone knew how sick your boyfriend was.

Well, now he was unsure if he was still your boyfriend.

Hyunjae turned his head back towards you, his cheek meeting the cold metal of his car.

You pursed your lips at his response and nodded slowly. If it were any other day, you wouldn’t have believed him. There was no universe where you’d choose to listen to Hyunjae over Jiwoong, but after a week of investigating and getting your head out of your ass, you found out on your own terms, and all the pieces made sense.

“I didn’t mean to.”

Hyunjae’s voice jerked you out of your thoughts, and as you adjusted to look back at him, you were surprised to still find him staring at you.

“I’m not a violent person, Y/N,” he whispered, an enduring hope lingering in his eyes. He wanted you to believe him, and for once, you did; you truly understood the man you hated most.

“I know, Jae.”

Hyunjae eased at your words, and the two of you fell back into a more comfortable yet aching silence. His fingers drummed against his abdomen, and after a while, he got sick of looking at the same four stars, so he closed his eyes, focusing on enjoying the light breeze instead. His heart was still racing, but it was less alarming. Regardless, he hated knowing that he potentially contributed to how much you were hurting right now.

Maybe if he had done something to prevent it earlier, whether it be telling you as soon as he found out or keeping completely out of your business so you could live in bliss, or, if he wasn’t so scared, he could’ve asked you to be his far before Jiwoong had. Maybe it wouldn’t have changed much, but Hyunjae would never know since he never tried, and now he was going to beat himself over it because now you’re devastated over losing your boyfriend and it was potentially his faul—

You laughed.

Hyunjae snapped his head towards you, his brows raised at your sudden change in mood—but it wasn’t the type of laugh he expected. Your laugh was one filled with pain, and he watched you shake your head, trying to refuse the tears that were rapidly welling up in your eyes once more. You sniffed and wiped the tears away with the back of your hand, choosing to look in the opposite direction because the last thing you wanted was for Hyunjae to see you vulnerable.

“It’s stupid,” you murmured. “This entire thing is stupid. I’m so fucking dumb.”

His lips parted to interject, to tell you that you were, in fact, ‘not dumb,’ but he clamped his mouth shut, knowing that his words probably wouldn’t help. From what he’d learned in the past, you liked it least when he tried telling you otherwise, no matter the situation.

“I should’ve known. I did know. The whole world knew. Even you knew, but it makes me think, was Eunseo just flocking around, flaunting to everyone that she had a crush on my boyfriend and managed to win him over? I just—I…I don’t know-...” You paused to catch your breath, beginning to choke on your tears as your chest shook, “I don’t know what I did wrong, you know?”

You shut your eyes, allowing the pain to engulf you. You knew fully well that your punishment was to deal with the pain, but you felt like you didn’t deserve it—that you deserved none of this. Why was this a penalty for being in love?

It was humiliating having everyone witness the reality you shielded from yourself, choosing hope and love over the truth.

“I just never felt more stupid in my life, and I feel even more stupid knowing that I still love him.”

Hyunjae sucked in his lips, gnawing on them as he bit back all his feelings, from his brain shredding to his heart weeping.

“I love him so much that I would let him do it to me all over again because I keep thinking he’d be better. I know he can be better, so why-...It’s just- Why do I do this to myself?”

Tears cascaded down your cheeks, each one leaving behind a trail for others to fall. They started pouring out of you rapidly, soon sobbing at the heart-wrenching pain of being betrayed by everyone in your life, Hyunjae included, because why, out of everyone, was he here for you when he should be the last person who cared?

You always wanted Hyunjae to be the antagonist of your life story, to have him as your biggest enemy and threat, so why was everyone else but him hurting you? Why was the villain of your fantasy taking the role of your knight in shining armor?

And yet, as much as it pained Hyunjae to process all your emotions, his mind wasn’t running correctly; he had you alone for the first time in months. He wanted nothing more than to pull you in his arms and whisper words of comfort in your ears, knowing you deserved it more than anyone, but he also wanted to shake you awake and slap you out of your misery, praying that you’d forget about Jiwoong; that right now, you being vulnerable was his chance to swoop in, to set whatever you wanted him to into flames, as long as if it meant you’d end up okay.

You sat up because if you lied down any longer, you would’ve started drowning in your own tears. Your sleeves were soaked, and he sat up alongside you, figuring that he should do something about it.

Hyunjae got back onto his feet and stood in front of you. He barely knew what he was doing, but that didn’t stop him from replacing your sleeves with his cold, clammy hands over your cheeks. There wasn’t a time that Hyunjae could recall where he had been this gentle with someone, and when you didn’t push him away, he tilted your head up to look at him.

Even with tears running down your cheeks, you looked angelic as ever.

Each droplet mirrored a star from the sky, and your eyes sparkled as they stayed locked on his.

“Take me,” you whispered, and Hyunjae’s whole world stopped.

“...What?” Hyunjae had only intended to wipe your tears away with the pads of his hands, perhaps whisper something along the lines of him being here for you for the night (and the rest of his life, let’s be honest), yet your first words were—no, he had to have been hallucinating.

Your hands trembled as they reached for his wrist, and although you were severely broken, the grip your fingers created was firm.

“Please.”

Like a moth to a flame, Hyunjae admired how pretty you looked, your lips plump and eyes wide, and he wanted nothing more than to take you into his backseat and treat you the way he’d always wanted to, especially after hearing your pleas, but he knew better. You both knew better.

“What exactly are you implying?” he asked, feeling like you had just inhaled all his oxygen and left him breathless.

You released his wrist and opted to hold onto his sleeve, tugging on it as you tried to get him to understand you.

“I want it to hurt, Jaehyun.”

Your tears were gone, and there was a hint of dominance in your tone that would’ve had him dropped to his knees in front of you. You were also one of the very few who resorted to calling him Jae, and now his actual name. He favored Hyunjae, but after hearing ‘Jaehyun’ from your lips, his preference had completely made a turnaround.

But Hyunjae worked to collect his thoughts, fully aware that this was wrong and he’d have to be the bigger person here. As much as he hated himself for giving up the perfect opportunity to have the girl of his dreams, he couldn’t ignore the large concern over your current mental state.

“You’re not thinking straight, Y/N,” he reasoned softly, his fingers reaching up to brush your hair out of your face, and for a second, Hyunjae swore he felt the alcohol kicking in—or perhaps it was you instead. The thought of being able to have you right now, to touch you and press his hands over your skin, to have you as his for just this night, was so intoxicating that he was seconds away from foaming at the mouth.

“I don’t need to think straight. I don’t want to think at all.”

Everything felt hotter and tighter, but he kept his composure, though with his eyes dropping to your begging lips and then your delicate fingers, he knew he was beginning to lose whatever was left of his sanity.

But he also knew you were using him; you had to be. There was no other explanation. It was only minutes ago when you professed how you continued to feel about Jiwoong—that your heart still belonged to him, and Hyunjae was allowed nowhere near it. He was your backup, your second option, yet that happened to be better than nothing, right?

Especially when he could have you right here, right now.

“You’re using me.”

Your expression didn’t falter.

“Then say no. Make us go back into your car and drive me home.” Your hand dropped from holding onto his sleeve but that was so you could wrap your arms around his neck, slowly bringing yourself closer to him. His cheeks were flushed as his mind flooded with possibilities of what could happen. Never had you ever wanted him, and he’d been dreaming of a moment like this for years. Your tear-stained cheeks, your pouty red lips—he wanted all of you.

“But you won’t,” you whispered, your breath hitting his skin. Your eyes landed on his lips, now craving him as much as he craved you. You needed a release, an outlet, to justify Jiwoong being better than Hyunjae. Hyunjae was worse in every way possible, and you wanted him to prove that to you. “You’d do anything I’d say, wouldn’t you?”

“What makes you say that?” Little did you know Hyunjae was crumbling inside, completely melting as his fingers grew weak at the idea of your lips on his. His hands, although wary, traveled to your waist, feeling your curves before trailing his hands down to your hips to grip them.

“You love me, don’t you?”

His heart stuttered, all words caught up in his throat, but he knew there was no defending himself—not when he was practically drooling at every move you made; he was hyperaware of the hand playing with the hair on his nape, the way your lips nearly hovered over his, and how your tears glistened under the moonlight.

His entire existence was confirmation of your words, and you knew it.

“You’d do anything for me, Jae. What’s stopping you now?”

There was a stillness as you two stared at one another. He swallowed and pulled slightly back.

He knew better.

“You don’t want me.” He was brokenhearted, a part of him understanding that you’d never be his, yet he wanted you in so many ways, wishing to have your mewls fill his ears and the smell of sex staining his clothes. The bulge in his pants was forming and pressing up against the tight confinement, making him groan.

He dropped his head downwards, his forehead leaning to rest against yours, as he closed his eyes and did his best to regulate his breathing—repeating in his head and out loud, again.

He knew better.

“You’re using me.”

You both knew better.

Yet with your lips ghosting his and your eyes half-hooded, you were prepared to give into the dark side.

“And I say take advantage of it.”

Hyunjae dived and pressed his lips onto yours, hunger driving his every movement. There was no stopping when he felt your lips curling up into a grin, his hands shifting to wrap around your torso to drag you closer. His heart burst at how perfectly his lips molded with yours, and it seemed as if there was fire shooting up into the sky and exploding—they weren’t fireworks, and the explosion was far bigger and more dangerous. It lit the entirety of the sky, the moon and stars included, into flames, a desire unlike any other.

Your left hand pressed firm against the back of his neck while the other traveled through his hair. Meanwhile, his hands had snuck beneath your shirt and felt for your lower back. Heavy breaths left the two of you as desperation crept through your veins, dictating your every movement.

The cold touch from his hands ignited your nervous system, every sense activated and overstimulated by Hyunjae as you released a breathy moan into his mouth.

You didn’t want him, but fuck, you needed him.

When you would pull back, his lips would chase yours, and you two fell into an endless cycle. He couldn’t even fathom how you were pulling away for air when you were his oxygen. Maybe you weren’t oxygen itself, but the fumes you emitted had already replaced his need for air, deluding him into believing that you were what he needed to stay alive.

You were suffocating, toxic, and destructive, and he wanted more.

After retracting from the kiss for the nth time, you turned your head to hold Hyunjae back from continuing. You both were panting, your cunt soaking, and he stared into your eyes like a puppy awaiting their next direction.

“Good boy,” you praised, and he laughed lowly and sheepishly, dropping his head as he processed what happened and the idea of it being potentially over.

“You’re lethal,” he breathed out.

“And you’re pitiful,” you spat. There was a playful grin on your lips, but those words ignited something within Hyunjae. He raised his head and cocked a brow at you, questioning your genuinity.

Just minutes ago you were crying over a guy that treated you terribly, and yet here you thought you had the authority to call him weak.

Perhaps he was; he was falling deeper into your pitless trap, enticed with every movement of yours, but he knew for a fact you weren’t any better than him.

You both were sick in the head for falling for people that treated the other like shit, yet your drive, your fuel, to win over the hearts of the people you loved was so strong, and it made you two unstoppable.

Hyunjae would punch Jiwoong all over again if he could.

Without a second thought, Hyunjae ducked his head down and ruthlessly attached his lips to your neck, eliciting a gasp from you. He kissed your skin fervently, his fingers teasing the rim of your shorts, and your hands shifted to hold onto his shoulders for support. You found yourself tossing your head back, providing him more room to do as he pleased, that if Jiwoong were to see you with marks on your neck, then maybe he’d want you back.

“Bold of you to call me pitiful,” he grumbled, sucking onto your neck until a blot of purple began to form.

“But it’s true, no?”

“You’re just as bad, Y/N.” He licked a stripe up your neck and over the mark, and the sensation made you cringe, disgust itching at your skin due to being covered in his saliva, but you wanted more of it. You wanted Hyunjae to treat you like you were nothing, to treat you worse than Jiwoong ever had, so you could direct your blame over to Hyunjae instead of your unknowing boyfriend.

You turned your head and slotted your lips with his again, already addicted to how perfect they were for you. Hyunjae knew the exact way to kiss you, to keep you on your toes, as your slick pooled up in your underwear at the mere thought of Hyunjae touching you.

The kiss was eager, a fight for control, and when Hyunjae didn’t surrender, you raised your knee, forcing your thigh to brush up against his crotch.

He gasped at the sensation and pulled away, bangs hanging over his eyes as he looked down at the sight. You teased him by keeping your touches gentle, but you made sure to keep your leg moving. Nothing intrigued you more than seeing Hyunjae beg or rut against your thigh, further proof of how pathetic he was for you. You gained a sense of ego knowing that he could have any girl in the world, that he has had every girl, and yet he would always come back to you. Now that you had him, it would be harder for him to return to a life without you under him, moaning his name.

You wanted to be his downfall.

Your nails latched onto the mesh, taking note of how easy it would be to rip the material, before pressing your thigh firmly up against his dick, making him jerk.

“You’re-...oh my god, Y/N,” he gasped, breathless. His eyes meet your devious ones, how you were basically Satan himself, and somehow, someway, he wouldn’t ask for anything different. “You’re playing a losing…a losing- game.”

“What more do I have left to lose?” There was some truth in your words as vulnerability struck you. Your leg then lowered as you regained a slight sense of reality, realizing that you were forcing Hyunjae into being your selfish source of relief. You hated Hyunjae, sure, but you knew this was the last thing he deserved—to use him when he’d been nothing but accommodating to you.

And your sick and twisted plan was that after this encounter, you’d leave him to rot.

Hyunjae didn’t deserve that at all.

But Hyunjae was already too far gone, too intoxicated, to even consider the repercussions of how he’d end up after this. The loss of contact with his crotch was what had him picking you up from his car, the tips of his fingers digging into your thighs, as he led you to the backseat.

Your eyes widened, your senses fully back, but you made him like this, and you were going to pay for it. Although scared for about what’s to come, the anticipation had you drooling, your lips pressing fierce kisses onto his skin while he opened the door with you in his arms.

He laid you down gently and crawled over you, keeping you trapped between his arms.

“This is what you wanted, right? For me to tear you apart until you can run back to Jiwoong and justify how poorly he treats you?”

Your brows bunched up at his words, your legs getting antsy being under him. There was no answering him, not when Hyunjae already knew how you were going to respond.

He brought one of his hands into your shorts and made the aggravating decision to slide his fingers over your underwear, depriving you of contact with his fingers.

Yet even with your underwear being a divider, he found your clit with ease and immediately started rubbing circles into the bud, making you buck your hips with a whine. The friction of the cloth was something you were unfamiliar with, and lord did it mess with you.

“You want me to treat you how he sees you? Worthless and undeserving of respect?” He flicked your clit and kissed your jaw. “If that’s what you want, that’s exactly what my princess is going to get.”

“Fuck,” you moaned, using your hands to push onto his shoulders and force him down. The drive to ride his tongue was strong, and if he kept teasing you, you would have lost it.

“I know you inside and out, Y/N. I know you better than him, and this is how you treat me.” He sucked in a cheek but ultimately decided to comply with what you wanted. He pulled off your shorts yet left your underwear on, and his brows raised. He wasn’t sure how his fingers had missed the texture of lace, but what you were wearing was certainly lingerie.

You looked down to see why he stopped, and when you realized why he froze, heat rose to your cheeks.

“I wanted to feel pretty,” you whispered, shutting your eyes after turning your head. It was embarrassing, now that you thought about it, but Hyunjae’s heart soared, and he wanted nothing more than for you to know how ethereal you looked.

But he shoved the feeling away, allowing his frustrations to get the better half of him.

When he pulled off your underwear, he cooed at how your essence oozed onto the material and raised the undergarment into the air, waiting for you to look.

“Did I do this?”

His mocking tone kept you from looking, but your curiosity got the best of you. You were met with the sight of a large wet, dark patch on your underwear, biting down on your lip as you looked at him with wide eyes. If you thought about it, you couldn’t remember the last time you felt like this, or if there ever had been a time when you craved someone this badly.

He tossed it to the side and his hands massaged your thighs, keeping them spread open so he got a proper view of your core on display for him. The sight truly stunned him, reminding him that this was you he fantasized about and replicated with other girls—no one else.

“Do you normally take this long?” you rasped, tossing your head back against the seat, and Hyunjae rolled his eyes.

“I do you a favor, and this is how you treat me.”

“A favor is a stretch—”

Hyunjae plunged two fingers into your mouth, having them press firmly down against your tongue. He latched onto your jaw and pulled your head forward and up towards him, having your eyes meet his.

“Remind me, Y/N, who was begging for this?”

He dropped your head back down against the seat before you could even respond and used whatever saliva accumulated in your mouth as temporary lube, figuring that your slick would help him with stretching you out. You grunted at the impact, feeling helpless, as Hyunjae finally inserted his fingers inside of you.

Hyunjae’s fingers were enough to have your eyes rolling, but it was the ring that he wore that stimulated you the most. You weren’t aware that he was even wearing one, yet the cold band against your raging wet heat made you whimper and desperately grasp for his hair.

“Jaehyun, please,” you begged.

