#officer jongin

[an-annyeoing-writer]

officer!Kai x Reader: miss magpie.

Word count: 3 725

Tags: a bit of sexy, a bit of comedy, a bit of drama...

Warnings: mentions of blood and injury, arresting.

Author's note: @lunaflowers It was supposed to be sexy but I accidentally came up with too much plot. And it's all because you said "take me away, officer".

The item in front of you was nothing that could change the world, neither for better or for worse.

It was not a weapon, it held no political value, and neither the material it was made of was particularly rare. Yet, it was simply beautiful: an antique diadem with amethyst rhinestones attached to a frame made of pure silver. The design was nothing particularly unique, and yet, in your eyes it was the most beautiful thing.

Because it was not supposed to be touched, because it was still worth a few thousands, and because you were certainly not supposed to be breaking into the museum just to see this beauty from up close.

Over the years, you managed to get through securities of many buildings without worry. It was kind of a talent of yours, one you nourished with knowledge gathered on YouTube channels, books found in local libraries, and carefully analyzing the most famous theft cases you managed to get your hands on.

You meant no harm, really, although you knew that the people working here would spend days pondering over what happened. And their confusion, as well as the news announced in the media, would be all well worth it – because you never stole anything and only took pleasure in creating chaos.

And one more thing that brought you even more pleasure, was the presence of all those beautiful things that you would have no other opportunity to be this close to otherwise, although temporarily and just to see what they were like in real life.

You were literally a magpie for shiny things. A magpie that didn’t feel the need to steal them – just to enjoy them.

The diadem felt too light in your hands, although it looked well-made and not something that would fall apart easily. Yet, it was an antique, and you hoped you wouldn’t damage it on accident. You stepped in front of a nearby mirror – a part of some other exhibition, to be precise – and gently placed the piece on top of your head, straightening yourself proudly.

The only source of light was the white streetlights coming from the outside, but your eyes were already accustomed and you managed to convince your mind that it was not streetlights, but a beautiful moonshine, like in a story about magic, covens and astral creatures. Maybe the diadem’s colors didn’t match your complexion all that well, and the shining of the rhinestones only highlighted the imperfections of your skin and hair, but at this exact moment, for these precious minutes, you were on top of the world.

You stared at the mirror a bit too long before you realized that far behind you, leaning against a column, there was a silhouette you absolutely did not spot before.

You froze with your fingers still touching the diadem on your head.

You looked straight ahead, your eyes fixated on the person in the background of your reflection, its shape slowly becoming more and more evident, and you only pondered as to how could you not have spotted him before?

The man stood there with his arms crossed. He had a police uniform on, although you barely saw it in the sparse light. He looked composed, as if not even slightly bothered with the presence of a wanted criminal responsible for dozens of high-priority break-ins.

You turned around slowly and raised your hands, the diadem on your head tilting slightly, and you did your best to not make any frantic movements as to not let it fall off. You knew you had to be careful now – not only for this reason. You were not a good fighter, he could take you down so easily. You needed to play this part smart.

“Hello, officer” you laughed awkwardly. The man tilted his head to the side. Your eyes were accustomed enough to be able to see him well despite the distance, and you noted a small, curious smile appear in the corner of his lip.

You frowned. Minutes had already passed since you arrived, and you two were there still all alone, no back-up called, no noise of police sirens. The fact that you got caught was already unexpected, but this situation also didn’t seem like what you’d imagined your final defeat to be.

“So, um…” Should you start a discussion? Or a fight? Or just run? Or throw the diadem and run in the opposite direction? Dammit, but you couldn’t risk damaging it. No, you had to make sure the treasure was safe first. “What brings you here, actually?” you spoke as nonchalantly as you were able to, very slowly stepping toward the exhibition table. Unfortunately, it shortened the distance between you and him as well, and you felt yourself become small and defenseless against his strong, even though still silent, presence. You did your best to avoid any rapid movements as you took the diadem gently off your head and placed it neatly back on the exhibition. The man observed you without a word, allowing you to finish your deed, as though watching an animal in a cage – not wanting to interrupt its natural instincts and eager to find out what would it do in those peculiar circumstances.

“Curiosity, probably” he finally spoke and you shuddered at his deep voice vibrating through the air.

“Curiosity, huh… Well, what are you curious about then, kind sir?” you questioned, forcing your voice sound cocky to boost your confidence. It almost worked.

“Well, I’m very curious about the skilled thief who has been breaking into museums all over the country and not even once stole anything. I almost wonder how many break-ins did we not even notice happening.”

You laughed awkwardly. It sounded like a praise in your ears and you couldn’t help but get a bit shy at the thought. But you quickly reminded yourself of the circumstances.

“So, how did you exactly know where to look for me?” you asked, now the one being curious.

“You don’t steal anything, but you always touch… something. You have a pattern” he explained in a matter-of-fact voice. “For pretty things. For shiny things. I wasn’t sure, but now I can see, why.” He glanced at the diadem, lifting one eyebrow, as if making fun of your peculiar behavior he had the chance to see earlier. You pressed your lips tightly, feeling caught red-handed in more than one way. “Is that really just it? That you enjoy seeing yourself in these things?”

You shrugged.

“Yeah, kind of. It’s just… you know, kind of a freeing experience. Touching the things no one else can, seeing yourself how no one else could.” You stared at the diadem with sentiment. “And knowing that people’s gonna be confused shitless after finding out. I have a pretty boring life otherwise.” He stared at you, clearly disbelieving that your reasoning could be this silly and simple-minded. You felt a bit weird, sharing such deep thoughts with a policeman who could only bring harm upon you at the moment, but somehow, you didn’t feel like a criminal. More of like a child caught playing with their mom’s jewelry when nobody’s home.

But the officer only shook his head, taking his time to collect his thoughts. You felt like he’s judging you in his mind. What could he possibly ask next? If you haven’t thought about what if you get caught? Come on, he must have heard people talk about that thousands of times in his career of a police officer.

Besides, it’s not like it mattered at that point.

“Why don’t you steal them, then?” he asked.

“Because stealing is bad” you deadpanned. “Duh.”

The man was clearly starting to lose his mind at the conversation, and it gave you a bit of satisfaction knowing it was no longer him in charge of the talk. Even though you still had no doubt that he was in charge of the situation as a whole.

“So is burglary. But you’re a skilled burglar. Why won’t you use your skill for something safer? Something that would bring you material benefit?”

“What exactly are you implying, huh?” You tilted your head to the side, genuinely intrigued.

“That if you’re arrested, your only line of getting out of prison sentence may be to trade your freedom for your skill.”

You felt your face heat up. Maybe you were skilled burglar, but making a living out of it? Having someone watch you and make use of something you considered a hobby…? That was messing with your thoughts way too much, and your mind just refused to acknowledge such a possibility.

“Well, I would rather not get any sentence, so since I haven’t stolen anything, why won’t you just let me leave?”

He sighed, scratching the back of his head.

“You know I can’t do that.”

“Well” you shrugged. “Have fun with the exhibition then, and I’ll see my way out-”

You managed to make three towards the entry.

Just three steps, not a single one more, before something hit the back of your knees, knocking you down fast and effectively. You let out a small, confused whimper when you fell face first onto the clean, tiled museum floor.

The man crouched down, pressing his knee into your lower back, gently enough to not hurt you, but firmly enough so that you knew that fighting him was not an option. No hurry, no rough or frantic movements. You breathed heavily. Being overpowered so fast and so easily felt surreal.

“Don’t try anything.” Something in his voice felt soothing, as if – once again – you were an animal, but this time caught wandering a bit too deep into the human habitat. Were you to be taken into a warm house and domesticated by the animal rescue, or killed quickly and quietly by the heartless poacher?

He pulled your hands back, and the clinging of handcuffs woke you up from the daze. You recoiled, using all your strengths and pent up energy to try and throw him off yourself.

“Shh… easy there.” He presses you down a bit stronger. You whimpered helplessly.

“Let me…” You tried to stop him from immobilizing your hands, and finally kicked your legs up, managing to somehow knock the handcuffs out of his fingers. “...GO!” It was a mere moment, just one second-long chance to get out of his grasp, and you used it to your advantage, pushing him off yourself and simultaneously getting up on trembling legs. Your pulse was so loud it drowned out his voice – whatever he was saying – and you didn’t bother looking back as you strode towards the exit, quick steps turning into a sprint when you realized he can and will try and catch up to you.

You got in here through a window in the roof and that was the only way out you could rely on.

You ran up the stairs at the back of the exhibition room, and you already heard heavy steps right behind when in your frantic steps, your foot stepped at an unfortunate angle that made you lose your balance. From a chaotic climb up the stairs, suddenly you were tumbling down the high construction, on your way down bumping into the man and sending him falling down along with you.

With a heavy thud, your and policeman’s bodies collapsed onto the floor at the very bottom of the stairs. The entire museum suddenly fell silent.

It took a few very long moments of laying down motionlessly before you dared to move your muscles.

Everything hurt, especially your knees that you must have bruised up while falling. The world was still spinning when you forced yourself up.

That’s when you saw the policeman laying motionlessly a few steps from you, facing upwards and with a deep gash on his forehead that made you gasp at the sight.

“Oh no. Oh fuck, no, no…” You didn’t think twice, crawling to him, although your own head was still spinning and your legs hurt when moving. “Hey, hey, officer, wake up!”

You shook him by his shoulders and the man mumbled something incoherent. You screamed inside, realizing that you could not possibly leave him there. In the long hours that would pass before the museum opened in the morning, the damage his body suffered from could turn irreversible, and you just could not stand the thought of having him on your conscience.

Not wasting any more time, you pulled out the phone from his pants’ pocket. His hand moved slightly, reaching to wave you off, as if trying to prevent you from stealing it, because what other thought could he possibly have about you browsing through his pockets, right? But he was still too weak and confused to impose a threat and you just nudged his hand away, dialing the emergency number.

Your heart was beating fast and you felt nauseous. While giving the details and the address to the operator, you felt like your entire life was falling apart.

“Miss, what is your name?”

You knew there was no way to stop it now, that too much has happened to escape the consequences any longer. Your hands trembled when you answered the question, and once the ambulance is on the way echoed in your ear, you didn’t wait for the further instructions before hanging up on the operator and throwing the phone away from yourself.

You couldn’t think straight any longer. Was there a way for you to still make a run for it?

What if you just left? Went far away, somewhere people won’t know your name? You could just survive.

You were about to get up and run back up your escape route when you felt something grasp your wrist.

You looked down. The officer stared at you way more consciously now, and, although still laying down on the floor, his hold on your wrist was strong.

“Please, let me go…” you whimpered.

“You can’t run forever” he mumbled, voice barely audible. “Just let it happen. You’ll be okay. I promise.”

You wouldn’t listen. If only you had a choice, you would pry his hand off yourself and still run, because the levels of fear and panic in you were way higher than any reason or even consideration for what he meant.

But you heard a clinging of metal when with remains of strength, the man handcuffed your wrist to his own.

You sobbed, feeling tears roll down your cheeks.

With your mind slowly becoming numb, you only sat there in the sound of your own cries, waiting for the ambulance and the police to finally arrive

* * *

One month later.

Back in the days, you’d work at a small convenience store. The job didn’t pay well, and neither did it give you any satisfaction to do. The floor was always dirty beyond the capacity to be cleaned, and the windows were covered with dull advertisements in annoying, fake colors. The only thing that brought a smile to your face was when new alcohol would be delivered, because the few more expensive brands that your store sold had such pretty bottles, and you’d spend the lazy parts of your shift with your vision tunneled on the crystal-like surfaces. Back then, you didn’t think anything as pretty would be achievable for you to look at on a daily basis.

But the tall office building you stood in front of was covered in dark glass that reflected the setting sun in the most beautiful of ways, and as you looked through the windows of the ground floor, the restaurant inside had the prettiest little bulbs as a part of their decoration, and behind the bar counter, there were bottles of alcohol that appeared to be kept clean at all times, and so it was yet another thing that reflected the light. And the building’s windows were clean, too.

So that’s how it could have looked like, you thought to yourself.

It would be a lie to say that you could consider a better job, were you not to have that particular skill of yours. In fact, you were almost certain that you would never even get close to a place like this, if not all that happened. Was it worth all the stress and bruises, on both your body and your mind, that incurred in the process? You couldn’t agree, but neither could you disagree with such a statement.

“You like it?”

You jumped at the voice that sounded out right behind you, almost dropping the newly acquired laptop bag held tightly in your arms.

“Jongin? What are you doing here?”

You don’t think you’ve ever seen him wear a T-shirt before, it was always the uniform. But today the man looked different, and you wondered what brought him to this place. It was also the first time since the museum that you saw him without a band aid on his forehead, and although the scar was still there, you were glad to see it healing well.

“I wanted to see how’s it going. Are they treating you well?”

You snorted at that, although the tips of your ears got a bit red when you realized he came all this way just to see you.

“They’re nicer than I thought, to be honest. I always imagined corporate work would be… more stiff. But I’ve been here for a week, I don’t know if I like it yet. I’m still at work safety trainings, I don’t even know what exactly I’ll be doing” you shrugged, trying to sound unbothered. But for a fact, you were actually quite stressed out with all the things happening recently. “And they pay me better than I thought they will, you know, considering I have no choice but to work there…” you added a bit quieter, lowering your head. You still felt ashamed of the situation you found yourself in. Accepting the job offer was your only way to avoid prison. The judge took into consideration that the harm you’ve done was relatively marginal. 

And Jongin’s testimony about you staying with his injured self at the museum also took a great part in getting you as merciful of a sentence as it was only possible in the circumstances given. You still had to report regularly to the local police office (and, frankly, you didn’t mind, because it was the one Jongin himself worked at).

“But I think it will be fun. A bit. Or maybe not too boring” you pondered. “I’ll be joining some team that checks security measures for the insurance provider. It sounds so serious, you know? I mean, I was a convenience store cashier before. This is so fancy in comparison. But how will I even tell my family how I got this job? Hey mom, I broke into a museum but I didn’t steal anything so they hired me” you continued to blabber.

Jongin watched you with a warm smile.

You could tell he’s proud of himself. And even though you didn’t know if it was the best outcome for you, you felt like it was the best outcome for him. He not only caught the burglar he was after – apparently – for months, but he also managed to get them to change their ways.

You had to admit, his personal charm did play a role in making you more eager to cooperate.

“So, did you come here just to ask about my job, or…?”

The man pushed his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

“Actually, I wanted to ask if you’d like to eat a dinner together.”

You stared at him for a moment, dumbfounded.

“A dinner?”

Is this a…? No way.

“Yeah, there’s a nice place I wanted to show you.”

“Nicer than that private museum I visited three months ago?” you teased, at which the officer rolled his eyes, letting out a shaky laugh.

“It’s a fancy restaurant that we had an office party at once.” That didn’t sound too encouraging. “They have crystal chandeliers all over the ceiling.”

Your eyes widened in excitement and you almost felt yourself salivate.

“Let’s go there.”

The man laughed warmly.

“Now that I think about it, I’m not sure if I’m not overpaying. You’d be as happy with the lighting section at home depot” he announced, giving back on the teasing jokes you started.

“You won’t tell me there’s a single person on the earth that doesn’t like the lighting section at home depot.”

At that, he laughed even louder, and you weren’t really sure whether you should feel shy or offended. But your face was getting redder with every word he spoke, and your heart was beating just a bit faster at the sound of his laugh. After the circumstances the two of you met in, any interaction now felt surreal.

“What about you?” you decided to change the topic. “You had some days off because of… you know.” You vaguely pointed at his forehead. “Are you a hero now? Are you getting a raise?”

It was Jongin’s time to look awkward, and he scratched the back of his head, frowning.

“Not really, I actually got scolded for the lone investigation and camping at the museum without anyone’s approval. But since things turned out fine, I’m not really in trouble, so I guess it’s okay. It could have ended much worse.”

“If you didn’t catch me?”

“For example.” You weren’t really upset with him for doing his job, but it seemed that he was still a bit nervous mentioning it. “But, I mean, since I did catch you…” he smoothly changed the tone and pointed back at his car parked nearby. “Let’s go, I have the table booked.”

You raised your eyebrows, feeling challenged with his statement.

“Oh, really?” You huffed. “Well, this time I think I could run off pretty easily.”

Jongin pressed his lips together, as if hesitating. Then, with a mischievous smile, he leaned over, nodding downwards. You glanced down, confused, and he tilted up the edge of his jacket, displaying a pair of handcuffs secured by his belt.

You let out a small “oh”.

“Or would you rather I catch you again?”

And although this argument was enough to convince you not to dare him any further, you just had a feeling that the museum would not be the last place Jongin’s handcuffs would end up in use.

Woohoo, two fanfics in one weekend! Hope you guys enjoyed it!

FYI I'll be releasing EXO Writers Masterlist next week, so stay tunned!

[pascaloverx]

FELLINGS — EXO K.J

CHAPTER TWO

Summary: You and Jongin live wanting what you two can't have. For example, he wants to win over your best friend and you want him.

Warnings: This fanfic will describe some hot romantic moments and use of inappropriate language. In the future there may be both smut and moderate use of violence. Readers are warned. This fanfic will feature some members of EXO as characters but they are not part of a Kpop group in this scenario.

CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER THREE

"Engaged?" Luna asks, sounding more indignant than curious. This only confirms what you already suspected; she also has feelings for your foolish boss. Not that you can blame her. Kai is definitely something else.

"What Kai meant is that we're practically engaged. Nothing official yet, but we're about to move in together, and you know... marriage is just around the corner. But this isn't about us. It's about you guys. I just wanted to clear up this misunderstanding. Kai isn't in love with Luna. He's in love with me, but he's indeed a terrible drunk." You say, trying to smooth over the situation.

"So sorry for the confusion. I thought..." Sehun says, clearly embarrassed. Poor guy, he doesn't even know he's being deceived.

"That Kai and Luna had some unresolved romantic issue? That would be ridiculously stupid of them. But fortunately, this was just a misunderstanding." You reply, trying to send a hint to your boss and best friend. Whatever is going on between them, they should just forget about it.

"Darling, I think we should go greet some of the guests. But congratulations, Y/N and Kai. I'm sure your relationship has everything to succeed," Luna says, smiling, as she practically drags Sehun away. You finally feel the pressure of the moment.

"I don't know about you, but that's what I call teamwork. You were fantastic, all that invention..." Kai says, proud of himself, but you're not happy with any of this. So you give him a disapproving look and head out of the party.

"I must be a beautiful and pathetic idiot indeed. What a load of crap. Congratulations, Y/N, you always manage to be a clown." You mutter to yourself as you leave your best friend's engagement dinner.

"You don't need to put yourself down so much. You actually saved my skin back there; I thought Sehun was going to punch me. Not that I was scared..." Jongin says as he tries to keep up with your strides toward the parking lot, but you turn, almost bumping into each other face to face.

"Do you feel proud of being such an idiot, or are you just pretending?" Your question, as rude as it may sound, is sincerely something you're questioning. How can he act like what we did was okay?

"I don't think that's the right way to talk to your boss, Y/N. Even though we're friends, it doesn't give you the right to disrespect me." Kim Jongin says as he looks at you, and you huff in response. You then move away from him and continue heading nowhere in particular. You came to this damn engagement dinner with him, so leaving with him seems inevitable. But that doesn't stop you from looking for any taxi passing by nearby.

"I want to resign. Actually, I'm not just wanting it, I'm asking for it. You want to deceive Sehun and yourself by chasing after Luna? Go ahead, but I won't be a part of it. Enough. Years of anticipating your actions, being helpful, doing my best in the company your family built, just to become the woman who does the dirty work for you. What's the next step, huh? Marry you so you can have an affair with Luna right under Sehun's nose?" You turn to face Jongin, who seems a bit shocked by your words. Maybe until today he didn't know that you could set boundaries. But that's his problem.

"I understand that I may have crossed some boundaries. But I can't afford to lose..." Jongin seems to be trying to figure out how to say something, but you interrupt him.

"Losing your competent assistant, or your love for Luna? Maybe you don't understand things because you're used to having them in your hands all the time, but Kai, you've already lost Luna. She may kiss you in secret, or say she'll never forget you, but she's marrying someone else. And I think it's time for both of us to understand that we're not going to end up with the ones we love." You speak impulsively, only realizing seconds later that you revealed more than you intended. Damn it.

"What do you mean by that?" Kim Jongin questions as soon as you finish speaking, and you take a deep breath. This conversation just turned into a nightmare.

"I mean that while you wanted Luna, I wanted you. Which makes me a huge idiot, I know. But it's liberating to realize and let go of that. You should try it. And I'm really resigning if you're confused. So you better find another assistant, another all-time friend, and another fake almost-fiancée, because for me, I'M DONE." You say, somewhat heatedly, but hey, what better time than now to throw truths in the face of the man you're in love with. 

"You can't just say you love me and walk away. Y/N, can you please listen to me? Or at least stop running away from me?" Kai speaks, sounding tired of chasing after you. You then stop walking away from him. The truth is you didn't know where to go; you were just walking hurriedly towards nowhere. 

"What is it?" You almost shout in his direction. Looking at him, at that moment, seemed to be your greatest challenge. He looked so upset that you almost went towards him to try to console him. But that wouldn't make any sense.

"Stay with me. Don't leave me. I know we need to work out some issues in our relationship, but I don't want to have to replace you, because there's no one who can replace you. Not as an assistant, not as a friend, and certainly not as a fake almost-fiancée." Jongin says as he approaches you. His eyes locking onto yours, his words sounding sincere, almost winning you over.

"I'll give you the chance to take me home. But that doesn't mean I won't leave you. I just don't like to waste time, and waiting for a taxi seems foolish. But nothing has changed. You're without an assistant and friend. Got it, Kim Jongin?" You say as you walk towards his car now.

Continues...

[starillusion13]

Ummm like first Hwa acting like THAT in live and now Kai so What’s up with you all 👀

[baekhyunsbestie]

── ❝ CHILL BABY ❞ 🪩🥂 ̟!!

⟢ a continuation of this :') switched up on the setting but the plot’s still p much the same hehe <333

જ⁀➴°⋆ content: 18+/MDNI. 19.3k+ words. baekhyun x f!reader. jongin x f!reader. mentions of other exos. jealous!baekhyun. corporate!au. enemies to lovers. fake dating. one bed. ⟡ fluff & smut ⟡ alcohol consumption, explicit language, pet names, praise kink, body worship, oral (f!receiving), unprotected sex, p in v, creampie ⟡ 

you step into minseok’s pristine office, already feeling the weight of impending doom. the polished chrome desk, minimalist decor, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking manhattan scream authority. unfortunately, the man sitting behind the desk—a seasoned negotiator with a no-nonsense attitude—screams something else: stress.

minseok gestures for you to sit, and your stomach drops when you see baekhyun already lounging in the chair across from him. he’s got that laid-back, insufferably confident posture, as if he owns the whole damn office. his tie is casually loosened, jacket tossed over the back of the chair like he’s at a bar instead of a meeting. he twirls a pen between his fingers with a carefree smirk, completely at ease as though this were some casual hangout, not an important work discussion.

your blood boils a little as you can’t help but notice how good he looks. it's infuriating—he looks effortlessly sharp in that tailored suit, the kind of guy who knows exactly how to make everything he wears look like it was meant for him. but it only adds to how much you hate him. everything about him rubs you the wrong way, especially when he knows exactly how to push your buttons without even trying.

“perfect timing,” minseok says, glancing between the two of you. “i’m glad you’re both here.”

you sit down reluctantly, throwing baekhyun a pointed glare. he meets your eyes, his slow, cocky grin widening in response. 

“as you're both aware,” minseok begins, his tone serious, “our company, inb100, is on the verge of finalizing a crucial merger with kim corp. this partnership has the potential to redefine our future, expanding our reach and solidifying our position in the global market. the board is counting on us to ensure this merger goes off without a hitch. we need a strong, unified front to manage every detail and make sure everything aligns perfectly. that's where the two of you come in.”

“us two?” you repeat, narrowing your eyes in disbelief, the words tasting as bitter as they sound.

minseok nods, his expression calm, though the weight of his words lingers heavily in the room. “yes, you’ve consistently proven yourself to be one of our sharpest,” he says, his tone steady. then, shifting his attention to baekhyun, he continues, “and baekhyun, your financial analysis throughout this merger has been exceptional. as heads of your respective departments, it’s logical to assign you two to spearhead this project together.”

“exceptional,” baekhyun repeats, leaning back in his chair with a grin that’s equal parts smug and infuriating. he lets the word hang in the air like a trophy. then, with an exaggerated sweetness, he shifts his gaze to you. “you hear that, sweetheart? i’m exceptional.”

you roll your eyes, the movement sharp enough to cut. “yeah, well, even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then.”

his laugh comes easily, warm and unbothered, which only fuels your irritation. “oh, so you’re admitting i’ve got something worth finding?” he teases, leaning forward just enough to make his smirk even more unbearable. “i’m flattered. really.”

you pointedly ignore his comment, pivoting back to minseok as you try to make sense of this ridiculous pairing. “i’m sorry,” you say slowly, your voice a mix of disbelief and barely restrained irritation. “us two? as in me and baekhyun?”

minseok lets out a long, exasperated sigh, briefly closing his eyes as though regretting every life choice that led to this moment. he pinches the bridge of his nose before answering, his tone clipped. “yes, as in you and baekhyun... unfortunately.”

your jaw drops, and before you can stop yourself, your voice rises. “oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me!”

baekhyun sits up straighter, his smirk vanishing as he frowns. “the fuck you mean, ‘unfortunately’?” he interjects, indignant. “i’m a goddamn asset to this company.”

“an asset?” you snap, turning to him with a glare sharp enough to cut glass. “you’re a walking liability.”

“alright, look,” minseok snaps, cutting through your bickering like a knife. “this isn’t optional. you’re both going to work together, and you’re going to make this merger happen without killing each other—or giving me a migraine.”

the room falls silent, except for the sound of baekhyun clicking his pen with obnoxious precision. he glances at you, his smirk creeping back like clockwork. “well,” he says, voice dripping with mock sincerity, “looks like we’re stuck together, partner.”

you grit your teeth, wishing for nothing more than to wipe that smug look off his face. instead, you flash a tight smile and mutter under your breath, “yeah, lucky me.”

“stop,” minseok interjects. “i don’t have time for either of your antics. this is a very high-stakes deal, and you’ll need to work together professionally.”

you lean forward, gripping the edge of your seat. “sir, with all due respect, are you sure there’s no one else available that i can work with? someone with a shred of self-awareness, perhaps? hmm? maybe kyungsoo?”

baekhyun gasps mockingly, placing a hand over his chest. “wow, that’s the thanks i get for stepping in when you were about to miss your deadline for the ad campaign?”

you narrow your eyes at him. “missed? i wasn’t about to miss anything.”

he raises an eyebrow, smirking even more. “oh really? because i distinctly remember you practically pulling your hair out over that presentation. but, hey, no big deal. i was just the one who swooped in, fixed your last minute errors, and made sure everything got delivered on time.”

you roll your eyes, crossing your arms. “oh, please. fixed? more like rearranged everything i worked on just to make it fit your ‘vision.’”

baekhyun shrugs nonchalantly. “well, it worked, didn’t it? the client loved it. you’re welcome, sweetheart.”

minseok’s palm meets the desk with a resounding thud, the sharp sound cutting through the tension in the room like a knife. you and baekhyun both jolt in your seats, your bickering silenced mid-breath.

“enough!” minseok’s voice is sharp, commanding, and leaves no room for argument. his eyes dart between the two of you, his patience clearly worn thin. “you’re both flying to hawaii in four days to seal the deal with kim corp. i don’t care if you need to hold hands, build a sand replica of the empire state building, or host a group therapy session on the beach—figure it out and make it happen.”

“hawaii?!” you and baekhyun say in unison, though your tones couldn’t be more different. yours is filled with disbelief; his is downright gleeful.

“yes, hawaii. the big island,” minseok sighs, rubbing his temples, clearly done with the constant bickering between you and baekhyun. “baekhyun, handle all the travel arrangements and accommodations.”

“in four days?” you squeak, the shock clearly written across your face. “b-but tomorrow's christmas!”

“and if you're both efficient, maybe you'll wrap things up before new year's,” minseok adds dryly, his voice edged with impatience.

you can't help but groan, dragging your hands down your face in disbelief. “this—this is a joke, right? can’t it wait until after the holidays?”

minseok shakes his head, his expression firm. “afraid not. both our board members and kim corp. are pushing to have this done as quickly as possible.”

the room falls into a tense silence. you blink at him, unsure whether to be more insulted by the lecture or horrified at the prospect of spending a week in paradise with baekhyun. meanwhile, baekhyun—ever the instigator—leans back in his chair, a slow grin spreading across his face.

“‘hold hands’, huh?” baekhyun drawls, casting you a teasing sidelong glance. his lips curve into a smirk, clearly amused by the idea. “what do ya say, sweetheart? should we start now?” he extends his hand toward you, fingers wiggling as if he’s daring you to take it.

you shoot him a withering glare, your patience wearing thin. you slap his hand away with a swift, practiced motion, but he just chuckles, clearly enjoying every second of this.

minseok lets out a frustrated groan, rubbing his temples in exasperation, face twisted with a mix of annoyance and disbelief. “get the fuck out of my office. both of you. now.” 

as you storm out of minseok’s office, the sharp click of your heels echoing down the hallway, baekhyun effortlessly falls into step beside you. his hands are tucked casually into his pockets, and he’s whistling a jaunty tune that only fuels your irritation.

“looks like we’re going to be spending a lot of quality time together, sweets,” he says, his tone practically dripping with amusement.

you don’t even spare him a glance, your eyes locked on the corridor ahead. “oh, i know, right?” you say, layering your voice with a fake, perky enthusiasm, clapping your hands together as if you couldn’t be more thrilled. “finally!”

out of the corner of your eye, you catch baekhyun’s reaction—his smile widens, stretching farther than you’ve ever seen, and for a split second, there’s something vulnerable in it. it’s as if your little act has caught him off guard, and maybe, just maybe, it’s made him feel a little… touched.

you continue, “maybe we can even do one of those excursions while we’re there... like a boat tour around the island or something?”

baekhyun blinks, clearly thrown by the shift in your tone. his usual cocky demeanor falters for just a second, a hint of pink creeping up his neck. “r-really?” he stammers, his voice softer, less certain. he runs a hand through his hair, rubbing the back of his neck as he stumbles over his words. “i... i can look into it.”

your smile doesn’t falter. in fact, it only grows, but now there’s a mischievous glint in your eyes. “yeah! and maybe while we’re out there, i can push you off the boat and into the ocean. and maybe, just maybe, i’ll finally be free of you.”

you both come to an abrupt halt in the middle of the hallway, the tension between you palpable. baekhyun’s expression is a study in exaggerated betrayal—his jaw slack, eyes wide, and brows lifted as if you’ve just struck a fatal blow.

