#lee jieun imagine

[whimsimille]

PSHYCHOCHROMIA

Seo Moonjo (Patient) x Reader! (Doctor)

Chapter 1: Hues of grief

"Motherhood is owning a second heart that beats outside your own body. It's joy, yet sorrow," mused Grandma Anastasia Song, a poetess with a first name as American as the apple pie from the small bakery down the lane and a surname as Korean as the homemade kimchi fermenting in the earthenware pots in her backyard.

She held Ae-ra close to her flaccid chest, completely absorbed in the pixelated murmurings of an old video from three weeks ago—a precious moment captured right inside the delivery room named "Ae-Ra's Grand Entrance!"

Though the image was shaky and Min Ju had, thankfully, skillfully avoided anything too anatomical, Anastasia saw your sweat-slick hair sticking to your forehead, heard your desperate cry, "I am doing it!" when one of the nurses urged you to push, and noticed a few droplets of blood on the surgical cloth—not many, but enough to create what her mother would have described as a "beautiful spectacle." Naturally, in English.

“A second heart, huh?” Sneering, you felt the spring in the tattered velvet armchair dig into your thighs while you watched as she moved in her rocker to become more at ease. With the hand she wasn't using to hold your daughter, she took another bite out of the freshly baked cookies that were cooling on the side table.

Gooey filling seeped down her chin and the delicate crust crumbled under her teeth and spattered in Ae-ra’s blanket as she rocked both of them—it tasted exactly how Mrs. Johnson's made them back home. Some tastes never really left her mouth or heart, even if she has been absent from America for decades.

“Yes, it is. A child means another heart. It expands to make room for all that love. And when they leave, well, it shatters a little too." She mused between bites. In the already hardened fabric of her sweater, there were small crusts of biscuit glued by saliva.

Once the recorder hummed to a stop and the grainy footage ended for the fifth time, you crouched in front of the vintage TV, fingers trembling slightly as you took out the video tape, taking care not to disturb the old thing.

“So, yes, you must be ready, dear. Your second heart is bound to stop beating very soon.”

Your breath stopped.

What?

Suddenly, the quaint house, with its worn-out red bricks and peeling white paint, felt too quiet, too still. The cheerful chirping of the sparrows nesting in the ancient birch tree outside, the rustling of the leaves in the wind that carried with it the scent of blooming azaleas, the distant laughter of children playing in the park down the cobblestone path—everything was drowned out by the deafening silence in the room.

Swiveling around, you observed Anastasia cradling Ae-ra, running her thumb, sticky with the remnants of the chocolate-covered cookie, over the tiny lines of your daughter's palm as if she were a cartographer mapping territories on a yellowing parchment. It was unsettling how calm she remained while predicting such a dreadful fate for her great-granddaughter.

"What happened, Halmoney? Is something wrong with Ae-ra?"

"No, no, nothing like that," Grandma reassured you. "It's just... time. Life is fleeting, my dear. It's like the wind blowing through a field of wheat: constant movement but soon gone before we know it."

Ae-ra cooed softly in her great grandmother's arms, blissfully unaware of the weight pressing down on your heart. She kicked her little legs playfully and batted at the lacy edge of her baby blanket, giggling when it swirled around her face like a cloud.

You watched as Anastasia smiled tenderly at her, wrinkles crinkling softly around her eyes, before they focused on the bright autumn leaves rustling outside. "Your grandpa is waiting for her in the afterlife now," she said quietly, "and soon she must join him."

Dumbstruck, you stood there, words failing you. Your mouth opened and closed in a futile attempt to voice your disbelief, much like a fish gasping for air on dry land. Your stupor was broken only when you felt the front of your blouse getting damp. Excess milk seeped through the fabric, making you look like a dairy cow in the middle of milking.

It was past time to feed your baby.

"For heaven's sake, don't say such things, Halmoney!” You exclaimed, clenching your chest in an attempt to stem the flow. Jesus, that was fucking painful.

Anastasia simply chuckled at your reaction, her wrinkled face crinkling even more at the corners.  "You're as stubborn as your father, my dear. Always quick to deny what you don't want to hear. Just like that time when he refused to believe his favorite tree in the backyard had to be cut down. But truth, my dear, is like an ocean. It's vast, endless, and you cannot simply fence it off."

Then she turned her attention back to Ae-ra, her expression softening. "Now, come on, take Ae-ra and feed her. Unless you want your breasts to swell up like balloons. Believe me, you won't get to do this for longer.”

Inspired by the Sisters of the Harvest Moon, a group of women who, like the ancient Druids, found divinity in the waning of the moon and natural cycles, Anastasia's eccentric beliefs had their origins. They believed that mirrors were doorsway to fucking entire dimensions and that a child who looked too long into an old Venetian mirror would be blessed—or ill-starred, depending—with dreams of the future. The Sisters left an imprint on your grandmother 's life, seeping into her from 10 and extending well into her Doc Martens-clad teenage years until 18. They wore ropes on their belts—to beat, not to measure—and they never saw a child's ear in their way that they didn't want to twist.

Perhaps that’s why you didn't let out the primal scream building in your chest at that moment, your almond-shaped eyes wide as saucers. Because, in the end, her childhood was made out of convoluted beliefs and harsh discipline, and she wasn't predicting the death of your Ae-ra out of some perverse pleasure. In the end, she wasn’t trying to make you lose your grip on sanity; leap across the room and yank out the collection of vintage hair pins—an assortment of pieces from the 1950s, studded with tiny pearls—that were failing to control the silver curls haloing around her head in a style that would've made Einstein proud.

In the end, the old woman was fucking right.

It was June, the third year without your baby, and you were throwing up in a bed of hyacinths as if trying to expel the grief lodged deep within you.

You only knew they were hyacinths because Mom had some planted in your garden back in Jeju, and for days she talked about how the landscapers from the local 'Kim's Gardening Services' put them in lopsided. You didn't know flowers could be lopsided. That's what you thought about as you sat there in the dirt, staring dizzy at the flowers, wet and blue and bright.

Outside Westlake Psychiatric Ward, an iron and gray monolith with no dreams or aspirations, the hyacinths had been planted.

It was located in the oldest part of Gonjiam Hospital. The original Victorian-style brick building had long been surrounded and swallowed by larger and generally uglier extensions and annexes. "The Caged Mind Asylum" was at the heart of this complex. The only indication of the dangerous nature of the occupants was the row of security cameras perched on the fences like vigilant birds of prey.

At the reception, every effort was made to make everything seem quite friendly: ample blue sofas, rustic and childlike paintings and drawings of the patients hung on the walls. It looked more like a garden to you than a forensic psychiatric hospital for jailed people whose families had abandoned them because they could not afford the hefty cost of adult diaper changes and the fact that, besides being criminals, they were out of their minds.

It's strange how quickly we adapt to the frightening world of a psychiatric hospital. We become increasingly comfortable with madness—not just the madness of others, but our own. You believe that we are all mad, just in different ways.

And that's why—and how—this place was more than just a place—it was a job. You, Song Y/N, with your PhD from Seoul National University and your internship at Massachusetts General Hospital, were supposed to be inside. You were meant to be standing tall and confident in front of the imposing white doors on your well-tailored scrubs. Instead, you were outside, staring at a puddle of puke and trying to catch your breath. And the sky was falling—wet, wet and blue and bright.

Soon enough, your husband, or what was left of him, would come looking for you to ask how your day has been with his usual pathetic monotone, and you'd have to summon a convincing smile. You'd avoid telling him that your day has been merely a puddle of clear water mixed with remnants of your breakfast—crunchy slices of apples from Mrs. Lee's fruit stall and homemade kimchi. Then, you'd steer his attention to something mundane, something safe—like the weather or the incessantly leaky faucet in the kitchen that the local plumber promised to fix since last Tuesday.

There are many reasons why you ran out of that place for crazy people like you, but here's the overarching one. The only one that really matters.

Ae-ra.

How can a tiny four-year-old, with a presence so radiant and a laugh that echoed like a cathedral bell, be gone so soon and be silenced so abruptly?

It's been three years. Three years of questioning, of doubting.

There is no reply from Him. Never. Not even a whisper in the wind nor a hint in the rustling leaves. The Almighty remains silent, devoid of answers. Every time you have screamed, raged at the sky, your voice echoing against the hard concrete of the city buildings, there is only silence returned. You call out names like "God," "Jehovah," and "Yahweh," clutching your rosary beads bought from the small gift shop adjoining St. Peter's Basilica during your honeymoon in Rome.

Every night, under the vast expanse of the inky sky, you wrestle with the notion of divinity. Your fists clenched, your knuckles white, the metal of your wedding ring biting into your skin.

What you remember most about those early years was the sheer physicality of it all. Small fingers on the cheek. A belly on a hip. Legs climbing onto the lap. A hand slipping silently into your own. And all this amid the haze of sleeplessness. It was Min Ju who slept badly, but Ae-ra had her moments. And for what seemed like months, mornings would shock you awake, finding the three of you sprawled across the sheets like battered objects washed up on the shore. Yet there was such joy in that physicality. Bodies entwined. Pressed up against each other. Safe.

No amount of medication or counseling at the esteemed Johns Hopkins can satisfy the void that exists right now.

Shit, you’re not even a romantic; you never have been. Poetry and grand gestures are not things you believe in. But this... this is a different kind of story. A story of love that no heart can forget. Not when it loves somebody that way, and not when it still beats for them even when they are no longer around.

And so, you live quietly, one day at a time, with a scar that no amount of time can heal—a wound that is always fresh. But that's fine because you've lived through entire disasters in silence, you know how to create silence. It's like this: turn on the radio very loudly, then suddenly turn it off. And so it captures the silence. Starry silence. The silence of the moon changes. For everything, you created silence. It is in silence that the noise is heard more. Between the hammerings, you heard the silence of your grief and your blood pumping through your arteries.

Because, in the end, isn't that what survival is all about?

“Doctor?”

Since your childhood, Mom has often told you about your peculiar habit of associating colors with feelings, people and events—a trait that you had passed onto your daughter. Both of you stood out like sore thumbs in the conventional world.

Ae-ra had been the subject of many parent-teacher meetings and counseling sessions. However, you never felt the need to consult a doctor, as you knew it was an inherent trait, not a disease that could be cured with pills. Maybe the influence of Anastasia and The Sisters had seeped into both of your lives more than you realized.

For both of you, everything had a distinct color. It wasn't simply about the physical appearance, like a tree being brown and green. No, it was more profound than that. If a flower was dying, then its color would be a sickly gray. If a bird was bound to die, its red feathers would be spotted with black. If a person was brimming with happiness, the fingertips they used to cover their mouths would radiate a bright, sunny yellow.

At the moment, as strange as it might sound to others, the voice that called out to you reminded you of the creaky floorboards that groaned under your father's weight as he entered the house after a hard day. Blue on the porch, but within the brick walls: red, the same shade as the dinner table cloth that often became more interesting than meeting your family's gaze.

It was a voice that jolted you back to reality and made you turn your head with a sense of urgency, away from the flowers and the vomit. It was a voice that belonged to Nurse Jungwoo.

Blue was stitched to the courteous tilt of his head when he greeted the other nurses and staff, the soft-spoken words he used to comfort manic patients, and the gentle touch of his hands while administering medication. But you had observed a shift in him sometimes, particularly when he'd watch people engage in heated squabbles over dumplings left on the lunch tray or when he had to bathe former soldiers haunted by the ghosts of their pasts—his normally calm demeanor would turn a burning red, his eyes narrowing and lips pressing into a tight line as he fought against the men’s screams and pushes.

The transformation led you to ponder if one day you might see these white labyrinthine corridors stained with the purple hue of his frustration, or if you might stand at the end of a confessional room and see his purple fingers wrapped around a gun, pulling the trigger without hesitation. Just like your father had done.

"Are you okay, Dr. Song?" Yoon's voice held an awkward concern. His usual shy smile, the one that reminded you of a child peeking out from behind their mother's skirt, was replaced by a worried frown. "You've been sitting there for a while now. Can I get you some water? Or maybe a cup of chamomile tea from the cafeteria? It's surprisingly good, you know. They just got a new brand— Twinings, I think it's called. Very soothing."

After glancing at his outstretched hand, its end slightly stained with the pale blue ink from the Bic Cristal ballpoint pen he preferred for taking notes, you looked at his face and then at your heels, partly covered in grass and dirt.

Politely rejecting his offer of assistance as well as his worried smile, you got up, dusting the dirt off your coat. His concern was touching, but unnecessary. You gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder to let him know that you were grateful, though.

Fishing a battered packet of Marlboro cigarettes from your pocket, you realized you'd been more than a week without smoking—you had sworn to yourself that this time you were quitting for good. But, hey, here you were, faltering already.

You lit one, irritated with yourself. Any therapist worth their salt would see smoking as an unresolved dependency—something that should've been dealt with and overcome long ago.

"You sure I don't have another patient to attend to now?"

Grass crunched beneath your heels as you shifted your weight, the vomit now concealed beneath a layer of disturbed soil.

With an arched brow, you watched as Jungwoo curled into himself, his hands disappearing into the pocket of his pale green scrubs. You knew why. Your gaze was a soft, heavy paw on him. But if the paw was soft, it took it all away, like that of a cat that hurriedly grabbed a mouse's tail. The drop of sweat went down through his nose and beautiful mouth, dividing his smile in half. Just that: without an expression, under your mascara coated eyelashes, you were looking at him.

"So…" You leaned against the wall, the cold bricks biting into your back. Your lab coat rode up slightly, exposing a sliver of skin above your waistband. You noticed Jungwoo's eyes flick down, then quickly back up, a faint blush coloring his cheeks.

"Oh… Yes, yes!" Jungwoo responded, bouncing on the balls of his feet, one hand still tucked behind his back. His other hand came up to rub the back of his neck, a nervous tic you'd observed before. "I apologize, Dr. Song. You do indeed have a new patient, though I don't believe it's one you will be particularly eager to attend to."

Your lips curled up in a humorless smile as you took another puff of your cigarette. "I'm never eager to attend to criminals, Jong. So, who's the unlucky soul that has the pleasure of my company next?"

“Officer Hwa brought this one from the maximum-security jail downtown. The one in barbed wire and manned by guards that look like they eat nails for breakfast?" Yoon attempted humor, but it fell flat, and his eyes flickered with regret.

“And?”

“Well... It's… Seo Moonjo.”

Psychopathy, in bygone times, was synonymous with the concept of "evil." Individuals who reveled in inflicting harm or death on others have been chronicled since the time Medea took up an axe against her own offspring, and likely even prior to that. In 1888, the same year Jack the Ripper held London in the grip of terror, a German psychiatrist coined the term "psychopath" from the German word psychopatische, literally translating to "suffering soul."

This clue—the idea of suffering—was your gateway into understanding that these monsters were also in anguish. Viewing them as victims rather than perpetrators enabled a more rational, compassionate approach in your dealings. Psychopathy or sadism didn't just spring into existence from nothingness. They were not viruses, randomly infecting someone out of the blue. They bore a history, a prelude rooted in childhood.

Your belief was that experiences such as bruising knees from running in the backyard or losing a tooth soon to be claimed by the Tooth Fairy, were reactive. This means that to truly empathize with another human being, we ourselves must first be shown empathy—most importantly, by our parents or caregivers.

And Moonjo? Seo Moonjo seemed the type of man that naive young girls would send love letters to, sealed with their cheapest lipstick or a pair of lace panties. Because, despite his monstrous deeds, his square jawline, sharp features, and the way his tailored suits highlighted his lean physique rendered him attractive in the eyes of many.

Just yesterday, after returning home exhausted, brain pounding on your skull because Min Ju couldn't bring himself to sign the divorce papers, feet bloated, you watched in the news as women who had once trusted him with their children's dental care were now protesting in front of the prison. They claimed he was an angel, a helper sent by God.

But, hell no. Moonjo was no angel. He was a beast, a wolf in sheep's clothing, concealing his true nature behind the pristine white of his doctor's coat. His dental procedures were carried out with a precision that was unnerving. Seo Moonjo was a cannibal, a murderer, and a pyromaniac who eradicated his adoptive family in a spectacle of blood and fire.

Of course, you had dug deep into his case, folded the paper news, and pushed it in between the convenience store bench's slats. It was what your mother called a scandal sheet, full of the local murders he had committed and fake suicides and beatings and robbings, and just about every page about the deceased twins and that weird porn addicted man that lived with Moonjo in the Eden Studio had a half-naked lady on it with her breasts surging over the edge of her dress and her legs arranged so you could see to her stocking top or cats with their small, shiny guts exposed in trash bags.

From this extensive research, you suspected that there had been no one in his life—a caring grandmother, a favorite uncle, a benevolent neighbor, or a mindful teacher—to see his pain, to acknowledge it, and to help him process it. Anger, fear, and shame were too dangerous for the small child to deal with on his own. He didn't know how to deal with such emotions, so he didn't. Instead, he disowned these feelings; he didn't allow himself to experience them. He sacrificed his true self, along with all that unfelt pain and anger, to the Underworld, to the murky world of the unconscious.

This resulted in him losing touch with who he really was. The man, who was impeccably polite, genial, and charming, was provoked somehow. And the terrified child inside him lashed out in response, reaching for a knife and a lighter.

Moonjo could be a suffering soul.

Right?

Damn it. Just stop. You're already pushed to your limits, and you can't afford to shoulder his case either.

“Look, honey. I'm already swamped with other patients. It's just not feasible to add Seo Moonjo to my already overflowing plate. Can you imagine the added stress?" You mutter, eyes squinted shut, as you picture the growing pile of patient files on your desk. "Remember that Kwon guy? The one who had a schizophrenic episode and killed someone? Or that Kyung girl who defended herself against her rapist? Those were hard, sure. But Moonjo—he's on another level. He's someone who has committed a series of heinous acts and revels in them. This isn't like juggling a couple of extra appointments or adding a few more hours to my workday. This is like... like... stepping into a goddamn war zone without any armor!"

Suddenly, as you started to pace around the garden, an idea struck you. Your eyes snapped open, the cigarette almost fell from your lips and you swiftly turned to Jungwoo, who was watching you with wide eyes. "You remember that doctor, don't you? That one with the crooked nose?"

“Dr. Jung Hyun-Jae?”