He chuckled and kept his movements slow, forcing you to fuck yourself onto his fingers weakly. When you did, he was in awe at how stunning you looked, how you seemed to be in your own world, and how you were enjoying him. By curling his fingers, a moan was pulled from your throat, making your eyes open as you looked at him. You continued to pool around his fingers, your voice weakly begging for so much more than his fingers and the cold air that brushed against your skin.

Never had you felt more vulnerable, but Hyunjae never once made you feel like you were doing something wrong, making you cling desperately to him. You forced his face down into your crotch and jerked at the feeling of his nose brushing up against your clit.

“Shameless, aren’t you?” he commented, laughing lowly, but you were too out of it to care.

“Shut the-...F-fuck, oh my god.”

Your whines had gotten more incessant the more useless he became, his fingers now completely stilled inside of you as he watched you roll your hips with a cheeky grin. He wanted to drag this out for as long as possible, knowing fully well that he could last all night.

When he took out his fingers, you were yanked out of your bliss and nearly begged for him to put them back in, but before you could get a word out, he had replaced his digits with his tongue. Your slick was dripping onto his lips, and as he dragged his wet muscle up and down your folds, he made sure to collect a small puddle of you onto his tongue to eventually swallow, wanting to savor you.

“Oh-...Oh my god, Jae—” Your orgasm was approaching, unsure of how it was here so soon, but you recognized the signs from the coil in your chest tightening to losing every sensation to the man beneath you. You rocked your hips continuously onto his tongue, and his thumb attached to your clit, making you see stars with how rapid his movements were.

He pulled his face back and forced his fingers back into you, and the final curl was what made you reach your peak, your hips in the air as you cried out his name.

As you came down from your high, you caught a glance of the way Hyunjae was looking at you; to him, you were otherworldly, and it was a sight he’d never forget. He wondered if Jiwoong ever saw you like this, if he ever made you feel this way, and suddenly his admiration had soured and contoured to something of darkness, rid of any empathy as he now looked at you with some form of disgust.

“All this for me, and you still have the fucking audacity to choose him.”

The mention of Jiwoong had your eyes wide open, tears reappearing at the mention and while being in your most vulnerable state. Your legs shook from the aftermath, feeling too weak to continue, yet Hyunjae seemed to have other plans.

Instead of shoving his fingers back into either of your mouths, he hovered over you and made sure you saw the way he dragged his fingers around your abdomen, drawing aimlessly over your skin with your essence before dragging a hand up to your breasts, massaging one of them as his other hand rested by your waist.

“Tell me, Y/N, did you buy this for him and never got to use it? That’s why you’re wearing it now with me? Am I your sloppy seconds?”

There was a slight growl under his tone, and while you shook your head subconsciously, he worked to remove your shirt, wanting a better look at your bra, before being met with a necklace you had been hiding; one with Jiwoong’s name.

And Hyunjae took no time breaking it from your neck.

Your jaw dropped, and you snapped out of your daze by sitting straight up, yet as you were about to yell at him for breaking your necklace, he shoved three fingers back into your pussy, shutting you up by having you moan at the intrusion.

“It looked cheap, anyway,” he muttered, forcing his mouth against yours momentarily to nip on your lower lip, tugging on it so your focus remained on him.

“That was—he’s mine,” you forced out, gasping at every thrust he made with his fingers, your sweet spot being abused as your hands latched onto his shoulders. You made sure your nails dug into his skin, wanting it to hurt, before pulling onto the mesh, wishing for it to tear.

“He’s not yours, princess. Tell me, how can you say that when his dick has been up other girls?” With his free hand, he grabbed your face and made sure you were staring straight at him before shoving it to the side.

“You need to fucking wake up and realize that you can dream all you want about how he’d react if he saw you hopping on my dick, but guess what? He wouldn’t care.” Hyunjae pulled out his fingers and left you alone in the backseat.

You sat there, a wreck and vulnerable, as you tried to catch your breath. You lay back on your forearms, curious eyes following his every movement.

“There’s a reason he hasn’t left you yet,” Hyunjae explained, opening the front door to his car to grab a condom and his phone. He tucked both into his back pocket before returning to you, bringing your lips to his before continuing to talk within the kiss.

“He’s stringing you along so you can boost his ego. He knows you will always be there for him, and you allow him to use you like that?”

You wrapped your fingers around Hyunjae’s neck, squeezing it before pushing it away to keep your distance, your frustration starting to grow.

“I’m beginning to think you’re all bark and no bite, Jaehyun,” you muttered, and with whatever strength you had left, you pushed him against the seat and got into his lap. Without hesitation, you started rocking your hips over his clothed dick, hoping your slick would seep in so he could feel you.

He hissed but allowed you to do as you pleased, his grip tight on your hips.

“I-...I think…if you asked me, you’re the one who’s projecting. I’m the one in a relationship, and you’re just a side piece.”

The speed of your hips increased, and Hyunjae felt ecstasy on the tip of his tongue, the confinements of his pants physically paining him the more you continued.

“You’re jealous, Jae. Just admit it.”

You pulled at his hair, loving the absolute control you had over him at that moment, but in one languid motion, Hyunjae managed to push you back down, this time with your stomach against the seats. You could feel your bodily fluids sticking to the nylon, and with how hard Hyunjae was pressing down into you, you were barely given a chance to move.

With one hand on your lower back, he kept you still as he took out both his phone and condom, making sure to place both on top of your bare skin.

“What’s there to be jealous of when you’re here under me? You want to be fucked stupid? Fine. Don’t fucking complain when you want me to be the villain.” You lurched at his words, refusing to let him win, but you were completely unable to do much damage as Hyunjae kicked off his pants and boxers while still keeping his weight on you.

He then picked up his phone and pulled up the camera, making sure to take a photo of you in his car before clicking record and tossing the phone onto the ground, hoping it was close enough to pick up on your sweet noises.

“Make sure to be loud for me, yeah? I’m sure Jiwoong would love it if I sent that video to him.”

“You wouldn’t fucking dare,” you bit back, your hand reaching out in an attempt to grab the device, but Hyunjae was quicker to grab your wrist, pinning it behind your back.

“I wouldn’t because I know how to appreciate what’s mine.” Hyunjae released his hold on you to roll on the condom, giving you the opportunity to move and take his phone as you pleased. To your dismay, there was no more effort left within you, only an ache to feel Hyunjae inside you.

“He appreciates me,” you mumbled, trying to convince yourself otherwise as you waited.

“Does he record you? Jerk off to your moans every night? Because I would, Y/N, just for you.” His voice was now by your ear, and when you turned your head to look at him, he pulled you into another hungry kiss, his dick now grazing against your hole.

“You’re fucking insane,” you bit back into the kiss, and he grinned against your lips, guiding his dick into you as he spoke.

“Psychotic, just for my princess.”

Venom laced his voice, dripping menacingly, and the insertion of his tip had you grasping for something in front of you, anything, and it was only then that you were able to process how thick his cock was.

“Can you take it?” he asked, his voice slightly softer than before. When you gave him a curt nod, he continued pushing in further. Maybe lube should’ve been an option, but you were so wet for him that it didn’t matter, knowing that the stretch probably would have hurt regardless.

“Fuck, fuck—he really doesn’t know what he’s missing,” Hyunjae gasped, his head resting against the back of yours. It was better than anything he’d dreamed of, better than any girl he imagined, because it was you, and your body was made for him.

“When was the last time he fucked you?” He was fully inside of you now, and when you didn’t answer, he decided to take it as a sign to move. With a firm grip on your waist, he pulled out just to slam back in, making you yell as you clawed at the seat, wishing there was something to bite on as you endured the pain that was quick to morph into pleasure.

Every glide pushed you further into the car, your forearms occasionally hitting the door, as his hips moved vigorously, working up to a pace that had you moaning without pause. Tears were flowing down your cheeks at the overwhelming pleasure of being manhandled—of being Hyunjae’s rag doll when he was meant to be yours, and your body seized up, being worked up to your orgasm once more with how precise each thrust seemed to be.

He adjusted to raise one of your legs to his hip, giving him a new angle to pound into you as he worships you with his dick, and you shook out of pleasure, whining as you saw white and reached your second orgasm for the night. You pulsated around his cock, strangled moans ripping from your throat as tears mixed with your drool by your chin.

And Hyunjae showed no signs of stopping.

He made sure to press your face down against the seats, wanting every liquid to fall and stain his car, giving him something to remember you by.

Oh, and there was the recording too.

While kneeling inside of the cramped car, he slowed his movements and inclined his torso towards you. In one swift motion, he wrapped his arm around your neck and pulled you up, locking you inside his elbow as he forced you to look into your reflection in the car window.

“Look at you, the school’s favorite slut. What happens if the recording drops? The whole school would know you’re mine, wouldn’t they?” He pressed his chest against your back, the mesh rubbing against your skin as his lips remained near your ear, forcing you to listen to every word.

You limped against him, your flames completely burnt out, and your fingers tugged onto the mesh around his arm, successfully ripping it after some time, but Hyunjae seemed unphased. In fact, it turned him on even more knowing that he had you locked in, that you were his.

“Look at your pretty cunt taking me in so well. It was so wet for me, wasn’t it? It still is. And guess what? You’re in my car. You belong to me, and my good girl is only now just finding out about it, isn’t she?”

“I-I’m…I’m not-...not yours,” you retaliated, creating red angry marks into his skin with your nails as you endured being used, stifling your moans as you looked at how wrecked you were, how bare you seemed to be compared to Hyunjae. You were much more of a mess, from your hair to the bruises on your neck. Your pussy kept tightening up around his dick, convulsing occasionally with every hit toward your g-spot, and you held onto Hyunjae each time.

Your head drooped down, thinking about how your heart ached for Jiwoong, yet the rest of your body was meant for Hyunjae.

“Whose fucking dick is inside of you right now?” He scoffed and pulled on your hair, forcing your head back up so he could directly speak into your ear. “Wake up, Y/N,” he demanded. “You’re mine.”

He dropped you back onto the seat like you were nothing, leaving you completely helpless, your throat void of any words as your eyes closed and met the back of your skull, too fucked out to communicate. You tried reaching for the door handle, just something to hold onto, yet you couldn’t.

“You tell me I’m pitiful, that I’m basically delusional when you’re going to be the reason my car will smell like sex for weeks.”

Your face was forced back into the puddle of liquid you created earlier, being shifted back and forth against the seat as if you were made for his dick and not vice versa.

“It’s crazy how pathetic you are, how willing you are to break yourself down in front of everyone just to have him. That-...fuck…that you’re so convinced he wants you and you two are soulmates.” He dragged his fingers through your hair and grabbed your roots. “You called me, you wanted me, and I have you right now, moaning my name, and you have nothing.”

Something about his words kept bringing out your orgasms, each thrust adding to the pleasure immensely. You didn’t know how much you could handle—afraid you may pass out from how much he was using you, from his tight grip around you to his dick hitting inside of you mercilessly.

Hyunjae whispering ‘I won, Y/N’ was what had you losing it, your high this time ending up stronger than the rest. You were fully crying now, and yet he continued as if you were nothing.

He peppered your shoulder with kisses and had the slight decency to slow his pace, but he also took note of your sobs.

“Don’t tell me you still want him,” he began rambling, his lips still on your shoulder. “Don’t tell me after this that your heart still belongs to him, because if that were the case, I’d make you call him right now. Say you wish it was him instead of me, and that he’s the love of your life while you’re stuffed with my dick. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

You could no longer think, and what you hated most was how reactive your body was—how you were just able to come for the third time, but Hyunjae’s dick solely being inside you snapped some other straw you weren’t aware you had, finding that your last high was incoming.

Hyunjae had picked up the pace by then, and by knowing your body incredibly well, he reached down to your sensitive clit to relieve you. You both knew your fourth was arriving, and you held on tight to his arm.

“J-Jaehy- hyun, I’m—”

“Mine.”

You cried out, your entire body shaking, and Hyunjae pulled out, immediately releasing onto your back with a guttural moan after yanking off the condom. He was forced to catch his breath, watching you float in and out of consciousness.

Your eyes were closed, struggling to breathe through your sobs, and Hyunjae consoled you with a kiss on the back of your shoulder.

“You’re mine, Y/N, whether you like it or not.”

He then pressed a kiss to your cheek before leaving to grab paper towels from his trunk. You were heaving, still shaking, and left alone as a mess in his backseat, yet with him gone, you felt even more useless, wanting him back by your side instantly. You weakly cried out for him, your nails dragging against the seat in hopes of being in his arms soon, and maybe he was right.

Maybe you were his.

OUR INFERNO [ M.LIST | TWO ]

NAVIGATION — THE BOYZ

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luciathcv · 9 months ago

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ᥫ᭡ enhypen masterlist

ᥫ᭡ guide: angst (a), fluff (f), suggestive (sg)

ᥫ᭡ ot7

petnames (f)

ᥫ᭡ lee heeseung

clingy boy (f)

destructive love (a)

nevertheless, I'm here (sg).(a)

you don't know betty boop? (f)

turn me please (f) - vampire!enhypen

down bad (f)

evan lee??? (f) - texting post

hormones (f)

ᥫ᭡ park jongseong

learning (f)

post-nap (f)

cupid (f)

my husband (f)

at your beckon call (f)

ᥫ᭡ sim jaeyun

going on a walk w him and layla (f)

the boy next door (f)

lego masters (f)

worries (a).(f)

amusement park date (f)

he's in a bad mood (f).(a)

just friends (f)

comfort (a).(f)

hola! (f)

i know that it's L-O-V-E (f)

christmas season (f) - christmas post

fanservice (f).(a)

clumsy (f)

here for you (f)

your amazing loving caring boyfriend (f).(a) - texting post

young and beautiful (f).(a)

boyfriend material (f)

blurred lines (f)

christmas list (f) - christmas post

ᥫ᭡ park sunghoon

ice skating date (f)

zzz (f)

blackout (f)

you're so blind (a).(f)

spoiled (f)

be my valentine? (a).(f)

secret consideration (f)

self control (a).(f) - vampire!enhypen

princess, is your hand okay? (f)

consolation (f).(a)

santa baby (f) - texting post

ᥫ᭡ kim sunoo

burnt out (f)

ᥫ᭡ yang jungwon

sleepover w jungwon (f)

ᥫ᭡ nishimura riki

cooking with niki (f)

sleepover with niki (f)

niki is the type of boyfriend (f)

birthday boy (f)

ignoring him (f)

slow mornings (f)

convenience store adventures (f) - version one

convenience store adventures (f) - version two

puppy love (f)

don't leave me (f).(a)

venting (f).(a)

smoothies? (f)

fansign (f)

kamakura, japan (f)

football game (f)

the feels (f)

i want boda (f) - texting post

slime videos (f) - texting post

teeth (f).(a) - long fic

the exchange student masterlist - smau

make it all better (f)

moonstruck (f)

blood in the cut (f) - vampire!enhypen

i've been tracking you (f).(a) - texting post

on my death bed (f).(a) - texting post

wrongful rejection (f).(a)

#luciathcv #enhypen masterlist #enhypen #enhypen x reader #enhypen imagines #enhypen fanfiction #enhypen oneshots #yang jungwon #lee heeseung #park jongseong #jay park #sim jaeyun #jake sim #park sunghoon #kim sunoo #kim sunwoo #nishimura riki #enhypen niki

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idyllic-ghost · 6 days ago

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Title: Vanilla Perfume Pairing: Sunwoo x gn!reader Genre: fluff, suggestive, established relationship, Wordcount: 3.7k Rating: 18+ for suggestive content

Synopsis: You know that Sunwoo loves your perfume, that's partially why you wear it all the time. He just gets more obvious with his obsession when he's drunk.

Warnings: mentioned alcohol consumption, alluding to nsfw activities, food mention

Disclaimer: The scenarios and depictions in my works are fictional and do not represent real-life situations. They do not aim to reflect the complexities of any culture, city, or individual. All characters are entirely fictional, regardless of names or descriptions.

MDNI: Adults only. Minors are not allowed. Any minors found will be blocked.

A/N: this fic was created before i decided to leave this blog permanently, and put on queue to be posted now. this blog is still not active. read here to find out why

Masterlists

Amid the chatter that spills out from the dimly lit bar, Sunwoo’s senses are overwhelmed—laughter and conversations meld into a single, indistinguishable hum, like a chaotic symphony playing in the background. People mill about on the sidewalk, their bodies forming clusters that obscure his view, a moving wall of shapes and shadows under the flickering neon lights. The only things he can register are the faint, lingering taste of beer on his tongue and the rough texture of his jeans beneath his fingertips. Yet, even in the midst of this bustling scene, there’s a part of him that remains attuned to just one thing—waiting for you.

Then, it happens. The delicate scent of vanilla threads through the cool night air, a subtle whisper slicing through the cacophony, wrapping around him like a silk ribbon. It carries the unmistakable promise of your presence, a scent as familiar as it is intoxicating, drawing him in with the soft persistence of a lullaby. It’s subtle, almost elusive, but to Sunwoo, it’s as familiar as his own heartbeat.

His heart skips a beat, a familiar thrill coursing through him as he instinctively knows it’s your perfume. The rest of the world fades away; the many voices become a distant murmur, and the crowd around him blurs into the background. His pulse quickens, anticipation buzzing in his veins as he turns, searching the street with a singular focus.