“ouch, sweetheart,” he says after a beat, his voice low and laced with wounded amusement. “you really had me going there.” he straightens with an air of mock dignity, brushing off your jab with a shrug that’s almost convincing.

but, of course, baekhyun can’t resist adding more. “even if you did push me off the boat,” he continues, a mischievous glint sparking in his dark eyes, “hate to break it to you, but i can swim.” he leans in slightly, his voice dropping conspiratorially as if sharing a secret. “word around the office, though, is that little miss head of the marketing department wouldn’t know what to do if she fell in.”

your brow arches sharply, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. crossing your arms over your chest, you fix him with a look so dry it could evaporate water. “we live in new york city, baekhyun. why the fuck would i ever need to know how to swim?”

there’s a brief pause before you tilt your head, the corner of your mouth twitching into something that barely resembles a smile. “congratulations, though,” you say, voice dripping with sarcasm. “does the head of the finance department expect a medal or something?”

the corner of baekhyun’s mouth twitches, just enough to give you a glimpse of that infuriating, signature smirk of his. it’s the kind of smile that makes your stomach do flips, even though you’d rather be annoyed by it. but there's something about it—something you can't quite place—that pulls you in.

“sure,” he drawls, his voice smooth as velvet as he leans in a little closer. his face lowers until it's dangerously close to yours, making your breath catch in your throat. “i’ll take any kind of medal, especially if it’s comin’ from you, sweetheart.”

the air between you both feels thick with tension, his proximity almost dizzying. you force yourself to stay composed, a rush of heat crawling up your neck. “careful what you wish for, baekhyun,” you warn, your voice sharp, but there's the faintest tremor in it that betrays your cool front. “i might just hit you across the head with it.”

he laughs then, a deep, rolling sound that vibrates through your chest, somehow managing to be both incredibly irritating and impossibly charming. the way it lingers in the air is so annoyingly contagious that you have to bite down hard on your bottom lip to stop yourself from smiling.

the week hadn’t even started yet, and already, you were plotting how best to drown him in the ocean. for real this time.

the plane touches down with a soft jolt, and you can't help but groan under your breath. another business trip, another round of dealing with baekhyun's antics. as the seatbelt sign flickers off, you push yourself out of your seat, eyes already narrowing at him when you catch sight of his casual posture as he stands up and stretches, completely unbothered. typical.

“are you always this annoying, or is it just me?” you mutter, moving past him in the aisle.

baekhyun grins like he’s too pleased with himself. “you’re the only woman on this earth who’s immune to my charm, sweetheart. so yeah, it’s just you.”

you roll your eyes and trudge toward the door, where he follows right behind you, humming his ridiculous tune like he doesn’t have a care in the world. the last thing you need is to spend a whole week in his company, but here you are, stuck with him—again.

when you step into the airport terminal, you let out a long sigh. your heels click against the smooth floor as you make your way toward baggage claim. you’re half-focused on the carousel when baekhyun sidles up beside you, that damn grin still plastered on his face.

“so, what’s the hotel you booked for us?” you ask, feigning innocence, but already bracing yourself for whatever ridiculous answer he’s about to give.

baekhyun raises an eyebrow, twirling his bag strap like he’s the most important person in the world. “oh, i found us the perfect place. a real gem.” he pauses for dramatic effect. “one-star motel, just for you, babe.”

you elbow him in the ribs with a sharp jab, the motion automatic. you can’t even look at him for too long without feeling your frustration grow. he chokes on a laugh, pretending to be hurt as he leans away from you, clutching his side.

“okay, okay,” he says through the laughter, “i was kidding. i got us the ritz. you deserve no less, right?”

your eyes narrow in disbelief. “the ritz? really? you?”

he gives you a sly look, the same irritating grin still there. “what? don’t act so surprised. i’ve got taste.”

you roll your eyes, letting out a dramatic sigh, before your attention is abruptly yanked away by a very familiar figure standing just a few feet away from the carousel. your heart sinks, the sight of him instantly clouding your thoughts. jongin. your ex. the one who shattered your heart last year. the last person you ever expected to run into here.

jongin’s gaze flickers over to you, and a smug smile curls at the corners of his lips. “well, well, well,” he says, his voice smooth, laced with that same confident edge you remember so well. “what are the odds, huh? i didn’t think i’d be bumping into you of all people.”

your breath catches in your throat, and you can’t stop the small ache that forms in your chest, the memories flooding back despite your best efforts to push them down. he steps closer, his eyes scanning you, like he’s inspecting every inch of you as if he’s trying to figure out how you’ve changed. or maybe how he hasn’t.

“jongin?” you whisper, the name slipping from your lips in disbelief.

he quirks an eyebrow, a slight frown pulling at his features. “‘jongin?’” he repeats, his voice laced with surprise, “it was always ‘nini’ to you.”

you glance down at your feet, a sudden shyness washing over you. “it’s been a while,” you murmur, your voice barely above a breath.

“indeed, it has,” he replies, his gaze never leaving you, and this time it feels almost like heat. there’s a pause before he adds, his voice low, yet dripping with that familiar cocky edge, “you look... even better than i remember.” his grin curls up, just as self-assured as it always was.

you fight the urge to roll your eyes, though you can’t quite suppress the bitterness rising in your throat. you were fine without him, you remind yourself, but it’s hard to stay completely unaffected when he looks at you with that same damn smug expression.

“maybe fate’s decided we should reconnect. who knows what could come of it, right?” jongin continues, his voice teasing, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes.

before you can even think of a response, baekhyun steps in, his presence suddenly right at your side. without missing a beat, he wraps his arm around your waist, pulling you close to him in a way that has you blinking up at him, completely thrown off by his sudden boldness. he looks at jongin, coolly meeting his gaze.

“sorry, don’t think we’ve met,” baekhyun says, his voice dripping with a saccharine sweetness that’s anything but genuine. he tightens his arm around your waist just enough that you can feel the shift in his posture, like he’s pulling you into his orbit. his eyes flicker briefly to you before he meets jongin’s gaze again, sharp and calculating. “who are you?”

“relax, buddy,” jongin chuckles, clearly unfazed, though there’s an edge to his voice. “can’t a man talk to an old fling?”

baekhyun's smirk widens, but there’s a shift in his expression that sends a shiver creeping down your spine. his eyes narrow, no longer playful or teasing, but dark—almost predatory. the air around him seems to thicken, charged with something dangerous. 

“of course he can,” he says, his voice smooth, almost too calm, but beneath the words lingers an undeniable edge. “just not when she's with her new boyfriend.” his eyes sharpen, scanning jongin from head to toe, the silent challenge in his stare unmistakable. “you understand, don’t you?”

boyfriend.

the word hits you like a slap. your mind blanks, then fills with the echo of that single word—boyfriend. boyfriend. boyfriend. it loops in your head, drowning out the noise around you.

you blink up at baekhyun, your pulse quickening as you try to process what just happened. the air between you seems to thicken, and for a moment, you’re unsure whether you’ve heard him right. but before you can gather your thoughts, his thumb brushes against the exposed skin of your shoulder in a slow, deliberate motion, grounding you, pulling you back to the present.

“and trust me,” baekhyun continues, his voice still light, but there’s an edge of something in it now—something that sounds like possession. “she’s long forgotten your sorry ass. so no need to be ‘reconnecting’ anything. isn’t that right, my girl?”

you freeze for a beat, your brain scrambling to put together something that sounds convincing. you feel your heart thudding in your chest, blood rushing in your ears as you fight the strange, rising panic. why did he say that? your throat tightens as you try to process, to find some semblance of normalcy in this chaotic moment.

“ah, uh—y-yeah,” you stammer, the words sticking in your throat. you clear it quickly, hoping to mask the sudden shake in your voice. “jongin, this is baekhyun, my... boyfriend.” you gesture from jongin to baekhyun, your hand feeling oddly heavy.

the way you say it feels strange, as if the word boyfriend doesn’t quite fit, but the sincerity in baekhyun’s arm around you, the warmth of his touch, makes it feel... real.

you barely register jongin’s sharp inhale or the way his expression falters for a split second. baekhyun’s grip on you tightens for a moment before he leans down, his lips brushing your forehead in a quick, almost teasing kiss.

“we’re actually here for new year's, you know,” baekhyun says, his voice laced with a sweetness that you can’t quite shake off. “my girl can’t stand the cold back home, so we thought we’d escape for a bit.”

you glance up at baekhyun, trying to process how he knows exactly how much you hate the cold.

jongin stands there for a moment, the sharp glint in his eyes betraying the thoughts running through his mind. but before he can say anything more, his driver arrives, and he quickly shifts, offering a lazy smile as he turns to leave.

“well, that’s me,” he says, his voice dripping with a mix of sarcasm and something darker, like he's savoring the moment. “as much as this reunion’s been... lovely, the ritz doesn’t wait, right? good luck with your little relationship, though. she’s only worth the first few rounds, by the way,” he adds, giving baekhyun a light slap on the shoulder, before his gaze shifts to you—cold, dismissive, and pointed.

with that, he turns on his heel and walks away, leaving the two of you standing there in a thick, uncomfortable silence. you exhale slowly, trying to shake off the tension that’s still hanging in the air.

baekhyun doesn’t release you, his arm staying firmly around your waist as he tugs you closer, the heat from his touch making the knot in your stomach tighten.

you shift uncomfortably, your voice barely above a whisper. “baekhyun? why... why did you do that?”

baekhyun shrugs, eyes avoiding yours as a cocky smirk spreads across his face. “he was a dick. and frankly, i’m the only one allowed to be a dick to you, sweetheart.”

you scoff, but the irritation quickly fades, especially with how close he’s standing. his presence is magnetic—infuriatingly comfortable, and you find it hard to stay mad when you’re this close to him.

“w-wait—” you stammer, hurrying to keep up with baekhyun as he walks toward the luggage carousel. you watch him reach for the bags, his sleeves rolled up, revealing the defined muscles of his forearms as he moves effortlessly. as much as you’re tempted to linger on the sight of his bare forearms and the veins that run along them, your thoughts are still tangled in the conversation you just left behind. “he said he’s going to the ritz?”

baekhyun pauses, his fingers wrapping around the handle of your suitcase as he turns to glance back at you. his brow arches slightly, and there’s a fleeting flicker in his expression—something sharp, maybe irritation or even jealousy, though you can’t quite pinpoint it. it’s subtle, but it’s there, simmering beneath his calm exterior. “yeah? and?”

you falter, the realization crashing into you like a freight train. “you… you booked our stay at the ritz.”

the words hang in the air, and for a second, baekhyun doesn’t respond. instead, he straightens, pulling your suitcase off the carousel with a practiced ease before grabbing his own. his movements are unhurried, deliberate, like he’s giving himself time to decide how to respond.

finally, he lets out a low chuckle, the sound warm but edged with amusement. “oh, i see what you mean now.” his gaze flickers to you, his lips curving into that infuriatingly cocky smile. “what? you worried about running into him again? don’t tell me you’re still hung up on that asshole.”

you roll your eyes, crossing your arms defensively. “no, i’m not hung up on him. it’s just…weird. what are the odds, right?”

baekhyun shrugs, completely unfazed. “doesn’t matter, sweets. it’s the ritz. i booked it because you deserve nothing less. if he’s staying there too, that’s his problem, not ours.” he smirks, the corners of his eyes crinkling in that way that always manages to irritate and disarm you all at once. “besides, if he shows up, i’ll just remind him who you’re with now.”

his words hang in the air, casual but loaded, and you’re left staring at him, your cheeks heating as you struggle to come up with a response. typical baekhyun—always leaving you flustered and one step behind.

the car ride to the hotel is the kind of moment you’d want to capture forever. the windows are rolled down, letting the warm, golden sunshine pour in, and the tropical breeze carries the scent of saltwater and plumeria. you lean your head back against the seat, letting your eyes flutter closed for just a second as the warmth kisses your skin. it feels almost unreal, the stark contrast to the biting cold and slate-gray skies of new york city that you left behind.

cold never suited you.

you’d always hated bundling up in layers, the way your breath fogged up the air, and how the snow turned into a slushy mess on the sidewalks. you hated it all. and yet, somehow, baekhyun knew.

you glance at him from the corner of your eye, trying to piece it together. he’s relaxed in the driver’s seat, one hand loosely gripping the steering wheel while the other rests on the open window’s edge. his shirt sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, and his hair is ruffled slightly from the breeze. he looks completely at ease, like he belongs in this setting, soaking up the sun and radiating that same kind of effortless warmth.

“you’re quiet,” he says, breaking the silence. his voice is light, teasing, but not overbearing. “cat got your tongue, or are you just enjoying my company?”

“yeah, you wish,” you quip back, but there’s no real bite in your tone. your gaze drifts out the window, watching the palm trees blur past. “it’s just… nice here. warm. i like it.”

“better than new york, huh?” baekhyun grins, his eyes flicking toward you briefly before focusing back on the road. “figured you’d like it here.”

you blink, caught off guard. “you… figured? what do you mean?”

he shrugs, his casual demeanor just a little too smug for your liking. “you complain about the cold every chance you get,” he says, ticking off each point like a laundry list. “you show up to work in like three coats, a scarf, a beanie, gloves—and don’t even get me started on that sauna of an office you keep. every time i have to drop off paperwork, i’m convinced i’m walking into a tropical rainforest.”

“oh.” your frown deepens, a flicker of embarrassment creeping in. you hadn’t realized your habits were that obvious, but then again, this is baekhyun—he notices everything, even the things you wish he wouldn’t.

“besides,” he continues, his tone softening, “you deserve a break. and yeah, i know you’d probably rather be on this trip with some other loser from work, but…” his eyes flick to yours briefly, something playful but sincere lingering there, “i figured at least the weather would make you happy.”

and you are happy, you realize, though admitting it feels like giving him too much credit. the sun, the warm breeze, the open windows—it’s all so far removed from the icy grind of your usual routine. the air feels lighter here, and maybe, just maybe, so do you.

you glance at him again, catching the slight curve of his lips, that telltale satisfied smile that says he knows he got this one right. it’s annoying, really, but for once, you can’t summon the energy to fight him on it.

“thanks,” you murmur, your voice barely cutting through the rush of the wind outside.

he doesn’t miss a beat. “‘course,” he says, his smile widening like he’s been waiting for you to say it. then, because he’s baekhyun, he adds, “but hey, if you want to admit i’m the best coworker ever, i won’t stop you.”

you roll your eyes, but even that feels easier here. you settle back against the seat, the sun warming your skin, and let yourself enjoy the moment—just this once.

the lobby buzzes with the energy of holiday travelers—laughter, the distant sound of luggage wheels, the soft clinking of champagne flutes from the bar nearby. you and baekhyun stand at the concierge desk, your patience already wearing thin as the desk clerk types furiously into their computer.

“ah, yes,” the clerk says, glancing up with a polite smile. “we have you booked for one room—honeymoon suite, king bed.”

you blink. “i’m sorry, what?”

“the honeymoon suite,” they repeat, a tinge of unease creeping into their voice as they register your disbelief. “with one king bed.”

“that can’t be right,” you say, your tone sharp enough to slice through the holiday cheer around you. “honeymoon suite? are you sure you pulled up the right reservation? we’re here on a work trip, not a honeymoon. i’m sure we were supposed to have two rooms?”

the clerk’s smile falters, replaced by a wince of sympathy. “i’m so sorry,” she says, her voice overly apologetic. “the reservation only shows one room—the honeymoon suite. and unfortunately, we’re completely booked because of the holidays, so i can’t offer you any additional rooms. however, there is a sofa bed in the suite,” she adds, as though that detail might soften the blow.

it doesn’t.

you pivot on your heel, fixing baekhyun with an incredulous glare. your expression says it all: are you kidding me? meanwhile, he looks as relaxed as ever, one hand casually resting on the counter, the other in his pocket. the faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips is enough to make your blood boil.

“baekhyun,” you hiss, your voice low enough to avoid drawing attention but packed with enough fury to cut through his smug demeanor—or so you hope. “what the hell happened, king of the fucking finance department? you were in charge of the booking.”

he meets your gaze, his smirk growing into something downright infuriating. he doesn’t flinch, doesn’t waver, just stands there like he owns the place, completely unbothered. and for a split second, you think he might actually find your irritation entertaining.

he blinks at you, eyes wide with mock shock as he lets out an exaggerated gasp. “i could have sworn i booked two rooms.”

your jaw tightens, your glare sharp enough to pierce through steel, but he doesn’t so much as flinch. instead, he turns back to the clerk, his tone smooth and unbothered. “oh well,” he says with a nonchalant shrug, as though sharing a bed is the most natural thing in the world. “it’s fine. we’ll make it work.”

before you can even open your mouth to protest, he plucks the two room keys off the counter, his lips curving into a disarmingly charming smile. “thanks so much!” he says, his voice all honey and confidence, before grabbing your belongings and striding toward the elevators like he’s just won a prize.

you stand there, rooted to the spot, half-fuming and half-stunned, before your feet finally propel you forward. your steps are quick and purposeful as you catch up to him. “baekhyun, i swear—”

he lets out a dramatic sigh, leaning against the elevator wall. “look, this was a pretty impromptu trip,” he explains, his voice taking on a softer tone, though the glint in his eye tells you he’s not entirely innocent. “we only found out about it a few days ago and it was the best—and only—room available. sorry, sweets.”

you narrow your eyes at him, lips pressed into a tight line. “‘sweets’? seriously, baekhyun, you need to cut it with the cute pet names before i smother you in your sleep tonight.”

he raises an eyebrow, a playful grin tugging at his lips. “what? you wouldn’t do that to your boyfriend, would you?” he teases, the words dripping with amusement as his grin grows wider.

the moment you step into the room, you're hit with its effortless elegance. the soft, golden light of the hawaiian afternoon floods in through the large windows, casting a warm glow across the expansive suite. the walls are decorated with modern art that feels both stylish and inviting, while the floors are covered in a plush cream-colored rug that matches the dark wood furniture. a massive king-sized bed dominates the room, draped in crisp white linens with fluffy pillows stacked high. to your left, there’s a sleek glass-walled shower and a soaking tub that looks out over the coast. it’s a peaceful, luxurious space, and for just a moment, you forget all the chaos of the check-in.

you sigh contentedly and make a beeline for the bed. it’s so inviting, the mattress looking impossibly soft, the kind of bed you can sink into and never want to leave. without hesitation, you plop down, burying yourself in the comfort of the bed and letting out a blissful hum. “dibs on the bed tonight,” you say, looking up at baekhyun with a mischievous grin.

he stares at you for a moment, lips curling into a smirk. “oh, no you don’t,” he retorts, walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed. “this bed’s big enough for both of us. we’ll just share.”

you shake your head, hands stretching out like you're claiming territory. “nope. you can take the sofa, my guy. i’m calling it. this is my bed.”

baekhyun chuckles, a low, amused sound that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. he leans back, feigning deep thought, but the playful glint in his eyes gives him away. he’s not nearly as irritated as he wants you to believe. "fine," he finally says with a dramatic sigh, standing up and stretching as if the very act of standing is a monumental task. “i’ll take the sofa, even though i’m not thrilled about that.”

you watch him, trying to maintain your cool, but the unexpected pang in your chest catches you off guard. the way he’s pretending to be put out, the effort he’s putting into making it seem like he’s sacrificing something when he’s clearly just messing around—it all hits you. for a split second, you feel bad. genuinely bad. a small voice in your head whispers that maybe he’s doing this to be nice, that maybe he’s not as bad as you keep telling yourself.

but no. you push it down. you’ve made your decision about him, and you won’t let him worm his way in with his charm. you hate him, and nothing—nothing—will change that.

suddenly, baekhyun halts, his playful demeanor shifting into something more serious, though the faintest trace of a smirk remains tugging at the corners of his mouth. “i’m gonna shower first. we can finish figuring out the whole sleeping arrangement afterward, but i’m down for a pillow wall, if you are, sweets.”

his gaze flickers to yours, a glint of amusement dancing in his eyes. “i know that was on your mind,” he adds, his tone dripping with smug confidence. and damn it, that annoys you, because he’s right. it pisses you off, that he knows you so well.

he leans in slightly, voice smooth as silk, his smirk widening. “and hey,” he continues, “you wouldn’t want your dear old boyfriend to end up on the not-as-comfy sofa, right? be a good girlfriend, would ya?” there's a challenge in his tone, one that pulls at something inside you, a knot tightening in your chest.

you stare at him for a beat, trying to muster up the usual annoyance, but you can’t help the chuckle that escapes your lips. “you’re insufferable, baekhyun,” you mutter.

he winks at you, not missing a beat. “thanks, sweets. oh, and by the way,” he adds, tone dropping to one of mock seriousness, “don’t leave your expensive shampoos and stuff out, okay? if i find them, you’ll be watching me use them all up. fair warning.”

“don’t even think about it!” you call after him, but you can’t hide the amused smirk tugging at your lips. you watch him disappear into the bathroom, the sound of the shower starting a few seconds later.

your mind is a blur from everything that happened today. the weight of it all presses down on you, and the only thing you can focus on is shuffling through your bag to pull out your laptop. your fingers tremble as you tell yourself that, if you're going to avoid thinking about it all, you might as well get some work done.

so, you dive into your tasks—attempting to organize baekhyun's script and fine-tune a presentation. it’s a half-hearted effort, though. the words blur together, and the sound of your own thoughts fades, the distraction of everything around you creeping in.

you're barely getting anywhere when the sound of running water suddenly stops, pulling you from the haze of your work. the bathroom door creaks open, and your heart skips a beat as you glance up, knowing exactly what’s coming.

and there he is.

baekhyun. 

fucking shirtless.

the same baekhyun who has spent months throwing paper clips at you during meetings, the one who always swiped the last muffin in the break room—one he knew you’d been eyeing all day. standing there, completely unbothered by your presence, his sharp hip bones and smooth muscle curves on full display.

his broad shoulders practically fill the doorway of the bathroom, water droplets still clinging to his skin, glistening under the light as they trail down his collarbones, catching the soft glow of the room. they follow the sharp planes of his abs, disappearing just below the towel hanging low on his waist—just barely hiding the path that your eyes desperately try to pull away from.

you swallow hard, fighting the flush rising to your cheeks, but the image is already burned into your mind.

you turn away from him, trying your best to ignore the way your body seems to heat up at the sight of him standing there, half-drenched and smug.

“baekhyun,” you huff, shaking your head. “will you put some fucking clothes on?”

he just raises an eyebrow, clearly unbothered by your discomfort, and with a teasing grin, he casually asks, “could you toss me my clothes, sweetheart? i kinda left them on the bed.”

you roll your eyes but can’t stop the small sigh that escapes your lips. “you’re unbelievable.”

turning, you walk over to the bed where his clothes lay, carefully picking them up and making your way toward the bathroom. the large, opulent space feels even bigger as you step inside, and you can feel the humidity from the steam still lingering in the air.

as you step closer to him, your foot slips on the puddle of water he carelessly left on the floor. your balance falters, and before you can catch yourself, baekhyun's quick reflexes come into play, and he catches you by the waist.

his chest is still damp, and your body presses against his—his wet skin, still warm from the shower, sends a jolt through you, and for a moment, your mind blanks.

you can feel his heartbeat under your palm, and you pull yourself together, clearing your throat. “right. great. i, uh—thanks,” you mutter, pushing yourself away from him and regaining your composure.

baekhyun doesn’t seem fazed, his eyes still glinting with mischief as he looks down at you, but you quickly shake your head and take a step back, raising a hand. “out. now. i need to use the bathroom, and you’ve been hogging it long enough.”

he smirks, clearly amused, but doesn’t argue. “fine, fine. but you owe me for saving you from that puddle. you’re welcome, sweetheart,” he says, pulling a towel around his waist as he walks past you, his grin never fading.

you huff, watching him leave the bathroom, all too aware of the lingering heat between you. once you’re alone, you exhale sharply, trying to shake off the tension that’s built up.

the night is long, and you can’t seem to get comfortable. baekhyun, despite having his own side of the bed, is tossing and turning, invading the carefully constructed pillow wall you made between you two. every time he shifts, his arm brushes against your side or his leg nudges yours, making sleep impossible. you try to push him away, but he doesn’t stay put, and soon, your frustration reaches its peak.

with a deep sigh, you throw the covers off and slide out of bed, silently cursing the universe for putting you in this position. without another thought, you drag your pillow and blanket over to the couch, settling in the cramped space. the sofa bed’s not great, but it’s better than trying to sleep next to baekhyun, who seems completely oblivious to your discomfort.

hours pass, and though you’re exhausted, sleep doesn’t come easily. the sofa bed is too short, and the padding is far from comfortable, leaving your back sore and your mind restless. you spend the night staring at the ceiling, trying to ignore the thoughts running through your head.

finally, as the morning light begins to filter through the curtains, you hear baekhyun stirring. you sit up, rubbing your eyes and immediately checking your laptop to avoid looking at him. the soft sound of him getting out of bed fills the room, and you can almost hear his confusion when he spots the sofa bed.

he’s quiet for a beat before his voice rings out with disbelief. “wait, seriously? you’re on the couch?” his tone is a mix of surprise and concern.

you glance at him from over your laptop, blinking away the grogginess. “yeah,” you reply, shrugging as if it’s no big deal. “it wasn’t that bad.”

baekhyun’s brow furrows as he walks toward you, eyes scanning the couch and then locking onto you with a look of confusion. “but still…” he says, his voice soft but serious, “i would've rather had you stay in bed, and me go onto the shitty couch. you going on the sofa bed sounds like something that other guy would have you do.”

he sits down next to you on the couch, so close that you can feel the warmth of his body seep into yours. despite the proximity, he acts as if this is completely normal, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. and yet, it’s throwing you off, making you question what exactly is going on between you two. but then you notice the subtle shift in his expression—a slight wince—as he realizes just how uncomfortable this is. it’s a fleeting moment, but you catch it, and it makes you smirk.

you laugh softly, breaking the tension. “okay, okay, fine. i’ll kick you out if you don’t behave tonight.”

baekhyun raises an eyebrow, clearly entertained. “not even gonna send me straight to the couch?” he teases, his voice dripping with amusement. “gonna give me a chance on the bed tonight? you goin’ soft on me, sweetheart? promise i won’t disappoint. y’know, women are actually trying to get into my bed, not out of it.”

you roll your eyes at him, shaking your head at his cocky demeanor. without warning, you start throwing pillows at him, laughing as you yell, “actually, you can sleep on the beach tonight, you fucking loser.”

he jumps off the couch, trying to dodge the pillows with a dramatic flair. “it’s too early in the day for you to be this violent, woman!” he yells, grinning like a maniac.

“oh, please!” you laugh, barely able to contain your amusement. “this is a normal tuesday for us, baekhyun.”

just as you’re about to throw another pillow, a loud knock echoes from the door, cutting through the chaos.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

baekhyun flops back onto the bed, the sheets crinkling beneath him as you both listen to the sharp knock at the door. but before you can even move, you take the opportunity to lob one last pillow at him—smacking him squarely in the face while he's still caught off guard. you quickly shuffle toward the door, eager to beat him to the punch before he can retaliate.

you wonder, just for a second, if it’s an employee delivering the good news that there's another room available, something that might finally make this whole situation more bearable. but as you open the door, your breath catches in your throat.

standing in the doorway, looking like a storm cloud ready to explode, is jongin. his glare could slice through steel, and his arms are crossed tightly over his chest, lips curling into a sneer.

“of fucking course” he mutters, his voice dripping with venom, “it would be you two making all that noise next door.” 

you sigh, an exasperated, barely contained groan slipping from your lips. “great. perfect. just what i needed,” you mutter, pinching the bridge of your nose as the last of your patience slips away. “what do you want, jongin?”

his sneer deepens, and his voice drops into something more menacing. “to shut the hell up,” he snaps. “some of us are still trying to sleep. i don’t care what pathetic excuse of a dick he’s giving you—”

“is that all?” you interrupt, your voice flat, cutting through his tirade before it can build. your hand slides the door open just a bit wider, your tone dry and uninterested. “if it is, i’ll get back to that ‘pathetic dick.’”

there’s a brief shuffle behind you, and before you can even react, you feel the heat of baekhyun's body press against your back, the sharpness of his presence unmistakable. he leans in close, his voice a low, almost playful hum that sends a shiver down your spine.

“what’s all this about pathetic dick?” he asks, his tone smooth and dangerously seductive, “‘cus it sure as hell can’t be mine.”

jongin’s eyes flick to baekhyun, and the tension between the two men is palpable, charged with unspoken animosity.

your face heats instantly as baekhyun’s arm wraps around your waist, pulling you tight against him. the warmth of his body is almost too much to handle, and his dark eyes glint with amusement as he tilts his head down to meet yours. the smirk that curls at the corner of his lips is nothing short of lethal. “isn’t that right, sweetheart?” his voice teasing and sure.

“uh... yeah,” you stammer, the words slipping out a little too quickly, your throat tight and a rush of warmth spreading beneath your skin.

jongin’s sharp gaze narrows, cutting through the space between you and baekhyun. “she doesn’t sound very convinced,” he sneers, his lips curling into a venomous smirk. “guess she’s been missin’ a real man, huh?”

without even sparing him a glance, baekhyun’s attention remains solely on you. his lips hover dangerously close to your neck, brushing just enough to send a shiver racing down your spine. “well,” he murmurs, his voice dipped in sweet, honeyed malice, “who’s been makin’ her scream all morning?”

he angles his head slightly, exposing a red splotch on his jaw, a visible mark left from the earlier cushion assault. but the way it stands out against his skin speaks to something far more suggestive. his gaze flicks to jongin, sharp and mocking. “we’ll try to keep the noise down. now, why don’t you go be a good neighbor and fuck off?”

before jongin can retort, baekhyun’s grip on you tightens, and he tugs you back and further into your shared room with a firm, deliberate motion. the door clicks shut behind you with a satisfying snap, the confrontation left to fizzle out on the other side.

the night had fully embraced the island, the sky a deep, velvety black speckled with a million stars. the moon hung low, casting a soft silver sheen over the water, which shimmered like liquid glass in the calm evening air. you and baekhyun had set up shop at the poolside, the faint sounds of the waves crashing against the shore in the distance acting as a subtle soundtrack to the tension brewing between you two.

the flickering glow of your laptop screen illuminated your focused face, but baekhyun’s insistent whining kept cutting through the silence, forcing you to push back any sense of calm.