“Yes, yes… Dr. Jung would be a more suitable choice for this case. He's been needing more challenging assignments, hasn’t he? It would be a perfect opportunity for him to sink his teeth into a complex case. Plus, it might distract him from his recent fixation with Nurse Ioona. She's been complaining about his constant attention. Where's Officer Hwa? I need to explain the situation to her and suggest Dr. Jung as an alternative.

Jungwoo’s eyes darted around nervously before he settled them on a pretty lavender (how ironic it was, right?) from the garden. He reached out for it and gently twirled the stem between his fingers.  “Well… Officer Hwa left. She did want to speak with you and rambled about how you were the only one capable of handling Seo Moonjo, but… I noticed you sneaking out through the fire emergency door and figured you were trying to avoid any additional work or confrontations. So I went ahead and filled out Moonjo’s report. Your first meeting with him is scheduled for today. It's on your wall calendar, right under the post-it note about picking up milk and eggs.”

Your heart skipped a beat at his words, the news catching you off guard.

This son of a bitch. Motherfucker. Idiot.

You clenched your fists to stop the urge to transform him into a purple puddle of limbs for real now. He was still new, still learning the ropes. And there was a good intention behind his actions. So, instead of lashing out at him, you sighed heavily and crushed your cigarette beneath your heels. You were in for a long day.

"Alright. Just...alright. But I'll need to juggle my schedule around, shuffle some patients here and there. This is going to be like solving a Rubik's cube blindfolded.” You muttered, rubbing your temples with the base of your palms, the onset of a stress-induced headache making itself known.

“He's out on the patio. Chained to four officers and three nurses because he asserted his right to a smoke break. Should I fetch him while you change your coat and prepare yourself for the consultation?" Jungwoo asked, his gaze shifting from the crushed purple petals in his hand to your clothes.

Change?

Looking down, you noticed the stain of vomit on the fabric of your lab coat, a gift from your husband on your first day at work. It had your name, Dr. Song Y/N, stitched in an elegant script on the left pocket. Fuck. Fucking great!

“Please, honey. And bring me some black coffee if you can; make it extra strong. I hate tea, it reminds me of the cough syrup my mother used to force down my throat as a child," you replied to Nurse Yoon without even looking at him again. Blood had risen to your face, now so hot that you thought you were with your eyes injected, while he, probably in new deception, should think that you were colored because of the cold wind.

What type of image were you inside his bambi eyes? A grieving mother or an insolent doctor?

Let's spin the Lucky Wheel, shall we, Mrs. Song?

Jungwoo, ever the diligent worker and one not to mingle in your business, had the courtesy to look sheepish as he handed over a thick manila folder (one that you weren't sure you had seen him bringing with him) stamped with the words "CONFIDENTIAL: SEO MOONJO.".

"I will, of course. But, first, here's the case file, Dr. Song. I've highlighted the most important parts," he said, extending the massive file towards you as if it were a bomb about to explode. The folder was thicker than the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a psychiatric bible that you often referenced. Its contents, as you anticipated, were likely far more disturbing.

"Thank you, Yoon. I appreciate it," you sighed, taking the heavy folder from him. You opened it, your eyes scanning over the pages filled with police reports, psychiatric evaluations, and a collection of distressing photographs that made your stomach churn. All evidence of Moonjo's crimes.

"Also," Yoon continued, biting his lower lip in a nervous habit you were becoming all too familiar with, "I've arranged for some extra security during your consultation with him. Officer Hwa insisted, said it was non-negotiable. I hope that's alright."

You nodded, appreciating the concern, although you couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance. The last thing you needed was more people watching and more eyes to witness your struggle to maintain control. But you understood—the higher-ups wanted to ensure no harm would come to their staff at the hands of a dangerous psychopath.

Or maybe they just didn't want another bloody body in this institution and lawsuits on their hands.

After a significant period spent working within the asylum, it became evident to you that even in a place of death, there existed a social hierarchy. In comparison to the general hospital wings, the accommodations located in the main building were significantly larger and more expensive. Suites were rooms named after well-known Seoulites that had once been in the psychiatric unit, home to one of Korea's most notorious sociopaths. The Bah Suah suite was where Seo Moonjo was staying. To get there, one had to navigate past the under-stair canteen, home to vending machines offering various food and drink options and hard plastic chairs.

What was most crucial, however, was shedding this ugly uniform.

Your office was located in the oldest, most decrepit part of the hospital. Spiderwebs clung to the corners, and several corridor light bulbs were burned out.

As soon as you turned the doorknob, the door creaked open. The first thing that prompted a slight smile was the smell inside. It was distinct from the rest of the hospital. It didn't reek of antiseptic or bleach; instead, it oddly reminded me of an art gallery. A blend of canvas, paints and brushes, varnish, and wax. It took a moment for your eyes to adjust to the dimness, revealing an unfinished artwork leaning against the wall—an unexpected object within a hospital. About twenty metal art shelves stood out in the shadows, and on a table, a pile of both your sketches and those of patients towered upwards—an unstable tower of paper reaching for the sky.

It had been a considerable amount of time since you had leaned over a canvas, staining your fingertips and the tip of your nose with hues of color. The inspiration simply wasn't there anymore. The paintings gradually lost their meaning. Even when Min Ju would sit in a chair and watch you work after a shift at the firm, nothing changed.

For years, even before your marriage, you enjoyed painting his face. Strong jawline, pronounced cheekbones, elegant nose—sitting under the spotlight—he resembled a statue. A hero. However, something was off nowadays, and you couldn't tell what. Perhaps you were forcing the issue. You couldn't capture the shape of his eyes or their color accurately. The first thing you noticed about your husband when you met was the sparkle in his eyes—like a tiny diamond embedded in each iris. But now, you couldn't capture it.  Without corresponding to his entire face, the brown eyes were intraducible. As independent as if they were planted in the flesh of an arm, and from there they looked at you: open, wet.

It might be a lack of talent, or maybe Min possesses something more that doesn't translate into a painting anymore. It all came out lifeless every single time.

Well, maybe because that was what he had become for you: a dead entity, lifeless, a walking shadow that prefers clandestine meetings with the girl next door—Kim Ji-ah, the one who sold Dabang coffee from her little shop—rather than signing the divorce papers and emptying your house of his remnants. You yearned for him to take his collection of smelly socks, stained shirts—and god, those lipstick marks that were an egregious shade of red—and just leave. Useless.

Dropping the huge file somewhere in the mess and slipping into a fresh coat, you caught a glimpse of the note left by Jungwoo. Precisely where he promised it would be. Pinned to the wall calendar, right beneath the post-it note about the local grocery store—a place you could never bring yourself to enter, not without your gaze drifting towards the adjacent drug store, contemplating the prospect of acquiring an unhealthy amount of Paracetamol.

"Consultation 1. Seo Moonjo at 3 p.m." accompanied by a cartoonish drawing of a devil's face and a pitchfork in red marker—the kind of doodle one would expect from a schoolboy, not a professional nurse. You couldn't help but laugh at the irony of it.

Stepping out of your office, you felt the familiar cold air of the hospital corridors creep into your bones. The aged linoleum floor creaked under your weight as you made your way towards the Bah Suah suite. It was a walk you had done countless times, but with the impending consultation with Seo Moonjo, it felt different, heavier.

Navigating through the maze-like corridors, you passed by the under-stair canteen, which was buzzing with the sound of vending machines dispensing Lotte Choco Pies and cans of Chilsung Cider. Nurses and staff were huddled in corners, whispering about the latest hospital gossip over cups of instant coffee. Their eyes flickered towards you, hushed whispers growing quieter as you walked past them. You paid them no mind.

Just as you rounded the corner of the last hallway, you almost collided with Nurse Park Ji-Yeon, a recent graduate of Yonsei University's Nursing Program. Her arms were filled with a stainless steel tray laden with countless medication cups and water glasses and you noticed how her hands were stained lime green. Youthfulness, naivety and playfulness.

“Dr. Song, I didn't... I didn't expect to see you here," she stammered, her cheeks flushing a red that was reminiscent of the cherry blossoms that adorned the hospital grounds in the spring. You admired Ji-Yeon's work ethic and dedication; her timidity was often eclipsed by her eagerness to learn and assist patients. She was like a mirror image of your younger self, fresh-faced and pretty much graced with green.

"You need to watch where you're going, Ji-Yeon. Those are important medications you're holding," you advised her, bending down to pick up a bottle of pills that had rolled under a rusted hospital bed. Sertraline, prescribed to Mr. Kim in Song Joong Ki. You placed it back on her tray, ensuring it was secure.

"I will, Dr. Song. I apologize," she replied, bowing as charmingly as she could muster while equilibrating glasses of water. "I was just heading to administer afternoon medications to the patients in Ward C when… I heard about your consultation with Seo Moonjo," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper, as if the mere mention of Moonjo's name would summon him. Her eyes flickered at the closed door where the meeting would happen. “Is it true that he...that he indulges in...cannibalism?"

Your fingers massage your temples, a dull ache throbbing behind your eyes. Great. The rumors about Moonjo were spreading rapidly in the hospital's atmosphere like a malignant tumor . "We shouldn't speculate about patients, Ji-Yeon. It's unprofessional and contrary to the Hippocratic Oath we took."

"But he's a monster, isn't he?"

"Every patient, regardless of their actions, is a human being first and foremost, Ji-Yeon. The term 'monster' has no place in the lexicon of a healthcare provider. It's our duty to provide care and treatment without judgment or prejudice."

You’re so hypocritical, Y/N.

"But what about the things he's done? The people he's hurt?"

"Even so," you retorted, "our job is to heal, not to pass judgment. Justice is the court's responsibility, not ours. We are here to ensure that he is physically healthy and to provide the medical aid he requires."

Before she could respond, you waved her off dismissively, effectively ending the conversation. "Now, get going. Those medications won't be administered themselves. And who knows, Seo Moonjo might be coming to look for his pills," you admonished, leaving the young woman standing alone in the corridor, her mouth agape in stunned silence.

Two minutes later, you arrived at the Bah Suah suite, the heavy metal door cold under your touch, signaling that the old AC was already running. Taking a deep breath, you steeled yourself for the consultation and pushed open the door, stepping into the room that soon would hold the man known as the 'Cannibal Dentist' of Seoul.

The therapy room was a small and narrow rectangle, as empty as a prison cell, or maybe even more so. The window, barred, remained closed. On the little table, a shocking pink box of Kleenex tissues stood in stark contrast with its cheerful color—it must have been left there by Mrs. Chen; you couldn't imagine Jungwoo offering tissues to the patients.

You sat in one of the two faded and battered Eames lounge chairs. Minutes passed. No sign of Moonjo. What if he didn't show up? Maybe he hadn't agreed to meet you yet; maybe he hadn't finished his pack of Marlboro. And he'd be totally within his rights.

Impatient, anxious, nervous, you gave up sitting and suddenly stood up and went to the window. You looked out through the bars of the grid. The yard was three floors below. The size of a tennis court, it was bounded by large exposed brick walls, too high to be climbed, although undoubtedly someone had already tried. Every afternoon, the patients were led there to get fresh air for half an hour, whether they wanted to or not, and in this cold weather, it would be understandable if they resisted. Some isolated themselves, talking to themselves, or walked back and forth like restless zombies, going nowhere. Others formed groups, chatting, smoking, arguing. Voices, shouts, strange excited laughter reached you.

At first, your eyes failed to pick him out. It was only after scanning over the throng of people that you spotted him - a tall figure, as pale as the moonlight, leaning nonchalantly against the brick wall of the patio. A predator perfectly at ease in the midst of his prey.

Jungwoo navigated his way through the crowd, making a beeline for him. He exchanged a few words with the nurse stationed closest to the infamous serial killer - a petite woman named Eun-ji with a heart-shaped face and a sharp bob cut that framed her face. She nodded, her eyes wide behind her rectangular glasses.

Yoon approached Moonjo with extreme caution much like a wary zookeeper approaching a particularly unpredictable animal. You knew exactly what he would say, you had rehearsed it with him other times. He would inform the towering man that you, the in-house therapist, had requested a meeting with him. He would emphasize that it was a request, not an order. 

Moonjo remained as still as a statue as Jungwoo spoke, offering no indication of agreement or refusal. That was a good sign, you thought.

After a moment that felt like an eternity, Yoon Jungwoo turned on his heel and retreated, his hands buried in the pockets of his scrubs. A sinking feeling of defeat washed over you - he wasn't coming. You berated yourself internally for being so naive. This had been a colossal waste of time and energy, and you had missed your precious 30-minute power nap for this fiasco.

But just as you were on the brink of surrendering to your disappointment, to your utter surprise, Moonjo stirred. He took a step forward, following the retreating figures of the policemen and nurses across the courtyard until they were swallowed up by the hospital’s imposing structure.

So, he was coming after all. You cleaned your hands in your jeans and put your hands on your knees to stop your legs from bouncing. You tried to quieten the nagging voice in your head, the voice that sounded uncannily like your father, chastising you for not being good enough, calling you a fraud, asserting that a woman's place was in bed, awaiting her husband's return from work, naked and submissive.

Shut up, you thought, repeating it over and over: Shut up, shut up…

Two or three minutes later, there was a knock on the door. 

"Come in," you called out.

As the door creaked open, the personification of the monstrous deeds you had meticulously studied in countless newspaper clippings and confidential case files stepped into the room. His imposing figure, garbed in the standard-issue uniform of the Westlake Psychiatric Ward—a drab ensemble of worn-out hues that could only aspire to be called beige—filled the doorway. His eyes, the first thing you notice, were a striking shade of obsidian and held an unsettling gleam as they flickered over the confines of the consultation room before settling on you.

Words precede and overtake you; they tempt you and change you, and if you're not careful, it will be too late. Things will be said without you having said them. Or, at least, it wasn't just that. Your entanglement comes from the fact that a carpet is made up of so many threads that it can't resign itself to following just one thread. Your entanglement comes from the fact that this story is made up of many stories. And not all of them can be told—a truer word could, from echo to echo, bring your high glaciers crashing down the gorge. So you will no longer speak of the drain that was in you while he was staring at your face. Otherwise, you will think about how headlines or news articles could never do justice to the presence he commanded. His skin was luminous, almost translucent—a canvas of alabaster with the occasional vein peeking through the surface, like coloured threads embedded in white marble. He was a statue that came to life.

Moonjo’s raven hair, unconventional in its length for a man, covered his nape and framed his forehead in an innocent way. His smile, filled with teeth, was clear of any obstructions, allowing you to glimpse the unique shape of his insanity—water and desert, populace and wilderness, abundance and need, fear and challenge. Moonjo has in himself the eloquence and the absurd mudness, the surprise and the antiquity, the refinement and the roughness. Moonjo is baroque.

Still, right now, he is the first thing in your whole life that you look at and see no ounce or mention of color.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Song.” 

"Good."

You locked eyes with him, noting the spark of anticipation dancing in his gaze, before shifting your attention to the small assembly of officers and medical staff flanking him. Jungwoo is curling into himself while holding a paper bag from the cafeteria in his hand. This wouldn't do. Screw Officer Hwa and her requests; you wouldn't attend to someone while being vigilated like this.

Officer Park Seo-Jin, a woman as stern as the harshest Spartan matron, with her sharp, hawk-like features and a redish hair and attitude that brooked no nonsense, met your gaze. Adjacent to her stood Nurse Lee Min-Ho, a fresh addition to the hospital staff, nervously clutching a clipboard. He was a blue one.

Maintaining your gaze on Officer Park, you said in a firm voice, "Officer Park, I would like to conduct this consultation with Mr. Seo in privacy. You and your team may wait outside, perhaps in the waiting area. There's a coffee machine that makes a decent brew."

The officers exchanged surprised glances, clearly taken aback by your request. Officer Park's frown deepened, her lips forming a thin line as she locked eyes with you. "Dr. Song, with all due respect, I don't think that's a good idea. Given his history and Officer Hwa’s requests, it's better if we—"

"I understand your concerns, Officer Park, but I assure you, I can handle myself. I've been trained to do so. I believe Mr. Seo here can attest to that."

Moonjo tilted his head and smiled like the Cheshire cat as he noticed the thick file on the table behind you, eyes traveling over it greedily, like a grade-schooler staring at a chocolate fountain. He knows what lies inside. And he was fucking entertained. "She's right. I don't bite...unless provoked."

Officer Park looked like she was about to argue further as she shot a glare at Moonjo—a glare so icy it could rival the sub-zero temperatures of the Arctic tundra—but you held up a hand, stopping her. 

"I appreciate your vigilance, but I've dealt with patients similar to Mr. Seo before. My training is extensive and comprehensive. I know what I'm doing. Please wait outside."

After a moment of silence, Officer Park reluctantly agreed, her gaze lingering on you with a mixture of concern and admiration. "Let’s go then, boys. Out we go, or Miss Cold here will chop our heads off," she grumbled, shuffling towards the door. She paused at the threshold, her hand on the knob, before turning back to look at you. "You call us the second he steps out of line, you hear?"

“Sure.”

Reluctantly, the officers and nurses filed out of the room and as the door closed behind them, Jungwoo handed you a cup of black coffee, brewed with beans from a local roaster. The mug was warm in your hands, the black liquid inside steaming and swirling. It was just as you liked it—strong and bitter.

"Thank you, Jungwoo," you said, accepting the coffee. "And...thank you for understanding."

With a nod and a faint, yellow smile, Jungwoo retreated. He cast a last glance at you and Moonjo, his brows furrowed in worry, before finally disappearing behind the door.

As the door closed behind Seo Moonjo with a dull thud for the second time, echoing through the empty therapy room, the canvases on the wall seemed to lean in curiously, like ghosts that had seen better days. He walked with a hunched gait, shoulders slightly rounded, hands clasped together behind his back—an unsettling calmness about him that chilled you to your very core. Now, just the two of you, the air felt colder than before he entered, like he brought along a personal blizzard that set your nerves on edge. 

 Slowly, he takes a seat across from you, his legs crossed at the knee elegantly, like an art model posing for a painting session. His hands were large, rugged and bruised with what looked like fresh scratches from tools or rope. It took all of your self-control not to recoil at the sight of them. He leaned forward slightly, folding those monstrous hands on the table between you, atop a worn-out copy of Freud's 'The Interpretation of Dreams', and locked eyes with yours - unblinking, unwavering.

A moment passed where neither of you moved or spoke. You could feel his eyes raking over your face, examining every line and shadow on your own. It was disconcerting how easily he made eye contact. You forced yourself to return it, resisting the urge to shield yourself with your pencil and notepad. You wished you could paint over this unnerving moment, transform it into a stunning piece of art, and hang it in the vibrant hallways of the Louvre rather than being trapped in this dreary room.

