#renjuseyo — fics

[renjuseyo]

Can I request a Dino x male reader where they’ve been in a relationship for 3 years but the school doesn’t know since Dino is a jock and reader is chubby. Dino wants their relationship to be known but reader is insecure. Dino comforts and reassures the reader. You can decide the ending :].

insecure ; dino

group: seventeen

pairing: lee chan / reader (male)

synopsis: you and chan have been dating for three years. he wants to make your relationship public, but you’re insecure.

genre: angst, fluff

warning: body image issues, bullying, explicit language

i would like to apologize for not posting any fics in so long! ^^" i hope i delved into this topic as realistically as possible. i honestly lost inspiration for this, but it's been sitting in my drafts for so long so i just worked my way through. i'm sorry for this mess :( that aside, feedback is appreciated!

"say, (name)-ssi, what do you say about being my gym buddy? we can exercise together," chimes yoon taeho one thursday afternoon.

you look up from your notebook, unimpressed. despite being your senior, yoon taeho has a notorious reputation for his crude remarks. where his terrible attitude came from, no one knows. you once caught him throwing out all insults imaginable at a boy from your chemistry class, simply because he had accidentally spilled his water on him.

you had marched straight up to the duo, looked taeho in the eyes, and stepped on his toes as hard as you could. that was the first time you two met.

the memory nearly makes you laugh, especially since he hadn't expected a bystander to step in. but even when you've gotten on his bad side, he still pesters you through an overly sweet facade, like now.

before you can ask why, he scans your sitting frame, making sure you see the way he winces. "i've been noticing that you've been putting on some weight lately! it's not healthy, you know," he innocently explains.

your eye twitches.

you aren't unfamiliar with mean comments like his. although they aren't so excessive that you're being thrown into a garbage bin, the malice is obvious in their words no matter how subtle they try to be. mirroring his smile, you set your pencil down and lean towards him, cupping your cheeks. "say, taeho-ssi, what do you say about being my study buddy? we can study together," you mimic.

he shoots you a quizzical look, but you don't give him the chance to ask, because you follow up with, "i've been noticing that you've been slacking in all of your classes! it's not good for your gpa, considering how you always brag about your plans to enroll in prestigious universities."

his jaw drops in shock before quickly contorting to one of offense. but your smile is unwavering as you continue, "i know it's hard, especially with your microscopic brain cells, horrible work ethic, horrendous personality... oh, i'm rambling aren't i? but despite all of your flaws - your many, many flaws - i know you can still do it!"

by the time you lean back in your seat, smile still intact, his face is red with fury. from your peripheral vision, you see your friends seungkwan and yena standing by the door. gathering your stuff, you shoot taeho one last smile. "for a homophobe, isn't it pretty gay to be checking me out all of the time?" his jaw practically hits the floor now, but all you do is throw up a thumbs up. "gotta run! i have more productive things to do than talking to brain dead assholes."

you approach your friends with a smile. peering over your shoulder, seungkwan shudders in disgust. "is that asshole still bothering you? i swear, he needs to get a life."

waving a dismissive hand, you shrug. "his insults are elementary. i've heard worse."

yena winces. "that's... a little sad."

you exit the classroom, walking into the hallway. you're about to respond with a witty remark when you hear loud laughter from the other end of the hallway. turning your head, you watch as students lined against the walls of the hallway pause to gape at the small group in awe. the group consists of kim mingyu, xu minghao, hansol chwe, and lee chan. the popular jocks, if you will.

chan is laughing at something that mingyu said when he turns and makes eye contact with you. you're both staring at each other from afar, suddenly tuning out of your conversations with your friends.

it isn't until yena playfully slaps your shoulder that you're pulled out of your staring contest. "why'd you stop?" she asks.

before you can answer her question, seungkwan looks over your shoulder, following your line of vision. "ah, are you staring at them over there?" he throws an arm over your shoulder, sighing. luckily he doesn't notice that you've zeroed in on one person in particular. "it's okay, i understand the appeal of unattainable men, too."

yena rolls her eyes, flicking his forehead. "what happened to your monologue about self confidence?"

"have you seen high school musical? you've seen what happens when different cliques intermingle together."

she slaps an exasperated hand against her face. "you and your corny disney movies."