“ugh, seriously? we’ve been here for hours.” baekhyun groaned, stretching dramatically in his chair, the sound of his back cracking loudly as he leaned back. his eyes fluttered closed for a second as he let out a deep sigh. “this is hawaii, hawaii, and we're just sitting here... working? you can’t be serious, sweetheart.”

your eyes remained locked on your laptop screen, fingers flying over the keys as you typed away. “it’s called responsibility, baekhyun,” you muttered without looking up, your voice dripping with subtle sarcasm. “though, given how little you seem to know about it, i’m not exactly surprised that word isn’t in your vocabulary.”

he groaned again, this time pushing his chair back with a squeak that sent a shiver through the otherwise still night. he stood up, stretching his arms above his head, his body languid and exaggerated in every movement. his pout was theatrical, like a child who hadn’t gotten his way. “but i didn’t come all the way here to work the entire time,” he whined, his voice almost teasing, “especially when we could be out there enjoying the beach, having fun. we’re just gonna stare at spreadsheets and powerpoints the whole damn time? come on, sweets, let’s at least take a walk on the beach for a bit. i hear there’s a cool bar down there... just down the way. you deserve a break.”

he’s right. you can feel the strain in your eyes and the thought of a cold piña colada from the bar sounds like the perfect remedy right now. “fine,” you snap, your voice sharp, cutting through the tension. “but we have deadlines, baekhyun. we can't lose out on this merger just because you wanna fuck around and—”

your sentence is abruptly interrupted when you stand to gather your things, unintentionally bumping into baekhyun in the process.

he stumbles backward, his arms flailing in a frantic attempt to regain balance. his eyes go wide in exaggerated mock horror, a grin tugging at his lips. and then—PLOP!—he crashes straight into the pool, fully clothed, the sudden splash sending a wave of water over the edge, soaking the surrounding area.

you froze, your mouth dropping open in shock. “oh my god, baekhyun! i didn’t mean to—”

baekhyun surfaced, his drenched hair clinging to his forehead as he wiped the water from his face with a laugh. “really? you accidentally pushed me into the pool?” his voice dripped with amusement, the playful glint in his eyes only making him more insufferable.

you instinctively extended your hand, guilt rising in your chest. “i’m sorry! here, let me help you out.”

but baekhyun had other plans. before you could react, he seized your wrist, his grip surprisingly strong, and tugged you toward him with a mischievous glint in his eye. “oh no, sweetheart, you’re not getting off that easy.”

a startled gasp escaped you as you stumbled toward the pool’s edge. in one swift motion, baekhyun yanked you into the water with him. the cold hit you like a shockwave, your body stiffening as the chill enveloped you, leaving your heart racing.

you froze for a split second, panic surging through you as the cold water surrounded you. “baekhyun!” you sputtered, your voice shaky as your heart pounded in your chest. “i-i can't swim!”

without hesitation, baekhyun’s strong arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you effortlessly against his chest. his body was warm against yours, his presence grounding in a way that made your head spin. “don’t worry, sweetheart,” he murmured, his voice calm and soothing, but with an edge of something playful. “i’ve got you.”

his grip was firm, almost possessive, and it only intensified the heat flooding your cheeks. your body pressed so close to his, it felt impossible to breathe without feeling the weight of his every movement. you squirmed a little, trying to pull away, but his hold remained unyielding. “i swear, i’m gonna kill you,” you muttered through gritted teeth, frustration rising in your chest.

baekhyun’s laugh rumbled deep in his chest, low and teasing, sending a shiver racing down your spine. “if you kill me, princess,” he whispered, his breath warm and distracting against the side of your face, “you’re goin’ down with me.” his voice dropped to a mockingly romantic tone. “kinda poetic, though, don’t ya think? like romeo and juliet.”

before you could respond, the sliding glass door to jongin’s room swung open, and his voice rang out, breaking through the tension. “if you two are going to have sex in the pool, i’m calling security!” he yelled.

you froze, your cheeks burning as your embarrassment peaked. you were so done with baekhyun.

baekhyun, on the other hand, only laughed louder, his chest rumbling beneath your hands. “what?! can’t a man fuck his girl in peace? knew you were an asshole, but didn’t know you’d be a fuckin’ cockblock, too!”

you pushed against his chest, desperately trying to break free, the words slipping from your lips in a breathless hiss. “i swear, i'm going to kill you.”

and just like that, it was as if the spell that had bound the two of you together shattered, leaving everything heavy and tense. before he could even react, you were already grabbing your things, fleeing back toward the suite with a hurried, frantic urgency. leaving him behind and very, very alone.

the soft hum of the hotel room’s air conditioner was the only sound filling the space as you nestled deeper into the plush sheets, a gentle sigh escaping your lips. the warm water of the shower had relaxed your muscles, the exhaustion from the day melting away with each droplet. wrapped in a fluffy robe, you felt cozy in the bed, the soft glow of the bedside lamp casting a peaceful light around the room. 

you absentmindedly took another sip from your glass of water, the coolness of it soothing your dry throat. the day had been long, filled with endless emails and phone calls, and tomorrow’s presentation with kim corp. lingered in your mind like a weight you couldn’t shake. you’d be expected to nail it. your mind buzzed with all the things that could go wrong, all the ways you might stumble.

baekhyun returned to the room quietly, his footsteps barely audible against the soft carpet. he entered, holding a pineapple-shaped glass filled with a creamy piña colada, the faint scent of coconut and rum reaching you before he even spoke. his gaze immediately found you, and that ever-present, playful grin tugged at his lips.

“a peace offering,” he said casually, stepping closer, his voice gentle but full of the usual teasing warmth. “for the whole, y’know, pool incident earlier.”

you shot him a half-hearted glance, barely meeting his eyes. you could hear the slight edge of frustration in your own voice when you responded. “you didn’t have to drag me into the pool like that.”

baekhyun chuckled, his eyes bright with that mischievous glint. “maybe not, but it was fun, wasn’t it?”

you let out a sigh, a mixture of exasperation and amusement tugging at your lips, a reluctant smile curling despite yourself. baekhyun set the piña colada down on the bedside table with a soft clink, then proceeded to strip off his clothes. you quickly turned your gaze to the side, trying your best not to look, but god, it was nearly impossible not to glance. his body was a work of art—toned muscles, perfectly sculpted. even in the soft light of the room, the sight of him was enough to make your breath hitch. you forced your attention elsewhere, trying to keep your thoughts in check, but it was hard to ignore the way your body reacted.

he walked toward the bathroom, his steps sure and confident, and the sound of running water soon filled the space. you exhaled, attempting to push those thoughts from your mind, but it wasn’t easy. a few moments later, the sound of the water stopped, and the bathroom door creaked open. baekhyun emerged, freshly showered, his hair slightly damp and tousled, the scent of soap and shampoo lingering in the air. he wore nothing more than a simple t-shirt and sweatpants, but even in the most casual clothes, he still looked effortlessly stunning.

it was fucking infuriating.

he slid into the bed beside you with his usual ease, like it was second nature to him, yet his eyes didn’t stray from you. they lingered, observing you with that familiar intensity. you could feel his gaze on you, but you refused to meet it. something about the way he was looking at you made your heart race, and you didn’t know if it was the exhaustion from the day or the way he seemed to have an unspoken understanding of everything.

the pillow wall, once a physical barrier, seemed to stretch into something more now. as he shifted closer, his gaze flicked over you—keen, observant, knowing. his eyes softened slightly, as if sensing the quiet tension still holding you.

you didn’t need to look at him to know he was watching. you bit your lip, furrowing your brow, lost in thoughts that weighed heavier than you let on. of course, baekhyun noticed. he noticed everything about you. the way your shoulders were slightly hunched, the tightness in your jaw, the way your fingers gripped the edge of the blanket just a little too hard.

he shifted, leaning toward you with a gentle, reassuring smile, his voice low and smooth as he spoke. “y’know... you did great today. we both did.” his hand hovered just shy of the pillow wall, like he wanted to close the space but didn’t push. “and we’ll do great tomorrow too. you always do.”

you met his gaze, and for a fleeting moment, his words cut through the whirl of your thoughts like a breath of fresh air. you felt the tension in your shoulders ease, the grip on the blanket loosening as you let out a long, slow breath. “you always say that,” you murmured, a small smile tugging at your lips, though it was almost fond.

you couldn’t help but remember how baekhyun had always been the first to notice when you were nervous before presentations or meetings. he’d show up early, stand next to you, and assure you that you were going to crush it, always with that playful glint in his eye. at the time, you took it as nothing more than sarcasm, a part of his usual flirting. but now, as his words settled in your chest, a realization hit you. maybe—just maybe—he’d always been genuine. even when he was a flirtatious bastard.

baekhyun’s smile deepened, his eyes softening in that rare, vulnerable way you’d only ever seen in private moments. “’cus it’s true. you always pull through, no matter how much you’re stressing. you’ve got this. don’t let it eat you up.” the sincerity in his tone sent a ripple through you, and for the first time, you wondered if there was more to him than just the cocky, teasing persona he showed to the world.

you didn’t respond at first, your heart racing with the weight of tomorrow’s pressure. but his words, those simple, honest words, had a way of grounding you. slowly, you turned your head toward him, no longer worried about the invisible wall that still seemed to separate you. you didn’t need to say anything. his presence alone was enough to make you feel like you weren’t carrying the weight of it all alone.

baekhyun didn’t move any closer, but the space between you felt smaller somehow. his gaze remained steady on yours, the soft glow of the room casting gentle shadows across his features. he wasn’t going to let you carry it all on your own. and somehow, that reassurance settled your nerves more than anything.

the tension that had clouded the room seemed to dissipate, leaving a quiet, comfortable silence between you two. you finally took a sip of your piña colada, the cold sweetness of it sliding down your throat, and for the first time in hours, you allowed yourself to relax.

baekhyun’s voice broke the silence, playful as ever. “and don’t worry. if you need me to bail you out tomorrow, i’ll be right there, by your side. y’know i’m good at that.”

you chuckled softly, feeling a bit of the weight lift from your shoulders. “i’m sure you’ll find a way to ‘help,’ baekhyun.”

he grinned, his hand reaching out to briefly touch the edge of your pillow, just enough to let you know he was there. “always do, sweetheart. always do.”

and for the first time this entire trip, you felt like you might actually be able to sleep.

baekhyun leaned back in his chair, eyes unfocused as he traced the pattern on the desk with his finger, his mind drifting. the memory came flooding back—three years ago, the first day you’d officially stepped into the role of head of marketing at inb100.

it was a strange, almost surreal day for him. kyungsoo, as usual, was directing everyone around with his quiet but unyielding authority. sehun and chanyeol were up on ladders, struggling to hang a banner that said welcome new head of marketing! the sight made baekhyun roll his eyes as he watched them fumble with the task, then leaned back in his chair to speak up.

“aww, you guys shouldn’t have. but i’ve already been here for a couple years now,” baekhyun jokes, grinning as he glanced over at kyungsoo. “also, i’m in finance, not marketing.”

kyungsoo didn’t even look up from his clipboard, his voice as dry as ever. “always the idiot, aren’t you, baekhyun?”

baekhyun’s grin faltered, his thoughts momentarily stalled as the weight of the greeting on the banner settled in. new head of marketing. it hadn’t crossed his mind much before, but now, the realization hit him like a punch to the gut. kyungsoo didn’t seem to care at all, his focus entirely on whatever task was in front of him. but baekhyun couldn’t shake the nagging curiosity gnawing at him. who would fill that role? would they fit into the mold of everyone else? or would they stand out, make waves? he wasn’t sure why it mattered, but it did.

“have you met the new head yet?” baekhyun asked, his voice a little sharper than he intended.

kyungsoo didn’t even glance up, still engrossed in whatever was on his clipboard. “nope, not yet,” he replied flatly. “but i hear she's real good.”

‘she’, huh?

baekhyun hummed thoughtfully, tapping his fingers against the desk. “you think if she’ll be like the others? you know? just another cog in the machine. or maybe something different... a ‘yes man’ like chanyeol, always eager tobe on minseok’s good side? or maybe a hardass, like you, kyungsoo?”

baekhyun continued, his words flowing out without much thought. but kyungsoo had already tuned him out, lost in his own world as usual, the conversation no longer holding any of his attention. baekhyun's voice trailed off as he realized no one was listening. he let out a small sigh, his thoughts lingering on the possibility. 

but he quickly shrugged it off, dismissing the unease that began to coil in his chest. there was no point in getting worked up over it. the new head of marketing would probably just be another face, another name to add to the roster. nothing more.

he stood up and made his way over to the table, where an assortment of snacks lay—muffins, fresh fruit, coffee, all neatly arranged for the team to graze on. his stomach growled in protest, and he didn’t hesitate to grab a muffin, devouring it quickly without caring about the crumbs that fell carelessly onto his shirt.

he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, content for the moment, until a soft, confident voice cut through his haze.

“excuse me, do you mind if i grab one of those?”

baekhyun froze, fully expecting some random in marketing awaiting the new head’s arrival by grabbing a small snack.

but then he saw you.

his breath caught.

baekhyun swears he’d fallen in love at that moment.

you were everything he hadn’t anticipated—graceful, composed, with an effortless elegance that radiated from you. there was an air of quiet authority that surrounded you, impossible to ignore. you didn’t look like a typical office worker, much less someone in charge of marketing. no, you were too striking, too captivating to be confined to this place. had you ever considered modeling? baekhyun wondered, his mind running a little wild at the thought of you in front of cameras instead of spreadsheets.

you looked...different. better than anything he’d imagined. and just for a second, he felt like he was in the presence of something rare, something far beyond his typical workday.

his mouth went dry, a rush of heat flooding his face as he quickly forced a smile, trying to mask the surprise that hit him all at once. “uh, of course, go ahead,” he said, his voice a little strained as he stepped aside, maybe a little too quickly, to give you space.

you glanced at him, the corners of your mouth twitching into a subtle smirk, eyes glinting with amusement. “thanks,” you said, reaching for a muffin, your voice light and playful. “by the way, nice try with the whole ‘i’ve been here for years’ thing. thought it was kinda cute.” you paused, your gaze lifting to meet his, the challenge in your eyes sharp and clear. “but, what was it you said afterwards? wondering if i’m a 'yes-man' or a hardass?”

baekhyun blinked, completely thrown off guard. his stomach did an unexpected flip, and his heart rate picked up. how the hell had you read him so easily? it rattled him more than he was willing to admit. he hadn’t expected you to catch on so quickly, and the realization hit harder than he cared to admit. “i... uh... maybe i was,” he stammered, his confidence momentarily slipping, but then he quickly regained his composure. a grin spread across his face as he tried to steer the conversation back to safer ground. “but i’m relieved to see you’re not a hardass...at least not yet.”

you took a slow, deliberate bite of the muffin, raising an eyebrow as you held his gaze. “yeah, we’ll see,” you replied, your tone smooth and teasing. “but i’m not here to be anyone’s 'yes-man.'”

the tension in his chest melted away as a genuine laugh escaped him. there was something about the way you carried yourself that both intrigued and unsettled him. most people were easy to read, predictable—but not you. you weren’t someone he could figure out in one conversation, and for some reason, that only made him more curious.

god, you were exactly what he'd always dreamed of. seriously, his ideal.

and even now, you still felt like a dream—especially now, standing in front of him on your third day in hawaii. your fingers absently twisted through your hair as you studied your reflection in the mirror, smoothing down the fabric of your dress. “ugh, i hope it’s not over the top. how do i look?”

so fucking perfect, as always, is what he wanted to say.

but instead, he nudged your shoulder from where he was lounging in the office chair, the two of you waiting in the spacious meeting room before the ceo of kim corp and his partner. flashing you a teasing grin, he shrugged nonchalantly. “y’look fine, sweetheart. but, y’know, not quite as good as me.”

he couldn't help but savor the way your punch landed on his arm, the familiar warmth of your smile spreading across your face once again. it was the kind of smile that had started to feel like a constant, one he could easily picture lighting up his days if you'd let him.

“yeah, right. you can’t even tie this thing properly,” you teased, reaching over with quick fingers to fix his crooked tie. “see? much better,” you added, a proud smile tugging at your lips.

he chuckled, his cheeks dusted with a faint pink as that smile of yours worked its magic, making his heart stutter. leaning in closer, a mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes. “if you wanted to get your hands on me, you could’ve just asked, sweetheart. oh wait, you kinda did last night, didn’t you? i seem to recall someone ignoring their little pillow wall.”

“oh, shut up,” you glared at him, though the smirk tugging at the corners of your mouth betrayed your annoyance. “that was so embarrassing.”

baekhyun leaned casually against the conference table, the usual mischievous glint in his eyes. he was about to open his mouth, clearly ready to say something—something that would no doubt make you roll your eyes and laugh at his audacity—but just as he parted his lips, the door to the meeting room swung open with a sudden swiftness.

you both quickly snapped to attention, rising from your chairs to greet the mogul.

in walked junmyeon, the ceo of kim corp., impeccably dressed in his usual tailored suit, followed by none other than his trusted right-hand man. the air in the room immediately shifted—junmyeon exuded an air of quiet authority, while his partner’s presence was a magnetic pull that seemed to command attention effortlessly. but it wasn’t their professional demeanor that caught you off guard.

it was the moment jongin’s eyes landed on you.

a split second of recognition flickered across his face, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. he glanced between you and baekhyun, his expression turning from curiosity to disbelief. his lips parted, and the unmistakable shock was clear in his voice.

“wait... no fucking way.” jongin's eyes darted between you and baekhyun, disbelief written all over his face as the three of you stood there, mouths practically on the floor. “you two?”

your heart skipped a beat, the sudden jolt of recognition freezing you in place. baekhyun, too, went rigid, his usual confident demeanor faltering for a moment as he tried to process what had just happened. his expression went blank, and you could almost see the gears turning in his head as he, too, scrambled to make sense of the situation.

your mind raced, trying to make sense of the tangled web of connections. junmyeon, the ceo of kim corp., was already making his way toward the table, completely unaware of the tension hanging in the air. his presence was commanding, as usual, but today, his stride felt slightly out of sync with the uneasy atmosphere he was about to walk into.

as he reached the table, junmyeon paused for a split second, glancing between you and baekhyun with a raised brow. “ah,” he said with a smile, clearly oblivious to the awkwardness. “so you three know each other? well, this should be easy then.” he casually unbuttoned his blazer, the movement smooth and confident, before taking a seat across from you both. his tone was light, almost amused, as he gestured for jongin to sit beside him.

jongin, still looking between you and baekhyun with that same perplexed expression, slid into the seat next to junmyeon, his eyes never fully leaving the two of you. you could practically feel the weight of his unasked questions hanging in the air, and it only made the situation feel more surreal.

you sat frozen for a moment, trying to regain your bearings, while baekhyun seemed to settle back into his usual cool, collected self. 

“so, about this merger…” junmyeon starts.

the meeting had concluded with impressive efficiency. presentations delivered, contracts laid out neatly in front of junmyeon, everything falling into place perfectly. as he stood up from the table, he gave you all a brief, reassuring smile. “i’ll just make a quick call to the board members—unfortunately, their flight got canceled back in new york, which was why they weren't able to attend today. it's too bad. they're missing out on the beautiful weather here,” he added with a light chuckle before heading for the door.

the door clicked shut behind him, and suddenly, the atmosphere in the room shifted. you felt the tension crackle almost immediately.

jongin was the first to speak, his voice low, but dripping with that signature sarcasm that could make even the most confident of people cringe. “i can't believe this,” he said, eyes flicking between you and baekhyun. his gaze lingered on you for just a second too long, the corner of his mouth lifting in disbelief. “you two are supposed to be here on a business trip AND you're also dating? really?” he scoffed, throwing his hands up in mock exasperation.

you shifted uncomfortably in your seat, instinctively glancing at baekhyun. he was leaning back in his chair, arms folded across his chest, expression unreadable.

jongin seemed to relish in the discomfort that had settled in the air. “you both are seriously going to get fired,” he continued, a wicked grin playing at his lips. “i’m telling minseok. you’ll both be out of a job faster than you can fucking blink.”

"i don’t recall there being anything in our employee contracts that forbade us from dating our coworkers." baekhyun tensed beside you, his posture rigid, as if he were ready to swing the moment you gave the word.

jongin’s eyes narrowed as he leaned in towards, his voice dipping into something low and bitter. “back when you and i were still together,” he drawled, his gaze flickering between the two of you with mock interest, “i remember how much you complained about baekhyun. god, you really couldn’t stand him.” amusement dripped from his words as he turned his attention to baekhyun, a smirk tugging at his lips. “funny how things change, huh?”

a flash of something—was it irritation? amusement?—passed over baekhyun’s face, but he stayed silent, allowing jongin to continue.

jongin's smirk deepened as the silence stretched on. “you’d be better off with me than this ‘incompetent little shit’, as you like to put it,” he said casually, like it was no big deal. his tone, though, was as sharp as ever, and you could tell he was testing both you and baekhyun—waiting to see how far he could push.

jongin's words hung in the air like a challenge, but before you could even process your reaction, baekhyun spoke, his voice smooth but laced with a dry humor that you knew all too well.

“yeah, i'm sure she told you about all the things i did to piss her off.” he paused, his eyes narrowing slightly, the playful glint never quite leaving. “y'know, the stuff that made her so mad she couldn’t even look at me without wanting to throw something at my head.”

you rolled your eyes, not at all surprised by baekhyun's tendency to casually brush off every slight, but something about his tone made it clear he wasn’t rattled by jongin's comments.

he leaned forward slightly, his gaze flicking back to you, and a smirk tugged at his lips. “honestly, it’s not like i didn’t deserve it,” he continued with an easy shrug. “she hated me back then. hell, she probably still can’t stand me now.”

you glance at baekhyun, your brows knitting together in uncertainty, unsure of where he’s going with this. the air between the three of you feels charged, a quiet tension bubbling just beneath the surface. you open your mouth, ready to steer the conversation into safer waters, to defuse whatever this is before it spirals.

but then baekhyun speaks, his voice low and laced with a cocky edge that sends a ripple through the room. “i love pressing her buttons, though,” he says, his eyes flickering with mischief as he leans back, utterly unbothered. “she’s fucking hot when she’s pissed off.”

“what the hell?” jongin starts, his eyes darting between you both in disbelief. you could practically feel the heat rising in your cheeks, already overwhelmed by the absurdity of this whole interaction. “and you? you're just... fine with this? how the hell do you deal with him when i never got the time of day for even being mildly annoying to you?”

before you can even open your mouth to respond, baekhyun’s already stepping in, his voice laced with amusement, completely unfazed by the situation. "well, we fuck it out, of course," he says casually, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "oh! did she find you that repulsive that she wouldn’t even touch you when she’s pissed? aw, couldn’t be me."

jongin’s jaw dropped slightly, his face scrunching in a mixture of irritation and disbelief. “this is... ridiculous,” he muttered under his breath, clearly done with the back-and-forth.

it was as if you were saved by the bell when the door suddenly swung open, and in walked junmyeon, his bright smile lighting up the room. “alright, everything's all good with the board. let’s get to signing.” he says, his tone cheerful and confident.

jongin, however, wasn't having it. he stood up, his frustration palpable as he interjected, “junmyeon, you can’t be serious. we can’t be doing business with these scumbags!”

junmyeon’s expression tightened for a split second, his calm demeanor shifting just enough to send a sharp, pointed glance in jongin’s direction—a look that unmistakably conveyed enough. “that’s enough out of you, jongin,” he said, his voice low and steady, yet carrying an undeniable authority. the words cut through the building tension in the room, effectively silencing it. “you’ll have to excuse my business partner here. he’s obviously not in his right head. maybe still jet lagged?”

after that, everything seemed like a blur—contracts were signed, signatures hastily scribbled in all the right places, and baekhyun, ever the troublemaker, took every opportunity to make faces at jongin from behind junmyeon’s back. the tension in the room was almost palpable as you tried to keep your focus on the task at hand.

then, with a casual smile, junmyeon added, “oh, and you two must have lunch with us soon now that we’re official partners. i’m sure the board would be quite pleased with you two.” the words lingered in the air, heavy with implication, and you could practically feel jongin's discomfort radiating from across the room. 

baekhyun, never one to miss a chance to stoke the fire, couldn’t resist. with that infuriatingly smug grin of his, he leaned forward, voice dripping with playful confidence. “of course, my girlfriend and i would love to,” he said just loud enough for jongin—exiled to a nearby table—to seethe in barely contained irritation. “won’t we, sweetheart?” 

as the meeting wrapped up, junmyeon stood, his smile practically glowing with excitement. “i can’t think of a better way to start the new year than with this partnership,” he said, his tone warm and genuine. “thank you both for your hard work and dedication, especially during the holidays. i know this isn’t ideal timing—most people would rather be with their families right now.” he paused, glancing between you and baekhyun. “but at least you two have each other to ring in the new year tonight. that’s something, isn’t it?” 

his words lingered, and you felt a strange mix of guilt and gratitude as you glanced at baekhyun, who, despite his usual antics, offered you a small, genuine smile.

and just like that, you found yourself gripping baekhyun by the lapels of his suit, half dragging, half stumbling as the two of you careened into the room. your head buzzed from the whirlwind of the night—the thrill of the merger officially sealed, the celebratory drinks at the beach bar baekhyun wouldn’t stop raving about, and the heady mix of alcohol and adrenaline still coursing through your veins.

“careful now, sweetheart,” baekhyun chuckled, his voice warm and teasing as you both tripped over each other’s unsteady steps, the door swinging shut behind you. “can’t go ruining our streak now. wouldn’t want to kill each other on our last day, right? we’ve been on such a roll.”

his grin was infectious, and despite your mild frustration at his antics, you couldn’t help but laugh. the way he looked at you—mischief twinkling in his eyes, his tie loosened just enough to reveal the carefree confidence he wore so well—made your head spin.

“hey, baekhyun?” your voice is soft, almost hesitant, as you glance over at him.

“yeah, sweets?” he responds casually, toeing off his shoes and shrugging out of his jacket, his movements unhurried as if the weight of the evening hadn’t touched him at all.

he pauses, his back turned to you as he adjusts the cuffs of his shirt. then, slowly, he turns, a lazy smirk already tugging at the corners of his lips. “what, you didn’t like it?”

“that’s not—” you huff, crossing your arms, feeling the warmth of the alcohol make your words clumsier than usual. “that’s not the point, baekhyun. i just… wanna know why.”

he takes a step closer, the glint in his eyes unmistakable as he tilts his head, studying you with that maddeningly playful expression of his. “because it’s fun watching you squirm,” he says simply, but there’s something deeper in his tone, something that lingers unspoken between you.

“you’re so fucking annoying,” you mutter, but the heat rising in your cheeks betrays you.

he lets out a soft chuckle, stepping closer until there's barely any space between you. “maybe,” he says, his voice dipping into a low murmur. he steps in even closer, his hand sliding effortlessly to your waist, pulling you just a bit nearer. “or maybe... i just like the way it sounds. my girlfriend.”

for the first time in either of your lives, you look up at baekhyun with something entirely new in your eyes. there’s a pink tint dusting your cheeks, softening the sharpness of your usual quips, and a sparkle in your gaze that practically screams that, to you, baekhyun puts the stars in the sky.

the sight freezes him in place. his confidence, always at an all-time high, suddenly falters. your expression, so full of quiet awe, makes his chest tighten and—god help him—his dick twitch in response. he coughs awkwardly, breaking eye contact and quickly retreating behind a mask of playful bravado.

“anyway,” he blurts, voice a little higher than usual, “did you see jongin’s face after? priceless. he looked like he’d swallowed a lemon.”

his deflection is so blatant it’s almost laughable, but you let it slide. the memory of jongin’s ashen face pulls a giggle from you, light and giddy, and baekhyun leans in just a little, clearly relieved that you’ve let him off the hook—for now.

“oh my god, yes!” you laugh, your words tumbling out between breaths as you press him back against the wall to steady yourselves. you’re drunk—on the victory, on the night, and maybe, just maybe, a little on him. “jongin looked like he was going to fucking explode.”

“see, sweetheart?” baekhyun’s grin is back, his cocky edge sharpened by your laughter. his arms wrap around you, drawing you closer in what could pass for a congratulatory hug. or, at least, that’s how it starts. “told ya i’d remind him you’re with now.”

but his hands settle lower than they should, fingertips pressing into the curve of your hips in a way that feels decidedly more possessive than celebratory. neither of you say anything about it, the moment hanging heavy in the air, charged with an electricity that neither of you can quite bring yourselves to disrupt.

“don’t even know why you dated that fuckin’ bozo in the first place,” baekhyun drawls, his voice dripping with smugness. his lips curl into a lopsided grin, the kind that always sparks a mix of irritation and amusement in you. “he’s not even in your league.”

you scoff, rolling your eyes with dramatic flair. “oh, gee, thanks. really boosting my self-esteem here.”

“no, no. not like that,” he says, his tone shifting as he leans in. his fingers catch your chin, tilting your face up until your eyes lock onto his. and god, his gaze—dark, hungry, and laced with something unspoken—sends a tremor straight through you. “don’t ever think it’s that way, stupid. you’re too gorgeous for him. besides,” he adds with a wicked grin, “he spoke like a man who couldn’t even find the clit.”

the laugh bursts out of you before you can stop it, a mix of disbelief and amusement. but you recover quickly, your lips curling into a sly smirk as you counter, “well, he did find it.”

his expression shifts in an instant. the playful glint in his eyes dims, replaced by something darker, sharper. his brows knit together, and his jaw ticks as he processes your words, the muscle there working overtime. it’s satisfying—watching him squirm, just a little.

“but,” you say, leaning in close, your lips brushing against the shell of his ear, your voice dropping to a low, teasing whisper, “wanna hear a secret?”

he doesn’t speak—doesn’t even breathe, it seems. he gives a short, barely-there nod, his body tensing under the weight of your words.

“he still never made me cum.”

his body stills entirely, as if your words have short-circuited him. his eyes bore into yours, searching for some sign of a joke, but all he finds is your growing smile.

“...never?” he finally breathes, the single word heavy with disbelief and something dangerously close to anger.

you lean back just enough to catch every flicker of emotion in his face, your grin widening as you deliver the final blow. “never.”

the air between you shifts, heavy and charged, as the weight of your confession lingers. you expect baekhyun to retort with his usual quick wit, some snarky comment that’ll have you rolling your eyes.

“i could,” he breathes, the words almost shaky, like he’s barely holding himself together. his breaths are ragged, his chest rising and falling faster than you’ve seen all night.

you blink, tilting your head in confusion, caught off guard by the uncharacteristic seriousness in his tone. “what?”

his eyes find yours, dark and unwavering, and he repeats himself, this time with a cocky edge curling his lips into that smirk you know too well. “i could made you cum, y’know.” he leans in, his voice thick with confidence and something more primal. 

his words send a shiver down your spine, but there’s a part of you—a defiant, playful part—that refuses to give in so easily. raising a brow, you let a sultry smirk spread across your lips. “is that an offer?”

the reaction is instant. baekhyun’s arms loop around your waist, pulling you flush against him with a grip that’s almost too tight, the kind that borders on possessive. you could swear you hear your bones protest, but you don’t care. not when his eyes are burning into you like this, not when his lips hover so close you can feel the heat radiating off them.

“it’s a promise, sweetheart,” he murmurs, his voice low and thick with a hunger that makes your breath catch, sending a wave of heat crashing through you. the words land heavy in the air between you, and his unwavering gaze locks with yours, the intensity in his eyes almost enough to make your knees give way.

oh, that’s all you needed to hear—everything you’d been craving. and he knows it. he sees the way your skin prickles with goosebumps, how your body reacts to him without even trying. the way your lips part just slightly, almost like an invitation, and he swears he can hear that soft, syrupy tone in your voice before you even speak it.