Therapy is not your forte; art is your passion. But here you are, trying to understand this man who's been called a monster by everyone outside these walls. Inside them too? Who knows? Maybe there's more to him than meets the eye... or maybe they're all just stories that should never be told in this place that reeks of silence and stares back at you like a judgmental wallflower no matter what you do or say next to Seo Moonjo right now.

"Well then, Mr. Seo. Shall we begin?"

“Of course, jagiya.”

[alcoholfreenayeon]

then can you write headcanons for iu as your girlfriend please? sfw and nsfw!

A/N: Hope you like it anon!

IU Girlfriend HCs

SFW HCs

A bit of a dork, she’ll randomly find out about facts that were supposed to be more or less common knowledge and be so surprised about it. She didn’t even know she had been wrong about her own blood type until very recently.

Will stare at you indignantly when she feels jealous.

Loves to photobomb pictures you try to take. But you secretly love it since it just makes the pictures prettier.

She can be very playful and silly at times, laughing at the smallest things and that’s your favorite thing to hear, her laughter.

She has some niches when it comes to food.

Likes to rest on you, doesn’t matter where, could be your chest, shoulder, lap. She just wants to feel close to you.

Her manager once revealed how she doesn’t stop talking you, like at all. It had come to the point where the manager felt like they were in a relationship with you as well given how well they now knew you.

IU didn’t know her manager was saying all this and walked in mid conversation and froze, completely embarrassed even more so when you looked at her with a happy and teasing smile.

She likes to cuddle a lot. If she sees that you are starting to fall asleep before she’s had enough cuddles, she’ll tickle you to jolt you awake.

Rarely shows you her emotionally vulnerable side. She thinks that you will end up worrying too much about her if she reveals all of her feelings to you.

NFSW HCs

Prefers to be on top but not necessarily dominant.

She sees her partner’s enjoyment and pleasure as more important than her own but that doesn’t mean she’ll let you leave her unsatisfied.

She beats around the bush a lot when she wants sex, hoping you recognize her advances before she has to speak up directly.

She can definitely be quite bratty at times and will tease you to your limits.

If you end up giving her that freedom, she’ll end up taking over, becoming in charge and she will most definitely not tolerate any disobedience, disrespect or brattiness from you.

She’s big on car sex, always ready to do it whenever you both are going or returning from anywhere. While that’s not really an issue when IU is driving, it turns into one, when you drive and she’s touching you all over. It’s a miracle neither of you have crashed considering what goes on.

IU likes to take care of you after sex, cuddling you, bringing you food and water.

Becomes increasingly more dominant and horny the more busy and stressed she is.

Her dominant side doesn’t turn up very often but when it does, you realize how demanding and insatiable she can be.

She has a bit of a foot fetish but is really embarrassed by it.

[write-now-ggs]

IU (Soloist)

Wc - 19,200 Video

"Love Poem"

"Love Poem"

As the quiet buzz from the air conditioner hummed in the background you were lost in complete thought as your lovely girlfriend delicately traced her finger tips over your inked skin. The two of you were enjoying each other's presence before you had to leave in a few hours for her work schedule. While you were lost in your mind enjoying the feeling of her on your skin, she was scrolling through her phone. You didn’t even have to look over to know that she was reading comments on your shared social media page. 

When it came to said shared social media page, it was all Jieun’s idea. It felt strange considering she was probably one of the most recognizable figures in the entertainment industry but when it came to something she wanted you just couldn’t say no to her. She had proposed the idea of starting the account over two years ago because as she stated, she wanted a place to record the moments of your relationship. At first when she initially brought the idea up you were completely against it, you were worried that someone would find out who she was and that her public image would be ruined because she was dating you. 

Luckily throughout the lifespan of the account no one has figured out who she was thanks to how surprisingly well she was at disguising herself. You yourself had nothing to hide from the public so you were now unofficially officially the face of the account meanwhile Jieun was the real mastermind behind it. With every picture she took and uploaded she wrote a loving caption to go along with it, all the words that were posted all came from her heart and from the feelings she strongly felt about you. Anyone that stumbled across the account could quickly understand how much this woman loved you and how much she loved to write about you. Oh but just what would happen if those same people realized that the same woman that wrote these loving paragraphs about her girlfriend on social media was the same woman, that dedicated many songs to the same girl, had many hit songs that were constantly reaching the top of the music charts all over the country..? 

The account had managed to amass a pretty huge following for it just being a couple’s public love diary, the attention you had garnered from the account had made you feel a bit uneasy. Your experience with social media before meeting Jieun was that it was a place to keep up with family and friends who you hadn’t seen in a while. You never expected to have thousands of people all over the world waiting on the newest picture from your girlfriend. 

When you first started dating Jieun she had tried her best to explain everything about her lifestyle and career to you but that was much different than living it yourself. You were fine at first with supporting your girlfriend  being in the spotlight, but now that you were thrown under one as well, albeit a much smaller spotlight, you couldn't help but feel some uneasiness in life. You were fine with living an ordinary life and working an ordinary job but now you had to deal with the whole new territory that came with social media. You didn’t consider yourself a social media figure in the slightest but you did have to deal with occasionally getting offers from different companies to sign a contract under them. While you hadn’t done that, you, well more like jieun, had accepted a few small gigs for some modeling content. Your most recent gig was for an online shopping mall that Jieun had often frequented, she had snatched that deal for you in an instant. 

But well I guess all this came with dating the woman that made your heart leap out of your chest everytime she looked at you. You would do anything for her and if that meant having to deal with random fangirls commenting about their favorite imaginary “ships” under your post then so be it. It didn’t seem to bother Jieun so you just rolled with it, even when people would comment big names in the industry as being the second half of the relationship in the pictures. You had felt almost flattered that these random people thought you could be in a relationship with all the names in the comments but still, no one was more perfect for you than Jieun. She was the only person that existed in your eyes. 

It wasn’t until Jieun had started uploading videos of you a few months ago that the comments really started to ramp up on the guessing game of who Jieun was. The videos usually just consisted of her poking or annoying you in some sort of fashion throughout the day with your account's signature black and white filter slapped over it. The videos were really nothing extraordinary that would reveal who Jieun was. Well that was up until she uploaded a video where she was laughing in the background. Soon the comments were filled with people saying she laughed just like “Iu”. When you saw that you instantly panicked and you told her to take the video down. Jieun being the voice of reason had told you that taking the video down would only seem more suspicious and to just give it time, people would soon forget about it. You hated to admit defeat but she was right, soon the comments were filled with other people’s names.

Luckily for the both of you, Jieun’s entertainment company already knew about the account and they were completely behind Jieun. If anything were to happen they were prepared with statements for that situation.

“Don’t move…” Her voice was quiet as it broke into your deep thoughts.

“Hmm, okay..” You hummed in response as you did what she said, which was nothing. You stayed still for her.

You heard her phone’s camera make a noise followed by a satisfied hum from her.

“Am I good to move now..?” You spoke without moving your mouth to emphasize your dedication to not moving for her.

She let out a soft laugh, “Yeah you’re free to move now, silly.” She planted a kiss on your cheek before moving back to finish whatever it was she was doing on her phone.

You leaned over to look at what was keeping her occupied, “What are you up to..?” You saw a picture of your new tattoo on her phone as she typed in a caption. 

“I just thought it would be nice to update everyone on your new art piece.” She looked up at you with the sweetest smile. 

“Ahh I see, you better add in there that you helped me settle on this design.” You looked down at your left wrist where your newest addition to your tattoos sat. It was nothing crazy, just a simple outline of all the continents. 

“I did, and…. Posted.” She smiled as she waited for the influx of comments to hit. 

You watched her from where you were sitting, just adoring the way the light of her phone settled on her face, accentuating all the features you loved about her.

“Oh wow, they really like it. Told you it went really well with your other wrist.” She looked over at you before pointing at the tattoo you had on said wrist, it was a heart that had a simple airplane completing the outline of the heart on the right side. 

“Yeah, you’re always right.” You smiled as you thought about both tattoos. You had gotten the heart a few years before meeting her and now with the irony of dating someone who traveled all over the world to perform sold out shows it couldn’t have been any more perfect. You had originally gotten it because when you were a bit younger, you had a job that had you traveling to different countries all the time. 

Jieun let out a small sigh as she leaned her head on your shoulder, “I want one so bad.”

“Easy, then get one.” You leaned your head against hers. 

“No, you know it’s not that easy for me to just go out and get one.” 

“Hmm, why not..? Plenty of people in the music industry have them.” You spoke in genuine confusion.

“But those artists are different than I am. I have a certain image to uphold. You know this.” She closed her eyes as she spoke to you.

“I know that Jieun, but that shouldn’t stop you from doing something you want. You could always just get a small one somewhere people won't see it.” You paused for a minute before smiling, “Well not too small to where it would look like a little mole.” 

Jieun let out a small chuckle before lightly hitting your arm, “I hate you.” 

“Haha I love you too.”

The two of you sat in comfortable silence before Jieun checked the time on her phone. “Hmm we should start getting ready now, he’ll be here soon.” 

“Oh, sounds good.” 

_

“Are you finished getting dressed..?” You heard her ask as soon as the shower turned off. 

“Yeah, I’m good to go.” You sat on your bed as you waited for her to finish up in the bathroom. 

A few seconds later she walked out with a towel wrapped around herself and another one wrapped around her hair. She stared at what you were wearing before humming to herself.

“What’s wrong..? Do I look bad..?”

“No, far from that. It’s just I have something else I want you to wear.” She walked over to your shared closet and you followed right behind her. She looked around for a bit before finding what it was that she had in mind. “Here it is, try this on instead.” She handed you the piece of clothing before walking out and back to the bathroom.

You did as she said, slipping your other shirt off and putting on the one she gave you. “Oh wow..” You looked at yourself in the mirror and noted the way this shirt exposed your shoulders. 

After a few more minutes Jieun had walked back out of the bathroom in her sweatpants and a random sweater she probably stole from your side of the closet. “Nice, that looks way better than I expected.” She smiled happily like a little girl with a crush. 

“It’s nice, where’d you get it from..?” 

“Oh, you remember that photoshoot you had last week for my favorite online mall..?” 

“Uhm, yeah. Why?” You tilted your head to the side when you couldn’t figure out why she brought that up since she couldn’t go with you to the shoot.

“Well you remember how you took Hanteo with you?” (Her manager) 

“Yeah, you didn’t want me going by myself.” You looked to the side as you tried remembering everything. 

“Well while you were in the middle of shooting, I video called him and he took me on a virtual tour of the set. Then in the back I saw this shirt and I knew it would look beautiful on you. So I had him ask around to see if he could buy the shirt from them. We kept it a secret haha.” She ran her fingers on the fabric of the shirt.

“Oh wow.” You looked down with a lovestruck smile, “Hmm, well why this shirt specifically for today..? You could’ve kept this hidden until we had dinner out together.” 

“Well if you must know, it's because I want to be able to see this whenever I look into the audience today.” She pointed to the tattoo of a paper plane you had on your right shoulder. 

“Oh, I see. Well if it makes my princess happy then I love it. Thank you for the shirt.” You planted a gentle kiss on her lips before pulling away to smile at her. 

Her face immediately flushed red, “Okay let’s go before you make it impossible for me to leave.” She grabbed your hand before pulling you around to the front door. 

You were giggling the entire time she was dragging you to the front door. You put your shoes on then helped her with hers. You both walked out once you had everything you needed. 

Her manager had greeted the both of you when you got into the car.

“Are you ready for today..?” He asked Jieun as he pulled out of your driveway.

“Of course, I always am.” Jieun smiled when you reached to hold her hand in her lap.

“Okay good, well get comfortable the traffic is going to make it a headache to get there.” Hanteo gave the two of you one last smile before looking ahead as he pulled into the road.

The ride to the venue did indeed take longer than you were expecting, luckily you spent the whole trip joking around with Jieun. She kept taking pictures of you from the most random angles while you kept trying to snatch her phone from her hands to take some of her as well. 

After pulling into the back of the venue her manager turned around to tell the two of you that you made it.

“Thank you Hanteo, we appreciate the ride.” You told him before opening your door and holding it so Jieun could step out.

“Of course, that’s what I’m here for.” He stepped out of his own door before walking around the front of the car to take a stack of papers he had in the passenger seat. “I have to go hand these out real quick but you two feel free to head inside.”

“Okay, we’ll see you later then!” Jieun smiled at him before grabbing your hand so you could walk inside together.

“What were those for..?” You asked Jieun about the papers Hanteo had.

“Oh it’s about today's schedule for the show, he has to hand them out to everyone. His email wasn’t working all week so he just decided to physically hand them out. You know how hard headed he is when things don’t work like normal.” 

“Ah I see,” You reached out to open the door to the venue, “After you.” Jieun stepped through the door first and you quickly followed behind her. 

You both walked towards her dressing room, hand in hand, as she told you what she looked forward to the most tonight.

When you both made it to her dressing room she sat in the chair left out for her in front of her makeup station, and you went and sat on the counter near her. You took a few seconds to admire the way she looked at herself in the mirror. When she finally noticed you looking at her in silence she couldn’t help but smile. 

“Why are you looking at me like that..?” She asked you as she looked to see if anyone was around. 

“Like what..?” You smiled at her as your head tilted to the side. 

Her face completely flushed red as she used her hands to cover it. “Like that, stop it.” 

You couldn’t help the laugh that her actions gave you. “Jieun, my love, you’re going to have hundreds of people staring at you in a few hours, what’s the big deal with me just admiring you for a few seconds..?”

“Okay but that’s different, all those eyes don’t even come close in comparison to yours.” She peeked through her fingers to look at you before squealing and closing her eyes shut when she saw you moved to stand near her. 

“Haha so cute…” You leaned down to whisper in her ear, “These eyes have also seen more of you than all those people combined.” You kissed the top of her head before moving to sit back on the counter you were originally relaxing on. 

Jieun removed her hands from her face to look at you in complete shock, her face was as red as a ruby as she stumbled over her words, “Huh.. wha- why would you say that…?” 

You couldn’t help but laugh at her reaction, “What’s wrong..?” You plastered an innocent look on your face as you watched the way she reacted to your actions. 

She was unable to say anything else as her crew walked into the dressing room, all of them engulfed in their own conversations. 

“Oh,” The lead make-up artist looked at Jieun’s face in confusion before turning to look over at you. “Are we interrupting something here..?”

You couldn’t help but laugh as Jieun’s face only got more red with embarrassment. “Haha no no, you didn’t. We were just talking.” Your head tilted to the side as you thought about your actions, “Hmm well more like I was admiring my beautiful girlfriend from all the way over here and she was getting flustered by my amazing compliments.” You plastered that same innocent face from earlier as all Jieun could do was shoot daggers at you with her eyes. Oh those beautiful eyes of hers. 

“Ahh I see, well sadly I’m going to have to ask you to refrain from making her flustered. The red on her face is not going to make this easy on us.” The lead make-up artist joked with you, she often worked with Jieun on many projects so the three of you were pretty well acquainted. 

“My bad, my bad, I’ll try to hold myself back. It’s not my fault that this woman gets easily embarrassed when it comes to me complimenting her even though we’ve been dating for almost five years now.” You rolled your eyes in a playful manner at her. 

Jieun was still glaring at you as she crossed her arms over her chest, “Mmm compliments… sure if that’s what you want to call that…” She mumbled to herself as she held her own little huff and puff party. 

“Oh, is that a new piece..?” The lead make-up artist asked when she walked up to where you were sitting to get some of her equipment, referencing your new tattoo. 

“Oh this,” You held your wrist out to her so she could get a better look at the artwork on it, “It is new, Jieun helped me pick it out.” 

“ooh she did..?” She examined the tattoo before looking over at Jieun, “Well she certainly has a good eye haha.” 

Jieun’s eyes darkened as she looked you in the eyes, “Yeah I do have great taste, thanks for noticing.” 

You met her eyes before laughing to yourself, “Anyways, I’m going to go see what outfit they have prepared for you.” You hopped off the counter and walked over to where she was sitting, “I’ll be back in a little bit.” You planted a soft kiss on her cheek, “You look so beautiful.” You walked away so she could get her makeup done. 

“Ugh the two of you are so perfect for each other it makes me sick.” Jieun’s lead make-up artist said as she placed everything she needed in front of her. 

“Haha, thank you for the compliment I suppose..?” Jieun spoke her response in a questioning tone as she didn’t know if she meant what she said as a compliment. 

“It is a compliment, I promise.” She started to pull Jieun’s hair out of her face before she got started on her perfected craft, “When are the two of you going to finally tie the knot..?” She asked as she finished clipping Jieun’s hair back.

“What..? Well uh, I’m not sure haha.” Jieun once again couldn’t help but get flustered at the question. 

“Wait, she still hasn’t asked the question yet??” She asked Jieun in shock.

“No she hasn’t, why has she said anything about it..?” Jieun looked up at her with all the concentration in the world. 

“Hmm no she hasn't, but I just figured she would have proposed already. I mean the two of you act like you’re already married anyways haha.” 

Jieun looked down at her ring finger on her left hand, “Maybe someday…” 

With Jieun thinking about your future together, you were busy bothering her main stylist about the outfit she was supposed to wear for the event. 

“This is what she’s wearing..? Wow, are you trying to give everyone in the crowd a nosebleed..?” You looked at the beautiful sundress that was hanging on the clothing rack in front of you. 

“You know not everyone in that crowd has as big of a crush on your girlfriend as you do, right..?” Jieun’s main stylist grabbed the dress off of the clothing rack so she could bring it to Jieun’s dressing room, with you following right behind her. 

“Well that doesn’t matter, Jieun herself is just too beautiful for this world so putting that dress on her would give just about anyone a nosebleed.” You answered in a “matter of fact” tone as you tried to keep up with her pace. 

“Listen, all that matters is that this dress fits the theme of her album so we’re sticking with it. If she causes a national uproar in reported nose bleeds then that will be PR’s problem, not mine.” She opened up the door to Jieun’s dressing room so she could walk over and show her what the outfit choice for the event was. 

And with her response you were silenced as you shuffled into Jieun’s dressing room passing by all the new interns working with the hair and makeup crew. 