"hey! what do you mean corny disney movies?! i will not let you disrespect sharpay like that!"

as they continue bickering, they pull you away from that end of the hallway and towards the stairwell. even as you're about to head down the steps, your gaze lingers on chan, and you can see his gaze on you, too.

you, seungkwan, and yena have been an inseparable trio since elementary school. all of you have different accounts of how your friendship blossomed, but the one thing all three of you can agree on is that your mutual love for girl groups sealed the deal. you three are so close that there are barely any secrets within your trio.

well, aside from two that you keep from them.

at your school, there are several cliques, but the ones that most of the student body deems as the most popular is the group of jocks that consists of mingyu, minghao, hansol, and chan. it's no surprise, considering how the group is comprised of a mix of visuals and great personalities. almost everyone you talked to has had at least a small crush on one (or all) of them. well, except for yena, but that's because of her crush on their underclassman yuri. they're friendly to everyone they meet, but from what you can tell, they really only have each other.

well, aside from chan. because he has you.

and that's your first secret: your friendship with chan.

you and chan have been classmates and neighbors since elementary school. despite this, you had never talked to him until one day during the seventh grade, when he kicked a soccer ball straight through your bedroom window. to this day, you still don’t know how he kicked it so high up. but oddly enough, the punctured soccer ball and shattered window marked the beginning of a friendship. it's a little hard to hide from your friends, considering how chan spams your phone with memes and texts at any given opportunity, but through sheer luck, your friends are oblivious, only knowing him as your next door neighbor.

your second secret is your relationship with chan.

befriending him is already odd enough. who would've thought you'd be his boyfriend, too?

your relationship with chan isn't like one straight out of a fairy tale, but it's heart-fluttering and comfortable, like any relationship should be. but despite how perfect and amazing it may be, it's something you two have kept under wraps for three years, mostly because you know it isn't one that would be kindly looked upon.

if you're being honest, you never would've thought about befriending him, much less dating him. although he's an absolute dork, you both stand on opposite sides of the social spectrum. while you're the quiet wallflower who, unfortunately, is the target of unwanted teasing, chan is the shining star of the dance team who basks in the limelight. high school can be a harsh time during one's youth, so hanging out with someone outside of your clique would draw for unnecessary attention. or as seungkwan would say, a scene straight out of high school musical.

personally, you think it's ridiculous, being categorized by cliques. but you're already ostracized for simply being a wallflower and looking different. you wouldn't want chan to undergo similar pain, either.

when chan had texted you, suggesting you two have your next date at a amusement park he had tickets for on the weekend, you were both nervous and excited. amusement parks always bring out the child in you as you hop onto all of the rides possible, radiating with joy. but you were also nervous about the location, since it's a hot spot among your classmates. still, chan had reasoned that weekends were always crowded, so the chance of being seen were fairly slim. so eventually you had accepted, and now here you two are.

the rides on the park leave you two breathless, but whereas you're breathless from excitement, chan's breathless from fear. with his low tolerance in mind, you decide to take a break, sitting on a park bench as you sip on sodas and munch on churros. so far, your date had been going quite smoothly. you're planning what to do next when chan pipes up, breaking the silence.

"are you ashamed of me?"

chan's comment is short but unanticipated, and sounds many alarms in your head. you frown, shifting yourself to face him. "of course not, why would you say that? did i do something to indicate that?"

he shrugs, but you can tell he's bothered by the implications his statement comes with. "it's not that, it's just... why don't you want our relationship to be known?" he asks.

come to think of it, of the three years since you've been dating, chan never once asked why you were so keen on keeping your relationship a secret. before you can open your mouth, he explains, "i've been thinking about this for a while now, but i don't want to hide anymore. especially since i have to hide my wonderful boyfriend from the boys and put up with them trying to set me up on blind dates. i was wondering, were you hiding it because you were ashamed of me?"

your eyes widen as you scramble to explain. "that's not it, i promise."

"then why? it's been three years, (name), and you haven't told me anything."

you can hear the dissatisfaction in his voice, and it does nothing to calm the nervous beating of your heart. the appeal your food had suddenly vanishes, only making you feel queasy. "can we not do this here? please?" you ask, voice laced with desperation. while this is a conversation you'd like to avoid altogether, you'd rather do it somewhere secluded, as opposed to a public spot like here.

"then when? when can we be talk about this?" he asks, voice tense. he no longer looks like he's enjoying himself, all giddiness from the amusement park gone.

you sigh, shaking your head. since neither of you seem to be in the mood to go back and enjoy yourselves, you explain, "i'd rather not talk about our relationship so openly. if we're going to talk, we do it at my place."

he doesn't oppose, instead silently trailing after you as you head to your house.

thankfully your parents are out for work, so you two have the entire house to yourselves. once you've shut the door behind you, you turn to face chan, whose arms are defensively crossed over his chest. he's silently awaiting your response, which only makes the hairs on your arms stand. chan is never this quiet unless he's frustrated.

you sigh, taking a few deep breaths to collect your thoughts. "i'm scared." he raises an eyebrow and looks like he's going to interrupt, but you continue, "what will others think? i'm not exactly what people picture when they think of your ideal type."