And then he sees you. You’re standing just outside the his groups of friends, illuminated by the soft glow of the streetlights, waving at him with that radiant smile that never fails to make his heart flutter. You’re only wearing jeans and a light sweater, shivering slightly in the chilly evening air. Your eyes, warm and sparkling, meet his, and in that instant, everything else melts away.

The world around you both seems to pause, leaving only the two of you in this perfect, fleeting moment. Sunwoo’s breath catches in his throat, his expression softening as a sense of calm washes over him. There’s an undeniable pull, a magnetic force that draws him to you, and without a second thought, he starts weaving his way through the small crowd, eager to close the distance between you.

“Baby!” he exclaims, his voice rising above the din, louder than intended thanks to the buzz of alcohol still coursing through his system. His joy and excitement burst forth in a way that’s impossible to contain, and the group of people nearby turns to look, their conversations momentarily halted.

Embarrassed by the sudden attention, you mumble apologies to those around, your cheeks warming under the curious gazes. Sunwoo had called you half an hour ago, his voice slurred but sweet, asking you to come pick him up after a night out with his friends. It hadn’t taken much to convince you—just a few soft words about how much he missed you, and you were already slipping on your shoes and grabbing your keys.

“They’re taking me home to their place!” Sunwoo explains to his friends, his words tumbling out with childlike excitement, as if he hadn’t already told them his plans a dozen times.

After a round of goodbyes that seem to drag on forever, Sunwoo finally reaches your side again. The chill in the air nips at your skin, and without a word, he shrugs off his jacket and drapes it over your shoulders, his touch lingering for just a moment longer. The warmth of his jacket, combined with the gesture, sends a flush of warmth through you.

“There,” he murmurs, his voice soft and tender as he adjusts the collar around your neck. “Can’t have you freezing out here.”

You smile up at him. "I thought I was supposed to take care of you."

"You'll get your chance." He wears a cheeky smile, and pulls you in a little closer for a short kiss. He tastes of beer, but you don't mind as you feel him smile against your lips.

Sunwoo, still a little unsteady, takes your hand, his fingers intertwining with yours as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. He’s eager, almost too eager, as he pulls you along, but his steps are aimless, zigzagging as he struggles to maintain a straight path. You chuckle softly, gently steering him toward your car, guiding him with a patient hand as you navigate through the chilly night together.

He stumbles slightly as he reaches for the passenger door, a lopsided grin on his face as he leans against the car for balance. “Got it, got it,” he mumbles, fumbling with the handle before you gently push his hand aside to open the door for him.

“Thanks, baby,” he says, his voice soft and affectionate as he climbs into the seat. He’s all smiles as he settles in, his head resting back against the seat, eyes half-closed as he breathes out a contented sigh. You close the door behind him and circle around to the driver’s side, the brisk air urging you to hurry.

Once inside, the warmth of the car’s interior wraps around you both, a welcome contrast to the crispness of the night. You glance over at Sunwoo as you start the engine, your gaze lingering on his relaxed expression. His eyes are closed now, his breathing steady, but there’s still a small, happy smile playing on his lips.

As you pull away from the curb, the quiet hum of the engine and the gentle vibration of the road create a soothing rhythm. The city lights flash by in a blur of neon and headlights, but the world inside the car feels peaceful, almost serene. Every so often, Sunwoo shifts slightly in his seat, murmuring something incoherent under his breath, his hand reaching out as if searching for you.

Without taking your eyes off the road, you reach over and take his hand, your fingers entwining with his. He squeezes your hand gently, the warmth of his touch spreading through you like a soft glow. His thumb brushes against your skin in a slow, lazy motion.

“Thanks for coming to get me,” he mumbles after a while, his voice drowsy. “You’re the best.”

“Of course,” you reply, glancing over at him with a smile. “I’ll always come for you, Sunwoo.”

He opens his eyes just enough to look at you, his gaze filled with a tender warmth that makes your heart skip a beat. “I know,” he whispers, his voice barely audible. “That’s why I love you.”

As you drive, the comforting scent of vanilla lingers in the air, and Sunwoo inhales deeply, the familiarity of your perfume grounding him even as his head swims from the night’s drinks. He closes his eyes again, a soft smile playing on his lips as he leans toward you, savoring the scent that reminds him of you. It’s sweet, warm, and comforting—a fragrance that feels like home to him.

When you finally pull up in front of your apartment building, you gently release his hand and turn off the engine. For a moment, you just sit there, taking in the peaceful quiet of the night, the soft rise and fall of Sunwoo’s breathing beside you. You lean over to gently nudge him awake.

“Sunwoo, we’re here,” you whisper, your voice soft as you brush a stray lock of hair from his forehead.

He blinks his eyes open. “Your place?” he asks, his voice thick with drowsiness, but there’s a hint of excitement in his tone.

“Yeah,” you reply, smiling as you unbuckle your seatbelt. “It was your idea, remember?”

He smiles, his gaze softening as he takes in your words. “Right... I like that idea,” he murmurs, still slightly drowsy, but there’s a warmth in his eyes that tells you he’s happy to be with you.

The moment you step out of the car, the brisk night air bites at your skin, a sharp contrast to the warmth you’ve just left behind. But before the chill can settle, Sunwoo’s arm is around your shoulders, drawing you into the shelter of his body. His touch is reassuring, a silent promise of protection as you navigate the dimly lit pathway to your apartment, each step resonating with the quiet intimacy you share. His steps are more stable now, but he leans on you slightly, as if reluctant to let go of the warmth and closeness you share.

The scent of vanilla clings to you, stronger now as he’s close to you, and he nuzzles his face into the crook of your neck as you wait for the elevator. “You smell so good,” he murmurs, his voice muffled against your skin. "You always do."

You laugh softly, feeling a warmth spread through you at his words. “I’m glad you like it,” you reply, pressing the button for your floor.

When you finally reach your apartment, Sunwoo is almost half-asleep again, his head nodding slightly with each step. But as soon as you unlock the door and step inside, he perks up, the familiar warmth and comfort of your home welcoming you both. The soft glow of the lamps casts a cozy light over the living room, and the subtle scent of vanilla lingers in the air, mingling with the comforting aroma of your space. Sunwoo sighs in relief, kicking off his shoes with a bit more effort than usual as you close the door behind you.

He stumbles slightly, trying to push his shoes together with his foot, his brow furrowed in concentration. It’s endearing, watching him focus so intently on such a small task, but after a moment, you can’t help but smile as you squat down to help.

"Do you want something to eat, or do you just want to go to bed?" you ask, setting his shoes neatly to the side.

Sunwoo pauses, swaying slightly as he thinks it over. "Do you have ramyun?" he mutters, his voice thick with sleepiness, but there’s a hopeful glint in his eyes.

You smile softly, charmed by his request. "I can make you some," you reply, standing back up. "Why don’t you go wash up in the meantime? Does that sound nice?"

When you meet his gaze, you’re greeted by Sunwoo’s lovesick grin, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he looks at you like you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him. “Very nice,” he agrees.

You stifle a laugh, gently nudging him toward the bathroom. “Then go. I have some spare clothes you left here last time—they’re in the usual spot.”

Sunwoo mumbles something under his breath, something about how well you take care of him, as he stumbles off toward your bedroom. You watch him for a moment, a fond smile tugging at your lips, before turning your attention to the kitchen.

The apartment is quiet except for the faint sound of water running as Sunwoo washes up. You move around the kitchen with practiced ease, pulling out a pot and filling it with water, your thoughts drifting as you prepare the ramyun. The stove clicks on, a small flame flickering to life beneath the pot, and you find yourself smiling at the simple, familiar routine of it all.

As the water begins to boil, you reach for the packet of noodles, tearing it open with a soft crinkle. The rich scent of the seasoning fills the air as you pour it into the bubbling water, stirring it gently. Steam rises in delicate tendrils, curling around your face and carrying with it the savory aroma of the meal you’re preparing.

The soft padding of footsteps behind you catches your attention, and before you can turn around, you feel Sunwoo’s presence close behind. His freshly washed scent, the smell of your body wash that he definitely borrowed, wraps around you like a comforting embrace. His arms slide around your waist, and he presses his chin against the your shoulder, sighing contentedly.

“That looks delicious,” he murmurs, his voice a low rumble against your back.

You smile, your hands still stirring the pot as you lean back into his warmth. “It’ll be ready soon,” you reply softly.

For a few moments, you both stand there in the kitchen, the only sounds the gentle bubbling of the ramyun and the quiet hum of the apartment around you. It’s a peaceful kind of silence, filled with the unspoken understanding that this, right here, is where you both belong.

Sunwoo nuzzles into the curve of your neck, his breath a warm whisper against your skin as he inhales deeply, savoring the familiar blend of your perfume and the lingering traces of the night air. His hands tighten on your waist, their warmth seeping through your clothes, grounding you in the moment. The intimate pressure of his body against yours sends a ripple down your spine, like the first touch of sunlight after a cold dawn.

"You smell nice," he hums, his voice low, edged with a hint of something more.

"You said that," you reply with a soft chuckle, your tone playful, but there’s no denying the way his words affect you.

"Mm, and I mean it..." His voice trails off as he presses a kiss to the curve of your neck, slow and deliberate, his lips lingering just long enough to leave a tingling sensation. His hold on you tightens as if to anchor himself in this moment, savoring the blend of your scent and the feel of you against him.

He trails another kiss along your neck, his lips barely brushing your skin as his breath fans out in a warm exhale. "You’re making it really hard to focus on anything else right now," he murmurs, his voice husky with unspoken desire.

"Is that so?" you whisper back, your own voice laced with a teasing challenge, though the quickening of your pulse betrays your growing anticipation.

Instead of replying, Sunwoo’s hands slide from your waist to your hips, pulling you closer as he nuzzles into the crook of your neck, his lips grazing your earlobe. “You’re impossible to resist when you smell this good,” he murmurs, his voice a low, intimate whisper that sends a thrill through you.

The atmosphere in the kitchen shifts, the air between you charged with a tension that’s as intoxicating as the scent of your perfume. His kisses become a little more insistent, each one sending a wave of warmth through you that stirs something deeper. The soft, rhythmic bubbling of the ramyun on the stove is the only reminder of where you are, but even that feels secondary to the heat building between you.

You can’t help but smile, tilting your head slightly to give him better access, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest against your back. “Maybe we should take this to the table,” you suggest, your voice soft, though it’s clear that the idea of moving doesn’t hold much appeal.

“Or,” he counters, his tone rich with suggestion as he nips gently at your ear, “we could just stay right here...”

The suggestion hangs in the air, tempting and full of promise, but the bubbling ramyun eventually pulls you back to the moment. You feel a pang of playful regret as you gently pull away from his embrace, turning your attention back to the stove. “Hold that thought,” you say with a soft laugh, your heart still fluttering from his touch.

When the noodles are finally cooked, you turn off the stove and reach for a pair of bowls, but Sunwoo doesn’t let go entirely. Instead, he shifts his hold slightly, his arms still wrapped around you as he leans his chin on your shoulder, watching you with a sleepy smile. His presence is a comforting weight against you, a silent assurance that the closeness you share isn’t going anywhere.

You serve the ramyun, pouring a little extra into his bowl, the difference almost imperceptible but meaningful all the same. “Here you go,” you murmur, holding out his bowl to him as he finally lets go to take it from your hands.

“You’re spoiling me,” he teases, his voice soft and full of affection.

“Maybe,” you reply with a playful smile, handing him a steaming bowl. “But you deserve it.”

He takes the bowl from you, his fingers brushing against yours and, for a moment, he just looks at you. “Thank you,” he says quietly, his voice sincere.

You smile back at him, feeling a deep sense of contentment as you both make your way to the small dining table. The two of you sit down, the warmth of the meal and the comfort of each other’s presence making the night feel just right.

As you eat together in the soft glow of the kitchen lights, Sunwoo keeps stealing glances at you, his expression one of pure happiness. And when he finally finishes his meal, he leans back in his chair, sighing with satisfaction.

“Best ramyun I’ve ever had,” he declares, a playful twinkle in his eye.

You laugh softly, shaking your head. “You always say that.”

“Because it’s always true,” he replies, his smile widening. “Especially when you make it.”

The two of you linger at the table for a while longer, the conversation light and easy, filled with quiet laughter and the kind of comfortable silences that come with knowing each other so well.

After a while, with the meal finished and your conversation winding down, you begin to gather the empty bowls and utensils. Sunwoo starts to stand, clearly intending to help, but you gently nudge him back into his chair with a soft smile. “I’ve got this,” you insist, stacking the bowls in your hands. “You just relax.”

He opens his mouth to protest, but the contentment in your eyes stops him. Instead, he leans back, a fond smile playing on his lips as he watches you move around the kitchen. There’s a warmth in the way he looks at you, a mixture of admiration and affection that makes your heart flutter.

As you turn on the faucet and start rinsing the dishes, you hear the soft creak of the chair as Sunwoo finally rises from his seat. You’re about to remind him that you have everything under control when you feel his arms slide around your waist, pulling you gently back against him. His presence is a comforting weight, his body warm against yours as he rests his chin on your shoulder yet again.

“Couldn’t just sit and watch you work,” he murmurs, his voice a low hum against your ear. “Not when I could be close to you instead.”

A smile tugs at your lips as you continue washing the dishes, his touch grounding you in the moment. “You always have to be close, don’t you?” you tease, your voice light as you scrub the remnants of ramyun from the bowls.

“Can you blame me?” he replies, his breath warm against your neck as he nuzzles into your hair.

His hands slide up your sides, settling just under your ribs as he pulls you even closer, his fingers splaying out as if to keep you there. There’s a quiet intensity in the way he holds you, his touch lingering and affectionate, making even this simple task feel like something more.

You tilt your head slightly, glancing at him from the corner of your eye. “You know, this isn’t exactly helping me finish the dishes,” you point out with a playful grin, though there’s no real protest in your tone.

“Maybe not,” Sunwoo concedes, his lips brushing against the curve of your neck as he speaks. “But it’s making me feel better.”

You laugh softly, the sound mingling with the quiet clink of dishes being washed. “I guess that’s worth something.”

The two of you stay like that for a while, the rhythm of washing dishes punctuated by the steady rise and fall of his breath against your back. It’s a different kind of intimacy, one that feels just as meaningful as any grand gesture—a shared moment of domesticity.

As you place the last dish in the drying rack, you turn in his arms, facing him with a smile. “All done,” you announce, wiping your hands on a nearby towel.

Sunwoo doesn’t move away, his hands still resting lightly on your hips as he gazes down at you with a contented smile. “Thank you,” he says softly, his voice filled with warmth.

“For what?” you ask, tilting your head slightly in curiosity.

“For everything,” he replies, his eyes searching yours as if trying to convey just how much he means it. “For the food, for letting me stay over... and for just being you.”

You reach up, cupping his face in your hands as you lean in to press a gentle kiss to his lips. It’s soft, unhurried.

When you pull back, Sunwoo’s smile has grown lazy and his eyes half-lidded. “What do you say we head to bed?” he suggests, his voice still soft but laced with a hint of playfulness.

"I hope you're only planning on sleeping. You're still not sober, you know?" you remind him.

"You sober me up," he argues while wrapping his arms around you and nuzzling his face in your neck again.

"Mhm, sure, babe." You pat his head and move him to the side to get him a glass of water. "I'm putting a glass of water by your side of the bed in case you wake up in the middle of the night, okay?"

Sunwoo hums in response. He seems to have already forgotten his earlier mission, and is lazily making his way to your bedroom. You watch his slumped figure wobble to the door and open it. He looks back at you expectantly, and you immediately follow after him.

While you change into your pajamas, Sunwoo rips off his clothes until he's only in his underwear—even when it's cold outside, he prefers to sleep this way. He gets into bed, and you get in shortly after him. His arms wrap around you slowly, feeling your skin under his palms as he drags his hands around your body. Your head naturally falls into the crook of his neck, and you finally smell it. It's faint, like he had tried to wash it away, but it was still there.

"Babe," you whisper.

"Yeah?"

"Did you put on my perfume?"

feedback is always welcomed!

#tbz sunwoo #sunwoo the boyz #sunwoo #sunwoo fluff #kim sunwoo #the boyz fluff #the boyz #the boyz x reader #kpop fanfiction #kpop fanfic #kpop #kpop writer #fanfic #the boyz fanfic #tbz #bee buzzed εїз✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*#sunwoo x reader #sunwoo x y/n

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sunshyni · 4 months ago

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Camiseta | Kim Sunwoo

notinha da Sun: recebi um pedido desse querido e resolvi conhecê-lo, assisti muitos vídeos e ele é tão fofo que dá vontade de suspirar. Daí ontem, antes de dormir, fanfiquei um pouquinho e saiu isso!! Espero que vocês curtam!!