Jieun was engulfed in conversation with her main stylist as she showed her the dress while Jieun was getting her makeup done. You just observed them all from the back of her dressing room as you didn’t want to get in the way. 

“Oh, excuse me, can I just grab that real quick.” One of the interns you passed by earlier was standing in front of you with a nervous look on her face. 

“Hmm? Oh I’m sorry.” You quickly moved out of the way when you could see how overwhelmed the young girl looked. “Are you okay..?”

“What..?” The young girl looked up at you once she finally grabbed what it was that she needed. “Oh yeah I’m fine haha, I just have to hurry or I’ll get in trouble.” The girl waved the object in her hand at you before scurrying on. 

You stared at where the girl was standing before deciding to go and find her, stopping to grab a water bottle along the way. You hadn’t realized that Jieun had watched your entire interaction through the mirror as all you had in mind was helping out the poor brand new intern. 

It didn’t take long before you saw the young girl scurrying back towards Jieun’s dressing room with a new object in hand. You moved in front of her to get her to stop walking. 

“Oh sorry, excuse me.” She stepped to the side to walk past you but then she looked up at you in shock when you moved over as well to stop her again.

“Hey, stop.” You smiled at the young girl, “Take a break.” You reached for the object in her hand before replacing it with the water bottle you had in your hand. “Slow down young one, don’t overwork yourself. I can take this for you, please catch your breath and relax for a little bit.”

“Huh..?” The girl looked up at you with the biggest eyes that quickly seemed to water up. 

“I’m assuming you were bringing this to Yeonha..?” You were able to assume that this was going to Jieun’s make-up artist given the items. 

“Oh yes, she had asked me to hurry with those brushes.” The young girl answered you with reddened cheeks. 

“Okay well I can take them to her for you, please go catch your breath and relax, there’s plenty of time.” You had been to many of Jieun’s work events to know that Yeonha was a rusher when it came to getting everything done even when she would have plenty of time. 

“Thank you so much.” The young girl slightly bowed her head at you before blinking away at the tears that began to form in her eyes. 

“Haha it’s no problem, I know how Yeonha can be, trust me you won’t be this stressed out all the time.” You smiled at the girl before turning away, you held the object in the air waving it slightly. “I’ll get this to her, enjoy your break.” 

The young girl just stared at you in amusement as you disappeared down the hall. 

You walked up to Jieun and her make-up artist, handing her the object you had in hand. 

“Hey, Yeonha, you need to go easier on the interns.” 

“Huh?” She looked at what you had in your hands in shock, “Where did you get that..?” 

“I got it from that poor girl you have running in laps down the hallway, she looked burnt out so I told her I would bring this to you and that she could take a well deserved break.” You shrugged your shoulders before placing the object down in front of Jieun on the make up counter. 

“Oh uh, thank you.” She looked between you and Jieun, unsure of what to say.

“It’s all good, just try to take it easy on her, interns aren’t used to everything yet, just try and ease them into it.” You gave her a small smile before looking down at Jieun. “I’m going to go ahead and walk out to my seat so you can finish getting ready.”

“Huh? Wait..” Jieun held onto your hand so she could get up from her seat, “Don’t forget this.” She walked away to grab something before coming back with one of her albums. “Gotta fit the part.” She smiled at you before placing it in your hands. 

“Ah right, is this one of your special editions..?” You asked with a joking smile since you knew that Jieun loved writing you random messages and doodles in the albums that she gave you.

“Of course it is.” She let out a small giggle before pulling you into a small kiss. “I’ll see you out there in a bit, just try not to look like you’re too in love with me.” 

It was your turn to laugh at her before leaning in to whisper into her ear, “Why, do I make it hard for you to hold back..?” 

Jieun pulled away to glare at you, “Shut up before I kick you out.” 

You let out a bigger laugh, “Haha well I didn’t hear a no.” You gave her lips a small peck, where you would’ve opted for her cheek but due to her make-up being done you wanted to be nice to Yeonha, “Well, I’ll see you out there Miss IU.” You sent her a wink as you said her stage name before walking out of her dressing room. 

“Ugh that girl…” Jieun stared at you as you walked away with a dumb grin on her face. 

“Okay love bird get over here so we can finish your make-up.” Yeonha put her hands on Jieun’s shoulders so she could turn her towards her seat. 

_

You walked around the venue for a bit to see if anyone needed a hand with setting anything up before walking to the seat that Jieun picked out for you. You had just gotten done helping the stage crew bring out some decorations for her first performance so now you sat down bored as you waited for the doors to open to the public. 

You figured now was as good a time as ever to look through her new album. You had seen everything from a behind the scene’s perspective so being able to see the final product in front of you was awesome. No matter how many releases you’ve been by Jieun’s side for, you would never get tired of unboxing the newest product of her hard work. You flipped through every single page slowly to admire all the pictures of her and all of her scribbled notes directed towards you. The smile on your face looked like it would never disappear as you flipped through the pages. 

“Oh,” You got to the end of the pages and were now reading her album’s dedication section. “This is a note to the person who is there for me everyday and night no matter what. Whenever I feel lost they’re always there to reassure me that I am on the correct path. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, even the things you don’t know that you helped me with, I hope to one day properly repay your kindness.”

You didn’t notice the way your eyes welled up with tears until you blinked. “This girl.” You smiled as you ran your finger down the page before closing the photobook. 

A few moments later you could hear the sound of people walking in and talking, you looked up to see a line of fans walking into the venue, many of which were carrying huge cameras. You were able to pick up on some familiar faces in the crowd since they would frequent many of your girlfriends events. The rows began to fill up and soon so was your own row. The seat next to you was now occupied by a talkative fan who hadn’t stopped talking about Jieun’s latest album to the girl next to her. 

“Hey, I like your tattoos, they’re pretty.” 

It took you a minute to register the fact that the hyper fan was talking to you, “Oh thank you so much.” You sent the girl a small smile before looking at your phone. 

Jieun had sent you a message so you quickly checked it and made sure no one around could see the contents. “I’ll see you in five minutes.” She attached a photo of her in the dress you saw earlier and you swore that she was the most beautiful woman in the world. 

“Oh, that dress is dangerous.” You replied to her message before putting your phone away.

After a while of waiting in silence a very familiar figure appeared on the stage in front of you and the once quiet room was now filled with loud cheers. After waving at everyone in the crowd she began to perform the first song on her short set-list. 

Unlike everyone else in the crowd you enjoyed her performance without recording anything and you just made yourself comfortable in your seat as Jieun sang to the crowded room. Before meeting Jieun you had only been to a small handful of concerts but none to any artist you were really into, just some random pop up events that your friends would drag you to, but now here you were at what felt like your millionth performance of Jieun’s. You enjoyed every single one of her performances like it was your first time watching her sing. 

She made it through the rest of her set-list without a problem and then everyone watched as the staff brought out a table and a chair. Jieun had her microphone in her hand so she talked to the crowd as she stood at the edge of the stage. 

“Haha did you all like the songs..?” She listened to the crowd cheer in response, “Well I am glad, I’ve been working on this album for the better part of a year now.” The crowd cheered again and everyone watched as she went to take a seat in the chair behind the table. 

The staff of tonight's event soon started to direct the different rows into a line so they could walk up and get their albums signed. You watched in amusement at how she smiled at everyone that stood across from her and the way she easily made small talk with everyone. 

The first two rows on the right side of the room were nearing the end of their turn on stage so now it was your row’s turn to line up. You were always surprised by how well behaved her fans were when it came to events like this. When she first told you about her career and work events you expected everything to be hectic, but to your surprise it was quite the opposite.

You couldn’t hide the smile on your face as you heard the girl in front of you fangirl to her friend ahead of her. You enjoyed hearing the different things all of her fans had to say about her every time you were near them, it was like you were learning a new fun fact about her every event.  

It was now your turn to get your album signed so you walked past all the familiar faces of her staff before placing your previously vandalized album on the table in front of Jieun. 

“Hey stranger,” You sent her a soft smile as your eyes took in her beautiful appearance from up close, “You look gorgeous.”

Jieun’s cheeks flushed a light shade of pink as she listened to your compliment, “Thank you.” She avoided looking you in the eyes as she opted to look down at your album so she could sign it. 

“A lot of people showed up today, were you nervous..?” You asked as you watched her flick through the pages to find an empty one to write a note.

Jieun shook her head before landing on the one page she left free from her graffiti, “Not really, most of the faces in the crowd are pretty familiar by now.” She closed up your album before sliding it across the table to you with a beautiful smile. 

“Ahh I see.” You picked up the album and you returned her an identical smile, “Well I have to go back to my seat now but just a quick tip. Try no to look too in love with me, you’re making it pretty obvious.” 

Jieun rolled her eyes at the cocky grin on your face before plastering a fake smile on her face, “You’re so lucky I love you.” She spoke through her teeth as she waved at you like you were any other fan in the crowd.

You let out a small chuckle, “Hell yeah I am.” You gave her one last smile before walking along the stage. You could feel her eyes on you as you made your way to your seat. Well what you didn’t know was that there were other eyes on you as your familiar face started to make sense to some of the people in the crowd. 

You sat down with your girlfriend's album in your lap and a dumb smile on your face as you watched her from your seat. 

You were zoned out, lost in your own thoughts, up until you felt someone lightly tap on your shoulder. You looked down in surprise when you were met with the eyes of the girl who was seated next to you. 

“Oh, yes..?” You straightened your posture as you waited for the girl to speak to you.

“Hi, I’m sorry to bother you but I just had a quick question to ask you. Would you mind..?” The young girl asked you for permission as her friend peeked over her shoulder. 

“Huh..? Oh sure, go ahead.” You didn’t take any concern with her request as you figured she was probably going to ask you to take a picture of her and her friend. You got these requests pretty often at Jieun’s events. 

“Okay well my friend and I couldn’t help but notice how familiar your tattoos looked so we just wanted to ask if this was you..? You don’t have to answer if you’re uncomfortable, it’s just that both of us are fans of your account.” The girl was holding her phone out towards you with a picture of you and Jieun in it, well your face was the only one anyone could see anyways. 

“Oh uh,” You looked at her phone then back up at the girl's face before looking over at Jieun on stage then back at the phone. You were racking your brain for answers to give the girl, what would Jieun do in your place..? “Yeah that’s me.” You rubbed the back of your neck as you didn’t know what to expect next. 

The two girls looked at each other and shared a gasp once you admitted to being the one in the picture. 

“Oh my god that’s so awesome, can we please get a picture with you..?” The girl's friend asked you.

“Huh..?” You were super confused as to what you were supposed to do, you had never been recognized in public before so for this to happen at one of Jieun’s events was mind numbing. 

“You know, like a picture..?” The first girl said as she made a picture taking motion with her hand. “I’m telling you we’re both big fans of your account.” 

“Oh uhm, sure. Sorry I’m not used to this.” You admitted to the two girls as you let out a shy laugh, “And for the record that account is all my girlfriends work, I don’t want to take any of the credit for it.” 

“Oh my god that’s so cute, I can’t.” The girl opened up the camera app on her phone and then you were standing with each girl on either side of you. “Smile.” The girl said as she took a few pictures. 

“Are they okay..?” You asked her as she checked the pictures. 

“Yes they’re great, thank you so much.” The girl showed her friend the pictures before they both moved to sit back down in their seats. 

You followed along, sitting back down in your own seat, with a bright blush of embarrassment on your cheeks. You let out a small breath as you thought they were done talking to you, but you were quickly mistaken.

“So where is your girlfriend..? Is she here with you..?” The girl asked you as she looked around the venue. 

“Uh well something like that..” You mumbled quietly before shaking your head, “Oh no actually, she’s working today. Uhm she’s a big fan of Ji-” You paused and blinked a few times, “IU, she’s a big IU fan.” You smiled in a way to convince not only the girls but also yourself of your little white lie.

“Awe so you’re here to get her a signed album from her favorite artist..? That’s so cute, the two of you are such couple goals.” The girl and her friend shared a squeal. 

“Haha yeah…” You wiped away some sweat that had built up on your forehead. 

“I know this is going to sound like we’re crossing a line, but can you show us what she looks like..? You don’t know how curious we are.” The girl’s friend asked you. “The two of you just make the cutest couple, even if we’ve never seen her face, just from the words she writes about you we can tell that she is beautiful.” 

“Oh I’m sorry.” You slightly bowed your head to the two girls, “I can’t do that. My uh girlfriend is just really private.” 

“Oh but you said she runs the account, no..?”

“She does, it’s just that if her workplace see’s that she’s dating a woman uhm she can get fired.” That sounded believable right? You asked yourself. 

“Ohhhh.” Both the girl and her friend said at the same time. 

“That makes so much sense, I’m sorry for bugging you over that.” The girl offered you a sincere apology, “Well thank you for taking the time out of your day to talk to us.” The girl smiled at you before the both of them went back to talking to each other. 

“Oh my god..” You buried your face in your hands as you tried to calm yourself down from having a panic attack. 

Once you had managed to calm your breathing down you lifted your head to look up at the ceiling, counting to ten slowly as you breathed in and out. When you finally looked forward, your worried face quickly caught Jieun’s attention. 

“Are you okay..?” She mouthed to you in a subtle way. 

You gave her a slight nod before mouthing back to her, “Later..”

She sent you back a small but subtle nod before turning her attention back to her fans on stage. 

The rest of the event went on fine, but you felt like you couldn’t enjoy it with the big knot that your stomach was now in. You kept catching the girls next to you glancing over so you tried your best to just act like any other fan of your girlfriend but it was just so weird to you. You were sure they could see right through the act. “They know, they know, they know.” Those words repeated over and over in your head. 

Soon the venue began to empty out as Jieun had just finished performing two encore songs and she finished saying her goodbye’s to everyone. Your row was one of the last one’s to empty out as you stayed seated with your head spinning. 

The two girls that were sat next to you had thanked you once again for the picture before walking out. 

Once everyone had made their way out of the venue, you and the cleaning crew were the only people left in the empty room. You finally stood up after your many minutes of pondering thoughts. You then heard small but quick footsteps running up behind you and then you suddenly felt someone’s weight on your back. The quiet giggles quickly gave up the person’s identity. 

You couldn’t hold back your smile as you quickly put your arms around Jieun’s legs to hold her in place on your back. 

Jieun reached over to plant a small kiss on your cheek, “How was it..? How did I do tonight..?” 

You turned your head to look at her, “You did amazing, like always. Everyone in the crowd loved your songs.” 

Jieun let out a small giggle before reaching for her phone, she held it out in front of you as she captured a few pictures. She hid her face behind your hair but her beautiful smile was still visible. Once she felt like she took enough pictures, she jumped off your back and you turned around to face her. She gave you a small kiss before holding your hand in both of hers. 

“You look tired, are you okay..?” Jieun moved one of her hands to place it on your cheek. 

You leaned into her touch as you gave her a small nod, “I’m okay now.” You turned your head to plant a soft kiss on her hand. 

Jieun’s eyes were still filled with concern even after hearing your words of reassurance. “Okay well do you want to head to the back so you can tell me about what had made you look so stressed out earlier..?”

“Yeah, let me just grab my stuff.” You walked away from Jieun to grab your album and then the two of you interlocked fingers as you made your way through the venue and into the many hallways of the back.

On your walk to her dressing room you gave her a rundown of your interaction with the two girls. 

As you made it to the door of her dressing room she suddenly fell very quiet. The two of you just stood by the door in silence as it looked like Jieun was going through an internal conflict. 

Jieun finally looked back up at you, “I think I’m ready to tell everyone about us.” Her voice was very soft and quiet so it took you a minute to understand what she said. 

“What?” You looked at her in complete shock as your body froze. 

Shock, yes such a strange and bizarre emotion but your body was enveloped in it. But then a wave of relief rode over your body as you thought about how you wouldn’t have to hide the biggest secret of your life. But then fear quickly took over every inch of your body. Jieun was the love of your life. What if this decision was a huge mistake..?

_

“Oh, you dropped this.” You had picked up a phone that had slid on the floor of the bus and then proceeded to hit your shoe. You were handing it back to the girl in the seat behind you since she was the only one it could’ve belonged to. 

“I’m so sorry, I’m so clumsy how could I have dropped this.” The smaller girl laughed before reaching for her phone. “Thank you so much, uhm..?” She raised her eyebrow as she gave you the hint to introduce yourself. And so you did, “Well it’s nice to meet you, my name is Jieun.” The smaller girl introduced herself as well. 

“Oh well, it’s nice to meet you, Jieun.” You held your hand out for the girl to take. 

“The feeling is mutual.” The girl gave you the brightest smile as she returned your handshake. 

You finally pulled your eyes away from her mesmerizing ones as the bus came to a stop. You looked out the window and quickly jumped up. “Oh I’m sorry, this is my stop.” You sent her an apologetic smile before grabbing your stuff to rush off the bus. 

The girl smiled before standing up as well, “Well looks like it’s mine now too.” 

_

“So I’ve given it a lot of thought since we’ve been friends for a while now but uhm.” You paused as you had to look away from her eyes, “But, did you like want to maybe, like you know..?” You made an awkward hand motion as you couldn’t figure out how to put your thoughts into words. 

“Hmm..? Like uhm what..?” Jieun teased the flustered girl that stood in front of her. 

You took a deep breath before speaking your next sentence, “Do you want to be my girlfriend..? It’s okay to say no but somewhere along our friendship I started to get romantic feelings for you and I was just hoping that they would be mutual.” Your face was completely flushed red as you tried to avoid looking Jieun in the eyes. 

Before she responded she let out a little giggle that caused you to look at her, and to your surprise she was nodding her head. “I would be honored to be your girlfriend.” 

You couldn’t believe your ears, you thought you had mistaken what you heard. Jieun then swiftly pulled you into the softest kiss of your life. There was no mistaking what she meant now. 

“Finally, it took you long enough.” Jieun said once she pulled away from your first official couple kiss. 

_

“Oh my gosh, why do you own so much crap? This is so heavy.” Jieun whined as she carried one of your boxes into her neat apartment.

“Hey to be fair you’re the one who bought me most of this stuff.” You smiled at her antics as you walked in with the heavier boxes. 

Jieun placed your box on the ground in the living room before moving to flop on the couch with a loud grunt. “Oh my,” She let out a small huff, “I don’t think I’ve ever had to…” 

Before she could continue to complain you leaned down over her on the couch and you planted a small kiss on her lips. You felt her smile before she moved her hands to hold your face in a sign of defeat. You pulled away far enough for your noses to still be touching as the both of you smiled. 