“prove it to me then,” you whisper, the challenge clear in your eyes, daring him to follow through.

in that moment, the fireworks erupted in the distance, their deafening roar ringing in the new year as baekhyun’s lips crashed into yours with a force that stole the breath from your lungs. it wasn’t gentle or deliberate—nothing like the soft, romantic kisses you’d imagined. this was raw, primal, as if an invisible force had pulled you together, unrelenting and inevitable. every frantic press of his lips against yours felt like an explosion, a desperate, magnetic connection that neither of you could fight.

it was unlike anything you’d ever expected from byun baekhyun—no boundaries, no rules, just the overwhelming sensation of drowning in each other, caught in a storm of heat and desperation. he kissed you like you were his air, like he couldn’t get enough, and he was willing to hold his breath forever if it meant keeping you close.

his tongue swept into your mouth, exploring every corner, every inch of your lips with frantic need, as if he’d been starved of this moment for far too long. it was as if he’d forgotten how to breathe, drowning in the intensity of it, but never daring to stop, afraid that the second he did, he’d lose you.

and then, the fireworks in the distance—their loud, overwhelming explosions—felt like the very way he kissed you: impossible to ignore. each burst in the sky mirrored the fierce, unrelenting clash of your lips, echoing with intensity and raw need. the vibrant lights, fleeting yet brilliant, lit up the dark sky, just like the way his mouth claimed yours, igniting heat in your veins.

with every pop and crackle of the fireworks, his kiss deepened, more frantic, as if he couldn’t hold back any longer. the colors above—bright, burning, alive—seemed to reflect the way he touched you, his hands pulling you closer, his tongue moving with desperation that matched the chaos of the display. it was a beautiful, reckless collision of sound and motion, and for that brief moment, nothing else existed. it was just you, just him, and the fire in his kiss, mirroring the explosion of fireworks lighting up the sky.

“ah, fuck—” baekhyun hisses, his voice low and strained as he pulls back just a fraction, delicate strings of spit snapping between you. his dark eyes drink you in, glossy and dazed with your lips swollen and glistening from his. “ya don’t know how long i’ve wanted to taste those lips of yours, sweetheart. i swear.”

he kisses you again and again, as though he couldn’t possibly stop, as though stopping might shatter him. his lips, his tongue—he’s everywhere, consuming and relentless, pulling soft moans from your throat when he slips his tongue past the seam of your lips. you’re dizzy with it, drunk on the taste of him and the faint, familiar sweetness of those strawberry lollipops you always caught him sucking on in the break room. and now? now, you’re the one he can’t get enough of, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

he pulls back slightly, his gaze capturing every soft sound that escapes your lips as his large hands knead your body through the fabric of your dress.

“ba-baekhy—” you gasp out, the words stumbling over your lips when he flips you, pressing you against the wall. his lips assault yours in a frenzy, peck after heated peck, desperate and needy. “what do you—mean—”

he groans, the sound rumbling in his chest as his lips trail down the quivering curve of your throat. “just… kiss me. damn, for someone who has such a gorgeous mouth, you sure talk too much, sweetheart.”

oh, and that was rich coming from him—though you barely get the chance to snap back at him before he’s already over it, deciding he’s done with all the teasing. if he’d even been teasing at all, that is.

in an instant, his hands are at the cold metal zipper of your dress, tugging it down with an easy motion, the fabric following with it as it pools around your waist, revealing more than you’re ready for. fuck, when did he even unclip your bra?

“you—” you try to speak, but the cool air in the room sends a shiver down your spine, your nipples hardening in the chill. the sensation only intensifies when you feel his stiff arousal pressing against your side, sending a hot rush of heat to flood your core. it’s more than just words now, and you feel the undeniable truth of it, the tightening in your thighs as you unconsciously squeeze them together. you shoot him a sharp, questioning look, your breath faltering slightly. “you’re serious about this, aren’t you?”

baekhyun flashes you that familiar, mischievous grin, and his large hands move to cup your breasts, his touch heavy and possessive. “wanna know how many times i’ve pictured this, sweetheart? go ahead, ask.”

“no,” you answer quickly, though your voice trembles just slightly.

“why not?” he teases, his gaze dark and intense.

“‘cus you haven’t,” you respond, your words more a challenge than a statement.

without any warning, his hand comes down hard, a sharp slap landing on the soft curve of your ass. the sting leaves a fiery trail as his fingers linger, pressing firmly through the fabric of your dress, now hiked even higher.

“always have to talk back, don’t you?” baekhyun spits the words, his knee pressing between your legs. his grin, so innocently handsome, spreads across his face as he notices the soft moan that slips from your lips. he grinds against you purposefully, feeling your body shift under him. “why won’t ya ever, hah—believe me?”

his hand yanks your dress down, down, down, while the other forces your hips against his thick, muscled thigh. “let’s try that again,” he says with a wicked gleam in his eye, “ask me like the good girl you are.”

you swallow hard, fighting the instinct to push back, to refuse him. instead, your body betrays you, moving with desperation as you feel yourself grinding helplessly against his thigh. a whimper escapes your lips when his hand tightens around your hair, pulling your head back to force you to look at him. 

you swallow hard, your voice trembling as you ask, “h-how many times have you pictured this, baekhyun?”

“lost count after your first month on the job, sweetheart,” he mutters, his voice thick with hunger, a dark, almost predatory smile curling on his lips.

you want to fight it. you want to resist, be bratty, rebellious. but your body betrays you, moving on its own, too far gone to even think clearly. the way you grind against him, needy and filthy, makes you feel like you're losing control, sinking deeper into the heat of desire that surges through you.

baekhyun watches you, his grin darkening as his hands take hold of your hips, guiding you to grind harder, faster, pushing you to drown in the overwhelming sensations. “yeah, that’s it,” he growls, his voice low and rough. “that’s my girl. a secret for a secret, right?”

his words hang in the air, heavy with intent. “remember that time i ‘slept’ through the whole meeting?” he murmurs, his lips brushing against your ear, then sinking into your lobe with a sharp bite. “nah, wasn’t sleepin’.”

his tongue traces the spot he just bit, slow and teasing, his voice dropping even lower. “it’s just... i couldn’t stop staring at that cute little skirt you wore that day. so fucking short, so tight. couldn’t bring myself to face anyone, not after i spent the entire night with my hand around my cock, thinking about all the sweet, filthy things i could do to you.”

“god, you're so fucking nasty,” you gasp, your breath coming in shallow bursts.

“yeah, i know,” baekhyun purrs, his fingers dancing over the hem of your dress, the fabric now hanging loosely at your thighs. “don't pretend you're all innocent when you wear somethin’ like this underneath. drivin’ me fuckin’ crazy. how'd ya know red’s my favorite color?"

you didn’t.

his finger glides across the lace of your red panties, feeling the dampness through the fabric. he groans, deep and satisfied. “yeah, thought so... just as dirty as i imagined.”

with his theory proven, baekhyun hooks one arm beneath your trembling thighs, lifting you effortlessly. you let out a desperate sound when he smacks your ass hard, the sting sharp and delicious. “baekhyun!” you cry, your body arching against him instinctively.

“oh, i love that. say it again,” he murmurs, his voice thick with desire as he steps slowly toward the edge of your shared bed. he takes his time, savoring the feeling of your drooling cunt soaking through, leaving a small dark patch on his suit. “i said, say it again.”

all it takes is a sharp slap to your ass and the honeyed drag of his name on your lips to make baekhyun splay you out like some desperate slut on the soft, silken sheets. your hands instinctively grab at his broad shoulders when he pauses, taking a moment to admire just how breathtaking you look. even better than any fantasy his mind could conjure.

“baekhyun,” you mewl, and he licks his lips, eyes glazed, entranced by the sight of you. he's unsure where to focus—on the needy, cockdrunk look in your eyes, the way your flimsy dress clings to the plushness of your thighs, or the glistening patch on your cunt, already wet and waiting. it’s all so mouthwatering. “baekhyu—ba—baek!”

the sound of your voice snaps him out of his daze. “what did you call me?” he breathes, his words low and ragged.

you bat your lashes at him innocently, feigning sweetness, “baekhy—”

“no.” he interrupts, his throat bobbing with a heavy gulp. his thumb presses against your puffy lips, dragging the same words out of you—wanting them to spill directly to his aching cock once more. “the other one. don’t play stupid with me, sweetheart. you know exactly what i’m talking about.”

oh, you do.

you feel your pussy clench, the anticipation building, and you whine out that little nickname again. “baek, please.” you add a slight quiver, just enough to make baekhyun’s lips curl into a soft “oh!” his breath catches, a low hiss escaping him as his hand instinctively moves to squeeze his bulging erection.

“oh yes, m'name sounds so fucking cute on your lips,” he groans. the sheets beneath you rustle with the movement as he urgently shifts lower, “sounds so fucking good it makes me wanna—”

RIP!

“—know if she sounds just as pretty as you do when you’re beggin’ for me.”

you're still reeling from the disarray left by your favorite dress, now reduced to a crumpled heap on the floor, the fabric torn and forgotten. a burst of irritation rises in your chest, your voice cutting through the air as you huff, “baekhyun, you're ngh—dead if you don’t replace that—”

before you can finish your threat, his hand strikes again, this time landing softly but deliberately on your inner thighs, where your skin is already heated with frustration. the edge of his fingers brushes your swollen folds, sending a shiver through you. “yeah, yeah,” he murmurs with a dark chuckle, “i'll buy you the whole fuckin' store if ya want me to.” his breath hovers over you, hot and teasing, as he leans in, his lips barely grazing your ear. “but first, ’m gonna make sure ya don’t dare call me that again.”

his words hang in the air, leaving you speechless—any retort you might have had is completely wiped from your mind as he leans in closer. his tongue, warm and daring, slides a slow, deliberate path up your slick folds, the sensation dragging a breathless whimper from your lips.

“look at that,” baekhyun murmurs, his chuckle dripping with amusement. he spreads your thighs further apart, greedily taking in the sight of your glistening arousal, shimmering under the dim light. “she’s more mouthy than you, if that’s even possible,” he adds, his voice a low taunt.

his tongue delves in once more, licking up your wetness in long, eager strokes. again and again, he teases and tastes, driving you toward the edge of madness.

“fuck—baek,” you gasp, your fingers threading through his soft hair as his tongue slips past your folds. a desperate arch rises from your spine, your body straining for more. “need you to—hngh—go faster.”

but all you get in response is his sultry, smug grin pressing against your trembling skin. his lips quirk up at the edges, his gaze locked on you with satisfaction. “so needy, sweetheart,” he says, his voice thick with desire.

“guess you’re all bark and no bite, huh?” you pout, your voice taking on a teasingly whiny edge, savoring the way the challenge flickers across baekhyun’s face. you watch as that cocky grin falls away, replaced by a look of frustration, and it’s almost too easy. “should i go next door and take jongin up on that offer?”

the words hang between you, sharp and goading, and you can practically see the shift in him—the way it twists his insides. before you can even take another breath, he’s yanking your legs apart, his face buried back between your thighs, his hot breath ghosting over your wet skin.

he’s relentless. his tongue slides up your throbbing slit, slow and deliberate, before it moves again, and again—up and down, teasing your sensitive folds with a rhythm that has you gasping in response. each stroke sends shivers racing through your body, but it’s the next move that makes your breath catch in your throat.

“f-fuck, oh baek-” you squeal when he suddenly pushes past that tight, resisting ring, his tongue plunging deep into you without hesitation, making your back arch off the bed. you hadn’t even had a chance to brace for it, the sudden stretch catching you off guard, leaving you gasping for air. “how are you in so deep—”

but baekhyun doesn’t answer. not with words, anyway. instead, his thumb glides up to your clit, pressing with slow, deliberate pressure. he circles it in methodical strokes, matching the frantic rhythm of his tongue, which buries itself deeper into your swollen walls, pulling more desperate sounds from your throat.

he’s messy—sloppy with the way your juices spill past his knuckles, dripping down his wrist, forming a glossy sheen that coats your thighs and the sheets beneath you. the cadence of his movements mirrors the hunger in his body, his relentless need to fuck you with his mouth the way he wishes he could with his cock.

you gasp, the sensation of his tongue sweeping up your clit sending a sharp jolt of pleasure running through you. it’s too much—too good—and before you can recover, he’s back at it, attacking that spot deep inside you, each stroke more determined than the last.

“f-fuck, s’too good,” you whimper, your hands clutching at the sheets as your body trembles beneath his. “fuckin’ hate how your big mouth is so—ngh—so good at this.”

a husky rasp of laughter escapes baekhyun’s throat, and before you can even react, he’s pinning your wildly bucking hips down with one arm, his grip firm and unyielding. “don’t ya dare run away now,” he murmurs, his voice low and thick with lust. “you’re so cute when you’re like this, sweetheart. not done with you yet.”

the vibrations of his voice send a shockwave through you, dragging a fevered moan from your lips. “baek! baek! baek!” it spills out of you, louder with each crash of his soft tongue against your most sensitive spots. his tongue moves with precision, swirling over your clit—harder at the tip, softer at the curve—each flick making you writhe in desperate pleasure.

“yeah—yeah, yeah, yeah,” he groans, his words punctuated by the wet sounds of his tongue and your tight walls. “say my name like that.” his voice hisses with fervor, his tongue pushing deeper, straining against the way you’re squeezing him so tight it’s almost too much. every movement, every flick of his tongue, becomes a battle, but baekhyun’s determination is unwavering. it doesn’t matter if his fingers are cramping or his tongue is growing tired—he’s relentless. “louder.”

“b-baek!” you gasp, your body trembling under him, but the need for more has your hips grinding desperately against him.

“no, no.” his voice drops into a growl, and before you can process it, something cool and glossy hits your cunt in a harsh glob. you flinch, but baekhyun’s thumb is already pressing the slickness in, mixing it with the mess below. the obscene squelches fill the room, and your cheeks burn as your ears ring with the sound. “hear this, sweetheart?” he taunts, his gaze dark and focused on you, savoring the way your body reacts. “she’s louder than you.”

your eyes lock with his as he’s buried deep between your legs, his favorite position. the weight of his gaze, the intensity of his touch, it all sends you spiraling further into desire.

“my girl can be loud f’me, right?” he pulls back slightly, only to slam his tongue back in with a ferocity that makes your body shake. “say my name, sweetheart. say it loud so the whole fuckin’ island hears.”

“baek! fuckfuckfuck—’m close,” it's the last coherent thing you can manage to moan before everything inside you unravels. wave after wave of filthy pleasure crashes over you, so intense it leaves you breathless. your hands grip his hair tighter, using it to anchor yourself as you rock your hips, grinding down deeper, desperate for more. each flick of his tongue sends jolts of electricity through you, stars exploding behind your eyelids, making your body tremble uncontrollably.

baekhyun, utterly satisfied, falls silent, letting you take control as you ride his face through your high. you're completely lost in the sensation, dragging your slick, messy pussy over his tongue, over his mouth—again and again. each movement is a mixture of urgency and surrender, your body writhing as the pleasure pulses through you, until there's nothing left but the overwhelming heat of it all.

“baek,” you murmur, unable to tear your gaze away from the way his breath hitches at the mere sound of your voice. his body trembles, and you feel a rush of power course through you. “your turn.”

getting rid of baekhyun’s pants feels like an eternity, each moment stretching, tantalizingly slow. you’re gasping for air when he finally rids himself of his dress pants—along with those boxers, soaked with precum and clinging to his skin like a sin. the slick trail he leaves down his thighs, glistening and sticky, only makes your pulse spike.

and if you thought baekhyun was beautiful before, you realize in this moment, he’s nothing short of a masterpiece—his body a perfect blend of smooth muscle and raw need, carved with such sinful allure that you’re almost overwhelmed.

you can’t resist the temptation to wrap your palm around his throbbing length, feeling the pulse beneath your fingers as he jerks against your touch, a slick sheen of precum coating your hand. and your mind wanders, wondering just how he'd taste too—how it would feel to have all of him.

“hold on right there, my dirty girl,” baekhyun groans, his voice strained and desperate as he gently tilts your head, his lips pressing soft, heated kisses to yours. “as much as—fuck—you're squeezing me so tight, as much as this has been everything i dreamed of since that office ice cream party… i know i’m gonna cum the second you put that smart mouth on me, sweetheart.” his lips trail to your lower lip, sucking gently, possessively. “and you’ll never let me live that down, will you?”

you smirk, a playful glint in your eyes as you tease him, “not gonna let you live down that ice cream party, either, baek.”

his devilish smile flickers before he pulls you closer, steadying your hips with his hands as he pulls you into his lap. he spreads your legs wide, positioning you over his weeping tip, the heat of him already seeping into your skin. “oh, fuck off,” he mutters, voice thick with lust.

you hiss as you feel his warm breath against your sensitive pussy lips, the anticipation making you ache for more. “fuck you,” you retort, but it’s weak, shaky.

“no, sweetheart,” baekhyun chuckles darkly, his powerful thighs flexing as he plants his feet on the mattress, his body tense with anticipation. “i’m fucking you.”

and then, before you can even process the warning, he pushes—just the head of his cock, but it’s enough to make your body jerk with the force of it. the blunt, needy pressure of him fills you, and you gasp, barely able to contain the overwhelming sensation as he breaches you with a slow, relentless thrust.

he groans, his eyes struggling to roll back, unable to look away from the obscene way your swollen pussy lips stretch to take him in. each inch sinks deeper, your walls opening to welcome him, slick and needy. when you reach the tight resistance at your entrance, baekhyun’s breath hitches, his body twitching as he fights the urge to lose himself completely.

“fuuuck, just look at you,” he rasps, his voice a deep, guttural growl that has your walls clenching around him even tighter. the sound of his words sends a ripple through your body, making you mold even more perfectly to his shape. baekhyun throws his head back, a tortured groan escaping him as his balls tighten with every harsh slap of his hips against your ass. “shit, shit, shit—how that bastard had you... all to himself, and didn’t make this pretty pussy come every day? i’ll never understand.”

he pulls you down roughly, one hand locking at the back of your neck, tightening his grip. “so, why don’t we... rub it in his ugly face?”

the thought sends a wave of heat coursing through you. your hips stutter, grinding down to meet baekhyun’s punishing rhythm, your body arching into his with a desperate need that makes you ache for more. you can’t get enough, your movements driven by a hunger to feel him deeper, harder, completely consuming you.

his fingers, still lingering at your cunt, shift to tease your pulsing, sensitive nub, circling it with agonizing slowness. he plays with your clit between two fingers, a teasing pressure building that has you squirming beneath him. “can you hear how loud this pussy is?” he breathes, his voice rough, dripping with desire. “bet he can hear it too.”

and it’s true. the wet smacks of skin meeting skin are growing louder, messier, as the rhythm of baekhyun’s pounding cock becomes a maddening staccato. each thrust sends ripples through you, the squelching sounds of his movements amplifying the rawness of the moment.

but you refuse to be compliant, not yet. the familiar, buzzing heat of your climax starts to rise, teetering on the edge, but you want to break him just a little bit more. “nah, i don’t think he can,” you retort, a challenge in your voice.

“oh, you’re gonna fuckin’ regret that, sweets.”

baekhyun’s eyes darken, and you barely have time to register the shift before he’s using his strength to flip you, your back hitting the soaked sheets with a soft thud. he throws your legs over his shoulders, positioning himself with ease to plunge into you in a brutal, relentless mating press. he’s folding you into the new angle, and the change sends a sharp jolt of pleasure through you.

the angle shifts just enough for him to kiss your g-spot with each powerful thrust, the pressure bruising, marking you with every inch of him. it’s impossible to focus on anything else as he drills into you, his cock reaching deeper, harder, until he’s branding his name onto your sweet spots, pushing against your cervix with a force that’s unforgettable. he’s determined you won’t forget this, determined to leave his mark, so you can’t—won’t—forget.

“baek—” you squeal as his movements speed up, each thrust hitting you harder. you struggle to get the words out, your voice trembling with need, “baek, i’m close—”

“louder,” he grins, the command dripping with mischief. his hips are starting to burn with effort, his muscles tiring from the relentless pace, but he’s not about to let up—there’s still teasing to be done. “still can’t hear you.”

your voice is shot, barely a whisper as the pressure builds inside you, “baek, ’m gonna cum—”

“louder or ’m not gonna let ya,” he challenges, his breath ragged and unsteady.

“baek! fuck, fuck, fuck, ’m cumming!” you cry out, and before those desperate moans even leave your lips, it hits him—your walls clamp down on him, tight and slick, gripping him like a vice. your heels dig deeper into his shoulder, your nails raking down his pale skin in frantic, red-hot trails as you tighten around him, "'m cumming—ngh—"

and fuck, each slam of his hips is like electricity shooting up your spine, his rhythm unrelenting as he forces you through your orgasm, dragging it out until you feel like you might go insane from the intensity of it.

“god—fuck, you’re so—” baekhyun groans, the words dying on his lips as the pleasure takes over. it’s all he can manage before he’s cumming, thick ropes of his seed flooding into you with a brutal, consuming force. “so, so, so perfect f’me…”

with both hands lacing above your head, he pulls you impossibly deeper, grinding into you with each pulse, filling you to the brim. his body is out of control, his thrusts relentless, as he pumps wave after wave of his cum into you, like he’s trying to empty himself completely.

he shudders at the overspill, the excess of his release dripping from the corners of your sweet pussy, leaving a creamy ring around his tired base. too much, yet he continues thrusting mindlessly, the movements growing sloppier as he catches your lips in a lazy, passionate kiss. “at least we didn’t fuckin’ kill each other, right?”

you smile into the kiss, your hips moving languidly against his, “didn’t do—hngh—the neighbors any favors, either.”

“it’s jongin, who fuckin’ cares? ‘pathetic dick’, my ass.” baekhyun’s grin widens, loving the sight of your sweet smile, the way your eyes light up just because of him. his voice softens, drawing out the words with a lazy smirk, “y’know... since we’ve been locked up in this hotel for the past few days and we’ve got most of tomorrow, how about we actually do something fun before we leave?”

you nod eagerly, your legs tightening around his waist, and for a moment, everything blurs into a haze of heat and desire. shit, this might just be heaven. “definitely need a break after that contract. we deserve some fun after the fuckin’ week we’ve had.”

his forehead presses against yours, sticky with sweat, his breath coming out in shallow pants. “‘fun’ is my middle name, baby.” his voice is unsteady, like he’s drunk off the way you’re looking at him, that familiar glare of yours knocking the air from his lungs. he chuckles, affection dripping from every word. “and we can use the company card too. minseok never even checks—”

you cut him off with a warning tone. “baek…” your brow arches, a familiar, irritated flicker of annoyance flashing across your face—the one he knows all too well. “don’t tell me you’ve been dipping into minseok’s card. he’ll kill you if he finds out. and that’s if i don’t kill you first.”

there’s a beat of silence.

“…baek…” you press, voice tinged with disbelief.

he hesitates, then, with a sly grin creeping up his face, mutters, “…is this a bad time to tell you i booked us that boat tour for tomorrow with it too?”

you stare at him, utterly deadpan. “yeah, you’re definitely getting pushed into the ocean tomorrow.”

ˏˋ ꒰ a/n ꒱ ˎˊ˗ happy new year my cute lil babies!!! i had the best time writing this lmaooooo especially all the baekhyun x reader dialogue. after my last fic i kinda wished i'd made the male rivalry part longer, so this one’s extra full of it lol <3333 as always let me know what you think :') hehe love you all n i hope 2025 brings u nothing but good vibes. can’t wait to keep writing for u guys this year, mwah love youuuuu all!

ଘ(੭ˊᵕˋ)੭* masterlist ° ᡣ𐭩 . 

[stormdragon23]

ChoiBaek Nightmares Headcanons

Baek Yoon-Ho might not get nightmares, though he might have trouble falling asleep. I do think the fear of losing his humanity and the fear of losing someone he cares about can make him overthink about the "what if" scenarios when something triggers that fear of his, but I don't think it would manifest into nightmares

Choi Jongin canonically gets nightmares, though I'm not sure about the frequency. I think he might have them on days where he overworks himself, like that time in the anime when he fell asleep in his office

I like to think that sometimes when they sleep together and Jongin has a nightmare, he wakes Yoonho up. Except Yoonho doesn't confront him about it right away

I don't think Jongin likes being seen when he's in a vulnerable state by anyone, including Yoonho. I think that Jongin probably shuts himself away from others when he feels that way, and Yoonho confronting him in that state would only make things worse for them

Since Jongin usually has nightmares about the Jeju raid, I think after he and Yoonho have been in a relationship for a while, his nightmares start to become more about losing Yoonho during the raid. Jongin doesn't seem like the type to yell out of shock, so he would mostly just wake up with a start

After waking up, I imagine the first thing Jongin does is turn to Yoonho and immediately check his vitals, like Yoonho's breathing and heartbeat. Just to assure himself that Yoonho is alive and that he's not dead like he was in his nightmares

Jongin probably listens to Yoonho's heartbeat for a while before falling back asleep. And that's when Yoonho finally moves to wrap his arms around Jongin and holding him close. Maybe gently kissing the top of his head before going back to sleep

They're very soft for each other. Just when the other isn't looking

[nirvanawrites111]

Say You Love Me (Sub!Jongin x AFAB!Reader)

Word Count: 3727

Pairing: Kim Jongin x Afab!Reader

Genre AU: Male Stripper AU

Summary: Y/n runs No Manners male revue club and is recently divorced from Kim Jongin. But, needs a huge favor so that Y/n doesn't lose money and customers. No pronouns are used but Y/N is afab.

other characters mentioned: Ten, Taemin, Jun, Choi Minho, Leo

Warnings: Smut, sub!Jongin, Stripper club universe, pegging, strong language, oral sex (both rec), cum eating, degradation during sex. Calls Jongin a whore. Also... Jongin calls Y/N Daddy!, fingers (both rec)

Mentions of being with Ten Lee and Taemin. This chapter is just Y/n and Jongin together.

MINORS PLS DO NOT INTERACT. Ty so much!!!

A/n: Not sure if Y/n will have intimate scenes with everyone just yet. But I had to release this part because the sub!Jongin community is pretty dry and I need it for my mental health and clear skin.

Okay, I'm rambling.. also I'm obsessed with LET ME IN by Exo. It's been on repeat since Monday. I even play the slowed version. THE VOCALSSS.

If you enjoy my work please reblog it. I appreciate it!

SMUT BELOW THE CUT

"Where the fuck is Lee Taemin?!" You scream. You swallow hard, and your throat is raw. You walk around the lockers trying to find your main attraction for tonight. 

He knows how vital that headliner spot is. People come from far distances to see him perform.

The last thing you need is to deal with disgruntled customers tonight. 

You see Ten walk past you in a fishnet bodysuit covered in body glitter, and you grab his arm. "Hey! Where do you think you're going?"

Ten turns around with his other hand still gripping the sizeable clear trash bag of dollar bills. "Umm, I'm going to count my money in your office. What's up?" His hisses. 

"Where the fuck is your friend, Taemin?" You ask. 

"Umm.." Ten avoids eye contact and looks down at the floor. "I have no idea."

You step closer to him and are less than an inch away from him. "Look at me, Ten."

His eye contact connects with yours, and he stares at you. "Yes?"

"Where is Taemin?"

"In the parking lot with Jimin."

"Thank you, baby," you pull him closer and kiss him.

You let it linger for a bit, and then you pull away. You head out of the locker room's back door and search the parking lot for the infamous pink Lamborghini. 

You see it in the back of the parking lot and race over to the car with your heels clicking against the pavement. 

You find yourself at the passenger side window and knock on it. Taemin jumps, and grabs his chest. 

"Roll down the window, drama queen!" you yell. You want to yank him out of the car because he has been MIA for the last few hours.

Not to mention he's still in his regular clothes, and his set is coming up soon. 

"Heyyy! Y/n," Taemin greets you. 

The marijuana smoke hits your face before he can say anything else. Both of their eyes are bloodshot red, and you are irritated, to say the least. 

"Get out of the car. You're late for work!" 

Taemin fumbles with the door, and Jimin starts laughing. 

"You look nice. Y/n. Are you hiring by chance?" Jimin asks.

"Fuck, no," you spit. 

You grab Taemin's hand as he gets out of the car. 

"What's up, baby?" Taemin replies. 

 "Don't baby me! I put you on as a solo headliner for tonight and you're literally blowing it. You know I don't let you anyone go up there high or drunk."

"I know. I know. I'm not high though. I was just talking with Jimin about doing some music. He has a producer friend that can get our songs on the radio," Taemin explains. 

"Taemin, I can't let you go on stage like this. Go home."

"What?" Taemin glares at me with glossy eyes. 

"You heard me the first time. You can't come to work like this. It's the rules."

"No, c'mon this night is important."

"I can't give you special treatment just cause we're fucking. You gotta go home."

You sigh in disappointment. You wanted so much more for him. He'd worked so hard to get to that top spot. He was just as much of a crowd favorite as Kai.

Kai's departure was so unexpected. You were left scrambling to replace him.

But, that's when Taemin stepped up to the plate, and helped boost the club back to where it was when Kai was the headliner. 

"Y/n, please. C'mon."

"I said what I said."

You walk away from Taemin because you might say something you regret or can't take back if you say anything else.

You reach into your back pocket. Your hand is shaky as you stare down at your iPhone in your palm. You pull up your phone and dial your ex-husband's number. 

"Hello?"

"Jongin." 

You take a deep breath and almost hang up the phone.

But you're desperate and don't want to disappoint your customers. Especially since tonight is a packed house. 

"Yes?"

"I need a huge favor. Can you perform tonight as the headliner?"

"Y/n, you haven't talked to me in months and now you need me. Sounds like you're in a tough spot. Where's Taemin?"

"I had to send him home." You grab your keyring off your hip and open the back door. You close it behind you. 

"I'll be there in five. But, you owe me, Y/n."

"Yeah. Yeah. Thank you! Jongin."

You know you won't hear the last of it from everybody, but you are the owner of No Manners. You have to do what's best for business and put all personal feelings aside. 

You walk into your office and see Ten counting his money and clipping it together in stacks. 

"Thanks for telling me about Taemin."

"I told him to come in for work, but he doesn't listen."

"He knew how important tonight is for the club. I don't get why he would do that."

"Me either."

"But, Jongin is performing tonight."

“Jongin… Kim Jongin? Here at No Manners?”

"Yeah, he was my last choice. You already did your set tonight. I couldn't make you do a double."

"You know Taemin is going to be pissed about it."

"I don't care honestly."

"Tonight, is about to be interesting."

"Are you doing the VIP room tonight?"

"No, I'm done for tonight."

"Okay."

Ten glares at the door, and you turn around to see Jongin transformed into his alter-ego. 

Kai. 

Your jaw drops when you see him wearing that one outfit you hand-made for him that he refused to wear. His muscular tone body is even more toned than when you last saw him. 

The tan sheer materials cover his body perfectly, and the rhinestone highlights his manhood but still leaves much to the imagination. 

It looks even better than it did a year ago when you had him first put it on. 

"You look.. stunning, Jongin."

"It's Kai for tonight."

"Right," you snap back to earth and nod. "Did you give the DJ your music."

"Yeah, I'm doing a new routine."

"You still dance?"

"Not in clubs. But, I've been playing around with something. Trust me the crowd will enjoy it."

You look down at your watch. "Alright, well. Let me walk you out."

You head out of the office, and Jongin trails behind you. You are curious about what he's been up to since the divorce was finalized, but you're going to mind your business. 

"That outfit looks perfect on you."

"I know."

You and Jongin stand at the metallic string curtains, and you stare out into the crowd. Jun is wrapping up his set, and his music fades out. 