W.C: 0.6k

Boa leitura, docinhos!! 📒

Estava exausta; não aguentava mais olhar para o computador e os cadernos que a rodeavam. Sunwoo já tinha desistido há muito tempo, distraído, com a cabeça deitada na escrivaninha que vocês dividiam. Havia muitas vantagens em cursar a mesma faculdade que o seu namorado: vocês podiam revisar a matéria juntos, cochichar explicações de conteúdo e muito mais. Muitos diziam que vocês viviam colados, que aquilo não duraria ou que vocês se apegariam demais um ao outro, mas as coisas fluíam bem. Não estavam bombando nas matérias, mas ficavam felizes de compartilhar as notas das provas, e você amava correr pelos corredores da faculdade para contar a ele que tirou um A em alguma coisa. Sunwoo sempre sorria, deixava um beijinho nos seus lábios e dizia que você era sensacional.

— Acho que não aguento mais — você admitiu, relaxando na cadeira giratória. Sunwoo, sonolento, assentiu, abriu os olhos para te contemplar, segurou sua mão, que já não empunhava mais a caneta com tanta determinação, e entrelaçou seus dedos nos dele. Em silêncio, te pediu para se levantar e, quando o fez, te surpreendeu ao puxá-la para o colo dele, te abraçando como se você fosse um bebê. Inspirou o seu cheirinho de sabonete e loção de banho, afastou seu cabelo do rosto e te olhou com carinho.

— Acho que pegamos pesado hoje — ele disse, e você anuiu, passando os braços em volta do pescoço dele e deixando um beijo nos lábios macios. De repente, Sunwoo te suspendeu e você soltou um gritinho desavisado; ele te colocou suavemente sobre o colchão, observou o biquinho que se formava nos seus lábios e tocou a pontinha do seu nariz com o indicador, achando sua carinha muito fofa.

— Tá na hora da princesa dormir.

— Ah, para, ainda é muito cedo pra eu me despedir de você — aquilo era mentira; já passava das 22h. Seus pais já tinham se recolhido para o quarto deles. Confiavam muito em Sunwoo e em você também, então não tinham com o que se preocupar. Sunwoo sentou na sua cama e você o envolveu com os braços e as pernas, como um coala numa árvore. Ele sorriu, pousando a mão sobre a sua perna para acariciá-la devagar.

— Fica, vai.

— Se eu ficar, vou acabar dormindo aqui — Sunwoo olhou para você, e você olhou para ele. Estavam tão cansados que nem tinham energia para pensar em malícia; você só queria descansar nos braços daquele garoto, sentir seu coração bater enquanto descansava a cabeça no peito dele. Sunwoo esperou que você dissesse algo que o impedisse de fazer aquilo, mas como nada disse, ele se desvencilhou de você por alguns instantes, tirou a camiseta branca e deitou ao seu lado, fazendo com que você se aconchegasse no corpo dele. Você liberou uma risadinha tímida ao vê-lo tirando a camiseta na sua frente, sem vergonha alguma.

— Qual foi a necessidade de tirar a camiseta? — você perguntou baixinho, e ele fez cócegas na sua barriga, fazendo você se contorcer toda e cobrir a boca com as mãos para não rir muito alto. Ele sabia que você era incrivelmente sensível quando o assunto era cócegas. Depois de te torturar, ele te abraçou forte e olhou nos seus olhos novamente, ficando sério de repente, mas aquilo fazia parte do seu teatrinho.

— É mais confortável assim.

— Tem certeza que não fez isso para exibir o seu shape dessa última semana de treino? — você perguntou, erguendo as sobrancelhas. Ele pensou a respeito e assentiu, te fazendo sorrir.

— Você é uma gênia.

— Te amo, seu exibicionista — ele beijou sua testa e estreitou os olhos, divertido.

— Te amo mais, espertalhona.

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jinisnuggets · 3 months ago

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✧.* 11 𝕭𝖎𝖙𝖊𝖘

PAIRINGS | Vampire! Killer! Sunwoo x Cryptozoologists! Fem! Reader

GENRE | Vampire Au, Angst, Fluff(ish)

WORD COUNT | 2.3k

SYNOPSIS | What happens when multiple series of death happen at the same time, all with different motives and zero connection between the victims. Most people would blame an organization; but your team blames something… a little more otherworldly.

WARNINGS | Mentions of death, unnatural cases, a bit of blood, crime scenes, swear words(ish)

NETWORK | @deoboyznet @starlit-network @k-library

A/N | It took me a while along with a lot of postponing, but this is my submission for @deoboyznet boyz who bite event. It isn't my best work at all, a bit lazy but it will due :D

“Y/n! What do we do with them?”

You stared at the body which laid on the floor, unsure of how to respond to your colleagues.

The police had called your team because this case looked unnaturally gruesome, something that didn't look like the work of a human due to the extent of it. You were put in charge for the moment; though you weren't the main boss.

“Bring them to the lobby for now. It'd be important to bring them in for investigation.” you finally responded, seeing your coworker nod in understanding and run over to those in charge of caring for the corpse.

You sighed, turning around and spotting Chanhee approaching you, clipboard in hand.

Choi Chanhee was one of the newer guys; he was in charge of concluding what monster everyone should be expecting in a certain situation based on any small clues he could find; this was actually his first serious case.

“Whatcha find?” You asked informally, seeing him chuckle as he took a spot right next to you.

“I found a couple things on the body, such as two bite marks on their neck and multiple stains of unidentifiable blood covered fingers on walls. It seems like whoever, or whatever did this knows that they won't be in police systems.”

You stared at his writing, nodding in response.

“Right so-” before you could finish your question he shushed you with an undeniable confidence. You held your laughter, trying to remain professional, but to be completely honest you thought it was adorable.

“Vampires are the most likely cause.” He stated, making you second glance all the gathered clues and nod.

“It'd make sense; the two bite marks and fingerprints seem to add up.” you started, scanning the room for any other missed clues that had yet to be discovered. You glanced back to see him slowly walking forward, you followed him shortly after.

“However, I also found that the fingerprints carried a certain detail that could prove helpful in our investigation. I took some time to study the previous records that we have on various creatures, and found a seemingly repetitive pattern for vampires. All of them have this certain mark on their finger that they receive depending on their vampire age. The older the vampire is, the bigger and more evident the mark will be.”

He approached a stained wall, locating the mark and allowing you to inspect it.

“Judging by this mark; it appears this vampire is quite young, appearing to only age around 15-25 years old.”

You glanced back at him.

“You found all of this just by looking at a fingerprint?”

He chuckled awkwardly, nodding his head in response. How could such an important factor go unnoticed? Was all you could bring yourself to ask, not out loud, but it was still a worthy question.

“Alright then, best go talk to a superior on this new discovery. You better teach us about this age telling mark.” You said with a tease, watching him grin before nodding.

“Y/n!” A voice called from afar. It was Juyeon, who had been jogging towards you while holding a folder.

“What is it?” You asked, seeing him hand over the folder full of files.

“Your husband… Kim Sunwoo is here to pick you up.”

“What!?”

Chanhee and Juyeon looked over at you with a confused expression. You shook your head to snap out of your transe and decided to accept it.

“Not sure why he decided to do so in a time like this but alright.”

Glancing around, you called out and decided to put Jacob in charge. He was the better option between everyone in the crowd.

Waving goodbye and making your way outside; stepping over the ‘crime scene’ tape as you approached your husband.

“What important event is it today that you had to pick me up early?” You asked teasingly, watching him look up from his phone to return that teasing gaze.

“Forgot our anniversary?”

Your expression immediately dropped as you scrambled for your phone, watching him burst out laughing as the screen lit up and showed a different date.

“I'm kidding.”

“You jerk.” You responded with a laugh, placing your phone back inside of your pocket before looking back up at him who was leaning down to plant a small kiss on your forehead.

“Hey now, that’s a bit rude.” he chuckled teasingly, earning a mimic from you as he walked over to the driver side door. You entered the vehicle and felt the car go into drive. You simply stared out the window as he drove off; the small restaurant which had become a crime scene vanished out of sight.

Far too focused into your own thoughts, you spoke without much of a thought.

“Sunwoo… do you believe in monsters? All those creatures we hear and see in movies and novels?” You asked in a low voice that expressed your exhaustion.

He hesitated for a moment, stopping at the next red light and relaxing back on his seat for a moment as he remained silent. He sighed, “There must be something out there.” he muttered, almost to himself as he leaned back up upon the once red light becoming a bright neon green.

“Something you discovered at work?” He questioned, to which you nodded, not moving your gaze from the window and continuously staring at the outside.

It wasn’t supposed to be said, but Sunwoo was your husband and you practically told him everything that was meant to be kept secret from anyone outside of those in the organization.

“A new body was discovered. Police say that the murder must have taken place sometime around the early hours of the morning.” you groaned, watching him glance at you through the rear view mirror and nod.

“So many new cases of late; have you ever thought they all may be connected?” he questioned, watching you glance over back at him and nod knowingly.

“We have, but it seems that the culprits are all different people and none of the victims seem to be closely related. I suppose the motives should be different as well.”

He didn’t say much after that, simply listened and offered to buy you fast food; and well, you didn’t ask him to say much either, afterall it was a situation between you and your colleagues; something between you and your job.

—-----------

Sunwoo approached the doorway, wiping the red off of his cheek and slipping into the warmth of his jacket; knocking on the door and waiting for the person on the other side.

The door opened slowly and cautiously.

“Sunwoo? How the hell are you walking around like that?” He said, being quick to drag him into the room.

“Don't overthink it.” Sunwoo reassured, entering the small and cozy living space and taking a seat on the couch. “I was cautious when making my way over here.”

“I surely hope you were.” He muttered, breathing a sigh of relief as he passed Sunwoo a black towel to clean himself.

“So what have you been up to Eric?” Sunwoo said casually, earning a reaction from Eric as he immediately turned due to his nonchalant attitude.

“That's what I would like to ask you. What did you do?” Eric redirected, brewing some coffee and taking down 3 mugs from the cabinets above.

Sunwoo stared before sighing and smiling to himself. “I’m not sure if I should-”

“Sunwoo?”

He turned around to the sound of his name, smiling upon seeing Eric’s roommate, Haknyeon, who was coming out of the shower and drying his hair with a towel.

“What happened to you?” He asked, unsurprised by Sunwoo’s current state and messy appearance.

“I'd like to talk about it; but before that let me take a shower. If I returned home like this I'd earn a concerned stare from Y/n.”

Eric and Haknyeon nodded in understanding, Eric's eyes softening upon the mention of his friend's soulmate. Sunwoo walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

***

They all sat in the living room, warm coffee in hands along with small store-bought muffins and pastries. Both Eric and Haknyeon refused to look away from Sunwoo, staring at him until he finally decided to speak up.

“Alright, alright.” He chuckled, placing his mug down and reaching out for a small plate.

“You don't need to speak up, we're just curious.” Eric added, to which Sunwoo shook his head.

“No worries.” He reiterated.

Haknyeon and Eric listened intently, taking a couple sips from their coffee's and paying attention to every word he spoke. Though at first disagreeing they eventually agreed and let go of the entire situation.

—-----------

You stared in confusion, seeing their uneasy stares.

“Please take a look.” He said, making you take the envelope from his hand and stare down at it.

In the envelope, there were multiple photographs of the crime scene from the previous day. At first glance there isn’t anything particularly wrong with them; it wasn’t until closer inspection that you noticed the figure who lingered in the back of the photos. All except one.

“Who is that..? You stuttered, seeing them take glances at each other before shaking their heads.

“We were hoping you would know that...” Jacob replied, the small bit of hope in his voice fading into an abyss of emptiness.

As if on cue, Chanhee walked into the room. His curiosity had gotten the better of him and he decided to check what the sudden commotion was about; heart dropping upon hearing the news of the mysterious person in the back of the captured pictures and almost quitting right then and there.

“This doesn't make sense. Vampires don't appear on pictures. They can't appear on pictures..!” Chanhee exclaimed, making you all glance at him realization.

He was right. Vampires and many other mythical creatures don't appear on photographs due to the fact that they aren't exactly alive; they aren't technically real.

Jacob and Hyunjae tried to reason, maybe it was one of your people though it was highly unlikely. Juyeon stayed silent, although you knew it was just him trying to make himself feel better about the entire situation. You on the other hand, took the time to analyze the photo better, the body shape seemed oddly familiar to you.

“If there was someone else there; I'm confused as to how they went unnoticed.” A voice spoke from the doorway.

You all turned around, coming face to face with Kevin who stood in the entryway of the room. Hyunjae’s face lit up by the entrance of the familiar face; feeling better to see someone reliable and different.

“Or how they got passed the cops who were positioned outside on that manner.” Jacob added, his voice of fear being replaced by annoyance.

However, you remained silent as they all argued, and for that left the room without saying another word. This was more than just a vampire case and you knew it. It was a case of some sort of betrayal.

—-----------

You laid in bed, being joined by your husband soon after who laid beside you, taking you into his embrace and cuddling you, pressing multiple lazy kisses up to your temple.

“Long day?” He asked in a comforting voice.

“Doesn't matter right now.” You smiled, feeling his lips plant another small peck onto your forehead. His breath was shallow, low and solacing; bringing you a relaxing sensation that drifted you off into a deep state of unawareness.

You didn't know what happened next, you fell asleep.

5:27 A.M.

Sunwoo wasn't by your side.

He was gone, vanished from sight..

You waited for a couple seconds, thinking he might've gone downstairs to get a cup of water from the kitchen; but as the minutes went by, you started to discriminate that thought furthermore.

Lifting yourself from the bed, you made your way to the closet, taking out a jacket and finding the arm holes to slip into, zipping up the zipper and finding the door inside of the dark room. Your walk down the stairs was careful, your mind felt like it had been in a dream-like state, which made it difficult to concentrate when you found your shoes next to the door.

It took you a moment before you registered the feeling of the outside wind brushing up against your cheek, hair flowing by the cold air, moonlight shining inside of the house and illuminating the dark space.

“What are you doing awake?” He said, walking inside yet keeping the door open to allow the midnight air to enter of the enclosed area.

“I would ask you the same question.” You said with unintended seriousness that caused him and his stomach to turn.

“I just went out for a walk-”

You shook your head, he was lying once more and this time you wouldn't stand by it. You felt your throat tighten, in a tenseness that you found yourself unable to describe.

“Blood. It's on your shirt.”

Your mouth said it before your eyes had noticed. He looked down and glanced back up, eyes an unsettling red color that hadn't been there before. Something that only appeared now.

“Right.” He agreed, nodding casually at your words as if it was normal to be carrying around a shirt full of red stains.

You knew now,

Vampires were a very real thing.

Something so real that they shouldn't be second guessed. The way humans don't second guess another human's existence.

But vampires weren't the worst of creatures, at least not all of them. There were definitely worse things on this planet; worse stuff than blood sucking monsters who were on the constant look out for a fresh meal.

But some didn't feed off of human blood, others straight up hated it, it was different for everyone. Vampires had their own taste and likes, just like humans did. In fact, humans and vampires were species of similar kind.

Both held similar complexity, and strived to survive from everyday dangers. If any creature had the chance of blending in almost flawlessly with a human crowd, it'd be a vampire.

And of course, finding out your lifetime partner’s secret couldn't be helped. It was an obvious shock, but you learned to accept it everytime you remember his vivid words that night, reaching out his hand to bring you into the night sky with him.

“Will you join me?”

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loverseon · 9 months ago

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SOUL SWAP .ᐟ masterlist coming soon ᯓ★

pairing female reader x ???

genre royal au, fantasy, kinda mystery ish

synopsis you wake up in a bedroom thats not your own. curtains that arent your own, bed thats not your own. a life thats not your own. no one around you seems to take you very seriously when you try and explain that youre… not exactly who they think you are. but hey, who are you to complain when everywhere you look theres a handsome man who wants you?

word count tbd (around 30k+)

warnings angst, fluff, themes of death, suggestive (tbz being sexy what can i say) cursing, slow burn, gradual pairing reveal, will add more tags as we progress

teaser one moodboard playlist

part i. the dream of the golden bedroom

part ii. the hero of the first water

part iii. the saviour of the fallen

part iv. the master of the wild

part v. the commander of the gods

part vi. the ceremony of the conqueror

part vii. the end of the beginning

part viii. epilogue: the princess of stars

a/n shakes u by the shoulders ohhhh its happeninf its happeningg

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cloverdaisies · 1 year ago

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JUVENILE - K.SW

description: LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPAR TMENT: "the court hear by sentences that sunwoo kim, will face up to 6 months and 10 days in prison with no chances of parole on charges of vandalism along with the dealing and possession of Class A substances."

Sunwoo Kim returns to campus after being released from juvie but has the old him ever changed? still smoking, drinking and partying with his insane friend group. juvie didn't scare him one bit. It's been 5 months since Y/N, introverted, clever and pretty, moved to LA. She's only heard rumors of sunwoo kim. the young criminal who no one wanted to get on the wrong side of, the news of him coming back was the buzz of the entire campus.