“Okay, okay I get the message loud and clear.” Jieun moved her head side to side to rub your noses together before she moved to give you another kiss. This time pulling you on top of her on the couch.

The two of you shared a sweet moment together before you moved to lay next to her on the couch. Your arm was wrapped around her waist and your face lay nuzzled in the crook of her neck. 

“Finally, I’ve had to listen to you complain since we got on the elevator.” You smiled against her neck as you heard her groan in annoyance. 

“Ugh I hate you.” She turned her body so she could face you. 

You let out a small gasp, “You hate me..? Oh no, it looks like I’m going to have to move out before I even got the chance to finish moving in.” You moved to try and get up from the couch but you were soon stopped by Jieun. 

“Don’t you dare leave me yet. At least wake me up with some breakfast in bed or something.” She wrapped her arms around you so you could lay in place with her on the couch. 

You let out a soft chuckle as you surrendered to her touch, “Okay, okay, I won’t leave.” 

_

“Hey, wake up.” You whispered in Jieun’s ear, “Jieun get up.” You placed down a plate of food on her night stand before moving your hand up to her forehead to play with her bangs.

“Hmm…” Jieun mumbled tiredly as she leaned into your touch.

“Wake up baby.” You planted a soft kiss on her forehead. 

“I love you, but if the building isn’t on fire then don’t wa- wait.” Jieun’s tired voice came to a halt, “Do I smell food.” She opened one of her eyes to peek out at you. 

You couldn’t hold back your smile at how cute she was, “Yes, I made you some breakfast. So hurry and get up to eat before it gets cold.” 

She let out a small groan and then you helped her sit up. “Thank you.” She smiled at you tiredly as you placed the plate of food in her lap. 

“Mhm.” You hummed happily as she began to dig into the food. You couldn’t help but stare at the woman you were deeply in love with.

_

In what felt like an instant, all of your favorite memories with Jieun replayed in your head as you stared at her with blank eyes. 

“Baby, hey, are you okay..?” You began to hear her voice break through the fog in your mind. She grabbed both of your hands to pull you towards the end of the hallway where no one was around. 

Jieun placed both hands on your cheeks. She held your face in her hands as she looked at you with all the concern she could muster. “Why are you crying..?” She asked you softly. 

“Huh..?” You asked in confusion, “Crying..?” You couldn’t even feel the tears that streamed their way down your cheeks. “Jieun..” Your eyes began to water up even worse as you moved to pull her into a hug. 

“What’s wrong, hmm..?” Jieun hummed against your body as she hugged you. 

You pulled away to look at her, “These are tears of joy, I promise.” You grabbed one of her hands so you could plant a small kiss on her knuckles, “I can’t believe this is happening. My heart, it can’t handle this.” You let out a small sigh, “It only ever beats like this because of you.” You placed her hand over your chest so she could feel the rapid beating of your heart. “You’re the only person that can make me like this.” 

Jieun smiled gently, “So then what are these tears about..? Hmm..?” She tilted her head to the side as she waited for your answer. 

“It’s just, it feels like this is a big step forward for us. It feels unreal.” Your shoulders dropped as you looked down at the ground. “Wow..” You shook your head before continuing, "I've waited for what feels like an eternity to be able to let everyone know we are together. Not because you are 'IU the famous celebrity' but because you're 'Jieun the one girl who can make me feel like no one has before'. I want people to know how much of a beautiful person you are inside and out, how happy you make me, how you take care of me when I'm not feeling the best, how you always reassure me everything will be okay and most of all, I want people to know of the love I hold for you in my heart."

When you looked back up at Jieun you weren’t expecting to be met with her tear stained cheeks. It was your turn to dry her face, your thumb delicately tracing over the small streaks on her cheeks. 

“Are you okay..?” You leaned your forehead against hers as she closed her eyes. 

“Mhm,” She hummed as she took in a deep breath, “I’m fine, it's just you always catch me off guard with your words.” 

You pulled away from her so you could look her in the eyes, “Well they’re not just empty words, they’re my true feelings put into word format. I mean everything that I say when it comes to you. I seriously do love you Jieun, and I’m willing to do any and everything you need me to do.” 

Jieun looked at you for a few seconds as she thought about what to do next. She let out a small breath before smiling at you, “Okay then, let me talk to Hanteo real quick so I can see what we can do.” 

Jieun tried to walk away but you grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving, “Wait.” 

Jieun looked at you in shock but then she decided to let you say whatever it was that you needed to say. “What’s wrong..?” 

“Jieun, I know I’m okay with people knowing about us, but are you one hundred percent sure you’re okay with this..? We live two separate lives, this news coming out wouldn’t hurt me as much as it would your career. Are you sure you’re willing to risk everything for us..?” Jieun had spent her entire lifetime building up her successful career that could quickly fall in ruins at the mention of any news that the public would disagree with. You wanted her to be super sure about her decision. 

Jieun held your hand in both of hers, “Yes, I’m sure.” Three words. It was that simple to her. There was no contemplation on her part, she was ready for everyone to know about your relationship. She didn’t care about anything else, much less the public’s opinion about her relationship. “Whatever happens to my career could never come as close as us not being able to be together. I would choose you over everything else in this world every chance that I get.” Jieun’s tone was as sincere as it’s ever been, she wanted you to know she was serious. “If no one accepts me for who I am and who I love, then what's the point of keeping this career up if I can't be happy.” 

And with that final statement from her, you knew there was no changing her mind now. “Okay then.” You matched the expression she wore on her face, “So we’re doing this..?” 

“Mhm.” Jieun hummed in response. 

“Wow, we’re doing this..?” You repeated your sentence as more of an exclamation as the situation finally resonated in your head. “We’re doing this!” This time it wasn’t even a question, it was more of a cheer. You pulled your hand away from her grip so you could jump up and down in celebration. “We’re doing it!!” You continued to cheer, putting a smile on Jieun’s face, until you felt all the extra energy in your body dissipate. 

“Haha are you okay now..?” Jieun asked once you settled back down from your impromptu cheer performance. 

“Ooh yeah, just a little dizzy.” You placed a hand on your head, your current state being a result from you jumping up and down while spinning in a circle. 

Jieun couldn’t help but laugh at your current state of being. “You’re so cute.” 

It was now your turn to blush as Jieun’s words made their way into your heart. You were used to being the cheesy one in the relationship so you being in this state was a rare sight to Jieun. 

“Ahh so cute.” Jieun couldn’t help the small squeal of excitement she let out when she saw you in your flustered state. “Oh the way I love you is insane.” Jieun wrapped you up in her arms so she could squeeze you. The cuteness aggression she was feeling was serious. 

“Jieun stop…” You couldn’t handle her teasing you like this, so pulling away with a smile you turned away from her. You buried your face in your hands, the warmth on your face was a surprise to your now warm hands. 

Jieun’s eyes widened in adoration, she loved seeing you being so flustered by her actions. She considered this moment as payback for how you were teasing her earlier. She beat you at your own game essentially. 

“Cute.” Jieun mumbled as she moved to hug you from behind. “Come on, let’s walk to my dressing room, I still have to find Hanteo so I can talk to him about all this.” 

It took you a few more deep breaths before you pulled your face away from your hands, “Okay.” You nodded before turning in Jieun’s embrace. “You lead the way?” You asked her as you looked into her eyes. 

Jieun couldn’t hide her smile when she noticed just how vulnerable you looked in that moment. “Mhm.” Jieun released her arms from your waist so she could hold your hand. She led you down the hallway and to her dressing room. The both of you walked in as everyone was packing up all their items. “Wait for me here..?” 

“Okay, but don’t take too long.” Your voice was quiet as you were still feeling shy from her actions earlier. You loved to tease her but when it came to being the one being teased you just couldn’t handle it. 

Jieun’s smile widened, “Mmm okay, I’ll try to hurry.” Jieun spoke with a pout as her voice sounded like she was speaking to a lost child. Jieun cupped your face so she could give you a kiss before walking away. 

You walked to the back corner of her dressing room so you could sit in one of the empty seats. You slowly spun in the chair you were sitting in as you looked up at the ceiling, mind racing about all the possible outcomes of your relationship going public. 

After what felt like an eternity, but was really just thirty minutes, a familiar hand stopped your chair from spinning. You instantly smiled as soon as your eyes landed on the familiar beauty in front of you. 

“Having fun..?” Jieun asked you in a light hearted tone as she moved to sit in your lap. 

You had a small pout on your face as you shook your head, “About as much fun as I can have when you’re not around.” You paused to let out a sigh, ”Which is not much at all.” You responded as you gently wrapped your arms around her while she got comfortable against your body.

Jieun giggled quietly before letting out a small breath, “Hmm well I have some good,” She paused before tilting her head up to look at you, “And some bad news.” She reached up with her hand to place it behind your head, gently tilting your head down so you could look at her. 

“Okay,” You looked her in the eyes as your hand gently traced up and down her side, “What’s the news..?” 

“Oh wait,” She moved her hand away from your head so she could dig her phone out of her pocket. She called over someone in the room, when you looked up you noticed it was the overworked intern from earlier. “Hi, sorry to bother you but would you mind taking some pictures for me..?” Jieun asked the now flustered girl. 

The young girl looked at you and then at Jieun with shock written all over her face, “Oh sure.” The girl grabbed Jieun’s phone from her hand. 

You looked at Jieun while the young girl fumbled with the phone, “You never miss the opportunity for a picture, do you..?” The dumb smile on your face was met with the proud one on Jieun’s face. 

“Of course not babe, you should know this by now.” Jieun moved her face to hide it in the crook of your neck, using your hair to cloak her face. 

You readjusted your hands before looking up at the camera, the intern had been snapping pictures of the two of you since she managed to open the camera application. When you smiled at her she froze before accidentally dropping Jieun’s phone. 

“Oh my I’m so sorry.” The girl quickly reached down to pick up Jieun’s phone before being stopped by Jieun placing her hand on the girl's arm. 

“Hey don’t apologize, it’s okay. Thank you for taking time out of your day to do that for me.” Jieun moved off of your lap so she could pick up her phone. 

The girl quickly bowed her head at you and Jieun. “Sorry.” 

“Hey it’s okay, really.” This time you spoke to the young girl, “Sorry if she held you up from doing what you needed to do.” You gestured to Jieun who was now looking through the pictures that the girl had taken. “She gets tunnel vision when it comes to a photo opportunity.” 

“Oh, okay.” The girl stared at you with big eyes. “I didn’t mind.” 

“Haha okay, well we’ll leave you alone now.” You bowed your head at the girl before placing your hand on Jieun’s back so you could make her bow to the young girl as well. 

“Oh right, thank you so much.” Jieun smiled at the girl once she was upright. 

The girl scrambled off after that so then the two of you moved back to sitting in the chair together. 

“Okay well you got your pictures, are you going to tell me the news now..?” 

“Mhm but wait, look at this one…” Jieun held her phone up to your face to show you a picture. 

“Oh.” Your eyes widened in surprise by how good the picture actually was. You were smiling at the camera but the photo was snapped right at the moment the intern lost her grip on it so it was a little blurry but just in the right way. 

“Right..? It’s my favorite one.” Jieun giggled before putting her phone away. Jieun cleared her throat before speaking again, “Okay so I talked to my company and they told me that as long as I’m one hundred percent sure about my decision then they would stand behind me for everything. They only have one condition, and that’s for us to announce our relationship through a live broadcast.” 

“Oh, so I’m assuming the broadcast is the bad news..?” You asked Jieun after what she said weighed in your mind. 

“Yeah, I just wasn’t sure how you would feel about it. If you don’t feel comfortable about it then we can just cancel this whole thing.” 

“Oh no Jieun, don’t worry. I want to do this just as much as you do.” You smiled at her, “As long as you’re with me I’ll be okay.” 

Jieun admired you for a minute before responding. She knew making that decision was hard for someone in your position. You never cared about being in the public’s eye but now you were essentially being thrown into it because of her career. She would be lying if she said she didn’t feel super selfish for making you make this decision and also super guilty for all the sacrifices you had to make when it came to dating her. She often wondered if you would be happier with just having a normal relationship with anyone not in a public position such as hers. 

“Jieun, are you okay..?” You moved a hand up to hold her face when you saw her having an internal battle. 

Jieun nodded her head as she avoided looking you in the eyes, “Yeah, I'm sorry. I just can’t help but feel like I'm forcing you to do this. I’m sorry for putting you in this position.”

“Jieun, no, you’re not forcing me to do anything. Don’t say that, okay..? I want to do this. I promise.” You leaned down so you could plant a soft kiss on her forehead. 

Jieun finally looked up at you, “Okay, then when do you want to do the broadcast..?��

You shrugged your shoulders in response, “It doesn’t matter to me. Talk to Hanteo and your company, whatever works for them will work with me.” 

“Alright then,” Jieun let out a heavy sigh, “I’m nervous.” She admitted to you in a hesitant tone. 

“It’ll be okay. If anything were to happen I’ll be right by your side.” 

Jieun leaned her head against you before closing her eyes, “I know love, thank you.” 

“Of course baby.” Your voice was gentle when you noticed just how tired she was

_

Everyone had soon cleared out of the room and only you and Jieun were left alone, a few staff members filtered in and out of the room occasionally. Hanteo had walked up to you to let you know the car was ready for you outside. 

You looked down at Jieun, who had fallen asleep on you a while ago, you slid your arms underneath her so you could slowly pick her up so as to not wake her. You carefully made your way out of the room and towards the car outside. On your journey to the car she had wrapped her arms around your neck as she mumbled something in her sleep. 

You and Hanteo walked to the car together as you discussed Jieun’s decision. He told you he was genuinely surprised it took her this long to come to this decision since he always knew her as someone who always wanted to get everything done as soon as possible, not caring about any of the negativity when it came to something she truly believed in. 

Once you made it to the car, Hanteo opened the door for you so you could slide Jieun into the back seat. You quickly got in so you could lean her head onto your shoulder so she could continue sleeping. Hanteo moved to get into the driver's seat so he could get the two of you home as soon as possible. 

_

In what seemed like a flash, a week had passed since Jieun had settled on her decision for your relationship to go public. After a lot of back and forth of planning, her and her management team had come up with a fairly simple but effective plan. 

The day after her fan meeting she had uploaded the pictures she had taken when it ended, (The one she took while on your back and then the one where she was in your lap) and in the caption of the pictures she had mentioned that the two of you would be having a broadcast. Then on her own personal account she started following your couple’s account and then she liked the post about the broadcast. These two simple steps led to a huge whirlwind of events. 

Many people in the comments started to speculate about how it was Jieun in all the photos, well for once these delusional guessing comments would be right, and by just having her personal account following your couple’s account the followers completely blew up. Now you weren’t someone who cared about any of the numbers on anything as this page was mostly like a public diary about your relationship, but even you were impressed by how huge the numbers grew. Your account went from where it sat before to having almost half of what her personal account had. Plus a few of her fellow celebrity friends started following it as well which also caused a huge movement of people discovering your account, well Jieun’s account. 

Continuing on with the plan, Jieun had posted a countdown with the numbers sort of being blended in on the pictures she would post to her story. Some people had quickly caught on but the rest had to find out about it through fan accounts on different social media pages. It soon became like a treasure hunt to find the ticking numbers embedded in her photos. Only those ticking numbers matched up with the scheduled live broadcast for your couple’s account. 

It didn’t take long for your own personal account to be found by her fans and the people who followed your couple’s account. You quickly had to move to delete many of your embarrassing pictures from your teenage years as you had barely used the account nowadays. Jieun took it upon herself to help you update everything on it. The theme of your couple’s account soon took over your personal account. 

_

“You okay, are you nervous..?” 

You looked up when you heard Jieun enter your bedroom, “Uhm, hmm.” You shook your head before speaking again, “Not really.”

“Are you sure..?” Jieun asked as she moved to sit next to you on the bed. 

“Yeah I’m sure Jieun, we’ve been together for nearly five years now, I think it’s time for people to finally know the truth.” You moved to lay your head in her lap, your eyes shined as you looked up at the woman who made your life better every second she was in it. 

Jieun let out a small laugh before placing a hand on your cheek, staring down into the eyes she loved very much. “I think you’re right. It’s time to let everyone know.”

“Just a few more hours to go and we will finally have nothing to hide anymore.” You couldn’t help but melt in her touch as her thumb lightly grazed over your cheek.

“Ugh, I seriously don’t know how I was able to keep us hidden this entire time.” Jieun leaned down to place a gentle kiss on your forehead. 

“Hmm, well I’m seriously surprised no one has ever figured it out yet, especially with the way you look at me in public events.” You had a little laugh at the look she sent you.

“Shut up, I hate you.” Jieun pulled her hand away from you so she could place both hands behind her so she could lean back. 

You wrapped your arms around her waist and moved to nuzzle your head into her stomach, “Oh come on, don’t say that. You love me.” You had a smile on your face as you could feel her laugh. 

“You’re so annoying.” Jieun let out a long sigh, “But I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t true. I think I might even love you a little too much, you turd.”

“Ha, that’s impossible.” You stopped moving your head to look back up at her. “Because I love you way more than you love me.” 

“Oh do you really?” Jieun’s head tilted to the side. 

“Mhm, I do.” Your arms tightened around her waist so you could give her a gentle squeeze. 

“Prove it.” 

“Hmm?” You let go of her waist so you could use your arms to lift your upper body up so your face would be even with hers. “And how do you want me to do that..?” You would be lying if you said the look on her face didn’t give you butterflies. 

“Do you really need me to spell it out for you?” Jieun leaned closer towards you. 

“Not really, but I just want to hear you say it.” Your head tilted to the side as a confident smile took over your features, completely ignoring the warmth that enveloped your entire body. 

“Oh really..?” Jieun raised an eyebrow at your answer. “How long do we have until our broadcast..?” 

“Uhm,” You broke eye contact with Jieun so you could look at the clock on the nightstand behind her. “About three hours or so.” Your eyes locked back onto her now darkened ones. 

“Good, that’s plenty of time.” Before your brain could register anything, Jieun had pulled you down onto the bed with her. 

Ahh Lee Jieun, the only woman who could turn a silly little joke into a crazy competition. Not that you were complaining or anything but jeez this woman drove you insane. 

_

“Oh, I definitely won here.” More than an hour had passed since your antics earlier and now you were hovering over Jieun’s reddened face. 