The DJ starts playing the melody of a beat you have never heard. "We got a special treat for you all tonight. Get your dollar bills out. Hell, bring out your 10s 20s and 100 dollar bills for this special guest, tonight. Everyone rise to your feet for the one and only, Kai."

After the DJ says his name, the crowd erupts into cheers, and Kai struts throughout the crowd. He goes up to a lady coming to the club since you first opened it up. 

Kai works his magic and dances on the customer, and she almost falls over. He catches her, and she screams. People start throwing cash at him. 

One of the younger strippers goes with a trash bag and starts picking up his money for him. 

Kai continues making his runs throughout the crowd and gives a couple lucky people, some special attention. He doesn't care the gender. He doesn't discriminate. 

You are quick to remember why he's always been a crowd favorite. 

Kai finally makes his way onto the stage. You watch him, and he whines his hips to the music, and you can almost get lost in his movement. 

You love the way he connects with the crowd. He always focuses on one person and sucks them into whatever he's doing.

Kai goes over to the pole and swings around it. He climbs to the top and slowly comes down.

 He rises up the pole again and swings around it. He drops down into a split, and he climbs up. The light turns off, and I head to the DJ booth, where the music still plays. 

A few moments pass, and then he's just wearing a rhinestone cover g strip. The crowd cheers even louder, and more people move closer to the stage, throwing money at him. Seeing all that money all over him, he works the pole even harder. 

Your jaw drops when you see your ex-husband in action. He's a natural for this lifestyle and the best to ever do it. 

After his set is over and he heads into his dressing room. The younger stripper walks towards his door with two large trash bags of money. 

You grab the money and knock on the door. "Come in!"

You open the door and place the oversized trash bags on the couch. You glance over to see Jongin cleaning the makeup off his face in front of the vanity. 

"Your set was amazing."

"I know. I’m sure you freaked out about the lights going out."

"Yeah, I thought something was wrong."

"You know I always know what I'm doing. You would have just talked me out of it."

"I know. I appreciate it. The club just isn't the same without you."

"I'm sure. You should let me come back."

"You know Ten and Taemin wouldn't like that."

"You're going to let them affect your business like that?"

"No, but things are calm backstage. You know you're a diva."

"You saw my fucking stage, right?" Jongin glares at you, and his gaze on you is stirring something up in you. 

"I did. You're a headliner. You've always been one. Especially since Choi Minho left. You brought something different."

"The crowd eats it up every single time."

"I know. You were amazing. You didn't miss a beat. How's life post stripper life?" You ask and sit down on the couch next to his vanity. 

"I'd be lying if I said it was easy. Too many people recognize me as a stripper. I honestly needed the money, tonight."

"If you needed help, why didn't you call me?"

Jongin laughs at your question. Why would he ask you for help? He shakes his head and wipes the glitter off his neck. 

"We haven't talked in almost five months. I wanted to put this life behind me. I didn't want to be some washed up stripper."

"You're not a washed-up stripper. You're a talented fucking dancer."

"I know but my resume is seven years an exotic dancer with you as my only reference."

"No one has called my phone. You know I would speak highly of you."

"Well, I haven't gotten any offers."

"Something will come. Listen don't worry about giving me any of the money. Keep it," You reply. 

You stand up, and Jongin stands up in front of you. He towers over you slightly by a few inches. You two are standing looking at each other. 

"I miss you."

The words uttered by Jongin feel personal and envelopes you in a way you can't describe. 

You stare into his eyes and brush his hair back from his face. His usual chocolate locks are an ashy gray hue. His beautiful face sparks something deep inside you.

This is still the Kim Jongin that knows all your deepest secrets. The man who held your hand through building this club. You were there for him when he got into dance school. So much history between the two of you. So much has happened. 

Your chest tightens, and you take a deep breath. The words are caught in his throat. 

"I miss you, too. But, we both know that the divorce was for the best."

"Because I wanted to leave this place and you didn't want to let me go. I wanted to grow past the gaze of desire. I want to be taken seriously."

"I hear you. I knew you leaving the club would affect me financially. I wasn't ready to make that move."

"Well, I will be here for the next month. So, tell your little princess Taemin that his spot is taken."

Jongin slides into his baggy jogging pants and grabs the trash bags.

You know that you need Jongin even though it will cause a rift between the other dancers. You know it's best for business. 

***

Jongin sits in his car and stares at the flashing LED light with the club's name, and he sits back in his seat. He wants to drive out of this parking lot and never return. 

But, the way they cheer his name and empty out their pockets for him is something that will have him returning back. 

Jongin arrives at home to his townhome, which is gate operated. He pulls into the front of his house. He grabs his money and heads into his home. He inserts his keys.

He tosses the bags of money at the door. He kicks off his shoes and heads upstairs to take a shower. 

Seeing you was more than emotional. He didn't know how he would respond to you. Nor did he see if he wanted to even talk to you. 

His phone lights up, and he sees a car at his gate. He lifts his phone to see a red Corvette with the top down. He hits the button to open the gate. 

What is it that you want this late? Did you come to say that you no longer need his services?

Jongin heads downstairs and opens the door. He watches you get out of the car and head up the stairs.

Your strapless jean jumpsuit dress hugs your body just right. Your red heels make you a bit taller, but still not taller than him. 

Jongin raises an eyebrow, and you lift your infamous Gucci bag packed with his favorite toys. 

"So, do you want to get fucked out here on your porch or do you want to invite me in?" You ask him. 

"Come in and fuck me."

***

You push Jongin against the couch, and he smirks at how you manhandled him.

You would be a fool to not want to fuck him after seeing him perform tonight. Everybody is probably going home to masturbate after the performance Jongin delivered tonight. 

"Jongin, my pretty boy." You lean forward and sit down on his lap cowgirl style. You whisper against his ear and nibble as you feel him rise underneath you. 

"I'm yours?" Jongin breathes out. 

"For tonight, yes." You reply. You run your red fingernails down the center of his chest. "Can I taste you? Ya know to reward you for doing such a great job tonight."

"Of course, mistress," Jongin moans. 

The aura of this man is so powerful, yet in your presence, this beauty is so submissive to you. No one would ever believe it if you told them. But, you wouldn't care. 

You move down his waist and get down onto the floor. Your knees dig into the soft light carpet supporting you. You reach up to help me get out of those sweaters. His dick springs to action because he isn't wearing any underwear.  

"Damn, you're always so hard for me," you whisper, tracing your fingers along his length.

"Fuck, I've missed you, daddy."

Jongin loves to call you different things whenever you two are intimate, but daddy is the one thing you love the most. He's the only guy to ever do it. 

"Mmm… I haven't heard that name in months." You grab his dick and swirl your tongue around the head. Your core tingles, and you work your mouth up and down on him. 

"Please.." Jongin emits a moan, and it makes your heart flutter.

This was your favorite way to see the real Jongin. With his legs spread for you and moaning and panting. You haven't even really got into it, and already you are bringing him close to his release. 

"Please? What? You like it? Or you want me to stop?" You taunt him. 

"No, please keep going. I'm not going to last," he whimpers. 

Of course, he's not. He always reacts to you so well. You love that about him. It doesn't take a lot for him to come. He's been like this since you two first fucked. 

"You know other people might not like how easily you cum, but I'm honored how fast I can make you come."

"I know.. I'm only like this with you."

You stop and sit up on your knees. You watch his eyes spring open, and he looks down at you. "Why'd you stop?"

"You need to work for that nut, sir." 

You lie back against the carpet with your legs open. Showing him you’re pretty pussy without any underwear.

You want to taste his nut on your tongue, but you want to make him work for it. You know he's always up for a challenge. 

"Eat me until I come, Nini."

Jongin doesn't hesitate, moves down on the floor, and holds onto your legs as his tongue probes your sensitive region. You can feel the heat building inside you as Jongin's skilled tongue works its magic. You moan and writhe under his touch. 

One thing about him is he knows how to please you and will do all he can to ensure you know it.

His tongue explores your slit, and he catches your juices dripping down because of how turned on you are from hearing him moan for you. 

You could get off just from hearing him moan. You have in the past, recorded the audio of two of you having sex and used it for your personal time when you were alone.

Jongin sticks a finger inside you, and your body reacts to him quickly. He pulls it out and sucks it on his finger. You love the sight of seeing feast on you. 

He pushes two fingers inside of you and does the same thing again. "I've missed your sweet taste. Nobody taste like you."

Jongin leans down and kisses your pussy. His soft lips against yours make your body jolt. He is getting lost in pleasing you. Everything he does feels so good.

You can feel the heat building up inside you as Jongin continues exploring your body with his fingers. You moan softly, lost in the pleasure he is giving you. His kisses are gentle and loving, making you feel cherished and desired.

Jongin kisses on your pearl while he fingers you. You ride his fingers until you squirt all over them. He sucks your juices off his fingers. Jongin moves down and replaces his tongue where his fingers were to slurp out the rest of your release. You grab the back of his head while he sucks the soul of your body. 

"Fuck, Jongin!" You cry out and continue to ride the wave of your orgasm. It feels too good, and now you're sensitive to the touch. You push him off of you. 

Jongin lies next to you and you get down to his dick. You are on the right side of him and sucking him faster than before.

No one has eaten your pussy like that since you were last with him, so you know he's earned the right to come. 

You stick your finger in your dripping pussy to wet your finger. You stick it into his ass. He's always liked it, especially when you give him head. 

"Shit.. you know I love when you do that, daddy, please," Jongin whines. 

Just like that, he comes so hard in your mouth, and you swallow it. You love the taste of him. You climb on top of him. 

"Tonight is just an one time, thing, okay? If you're going to be at the club for a month. I don't want us to mess around. Cool?"

"Yea, of course. We're just getting it out of system."

"Exactly."

You stand up, unzip your jean dress, and toss it on the couch. You grab your Gucci bag and head upstairs. You still have your heels on. 

You make your way to his bedroom. You grab your strap-on and put it on. You sit on the bed and wait for him to come upstairs. You pour lube on your strap-on and coat it perfectly. 

Jongin comes upstairs. He's completely nude. He gets on top of you and slides down onto your strap-on. You feel the weight of his body on top of you as he starts to move back and forth. 

You lean back against the bed and watch him bounce on it. You like watching him fuck himself on your strap. 

"You're so.. naughty. Jongin. You're fucking yourself on my strap. You missed me that bad?" You coax him. 

"Maybe," he giggles. 

You slap his ass and grab it while he continues to ride you. In some weird way, you still have feelings for him.

Something you probably won't admit to him, and you don't know how you'll be able to survive a month with him at the club. 

"Maybe? You're acting like a whore."

"Cause you make me this way."

You lift him up and hold on to him while keeping the strap inside. You lay him on the bed on his back. You hold his legs open while you stroke into him. 

"Now stroke yourself, whore," You instruct him, and he obeys you. 

You grind your hips and continue to pound his tight ass. You miss moments like this. You know he's needy for the next nut by how he's jacking his dick. 

Your hand covers his as you pump harder until him until he comes again. 

"I love you, Jongin," You lean forward and slip your tongue into his mouth. 

"I love you, too, Daddy."

The two of you fall asleep in his bed, and the following day you wake up. Jongin still is sleeping, and you sit on the edge of the bed. 

You look at your group chat with The Lee Twins. 

Ten: Where are you? Y/n

Taemin: Damn, you didn't come home last night. Are you really that mad at me? I'm really sorry, Y/n. 

You: It's okay. You're spot is being replaced for the month. I'll see you two soon. 

You know things are about to get crazy, but you know Jongin can take the club to new heights. 

Read Part 2

[kpopimagi]

A Flower Under The Rain [Part 14]

Characters: Baekhyun, Kyungsoo and Kang Gyuri (OC) Genre: Angst, Romance Au: Hanahaki!Au  Type: Series  Word count: 8,012

It all began with a cough and then, a subtle sting in her chest. Kang Gyuri cried, knowing that in a matter of months, she would be another figure in the death toll of the most dangerous and cruelest outbreak in human history.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8-1 | Part 8-2 | Part 9 | Part 10-1 | Part 10-2 | Part 11-1 | Part 11-2 | Part 12 | Part 13

Gyuri opened her eyes after what felt like a minute. Her entire body was sore, and the excruciating pain felt like an old memory she was grateful to leave behind her. A joyful holler caught her attention, waking her up, and she found herself lost for a moment. The room had gotten smaller in a way, enclosed by a greenish curtain, and then another happy holler diverted her attention from her surroundings to find someone sitting next to her bed. 

A guy.

A stranger.

The unknown person sat in an office chair with his legs propped up in a very childlike manner, and the most curious detail was that he was barefoot. She could barely make out the features of his face, but a protruding pout behind a very wild pinkish fringe. He was so focused on his phone, where the happy sounds kept popping as he tapped his fingers on the screen that he wasn’t aware of her staring.

When she finally moved, the stranger paused the game and hid the phone to smile at her when he realized he was being watched. He was too handsome, his smile too charming, and his eyes were so intently looking at her that Gyuri wanted to pull the bedsheet over her head and hide.

“Hello.” He said in an overly cute manner, and too taken aback, she barely mumbled the greeting back, making the guy smile wider. “I’m Kai.” 

He introduced himself as if that meant something, and Gyuri wondered if she was dead. She looked around, but there was no one else in the room but the handsome, bronze-skinned stranger and herself.

“Are you a doctor?” She finally asked.

“Sort of,” he said with certain amusement, rocking his chair from left to right. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen all my hyungs so animated. They begged me to come.”

As if something new had occurred to him, he sat down straight and rolled himself closer to the bed until he had his face at the same level as her. Gyuri was transfixed by his childlike curiosity as he observed her.

“I had to meet the woman who has all of their tighty-whities in a twist.” He said, his eyes sparkling in awe.

“Kyungsoo doesn’t wear tighty-whities.” Gyuri replied even before her head registered what she just said.

“You’ve seen him with his clothes off.” Kai added with a playful smirk.

Gyuri felt her entire face heat up, and every bit of her skin crawled in utter mortification. She refused the claim as fast and as vehemently as she could, but the guy seated in front of her burst out laughing, so loud, so high-pitched, and so contagious that Gyuri almost forgot why she was embarrassed in the first place.

“So you’re funny and pretty.” He said, shrinking into his seat as if that admission was too much to handle, “I get why Kyungsoo hyung likes you so much.”

“Jongin, you can’t be here.” Dr. Kim came into the room, interrupting the stranger.

“Kai, hyung, my name is Kai.” He said with an annoyed pout, “How many times am I going to tell you?”

“Just because you’re a brilliant chemist, it doesn’t mean you're a genius in everything else.” Dr. Kim said, grabbing the guy by the shoulders and starting to wheel him away from her bed.

Kai, Jongin, or whoever he was at the time, slouched and pouted in the most dramatic manner while complaining about not revealing who he was, citing "for obvious reasons” but that were not at all obvious.

“I’m so sorry that he’s bothering you, Gyuri.” The doctor apologized.

"I was establishing a rapport with my client." Kai said, grabbing her bed's metal frame and pulling her with him.

The doctor scolded him immediately, and the guy caved in, letting the bed go to stand up and bring up a black case out of somewhere. Without saying much, he opened it, and that finally made the doctor stop with his scolding.

“Kyungsoo hyung is paying me to mix for her,” the guy said with sudden confidence, “that makes her my client.”

“What’s that?” Gyuri asked.

Her question broke their intense staring contest. Giving the doctor an I told you so look, Kai retrieved the chair from his grasp and sat down right back next to her. He showed her the case and revealed an assortment of small, colorful glass vials. He brought up a purple one for her to see.

“A painkiller.” He said, giving the vial to her, “the best one on the market.”

“What’s different from the one nurse Kim is giving me?”

Kai smiled at her, and she felt her cheeks heating up again, this time for a very different reason. The smile on his face wasn’t a smile at all but a smirk, inviting and playful, almost seductive, and Gyuri felt remorseful for falling into it so much.

“Those ones knock you out.” He started, making her come back to the matter at hand: “Mine don’t.”

“That sounds good.” Gyuri wondered out loud.

She realized she had no idea what day it was. She just dozed off, and for all she knew, it could’ve been days since that happened. It had been only seconds, and the idea of being awake and present seemed extremely appealing.

“Wanna try then?” Kai asked, and the smirk on his face was even more alluring than before, if that could even be possible.

Gyuri accepted. She wanted to feel better. She hated the missing days and the lost moments. Smiling back at her, Kai pulled a cart closer to grab a syringe. The action made nurse Kim jump at him almost immediately. And if it was all a joke to him, with a mocking face, Kai put surgical gloves on and grabbed the smallest syringe Gyuri had ever seen to fill it with the purple liquid barely up to the first line. 

“That’s it?” The nurse asked, grabbing the syringe and getting ready to put it into Gyuri’s IV.

“It’s highly addictive,” Kai said with a serious tone, making the nurse halt to look over at the doctor waiting for his order, “and I need to monitor you closely. I’m not sure how the bug will react to it.” 

“I’ve told you before, Jongin,” the doctor intervened, “it’s not a parasite.”

“It feeds off whatever it wants,” Jongin added with an annoyed shrug. "It sounds like a parasite to me, and my name is Kai.”

The argument kept on going, and Gyuri panicked. She never thought about it in that way, and the idea of a living insect moving on her back made a chill run through her entire body. The machines started beeping around her as desperation took over, while everyone around her blurred in movement.

As suddenly as the world distorted, it all went away when she locked eyes with the guy who had now pushed the plunger of painkillers into her IV. Kai was smirking at her as he observed her with his eyes just as dark and alluring. If she had to guess, it was almost as if he was challenging her to look away first, which she did when her cheeks burned in a sudden wave of shyness she had never felt before.

Slowly, as she reminded herself that she was bedridden and sick, Gyuri finally noticed a machine beeping faster and faster as she recalled dark and dangerous eyes. She heard someone tell her to remember how to breathe when all she could feel was her heart hammering in her chest.

“You’re making her hyperventilate.” Doctor Kim scolded Kai while nudging him out of the way.

“I guess it works just fine.” He mumbled, sitting back into the chair with a cocky smile, “That was my basic formula, so all I need is a batch of fresh blood samples, an iced Americano, and in a couple of hours, I’ll have a new custom mix for you.”

The next couple of minutes went by so fast that she was suddenly breathing just fine and alone with Kai once again. He was nice enough to stop his flirtatious quibs as he monitored, just like he said, her reaction to the painkiller. Suddenly, he produced a notebook and a cute bear pen, and he seemed to have lost interest in everything else.

“You’re a drug dealer.” Gyuri said after a while, and the offended look in his eyes amused her.

“No.” He said sternly, “I’m just a chemist who happened to find a very profitable market.”

“Out of sick people.” Gyuri interjected, which seemed to disarm the guy for a second.

“Well, people find relief, and I get paid.” Kai said with a shrug, “Who needs charity?”

Gyuri stifled a laugh. She couldn’t argue with that. She did feel better. Her back was finally numb, and her mind was sharp and clear for the first time in a long time. She even dared herself to move a little, just to make sure, and her mind reeled with possibilities when there wasn’t a pang of paralyzing pain when she did.

She was considering the idea of sitting up and observed the chemist still writing down stuff on his cutesy notebook when a door opened quite abruptly. Gyuri couldn’t see who it was. Her back was to the door, and she wouldn’t care if it wasn’t for the expression on Kai���s face. He barely even moved as he looked up, and his dark eyes stared at whoever came into the room with an intensity that alarmed her.The sound of someone clearing their throat was all it took to instantly calm her down.

She could recognize the timber of that voice anywhere. She had once been a slave to it. While everything about her rejoiced at the sound, her heart, sitting at the very core of her, calmed down, almost to a lull. 

“Is that him?” Kai wondered under his breath, his eyes sweeping up and down from a distance, “Really?”

Despite barely moving from his seat, the chemist gave her a patronizing stare before Gyuri heard that voice shyly greet him, forcing him to look away. Soon after, Baekhyun walked into her sightlines, dressed up in a surgical gown and dragging an IV stand.

“It wasn’t a dream.” She mumbled. “Was it?”

“Which part?” He asked, “That I’m gracing you with my presence?”

Kai scoffed, but Gyuri laughed, possibly for the first time in weeks. She nearly burst out laughing when Baekhyun sheepishly jumped into his bed, struggling to keep his butt covered with the stupid, flimsy hospital gown. He endured her teasing with stoicism, only because it meant her giggles would float around every corner of the sterile room. Even he felt lighter to hear her voice without pain, without restraints, without any regrets, and the next couple of days were quite blissful after that. They spent hours talking, chating about nothing important, as if their hospital beds didn’t exist and the IV drips weren’t even there. 

Kai sauntered into the room every morning with his characteristic alluring flair. He would administer her daily dose of the drug, observe her reaction for a couple of minutes, write stuff on his cutesy notebook, and would throw some snarky remarks to Baekhyun at the end, leaving him completely flabbergasted. As if that was all the chemist wanted, he would disappear for the rest of the day, much to her disappointment. Kyungsoo was nowhere to be seen either. She didn’t dare to ask about him. Her mind was still too cloudy to recall anything that had happened. What she remembered from the fragments that did come to her mind were his weary eyes, the unadulterated emotion in his voice when he pleaded with her to tell the truth, and the look of rage on his face when she refused. He was most likely disappointed at her, and even if everything in her wished to see him again, she kept it all to herself.

Gyuri focused her energy on enjoying her present, where Baekhyun was her roommate and he was there solely for her. The change in her mood was noticeable. She felt stronger, she looked better, and her mind was clear. Having Baekhyun next to her was as liberating as she imagined it would be, but despite all of that, his presence didn't erase the dark shadow looming between them. Neither of them addressed the subject even when their conversations always ended up at the same issue: the reason they were there in the first place.

One day, during the shift change, and taking advantage of a couple of hours of quiet false privacy, Baekhyun rolled to his side and observed her. Gyuri had her eyes closed, but she wasn’t sleeping. He just knew. They had been watching a television show and arguing about who had the best comedic timing that he knew wasn’t possible for her to fall asleep that fast.

“Gyuri…” He called her, and she hummed in response. “Are you still awake?”

She hummed again but kept her eyes closed as a small smile spread across her face. For a second, he considered letting her rest and just watching her sleep in peace, but he had to know.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He whispered.

Baekhyun saw the tiny twitch on her features, and the peaceful smile disappeared. She was still awake; that was clear, but her eyes stayed closed, and he waited for an answer that never came.

It was better to pretend he never asked. Gyuri spent the next couple of days as if nothing of the sort happened, and everything in the villa fell into a somewhat routine. She would start every morning with the early visits from Kai and Nurse Kim to take the daily blood samples. After that, the most embarrassing one, the sanitary duties, and then the doctors would show up for the daily checkup. It was somehow a tedious task that happened every eight hours. She would be stripped down naked, and they would document every change in her body, from the growth of the spikes protruding on her back to the smallest shift of her teeth or the coloring in the bruises on her skin. Nothing on her body would change without them knowing.

Gyuri had been too out of herself to care about it. And as much as she felt better with Kai’s mixes, the clarity of mind came with a price. She was conscious enough to be aware and to feel embarrassed by her daily routine. She had to remind herself that her body wasn’t the same and that the doctors had seen plenty of sick bodies before. She kept telling herself that she was just another body in their research. Nothing else, nothing more.

After all that, her mother would come in to feed her breakfast, which consisted of mushed stews and suspicious chunky drinks. By that time she was too tired already, and after taking a nap, nurse Kim was back to take another batch of samples. Then it was time for the worst part of the day: work out.

Nurse Kim straight up put her through a whole workout session. Keeping her limbs mobile was crucial, even though she could hardly move. She had to push her joints a little, even if she cursed through it all. She knew she would have already become a tree if nurse Kim hadn't been so strict about the exercise repetitions. Even though she ended up being so exhausted that she was barely able to stay awake for the remainder of the day. 

That was her new reality; however, it was a new day, and her daily schedule was already different. The doctors explained the procedure to her and her parents the day before, and she knew the implications of the results. They had scanned her back to the smallest detail, but they needed to know the layers of the structure. How deeply rooted it actually was to her flesh and mapping the organism could answer a lot of the questions, doctor Kim and doctor Zhang still had about the disease.

When the whole team entered the room early that morning, Gyuri was already awake, and they all stopped at the sight. She was waiting for them, seated up in her bed, crouched. She wasn't, but the hump on her back gave the impression that she was ready to leap on them like a beast. It wasn't just the posture that made them hesitate but the look in her eyes.

“Good morning.” She greeted the doctor.

“You’re in a good mood this morning.” Dr. Kim greeted her back, showing her his characteristic kind smile.

“Yeah, today is a good day.”

He hesitated, staring at her, considering and observing her just as much as she held his eyes, in an unspoken conversation.

“May I ask why?” He finally asked, pulling his light pen out.

“It occurred to me that,” Gyuri said as she let the doctor shine the small light into her eyes. “I can change the world.”

The already quiet room went even quieter, and they all looked at her, stunned. Even the doctor seemed taken aback for a moment, and the sudden attention on her made something in her shift back into the old anxious and shy Gyuri. They all saw the fire in her eyes, dimmering down.

“Or maybe not,” she shrugged, aware of every pair of eyes observing her with curiosity, “that can happen too.”

Gyuri added with the lightest tone she could muster, trying to shrug pretensiousness in the comment off. It worked in a way, or so she decided it did, when the doctor gave her a small yet undecipherable smile and everyone around her resumed whatever they were doing.

“But as long as I stay alive,” she said under her breath, loud enough for only doctor Kim to hear her, “there’s always a chance I might, right?”

“Absolutely,” he said, with a kind tone, although the smile he always showed her barely reached his eyes, “and it’s my duty to make sure that everything we’re getting from you doesn’t go to waste. I promise.”

Perhabs it was the seriousness in his voice or the lack of his comforting smile, but Gyuri believed him. She knew she could rely on him, and after taking that leap of faith, she felt a great deal of guilt.

“Where’s Kyungsoo?” She asked, and her voice sounded even softer than she expected.

“He must be somewhere around.” The doctor said, although she could tell he was not telling her all the truth about it. “I’ll tell him to be here when you wake up.”

“Thank you.”

“Are you ready?” He asked.

This time, the kindness in his voice was back to the kind of tone that she trusted and assured her that everything would be alright, and that filled her with a confidence that brought a smile to her face.

“Let’s change the world.”

***

After a hectic week of taking every possible test available on earth, Kyungsoo was released with flying colors, but the steadiness had become unbearable. He wasn't needed for questioning any more and could leave if he wanted. He could go back to Seoul to attempt to keep on with his life, but there was nothing else for him there, so he stayed on the premises, wandering around but always ending up in the monitoring room. 

He spent most of his time there, watching over her, just making sure she was still alive. He held on to the primal relief he felt every single time she made the smallest movement, as small as to move a hand, because it meant she was still there, still fighting.

Just like any other day, Kyungsoo set himself in the room and saw Junmyeon taking her away to the operating room for the new mapping procedure. But now, the stillness was even more intolerable. Suddenly, he didn’t even have her on the monitors to find some peace. All he could do was wait with the unknown.

A couple of hours later, he saw movement on the screen as Jongdae and Yixing wheeled the bed with a heavily sedated Gyuri into her side of the room while Junmyeon talked to her parents. He saw Baekhyun observing the nurse carefully working around her and making sure she was safely and comfortably in her place. It was an innocuous picture in itself if he didn’t know them so well. He looked at different screens from different angles, and in all of them, he could see the frown in Junmyeon’s face. He had seen it so many times before when the doctor found himself in a corner, and he was certain of it when he caught Yixing observing Gyuri in her bed as if he was too dumbfounded to leave.

They found something.

Something bad.

Kyungsoo scrambled out of the small monitoring room, his heart racing at the endless possibilities, and found the doctors leaving the room in a heavy silence. He saw it right. Something was wrong.

“What happened?” He asked,

“I need to interview Baekhyun again.” Junmyeon mumbled.

“What do you expect to find?” The writer asked, expecting the worst when Yixing and Jongdae joined them, seemingly just as dumbstruck as the doctor.

“I don’t know.” The doctor said more to himself, “But there’s something we’re missing.”

“Hyung, why hasn’t it killed her yet?” Jongdae asked, as he ordered stuff in his little supply cart, “What is it waiting for?”

“Jongdae, bring Baekhyun to the main office.” Junmyeon ordered, avoiding the question that sent a chill down the writer’s spine. “We’ll have him look at the timeline. Let’s see how he reacts to it and what he might add.”

As if he had been ordered himself, Kyungsoo moved along with his friends and followed them back to the office. He grabbed a tablet he found nearby, sat down on the makeshift waiting area, and waited as he felt his heart beating in his ears.

Once the cameras were set up between the desks, Jongdae came in, followed by a reluctant Baekhyun, as he looked around, taking in everything in the office. Kyungsoo pretended to be busy on the tablet, although he had grabbed it more like a desperate attempt to keep his heart from beating its way out of his chest.

“We have several questions, Baekhyun.” Junmyeon said, casually sitting in a chair in front of Baekhyun as Yixing also sat nearby, “Introduce yourself.”

“My name is Byun Baekhyun.” He started, his voice steady, “I’m 28 years old, and I’m from Bucheon.”

“What were the circumstances in which you met Gyuri?” Junmyeon asked, writing something down on his clipboard.

“College. We shared some lectures during her first year.”

“What’s your relationship with her?”

“We’re friends.”

“Have you ever wanted to be more than friends?”

“No.“ He said and immediately shook his head, “Yes.” 

The doctor did not react to his indecisiveness, and Baekhyun just stared back at them.

"No,” he said firmly.

“Do you love her?”

“I do.”

“But you don’t reciprocate the affection she has for you?”

“What the hell is this?” Baekhyun shot back, looking around the office, probably put off by the new setting and audience, “Am I some sort of criminal being questioned?”

“We’re just trying to know as much as possible about your situation.” Junmyeon replied, without losing his composure, “We tested your blood, and we couldn’t find any trace of the disease. That being said, where you’re standing might be the key to finding immunity.”

The explanation had the desired effect, and Baekhyun took a deep breath, as if trying to calm himself.

“What was the question again?” He said, his tone easier.

“Do you reciprocate the affection she has for you?”

“Affection, yes.”

“Have you ever wanted to be more than friends with Gyuri?”

“No.” He said, this time without a single trace of hesitation.

“Did you lie when you said you loved her?”

“No.”

“You feel affection for her; you do love her, and yet, you are not in love with her.” Junmyeon asked, and Kyungsoo noticed a glint of excitement in his eyes. “Can you elaborate on that?”

“I love her.” Baekhyun replied, but his voice and even his entire posture were different. “But I don’t think I do it in a romantic way, at least not in the strict sense of the word.”

“Why not?”

Baekhyun squirmed in his seat, uncomfortable. Almost meekly to answer the question, he looked down at his hands as if the admission was extremely embarrassing.

“In a very, very, but very shallow way,” he said, with a noticeable knot in his voice. “She’s just not my type.”

The silence after his answer was as loud as thunder. Kyungsoo couldn’t even get angry at him. He could hold it against him if he did find Gyuri attractive and still decided to crush her hopes. It would be a thousand times easier for him to hate Baekhyun if he were an asshole, which he was not. Just like Gyuri said, he just cared an awful lot about her.