An unexpected encounter brings two opposite people together...

genre: fluff, angst, drama

member: sunwoo x you

chapters: 30

online community: @deoboyznet

a/n that’s right !! after an amazing idea from the lovely @winterchimez 🫡 i will be reposting the beloved juvenile from my wp page to tumblr bc. i just feel after all these years she needs to escape the trap of wp and be reloved by people who haven’t read her yet 🤍

DISCLAIMERS BEFORE YOU READ

chapter one

chapter two

chapter three

chapter four

chapter five

chapter six

chapter seven

chapter eight

chapter nine

chapter ten

chapter eleven

chapter twelve

chapter thirteen

chapter fourteen

chapter fifteen

chapter sixteen

chapter seventeen

chapter eighteen

chapter nineteen

chapter twenty

chapter twenty one

chapter twenty two

chapter twenty three

chapter twenty four

chapter twenty five

chaoter twenty six

chapter twenty seven

chapter twenty eight

chapter twenty nine

chapter thirty

epilogue

extras

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ashonheavenscloud · 2 months ago

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the duke and i || k. sunwoo

⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆ contents: duke!kim sunwoo x lady!reader, bridgerton-esque au, flirting and TENSIONNNN

⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆ word count: 1.1k

⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆ warnings: none they’re just down bad KSJDJDJ

⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆ a/n: wrote this with mi amor @lixiesfreckless on a train ride lol🤪 we also watched season 2 of bridgerton in 24 hours earlier this week so this is 100% born of brainrot. ENJOYYYY

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

Sunwoo is a gentleman, by all standards. Well-spoken, well-dressed; polite, prim and proper. Everything about the tuxedo-clad son of the duke screams elegant society. His posture, the careful grip on his flute of champagne, the subtle nods to the other respectable men in society, the way his hair is styled just-so at his eyebrows. No one would ever argue anything different at a first or second glance.

No one, except you of course.

The Sunwoo you had come to know has said, or rather, whispered words to you that cannot even be alluded to in polite society. The careful grip on his champagne flute translates rather misguidedly. He’s certainly not so cautious in the way he eyes you, the barest hint of a smirk on his lips. And his hold on the glass is certainly not as delicate as the way he holds you.

Holds your gaze. Holds your thoughts. Holds your waist when you dance and you can barely breathe as his hands tease your lower back, like they are right now.

"Something on your mind, m'lady?" he whispers into your ear, and you curse your bloodstream for coloring your skin with the most flustered tint of cherry at his proximity.

"Just counting my steps, so that I do not tarnish your shoes, your grace," you lie, not wanting to reveal what dangerous waters your mind had wandered into.

"You jest," he smirks, looking at you sideways as he pulls you into a spin, "surely my lady has no problem keeping up with me."

Sunwoo guides you to twist around, following the careful steps of the dance with your back pressed to his chest. Your heart stumbling at the feeling of his breath on your ear, you concentrate harder to not let your feet clumsily follow suit. “It is not a question of skill, but a question of maintaining both of our pride. There are eyes on us, maybe even that of the Queen-”

“Their eyes do not matter.” Sunwoo murmurs, taking your hands and guiding them over your head, into a twist, before pulling you back to face him. There’s a gleam in his irises. “Just keep yours on me.”

Somewhat reluctantly, you follow his instruction, and a shiver runs up your spine as you finally notice how intently he's gazing at you.

In the depths of your mind, there is a voice that reasons that no one knows him quite like you do. So perhaps it is not just a dance to him, similar to how multiple dances in a row have greater meaning to the trained eye.

And just like that, the touch of your hands, although gloved, becomes charged with something indescribable, something that travels to your fingertips to your stomach, eliciting that feeling that you've only ever read of.

It is not the first time it had ever happened with him, either.

Which is why when the song ends, and the two of you quit the dance floor, your eyes linger. Far too long, especially in a place so public, because despite Sunwoo’s words, there are eyes on you. But you can’t help it, not when he also keeps his eyes on yours, watching you take your place to the side several paces away.

The room feels hot, and you’re not sure if it’s the crowd, exertion from dancing, or something else entirely.

And Sunwoo’s eyes, never leaving your gaze, hold sparks that set you ablaze.

You need some air.

Excusing yourself quickly, you locate the nearest exit and duck through, hoping the next set of waltzing couples distracts enough that no one sees you disappear. The hallway leads you further into the estate, where you find a small room, perhaps an office or parlour, with floor to ceiling bookshelves and several pieces of furniture. The noise of the party is muffled, and you’re allowed silence to think- not that that’s easy, even with the respite.

Because despite being in solitude, your mind is stuck on Sunwoo’s hands trailing up your back and down your sides, Sunwoo's breath against your cheek, Sunwoo's voice in your ears-

Your reveries are halted by the sound of the door opening, that cursed head of dark brown hair peeking around the opening and sending your stomach into a tailspin again.

"I was wondering where you had run off to," he chuckles as he steps into the study, not understanding that you came there to essentially escape him.

"You should not be here," you suddenly say, breath coming out a little more breathless than you would have liked.

"Why not?" He clicks the door shut behind him as he surveys the room, perhaps checking for indecencies.

"Because...it's improper!"

Perfect, now you sound juvenile. In front of the only person who genuinely sees you as a lady at that.

“Are you feeling well m'lady? You're starting to sound like my mother.”

You huff, frustrated he doesn’t seem to understand the unreasonable state of mind you're in. Out of habit, you raise a gloved hand to your temple, as if that will quiet your thoughts.

Sunwoo does not take this lightly however; he crosses the room in a flash, a worried look crossing his face as he notices your posture and your flushed cheeks.

"Are you quite alright?" He asks, soft voice now laden with concern as he removes his glove, and raises his bare hand to your cheek, the coolness of his fingers doing little to calm the erratic beating of your heart.

In fact, you jump slightly at his touch, and this doesn't go unnoticed by him, a remark already tumbling out of his plush lips.

"Don't appear so troubled, it is only me."

"That is precisely the problem," you exhale, nearly throwing yourself into his arms as your lips crash into his.

A muffled, maybe even surprised sound escapes his lips upon first contact, and his free hand lands upon your hip to steady the both of you. At least at first.

What was truly surprising was how his grip subtly tightened around your dress, bunching in the beading and embroidery as he holds you impossibly close to him. He moves his lips against yours, and there is where you find the reasoning for all of the flowery depictions of this embrace you had read about all these years.

You collect your restraint and pull away slightly, only to find a flustered and smiling duke staring back at you.

“Well-” he pauses, just barely catching his breath, “I would hardly call that a problem.”

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

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papermatisse · 11 months ago

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apartment 5d || K.SW

♘ pairing: neighbor!sunwoo x f!neighbor!reader

♘ genre: fluff, crack

♘ word count: 8k

♘ warnings: cursing, slight suggestive scene (nothing too explicit), eavesdropping, cheating

♘ synopsis: (y/n) had just moved into the city and was still getting accustomed to the onslaught of noises all around, coming from both outside her apartment and within the building itself. through the thin walls of her new home, she becomes inadvertently invested in the lives of a couple who live just next door and seemingly don't know she can hear everything they say, as well as everything they do.

♘ (a/n): here comes year three of wishing one of my best friends a happy birthday via fanfic against her own will! happy bday @biaswreckingfics ! I hope you have an amazing day ❤️!

disclaimer I did not proofread this. thank you 👌

It's been a month since (y/n) first moved into the city. A month since she had taken the risk to abandon the life she had grown so accustomed to in search of something new. A month since she'd packed her bags and bid farewell to the town she'd known her whole life, to the people she had become well acquainted with in her years as a resident. A month since she found herself holed into this small, cheap apartment on the outskirts of the city. A month since her entire life had changed, and she's still speculating on whether or not it was for the better.

The city was definitely the change she had been seeking. A complete 180° from the small town life she'd always known, and she couldn't help but to draw comparisons between the two. For one, there was a constant white noise of clamor just outside her window. The sidewalks were almost always littered with people rushing to and fro to get through the day. While they seemingly each ignored one another in lieu of getting to their destination as swiftly as possible, there was somehow always overlapped and nonsensical chatter that drifted up to her apartment window. The monotony was always accompanied by the various mechanical acoustics of the vehicles which passed by, frequented by the honking of horns and the occasional holler.

At night, she'd lay there enviously yearning the life she abandoned. She reminisced on the sound of cicadas screeching in the daytime and grasshoppers chirping at night. The sounds of nature she took for granted. Instead of the songbirds which would greet her in the mornings with their lovely little melody, she was instead jostled awake by the violent caws of a crow which deemed it his responsibility to ruin her slumber any chance he got.

And if the outside were bad, the inside of her apartment wasn't any better.

Above her resided a tenant she could only assume was a 1950s housewife of some sort, given the 24/7 clacks of high heels rushing about through the apartment. It had become so frequent that (y/n) was sure she knew the exact layout of their residence—the clacks would travel to one area three times a day for meals, to another area which would follow the sound of water, and then would cease in another area for the night. Rather than feeling any sort of contempt for the tenant, (y/n) could only speculate how her feet were still in tact whilst wearing such torturous footwear.

The apartment below housed a tiny, aggressively angry dog, and (y/n) knows this because of the constant violent yaps the canine would emit quite frequently throughout the day, as it were his sole ambition in life to make everyone as miserable as he was. If it wasn't the crow, it was the dog seemingly waking her up, and at this point, (y/n) began to speculate that she was some sort of a Snow White character who only attracted the most demonic and hell-raising of creatures to be in her immediate vicinity.

To the right of her apartment was a tenant who played classical music aloud. The intricate melodies of a symphony wading through her apartment was a welcomed presence, even more so when she could make out the tenant’s live piano playing. It was nice, and she was glad to have situated her home office right against that wall of the apartment. It not only boosted her productivity, but it also served as a reprieve from all of the chaos that wreaked havoc in every other sector of her apartment.

Though it was the apartment to the left of her own that seemed to capture her attention most. The apartment that rested just alongside her bedroom wall. One that created the most clear vision of the tenants that resided there, to the point that (y/n) even knew their names. She knew their living situation fairly well, and she honestly believed that at this point she knew more of the people who lived there than their closest friends did. Purely because no couple in their right mind would act in such a way in front of people, which made it convenient to (y/n) to get to know their characters in such an intimate way.

“You inconsiderate son of a bitch.”

“What did I do now? What could POSSIBLY have angered you now?”

(y/n) grimaced as the arguing once more began, slowly shutting the book she'd been reading, knowing fully well that there'd be no space to concentrate once the two on the other side of the wall eventually get into it.

It's been a month since (y/n) first moved into her apartment, and a month since she'd come to learn about the couple who lived in apartment 5D.

The lady’s name was Renee, a name that is frequently uttered in irritation by the man. Her voice was thunderous yet shrill, rising in pitch whenever she got especially angry. She also had a penchant for expletives and has spewed out quite a few creative obscenities on the spot that has thoroughly impressed (y/n). Her grievances were the ones most often echoing through the apartments, exposing the raw and unfiltered personas of the couple to (y/n)’s ear, as if the plaster between them served as a confessional booth of sorts.

The man's name was Sunwoo, if his girlfriend's yelling were any indication of who the recipient was. Unlike Renee, his voice rarely ever reached her level. Yet his responses were incredibly sharp, oftentimes being the calming agent that settled these disputes. Or at least quells Renee’s burdens for the time being as she huffs off to another section of the apartment. (y/n) would hear Sunwoo’s tired sighs afterwards, oftentimes loud and defeated.

She found it odd that such a tumultuous and unhealthy dynamic still managed to remain as is. How they managed to remain together when every single time they met face to face, another shouting match commenced. (y/n) could feel herself crumbling with the weight of the ordeal and she wasn't even involved in the slightest. Though it did encourage her to invest in noise canceling headphones for when the yelling got more intense than usual.

A few days had passed since their last altercation, and (y/n) was both relieved, but also incredibly curious as to what could have happened to cause such silence in the apartment. From what she recalled during their last session, Renee had stormed off as she usually does at the end of their fights whenever Sunwoo snaps back and says something she can't refute. Nothing different had occurred, so what could have possibly prompted the radio silence on the other end?

She tried not to dwell. It was a rare and blissful peace that she had forgotten about: the ability to go to bed without being jostled awake by a sudden screaming match. A privilege she needed to take advantage of before things went awry once more. And she knew things would certainly go awry eventually. Though for the time being, (y/n) went about her life calmly.

There was still the bird outside her window who refused to settle for any sort of peace, no matter how much bread (y/n) offered as a bargain to quell the issue. There was still the dog downstairs who never seemed to quit making its presence known to the world, incessantly yapping away with little to no breaks in his schedule. There was still the lady upstairs seemingly performing a whole dance routine of sorts in the clunkiest heels humanly possible, practically ensuring (y/n) were to hear her every movement no matter where she went. And there was still classical music flooding the opposite half of her apartment whenever she walked by, more recently showcasing some Chopin pieces that spoke to (y/n)’s heart and offered just the smallest scrap of heaven in the fiasco surrounding her. But for the time being, the side of her apartment housing her bedroom was quiet, and she savored the moment for however long she could.

(y/n) found herself nestled into bed, quietly reading her book before the time to sleep came along. There was a tranquil peace lingering in the air, the mayhem outside gradually morphing into calming white noise as she grew more accustomed to the city and its multifaceted nature. Notes of her vanilla candle, long extinguished by now, still seemed to endure in the wake of its stint, and the soft glow of her bedside lamp basking her room in this gentle, orange hue brought a grin to (y/n)’s face. One she couldn't help but to embrace as she came to the realization that this apartment with all of its quirks and its flaws had finally started to feel like a home to her.

Wanting to bask in the afterglow of this revelation, (y/n) was pulled from her thoughts at the subtle shift in atmosphere, her hushed moment of mundanity now fading away as she attempted to zero in on what exactly had disrupted her.

A silence settled over the room, the muffled cacophony of activity outside being filtered out while (y/n) eyed the room carefully, as if scoping out for the source of whatever had suddenly occurred. Though she had a strong inkling that deep down she knew exactly where to search. As if on cue, there was another sound. So minuscule, yet it immediately drew (y/n) to turn around, facing the wall which separated her from apartment 5D.

Tentatively, she leaned forward against her better judgement, pressing her ear against the white expanse of the room. Muffled voices, speaking at a normal volume. Nothing out of the ordinary directly, though still strange given the inhabitants on the other side and their usual dynamic. Though there was this nagging voice biting at her conscience. Something felt… amiss. It rubbed her the wrong way, but for what reason?

Before she could even begin to decipher this feeling, there was a sudden shift in the narrative, one that completely perturbed (y/n) where she sat. At first it had been but a momentary jostle, a sound she may have misconstrued in her deep state of curiosity. Though then it happened again, and it had become an undeniable fact. The once muted laughter that traipsed through the thin walls, piquing (y/n)’s interest in the lack of tension radiating over to her side through the sheer ire the two shared for one another, had slowly morphed into this unmistakable cadence that had not only (y/n) feeling flushed, but also had the entire room blushing at the turn of events.

Never before had her walls felt so thin, to the point that she could hear every creak of a bedframe, hushed whispers and moans exchanged between the two lovers in the apartment next door. A newfound intimacy that on any other occasion would have had (y/n) applauding the two for finally making up, but currently as she was being inadvertently exposed to such an exchange, she was wholly uncomfortable and found herself seeking refuge on her couch for the night, wiping away the memory through the soft tunes playing from her noise canceling headphones.

A few days had passed since the night that her neighbors had finally made amends. As if by some force of nature, it had gone radio silent all this time, with not even a single breath to be heard. Perhaps they'd felt guilty for having unwittingly forced such an act of voyeurism unto her, but no matter the reason, (y/n) was truly grateful for the silence that now greeted her at night.

With her newfound vigor, (y/n) had found herself taking walks every other morning. The sun had felt somehow warmer, the breeze that blew by felt cooler, and even the sparse trees that lined the concrete expanse of the city felt greener and perhaps even livelier. Friendly faces came few and far, though when they did, she couldn't help but to reciprocate the greeting, offering a smile of her own as she wandered around aimlessly until finally approaching the apartment building again.

Before she could pull open the door, a voice suddenly called out to her.

“Excuse me! Can you hold that door for me?”

Turning around, (y/n) had at first been hit with a sense of familiarity, as if a long lost friend had finally returned, though when she finally came face to face with the person, she was left completely and utterly blank.

Aside from the fact that she'd never met this man before, she felt her mind spiraling into nothingness upon being suddenly attacked by this male reincarnation of Aphrodite. He exuded this inherent confidence as he strode her way, a casual gait even as he lugged a duffel bag and suitcase with surprising ease given his lean build. His plush lips pulled back into a charming smirk as he slipped into the building, a soft thank you coming from him and further demonstrating the low timbre of his voice.

She would have remained standing there, perpetually awestruck by the encounter with the gorgeous man, but when she turned, he was still there, seemingly waiting for her with a gentle quirk of his head.

“Oh, no problem at all!” She quickly responded, shutting the door behind her and shuffling forward alongside him. They walked in sync, both headed towards the elevator.

“Are you new around here?” The stranger asked, his eyes still seemingly insistent on staring at her. His big, round, warm, coffee tinted, glistening eyes that had her once more in a daze, thinking of more ways to describe this man's mesmerizing gaze. “I only ask because I haven't seen you around.”

“Yes, I just moved in a little over a month ago, actually.” The elevator had opened just as they reached it, some tenants pouring out of the vessel to go about their day, leaving (y/n) and the man to themselves as they entered. Wordlessly, she pressed the fifth floor.