“Unfair.” Jieun mumbled before looking away from you.

“What..? Unfair?? How..?” You placed a hand on her warm cheek to tilt her head so she could face you. But before she could answer you let out a small chuckle, “Oh you look so pretty like this, Jieun.” You whispered in her ear before planting a kiss on her now sweaty temple. 

Your voice had sent a shiver down Jieun’s back, she tried her best to conceal it from you but she was very unsuccessful. “You’re unbelievable, you didn’t even give me a chance.” Jieun rolled her eyes at you. 

“It’s okay love, I enjoy loving you more.” You finally moved to untangle your body from hers so you could lay next to her. “I’m going to hop in the shower, you coming with..?” You turned your body so you could face her. 

“Of course I am, just give me a second to lay here for a bit.” Jieun sighed before placing her arm over her eyes, “I need to realign my chakras.” 

You couldn’t help but laugh at how random your girlfriend was. “Oh you’re so cute, I love you.” You leaned in to place a kiss on her cheek. “I’ll go get the water started, feel free to join once your chakras are done aligning.” You moved to get off the bed. 

“Wait…” Jieun whined as she threw her arms around your body.

“What’s wrong..?” You turned to look over at your girlfriend. 

All she did was whine before sticking her lips out to you. 

Once again you couldn’t help but laugh at her, “Why are you so cute..?” You gave in to her request as you leaned in to gently kiss her lips before moving on to peppering little kisses all over her face. “Insane Jieun, you drive me insane and I love it.” You smiled as you spoke to her in the softest voice you could muster. 

Jieun’s eyes were filled with all of the adoration in the world as she stared into your own love struck eyes. You finally pulled away from her after what seemed like a lifetime of staring into the others eyes. 

“Okay I have to get up now, we don’t have much time left baby. We gotta wash up, so hurry up with your chakras.” You had a goofy smile on your face as you moved away from your bed and into the bathroom. “Don’t take too long now or else I won’t help you scrub your back.” That was the last thing you said before turning on the water to the shower. 

_

“I still can’t believe you’re still this bad at drying your hair after all these years.” Jieun complained as she sat next to you on the couch in your living room, towel in hand as she gently dried strands of your hair, 

“Well why would I try to get better at it when I can just have you do it..?” You lifted your hand to place it on hers, stopping her from drying your hair. “It should be okay now, we only have a few more minutes left.” You tried pulling the towel out of her hand.

“Ugh fine, but if you get sick later from your hair being damp I don’t want to hear it.” Jieun let go so you could take the towel from her. 

Once you pulled the towel away you turned to face her, “Well whose fault is it that I needed to take a shower right before the broadcast..? Hmm..?” 

Jieun turned her head to look away as she shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t know. Crazy mystery.” 

You couldn’t help but laugh at the scene in front of you, “Yeah, mhm, mystery indeed.” You shook your head at Jieun before getting up with the towel in your hand. 

“Go put that away, I’ll set everything up for the broadcast.” Jieun finally looked back over at you. “And stop looking at me like that before I kick you.” Jieun grabbed her phone that she placed on the coffee table in front of her. 

“Okay okay, I’m going.” Jieun had placed her foot on your leg so she could lightly push you along. 

Once you put the towel away you walked back into the living room, the sight in front of you instantly making you laugh. You sped up so you could jump over the back of the couch and sit next to Jieun. 

“What’s happening babe, I thought you were the expert in this stuff..?” When you had walked back into the living room you had seen Jieun struggling with something on her phone so you had to take this opportunity to tease her. 

Jieun let out a small huff before looking over at you in annoyance. “It’s not like you would do any better.” Jieun had the phone up to her face. “Oh, ahh!!” Jieun threw her phone on the coffee table in front of you. 

“Huh, what’s wrong..?” You looked at the phone then back over at Jieun. 

Jieun pointed to the phone before whispering, “I accidentally pressed start, go stop it.” 

“Oh, hold on.” You reached for the phone then you were soon greeted with your own face on the screen in front of you. You froze for a second before looking around to screen for a button to end the accidental live stream. “Oh, I found it.” You clicked on the red button up in the corner of the screen then you gave the phone back to Jieun. 

Jieun let out a huge breath as she placed her hand over her heart, “My goodness that scared the mess out of me.” 

“Did they see your face..?” You moved closer to her, putting your hand on her arms to try and calm her down. 

“I don’t know, I was trying to swipe out of the app but I accidentally hit the button and then I just threw the phone. I don’t know if anyone saw anything.” Jieun sighed before shaking her head. “I’m sorry, this might have been a bad idea.” She let go of her phone, letting it fall onto the couch so she could place her hands on her head.

“Jieun, it's okay.” You slipped your hands underneath her so you could turn her to face you. “Breathe baby, it’s going to be okay.” You moved her hands away from her face so she could look at you. “Breathe.” You whispered to her. 

Jieun nodded her head before struggling to calmly intake air. 

You moved her hair behind her ears so you could look at her face, “It's okay, just breathe.” 

You worked with Jieun for a few more minutes until she was finally able to calm down. You hated seeing her panic like this but it also wasn’t something new to you. 

“Better..?” You spoke to her in a gentle voice when she finally looked you in the eyes. 

“Yeah, I’m okay now.” Jieun’s voice wavered as she answered you with a nod. 

“Hey, everything is going to be okay. Don’t be too hard on yourself for a simple mistake. It happens, at least now we know it works.” You spoke the last sentence in a light hearted tone so she would know it was supposed to be a joke. 

“Mmm well I guess you’re right.” Jieun finally cracked a smile. 

“There we go, all better.” You ran your fingers through her hair before giving her a soft kiss on the forehead. 

Jieun’s smile lingered on her face as she watched you, “Did you still want to do it..?” 

“Hmm, what..?” Your head tilted to the side as you questioned what she meant. 

“The broadcast, do you still want to do it..?” Jieun clarified what she meant as she looked into your eyes. 

“Oh the broadcast.” You couldn’t help the smile on your face, “Of course, as long as you’re okay to do it.” 

“Yeah I’m fine now, I’ll just leave this to you.” She placed her phone in your lap. 

“Okay love, we’ll start it whenever you’re ready then.” You took her phone from her to examine the screen. 

Jieun stood up from the couch so she could grab a glass of water from the kitchen. She didn’t want to admit it to you but she was very nervous about this whole situation. She didn’t want you to get hurt because of her and she knew people would be ruthless to whoever she was in a relationship with. As she stood at the edge of the kitchen with her glass in hand, she watched you sitting on the couch scrolling through her phone. 

“Hey Jieun, uhm people are starting to comment about us saying we’re past the ten minute timestamp you posted about on the story thing.” You were scrolling through all the recent comments on the post Jieun had uploaded a bit ago talking about what time you two would begin the broadcast.

Jieun looked over at the clock on the stove and saw that the two of you were indeed behind schedule. Jieun took a small breath in before walking back over to sit next to you on the couch. “You can start it whenever you want, no pressure.”

You looked between Jieun and her phone, “No pressure.” You repeated what she said. “Okay, just a few more seconds then. I think that I’m now the one who needs her chakras realigned.” You flashed her a smile when you referenced what she had said earlier that evening. 

“Oh, it’s actually kind of quiet in here, isn’t it..?” Jieun looked around the living room before standing back up. 

You just watched as she walked over to the smart speaker you had in the living room then she asked the speaker to play some music. You couldn’t help the laugh you let out when she jumped in surprise at how high the volume was at first. 

“Oh, found it.” Jieun whispered as she turned the volume down to a reasonable level. 

Once Jieun sat back down next to you you looked at her phone, finger hovering over the “Start Live” button. 

“It’s okay baby, whenever you’re ready.” Jieun whispered to you before gently placing a kiss on the side of your head. 

You looked over at her with a small smile, “Okay then, this could either be the beginning of paradise or hell, but for you it is worth it.” 

Jieun leaned against the armrest of the couch so she could get out of her phone's camera frame and she watched you with so much love in her eyes it was crazy. “Let’s hope it’s paradise, because that’s how these past few years have felt.” 

You gave her a small nod before focusing on the screen in front of you. “Here we go, 1.. 2.. 3.” You spoke to yourself before finally clicking on the button that you’d been staring at for what felt like forever. All you could do was stare at the screen for the first few moments as you watched people continuously join the broadcast. The number grew way faster than you expected, the shock was evident on your face. You finally began to introduce yourself once Jieun nudged you with her leg to snap you out of your trance. You looked over at her then back at the phone, clearing your throat, you began to speak. “Oh wow, hi.” You smiled shyly at the camera as comments went flying by on the screen. “There sure are a lot of people here tonight haha.” Your head tilted to the side as you read some of the comments. “Okay well let me get started then.” You cleared your throat again before looking at the camera lens instead of the screen. 

“Hello, thank you all for joining in tonight as we have some crazy news to share with everyone, but before we get to all that I just want to say a few words. I apologize in advance if I come off as incoherent or scattered brained, my girlfriend is actually the professional in all this public speaking stuff so please cut me some slack. But here we go, I want to first of all thank you all for being so supportive of this account and our relationship. I know a lot of you have been following this account for a long time and some of you even since the beginning. We both never expected this account to get the attention it got, it kinda just started off as a way for my girlfriend to record our relationship. She’s a very busy person so she loves to record any moments of us together when she can so that’s how this whole account started off. This was entirely her idea so I don’t want to take any credit for it, I’m just grateful that about a third of our relationship is always available for us to look back on.” You looked over at Jieun with a heartfelt smile before looking back at the camera. “Now, I guess I shouldn’t delay this topic any further so let’s get to it. One of the hottest topics about our account is who my girlfriend is and why she doesn’t show her face. Well she’s here to introduce herself to all of you out there, but I just want to give you all a small warning.” You pulled the phone closer to yourself so you could whisper, “My girlfriend is very very beautiful so just be prepared.” You moved the phone back to its original distance from your face. 

Jieun laughed at your antics as she watched you in amusement. 

You looked over and locked eyes with her, “Ready..?” 

Jieun admired you for a few seconds before nodding her head, “Mhm.” 

Your smile grew even bigger then you looked back over at the camera. “Okay, well I’m going to hand this off to her now, she’s kinda the professional in all of this so yeah. Here you go love.” You handed the phone to Jieun. 

She continued to keep her face out of frame until she was ready. Then slowly she moved closer to you, moving the camera to capture both of your faces in frame. Jieun didn’t say anything as all she could do was stare at the way the comments flew by faster than she could read them.

“Gosh Jieun, how do you manage to look even more beautiful on screen.” You spoke your genuine compliment as you looked between the Jieun next to you and the one on the screen in front of you. “Crazy.” You shook your head in disbelief at her beauty.

Jieun began to blush like crazy when she heard your compliment. “I guess it’s my turn to introduce myself, no..?” Jieun whispered to you.

“Mhm, go ahead baby.” You reached for her hand that wasn’t holding the camera. “You got this.” You reassured her with a gentle squeeze of her hand. 

Jieun looked between you and the camera as she built the courage to speak. Then finally she introduced herself. “Hello everyone, it’s nice to finally meet you all on this account. My name is Lee Jieun but a few of you may know that I also go by another name. And that name is IU.” Jieun’s eyes on screen reflected the comments that were speeding by on screen. “I know this may seem crazy, but yes, that has been me in all these pictures on this account. What do you think, did I do a good job at hiding my identity..?” Jieun asked the viewers as she had a small smile on her face. “I just hope that you all now understand the reason behind me being secretive about my identity on this account for the past two years.” 

The two of you sat in silence after her last sentence while you both tried reading some of the comments. You finally decided to speak up to help break the silence. 

“See, I told all of you that she was very beautiful.” You looked away from the screen so you could look at Jieun’s profile, “Very, very beautiful.” 

Jieun placed the phone in your hand so she could move to hide her face in the crook of your neck. “Stop that, you’re making me shy.” She whispered to you which caused you to laugh.

You held the camera up to show everyone watching the scene that was happening between the two of you. “Haha, did you hear that..?” You asked the viewers watching. “She’s shy.” 

After a small while the comments began to slow down and you were finally able to fully read them. You nudged Jieun so she could look at you. “Look, they’re all pretty much positive.” You gestured to the phone in front of you. 

Jieun finally pulled away from you so she could read the comments as well. “Oh wow…” She mumbled as she stared at the screen. 

“Yeah wow.” You agreed with her statement of shock. “I guess everything is going to be okay now, hmm..?” 

“Hopefully.” Jieun spoke in a quiet voice. 

“Hmm,” You looked between Jieun and the screen. “Well, I feel like we should tell them about ourselves, shouldn’t we..?” 

“Mhm, we should.” Jieun nodded as all she could do was stare at you in admiration at how you were able to lead the livestream even though this was your first time doing anything like this. 

Your eyes grazed the comments that were flying by, filled with questions. You read them outloud to yourself before finding one that you wanted to answer. 

“How did the two of you meet..?” You read the comment out loud then you looked over at Jieun, who was still just staring at you. “Do you want to tell the story or do you want me to..?” 

“You can do it…” Jieun answered as she avoided looking you in the eyes. 

“Okay,” You planted a gentle kiss on her forehead before clearing your throat and looking back at the camera. “It was about seven years ago now, and believe it or not we first met on the bus. Crazy right..?” You smiled as memories started to flood your mind. “I was in my first year of university here and I was heading to a study group at a cafe near my campus. I was still fairly new to the area so I had gotten on the wrong bus at first so when I boarded the one Jieun was on, I was already running late. And Jieun, well actually where were you headed to..? You never told me.” You looked over at Jieun.

“Oh, it was my day off so I was just visiting a bunch of different bakeries and cafes around town.” Jieun answered as she moved to lean her head on your shoulder so she could look at you through the screen in front of her. 

“Oh, interesting.” You smiled when you felt her lean on you. “Continuing, she was in the seat behind me and she had suddenly dropped her phone which slid forward, hitting my shoe, so like any other sane person in the world, I picked it up to hand it to her. But man, when I was handing her her phone, the look on her face was unbelievable. The way she looked at me in that moment still gives me butterflies to this day.” You couldn’t help the smile on your face as you continued to tell the story of your first meeting. 

Jieun happily sat with you, occasionally chiming in to help with some of the story telling, she didn’t know if it was the huge amount of weight that was no longer on her shoulders that made her feel even more comfortable leaning on you. You were her happy place and she would never deny that. You had then given the phone to Jieun so you could explain this part of the story with your hands.

“And yeah, all that has led up to here. I can’t believe I’ve had to deal with your crazy self for this long.” You laughed as you looked at Jieun.

“Ha, you’re the crazy one here, not me.” She playfully slapped your shoulder. 

“Sure, as if that’s not a lie.” You had a sly smirk on your face as you watched Jieun.

Jieun glared at you before breaking out in a bright smile, “It’s insane that I love you so much that I can’t even pretend to be mad at you.” 

You let out a joyful laugh before moving to quickly wrap her up in a hug, knocking her phone out of her hand in the process. “Oh, oops.” You leaned over to pick her phone up from the ground, “I’m sorry about that, are you all okay..?” 

While you were talking to the camera Jieun stared at you from behind, “Dummy…” She mumbled in a not so subtle way. 

You turned away from the camera to look at her, “What did you just call me..?” 

Jieun had a mischievous smirk on her face as she answered you, “Dummy.” This time she spoke with way more haughtiness.

“Oh really..?” You stuck your tongue to the side of your cheek as you nodded slowly. “This is how it’s going to be huh..” You had a small smile on your face as you moved forward to lean her phone against a candle you had on the coffee table. “Okay then.” Once you had the camera set up you turned around to face Jieun. “Dummy, is it..?” You asked before moving to jump on top of her. “Say sorry.” You laughed as you began to tickle the squirming girl beneath you. 

“Hahaha, n-no, n-, hahaha, never!” She laughed loudly, barely letting the words out. 

“Say it,” You couldn't help but laugh at how infectious Jieun’s laugh was. 

“No!” She yelled as her laugh got even louder. 

“Say it.”

“No!”

Say i- woah!” Before you were able to even realize it, Jieun had wrapped her legs around your waist, quickly moving to flip the two of you over. Uh-oh, now she was the one on top. 

“J-jieun,” You let out a giggle, “Stop!! You’re going to make me pee myself!”

“Ha ha, Karma punk.” Jieun now sported that same mischievous smirk from earlier as she tickled. 

By now you had completely forgotten about the camera and broadcast as all your focus was now on getting revenge. 

Somewhere in between your squirming around you were able to grab her arms to stop her from tickling you, you quickly moved to tackle her back down underneath you. “Ha! Got you.” You quickly stood up from the couch and moved to pick her up and throw her over your shoulder, once you had her where you needed her, you began to spin around. 

Jieun was laughing so hard tears began to stream down her face. 

Once you stopped spinning her around, you carefully dropped her back onto the couch, proceeding to throw a pillow at her. Jieun quickly scrambled to sit up so she could throw the pillow back at you.

You caught the pillow as it flew towards you, “Haha loser, I caught it!” You teased, sticking your tongue out at her. You turned around to look for a bigger pillow but then that soon became a big mistake as Jieun took that opportunity to jump on your back.

The two of you continued to play around like children for a while until you finally remembered about the broadcast that was still live streaming your whole play fight. Jieun was currently on top of you on the couch, attempting to do some wrestling moves when you reminded her about the camera. 

“Huh?” She paused in the middle of one of her moves, “Oh no.” She cleared her throat then she rolled off of you to sit down, trying her best to seem normal.

You couldn’t help the huge belt of laughter at the sight of her, “Oh you’re so cute.” You wrapped your arms around her and peppered her in kisses all over. 

Jieun was laughing while trying to free herself from you, “S-stop, haha, the, the, the broadcast.” She managed to get out in between her laughter. 

You finally pulled away from her with the biggest smile on your face. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry. I can’t help myself. You’re just too cute.” You planted one last kiss on her lips before grabbing her phone off of the coffee table. “Oh wow.” As you sat back down you looked at the number of people watching, it had more than doubled since the moment the two of you started playing around. 

_

It was now time for the broadcast to end and Jieun was the one who was in charge of that as you now sat asleep hugging her from behind. Your head was leaning on her back as your arms were wrapped around her waist. 

Jieun couldn’t help the smile on her face as she watched you from the screen, man was this girl in love. 