He tried not to look directly at the guy, who clearly wanted to be swallowed by a hole in the ground, but his hands trembled, holding tight to the dead tablet. His efforts failed when he heard Jongdae pull the wobbly, noisy wheels of the enormous board where Junmyeon and Yixing had a timeline of Gyuri’s infection coupled with relevant cases during the outbreak.

As if it were part of an elaborate scheme, Junmyeon and Yixing remained focused on the interview, but eventually, Baekhyun ignored the question, seemingly distracted by something on the board. The doctors looked at each other before Junmyeon pressed him with more questions.

“What is it?” He asked.

“Megumi.” The guy replied, nodding at the picture of a young woman on the board; the recognition in the name made Yixing shift in his seat. “How is she involved in this? Is she sick as well?”

“Do you know her?” Junmyeon asked.

“Well, as much as you can get to know a senior you admire.” He said with a shrug.

“Did you have a crush on her?” The doctor asked, and Baekhyun squirmed in his seat.

“I think so.” He said softly, staring at his hands.

”Did you have the chance to meet her?”

“Of course, it was the highlight of my year.”

Even Kyungsoo looked at the guy as his voice trailed down in a whisper as it dawned on him. Everyone stared at the board, realizing that piece of information might be the missing piece of the entire puzzle. Suddenly the timeline was more relevant than ever.

“Can you tell us about it?” Yixing asked, his tone a lot gentler than Junmyeon’s.

“The Engineering and Computer Science Fair in Shenzhen, China.” Baekhyun started, after he cleared his throat, visibly uncomfortable. “It was during my third year. I was part of the team presenting the applications of a new graphic engine for video games, and Gyuri was assisting our university’s coding team during the programming tournament. It was part of her scholarship program and our first trip together. It was fun.”

“When was it?” Yixing asked, ready to write down the new date.

“Having an accurate date isn’t going to give us any answers.” Junmyeon added, although his attention was on Baekhyun’s reaction.

Kyungsoo got it then. He understood what his friends were doing to gouge more details out of Baekhyun that he even felt bad for the guy and the rather aggressive approach. He could almost say the guy didn’t deserve it.

“But it would help us a great deal." Yixing replied, his tone still kind and gentle, as if begging him to remember.

“Yes, to determine a contagion speed rate because, as it is right now,” Junmyeon mumbled, but his eyes were burying holes in Baekhyun. “It’s quite worrying.”

To Kyungsoo, and most likely to the doctors as well, it felt like forever for Baekhyyn to answer. But he was surprised that neither Yixing nor Junmyeon tried to force a response, given how direct their questions were. They waited, observed him, and analyzed the smallest tick on his face until he finally opened his mouth, but the answer wasn’t what they wanted to hear.

“You’re wrong.” Baekhyun said. 

His voice was trembling just as much as Kyungsoo’s hands did when he came into the office. And the words made it all worse; he had to leave the tablet aside and look at the timeline. They all did. Everyone looked at Baekhyun and then at the timeline on the board, looking for said mistakes. 

Once it was clear Baekhyun wouldn’t say more, the doctors finally moved. They checked the files once again and asked him, but Baekhyun was long gone in his thoughts and despair. He was trying with all his might to go back in time and recall the exact moment he heard her cough for the first time. The longer he kept on thinking, the harder it was to accept it had been that long since she had been sick, and it was a truth he wasn’t willing to accept.

“Baekhyun?” It was Yixing that noticed the way his shoulders dropped. “What did we get wrong?”

“We’re working with what Gyuri and her mother told us.” Junmyeon explained, his patience running thin.

“But it can’t be.” Baekhyun said, seemingly snapping out of a trance, “She’s just prone to colds. She couldn’t be suffering for so long. Not because of me.” 

And with those words, they all saw the tears falling down his cheeks. And as heartbreaking as it was to see the guy breaking down in front of them, they still had worse news to deliver.

“Most people can pinpoint the exact moment the disease sprouted in them.” Junmyeon started the explanation now with a softer tone.

“It’s a particular feeling,” Yixing added, “impossible to miss.”

“But that’s not the same with Gyuri.” Junmyeon kept on saying, “She told us she wasn’t even aware of it until the medical report a few months ago.”

Baekhyun shook his head, most likely already knowing where this explanation was going.

“We suspect she contracted the disease way before this date.” Yixing explained, pointing at a date from the timeline, “We’re talking about someday last year.”

That’s when Baekhyun understood the real burden of guilt. The heavy and crushing weight of his failure. Gyuri had been suffering for almost a year because of him. She was in deep pain because of him. She was going to die because of him. 

From then on, no matter how many questions were thrown at him, the doctors realized Baekhyun wasn’t fit to keep going with the interview, so they let him go, and the office was suddenly filled with deafening silence as everyone, including Kyungsoo, seemed deep in thought with the answers they just got. Junmyeon was the first to move and made a beeline to the writer. 

“Did anything catch your attention?” The doctor asked, sitting next to him.

“Nothing other than he seemed sincere.” Kyungsoo said, as he observed the timeline once again, “Did you really have to go that hard on him?”

Junmyeon stayed silent as if Kyungsoo had not asked him a question. Something in the professional pragmatism of his silence made the writer look at the doctor, and for a moment, he seemed different. The coldness in his eyes, the intense expression of an obsessed stranger and not a long-life friend. Unnerved by the sight, he looked around to find Yixing lost in his thoughts as well. What they found in the surgery and what Baekhyun said somehow had a connection with the timeline.

“Who’s Megumi?” Kyungsoo asked anyone that was present enough to answer.

“The tree girl.” Yixing replied in a whisper, turning to where they were sitting, making him slightly uncomfortable.

“Yixing, could Gyuri be the first?” Junmyeon finally said under his breath.

Everything froze. Everyone stopped whatever they were doing and looked at the doctor.

“Thank you!” Yixing dashed across the office to sit near them with a childish excitement glimmering in his eyes. “I didn’t want to say it out loud in case you might think I was mad.”

“Patient zero?” Jongdae asked, also getting closer. “Can it be possible?”

“If we’re willing to consider that idea as a hypothesis,” Yixing added, “all of her symptoms predate the first victim.”

“Can it be?” Junmyeon mumbled.

Kyungsoo understood just then the obsession behind his eyes.

And everything became a fuzz.

The doctors ignored him as they worked with their new theories when Kyungsoo excused himself from the office, exhausted just by the sheer amount of stress derived from the interview he witnessed. No one seemed to notice his leaving. The new information rang in his head, and he found himself back in his room, halting at the sound of the softest sniff.

Baekhyun was there and embarrassed to get caught crying; he wiped off his tears. Kyungsoo looked away, giving him some grace, considering he had to deal with a work-focused Junmyeon, and that was tough enough already.

“I guess I’m your roommate now.” Baekhyun said, his voice hoarse from crying, “So don’t mind me.”

Kyungsoo wanted to leave somewhere else other than having to get along with the guy, but it was too late to leave now. The latest interview switched something in him. In any other situation, he would’ve left without a hint of remorse, but he felt terrible for the guy. He wouldn’t even dare say he pitied him. The more he knew the guy, the more he realized he quite admired his sense of responsibility and, in a way, sympathized with his pain. That last thought made him squirm, uncomfortable to feel in that way for someone he, in theory, should hate.

“You need to rest.” That was all he managed to say.

Going further into the room, Baekhyun stood up, as if the writer demanded all of his respect, making the both of them move awkwardly around each other. Not knowing what to say exactly, Kyungsoo laid down in his bed and closed his eyes in an even more uncomfortable silence. 

“I won’t leave her alone again.” He heard Baekhyun mumble. “I swear.”

“If that’s the case,” Kyungsoo replied, slightly annoyed that he believed him, “Wash up, get some sleep, and eat something. You have to take care of yourself.”

Baekhyun agreed, and Kyungsoo heard him moving around the room, mumbling left and right about how correct the writer was, and he covered his face, already exhausted from his persistent babbling. However, he missed the noise as soon as the guy disappeared into the shower and gave him a little moment of silence to think. Because thinking was the last thing he wanted to do. 

Thinking suffocated him. 

Thinking made him see a future without Gyuri. 

“Are you asleep?” Baekhyun asked. 

He hadn’t realized the guy was out of the shower already, so he simply opened his eyes to acknowledge his presence. Baekhyun was ruffling his wet hair with a towel and sitting in his bed, looking at him with certain curiosity. As if he wanted to get to know him, and Kyungsoo knew he had to oblige in a way. 

“So…” Baekhyun said, “How did you two meet?”

“Lunch.” He replied, but the guy expected to get more out of that answer and chuckled when he didn’t.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but why does she trust you so much? She isn’t the type to meet new people so easily, let alone make new friends.” Baekhyun kept on, looking at him with genuine interest. “Sometimes I still wonder how we ended up becoming friends in the first place.”

Even though Kyungsoo found the guy annoying, he was also curious as well. Deep down, he wanted to ask everything about their relationship because Gyuri never spoke about the guy in that much detail. Other than caring about her, he knew nothing about the guy, and she was right. Baekhyun cared a lot. But they were so inherently different that their friendship was the most unlikely he’d ever experienced. He wanted to know what he had that was so worth dying for.

“I’m just helping her.” Kyungsoo said.

“Why?”

The writer was fully aware that the truth behind his statement was a lot more complicated than that and that he had been wondering the same ever since the very first time he saw Gyuri. Why did he help her that day? 

Baekhyun waited for a response with undivided attention and a gentle yet intensely curious expression in his eyes. They were both on an equal basis. The guy wanted to know the writer as much as the writer wanted to know the guy.

“How’s your girlfriend?” Kyungsoo asked instead, only aware of his harsh tone until he said it out loud, “The woman you were with back then at the restaurant.”

“Oh, her.” Baekhyun said with a shrug, “I broke up with her because of something ridiculous she said about Gyuri.” He said, his face twisting in a grimace. “Who would’ve thought? She was right after all.”

Kyungsoo didn’t have to ask about what he meant. He was surprised no one else around her seemed to notice. It was blatantly obvious to him that Gyuri was sick, and he wondered if people simply stopped caring about the curse anymore or if Gyuri was just that good at blending herself in the crowd and going unnoticed. Perhaps it was that he was a survivor himself that he could see the signs. Maybe he noticed because he liked her from the very beginning.

“Have you been with her all along then?” Baekhyun interrupted his thoughts.

Kyungsoo nodded, although he wasn’t sure anymore. Cursing under his breath, Baekhyun ruffled his hair again quite violently, and a tired chuckle left his lips. He looked at him straight into his eyes, making Kyungsoo unexpectedly nervous.

“It’s getting quite hard to dislike you, you know.” Baekhyun said.

Kyungsoo stayed quiet, not knowing how to react to that admission and even less how to agree with it because he thought just the same. He could not hate the guy anymore, even if he tried.

“Thank you.” Baekhyun added. “For staying with her.”

There was an awkward pause, and Kyungsoo wished for Baekhyun to stop trying to be nice and strike conversation. It only made it hard for him, but the guy was already babbling about the shampoo in the bathroom. He apologized for taking some of it if it happened to be his and promised to get a new bottle just in case. Kyungsoo ignored him, muting him off so he could try to doze off, but he could still hear him buzzing around until the room was awfully quiet.

“The other night,” Baekhyun said, his tone completely different and void of the lightheartedness from before, “she was wearing your clothes.”

Every bit of that night, every feeling, and every word he shared with Gyuri flooded his memory. He remembered that night as if it were yesterday, and it amazed him how much everything had changed. Kyungsoo opened his eyes to find Baekhyun back in his bed.

“Don’t do this to yourself.” He muttered, considering the sad look in his eyes and worried what it could possibly mean.

“Did you two, you know, sleep together?” He asked.

Kyungsoo nodded. What else could he possibly say? It wasn’t a lie. They did sleep together, although not in the way the guy might think of by the bright red color flaring on his cheeks. 

“You’re not an accountant.” Baekhyun said, changing the subject.

Kyungsoo felt every bit of his instinct focusing on the guy. The look in his eyes, which was far from being curious, considered the writer as if he could see through him.

“Are you him?” He asked.

There was an inflection in the last word that made Kyungsoo go completely still, as if staying frozen would distract the guy from the question. The seriousness in his tone and the determination in his eyes made it clear he had pieced everything together. Kyungsoo remembered Gyuri saying he was extremely clever, even though he loved to play dumb most of the time. So far, he thought she was overly generous with her description of his character, but he was wrong. Baekhyun was good at being an unassuming dumbass when, in reality, he was just waiting for everyone else around him to slip.

“It makes sense.” Baekhyun added, looking around the place.

Kyungsoo sat up, staring at the guy, wondering if he really knew who he was or if he was just bluffing. As playful as Baekhyun could be, his face gave nothing away, and the writer felt a chill run down his spine. He realized why Gyuri was so worried to face him. The guy was perceptive in a way he wasn’t expecting, and all the pity he felt just moments earlier evaporated. 

“How did you beat the curse?” Baekhyun asked, and the writer knew there was no point in denying it. After all, he did figure it out all by himself.

“I don’t know.” Kyungsoo replied.

“That's not enough.” The guy through gritted teeth, his expression finally showing genuine emotion, “An I don’t know, won’t save her.”

“I know that.”

Upset and desperate, Baekhyun stood up. He paced around the room, and when he finally stopped, he tried to look up at the writer but couldn’t even look in his general direction, and his mouth opened and closed several times, as if he wanted to say something.

“Did she ever tell you why?” Baekhyun finally asked, staring at the floor. “Why did she fall for me?”

Kyungsoo understood the hesitation, and despite the recent revelation of his cleverness, he got it. He knew why it was so hard. It wouldn’t be a genuine struggle if Baekhyun was the heartless asshole the outside could paint him to be. The man in front of him was a caring friend to a fault, and Kyungsoo couldn’t blame him for feeling so powerless. He had felt it before.

“So you knew,” Kyungsoo said instead, and even though he didn’t mean to belittle the guy, he saw his body flinch at his words, “You knew she had feelings for you, right?” 

“Sometimes, I had a hunch, but it never made sense.” He explained, with his eyes closing and his voice breaking. “She’s too bright to fall for someone like me. She would never.”

“But she did.” Kyungsoo argued, making the guy get even smaller in his place, “If you knew, why didn’t you tell her anything?”

For a moment, the writer thought he could wait for an answer, but the guy hesitated for far too long and he realized he didn’t need an answer. It didn’t really matter. Him telling Gyuri wouldn’t change a thing. She would still be cursed. When he said he loved her back, it didn’t change anything. She was still dying.

“I don’t know,” Baekhyun said under his breath.

The guy finally looked up and stared at him. And as they squared up at each other, they felt the weight of the situation, and for the first time since they met, they could agree to be in the same dark and hopeless place.

Kyungsoo stormed out of the room, unsure of whether he was upset with the man or with himself, but everything everywhere revolved around Gyuri. The place that was built to be his last home was suddenly full of life in a very grim way. He planned to die here. That’s why he bought the property in the first place. He had hoped for it to be just as dull and as empty as his life felt, but he could hear her laugh in the hallways and smell her scent in the air around him. This place wasn't his anymore. Perhaps it never was. It was hers. And once she was gone, it would never be the same again.

Kyungsoo rubbed his eyes, in need of an escape from his dark thoughts, from Baekhyun and what he meant for his future, from Junmyeon and his false hopes, from Minseok and his incessant questions about his health, and from everything that reminded him of her. But he was never alone. No matter where he went, someone was there to ask him how he was feeling, his thoughts on the research, and what else he had planned to do. And all he thought was her; all he planned for was for her, and all he felt was despair.

The writer went straight to the kitchen. He wanted to cook. He wasn’t even hungry, but he needed the process of it to sedate himself, to focus his mind over something else other than her, but when he arrived, he found her mother there. The woman had obviously been crying for some time, but she jumped up like a spring and went into motherly operational mode as soon as she saw him. 

Kyungsoo did not have the heart to reject her attention, and there was one thing he liked about the woman. She never asked. A character flaw perhaps, but he was grateful that he could find a certain silent understanding in her. It felt to the writer that just like him, Gyuri's mother found some comfort in focusing solely on one task, even if there was no need for it. He had a team of cooks ready to manage the meals for all the guests on the property, but the woman insisted. Kyungsoo almost smiled when he recognized the source of the same stubbornness in Gyuri. 

That’s why she cooked for everyone. Every minute she didn’t spend with her daughter, she spent it chopping something, as if investing her attention in something that could somehow change the situation. Kyungsoo listened to the woman listing all of the dishes she wanted to make and started to wonder if she ever slept.

Moved by the contained emotion in her voice, he offered to assist her prepping, and they ended up finding solace in each other's silent company as they cooked.He had the impression that she found a small measure of joy in teaching him how to prepare her daughter's favorite foods, as though that offered some hope in the face of an ominous and bleak future.

Time went by as the light seeping through the windows changed and a new shift change happened. Jongdae sauntered in, as loud as he always was, excited to get a warm homemade meal. From everyone on the research team to the other guests and family members, the nurse was the one that appreciated it the most and ate everything to the last grain of rice with an unwavering devotion and a satisfied smile on his face.

Jongdae was in the middle of his usual praises to the cook in charge when the high-pitched alarm of the pager he carried with him at all times suddenly started blaring. As if in automatic, the nurse jumped out of the chair to run to Gyuri's room. Kyungsoo and her mother followed him instinctively, and they hadn't even arrived in the room when they heard her cries for help. 

"My eyes!” Gyuri cried over and over again.

By the time they reached the door, Jongdae was already getting all his gear on as another nurse stopped them from getting any closer. Baekhyun stumbled into the hallway as well, clearly shaken up and still half asleep. 

“I can't see! What happens to my eyes?!" They heard Gyuri cry in desperation, "Why can't I see!?"

Everyone froze at the words as Gyuri kept on crying and screaming, and the nurses rushed into the room. The deep determination in Jongdae’s voice broke them all out of the initial shock and left them with a sinking feeling on their stomachs.

"Call everyone in. Everyone! Now!" He ordered before the door closed behind him, and once again, all they could hear were her desperate screams thundering across the hallway.

SORRY! I'm so sorry it took me sooo sooo long to finish this chapter. Truth is, it was a hard chapter to write and I wonder if it will be hard for you readers to digest. Or at least I hope it will be considering how hard I tried to convey the nuance of what everyone is feeling. Everyone is grieving. Anyway, I'm sorry for the delay. Hopefully, the next chapter doesn't take that long to finish. If you're still here: Thank you! It means the world

[bunnyjunmyeonie]

Blog Navigation and Fic Recs Masterlist

Note:- All of the works listed below DO NOT belong to me. Credits to the talented authors who wrote them.

Groups:- EXO

Kim Junmyeon / Suho

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Case File 01 By @xiubaek-13

Not Without Her (Series, Smut) By @myeoning-call

Drabbe Prompt By @decantingstxrs

Kinktober Day 31, Junmyeon (Smut) by @itstheoneshot

Hard Enough (Freinds to lovers, suggestive) by @writemekpop

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One Week

Junmyeon Drabble By @kpop---scenarios

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Business favours (Smut) By @itschanyeolfic-blog

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Police Officer AU (Smut) by @seungcheolsthighsss

Dating Park Chanyeol Headcannon By @you-can-be-the-moonlight

Chanyeol Prompt by @lustbile

Bitten By a Spider (Smut) by @byunbhyunz

Oh Sehun

Do Kyungsoo

Chen / Kim Jongdae

Providence (Fake Boyfriend! Chen, a little smut) By @xiubaek-13

Tinted Lips AU (Series, Smut) by @myeoning-call

Kai / Kim Jongin

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Brat By @sinnerforexo

Byun Baekhyun

Let Me In By @xiubaek-13

Heartless By @soujougeurilla

Blindly In Love by @myeoning-call

Xiumin / Kim Minseok

Case File 99 By @xiubaek-13

Far, Far Away by @mrkswrld

Lay / Zhang Yixing

Lu Han

So Handsome (Implied Smut) by @xiubaek-13

Masterlist Posts Of Other Fic Writers:-

Mobile Masterlist Of @marshmallow-phd

Masterlist Of @pesiko

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Lost In Translation Masterlist By @xiubaek-13

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Reading List Of @baekxytocin (Baekhyun fics)

Masterlist Of @byunstation

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Turn Masterlist (BBH, KJM, KJI, PCY) by @kpop---scenarios

KJM and ZYX by @bluenereid

Kinktober Masterlist Of @mint-yooxgi

Masterlist of @chanyeolsbiggestfangirl

[loveau]

Case Closed: Chapter One | Sehun

Genre: slow-burn romance, angst, mystery/crime

Summary: As the only person willing to take on this wild goose chase of a 10-month ongoing missing persons case, you have your head in your hands trying to figure out why 20 girls and counting have suddenly disappeared. You can't give up now that another girl has just joined that number. Good thing that your persistent crime reporter friend Oh Sehun won't let you quit either.

Word Count: 6.4k

T/W: minor violence, kidnapping, crime, uhhh not edited i'm sorry

A/N: I'M SOOOOO SORRY!!!!!! I've been on hiatus for 3 years LOLOLOLOL then i found this in my vault since may 4th, 2020 and i felt so bad that i wrote literally 3.5k words to finish this first chapter so i can just get it out. i have the whole thing fleshed out.......... i'm so sorry 🙈 also i don't really use this blog anymore but i figured i will just to get out everything again HAHAHA i do not expect this to get any traction at all but if you enjoy it then 🥺❤️

It started like any other day, which was a real cliché to put it. You walk into the station with your usual heavy eyelids and even heavier shoulders. Sleep was something you’d given up when you first started working as a detective, but the word was definitely out of your dictionary when you picked up the case. Most of your colleagues wouldn’t pick up the case. Mainly because they knew you’d be the first one to take it. However, after ten months you still haven’t found any new leads. Six months of chasing after ghosts and you always returned emptyhanded.

This morning, you had something into your hands. Flung into them, rather. A coffee and a file, courtesy of Jongin. Normally there’d be a smile gracing his face and a joke soon to follow to lighten up your mood. Instead there was a frown as he motioned down at the file in your hands.

“That’s number 21.”

You’re grim and you know it’s very apparent. How could you not be with the numbers stacked this high? You mumble a thanks and allow Jongin to linger a bit. He wants to say something, and you know it, but you also know he’s conflicted about whether or not he should continue bothering you.

“Jongin, I’m not dropping the case.”

He purses his lips and takes a tactical sip of his own coffee. After a moment to find the right words he sighs. “I know. I wouldn’t dream of trying to rip you away from that.”

A dry chuckle leaves you and you shake your head almost dotingly at your junior. “Of course.” You point a pen towards the office everyone knew too well after getting chewed out at least thrice. “But that doesn’t mean she won’t. She’s been on my ass for a while.” You’ve joked with your peers about the Boa Constrictor keeping you in her hold until you concede, but you’d never been on the receiving end of it until now. Except you definitely weren’t about to let go of this case.

There’s a moment of silence while he tries to come up with something else to say and you busy yourself with the new file. You curse when you look at the girl’s photo and information. “She’s only 15.” Jongin hums and scans over the information with you. He takes her photo out from beneath the paperclip and holds it up to the board where there were faces of 20 other girls on them.

“She doesn’t look like any of the others.”

“Not at all. She’s got some similar features to some, but… there isn’t a type.”

“If they even are getting kidnapped.” You scoff at that before taking the photo and thumbtacking it to the board. “Not that I’m saying you’re on a wild goose chase or anything, but…” He takes another sip of his coffee. You know the mug is empty. “21 girls who don’t have any connection to each other besides living in the same city… It’s really difficult to determine if they’re all being kidnapped or just-”

“Runaways, I know.”

“Look, they’re all around the ages too. Teen angst, wanting to start fresh in another city, eloping with a secret lover.” He sighs wistfully and moves to take another sip until he remembers his empty cup. “21 girls. No relation. Some of them did sports, but it’s a range. Some of them are in the same school district, but they have different schedules. Two of them lived in the same neighborhood, but that’s in a whole block of apartments.”

Your eyes linger at the girl’s face a couple seconds longer. You’ve heard it too many times by all the others to know that Jongin is implying they could be all coincidences. People runaway all the time, it’s true. You’ve definitely closed those sorts of cases and convinced a couple of them to work it out and return home. You just wish you had some concrete proof that this was different.

Jongin turns away, about to leave and continue his own work after getting more coffee. “I’ll get out of your hair now, but I’m just worried about you. You’re losing a lot of sleep for someone who looks like they’re chasing their own tail. Take care of yourself.” He’s off before you can bark a word at him, and you roll your eyes to yourself.

You take a sip of the coffee he’d given to you moments prior, but it had gotten cold since then. It was still a bit of a kickstart to your day anyhow. You had the cases of 21 missing girls all over the city resting on your shoulders. It was a miracle you got any sleep at all. You tried your hand at anything. Possible gang relations or involvements or some group or organization, and yet you found no link. Like you said earlier, there didn’t seem to be a type that was targeted as the girls were mainly different appearance wise. You’d even thought to consider some underground sex ring, but the information you’ve collected about some of them didn’t fit the bill.

There were a couple girls who were taken in their own homes. They had been the ones living alone, except one who was taken while her three roommates were all home. They had chalked it up to her not feeling well and when they decided to check up on her, she was gone. It just didn’t sit right with you that they had done everything according to their routine and yet they supposedly just ran away. Most didn’t seem to have any motive at all to do so according to their friends and family. Even though you knew everybody’s got secrets and skeletons to hide you knew that was the truth. It was a gut feeling, but it wasn’t enough.

A buzzing noise came from your pocket and you whip your phone out to see what notification it was this time. A random message from one of your friends on social media popped up. You wanted to swipe it away, but you decided against it and opened it up. It was a friend from college who had found some old photo of the two of you at some party, dressed up with a lot of skin showing but even more teeth on display. Back then the lack of sleep you had was because of the constant studying and partying, or rather taking some free booze and dipping when you got bored. It was still fun to socialize and watch everyone stumble dumbly, though. You responded back quickly by telling her to forward it to you. Before you pocketed your phone, you retyped your passcode to unlock the phone again and went into your contacts. Thinking about college reminded you of somebody.

The moment you stepped out you heard a familiar “Hello?”

“Hi, Mrs. Kim. Just checking in like I always do.” You could almost hear the smile in the woman’s face. Tension immediately left your shoulders the moment you heard her coo your name softly. It was like it was never there at all.

“I haven’t heard from you in a while. I was just beginning to think you’d never call.” She laughs easily at her tease. She knew you would call. You always did. “I was just thinking about you actually. I heard there was another one…”

A sigh leaves your lips and you pinch the bridge of your nose before you answer. “Yeah, it’s been a rough couple of months hasn’t it?” She hums in response and you can hear her shuffling papers around, most likely sorting through the mail you know she never opens and gets to once a month at least. She pauses and you can hear her set the large pile down.

“Of course. Five months without my baby? She’s supposed to be starting school in a couple months. She was so excited when she got accepted. They have the best music program in the state, you know.” You knew all too well that her daughter was to be going to school at the best music school in the state. You listened to some of her recordings before after her mother had shown you. You like to think that it was just because of a mother’s pride, but you think it was to hear her daughter’s voice again as she talks through the piece and giggles at a small slip up in one of them.

It almost pained you that you couldn’t find her with what you had now. You were still as clueless as you were when she had gone missing five months ago.

“I’ll find her soon. I know I will. The next time you won’t get to see her is when you have to move her into the dorms. I promise you.” It was an unsure promise, to convince the both of you that you’d get it done. And soon. The shift from a lighthearted conversation had gotten grim fast. Those conversations had typically over the lunches you had with Mrs. Kim. She was the first case of this bunch and also the most optimistic of the friends and family. You felt that you had to keep her updated and in turn she continued to put her trust in you.

“I know. She’s counting on you; I just know it. She knows you’ll get it done somehow.” The words strike you in your core. That’s right, there’s a lot of people counting on you right now. One more family just got added to the list this morning. You try not to think about the handful of others that decided to have you stop looking after they’ve given up that their daughters would come back. It pained you to have them retract their hope enough to have you close their cases, but you wouldn’t stop even if they asked you. You didn’t want to have to leave them in the dark while their daughters were missing. Lord knows you were considering a murderer, but no bodies had turned up to your relief. You just hoped you didn’t have to continue praying for it not to happen.

The call ended quickly, and you spent the next couple of hours going over your information and collecting information from the family of the newest missing girl. She was hanging out with friends when she was all of a sudden separated from the group at the mall. It was a busy place, but camera footage and eyewitnesses last saw her roaming in a store before her trail goes cold. This was frustrating. Rumors had spread about the girl going missing already, but since she was a teen most people assumed that she just ran away. She was pretty social according to her friends, and they just chalked it up to her personality and hanging with the wrong crowd. You decided to ponder over it on your lunch break, calling up your regular lunch partner to meet you at some café a couple blocks away.

Sehun doesn’t have to wave you over for you to sit down at the table you know he’s already at. It’s almost a ritual, to eat at this café every other week and sitting at the same table, nonetheless. He smiles warmly at you and pushes a plate towards you. “I already ordered for you. And don’t worry, I paid for it as a thank you for last time.” You mumble your thanks with a mouthful of food, briefly remembering the time you covered for his ride home after one drink too many.

“You’re godsent, you know that?” His smile turns into a smirk at that and you roll your eyes when you see you’ve stoked his ego. “Before you say ‘I know’, take out that notepad.” His smirk drops and a look of concentration comes onto his face.

“You know, sometimes I like to think you keep eating lunch with me because you like me or that we’re friends or something. But I also tend to think you only keep me around for my work.” He’s teasing you again and you tap the top of his notepad.

“You’re very much aware how much I like having you around. And I’m very much aware about how much you love to collect the information. Sometimes I think you only come back to hang out with me is because I’m not as tightlipped as some of my peers and give you things you can actually report on.” Sehun chuckles at that and the crinkle around his eye is back with that childlike glimmer in the eyes. He looks a lot more at ease than his funky smirk and that impish gleam instead.

He uncaps his pen with his mouth, his other hand busy flipping to a brand-new page and holding a worn notepad with too many torn papers taken from it. He keeps the cap in his mouth and hums for you to signal he’s ready.

“She’s 15.” His eyebrows furrow and a lisped curse slips out of him as he jots it down. He shakes his head sadly at that. “Last seen at the mall with her friends. Eyewitnesses say that she was roaming one of the stores alone before she disappeared. Camera footage doesn’t pick her up leaving the mall, but it’s been picked clean.”

“Has her friends or family said anything about behavior? Being more secretive or distant lately?” Sehun’s habit of keeping the pen cap in his mouth makes his words very mumbled and hard to understand. However, being around him and working with him so often has gotten you used to his silly sounded sentences. You still reach over to pluck it from his lips and snicker that his playfully annoyed glare.

“You don’t think I’ve asked? No, parents and friends claim that nothing was up. They let me in her room and let me search to find any hidden notes. Even let me look through her diary and it was just about some kid drama at school. Seemed ordinary to me, nothing that made me have to investigate this drama. She’s not a part of it anyways, just commenting about how it’s the talk of the halls and dumb.”