“You just moved in last month and we live on the same floor? Have I been living under a rock?”

“No, apparently you've been living on the fifth floor.” It was a stupid response, but it was enough to garner a chuckle out of the man, which in her book felt like the most gratuitous victory she'd ever achieved. “I've mainly kept to myself so I wouldn't blame you for not seeing me.”

“I'm the same way. This was actually the first time I traveled out of the city ever since I moved her.” He gestured to the bags laid out around him on the floor. “My mom has been insisting I visit her, so I thought there's no better time than the present.”

“That was my thought process when I first decided to even move into the city.”

“How has it been treating you so far?” (y/n) sighed at his question, picking apart her brain for the proper way to describe her new life without delving too deep into it, considering this was merely a formality type conversation given their situation.

“It has its pros and its cons. I'm still getting used to things around here, but it's not so bad.” She took a brief pause as she mindlessly glanced at the floor sign, just reaching floor three. “The neighbors can be a bit rowdy, but it's nothing some noise canceling headphones action can't solve”

“I didn't realize it was that bad,” he laughed, beginning to pick up his bags as the fifth floor neared. “I guess it's convenient I'm the last door in the hall. Not stuck between two other apartments.”

By now, the elevator had dinged, and the doors slid open to reveal the plain, white washed walls of the fifth floor. He allowed (y/n) to leave the elevator first, falling after as they walked down the hall. She stopped at her apartment, the humble little 5C, and she glanced over at the man as he stopped at 5D. Suddenly, her mind had begun churning out thoughts once more, cleared from the delirium the man had instilled upon her with his visuals. Though now, her brain was working faster than she'd had preferred.

“Sunwoo?” Before she could catch her herself, she had already called out his name. He paused, looking over at her with a pleasantly surprised expression, lips tugging up into another smirk, though this one wholly amused.

“You know my name.” A simple statement, one that was more intrigued than anything else, but (y/n) had felt her eyes widen with the name that had come out of her mouth.

“I'm sorry, I'm not a stalker or anything.” She began, eyes darting away from his and to the oak door of her own apartment. “It's just thin walls, so I can occasionally hear voices.” Tentatively, she glanced back at Sunwoo, now with an unreadable expression. Again, not disgust towards her. Just… monotonous. Almost zoning out as she spoke, though still very much so listening. “I'm not an eavesdropped either. I don't mean to listen, it just happens.” This time, she cringed at her words, wanting to just slip into her apartment and act like nothing happened. But she just kept talking. “If it's any consolation, I'm glad to hear you guys are doing well again! You know, the thing that happened earlier this week with the…” Her tongue stopped before she could clarify any further, pursing her lips together into a thin line and looking at Sunwoo once more, though this time, his expression truly had shifted from its prior monotony. Now, he looked perplexed. Eyebrows raised, jaw tightened. There was this spark in his eye, though (y/n) became more so distracted by the twitch that ensued before she could decipher that fleeting spark. “I'll get going now.”

Dread.

It was the predominant feeling that had now taken over her body. As if the optimism that had temporarily filled her days with light and happiness and all but dissipated in lieu of this heavy, unforgiving emotion weighing down upon her. Her thoughts revolved around the conversation earlier, regretting every word that spilled from her mouth. Sunwoo’s expression felt cemented into her brain, that final look of disdain as she continued to talk.

Of course he'd be pissed. She just outright confessed to having listened in in his tumultuous relationship, to the point that she had even gotten his name down. What a fantastic first impression, and perhaps the last to be quite honest. She'd only just met him a few hours ago, but he would probably avoid her like the plague from here on out. And she wouldn't blame him.

Beyond the dread of it all, there was this ache in her heart. A twinge of remorse. The familiar feeling of going head first into something that could've been amazing, only for it to come back and hit you. It was silly, but (y/n) really had played a bit into her fantasies. Imagining a meet cute with a city boy, especially one as gorgeous as Sunwoo. He'd take her out to the hottest parts of the city, showing her all the greatest hole in the wall restaurants, staring at the moon on the fire escape cozied together while the city thrived beneath them. It was fanciful and unrealistic, but there really was a moment where she truly thought Sunwoo could be the boy of her dreams. Only for that fantasy to be crushed within minutes of meeting.

As if to twist the knife in her heart, she heard a door open. Not in her apartment, but in 5D.

“Hey, you're back early.” Renee’s voice spoke. It was surprising to hear her sound so civil, but given how the two had made up, it was only expected that this would now be the content she hears henceforth. “Why didn't you text me? How'd it go?”

“It was fine.” Sunwoo responded, though his voice was cold, lacking that easy-going lilt he had with (y/n) in the elevator. She was curious, but she didn't want to dwell on it, instead already moving around to get up and stay in the living room for a bit. Before she could stand, however, Sunwoo abruptly continued on. “Who did you have in my apartment a few days ago?”

(y/n)’s breath had halted as she froze in her spot. It felt as if she'd been caught doing something wrong, though that couldn't be the case. Cautiously returning to her prior position in bed, she waited for Renee’s response.

“What are you talking about?” It was somewhat delayed, just a second longer than it should have been.

“You know what I mean. Don't make me repeat myself.”

(y/n) turned her head, pressing her ear against the wall to better hear them. At this point now, the guilt commonly associated with eavesdropping had long died, now fully invested in whatever was about to happen.

“I don't know. I don't have time for this nonsense. I come back from work to greet my boyfriend and–”

“Renee.” Sunwoo’s voice dripped with disdain, this hostile edge that brought the conversation to a sudden halt. An uncomfortable silence settled over the apartments, and (y/n) held her breath for Sunwoo's next move. “I leave for a week to visit my mother. I entrust you with taking care of things here. And the minute I leave, you decide to cheat on me?”

(y/n)’s eyes widened, hand clamping over her mouth to silence any imminent gasp that would have slipped past her lips. A cold chill settled in her blood, numbing parts of her body with this overwhelming anxiety that rooted her in her place.

“I did not cheat on you! Don't accuse me of something when you–”

“I already know, so it won't do you any good to gaslight me further than you already have.” There was another brief silence between the two, only to be interrupted by the first sniffle.

“Sunwoo, I would never try to hurt you! It was a moment of weakness! I regretted it the minute it happened. I don't know what came over me. Please, you have to forgive me.”

“Renee, please leave.” By now, Renee:s sniffling had become full blown sobbing, mumbling continuous and incomprehensible nonsense regarding forgiveness and regret. Though (y/n) could mentally picture the scene inside just from the noises that had become acutely familiar to her.

Sunwoo walking into the bedroom being followed by Renee as her cries traveled about the apartment. A dresser drawer being yanked open, only for Renee’s cries to grow even more intense. The closet door opening with its telltale creaking noise that always accompanied it. Hangers jostled about for some time, and then there was a heavy thud followed by the sound of wheels on the floorboards. All the while, with these various acoustics, Renee just wept and wept with no end. In a way, it tugged at (y/n)’s heartstrings, but if what Sunwoo had deduced from (y/n)’s slip up earlier were truly a fact, then she held no sympathy for a cheater.

“You can get the rest of your stuff throughout the week, preferably when I'm at work.” Sunwoo spoke, voice tired and exasperated, though Renee’s shrill response came almost immediately, just as garbled as it had been for the past few minutes.

“I don't want to go. Don't let me go. I'm sorry. Please.” Reminiscent of a petulant child who didn't get exactly what they wanted. Words slurring together, forced out through the onslaught of tears that had weakened her vocal chords by now.

“I already talked to your mother before you came home. She's expecting you. Please leave now.” Somehow that seemed to do the trick, as the crying slowly faded from the scene. A door closed, sending the neighboring apartment into complete nothingness. Vaguely, (y/n) could hear Renee going down the hall towards the elevator, still crying, though nothing sounded from Sunwoo’s side. She couldn't make out anything he was doing. Though perhaps that was for the best.

With the climax of the event having subsided, the atmosphere once more settling to what it had been previously, the guilt of having listened in on their entire breakup now dawned upon (y/n), and she reclined into bed, turning off the bedside lamp and shutting her eyes, hoping to forget everything and rid herself of the regret plaguing her mind.

This was a bad idea. This was a certifiably bad idea. The urge to run away and hide in her apartment was strong, but it was far too late now considering she'd just finished knocking on the door. The last thing she wanted was to ding-dong ditch this guy who had gone through such a traumatic event less than 24 hours ago. Though she was still debating the semantics of whether it would be beneficial for him to see the face of the woman who essentially drove the stake into his relationship. Perhaps it was best to retreat and act like nothing happened.

Before she could make her move to evacuate the situation, the door creaked open, unveiling a tired and broken looking Sunwoo. He seemed drained, as if the lively color that had made up his person just the day before had now been depleted into a sickly dullness. Darkness encircled his eyes from lack of sleep, though a tinge of redness in their whites indicated the tears he'd expelled that night in lieu of sleep. His body hunched over itself, having to lean onto the doorframe as support whilst simultaneously using the door as a crutch.

“Hi,” (y/n) began, voice tentatively lowered as if to not startle him away.

“Hey.”

It was a curt response, one weak and gravelly from misuse. It was enough to show (y/n) that he had gone through a lot, and the guilt once more ate away at her. She debated on how to proceed with this, stringing together different combinations of words to express herself to him, but nothing felt right. Nothing felt appropriate for him, nor for the situation at hand.

Sunwoo began shifting, pushing himself off the doorframe to open the door wider, granting (y/n) open access to his apartment.

“Come in?”

She was hesitant, glancing back at him as if to confirm this is what he really wanted, though after being met with his indifferent countenance, she deemed it safe to enter.

His apartment was very much so a reflection of her own. The rooms and furnishings were reversed with the kitchen on the right of the entry’s hallway instead of left. To the left was where the bedroom resided, where it shared the wall with her own bedroom. Though as fascinated as she was by this, she kept to herself and merely followed Sunwoo to the kitchen where he got to making the two of them coffee.

There was an eerie silence that settled over the apartment, even as he toiled away at the counter. A strange emptiness that presumably Renee had filled in, though now felt almost barren.

“I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am.” (y/n) spoke softly, wary of her voice would carry in the still room. Sunwoo let out an amused scoff.

“You heard everything?” He asked.

“A little bit…”

“So why are you apologizing?” He turned around, sliding her a mug of coffee while opting to stand and drink his. He leant against the counter, his coffee just beneath his chin, letting the best radiate up and warm his face. “If anything, I should be thanking you.” He took a sip of his beverage, meanwhile letting (y/n) to stew upon his words for a brief moment. “Who knows how long this has been going on. Or how much longer it could've gone. All without my knowing of it.”

An understanding settled upon (y/n), and she felt the tension leaving her body as she relaxed into her seat. It's true. Renee had been cheating on Sunwoo, taking advantage of his absence to do such a despicable thing. Had it not been for (y/n) and her incessant talking met with her unintentional listening, Sunwoo may have never known. He may have continued with the relationship, or whatever you would call their dynamic. Screaming matches every night, hateful comments thrown back and forth, an ongoing Cold War that at any time could blow up in their faces. (y/n) put an end to that. She was the spark that incited this whole chain of events which led Sunwoo to where he was now.

“You're already aware, but… things had gone bad ages ago. I don't even remember how it started. But next thing you know, it was just arguing every single day. Sometimes for no reason. It was awful. I knew I should've ended it by now, but it was so difficult.” He was staring off into space as he spoke, though then turned his head down towards his drink. “I kept remembering the good times we shared. The memories we made. The life we built together. I kept thinking it would eventually pass and we could return to how it was.” Sunwoo took a deep breath and continued. “Weeks had gone by and at that point, I realized how toxic we had become. I mean, I haven't even spoken to my friends in months because of my relationship with Renee. When she started distancing herself from me, I realized how… alone I had become. How isolating a relationship can be. I had no one to turn to.” Sunwoo paused before offering a slight chuckle. “You're actually the first person to enter this apartment since Renee and I started living here. Well, aside from the guy Renee cheated on me with.”

It was a bitter comment, but it was enough to get (y/n) to start laughing, and soon Sunwoo followed suit. It wasn't anything hilarious, though just the way these circumstances played out that seemed so utterly bizarre and unfortunate that one couldn't help but to use comedy as an escape of sorts.

“I did think it was a bit weird that just after you guys argued, you were suddenly in bed together. I just thought that meant less arguing for me to hear.”

Sunwoo's laughter slowly quelled into a gentle smile, a satisfied hum expelling from him as a response. When the silence of the room returned, it didn't feel as heavy as it had before. It felt neutral. A comfortable sort of atmosphere. One that didn't need Renee to bring activity to it. One simply at ease as is.

“Thank you,” Sunwoo spoke softly, finally meeting (y/n)’s gaze. His eyes were glassy, a fond smile stretched upon his face. He looked… relieved. At peace for perhaps the first time in a long while.

“No need to thank me,” (y/n) responded, grinning back at him. Her heart felt healed just by seeing his calm expression, as though her impromptu visit was actually necessary for him. His words returned to her, regarding how different his life had become when Renee came into the picture. An indignant feeling rose within her at the woman who had tortured Sunwoo in such a way, and an idea soon sparked in her head. “If you do want to repay me, however, how about you show me around the city? I'm still new, so I'd like a tour from someone who has experience in this regard.”

His trademark smirk once more tugged at his lips, and for a brief moment, (y/n) could see the Sunwoo she had met the day before. The suave and charismatic man who had captured her attention with his breathtaking existence. The one who glowed with life and vigor, practically a walking embodiment of the sun in his unbridled radiance. And even after such a tumultuous break up and in the midst of grieving, he still managed to show glimpses of his lively self still thriving somewhere within him.

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Are you alright?” Sunwoo’s concerned voice captured (y/n)’s attention as she blinked away the delirium slowly seeping into her vision. Glancing over at said man confirmed her suspicions. His brows curved in worry, a pout settling on his lips, nervous eyes scanning over her features to discern her sobriety.

“I'm fine, I'm just a little tired and a little tipsy, nothing bad.” It was true, she was just feeling drowsy at the moment, though that didn't settle well with Sunwoo who had already turned to their bunch of friends seated around them.

“I'm going to take her home, is that alright?” He announced, already beginning to gather their stuff. Everyone nodded, all mumbling words of confirmation. Sunwoo had now turned to her, staring down with a dopey smile as he held out his hands. Instinctively, (y/n) accepted his offer, allowing him to pull her to her feet. After waving goodbye to everyone, they headed out of the lounge, and into the busy streets of the city. Even at this hour, the nightlife was bustling and hectic. It was astonishing to see, even after a year of living here.

After a brief cab drive back to the apartment and an elevator trip up, (y/n) was finally back at her apartment, sighing aloud at the relief of being back home. Pictures now lined the walls, showcasing friends and family and all of her cherished memories. By the windows were plants, potted and hanging, vines dangling forth and encompassing that entire sector of her home. Along the many surfaces of her apartment was clutter and knick knacks from old magazines to finds at the thrift store she couldn't bear to leave behind to just cool rocks she found along her route.

She collapsed onto her an unceremonious huff, spread out along its plush exterior and embracing the peace and comfort her apartment provided. A peace and comfort she worked tirelessly to achieve. Though she couldn't take all the credit to herself.

“Here, drink.” There was a soft clink of glass along wood that drew her eyes to the coffee table where Sunwoo had placed her water. He sat at the other end of the sofa, taking out his phone to pass the time as (y/n) got herself situated.

Sunwoo had become a surprising, yet welcomed addition to her daily life. What had started as a simple tour around the city soon became adventures finding the most niche and worthy hole-in-the-wall restaurants the city had to offer. And soon, a beautiful friendship had blossomed.

“You know today is a special day.” She hummed in response, allowing him to continue. “It's been a year since I first met you.”

She blinked in wonderment, not having expected something so sentimental to come out of Sunwoo’s mouth. A smile had spread across her face as she slowly sat up to face him.

“Really?” He nodded with a grin of his own, putting his phone away to face her as well.

“Yeah. In the elevators.” The memory has come rushing back to (y/n), recalling how smitten she had been for Sunwoo, and then how mortified she had become upon realizing he was the apartment 5D tenant. “I had just come back from visiting my mom's. I was dreading coming back to be honest. I didn't want to see… Æthelred the Unready.”

(y/n) snorted, covering her mouth with her hand. It was a silly, nonsensical codename used when helping Sunwoo to move on from his previous relationship. (y/n) thought using an alias would prevent him from relapsing in the recovery process. Though it's been ages since they mentioned the dreaded name, both official and fake.

“But then I saw you. You were a new face. Refreshing. Something different in that monotonous life I was trapped in.” He leaned his head back along the couch, eyes drifting up to the ceiling as he continued to recall the past. “I thought you were nice and friendly, so you were definitely not from the city. Again, I thought that was refreshing.” There was a pause before Sunwoo chuckled to himself. “And then that's when you said the thing.”

(y/n) cringed, groaning into the cushions and about to defend herself, but Sunwoo continued.