Jieun looked back up at the camera to begin speaking again in a hushed tone as to not wake you up. “Well I hope this wasn’t too much of a shock to my longtime supporters but I don’t regret this decision. This relationship is a huge part of who I am and I just hope that you can all continue to support me for who I am and not because of who or how I love. And I mean that with all the sincerity in the world.” Jieun paused to turn her head to look at you, “I love her a lot, she makes me so happy it’s hard to even put it into words.” Jieun looked back over at the camera, eyes looking over the comments, “She’s someone very special to me. She makes me feel things that I didn’t even know were possible. There’s no one out there more perfect for me than her and she has never made me feel anything less than special.” Jieun didn’t notice how a tear had escaped from her eye as she spoke her truth, “I have to go now, thank you for all of your support. Bye.” Jieun waved at the camera then she cut the broadcast off. 

_

“Jieun, I’m not sure about this. I’m nervous.” You whispered as you followed her into the dressing room you were now sharing. Yes sharing, not her dressing room, but one for the two of you. 

After the news about your relationship went viral everything quickly changed for you. You had to resign from your job due to people constantly pestering you about your relationship with one of the biggest artists in your time. Then outside of that people with huge cameras began hunting the two of you down everywhere you went and you were constantly getting bombarded by reporters trying to reach out to you. 

The day after the news came out Jieun decided to take the two of you on a vacation to a small village in a secluded part of the country so you could have some form of peace together. Your couple's account was the hot topic of every news outlet in the country so you went from barely being in a light to being on everyone’s phone in the country. 

Once the two of you came back from your impromptu vacation, Jieun’s manager had requested for you at her company. When the two of you showed up both Hanteo and the CEO of her company were waiting for you in one of the meeting rooms with a contract. After a lot of discussion you and Jieun figured this was the direction you were meant to go in, Jieun couldn’t have been happier for you as you signed the contract. Jieun admired your beauty more than anyone else in the world and now you would have an even bigger opportunity to share it with the world. This definitely wasn’t the way you expected your life to go but for Jieun, all of this was definitely worth it. 

So all of that leads to this moment, the producers of the show “Happy Together,” had reached out to Jieun’s manager to ask if the two of you were willing to appear for a special episode they were planning on shooting. You had left the decision up to Jieun and she agreed to it once the two of you had talked about it for a while. 

“Hey, it’s going to be okay. Just be yourself, there’s absolutely nothing to worry about, okay? I’ll be right next to you the entire time.” Jieun reassured you by placing a gentle kiss on your knuckles. 

“Okay…” You nodded in response before letting go of her hand so she could get her makeup done. You sat on the couch in the dressing room as you watched her through the mirror. 

Then soon it was your turn to sit where she was. You definitely weren’t used to the feeling of someone doing your makeup but you had seen Jieun do this a million times so you tried your best to sit still.

After the two of you were made up you sat in the dressing room together just talking. Jieun had begun to post old pictures of the two of you together on both your couple’s account and on her personal account so that was the topic the two of you were talking about.

There was a knock at the door then one of the producers you had introduced yourself to earlier walked in. He informed the two of you that he was going to give you a rundown of today's episode. He walked the two of you through the set as he explained what to do. “So when this door opens the two of you will just walk through and introduce yourselves, then you can walk towards the couch and sit down. If you begin to feel overwhelmed just let us know, this isn’t being broadcasted live.” He spoke the last sentence more towards you.  

It was almost laughable at how opposite both you and Jieun were at the current moment. She was cool, calm and collected as she smiled at everyone around, meanwhile you were on the brink of freaking out and looking like you could vomit any moment now.

Once the producer walked away, Jieun turned to face you. “Hey look at me, it’s going to be okay. Take a deep breath.” She rubbed your arm as you did what she said. “It’s going to be fine, okay..? If you need me to, I can talk for the both of us.” 

“That would honestly probably be the best choice here, I don’t want to embarrass the both of us.” You gave her a small smile. 

Jieun moved in to hug you tightly and you soon felt yourself relaxing in her embrace. 

“You know I love you, right..?” Jieun whispered in your ear. 

You nodded before whispering back, “Mhm, and I love you too.” 

Jieun continued to talk to you in an attempt to calm you down as they began to film. 

After a couple of minutes the door the producer mentioned earlier opened and it was now time for the two of you to walk onto set. Jieun held your hand tightly as she led the way. 

You felt super nervous but Jieun never once let go of your hand, soon all the introductions were over and the two of you sat down on the couch designated for you. 

As the show progressed you were finally able to calm down as you soon noticed how friendly everyone was on set. This was honestly one of your favorite shows to watch in your free time so actually being able to be on set was super awesome. 

At one point Jae-suk had motioned towards you and Jieun while smiling, “The two of you haven’t let go of each other's hand since you walked in.” 

Instead of Jieun you spoke up, looking down at your interlocked fingers, “Yeah I guess we haven’t.” 

You looked up to look at Jieun, her eyes immediately locking onto your own, a proud smile on her face. 

The two of you then shared a laugh when Myungsoo told a dumb dad joke about your situation. 

Towards the end of the show Jae-suk had brought up the topic of the public's response to your relationship. Not in a way that was invasive but more as setting up the discussion for normalizing queer relationships in the country and in the Media. 

“Well,” Jieun began, “There was a huge amount of support from people outside of our country and by people from the younger generations. I ignored many of the unpleasant responses as I know that our relationship is just as valid as anyone else’s relationship, so to anyone out there saying that we’re setting a bad example for their kids then I’m sorry but I have to disagree. If two people in a healthy and loving relationship is a bad example for kids then I’d hate to see what a ‘good’ example would be for your kids.” Jieun spoke in such an eloquent way that helped disguise the disgust she felt to the people who spoke ill of your relationship. 

You just had to take a moment to admire how she sounded so professional to the camera but yet she was essentially telling people to screw off.

The smile on your face wasn’t missed by Jae-suk as he soon asked you for any input you wanted to add. 

You looked over at him and nodded, “Well just like Jieun said, we both care for each other very deeply and this was a huge decision we both agreed on after years of being together. I knew this choice was going to hurt her career in some form or another but I am glad to know that we can show young people that it eventually gets better. That they are normal and there is definitely not something wrong with them. I know if a celebrity I looked up to as a kid had this in common with me then it would’ve made life a lot easier on me. Not saying that my parents didn’t support me, cause they definitely do, it just would've made everything that was going on in my head make more sense. But now I get to wake up to this beautiful face everyday and I couldn’t be happier.” You looked at Jieun. “And as a bonus, Jieun isn’t as stressed anymore about hiding such a big part of herself from her fans. So I want to thank all of her fans that decided to stick by her side. I thank all of you so much for accepting me and our relationship. I promise to take care of Jieun and to always be there for her.” 

Jieun’s eyes began to water as she listened to you, then Jae-suk asked her if she wanted to add on to what you said. 

“Oh sorry, just give me a minute.” Jieun smiled as she turned her face away from the camera. With the hand that wasn’t holding yours, she patted her finger around her eyes. “Sorry.” She apologized to the cast and crew. 

“No, no, don’t apologize.” Jae-suk reassured Jieun with words of encouragement.

“Okay well,” Jieun started once she was able to collect herself, “We really do hope to become a beacon of hope for young people everywhere so that they know they will always be loved and accepted by us. We both know how it feels so trust us when we say we love everyone out there who may feel like they don’t fit in with society's normalized standards. You will all become happy in the future, I wish things didn’t take such a long time but in the end I promise it will be worth it.” 

Everyone on set couldn’t help but get emotional at what the two of you were saying and Jieun wasn’t helping once she said that she was starting an outreach organization to help give young kids resources to help process their feelings. She stated that she had wished that this was something she had around as a kid so instead she wanted to be the one to establish this organization. Jae-suk even chimed in saying that he would also like to help out sometime. You couldn’t have been prouder of the woman sitting next to you. Always so caring to everyone. 

Overall your experience on the show was amazing, everyone from the cast to the crew was incredibly nice to the both of you. You were glad that you were both given the space to share more about your relationship to people out there who still doubted that relationship was anything more than a publicity stunt.

After the cameras stopped rolling you thanked everyone for allowing the two of you on the show and then it was time for you to leave.

You and Jieun walked outside hand in hand following behind Hanteo. 

“I knew you would do an amazing job, I’m so proud of you.” Jieun said once the two of you were seated in the car. 

“Well I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but you being there with me really helped out.” You had a small smile on your face as you talked to her. 

“Then I’m just glad you didn’t have a panic attack.” Jieun kissed your cheek, causing you to look at her, “I’m seriously so proud of you.” She planted a soft kiss on your lips before putting her seat belt on. 

_

Once you had made it home you had asked Jieun if she wanted to go on a walk to see the sunset. 

Of course she agreed so as she waited for you by the door you ran into your shared bedroom to slip something into your pocket. You quickly rushed out to meet her at the front door, and even though she didn’t say anything, Jieun knew there was something up with you. 

The two of you walked along the scenic pathway you frequented on her days off, hand in hand, talking about everything and anything that came to mind. Jieun would pause occasionally to take pictures, as always, and you couldn’t help the smile on your face as you admired her. 

You had stopped walking once you made it to what you considered the most beautiful spot on the path. 

“What’s wrong..? Are you thirsty..?” Jieun asked in concern when you pulled her aside. 

You couldn’t help the small smile on your face as you shook your head, “No, I’m fine. I just wanted to ask you something.” 

Jieun raised an eyebrow at your strange behavior, “You know you can ask me anything right..? You don’t have to ask for permission.” 

“I know love, but I think I might need at least some permission for this question.” Before Jieun could say anything else you moved to get on one knee. You pulled out a little black box from your pocket, opening it up towards her and it revealed a simple yet beautiful ring. It had both of your initials engraved onto it, and it was topped off with a beautiful but appropriate diamond. “Lee Jieun, will you marry me..?” Your voice wavered with a bit of nervousness as you asked her the big question.

“You can’t be serious??” Jieun’s face was riddled with shock as her eyes began to water up. “Yes, yes of course! A million times yes!”

You couldn’t help but laugh as your own eyes began to tear up, you slid the ring onto her ring finger then you moved to envelope her in a big hug. 

“Finally…” Jieun mumbled before pulling away from the hug so she could kiss you. “You took your precious time with this love.”  

“I know baby, and I’m sorry it took this long. I just didn’t want to ask you before we went public, I didn’t want to pressure you into feeling like we had to go public. I was happy waiting until you were ready.” You held Jieun’s face in your hands as you admired her eyes. “I love you.” 

Jieun’s eyes continued to water, “I love you too.” 

_

“She’s my fiance, yay! She’s my fiance, yay! She’s my fianc-” 

“Are you okay..?”

“Oh my, Jieun, you scared me!” You had jumped up in surprise when you heard Jieun’s voice behind you. 

It was later that night and you were washing the dishes from dinner as Jieun showered, you didn’t expect her to finish up this fast… so yeah she might have caught you celebrating to yourself. 

“Are you that excited to be engaged with me..?” Jieun wrapped her arms around your neck once you turned around to face her. 

“Are you joking..? Of course I’m this excited Jieun. I’m sure I’m probably the happiest woman on earth right now.” You placed your hands on either side of her waist. 

Jieun had a smile on her face as her eyes looked back and forth from your eyes to your lips, “Well I think there’s probably one woman on earth who is happier.”

“Oh really..?” You raised an eyebrow at her. “And who would that be..?” 

Jieun leaned in closer, “Me.” She whispered to you before leaning in to envelope you in a loving kiss. 

_

“Oh they’re loving this picture babe.” Jieun smiled as she showed you her phone screen.

“I told you, it’s my favorite one.” The photo on her phone was one of her in frame while holding your hand on up to the camera. You interlocked fingers showing the newly found rings on both of your ring fingers. This was the first picture on your couple’s account that featured just Jieun’s face. 

“I liked the one with both of us in it, but you insisted on this one.” Jieun opened up her gallery to show you the picture she was referencing. 

“Baby you can just post that on your account, no one’s stopping you.” 

Jieun gasped, she stared at you with the widest eyes. “You’re so right, I forgot I could do that.” 

You couldn’t help but laugh at her antics, “You’re so cute baby, don’t ever change.” You planted a kiss on her cheek before laying your head on her lap. You looked up at the woman you loved the most and your heart was super content, there was no better feeling than this. 

[chiminly]

𑂍 ࣭ 🌻 .٠ ִֶָ anđeo ! ꪆ

. . . ♥︎ 1929 . . .

ㅤㅤㅤ 🔪 ᥣikᥱ ꪮɾ rᥱbᥣꪮg pᥣ᥉ ! ☘️

[ppulverse]

saw a yt short of someone being like "everyone said jennie was using taehyung for his popularity but who's using him now? if this was a collab why didn't he even sing?" and iu's mv playing in the background and i'm just 💀💀💀 didn't y'all want actor taehyung making a comeback? do you understand what acting is? nobody ever claimed he'd be singing in this song

[skzhocomments]

A Chance of Fate - Lee Know Stray Kids Fanfic (Masterlist)

Pairing: Minho (of Stray Kids) x OC (name: Dal-Rae)

Genre: non-idol AU, angst, romance, fluff, mature

Word Count: ~33k

Warnings: mature, swearing, feelings of hopelessness, angst, depression, crying, mentions of domestic violence, depression, anxiety, angst, low self-esteem etc.

This is just a story that doesn’t describe Stray Kids members' true characters in any way. It’s just a product of my imagination and should be treated as such.

This story is also on Wattpad (click here) and AO3 (click here)

A/N: As any other writer out there, I would appreciate reblogs and your comments on this story. Please let me know if you enjoyed it, and most importantly, have fun!

---

Summary:

$7, a small suitcase, a thin coat and some old, worn-out shoes that took you nowhere in particular were the only belongings you grabbed when you decided on a whim to leave your abusive ex during a cold winter night. With the merciless wind blowing right in your face, you weren't sure where to go, or what to do. The only thing you were sure of was that you could never return back home, not when you've thrown away your keys to ensure you'd stay strong. Tired and hungry, you stumbled by a chance of fate upon a small restaurant called 'Know Your Cats', and you decided to walk in.

Non-idol AU Lee Know (Stray Kids) Fanfic Mature content ahead. 18+ ©storminsidemycore

---

Hello!

Storm here!

A Chance of Fate is a story I've started writing on 27/10/2022 (yes, two freaking years ago!!!) that 'collected dust on the shelves' until yesterday when I finally managed to finish it.

It has around 33k words divided in 10 chapters, and I'm very excited to post it, since it's a story I actually enjoy and I've been working on for quite some time as you can see, hahah.

Surprisingly, no smut whatsoever in this story, however, like each and every one of my works, it includes lots of mature themes, so it's 18+ either way.

Main character's name is Dal-Rae, story is however written in 2nd person, so you can expect most phrases to refer to "You".

I hope you'll enjoy this story and I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts. ♡

---

The story and cover are original and my property. Any similarities to other stories are purely coincidental. Jieun, the protagonist, is a made-up character.

Stray Kids members or any other famous people mentioned along this story DO NOT represent their true character in any way, they are simply mentioned in order to provide a visual representation for the readers. Their personas obviously have nothing to do with their true personalities. They're just characters I've created for this story, so please don't take this too seriously.

Mature content ahead. Lots of trigger warnings apply, so please read carefully.

---

18+

©storminsidemycore

---

Chapter 1 - Know Your Cats - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 2 - We'll replace the broken plates - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 3 - Olivia's Store - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 4 - Blooming Feelings - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 5 - The Gathering - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 6 - Grandma's house - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 7 - Stay - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 8 - An Unwelcome Encounter - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 9 - Pain and Fear - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 10 - A Little Family (Final Chapter) - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

---

Thank you so much for reading my story, and I'm looking forward to seeing your thoughts!

[pinkbrries]

JUNE’S CELEBRITY CRUSHES

june’s masterlist

MIN YOONGI — BTS ♡

*pretends to be shocked*

june talks more about yoongi than she talks about jungkook😭 and that’s her WHOLE BEST FRIEND

minjun has had this crush since she met yoongi for the first time. she always thought he was so cool and handsome, and he was always really kind with her everytime she saw him

someone asking her ideal type? watch her reply with “suga sunbaenim” in a heartbeat. not even a single ounce of doubt in her voice

imagine little june meeting rookie yoongi being all cool and kind, she was like 🥰 oppa is so cool

he’s like ‘that best friend of your older brother (aka jungkook) you have a crush on’ kinda thing

she loves the rap line, but for her? min yoongi is such an awesome person🫶 (hobi is lowkey resentful it’s not him😕 JZKSJS)

yoongi knows about this crush tho, and he finds it funny and adorable lol

jungkook is always teasing june about it, but does she care? no❤️

NAM JOOHYUK — ACTOR ♡

okay but can you BLAME HER??? LOOK AT THIS MAN!🫶

she saw him for the first on ‘moon lovers’ and she was all ❤️_❤️

listen, she’s a simple woman: she sees an amazing actor with amazing visuals? she’s sold

she even had him as her lockscreen😭😭 dating rumors were made up and she literally turned live just to show everyone her lockscreen like 🧍‍♀️📱”this is nam joohyuk sunbaenim??? wish he was my bf tho

nam joohyuk is her favorite actor, she hopes she can meet him in some near future

let’s hope for the best minjunnie🤞

KIM HONGJOONG — ATEEZ ♡

oh man… she developed a crush back during her mixnine era

she was like ?? hello??? he’s so talented and attractive???

she tried befriending him back then but he was so shy and kinda quiet,,,, so she just befriended jongho and wooyoung. she’s kinda acquaintances w him tho

when they debuted she sent all of them a congratulatory message, and she just became an atiny because !!!!! ateez is so COOL man🫶 (stan ateez for a better life)

again, she admires the rap line (bc mingi is so cool too<3 she met him through wooyoung lol) but for her? heart eyes for kim hongjoong❤️

LEE JIEUN — SOLOIST ♡

there’s something jungkook and june share beside being besties, and that’s their love for iu HEJWJS

she loves LOVES iu like fr, that’s one of her celebrity crushes and role models right there!!!

her first audition ever for sm was an iu song….. imagine for how long june has admired her omg

june is always playing iu’s songs whenever she has vlives or she talks about her songs whenever she has the chance. she’s always like !!! iu sunbaenim !!! an ICON!!!!

she legit cried when she got an autographed album by her (courtesy of yoongi when he worked with her<3 shootout to him. the only man ever!!)

she’d literally fight ANYONE that tries to come in contact with that damned album because it’s such a prized possession for her (sunghoon got biten because he tried to touch it… deserved)

she dreams of becoming a great producer or songwriter so maybe she could make a song with her in some near future, go follow your dreams my little june!!