Sehun taps the pen against his cheek while your fingers are fiddling with the cap. He’s obviously not to report your words verbatim as it’s not really relevant, but he does appreciate how you share your findings with him. He appreciates your trust in him that he doesn’t skew the details or add too much personal information about these people. He appreciates how you let your thoughts wander with him. You tend to loosely think around him, bouncing ideas off of him every so often or word vomiting to better understand things as you try to explain.

You’d finished with your food while Sehun continues writing and jotting down notes, most likely questions or other tidbits not too concerning for you. Whenever he asks a question he needs for the article you respond and then nudge his plate so that he eats. It goes on like this a couple moments longer until he’s out of food and questions. He finishes jotting down whatever else he wants to and sticks the tip of his pen out to you. You, used to this procedure, cap his pen and look back up into his satisfied eyes. You scoff at his smug look and avoid his gaze as he rests his chin in his hand. He continues to stare at you while you pick at any crumbs you find interesting.

“Got everything you need?”

“How about we get some dessert?” You almost object and tell him you should be back by now until he starts collecting his things and getting out of his seat. “And don’t worry. I’ll pay. You just have to pay me back next time.” You sink lower into your seat in defeat and groan, rubbing your hands over your face. He laughs a little and stands behind your seat, grabbing your shoulders and shaking you lightly. “Come on, Sugar. You’re gonna need some sugar to keep functioning the rest of the day.”

“You and your dumb nicknames are going to kill me before the stress from this case will.” He stops shaking you and gives you a fond squeeze of your shoulders.

“Let’s go before you die on me then.” You turn in your seat to watch him head towards the door before deciding to follow suit and grunting when you do get up. There’s a mini pep in his step and you’re guessing that’s because Sehun has another excuse to visit that favorite bakery of his that a friend of his works at. You couldn’t blame him. There were some doughnuts and cupcakes that were to die for.

As you passed by, you saw some missing persons posters hung up in some alley walls or taped to some lampposts. You’re guessing that’s how Mrs. Kim got news of the missing girl before you caught up with her. Sehun notices your gaze following the long trail of posters, most likely hung up by the gang of girls that were last with their friend. “Is that her?” The both of you come to a stop in front of a small cluster of the posters. He takes on down and holds it out in front of the both of you. You nod and Sehun folds the paper into fours and pockets it for later. “That saves me having to dig around to put that in the paper.”

He tries to keep the mood up as he hums a tune, swinging his arms around and looking around at the people walking the streets. It does little to help, but you do appreciate the thought as he glances at you every now and then to check in. He’s switched songs so many times since he opts for a different, better tune to keep him occupied. You’re trying to decipher his fifth song switch when you finally make it to the bakery.

“Kyungsoo!” Sehun sings into the shop as the door chimes noisily. Luckily, Kyungsoo isn’t tending to any customers at the moment. He pops his head out from behind the counter with a blank face and his lips drawn into a straight line. However he may look, there’s a happy sparkle in his eye at the sight of you two.

“What do you want now?” He asks sarcastically but readies himself anyways.

“I want something with chocolate.” Sehun says as he scans the overhead menu even though he knows exactly what he wants. “Please.” He doesn’t forget to add with a warm smile, which Kyungsoo returns in kind. They both turn to you expectantly and you sputter, not having anything in mind just yet.

“O-Oh! I’ll, uh… I’ll have…” You pause and bite your lips. Suddenly, you’re overwhelmed by all the choices even though you’ve been here before.

“How about some donut holes? And if you don’t like it, you can always have some of mine,” Sehun offers as he turns that warm smile to you.

“What, trying to stick with that cops eat donuts type of thing?” You joke but are grateful at the distraction from you bumbling about. Kyungsoo lets out an amused huff and prepares something for you both of you, making sure to toss in a couple extra pieces in the bag for you. You give him a silent thanks as you nod and take the bag from him as Sehun whips out his wallet in a practiced manner.

The first bite of the donut hole is full of cinnamon and a little honey. Kyungsoo’s been experimenting and you hum at the taste as you squeeze the half-bitten donut hole. As Sehun’s card is ringing up he turns to you with an eyebrow as he wordlessly asks how it tastes. Instead, you offer him the rest of your bite while you chew, and he instantly opens up his mouth to eat the rest. It’s almost like you’ve done this a million times in your life and a million more in your past lives together; you’ve known each other for that long, you think. The motion is easy and simple as he hums and turns back to collect his card and compliments Kyungsoo’s creation with his mouth full.

“It’s good. I like the new flavors, it’s better than just the boring sugar on it.” The words are muffled and both you and Kyungsoo give him a judgmental look as he wipes some of the cinnamon off the corner of his lips.

“… Thank you. I’ve been slowly trying to add more to the menu where I can,” Kyungsoo notes, and you look up again at the menu to see he’s added another couple options beside his regular few in his neat handwriting. He smiles at you again when you look back down. “Keep up the good work. Don’t push yourself, okay?”

You promise him and Sehun gently nudges you to turn and leave so he has a better exit path. It’s not like he couldn’t have gone around you, but it seems he opted to just turn and go. And with his broad shoulders, it seemed you were in his path. You nudge him back as you exit the bakery with your treats in hand.

“What are you doing tonight?” Sehun asks with his mouth full again, this time from a bite of his chocolatey pastry. Crumbs fly in the air and the snort as they do so, but your friend knows no shame and continues to look at you expectantly.

You roll your eyes with a smile. “Probably looking over the case again… and waaay more paperwork than I’m happy with.”

He hums at that as he continues to walk you back to the station. You feel like he’s about to ask you something else, but you’re cut off by your phone ringing and his own buzzing with a couple messages.

“Breaks over.” He comments with a sigh as he scrolls through the messages and tries to type back with the same hand that grips his phone.

“It is.”

The both of you look at each other and trade another bite of each other’s treats. You took a bite of his mainly since you wanted something sweet, and he had his own bite since you felt like you had to repay him for it. He gives you a wave as he, thankfully, doesn’t shout with his mouth full of donut as he heads off to his office building. While you head back, you manage to catch the phone call on its last couple of rings before it could go to voicemail.

“Hello?”

“It’s Boa. You have a couple more files on your desk regarding the girls,” she says with a tired sigh. You know the chief thinks this is wasting time and resources, but you also know she wants to give these girls justice. “Some more schedules of their routines, some stuff they had upcoming, and some chat histories. There’s also someone waiting at the station to talk to you, a friend of the most recent one.”

“I’m on my way.”

“Good,” she states and hangs up the call. You huff and make your way back to the station with a quickened pace. You wonder what this friend has to say since you’ve interviewed the family and teachers recently. Your mind is still reeling with possibilities when you make it back and find a familiar face at your desk.

“Yena, what can I do for you?” You ask kindly as you take a seat by the high school girl. She has a puffiness around her eyes that indicate she hasn’t been able to get a lot of sleep and has probably been crying a lot. You offer her some of your donut holes and she politely declines by holding a hand up before thinking of the right words to say.

Yena was the same age as her missing friend, 15 with a short bob and still wearing her school uniform. You’re wondering if she skipped school to come here, and she confirms your suspicions as she wrings her hands. “I just give you these. I found these in Chae’s locker, it’s some of her notebooks and some flyers. These events are all in the past, but one of them is her dream journal. We both keep one to achieve our dreams, except she doesn’t share hers because she thinks that the dream won’t come true then.”

You take the stack of papers and notebooks from her, eyeing the one she was referring to. It can’t be mistaken with the doodling, stickers, glitter, and large words that say ‘DREAM JOURNAL!’ right on the front.

“Thank you, Yena.” You say kindly, knowing that you’ll have even more to sort through and probably come out empty handed with, but every little bit helps. If you could be armed with even that much of a toothpick, you’d count it as a win.

“I just want my best friend to come back. That’s all I’ve been writing about in mine! I want her to come home.” Her eyes water and you push a box of tissues to her. She takes a shaky breath and dabs at her eyes gently and you realize that her eyes are redder than you thought. She dabs to prevent further irritating her eyes that have been covered in makeup to hide just how bad she’s been taking it.

“I promise, you won’t need a journal to make that come true, okay?” You say gently and comfort the poor girl. It’s another 15 minutes before she gets up and leaves, going back to school she promises.

You sigh as you look at the stack of notebooks she gave you. It was all her school notebooks besides her dream journal, which you knew wouldn’t be much of a look through unless you wanted to relieve your high school days and quiz yourself on whatever the kids were learning these days.

“You know, you shouldn’t be promising things like that.”

“Jongin, that girl was crying.”

“And you don’t think she won’t be if you can’t deliver that promise?”

You clench your hands into fists, narrowing your eyes on the word that seems to be mocking you right now. Because it might be true, you can only ‘DREAM!’ that this will all come to a happy end. Jongin sighs and pats your back.

“I’ll help you get through like 3 of those. Make sure it’s all just random notes so you know if they have anything that’s not about some ancient literature piece, okay?” He asks gently and you take a deep breath.

“Okay,” you say quietly and start sorting through the flyers first.

A lot of them are of school events, cram school, auditions for some of the modeling or singing agencies, and one was even a poster of an actor you recognized from a popular drama currently. You chuckled as you saw the sticky note still attached to it that indicated Chae’s wishes to marry a guy like him. A couple more hours pass in between you checking the notebooks, painstakingly flipping through and reading every page just to make sure, and having to deal with other logistical tasks around the office.

Like promised, Jongin eventually makes it through the notebooks and puts them all on your desk with a sad shake of his head. “Math, English, and Composition. All notes, most of it is textbook and following what they did in class. Anything else was practice problems or doodles. These are no good.”

You groan and hang your head. “I’ve just barely gotten through her other two notebooks. A music one from a piano unit and one she kept solely for cram school. The flyers are all past events or just random ones that I think were trash and she never got to throw away.” You look pointedly at the crumpled up flyer that was from her school’s ‘Fish Club’… whatever that’s about. “Had to get through all the other files from the girls too… nothing new. I saved that dream journal for last.”

“Why, so you can honor making sure her dreams come true?” Jongin asks with a smile, lifting your spirits some.

“Yeah…” You trail off absently. You aren’t sure if maybe you were truly keeping up Yena and Chae’s superstition about their dream journals or if you were hoping that the last thing you got to would prove you some substantial evidence. Maybe you should’ve gotten to that first if so. But then you would’ve needed to spend extra time on it. Ugh! Another sigh makes it way out of you and Jongin frowns now.

“Save that for tomorrow. How about you come out with some of us for some drinks tonight? Get that tension off you.” Jongin gives you an expectant look as he sits on your desk. You rub your face and look up at him through your fingers as you slouch in your chair. “And don’t even think about getting to that journal tonight. Your brain is fried, you need a break, you’re burning yourself out.”

You purse your lips at him and groan again, this time throwing your head back over the top of your desk chair and spinning in it a little.

“Fine. But only for a little bit.”

Famous last words. It was not just a little bit. Jongin kept you entertained and kept handing you drinks as you listened to your peers share drunken stories. Even Jongdae came in for a little bit to say hi to everyone and cry a little about his wife and kid, showing everyone pictures. You were sure that he was sober and just living the high of life.

A twinge of jealousy shot through you at him being able to enjoy his life so much right now. You downed your drink and stared at the empty cup grumpily. You felt just like the cup. Maybe you are a cup. Did your legs always feel like that?

“Woah, you doing okay?” Jongin asks as he gets into your space to take a look at you. He was pretty tipsy, but doing way better than you right now. Both in spirits and sobriety.

“Jongiiiiin, I’m like this cup.” He has to jump back a little as you shove your cup in his face. “You see how it’s wet on the outside?”

“From the ice?” He asks with a raised brow.

“I’m all sweaty!” You shout at him, suddenly feeling like the room is a lot hotter.

“No, you’re not.”

“Look! Feel!” You try to grab his hand to bring it up to your forehead and he grimaces. He shakes his head and you try a couple more times before he pins your hand to the table and reaches for his phone. “What are you doing?”

“Getting you home,” he says as he scrolls in his contacts. You try to look at the screen to see who he’s calling, but he brings the phone straight to his ear and turns a skeptical eye on you to make sure you don’t keep trying to bring his hand to probably stick you in the eyes.

You’re too distracted by pouting to care who he’s talking to. And your head hurts. The alcohol is hitting you fast. How much did you have again? Or was it because you drank the rest of your three-fourths of a cup in less than a minute? When was the last time you even drank like this? Since before you took on the first case ten months ago?

“He’s coming in 15,” Jongin says in your ear. You pop your head up from the table. You didn’t even know you had it down on the table in the first place.

“Who?” You ask sluggishly as you try to keep your eyes open. You don’t bother hearing a reply as you quickly make your way to the bathroom. It’s quieter in there, and colder too. You feel better already by giving yourself some space and time to think for yourself. Not really feeling like you need to get everything out just yet, you lean against the wall and take some deep breaths.

Eventually, there’s a knock on the door and a call for your name. It takes a couple more tries before you push yourself off the wall and wash your face.

“Oh, good. I thought I was going to have to pull your head out of a toilet bowl.”

You yell out in shock, water flinging everywhere when you look up to see Sehun in the mirror.

“What are you doing here?” Water drips off your chin and you remember that you were washing your face. You sigh and see if any got on your shirt – a lot did – and look for the paper towels to wipe.

“At the bar or in the bathroom?” He asks. You grunt in response, eyes blocked by the soggy paper you’re using to scrub the water from your eyes. “Jongin told me you had too much and needed to be brought home. And again, I was making sure you didn’t decide to punish yourself and give yourself a swirlie.”

“Why would I do that?” You grumble at him. Your head was a lot clearer thanks to the rest, you probably spent all of Jongin’s promised 15 minutes against that wall. Plus, the water cooling you off made you feel like you could at least walk to a car before passing out.

“He said you looked sad.”

“I’m not sad.”

He gives you a once over. Hair a mess, probably from the wall. Face still red, from scrubbing with that scratchy paper towel, embarrassment, or the alcohol, probably from all three. Clothes wet from you spilling two handfuls of water all over yourself. And the heavy burden of the finding of 21 girls coming crashing back down onto your shoulders.

“Yeah… you look pretty sad to me.”

“Thanks,” you bite a little harsher than you intend to. But, thanks to the one who made you build a tougher skin with a level of sass on his own, Sehun takes it all in stride and smiles. He merely grabs you by the shoulders and leads you out of the bar. Jongin nods and waves you off, keeping your coworkers distracted by the state you’re in so you don’t get teased when you come back the next morning.

Between the time Sehun came and got you and when he arrived, he had already transferred your stuff from your coworker’s car to his. You saw this when he helped you climb in and your bags of notebooks were sitting in the back seat. Sehun buckled you in and shut the door for you. The state of mind you were in currently clearly showed you could do at least that, but Sehun chose not to care and did it for you anyways while you watched him walk around the car to the driver’s seat.

“If you fall asleep, just know that I’m not carrying you inside.”

“So my knight in shining armor does have a flaw for tonight’s rescue.” You sarcastically bat your eyes at him and he chuckles, shaking his head and he starts towards your apartment.

“I meant to add that I’d probably be dragging you up those three flights of stairs. By your feet. Head hitting each step.” Before you can ask why in offense, he grins with a shrug. “You went through all that training, not me. All my muscles go to my ears for listening to you go on and on about cases.”

“I’m the reason why you have a job,” You grumble as you stare at the passing buildings. Sehun keeps that stupid smile on his face and laughs.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The ride to yours is a lot quicker than usual since at this hour it’s already late hardly any traffic. Again, Sehun is humming some songs and tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. At least this time there’s less of him switching it up since he’s forced to sing along for the whole 3 minutes. He’s still humming as he grabs all your stuff from the back seat and follows you up the stairs to your apartment. You silently curse the fact that the elevator is down for maintenance since you wish you didn’t have to climb that much while drunk. You feel even worse when you realize that Sehun took all of your bags and all of those notebooks, binders, and files are no joke. It’s a wonder that kids can carry all that on their backs plus whatever else you put into the bags.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Sehun asks as you pause on the steps, a little behind you and huffing a little.

“For someone who claimed he doesn’t have the strength training to carry me up the stairs, you sure are doing real fine while walking up two and a half flights of stairs and carrying all those books.” Sehun lets out another huff, shorter than usual that let you know he was working up quite a sweat.

“I work out.” He says plainly and grins at you again, which makes you roll your eyes at the statement and continue forth. He’s been over before, plenty of times. He’s come over to bring food on your sleepless nights when you just can’t sleep or spend so long trying to work on another case.

You finally make it to your apartment and eventually into your room. Sehun had set the bags down by your couch where you already had a bunch of files spread out on the coffee table. He tuts and grabs one of the papers and gives it a quick skim.

While you change into comfortable, cleaner clothes he hums and calls out from your small space. “You really need to learn about work-life balance.” He sets the paper back down and goes about preparing you some essentials for when you wake up in the morning definitely hungover.

“You know why I can’t,” you call back as you collapse onto the bed with a groan. Your body all of a sudden feels so heavy and it’s hard to keep your eyes open. You huff into your pillow as you try to block out the haunting words of all the names of the 21 girls that prevent you from sleeping at night. That prevent you from functioning unless you can figure out a way to bring them all home.

From your couch, Sehun makes himself comfy and sighs. He folds his hands over his stomach and quietly says to himself, “Yeah… I know.”

[just-some-random-blogger]

kpop masterlist

🍓 = fluff themes

❄️ = angst themes

🚧 = smut themes

🤸‍♀️ = slice of life / bish idek what theme this is

🚀 = crack fic themes

🎩 = dark and/or violent themes

🏩 = genre fic, i.e. mystery, horror, fantasy, etc

🍳 = slow burn

🦕 = personal favorite

back to main masterlist

A.C.E.

Memory | 🍓❄️🦕 Kim Byeongkwan x Reader + Park Junhee x Reader (University AU) [Blurb]

Ateez

Only One | 🍓❄️❄️❄️🍳🦕 CEO!Choi San x Reader

BigBang

It’s An Act [WBU I] | ❄️ Choi Seunghyun (TOP) x Reader

Smoke | 🍓🤸‍♀️ Choi Seunghyun (TOP) x Reader

BTS

Runaway | 🍓❄️🏩 Mafia!Kim Seokjin (Jin) x Reader (Mafia AU) Preview 1 2 3 4 x

Mah Boyfriend | 🍓🍓🤸‍♀️🦕 Jung Jungkook x Idol!Reader

BTOB

Hidden Heart | 🍓🍓🍓🤸‍♀️🚀🍳 Lee Minhyuk (HUTA) x Idol!Reader [Headcanon]

Day6

A University Dilemma | 🤸‍♀️ Kang Younghyun (Young-K) x Reader (Univeristy AU)

What A Joke | ❄️ Kang Younghyun (Young K) x Reader + Park Jaehyung x Reader (University AU) [Blurb]

So... Haha... I Like You | 🍓🦕 Park Jaehyung x Reader (Fake Dating AU)

EXO

Wheel Of Fortune | 🍓🍳🚀 Park Chanyeol x Reader [Headcanon]

Welcome To The Jungle | 🚀🚀🚀🏩 Park Chanyeol & Oh Sehun (Jungle AU)

Maybe We Still Have A Shot [WBU III] | 🍓🍓🏩 CatHybid!Oh Sehun x Reader (University AU)

Unrequited Attraction | 🚧🏩🍳🦕 Mafia!Kim Jongdae (Chen) x Retail Worker!Reader

Color Palette | 🍓 Byun Baekhyun x Reader [Blurb]

Brown Leaves | 🍓 Kim Jongin (Kai) x Reader (University AU)

GOT7

One Million In One Day | 🍓🍓❄️❄️🍳 Sugar Daddy!Jackson Wang x Reader Preview ~ Alternate Moodboard ~ Moodboard Teaser  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

Car Rides | 🍓 Jackson Wang x Reader [Blurb]

Juice Box | 🍓🚀🏩🦕 Kunpimook Bhuwakul Bambam x Reader [Blurb] (Pre-Schooler AU)

Somewhere In Between | ❄️❄️Civil Engineer!Park Jinyoung x Reader + Architect!Henry Lau x Reader

Trading Secrets | 🍓🍓 Kim Yugyeom x WangSis!Reader

JYJ

Winning Losses | ❄️ Kim Jaejoong x Idol!Reader

Monsta X

Introspect | 🍓🤸‍♀️ Lee Jooheon x Reader [Blurb]

Letting Off Steam | 🤸‍♀️ Lee Hoseok (Wonho) x ArtStudent!Reader (University AU)

NCT

Seventeen

December Dates | 🍓🚀 bf!Seventeen x Reader [Headcanon]

The Stroke Of Midnight | 🍓❄️🏩🦕 Mafia!Kwon Soonyoung (Hoshi) x Reader

Here's My Problem: I Can't Get You Out Of My Head | ❄️❄️❄️🎩🎩🎩🏩🍳🦕 Detective!Jeon Wonwoo x Actress!Reader

10 Ways To Get Over Gyu | 🍓❄️❄️❄️🍳🍳🦕 Kim Mingyu x Reader + others (Childhood AU)

Half Of My Heart | 🍓❄️🤸‍♀️🍳 Kim Mingyu x Reader + Jeon Wonwoo x Reader (CEO AU)

On A Thread | ❄️❄️ CEO!Joshua Hong (Hong Jisoo) x Nurse!Reader

SF9

A Final Offering | 🍓🍓❄️🏩🦕 Deity!Kim Inseong & Child!Reader + Baek Juho (Zuho) x Mom  

What Does It Mean? | 🍓❄️🤸‍♀️ Kim Inseong x Reader + Lee Jaeyoon x Reader (University AU) 

16th Floor | 🍓🤸‍♀️ Kim Seokwoo (Rowoon) x Reader (Office AU)

SHINee

Understand This |❄️ Choi Minho x Reader I Don’t Understand [Understand This II] | ❄️ Choi Minho x Reader

It’s All A Big Joke [WBU II] | ❄️ Lee Taemin x Reader

Th-that’s Not | ❄️❄️🚧🦕 Lee Taemin x Reader Regrets [Th-that’s Not II] | ❄️ Lee Taemin x Reader

Angel Bride | ❄️🚧🏩🦕 Pirate!Lee Taemin x Reader

Noona, You're So Pretty | 🍓 Lee Taemin x Noona!Reader

Stray Kids

Professional Boundaries | 🍓❄️🚧🦕 CEO!Bang Chan x Pre-School Teacher!Reader + CEO!Hwang Hyunjin x Pre-School Teacher!Reader 1 2 3 4 

Bootylicious | 🍓🚀 Bang Chan x Idol!Reader

Super Junior

The Soup | 🍓🍓🚀🚀 SuJu x SuJu Maknae!Reader [Headcanon]

Secrets Of A Maknae | 🍓🚀🚀 Kim Heechul x SuJuMaknae!Reader

The Boyz

Gentle With Me | 🍓🍓🤸‍♀️ Lee Sangyeon x Reader

TVXQ!

Pitter-Patter | 🍓 Jung Yunho (U-Know) x Reader (Pre-School Teacher AU)

The Art Of Deception | ❄️🎩🏩 Shim Changmin x Reader (Secret Agent/Spy AU)

TXT

Forget About It | 🍓❄️🤸‍♀️🍳🦕 Choi Soobin x Reader (University AU)  

WINNER

I’m Not Playing | 🍓❄️❄️ Gangster!Song Minho (Mino) x Reader 1 2 3 

[kaisooficrec]

Nini Planet Round 27 (Gomniniful)

The monthly Bottom Jongin Fest's last round before going on hibernation (hiatus) has brought to us three delightful kaisoo fics. Please remember to leave kudos and comments, and follow the fest on twitter.

Let Mе Live Inside Of Your Gaze

Genre: Fantasy AU, Co-workers to Friends to Lovers

Rating: NC-17

Length: 4,528 w

Summary: KyungSoo lives a very disciplined life because of his power to decompose everything he touches, but then JongIn shows up and his emotions and control are tested to the max.

Let Me (Figure Out What Love’s All About)

Genre: Eventual Romance, Prostitution

Rating: NC-17

Length: 3,202 w

Summary: Kyungsoo has taken interest in a prostitute. And, honestly, as a businessman, he should take some precautions.

how to get you alone

Genre: Office AU, Smut, Boss/Employee Relationship, Director Kyungsoo, Fluff

Rating: NC-17

Length: 7,383 w

Summary: Jongin had been trying his best to hide his not-so-little crush on the director of the company he’s working at. A drunken confession at the company's New Year party unveiled that his secret wasn't as subtle as he thought.

[pascaloverx]

MASTERLIST KAI (EXO)

© credits for the owners of the pictures used. they don't belong to me. credit is not mine for the pictures.

PREVIEW

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

FINAL CHAPTER

[elysiangroundsforall]

I Plead Guilty

"I am guilty of loving you."

Ch-2

As Jongin exited the conference room, the tension from the meeting still lingering in his chest, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, seeing Yeoreum’s name on the screen. A small sigh of relief escaped him.

"Hey, babe," he answered, trying to sound calm despite the weight of the situation.

"Jongin! Hi," Yeoreum’s voice was soft but there was a slight hint of concern in her tone. "I didn’t want to bother you, but I saw something online, and I wasn’t sure if I should mention it."

Jongin frowned slightly, his stomach twisting with unease. "What do you mean? What did you see?" His voice took on a protective edge, though he tried not to let it show.

"I’m not sure if you’ve seen it yet, but there was an article," Yeoreum continued, her words hesitant. "It’s about you... and your character in the drama. People are talking about it—saying some pretty intense stuff. I just wanted to check if everything’s okay with you."

Jongin’s heart skipped a beat. "About the drama? What kind of stuff are they saying?"

Yeoreum hesitated before answering, her words slow as if she didn’t want to add to his worries. "Well, it’s mostly about how you’re playing the villain. They’re kind of... fixated on your role and the way you’re portraying your character. Some people think it’s really intense. There were a few negative comments, but it’s mostly about your acting, not you personally."

Jongin took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing thoughts. The last thing he wanted was for Yeoreum to be concerned about something that wasn’t a big deal. "Yeah, I’ve heard people have strong opinions about my role. It’s part of playing a character, right? I’m fine, don’t worry."

"I know," Yeoreum said gently. "But when I saw the comments, I got worried. I don’t like seeing people say things like that about you."

Jongin’s lips curled into a small, appreciative smile, even though she couldn’t see it. "I appreciate you looking out for me. But trust me, it’s all just part of the job. Nothing to worry about."

He paused, feeling the tension from the meeting creep back in. "I’m fine, really. Just got a lot going on today."

There was a quiet moment on the other end of the line before Yeoreum spoke again. "If you need to talk about anything, or if you want to vent, I’m here. You know that, right?"

"Yeah," Jongin said, his voice softening. "I know. Thanks for checking in on me. I’ll call you later, okay? I’ve got a meeting to attend."

"Alright," Yeoreum replied, sounding more at ease. "Just take care of yourself, Jongin. I’ll be here."

"I will," he assured her before ending the call.

As Jongin hung up the phone, he could still feel the weight of the conversation with Yeoreum lingering in his mind. He knew there was more going on, but for now, he had to focus on the meeting ahead. He tucked his phone into his pocket and made his way down the hallway, the pressure of the situation pressing against his chest.

Meanwhile, across town, Y/N sat at her desk in the office, flipping through legal documents when her phone buzzed. It was a notification from an online news outlet. A headline caught her eye: "EXO’s Kai Allegedly Involved in a Scandal with 14-Year-Old Girl."

Her breath hitched as she clicked on the article, her mind racing. The familiar name, Kim Si-Un, instantly sent a jolt through her. She knew she had to get to the bottom of this—fast. The article was sensationalist, making a string of accusations about Kai, with the usual mix of gossip and unfounded claims, but one thing stood out: the article made a direct connection between Kai and the girl, painting him as the center of an alleged scandal. Her mind immediately shifted to the legal ramifications and the potential fallout from this.

Y/N had been an EXO-L for years, and Kai had always been her bias. She admired him not just for his stage presence, but for his dedication and work ethic. But now, as a lawyer, she knew she had to be objective, no matter her personal feelings.

She took a deep breath and immediately dialed the number for Lee Min-Soo, the Vice President of EXO-PLANET. Her fingers trembled slightly, but she steadied herself as she waited for the call to connect.

"Hello?" Lee Min-Soo answered, his voice a little strained, as if he was expecting the call.

"Min-Soo-ssi, it’s Y/N," she began, her voice firm but with a hint of urgency. "I need to speak with Suho immediately."

"Y/N, what’s going on?" Lee Min-Soo asked, his tone shifting to concern.

"I just saw something on the news," she replied, her voice low but urgent. "There’s an article that just came out about Kai and a girl named Kim Si-Un. They’re accusing him of getting her pregnant and abandoning her. It’s all over the headlines now. I know this is huge, but I need to make sure Suho is informed right away."

Lee Min-Soo paused for a moment, processing the information. "I’ll make sure he knows, but we need to stay ahead of this. The media has a way of spiraling out of control."

Y/N nodded even though he couldn’t see her. "Exactly. I’ll help however I can, but we need to control this narrative before it gets worse. Please let me know as soon as Suho is available. We need to act fast."

"Of course. I’ll get in touch with him right now," Lee Min-Soo assured her.

"Thank you. I’ll be waiting for your update," Y/N said before hanging up.

Her mind raced as she set her phone down. She had been following EXO’s legal matters closely, having heard rumors of this scandal, but seeing it confirmed in the article made her feel sick to her stomach. Kai—her bias, someone she deeply respected—was being dragged through the mud. She couldn’t help but feel a strong desire to protect him, just as she would any other client, even if it meant digging into her personal connections.

In the meantime, she knew she had a lot of work ahead of her. The accusations needed to be investigated thoroughly, and she would need to track down any potential evidence that could help clear Kai’s name. But for now, she had to wait for Lee Min-Soo to reach out to Suho and get the next steps in motion.

Y/N couldn't shake the feeling that the media would only escalate this further—and she had to be prepared to face it head-on. As an EXO-L, she could only hope that everything would turn out okay for the group. For Kai.

Y/N’s fingers trembled as she dialed her best friend’s number, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on her chest. As a lawyer, she had handled many high-profile cases, but this was different. This wasn’t just a celebrity scandal; this was a rape accusation—one that threatened not just the reputation of someone she cared about deeply but the very fabric of truth itself.

"Jisungaah, I need your help," she said as soon as the call connected, her voice steady but filled with urgency.

Jisung’s tone shifted from casual to concerned in an instant. "Yeah, what happened?"

Y/N briefed him quickly, summarizing the chaos unfolding, from the false rape accusations to the overwhelming pressure of protecting not just Kai but everyone involved. "I need you to take over the investigation and bring Kim Si-Un in for questioning. I’ll handle Kai, Suho, and Kyungsoo. We need to act fast."

"Okay, okay, I’ll take care of it," Jisung responded, though his voice was tinged with his own growing concern.

"I can’t not worry about this," Y/N admitted, her words dripping with frustration. "This isn’t just some ordinary case. This isn’t just about an idol who has millions of people adoring him. This is a rape accusation. This is serious."