“At that point, I knew you had to have been heaven sent. Like my own guardian angel. Because nobody from the city would outright say anything like that. They wouldn't care. They wouldn't pay any mind. Had it been anyone else, I could've been stuck in that relationship for who knows how long, literally unaware of what she was doing behind my back.”

“I have faith you would've ended it on your own even without my help.”

“I don't think so. It was a really scary time for me. I had become codependent on her. I'm pretty sure I would've ignored all the red flags. More than there already were.” Before (y/n) could urge him to move past this discussion, lest he linger too long on this former, detrimental relationship of his, he had changed the subject on his own. “Tomorrow will be the day we became friends. When you came over to my apartment to apologize, and then we set up our city tour.”

“That's so cool that you remembered that.” (y/n) mumbled, still leant against the back of the sofa watching Sunwoo reminisce on their history. “What else do you remember?”

“I remember everything with you.” He replied. “Next week will be when you insisted I call up my old friends.”

“And look where that got you. We just finished hanging out with them. I told you they wouldn't be upset at you.”

It was true. Sunwoo had been terrified to reconnect with his friends after having ghosted them essentially upon his ex’s insistence. The only ones who gave him a hard time were Chanhee and Eric. Eric just wanted to poke fun at him and make him play hard to get, though he had discretely accepted Sunwoo’s request the moment he answered the phone. Chanhee was just because he didn't want Sunwoo and his “annoying ass antics” back in his life, but Sunwoo managed to weasel his way back either way.

“I'm still debating if it was good to call Chanhee. He keeps demanding I buy him lunch every week as repayment for ghosting him.”

“Chanhee does that to everyone, he just gives them a different excuse every time. Last week he made me pay for his lunch because we accidentally wore the same shirt.” Sunwoo laughed, loud and boisterous, prompting (y/n) to follow suit.

“I'm not paying for his lunch anymore.”

“You will, he always manages to swindle people.” She reached out and patted his arm. “What next?”

“Hmm… Next month is when you helped me move out of here so I don't get any memories of Æthelred the Unready.” Again, the name caught her off guard and she found herself laughing all over again, even with the bittersweet memory of Sunwoo leaving.

They had only just became friends, hanging out all the time and visiting one another every single second of the day. Even at night, just before she'd fall asleep, he'd give a little knock on the wall that separated them, and she'd respond back with a knock on her side. It was comforting. It was a nice dynamic she had gotten far too used to, because the next sequence of her plan in helping Sunwoo move on was for him to abandon all things Æthelred the Unready related. That meant the clothes she left behind, pictures of the two of them, trinkets that reminded him of her, and at the end of it all, the apartment itself. (y/n) had a harder time letting it go than he did, trying to get him to delay the move just by a few weeks, but it was no use. His lease was already ending, so moving out seemed as good an option as any to him.

His new apartment wasn't too far from her own, and he still wound up visiting her as much as he could, so she did feel a little silly crying as she brought his boxes up to his new place, as if bidding farewell to a soldier off to war.

“I still think it was dumb,” (y/n) replied, frowning at the memory. “It was redundant given you're here all the time either way.”

“Yeah, but it's in your apartment. With only you to greet me. No bad memories. You replaced them all.” His voice had softened, low enough for only her ears to hear. At the change in atmosphere, (y/n) found herself hesitant to meet his eyes again, instead staring out at her glass of water condensing by the second, droplets clinging to the glass exterior and sliding down onto her coffee table.

“What happened next?” She asked, leaning forward to retrieve a coaster and preserve the sanctity of her coffee table. Surely not to derail Sunwoo from his perceived intentions.

“A week after I moved out was when we went to that carnival. The one that was like… crawling with clowns.”

“That was so unnecessary!” She hissed out, grimacing at the memory of that hellscape of a carnival and its infestation of clowns of all varieties. As she grimaced at the memory, Sunwoo merely laughed at her misery. Though she wanted to glare at him for his teasing, she was glad to see that he had assumed his normal persona, and she felt successful in having redirected the conversation.

“What happened after that?”

“I told you I liked you for the first time.” Shit. She spoke too soon.

It had been off handed, something he mentioned in passing as he dropped her off at her apartment. It felt so casual she nearly missed it. Though when she looked up, there was this undeniable tenderness in his eyes. Those big, brown eyes that always caught her off guard. And just as always, she averted her gaze, merely wishing him a good night before retreating into her apartment, pretending it had never happened.

‘It was too soon,’ she had insisted. ‘He was still in the mourning process. He wasn't ready.’

She didn't know how to respond, though that seemingly didn't perturb Sunwoo who just moved on.

“A few weeks after, you bought me that instant coffee machine. We spent hours testing out all the flavors.”

A giggle escaped her lips, remembering the chaos of drinking nearly ten cups of coffee.

“I don't think any human being should be capable of having that much caffeine in their body in one sitting.” She commented.

“It was a few weeks after that when we took that road trip with the gang.”

A fond smile spread on her face as she recalled that time. Everyone shoved into various vehicles, driving for hours together to reach their camping site. A lakeside front with a handful of cabins nestled into the woods. Everyone enjoying themselves, swimming and roasting marshmallows and staying up all night watching movies.

“That was so fun.”

“Yeah. The day after we arrived was the second time I confessed to you.” Damn it. Caught off guard once more. This time, (y/n) did meet his gaze, where he was already staring back at her, a neutral expression across his face.

It had been when the others had all gone inside to their designated cabins, but (y/n) wanted one more marshmallow. Sunwoo stayed behind to keep her company, and to help extinguish the fire after. The night was still, the a half moon shone down on them, wispy clouds drifting overhead and shielding the stars above. Crickets filled the white noise of the area, accompanied by the crackling wood of the dying fire, all while (y/n) desperately sought out the last few flames to heat her marshmallow. And once more, as casual as can be, Sunwoo confessed to her. As if it were as natural as breathing. As if he hadn't almost given her a heart attack, nearly making her lose her marshmallow.

His eyes had been so earnest, practically pleading with her, yet she once more dismissed him, having quickly shoved the s'mores in her mouth and scuttled off to her cabin with a muffled goodnight.

Meeting his eyes once more felt surreal. There was no longer that ambitious glint that had been present that very night, though instead a calm and collected gaze steadily trained on her. She reached over to her water to take a sip, delaying the inevitable as much as she could. She couldn't run away now. He had cornered her in her apartment. She should've known, but he always managed to catch her when she least expected it. This time trapping her in her own home so she couldn't run off. He was expecting an answer, and she was already trying to scheme ways of leaving.

“You were healing…” (y/n) insisted with a cautious tone, unsure of how to broach the subject at hand as she had always managed to avoid it previously.

“(y/n), I was over Renee weeks before I met you.” His response came unexpectedly, curt and to the point, no space for arguing. “You were the one who gave me the clarity to take the next step I needed to. I was in a loveless relationship that I had already moved on from. I was just trapped, and you helped me.” He shifted ever so slightly, gently skimming his fingers along (y/n)’s arm to draw her back to him. “You don't have to wort about me. You never did. I always appreciated your concern, but please know I'm okay. I'm healed.” His hand now encompassed her bicep, gently pulling her closer to him. His other hand reached up towards her face, carefully turning her head to face him properly. “You can stop running away from me now.”

(y/n) was surprised to say the least. It was a given that she had been running away, though through the inflection in his voice, she knew he didn't mean it in a physical sense. He knew she was running away from her emotions. He knew she had been redirecting her own growing affections towards him, instead hiding behind the guise of helping him through his breakup. He knew it all. And she could no longer hide.

The look in his eyes felt so utterly honest, his words equally genuine. He had laid himself out before her, time and time again, patiently waiting for her to accept him. And the realization had absolutely awed her. The fact that it wasn't her waiting for him, though him waiting for her. She had been running away this whole time, and he had been chasing closely behind.

“(y/n), I love you.”

Love.

He loved her.

Every other time he confessed, he had always said liked. Though now, knowing fully well the impact of his words, laying out his cards for her to accept him as is, he confessed his love for her.

Their history flitted past her eyes like a movie, all the memories he brought back to the forefront of her mind showcasing the happiness he brought her, the way he changed her life for the better, the myriad of emotions that ran through her being whenever he was around. And she realized why he had confessed his love for her of all things.

Because this entire time, from the very moment she met him to the present, she had liked him back.

“I love you, too.”

#kvanity #k-labels #kim sunwoo x reader #sunwoo x reader #the boyz x reader #tbz x reader #kim sunwoo fanfiction #sunwoo fanfiction #the boyz fanfiction #tbz fanfiction #kim sunwoo fanfic #sunwoo fanfic #the boyz fanfic #tbz fanfic #kpop x reader #kpop fanfiction #kpop fanfic #k labels #idk which tag is the right one ive seen both being used

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bae-del-moon · 1 year ago

Text

With Love, From the Other Side of the Apocalypse | Full Fic Preview

pairing: sunwoo x f.reader

rating: M (for suggestive and violent themes) | TW: death, blood, and zombie-decaying bodies

words: approx. 5590

genre: angst, romance, post-apocalyptic!au | childhood friends-to-lovers-to-exes-to-lovers, slow-burn

summary: When the world came to an abrupt end, the years you spent avoiding your hometown and those who came with it after graduating high school fell kaput. After months of solitude, you find yourself packing what you can and driving for days just to get back. Unsure of what you expected, you find yourself having to confront the mess you left behind. You're no stranger to a broken heart. Neither are they. You're the one who broke Sunwoo's heart, after all.

a/n the original one-shot I posted months ago can be found here // a teaser to the full fic I'm writing for E's 26th birthday !

Before the world ended, it always felt like there wasn’t enough time to spend as you liked. Yet, there always seemed to be plenty of time to be stuck in a plague of your own thoughts.

After the world ended, there was plenty.

Still, what with the world just having ended and the living, human population having been drastically reduced (not to mention the places you had wanted to visit were no longer easily accessible), you found that you still couldn’t spend your time as you would have liked. That left you with too much time. Time to think about food, water, about shelter, and medicine. But, above all, it left you with time to fester with thoughts that all began with a ‘what if.’

It meant you had time to think about your ex.

Before the world ended, you were able to ignore everything and anything that had to do with him.

It hadn’t been easy. You’d left home right after graduation for early freshman integration courses. You’d blocked his number and social media accounts. You’d even cut off your friends because they had been friends with him too.

But now you had time and no classes, assignments, or people to veer your thoughts in any other direction they could.

You’d tried stocking up on food, water, any supply you could think of. But, the outcome was always the same. You were alone.

You were alone, and yet, he was always there.

There was no avoiding him now. Every time you closed your eyes, he was there. Sweaty and still clad in his dirty soccer uniform, strands of his bangs clumped together and pressed against his forehead. He waited for you outside the classroom the teachers had chosen for tutoring that day. He leaned against the wall across the door, backpack slung over his right shoulder.

You always woke up in a cold sweat just after he came into view, and you pushed open the door only to lock eyes with him.

You shook those thoughts away quickly. It was easy. You just reminded yourself of the many years that had passed since you last saw him. And, if that didn’t work, you thought about the possibility of finding someone else just as alive as you if you went outside.

Eventually, that stopped being enough, and instead of shaking the thoughts of him away, you found yourself wondering how much he had changed before the world ended. How much older did he look? Did he still have the same impish look in his eyes he had when you started dating? Had he—

Whether you shut your eyes or not, your thoughts wandered, and he was always there, waiting for you. Sometimes he was the snot-nosed little boy that glared at you every time your moms stopped to talk to each other outside your elementary school’s pick-up gate. Other times, he was the tousled-haired, sweaty, high school sophomore that liked to pin you against the trees of the little forest behind the school’s soccer field after school and kiss you shyly under its shade.

His hooded eyes opened, and his bruised lips parted as the two of you tried to catch your breaths. The smirk that shaped his lips as he brushed his nose against yours taunted you.

Remembering the way he looked, remembering him, came far too easily.

It made you want to scream.

When the world came to an end, you found yourself at the laundromat, folding the clothes that had just finished drying. It hadn’t taken you long to notice that something was wrong, and when you finally saw blood begin to fall, you shoved the rest of your clothes into your duffle and ran.

At that point in your life, it had only been a pair of months since you finally graduated with your degree from university. It had only been a pair of months since you moved to a neighboring city instead of going home.

You hadn’t been sure you’d ever be able to go home, then.

You spent days moving from store to store when the world ended, hiding in break rooms and manager offices, only moving as much as you dared on each day until you finally made it home. It would be little to no exaggeration to say that you practically blacked out the moment you left the laundromat.

The only thing you could clearly remember was the moment you twisted your key into your apartment’s lock and stumbled inside.

Months had passed since that day, and you had yet to find another living soul. Thoughts of the boy who had broken your heart were the only solace you could find, even as your heart twisted at the memories.

Had he died? Where was he when died? With who?

You wondered, was he still friends with your friends? Had they managed to stay together?

You clicked through the pictures buried deep in your memory drive, finding pictures you swore to yourself you’d deleted.

You wanted to go home. You missed it.

But could you do it? Could you make it home?

You spent days questioning whether it was a good idea or not. It wasn’t. But, if you went home, what were the odds you would find anyone still alive?

Going home meant seeing all the people that had raised you dead and zombified. The friends you had cut off, the ones that had decided to study closer to home— would you be able to face them, dead or alive? And if he was there too?

What if he had gone home before the world ended? What if he’d been there when the world ended? Were you ready for your first encounter with him after the break up to be now? Now that he was a member of the undead?

The thought of it sent you reeling.

Still, you found yourself packing your clothes and toiletries into your large suitcase, stuffing everything else you couldn’t bear to leave behind into another. At last, packing all of your food, medicines, and first aid kits into duffle bags and crates, thinking about the distance you needed to cover to get to the nearest car dealership and own your first car.

Once you were there, you took all the keys you could find, frantically hoping one of them belonged to a car bigger than a sedan. Luck was on your side, though not without choosing to frighten you at first.

As you attracted more and more attention from the undead, cars blaring to life as you pressed the unlock button on each of the key fobs hoping you were near its pair, you found it was the last key you tried that belonged to a larger SUV.

You raced home, leaving behind the zombies you had amassed and half-eaten bodies of the dead, and pools of dried blood you were sure were going to follow you into your dreams.

Stragglers followed you on the way home, and you dared to hope that there wouldn’t be any on the lawn of your apartment building. There weren’t, but the same couldn’t be said about the lawn of the building across from your building or the street between the two.

They followed you as you parked, daring to block the doorless entry to the building with the right side’s passenger doors. After a few trips between your apartment, your car, and two zombies in the hall across from yours that you managed to slip past later, you had all of your things stuffed into the backseats of the car.

You could fix them into the trunk later, you told yourself.

That’s how you found yourself, weeks later, two towns away from your own, walking down the aisles of a quaint mid-sized market, pulling cans of fruit and frozen meat into a basket.

You’d spied the market from the gas station where you’d stopped to refuel your car. It was risky, but you’d taken the four refillable, red gas cans you spied and filled those too.

A thunderstorm had reached the town by the time you reached the store, and you parked haphazardly in the lane directly across from it, making sure the driver’s door faced the entrance.

You were soaked from the multiple trips back and forth you made. But you couldn’t find it in yourself to care much. Not when the cold was helping keep the ice in the meat cooler from melting quicker. Or because the thunder and lightning that struck practically stunned the undead for minutes.

Inside the store, the silence unnerved you. Thoughts of what you’d find when you got to your hometown plagued you. The undead, undoubtedly, and you knew you wouldn’t be able to stay there for long. Or, at the very least, you wouldn't be able to leave your parent’s house for a few days, weeks if the food held out.

You bit your lips as you walked down the aisles, contemplating the idea of grabbing spicy chips— or maybe barbecue— before continuing on your way.

Thunder rolled as you turned the corner and were forced to a stop like one of the zombies roaming outside, your heart caught in your throat.

He stood at the end of the aisle next to the one you had just come from, a backpack hanging from his shoulders and a duffle bag in his hands.

He stared at you, the same big brown eyes you remembered wide, a bandage on his cheek, and his lips parted in surprise.

There was a bag of bread in his hands, and he clutched it, his fingers digging into the slices and mushing them together.

“Y/N.” He whispered first.

You gulped.

Lightning struck outside.

“Sunwoo.”

☣|| [++☠++] || [++☠++] || [++☠++] || [++☠++] || [++☠++] ||☣

[I]

You had to be an idiot. There was no other way to explain what had compelled you to agree to follow him back to your hometown and to the rest of your once-friends. The look he had given you when you’d agreed. The way he had swallowed and said nothing afterward was enough to know he hadn’t been expecting you to agree, either. You were beginning to wonder what he’d been planning to say to convince you when he proceeded to shove the bag of bread into his duffle bag, then a few more from the shelves without turning away from you, that the thought disappeared just as quickly as it had formed.

Then he nodded to you as if he were asking you to lead the way. You supposed he was because you couldn’t conceive what else he might be trying to say.

The trek to the exit doors, the same ones you’d come through, was silent beyond the sounds of the storm. Without meaning to, you both stopped once you’d taken a step outside. Side-by-side, you both stood under the store’s protruding roof, sheltered from the rain.

Thunder boomed again before he struck a thumb toward the other end of the store.