JEON WONWOO — SEVENTEEN ♡

june has it bad for him since his pre-debut era

she was curious about ‘seventeen project’ back in 2015, and she just… fell in love with jeon wonwoo

LISTEN!!! she was like? 13-14 y/o and she was so mesmerized by every single svt member but for her, jeon wonwoo had something different

nonetheless to say, seventeen is one of her favorites groups and jeon wonwoo is one of her ultimate bias

she was the happiest when she had the opportunity to attend svt’s first japanese concert and she saw this dude

imagine little june holding a banner with wonwoo’s name on it to show her support😭 SOBBING BRB

she lowkey hopes she can become closer with him since they practice in the same building (and since some of the svt members have adopted june as their daughter already lol)

IM CHANGKYUN — MONSTA X ♡

okay, i think we have established something here: minjun has a thing for rappers and for people that joined survival shows

changkyun is no exception okay,,,, she would watch “no.mercy” but when she saw him joining mid-competition, she couldn’t help but feel bad abt him:// like WHY IS EVERYONE SO RUDE TO HIM?>:(

after he debuted, she was like !!!! deserved king !!!!

she loves his deep voice and the way he raps like 🧎‍♀️ he’s so talented bestie?? HELLO???

she finally met him during that midnight idol interview and she was so heart eyes😭 AND LITTLE GIGGLES AND STUFF HELP

she blushed so hard when he said that minjun was really pretty, watch stan twitter post the video and being “same june” JXKSJS

leave her ALONE! im changkyun is literally so attractive and kind and talented and 🫶🫶🫶 we love changkyun in this house

PERMANENT TAGLIST: @ateezjuliet @alixnsuperstxr @nvmbheart @sunflower-0180 @smh-anon @mingis-wrld (if you want to get added send me an ask or fill this form !!)

[finallydelight]

JACK IN THE BOX | MAYA

author's note: this piece is a bit angsty, just how I love it :)) also mingyoung is a completely made up person. enjoy the chapter and feedback or thoughts are always appreciated! x

July 14, 2022

''I don't know how they do it.''

Hobi's listening party was absolutely stacked with people, a lot of people Maya knew, but also a lot of people that she didn't knew. She had her doubts about going to the event, since she and Jungkook weren't publicly dating, but they agreed to just stay out of each other's way and meet up after the party was done.

She was having a great time. She reunited with some people she hadn't seen in a long time, like Sunmi and Dongmin. Yes, she was sad that she couldn't go up to her boyfriend, but she was there to support Hobi and she wasn't looking forward to having a dating scandal just yet.

Maya had interrupted her conversation with Lee Hi as she finished her drink and wanted a new one. She excused herself and walked up to the bar. She was handed a new glass of champagne and was about to walk back to her previous conversation partner when she stopped herself. Two people on the dance floor caught her attention.

Hyuna and Dawn.

The idol couple seemed to be in their own world, looking into each other's eyes as if one would disappear if the other one looked away. They danced, not caring one bit about what any bystander would think of them.

The Twice member must not have been subtle with her staring as someone took the place beside her and talked to her.

''Excuse me?''

The unknown woman pointed at the dancing couple. ''I don't know how they keep going after all that scrutiny just because they're dating.'' The confusion on Maya's face was evident, since the woman immediately followed her words up with an introduction. ''I'm sorry, I'm Minyoung.''

''I'm Jieun, nice to meet you.'' She introduced herself with a small bow of the head. Minyoung chuckled. ''Yeah, I know, I think the entire country knows.'' She joked, making the female idol even more uncomfortable.

''It's weird that after all these years, people are still so sensitive about idols dating. It's crazy.'' Minyoung continued, but Maya had no idea what to say to the woman. Why would she discuss such matters with a person she's never met before.

''You're an idol, what do you think about it?'' She directed the question at Maya, who wasn't very impressed by the conversation and just wanted to go back to people she did know.

She shrugged her shoulders. ''I don't really care about the personal lives of other idols, to be honest.'' Maya kept it polite, not wanting to come off as rude.

''Fair point,'' Minyoung said, ''but still it must not be easy.''

''I think, especially for the BTS members. I mean, they go further than just Korea, they're worldwide, the impact would be huge and not just on them, on their partner as well.''

Minyoung continued. ''How could you be in a relationship knowing the people that support you are completely against it and throw mean words and threats towards the person you love. A relationship like that just wouldn't work and especially if it's with another idol. Just imagine, it's either breaking up or giving up your career. Who would risk that for another person?''

It made her sad for some reason, listening to Minyoung's mini rant about idol dating. Her and Jungkook had been dating for more than a year and everything was going pretty well. Conflicting schedules were annoying, yes, but they knew that beforehand. So, why did she feel so discouraged all of a sudden? Maybe somewhere deep inside she knew that what Minyoung was saying wasn't entirely false.

Maya looked over at Jungkook who was sitting next to Taehyung and Namjoon as they were being filmed by their staff for some behind the scenes content. He was smiling around them, looking genuinely content about being with his members. As she looked at him, she thought about Minyoung's question. Who would risk their entire career, that they've worked on since they were a kid, for another person? Would she risk the career that she has been building since she was 11 years-old for someone?

''It was nice to talk to you, Minyoung,'' Maya held out her hand for the woman which she took and shook, ''I have to excuse myself, I have early schedules tomorrow.'' She did have schedules the next day, but thet weren't early at all. ''Likewise, Jieun. Have a good night.''

''You too.''

Maya put her glass of champagne down on a random table and made her way towards the exit, not even caring about saying goodbye to anyone, she just wanted to go home and lay in her bed. ''Unnie, can you pick me up?... Yes, from the party… it's not done yet, I'm just very tired… yeah, but he's with his members, I didn't wanna interrupt that… yes, I'll wait there… thanks… see you soon… bye.'' Jeongyeon had always been one of the members she confided in the most, she had this motherly nature about her that made Maya trust her so much.

Maya waited outside in the parking lot for her member and immediately got in once Jeongyeon had arrived, wanting to get out of there as soon as possible.

''Are you okay, Ji?'' The older one had sensed straight away that something was off with her fellow member, she could read them all like a book.

She was about to nod and lie about her true state, but realised that she didn't have to fake anything with her members. ''Can you answer something for me and I need you to be as honest as possible.''

Upon seeing her unnie nod, she proceeded. ''If my relationship were to be leaked to the public, do you think it will last?''

The question visibly took Jeongyeon by surprise, a frown forming on her face. ''Where is this coming from? Did something happen?''

''Can you answer first, please?''

Jeongyeon sighed, a deep breath leaving her mouth. ''Jesus, Ji, I mean, there will obviously be a lot of talk about it. People will have their opinions, but I think if you guys really want to make it work, I think it will last, yes.''

Maya simply nodded, taking her words in. ''Okay, thanks.''

''Can I get an explanation, please?'' Jeongyeon asked, still confused as to where her sudden question came from.

''It's nothing, I just had a conversation with someone and I wondered what your opinion was.'' The vague clarification didn't ease Jeongyeon's worries any less, but it was late and she was too tired to ask further about it. ''Alright, let's go home now~''

-

''Hey, hyung,'' Jungkook tapped Jun on the shoulder, ''have you seen Jieun? Can't find her and she isn't texting me back.'' He whispered, not wanting anyone to eavesdrop.

The eldest shook his head, not having seen her for almost the entire evening. ''No, sorry.''

Jungkook desperately looked around once more, despite having searched the entire place for his girlfriend, but no result whatsoever. ''Shit.''

''Maybe something came up, I wouldn't worry about it.'' Jin tried comforting the maknae, not thinking much of Maya's absence.

''What's up Jungkookie?'' Jimin had walked over to his members upon seeing Jungkook's distraught face. ''I don't know where Jieun is.''

''I saw her leave about 20 minutes ago, I think.'' Jimin calmly said, remembering seeing her leave the room. ''Wait, you didn't know?''

''No! She's not answering her phone, why would she suddenly leave?'' It wasn't that out of the ordinary for Maya not to answer calls or texts, but it felt a bit different to him this time.

Jimin and Jin didn't really know what to say to him, they also felt a bit confused by her lack of response. ''She probably has a good reason, you know her, she wouldn't just leave without a reason.'' Jimin squeezed Jungkook's shoulder, an attempt at calming him down a bit.

The youngest one simply nodded, too caught up in his own mind. ''Yeah, you're right.''

Guk: please call me, darling

Guk: did something happen?

Guk: do i need to beat someone up? You know I'll do it for you

Guk: please

Guk: please 🙏

Ji Ji Jieun: I'm fine, honey! I had a headache and the music was a bit too loud for me. Jeongyeon-unnie picked me up, no worries x

Guk: Okay, I hope it's nothing too bad!

Guk: Rest well, yeobo x

Guk: I love u ❤️

Ji Ji Jieun: me too ❤️

While Jungkook danced the night away with his friends and members, Maya laid in her bed wondering how kind the future will be for her and her loved one.

Taglist: @stopeatread @sakuurra @seongwhaffels @cosmicwintr

[aajjks]

TC!dad!JK

“dragon approves of you too, papa” ayra says as she holds the green gecko in her stiny palm and smiles; looking just like her mother. yes, aura favors more of you than jungkook, except she possess his dimples unlike the rest of her siblings. and for her to be a five year old, she’s very tiny compared to her sister ji-eun.

when jungkook brings up a brother or sister, ayra takes a minute to ponder about what she wants. she loves ji-eun but she’s a little mean to her sometimes and jaehan and jawan are too rough. “hmm” she says, placing her left finger on her chin to mimic a thinking pose. “i think i want another baby sister. boys can be rough sometimes” and it’s so hard not to coo at his little five year old who’s being very honest right now. as her mother says, boys give cooties.

“i want three more baby sisters so i can dress up and-and play tea-time with them!” yes, ayra loves all of the “girly” things you can imagine which is funny since she has a strange fascination with scary animals and an ear that could rival mozart’s. “what do you want, daddy? do you want a boy or a girl?” ayra asks jungkook.

“oh! oh! guess what? the man we bought dragon from said he’s mommy’s best friend but you know what i told him? i said you’re mommy’s best friend”

“his name is..uhh..mr. minjun? yeah, mr. minjun! he’s really nice. you should meet him papa” ayra says with a smile on her face.

“your highness?” says dr. lee, the man who delivered your twins and saved jinseoul’s life. “i wanted to inform you that princess ji-eun has a stomach virus. she’s doing just fine but i strongly advise you and the queen to stay far from her until the princess is feeling better. especially since the queen is pregnant, we don’t want to risk the fetuses or queen y/n’s health”

~🫧

Jungkook nods, and the doctor bows before leaving, and Jungkook is suddenly concerned about two things.

1: who the fuck is this minjun

2: how are you going to stay away from your sick little baby girl?

“Okay baby… time for you to join your siblings- daddy has got to go to mommy yeah?” He says as he presses a kiss to her adorable pink hued cheeks and watches her run off with a young court lady.

The Gecko is surely going to keep her occupied, Jungkook sighs as he gets up and makes his way to your shared chamber- you must be there because he strictly ordered you to keep on bed resting.

He really hopes that you’re not in the garden- it’s really cold. Also he’s a little concerned about jieun. Jungkook clears his throat as the eunuch right before your door announces his arrival.

There you are sitting with jinseoul and ae-cha, laughing away, with your hand resting on your pregnant belly. “Hi.” He smiles.

“Jinseoul? AeCha? I’ve to talk to your mother- so, feel free to leave.” Jungkook says and your children so well behaved that they bow their heads in respect to you and him before leaving.

You try to get up and Jungkook quickly stops you. “No no honey.” He tsks before rushing to you and he sits down on the couch next to you.

You ask him what’s wrong and he sighs. “Nothings wrong Just.. Dr. Lee came to visit and he updated me on jieuns condition, she’s got a small viral stomach infection and he told me that you need to stay away from her given your condition, absolutely necessary.” He says, taking your have in his as he squeezes it.

You’re such a great mother, he knows you’re going to argue with him about this because your child is sick and you’re not going to sit here while she suffers.

“Also ayra told me two things.” He cuts you off- you begin to ramble, angrily speaking but it’s not good for you. “She wants three more sisters and…” he looks at you, his smile disappears.

“Who the fuck is minjun? I’m your everything yn- your husband, your lover and your best friend! Not him!”

[samgyeopsel]

September was a jam-packed month of slowly getting back to writing, attending events, studying, and volunteering again. But I'll start posting again here with the most recent event I've been to.

I am a UAENA. UAENA is the fandom name of South Korea's Little Sister, the most popular solo artist in the country, Lee Jieun, widely known as IU. South Korea has an IU song ready for each season, each emotion, and each situation. Her series, and now films, are everywhere. She sells out concerts in 3 minutes, sometimes 2. This year, IU celebrated her 15th debut anniversary. Throughout these years, she holds numerous firsts, including being the first solo female artist to sell out and perform at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in South Korea. She is also the first solo female K-pop artist to have a concert film, which, to be honest, quite holds a short duration with the knowledge of how her concerts can go for 5-7 hours. IU is very popular for her en-en-encores, with fans singing with her all night.

Last September 28 and 30, IU: The Golden Hour became available globally. It is so rare to happen in the fandom. Her Golden Hour Concert is her legendary 14th Anniversary concert at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena. The film covers selected performances from the 2-day event, creating an immersive experience for the fans through the big screen.

A collaboration between IU Philippines, the official IU fanbase in the Philippines, and SM Cinema, UAENAs saw IU again and enjoyed a close to an actual concert experience. With fan kits, photo booths, and other events prepared, the fandom was excited for the 30th to come!

But here's where it gets more exciting. With the block screening happening concurrently in ten participating cinemas in the Philippines, IU Philippines scouted volunteers to help make the concert film experience more memorable. Eventually, I became a volunteer for the event and a new addition to IU Philippines' budding marketing team.

I have been a UAENA for 15 years. I grew up with IU. Honestly, I can't imagine life without IU, without K-pop. IU is the reason I got into K-pop. IU made me learn the Korean Language and love Korean Literature. Becoming a fan is a part of my youth that honed many aspects of my life, personal and career-wise. I know for how many years left I have in me, I'll keep loving her. And I know this doesn't only apply to me but to her fans around the globe, too. This holistic experience of experiencing inexplicable love to going full circle and supporting the community that equally adores an artist is what being a fan is.

There are so many things about this concert (film) that I wish I had seen in person. There are so many things about this experience that I want to tell you now, like the wedding proposal between two UAENAs that happened when the film ended or how we simultaneously cried whenever IU expressed her gratitude towards her fans. (Or how IU singlehandedly makes me tear up every time).

But I guess, as my fellow UAENAs said earlier, maybe it's the aura around UAENAs, the community, how we've grown up with IU, or how introverted her fans are. 🤣

Whatever it is, we'll keep our promise. We'll be here.

In this Tumblr post, I am exposing my most vulnerable persona - as a K-pop fan who grew up in this community and spent my youth with these idols that are rapidly taking over the international music scene. I am amazed how my September ended - with great people for such a great person.

Shine brightly, @dlwlrma 💜

항상 사랑하고 응원할게요 지은 언니. 💜💚

[lasciviousfemaleartistsnaps]

Jieun unnie, everyone says you’re a sub who only likes vanilla, but I know you’re not. Prove them wrong, pretty please?☺️🥺

“Why would I care about what other people think of me princess? You know that daddy fucks you really good with her strap ons. I still remember the time you were on top of me, and you could barely speak because I was thrusting up into you so good, or when you were on all fours moaning like a cute whore because I kept hitting your adorable gspot. Now does that sound like a vanilla sub Hmm?”

-Lee Jieun (I.U)

[blessyouhawkeye]

iu was gay as hell for writing peach about sulli but also if i had iu's talent i too would use it to write a song about sulli's beautiful smile and how much i wanted to marry her

[authorforrosie]

Dating IU would Include:

•IU and you first met on a blind date which your best friend Rosé set you up on. IU waited for you with a bunch of red roses in her hand. When the date ended she got your number.

•Your cheeks flushes red when she kisses your cheeks, lips, neck, jawline, arm or the back of your hand in public in front of many people.

•You buy every merchandise of IU to show her how much you love, appreciate and support her as an Idol.

•IU cries with tears of joy with a happy expression on her face when you set up romantic things on her birthday, anniversaries or randomly to show her appreciation.

•You could never help the smile that tug on your lips when you saw that IU wears the clothes that you get her. Especially the light purple ones.

•She giggled with cheeks flushing red when she saw you getting her a bunch of light purple flowers.

•You often suprise her on tour, fan meetings, events and promotion tours. Which cause her butterflies in the stomach.

•IU loved at wake you up with many kisses and breakfast at bed since you do so much for her. It's a way that she can show you the most how grateful she is.

•You both marry each other in a venue which was surrounded by red roses flowers. Blackpink cover's 'give you my heart' by IU on the wedding. Everyone cried mostly Rosé, Jennie, Lisa, Ryujin and Yeji when you both said 'I do' especially during the vows.

•IU cried when she saw the love you have for her in your y/e/c eyes which always looked so beautiful.

•You always buy her mint chocolate when she wants or when she's craving it. Especially when she is on her period.

•IU loves when you are caressing her cheeks or exposed skin of her body with your thumbs. Your touch always has been feeling like a feather on her skin.

•You cry and fan girl when IU introduced you at Blackpink for the first time on one of their concerts. Your cheeks flushed red when she commented how Rosé is your ultimate bias.

•IU loved when you talked in deep conversations about subjects you are really passionate about. Since your y/e/c eyes always sparkle up a shade. She could listen at you all day.

•You loved moments when you could listen at your girl IU recording or performing music. Cause you could notice how passionate she is about her music and how much it truly means to her. Besides of you.

•IU definitively loved cooking and baking with you at night besides in the morning. That's something you both enjoyed with passion.

•You glance at her with stars and attack her face with kisses when you hear all her new releases songs. She would often tell you the meaning behind all these songs which often ends up with you crying in her arms.

•IU loves how she can count on you and trust you on day's when she get's insecure, hate or bad mood swings.

[l1lixar3se]

[aestheticaus]

I stole all the diamonds in the sky Looks like Lucy’s all alone tonight I told her one day I'll make it right

[noah-shin]