Jisung's voice softened with understanding. "Yes, on your bias, and if you know he didn’t do it, I know you’ll go through heaven and hell to prove it wasn’t him. But listen," Jisung paused for emphasis, "don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment. I know you’re Adv. Y/N, the best criminal lawyer in the country, but you also need to be objective. Don’t let your role as an EXO-L interfere with the case."

Y/N swallowed, the gravity of his words sinking in. "I know. I won’t. But this... this feels personal. Still, I’ll do what I have to. Now please, take care of the investigation. I’ll meet you at the station later."

"I’ve got this, don’t worry," Jisung said confidently. "I’ll bring Si-Un in. Trust me."

The phone call ended, and Y/N took a moment to collect herself. The case was spiraling out of control, and time was of the essence. She needed to stay calm and focused, even if it meant burying her personal emotions for a while.

Jisung, ever the professional, quickly went to his supervisor to initiate the investigation.

"Sir, can I start the investigation into the Kim Si-Un rape accusations?" Jisung asked, his voice firm yet respectful.

The supervisor raised an eyebrow, skepticism lacing his tone. "A formal complaint hasn’t been filed yet. Without that, we can’t really do anything."

Just as Jisung prepared to argue, his phone buzzed. A message from Y/N flashed on the screen. It was an online FIR of defamation and false rape accusations that she had just filed against Kim Si-Un. He quickly showed the document to his supervisor, who, after a brief moment of contemplation, sighed.

"Fine. If you’ve already filed an FIR, we can proceed. Get to work."

Jisung nodded gratefully and immediately began his search. Within hours, he had located Kim Si-Un and brought her in for questioning. His phone buzzed once again with an update from Y/N: Si-Un is in for investigation.

he immediately reached out to Lee Min-Soo, her mind already racing with strategies.

"Lee Min-Soo-ssi, I need Suho’s number."

"Why?" Lee Min-Soo responded, cautious.

Y/N’s patience was running thin, but she remained composed. "It’s becoming increasingly difficult to relay messages to him through you. I’ll save everyone time by contacting him directly. And if you’re worried about me leaking his number, you don’t have to. I would never do that."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line before Lee Min-Soo caved. "Fine. I’ll send you his number."

As soon as Y/N received it, she wasted no time in dialing Suho’s number. The phone rang a few times before Suho’s voice came through, sharp and clear.

"Hello?" Suho answered, sounding both anxious and curious.

"Hello, is this Kim Junmyeon?" Y/N asked, confirming the identity.

"Yes, who is this?" Suho’s voice had a slight edge of confusion.

"I am Y/N, sir," she responded calmly, her tone measured and direct. "I have some urgent information to relay to you and Kai."

Suho’s voice immediately shifted to one of concern. "Yes, what’s going on? What is it?"

Y/N’s voice dropped, and her words became more urgent. "Sir, I’ve just filed an FIR not only for the false rape accusations against Kai but also for defamation. The damage to his reputation is immense. It’s a deliberate attempt to tarnish his name and career, and I can’t let this go unchecked. I’ve also taken legal action for defamation. You, Kyungsoo, and Kai need to get to the Seoul Police Station immediately. The investigation is in motion."

Suho’s breath caught at the news. His voice faltered with disbelief. "Wait… You’ve filed an FIR? Against her? For defamation too?"

"Yes," Y/N replied, her tone firm. "This isn’t just a simple accusation. It’s a deliberate attack on Kai’s character. The only way to stop the lies from spreading and protect his future is to take legal action now. I’m heading to the station, and I need you three there to get things moving. Time is of the essence."

Suho’s voice hardened, though there was a clear undertone of anxiety. "Understood. We’ll head over right away. Thank you for handling this, Y/N. We owe you."

"I’m just doing my job," Y/N said, though her words were laced with a quiet determination. "But let’s make sure we get ahead of this. I’ll see you there."

She ended the call, her mind already racing with the next steps. This case wasn’t just about defending Kai—it was about exposing the truth. It was about standing up against a malicious attempt to ruin someone’s life.

As Y/N made her way to the police station, she couldn’t help but think of the gravity of the situation. Kim Si-Un’s accusations were far from harmless; they were an attack not only on Kai but on the entire EXO family. Y/N was prepared to do everything in her power to ensure justice prevailed.

This wasn’t just about being a lawyer. This was personal. And she would make sure Kai’s name was cleared, no matter what it took.

Y/N stepped into the police station, her heart racing in her chest, and her mind whirling with a thousand thoughts. The gravity of the situation wasn’t lost on her, and she could feel the familiar knot of nervous energy settle in her stomach. It had been years since she had felt this on edge, not even on her first major case had she been this unsettled. This wasn’t just another legal battle; this was personal. She was fighting not just for a client, but for the reputation and future of someone she cared deeply about.

As she made her way down the hallway, her thoughts spiraling, a familiar voice cut through the chaos in her mind.

“Relax, you’ve got this,” Jisung said, his reassuring presence grounding her. He gave her a quick, encouraging smile before leading her to the waiting area where Suho, Kai, and Kyungsoo were sitting. They stood as she approached, their faces etched with a mixture of tension and trust.

Y/N took a deep breath, trying to steady herself before turning to the group. “Alright, here’s the plan,” she began, her voice steady but carrying the weight of the situation. “Jisung, along with Kai, will go into the observation room. There, you’ll see Kim Si-Un. Your task is simple—honestly confirm whether or not you’ve ever seen her before. It’s crucial that we clear any confusion.”

She paused for a moment, ensuring they were all following her. "Next, Kai, we need to take a DNA sample from you. This will be instrumental in disproving the rape accusations, which, as we know, are completely false. Once we establish that, we can also prove the defamation charges against her. That’s when we can begin to make real headway."

She looked at them, her gaze focused, unyielding. “Any questions?”

Junmyeon, his voice quiet but laced with urgency, spoke first. “Can we observe the investigation? I want to be sure everything is handled properly.”

Y/N glanced at Jisung, who nodded. “Yes, of course,” Jisung replied, his tone calm, but there was a clear determination in his eyes. “You’ll be able to observe the proceedings.”

Y/N gave a small nod in agreement before continuing. “Once the observation is complete, we’ll take your statements. Every detail counts. I’ll need all of you to stay as focused as possible.”

She paused, her eyes softening just a bit as she met Kai’s gaze. “Kai, I know this is tough. But remember, we’re doing this to prove the truth, and the truth will always come to light. I’m with you every step of the way.”

Kai gave her a tight nod, though his usual easygoing demeanor had been replaced with a quiet intensity. “I trust you, Y/N. Let’s get this over with.”

Y/N gave a small, approving smile and turned toward the observation room. As they walked together, the weight of the moment hung over them, but her mind remained focused on the steps ahead. She had prepared for every possibility—every hurdle, every objection. But this case was different. She wasn’t just defending a client; she was protecting someone she cared about deeply. And that made all the difference.

The door to the observation room clicked shut behind them, and Y/N glanced at Jisung. "Let's begin," she said firmly, ready to take the next step in this battle for truth.

Y/N entered the room where Si-Un was seated, her voice calm and welcoming. "Hi, Si-Un," she greeted gently, her smile soft but firm, as if she was trying to create a space for truth to unfold. She turned to Si-Un’s mother, her tone polite yet professional. “Good morning, ma’am. Ji-ah,” Y/N acknowledged the opposing counsel, her demeanor poised and in control.

“Hi,” Si-Un replied quietly, her eyes downcast but her tone carrying a hint of uncertainty.

“You have such a sweet voice,” Y/N remarked, her words kind yet subtly calculated, as she continued to build a rapport. “Thank you,” Si-Un responded, her voice softening just a little, as if she wasn’t entirely used to being treated with such gentleness.

Meanwhile, in the observation room, Jisung turned to Kai, watching as Y/N worked to establish a connection with the young girl. “Have you seen her before?” he asked quietly, his eyes locked on the unfolding scene.

“No, I haven’t seen her,” Kai responded, his voice tinged with confusion, his gaze flickering toward Si-Un as she spoke with Y/N. The tension in the room was palpable.

Kyungsoo, leaning closer to the glass, asked, “What is she doing?”

“She’s building rapport,” Jisung replied, his tone calm but filled with understanding. “Si-Un is just a kid. Y/N knows how to handle these situations. Trust her.”

The focus returned to the interrogation as Y/N continued. “Si-Un, where do you go to school?” she asked, her voice sweet but direct.

At this, Ji-ah immediately interrupted. “How is this relevant?” she asked sharply, her protective instincts flaring.

“It is,” Y/N replied coolly, her confidence unwavering. She shifted her attention back to Si-Un. “School of Performing Arts,” Si-Un said, her voice quieter now, perhaps sensing the growing intensity.

“Wow, a lot of idols go there,” Y/N responded, her tone friendly. “Do you like anyone from the idol world?”

“EXO,” Si-Un replied without hesitation, and Y/N could see the slight shock ripple through the observation room. Suho, Kai, and Kyungsoo exchanged looks, surprised at the girl’s unguarded answer.

Y/N smiled knowingly. “Me too. Who’s your bias?” she asked gently.

“Kai,” Si-Un responded, her words causing a ripple of shock to reverberate through the observation room. Suho, Kai, and Kyungsoo stared at the glass in disbelief.

Y/N, not missing a beat, responded, “I know... I read the fan mail you sent him.” She kept her tone light but edged with a quiet intensity. “You seem to really appreciate him. You even sent support letters when he was getting hate for his villain role in the current drama.”

“Yeah,” Si-Un said, her voice almost defensive now, “because he is not the character. He doesn’t deserve the hate he’s getting.”

Y/N nodded, her expression thoughtful. “I see. Do you read fan fiction?” she asked, her eyes narrowing just a little as she probed deeper.

“What?” Si-Un’s mother interrupted sharply, clearly not understanding the significance of the question.

“Ma’am, if you could kindly wait outside, it would be best,” Y/N said politely, though there was an undeniable firmness to her voice. “The counsel is here to ensure that no one’s rights are violated. Please.”

Ji-ah, noticing the rising tension, gave a quick nod and gestured for Si-Un’s mother to wait outside. “It’s for the best,” Ji-ah advised. “Please, just wait for us in the waiting room.”

Once the door closed behind Si-Un’s mother, Y/N turned her attention back to the girl. “Do you read fan fiction, Si-Un?” she repeated.

“Yeah,” Si-Un responded, her voice uncertain.

Y/N’s gaze sharpened. “You know, I noticed something interesting. In Kai’s character, Jang Wooyoung, he also got his girlfriend pregnant and abandoned her, just like you claim Kai did to you.” She let the words hang in the air, watching Si-Un’s reaction closely.

Si-Un’s face contorted, and her eyes flared with sudden emotion. “No! He did that! He sexually assaulted me and got me pregnant!” she screamed, her voice filled with accusation and anger.

Y/N remained calm, almost detached. “Well,” she said, her voice firm and steady, “I have a court order here mandating that you undergo a rape kit and an ultrasound to prove your claims.” She handed the official order to Ji-ah, who took it without a word.

But Y/N wasn’t done. “Si-Un, I also know you’re blackmailing him,” she added, her words direct, her gaze unwavering.

“No, I’m not!” Si-Un shot back quickly, her voice defensive.

Y/N reached into her bag and pulled out a phone, pressing play on a recorded voicemail. The room fell silent as the voice echoed through the speakers—Si-Un’s voice threatening Kai, demanding money for silence. “I’m giving you one chance to answer honestly,” Y/N said, her voice low and commanding. “Did Kai sexually assault you and get you pregnant?”

A long pause followed. Si-Un hesitated, her eyes darting nervously before she finally screamed, “YES!”

Y/N’s eyes narrowed, and she nodded slightly, her mind already moving to the next step. “Fine,” she said coldly, her voice carrying no trace of emotion. “See you in court. I got what I wanted anyway.”

Back in the observation room, Jisung turned to the others. “Alright,” he said, his voice steady as he made the next arrangement. “Kai, it’s time for your statement.”

Kai sat in front of Y/N, his body tense but his voice steady as he began recounting the chain of events leading up to the accusations. He knew this was a pivotal moment—one that could either clear his name or bury him under the weight of lies.

"To be honest, I didn’t know who Kim Si-un was until the morning of the incident," Kai began, his hands slightly trembling as he spoke. "The first time I heard about the situation was from Suho. We were all having breakfast at the dorm when his phone buzzed. It was a call from Vice President Lee Min-soo. Suho stepped aside to take the call, and I could tell something was off when he came back into the room."

He paused, his expression haunted by the memory. "Suho told us that a girl was threatening to accuse me of getting her pregnant and abandoning her unless she received 20 million won. I couldn’t believe it. I had no idea who she was, and certainly never had any kind of relationship with her. I didn’t even know her name before that morning."

Kai shook his head, struggling to suppress the frustration in his voice. "I never met her—never spoke to her, and I have no idea why she would say something like that. Then, Suho told me something that hit me like a ton of bricks. She’s fourteen. A kid. And she’s accusing me of something unimaginable."

His eyes hardened as he met Y/N’s gaze. "I swear to you, I’ve never seen her. I don’t even know what she looks like. I had no clue she was sending me fan mail, and I definitely didn’t ask for any of this. It feels like a nightmare."

Y/N nodded, processing every word. She could hear the sincerity in his voice, the disbelief that was still evident in his eyes.

"I want to clear my name, Y/N. I don’t deserve this. And I’ll do whatever it takes to prove that I didn’t do anything to her."

Suho took a deep breath as he spoke, his voice calm but the weight of responsibility pressing heavily on his shoulders. His mind still raced from the moment the phone call had shattered the peace of the morning.

"The first I heard of it was when Vice President Lee Min-soo called me," Suho began, leaning back slightly in his chair. "He told me that a girl named Kim Si-un was planning to take Kai to court, claiming that he got her pregnant and abandoned her unless she was paid 20 million won."

Suho paused, his brow furrowing as the memory replayed in his mind. "When he told me that, I was in shock. I couldn’t believe it—Kai? My member? I immediately asked for more details, and that’s when I found out that she’s fourteen years old."

He exhaled deeply, as if trying to process the absurdity of it all. "I went back to the dorm, and I had to break the news to Kai and Kyungsoo. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. They had to know what was happening."

Suho looked at Y/N, his expression resolute. "I know Jongin. I’ve been with him for years, and there’s no way he would ever do something like that. He’s not capable of that kind of cruelty. But we needed to act quickly. I immediately told Jongin and Kyungsoo to prepare for the worst and get ready to lawyer up. It felt like we were being thrown into some kind of nightmare."

He sighed deeply, his eyes reflecting the burden he carried. "I’m here because I want the truth to come out. I want everyone to know that Jongin did nothing wrong. He doesn’t deserve to be put through this."

Kyungsoo’s voice was steady, though his eyes betrayed the weight of the situation. He had always been the most grounded member, and yet even he couldn’t deny the shock that came with the accusations.

"I was in the dorm when Suho got the call," Kyungsoo started. "I could tell something was wrong the moment Suho excused himself. When he came back, he told us about the accusations. I don’t think any of us really processed it at first. Kai? The accusations made no sense."

Kyungsoo shifted in his seat, his hands folded together in front of him as he spoke. "Suho told us the girl’s name was Kim Si-un. She was threatening to accuse Jongin of impregnating her and abandoning her, but it just didn’t make sense. Jongin’s been with us for years, and he’s never even met this girl. She’s claiming he did something he never could have done."

His face grew darker as he continued. "We immediately went through the fan mail room to check if she’d sent anything to Kai. I had a feeling there might be something there, and I was right. Ji-min, the receptionist, confirmed that she’d been sending letters to Jongin. I didn’t think much of it at first, but then I realized... if she was sending letters to him, how could she suddenly be accusing him of something so extreme?"

Kyungsoo leaned forward, his eyes locking with Y/N’s. "This girl is either confused or lying. I’m sure of it. Kai would never hurt anyone, especially not someone he’s never even met. We’ll do whatever we need to in order to make sure the truth comes out."

As the statements concluded, Y/N, who had been meticulously taking notes, glanced over at Kai, Suho, and Kyungsoo. Their faces reflected the frustration and disbelief they had endured ever since they had heard the news. Y/N could see how deeply the accusations had shaken them, especially Kai, who looked like he was still struggling to process everything.

She looked up at Jisung, who had been standing nearby, observing the exchange. He gave her a subtle nod, acknowledging that they were on the right track. But there was still work to be done—Kai’s DNA sample had to be taken, and Si-un’s story needed to be cross-checked.

Y/N turned to Kai and Suho, her voice calm yet filled with conviction. "We will get to the bottom of this, and we will clear your name. The evidence you’ve provided today already speaks volumes, but we’ll need to continue working closely with the police and our legal team. Jisung and I will handle the next steps. The DNA sample will help us confirm that there is no connection between you and Si-un."

Kai nodded, his jaw clenched in determination. "I trust you, Y/N. I just want this to be over."

"Same here," Suho added, his tone steady but his eyes betraying a sense of urgency. "We need to make sure this doesn’t escalate any further. This is affecting not just Kai, but the whole group. We can’t let this drag on."

Kyungsoo, who had remained quiet for most of the conversation, finally spoke. "Do you think she’s really lying? The girl—Si-un?"

Y/N met his gaze, her expression firm. "I’m not jumping to conclusions just yet, Kyungsoo, but we have a strong case that suggests this is a false accusation. The timing doesn’t add up, and her story has already started to unravel. We need to keep the pressure on and expose the truth, no matter what."

Jisung stepped forward, his demeanor calm but resolute. "I’ve already arranged for the DNA sample collection. It’ll be done shortly. And I’ll continue to investigate the other details about her background. If this is a setup, we’ll find out soon enough."

Kai visibly relaxed for the first time during the meeting. "I just want this nightmare to end."

Y/N placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We’ll make sure of that, Kai. I’ll be with you every step of the way."

With the statements complete and the next steps in place, Y/N made sure everyone understood their role in the process. The investigation was moving forward, and while the path ahead was uncertain, the team was determined to protect Kai and uncover the truth.

Later that afternoon, at the Seoul Police Station, Jisung and the team were preparing for the next round of questioning. The DNA samples from Kai and Si-un had been collected, and they were ready to examine them under the highest scrutiny.

Y/N arrived at the station, feeling a sense of anticipation mixed with unease. She had fought many cases before, but this one felt different. It wasn’t just about the law or winning in court—it was about protecting a friend, someone she had known for years and had seen grow both as a person and an artist. She couldn’t let him be destroyed by false allegations.

Inside the interrogation room, Si-un sat with her lawyer, her eyes darting nervously around the room. Y/N knew she had to stay composed. The confrontation was coming.

Si-un’s lawyer looked up when Y/N entered. "Ah, Y/N, you’re here," he said, his tone cordial but professional. "I hope you’re ready for the next round of questioning."

Y/N nodded. "I’m always ready. Let’s get started." She turned to Si-un, who avoided her gaze. "I have a few more questions for you, Si-un. This time, I want you to be honest with me."

Si-un’s lawyer tried to intervene, but Y/N raised a hand, signaling for him to stay silent. The seriousness in her tone made it clear that she wouldn’t be deterred. "We have enough evidence to prove that Kai had no part in your accusations. But I need you to tell me the truth about what happened between you two. Did you ever meet him in person? Did you have any form of contact with him?"

Si-un hesitated, her lips trembling as she fidgeted with her hands. Finally, she looked up, but her eyes were filled with confusion and fear. "I-I never met him in person. I just… I just wanted to get close to him. I thought if I said I was pregnant with his child, he’d notice me."

Y/N leaned forward, her voice firm but not unkind. "You made up this story to get his attention? And now, you’re accusing him of something horrible? You know that this could ruin his life, right? If your story is proven false, you’ll face serious consequences for defamation. Do you understand that?"

Si-un nodded weakly, the tears welling in her eyes. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to go this far. I just wanted to be close to him. I never thought it would turn into this…"

Y/N stayed silent for a moment, processing the confession. The pieces were falling into place—this was a case of manipulation, not assault. The truth would be revealed in due time, but for now, Y/N had one last step to take: ensuring that Kai’s DNA sample would confirm his innocence once and for all.

As the DNA results were finalized later that evening, Jisung sent a message to Y/N with the confirmation: Kai’s DNA did not match any of the biological evidence presented by Si-un. This was the nail in the coffin for Si-un’s accusation.

Y/N smiled grimly, feeling the weight of the victory but also the exhaustion that came with it. The case was almost over, but she knew there would be more work ahead—especially to ensure that Si-un would face the legal consequences for her false accusations.

But tonight, Y/N allowed herself a small moment of relief. Kai was innocent. And together, they had ensured that the truth came out.

The day of the trial arrived, and the tension was palpable in the courtroom. The media was already gathered outside, their cameras flashing as reporters eagerly awaited the details of the case. Y/N walked into the courtroom, her mind sharp, focused on what had to be done. This wasn’t just another case for her; it was deeply personal. She wasn’t just representing her client—she was defending the truth and protecting the integrity of someone she deeply cared about.

As Y/N entered the courtroom, she exchanged a brief, encouraging glance with Kai, who was seated at the front with Suho, Kyungsoo, and the other members of EXO. Despite the calm exterior, she could see the unease in his eyes. He had been through so much over the past few weeks, but now, they were finally reaching the end of the road. The truth was about to come to light.

Y/N stood tall as the proceedings began, facing the judge with confidence. The opposing counsel, representing Si-un, was ready to argue, but it was clear that the truth was on their side. Y/N knew that Si-un’s fabricated story had been exposed, and it was time for the girl to take responsibility for her actions.

Y/N called her first witness: the forensic expert who had confirmed the DNA test results. The expert’s testimony was concise and irrefutable: Kai’s DNA did not match the samples provided by Si-un. It was enough to prove that her accusations were completely false.

Next, Y/N presented the key piece of evidence—the recorded confession from Si-un, in which she admitted to fabricating the entire story to get Kai’s attention. The confession sent shockwaves through the courtroom. Si-un’s lawyer attempted to discredit the recording, but it was clear that the truth was undeniable.

Finally, Y/N called Si-un to the stand. The young girl looked pale and nervous as she was escorted into the courtroom. She had been advised by her lawyer to remain silent, but Y/N wasn’t going to let her off that easily.

"Si-un," Y/N began, her voice steady, but carrying an undeniable firmness. "You claimed that Kai sexually assaulted you, and that he abandoned you after getting you pregnant. Your accusations have cost him dearly, and have affected not only his reputation, but also the entire group he belongs to. Now, I want you to tell the court: did you ever meet Kai in person? Did you ever have any contact with him, as you claimed?"

Si-un remained silent for a long moment, her face flushed with shame. Finally, her voice trembled as she spoke. "No… I never met him. I just… I wanted him to notice me. I thought if I said he got me pregnant, he would care."

Y/N took a deep breath, her gaze never leaving Si-un. "You wanted his attention, so you fabricated a rape accusation? And now, you’re willing to let an innocent man bear the consequences of your lies? You realize that this is not just a mistake—it’s a crime. Do you understand the gravity of what you’ve done?"

Si-un’s eyes welled with tears as she nodded, her shoulders trembling. "I’m sorry… I didn’t think it would go this far. I never wanted anyone to get hurt."

Y/N pressed on, her voice cutting through the air like steel. "Your apology may come too late for Kai and his reputation, but you’ll face the consequences of your actions. You’ve committed defamation, and you’ve damaged someone’s life with your lies. You can’t take that back, but you can face the consequences."

The courtroom was still, the silence heavy with the weight of the truth. It was clear that Si-un’s story had been nothing but a web of lies. The judge listened intently, and after a long pause, he spoke.

"Kim Si-un," the judge began, his voice stern, "you have made false accusations that have caused harm to another individual, and you have shown no regard for the impact your actions would have on his life. This is a serious offense. However, considering your age and the fact that you have shown remorse for your actions, the court has decided on the following sentence."

The room grew even more silent as the judge continued. "You will be placed under psychiatric evaluation and will remain in a mental facility for a period of two years. During this time, you will undergo counseling and therapy to address the underlying issues that led to your actions. You will also be required to publicly apologize to Kim Jongin, the victim of your false accusations, in front of the media and the public. Failure to comply with these terms will result in further legal action."

Si-un’s lawyer attempted to protest, but the judge quickly silenced him, giving the final ruling.

After the ruling, the media storm outside the courthouse was even more intense. Si-un, now in the custody of her parents, was forced to make a public statement. The news outlets were eager for her to speak, and the courtroom was packed with reporters as Si-un stepped up to the podium.

Her lawyer stood beside her, but it was clear that she had little choice but to go through with it.

"Good afternoon," Si-un began, her voice quivering. "I want to publicly apologize to Kim Jongin and to everyone who has been affected by my lies. I fabricated the story about him. None of it was true. I made up the accusations to get attention, and I am deeply sorry for the harm I caused him, his group, and his fans. I understand the gravity of my actions, and I take full responsibility. I will accept the court’s decision, and I promise to work on myself during the time I spend in the mental facility."

The crowd, composed mostly of reporters, was silent as she finished. The damage had been done, but this was the first step toward reconciliation for everyone involved.

Back in the EXO dorm, Kai sat in silence, his gaze fixed on the floor. He had been through so much, and the relief he felt was bittersweet. He was grateful that the truth had come out, but he also felt for Si-un—who, despite her lies, was still a young girl in need of help.

Suho and Kyungsoo sat beside him, offering their support. "It’s over now, Jongin," Suho said quietly. "We knew you were innocent all along. You just needed the world to see it."

Kai nodded slowly. "I know. But I don’t think I’ll ever forget this. It’s hard to know someone would go that far to hurt you."

Kyungsoo placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You don’t have to. Just know that we’re all here for you, no matter what. And now, we can move forward."

Y/N sat down beside them, her face serious but comforting. "The truth won out. You’ll be fine. Let’s just focus on the future."

And as they all sat together, united as a team, they knew that they would move on from this chapter, stronger and more resilient than ever before.

Ch-3 >>>

[kylobear]

Done redecorating my 🏡 office. I decided not to hang any of the poster frames on the new repainted wall. So i just hung them on the bookshelf instead. For d big posters, i just put them on d floor.

Hehe there's a lot of Jongin 😛. At least those posters can cover the messy bookshelf 😁.

Posters & postcards r from Love Shot, DFTF, KAI (1st), Peaches, Empathy, Expectation & Smtown Winter smcu Express albums.

My Kadi Kaisoo. I miss them 🐻🍑

As for these 2 big-ass posters (61 x 91 cm), am not sure whether to use both or just one of them. If i just use one, i'll put d other one in d closet... Jongin in d closet 😬🤭.

For this scroll poster, i just hung it on the cable concealer rather than directly on d wall.

[stormdragon23]

Top 5 ChoiBaek headcanons (those that are on your mind 24/7) 🦊🐯

From here

I know there was another question before this one, but I was too excited about this one alskdjfsdf

I have many, but here are the ones off the top of my head in no particular order. It's hard to choose a favorite

1. Choi Jongin and Baek Yoonho kiss a lot

Not on-the-lips kisses as much (though I do think they would do that too. Full makeout sessions and everything), but more chaste kisses

For Jongin, he mostly kisses Yoonho on the forehead/top of his head (at Yoonho's not-so-subtle request) when Yoonho is sitting down while Jongin is standing. Or Jongin is sitting on Yoonho's lap. That's also very nice :3c

For Yoonho. Pretty much everywhere. Jongin's forehead, top of his head, his eyes, his neck, down lower too, but I won't get into that. Yoonho likes to smother Jongin with kisses, much to Jongin's embarrassment

2. Choi Jongin has a white tiger plushie

I like to think that Yoonho got the white tiger plushie for Jongin after they got together. Not too big, about the size of a regular pillow. Huggable and easily carriable sized

And Jongin keeps it with him all the time when he's at home and Yoonho isn't. Hugs it all the time when he's sleeping when Yoonho's not around for him to hug

Jongin got some little clothes that look like Yoonho's clothes to put on the plushie sometimes too

3. Baek Yoonho gets flowers for Choi Jongin often

Not often enough for Jongin's office or their home to be crowded with them, but enough for both places to always have new flowers around when the old ones start to wilt

Typically flowers that range from the lightest pink to the darkest red. Usually roses, but also a variety of flowers sometimes. Flowers that remind Yoonho of Jongin. Not a huge bouquet, but a small one with about half of a dozen flowers

I like to think when he can, Yoonho waits outside for Jongin to finish his work (Jongin definitely finishes work later than Yoonho. A workaholic this man is). So Jongin walks out of his guild building to the sight of Yoonho smiling at him while holding the flowers

Jongin teases him about getting him flowers, but they both know Jongin greatly enjoys the flowers when Jongin always puts the flowers in vases and tries to keep them alive as long as possible

4. Baek Yoonho hugs Choi Jongin a lot

I imagine that Jongin isn't used to physical affection much, so he doesn't initiate them a lot. Yoonho is though, so he hugs and holds Jongin whenever he gets the chance to

Jongin gets very flustered at first but eventually gets used to it. I imagine that they're very physically affectionate further into their relationship, at least in private. I do like to imagine that they secretly hold hands in public when they can though

And when they're sleeping, Jongin's always the one snuggled and wrapped up in the blanket they share with one of Yoonho's arms around him, holding him tightly

5. Choi Jongin always admired Baek Yoonho from when the gates first appeared

I'm working off of game canon and going with how Yoonho awakened in the first year of the gates appearing and Jongin awakened six years after the gates appeared

Jongin likely follows the news closely and pays attention to those with whom it would be good for him to make connections. While I think Jongin started to look into Yoonho for more business reasons, I do think Jongin started to admire Yoonho for who he was (as his public appearances are not that different from how he actually is), especially when Yoonho ended up leaving the Fiend Guild to create his own guild

(Maybe Jongin talked to Yoonho even before Jongin awakened. Hmmm. I'll need to think about that more)

This is a bit more of a wild headcanon, but I have the thought that Jongin's morals are widely different from Yoonho's morals, and Jongin knows it (Yoonho probably does too). And I think that Jongin admires Yoonho's noble side while also being critical of his own morals and actions (probably has done and will continue to do certain things that are considered more morally grey)

(Also part of why I think Jongin took a while to confess his feelings to Yoonho. Jongin might not really think he’s morally compatible with Yoonho and thinks it would be better if Yoonho was with someone kinder and more loving

Yoonho just got "being annoyed" confused with "cute aggression." Simple mistake, especially with the kinds of comments Jongin would make)

I definitely have more, but I can't remember the others that well. These live in my mind rent-free though

[goldenguillotines]

Mr Jongin what is your position in the company that would require more than one office? Do you need to travel a lot?

"༊࿐ ͎. ｡˚ ° ⊹ ˚. My apologies. It's not that I have more than one office."

"༊࿐ ͎. ｡˚ ° ⊹ ˚. I go out to clients and set up shop in their headquarters or operations for a short period of time. Technically like another office.. but not the same."

"༊࿐ ͎. ｡˚ ° ⊹ ˚. For example.. I have a temporary office at a pharmaceutical company, an entertainment agency and a rather large bank at the moment."

"༊࿐ ͎. ｡˚ ° ⊹ ˚. As do a few other coworkers of mine. Group effort and all that."

"༊࿐ ͎. ｡˚ ° ⊹ ˚. I do travel frequently, I'm always in or around but.. I always make sure I don't travel too far."