“I parked by the loading docks.”

You motioned to your car a couple of yards in front of you.

Sunwoo nodded, “I’ll be right back.”

He stalled for a moment, staring at your car expressionless before turning on his heels.

Having caught the blank look, your gaze flicked back and forth between your car and his back.

“Do you…” you shifted, “Do you want me to give you a ride?”

He stopped and threw you a blank look over his shoulders. He was only a couple steps away, unprotected from the falling rain, but he made no motion to return. “No. That’s alright. That’ll just draw their attention, and then we’ll be trapped back there.”

“Okay,” you nodded. The word tumbled out awkwardly from your mouth, and you fought the urge to fidget and frown at him.

He stared at you for a moment longer, then nodded, turned back around, and kept walking.

It was unfair, you realized as you watched him saunter away, just how unaffected Sunwoo seemed to be after seeing you for the first time after so many years. Now you were sure he’d fared completely well after you’d broken up. It hurt you to accept that it was exactly as you had thought.

You waited until he turned the corner, shuffling past a group of stunned zombies, before sprinting to your car.

You shoved the basket of food onto the backseats and waited. It was uncomfortable. It felt like an eternity before you saw a dusty blue minivan turn the corner.

He drove at a turtle’s pace as if by driving slower, he’d be able to avoid drawing the attention of the undead. Instead, they began to shake themselves out of their thunder-induced stupor and shuffle in the direction of the minivan.

You could see packs of zombies over the entirety of the lot starting to turn in his direction. Though they had yet to swarm around his car like agitated bees, you could already envision it happening, and you dreaded it.

A handful already followed him from behind. You could see the figures clustering together through his windshields. At the sides, one or two zombies pawed at the back doors angrily. But it wasn’t until a group of seven crossed his path and blocked your view of the front of his minivan that you felt your fear turn into an indomitable terror.

Your hands moved without much thought, and you shoved your car key into the ignition. You twisted it and fought the urge to let go and hit the gas when the undead jolted toward you at the sound of the engine roaring to life.

Hardly a moment later, as if you had turned his car on instead of your own, he revved his engine and headed straight toward you.

He ran over the group of zombies in front of him, laying three of them under the wheels of his car and sending two others into the air. The last one in his way hit the hood of his car, staining the dusty blue paint job and the front windshield in dark red splotches that smeared when the zombie inevitably slipped off.

He skidded to a stop next to your car seconds later, tires screeching as they tried to grip the wet ground.

Your windows lined up almost perfectly. The space between your cars was so minuscule that you felt an absurd burst of road rage threatening to escape you at the sudden thought that he’d almost clipped your side mirror.

Eyes narrowed into slits, you’d been about to scold him when you finally looked at him, and the rage dispelled.

Sunwoo pinned you to your seat with a wide-eyed look. His chest rose and fell in quick succession, panting as if he’d run instead of driven. His knuckles paled ghastly from the grip he had on the steering wheel, and even though it was raining, you felt like you could swear his face was glistening because of sweat.

You took in the sight through the layers of glass between you. The amount of time the two of you spent like that, you couldn’t say, but at the very least, the undead had yet to surround either of you.

Eventually, your hand shot out blindly toward the button that would lower your window, but he shook his head.

You met his eyes, and he nodded forward, giving you another piercing look before letting his car roll ahead of yours and come to a stalling stop. He waited for you.

Once your car moved forward, positioning yourself to line up behind him, he surged forward. It was clear once they got going that Sunwoo had no qualms about ramming his minivan into the wandering bodies of the undead if they were in the way. If he had, he’d overcome it in the lot they’d left.

You frowned. The look you’d caught in Sunwoo’s eyes flashing in front of you every time you noticed another broken body coming out from under his car.

Every now and then, when lightning struck ahead of them, your gaze gravitated toward it, you’d catch Sunwoo’s stare in the reflection of his rearview mirror. Disconcerted, you looked away as quickly as she could each time. Eventually, though you were embarrassed, you found yourself looking too. When the rain was pouring too heavily to see much anyway.

Lightning struck while you stared in his direction, questioning why you found Sunwoo’s gaze on you every time it did. You found this time was no different. His big brown eyes stayed fixed on you for the couple of seconds it took for the sky to flash and lightning to strike miles ahead. Then everything was dark again, and your high beams just barely pierced through the torrents of rain.

Was he looking at you? His eyes reflected back to you, but really, wasn’t he merely looking into his rearview mirror? It was a basic driving rule, you insisted to yourself. It would be weird if he didn’t. You hadn’t owned a car, but you’d read the driving handbook and passed your road test. It was a habit essential to driving.

But, a smaller voice insisted, if it was a habit, why was it always when lightning struck.

Clarity, you rationalized, he can see through the rain then. He mustn’t care about crashing into other cars. After all, you yourself hadn’t seen another car galivanting down the road. And crashing into the undead didn’t seem much of a worry.

You breathed, exhaling as you nodded to yourself. Then lightning struck. Your eyes met his again through the mirror, and you knew.

The slow-moving car. The wide-eyed look he’d given you. The stare he held on you when lightning struck.

You couldn’t be sure, not without asking him, but it was as if he needed to make sure you were still there. As if he couldn’t believe you had agreed to follow him back.

Perhaps they were in agreement then.

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The rain had yet to let up when the two of you finally reached your destination, and you found yourself driving through the tall, iron-wrought gates of your old high school, looking up at the main two-story building.

Sunwoo had driven up directly to the gates, running over the zombies that stood stunned and in the way without a second thought. The two of you had stood there, cars stalling as the gates opened, for an absurd amount of minutes, it had seemed to you.

Then, with the gates screeching shut behind you, Sunwoo stopped and parked as he was, meters from the main entrance.

You were sure the severity of the rain hadn’t changed in the while it had taken for you to park directly behind his car. But, you could see them.

The doors to the main entrance had opened while you parked, and three figures filed out. They stood at the top of the five-step stoop, arms crossed as they waited for the two— or maybe just Sunwoo— to step out. He shot you a look as he opened his door. Though you weren’t sure what it meant, you stayed in your seat, too afraid to move. A moment later, when he slammed his door shut, not even the distance between you and the three on the steps, let alone the glass and metal that was the car encompassing you, was enough to muffle the chastising he was receiving.

“What the hell were you thinking leaving like that?!” Your breath caught in your throat. “In that damned car! Eric hadn’t even finished outfitting it!”

“Sangyeon,” Sunwoo sighed, though it nearly sounded like a groan.

“You couldn’t have brought anyone with you?! Taken Kevin or Hyunjae with you?!”

“Where did you even go? And why the hell did you bring someone back with you?!”

“New,” Jacob groaned. “That’s not fair.”

“Not fair? NOT FAIR?! WE’RE RUNNING OUT OF FOOD, AND HE THINKS IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO BRING SOMEONE ELSE TO FEED!”

New fumed, gesturing wildly in your direction. He stood on Sangyeon’s left, glaring at Jacob, who stood to Sangyeon’s right and merely shook his head at him.

“Can I speak now?” Sunwoo snapped. “Or is that too much to ask?”’

“DO NOT snap at them, Sunwoo.” Jacob snapped back in return before taking a deep breath. “You know they have a point. You shouldn’t have snuck out. You shouldn’t have taken a car that hadn’t been fixed yet. You shouldn’t have gone alone. What if something happened to you? Do you think we were just going to be able to let you go so easily? You have to stop being so reckless.”

Sunwoo’s shoulders sagged. “Sorry. I only went a town over to find food.”

“Alone,” Sangyeon growled.

Feeling chastised and a tad guilty that you were a voyeur to Sunwoo’s scolding, you clambered out of your car without a second thought and regretted it the moment you slammed your car door shut.

They stared at you as if you had just told them the end of the world had been nothing more than an elaborate prank. Eyes blown wide and their mouths agape, it seemed like they hardly even took notice of the torrents of rain coming down on them.

Meters behind Sunwoo, you were surprised they could even see you. For a moment, you thought they stared because they couldn’t see you. But the frozen looks on their faces that you were able to discern were enough for you to know that they did.

You swallowed and smiled shakily, raising a hand to wave hello.

The silence was impenetrable by anything other than the rain.

“Y/N.” Someone finally said. Sangyeon. You swallowed again, noting the lower pitch of his voice. You squinted, trying to make sure it was he who had spoken, but the pour of the rain prevented you from being sure.

Still, you went with your gut feeling and greeted them, stepping forward until you were standing next to a smirking Sunwoo.

“Hi.”

“Y/N.” New scoffed as he crossed his arms over his chest. He glared at you, and the flimsy smile you sported wavered.

Sunwoo nodded. “I brought Y/N back. Found her going down the aisles of that one market a town over. You know, the one by the town’s edge, where the team buses used to stop.”

Sangyeon nodded only once and slowly. Then, in the silence that followed, New scoffed once again.

“I brought back food, too, if you’re interested.” Sunwoo smiled thinly.

“Just get inside,” Sangyeon snapped before turning on his heels and stalking inside.

Sunwoo followed closely behind, and before you knew it, you were standing outside with only New and Jacob for company.

“It’s—”

New scoffed again, and though you couldn’t see it, you knew he had just rolled his eyes at you. He didn’t wait for either of you after that, choosing to pivot on his heels much like Sangyeon had and storm inside.

You waited for the school’s doors to clang shut, nearly flinching, before speaking again. “Three scoffs in less than five minutes,” you laughed, biting your lips afterward. “That’s got to be a new record.”

Jacob shook his head. He smiled kindly at you though small, and it took all the energy you had to keep yourself from sobbing.

“His record is five in five minutes now, actually.”

“I see.”

“Come on.” He waved you forward. “Let’s get inside and change out of these clothes before we end up with a fever.”

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The school’s cafeteria tables had been pressed and stacked against the sidewalls. It left the large room feeling like it was practically empty. Were it not for the four tables they had placed at the center like a square without corners and the hobo fire at the center of it all, you were sure you would have mistaken the cafeteria for an interrogation room.

The hallways themselves had been deserted while Jacob led you to the girl’s locker rooms and suggested you take a shower. Everything you needed would already be there, and he promised he’d leave you a change of clothes on one of the benches near the door for when you were done. He had even been kind enough to leave a note promising the pair of boxer briefs he’d brought were clean, though you had still hesitated.

Cocooned in the warm blanket Jacob had given you on the way to the cafeteria, sitting in front of the hobo fire, your back to the door, you realized it was the only kindness you would be receiving.

The cafeteria may have been intended to be a sort of center of operations, you judged by the boxes of food and supplies you saw stowed under a table, but at the moment, you felt as if it were moments away from becoming the interrogation room you felt it had just barely avoided becoming.

You could feel their stares, their eyes burning holes into you while you kept your fixed gaze alternating between the mug of tea Jacob had gotten for you and the pair of black sweats you now wore.

They were all here, at least, all alive.

Eventually, you lifted your gaze and fixed it on the glow of the fire emanating from the trash can. You hoped they’d think your mind was lost in the fire while you took them in.

Kevin studied you from the kitchen window where the lunch ladies used to serve the meals they’d prepared for the day. His face was thinner now you noted, more angular as he’d lost the baby fat you remembered. His eyes were still as sharp as ever, though, and you were sure he had already discerned things about you even you hadn’t noticed yet.

Jacob leaned against the window’s counter. Haknyeon and Hyunjae stood on either side of him, toying with the lunch trays in their hands. They had their backs to you, so you couldn’t see their faces clearly, and take in how much they had changed. You could tell they had gotten bigger, shoulders wider than you recalled. At the very least, you contended yourself with the knowledge that you could still tell it was them.

It didn’t take you much to reach the conclusion that the three were listening to Jacob recall how you had reached them.

Avoiding Kevin’s eyes, you moved your gaze toward Sangyeon, who was packing supplies into a box. Younghoon and Juyeon looked the same as you last remembered them. They hovered behind Sangyeon, looking over a shared clipboard.

It took you a moment to realize Sangyeon's lips were moving.

He had always been good at speaking without moving his lips much. You could guess what he was saying to them too. Their faces were blank in concentration, trying to give nothing away.

“It’s done!” Eric shouted happily, doors flinging open as he strolled inside. “I set up another room AND managed to fix the generator. Now where is she?!”

You were startled, nearly spilling your tea, and the tense silence of the room intensified. It didn’t take long for Eric to spot you, running to you even before you had turned fully around. He pulled you into a standing hug, squeezing you until you regained your bearings and returned his hug.

“Look at you!” He said when he pulled away. “You’re all grown up! I mean, we all are, but still.”

You chuckled, the tension of the rest of the room suddenly forgotten. “Me? Look at you. The last time I saw you, you were this tiny, scrawny little freshman crossing his fingers he’d make the varsity baseball team.”

He was far from the freshman you remembered. He was much taller now, and rather than scrawny, you could tell he’d spent a fair amount of time working out. His shoulders were wider, and while his face still looked like the Eric you remembered, it had also broadened.

Even his hair had changed. No longer the deep brown, he had dyed it white-blond, though you could see his roots starting to show.

“I did!” He laughed.

“Make the team, that is,” Q interrupted before you could respond.

The smile you had gotten because of Eric fell as you turned to look at Q.

It was the first time you allowed yourself to look at him since Jacob had brought you there. He sat in front of New, who had elected to give you his back. Sunwoo sat to his right with two girls you didn’t recognize on his right. You could feel the three of them staring at you. The two girls glared at you, though you didn’t understand why.

Sunwoo didn’t glare.

His stare was cold and emotionless.

You could hardly bear to glance at him, so you focused on Q, whose eyes pierced through you in a glare.

He didn’t look much different. His facial features, if anything, had only sharpened enough to signal he’d grown older.

In the silence that came after his words, one of his eyebrows ticked upward in challenge, and he let his spoon drop onto his food tray. “But you wouldn’t know that would you?”

You swallowed. The look he was giving you.

“Q--”

He sneered, “Changmin.”

“W-what--”

“It’s Changmin to you. You have no right to call me Q anymore.”

“I- I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” New scoffed without looking at you.

“New--”

“No.” He shook his head and, a moment later, slammed his spoon onto the table. “You have no right to call me New.”

“I’m sorry,” your whisper echoed in the silence.

New-- Chanhee, at your apology, finally turned and glared at you just as Q-- Changmin did.

“Whatever for?”

You flinched.

“Why did you even come? Did you think we’d be waiting for you? With open arms at that?”

“New.” Sangyeon snapped.

Rolling his eyes, he turned around without waiting for you to answer.

There was a lump in your throat, and it grew in the silence that returned. Tears threatened to escape you though you fought to keep them at bay with your gaze trained on the floor.

“I should go,” you whispered.

Though you didn’t mean to look at him, your gaze fell on Sunwoo before turning around. He remained expressionless, looking at you with cold brown eyes. He wasn’t glaring at you, but the grip he had on his spoon felt like enough for you to know what he felt.

Clutching the blanket around your shoulders, you were halfway to the doors when Jacob stopped you.

“Wait! Aren’t you hungry? Don’t you want to eat?”

“No, thanks.” You cast him a glance over your shoulder. “I wouldn’t want to impose.”

You were halfway down the hall when Eric came running out from the cafeteria.

“Wait! Y/N, wait! You don’t even know where you’re going! I’ll show you to your room!”

You sniffed as he caught up with you.

“Oh. Oh, don’t cry. It’ll be fine. Everything will be fine. They--”

She shook her head and waved for him to stop.

Together, they walked in silence toward the entrance, where they took the hall opposite the door. He led her upstairs to the second floor and through the hallway, turning right when they reached the end.

“Your room’s all the way back here. It’s Mrs. LaCroix's old classroom.”

You nodded.

“I would have given you one closer to us-- most of us are downstairs, but all of the classrooms have already been taken. A few of us have rooms up here, near the stairwell. Mine’s the one right next to the bottom of the stairs if you need me.”

“Thank you,” you croaked out when you reached the classroom.

“Here,” he said, holding out a box you hadn’t noticed he was carrying.

“What is this?”

“Provisions,” he answered, smiling at you. “Blankets, some pillows, things to make the bed and your room.”

“Thanks, Eric.”

“You,” he hesitated, “You are staying, right?”

You hesitated to answer, studying the floor by his feet. You didn’t imagine you’d be welcome to stay.

But. before you could figure out your answer, he spoke again. “Sleep on it. There’s a sandwich in there. You should eat it before going to sleep. I know it’s been a long day. And the guys-- they’re just-- Sunwoo-- he’s--”

You nodded but said nothing in return.

He sighed. “I missed you, Y/N. I’m glad you’re here. I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight.”

“I missed you too. Goodnight, Eric.” The words came out quieter than you intended them to, but he heard them, and he pulled you into another hug before pulling away.

You watched him make his way down the hallway and disappear around the corner before entering the room Eric had prepared for you. The door had yet to close before you were slumping onto the mattress that had been laid on top of multiple desks.

You rummaged through the box, looking for the sandwich Eric had promised. It was the only thing that mattered to you now. You would eat it, focus on the textures and flavors in your mouth, and force yourself to forget everything else. And later, when the lights turned off, you would force yourself to sleep, though it wouldn’t stop your tears from escaping.

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