"who cares what others think? as long as we're both happy, that's all that matters."

you laugh, dry and sarcastic. "that's easy for you to say. you've been showered with praise all your life, and everyone loves you. you can say and do what you want and come out unscathed, but me? they'll bat your eyes at you, all pretty and polite, but the moment i'm alone, i'll just get more shit than i already do."

you had made it a point to not tell chan about the bullying in fear of worrying him, but now that you're revealing your reasons as to why you two shouldn't go public, there's no reason to hide it anymore. his eyes widen in shock before contorting to one of betrayal. "you-"

"you're the shining star of the dance team, the boy that everyone just adores. i'm this antisocial introvert who only has two friends, and i'm built like a snickers bar. even in private, i question if i'm good enough for you. but if we put things out in the open, i know for sure that i'm not the only one who's going to criticize my self worth."

he looks upset, but you're not sure if it's because of your differing views or your sudden revelation. "if people have been bullying you, why didn't you tell me? i could've at least helped ease the pain."

you think about people like yoon taeho, who would criticize just about anyone, even if it's someone like chan. people like him are brain dead assholes, so his words rarely upset you. but you know that once things are out in the open, people like him will increase. "it's one thing, dealing with it by myself. but i'm not going to let you get dragged into my problems."

"you're not dragging me to any problems. none of this is even your fault. i'm your boyfriend, (name). what kind would i be if i just let people push you around without doing anything?"

no one wants to date someone who simply looks the other way when they're in trouble, but you'd rather shoulder all of your pain than share it with chan. "the thing is, it's easy like this, to pretend we don't know each other. but- to go public!" you laugh in disbelief, but he doesn't reciprocate the motion. "this is going to affect us both, channie. people are ruthless. i don't-" you bite your lip in frustration. "i don't want to dim your light."

"why do you get to dictate how i'll feel? i just want to hold your hand and kiss you in public, and go on dates without worrying about our classmates and gush about you to the guys. what's wrong with that?"

you feel like pulling your hair out of frustration. "can you not try to understand my point of view? do you think the little shits at school are simply going to accept that the school icon is dating..." you pause, all of the insults you've heard in your life suddenly echoing inside your brain. "someone like me?"

"there's nothing wrong with you, (name). you're so much than what others think. as long as i like you, who cares? why don't you get that?"

"you don't understand, channie," you begin. you don't realize that you've gotten emotional until you hear your voice waver, but your eyes remain firm. "i tell myself that i don't care, but in reality i care so much. it's so dumb, seeking validation, but what can i do? it's hard enough, living in this body. you've been there for me whenever i've had my episodes where i wanted nothing more than to crawl out of my skin. i'm not a model with a sculpted six-pack like the guys at our school, nor am i this soft, wholesome boy that people adore. i'm reminded of this enough, being at school. it's not that i listen to the shit that the mindless assholes at school say, but years of going through this... it piles up."

his eyes that were flaring with frustration have softened after hearing you speak, and he no longer looks tense. "(name)..."

he takes a step towards you, but you instinctively take one back. "i act like it doesn't affect me, because i'd rather pretend to be confident than conform to the likes of the bullies at our school. i at least have an ounce of respect for myself. but when it comes to you... i'm myself in my purest form when i'm with you - well, and with seungkwan and yena. i have a lot of insecurities, but they're all gone when i'm with you, even for a moment. but i'm terrified that if people find out, this comfort that i have will disappear, and suddenly i'll have all of these eyes analyzing my move, wondering if i'm good enough for you. because everyone only wants the best for you, the school icon. i'll admit it, i question my worth sometimes, too. but to also have a bunch of outsiders question it... it fucks with your head."

by the time you finish your tangent, you can hear your blood pumping in your ears and eyes pricking with tears. chan is stunned into silence, and judging from the way his eyes widen, you guess that he sees your glassy eyes. "i don't even want myself sometimes. why would you ever want me?"

although his expression has softened, he approaches you with a newfound urgency, as if he's afraid he'll lose you if he doesn't do something. his fingers ghost your shoulders as he implicitly asks to touch you, but from the way you move to the couch and curl in yourself, he opts to sit beside you instead. you stare at your knees with blurry eyes, willing the tears to go away. but the moment you start sniffling, aggressively wiping your tears away, you know it's no use. "i'm not going to say i understand, because as much as i try to empathize with you, i'll never truly get how you feel. but i'll try my best, okay? i'm always here for you, you know that."

"i know," you mumble, voice muffled.

"but you don't," he softly says, "because if you did, you wouldn't be fussing about if you're good enough for me or not. and i know my words alone won't help you understand just how much you mean to me, but (name) (last name), you're the only one i want. i fell for all of you, not just one part." he gently places an arm on your back, and breathes a sigh of relief when you melt into his touch. "i'll admit, i should've tried to be more understanding, and i'm sorry for that."

in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere, you snort, wetly chuckling. "wow, what's this? this is the first time i've heard you apologize."

although you can't quite see his face, you can tell he's rolling his eyes. "you make me sound so bad. i own up to my mistakes."

"since when?"

"since now."

you can't help but laugh, tilting your head to look at him. there are tear stains and loose strands of hair on your face, and you can only imagine how gross you may look. but chan looks at you like you hold the world, eyes shimmering as he leans in to thumb away the tears. "my handsome, amazing boyfriend," he coos. "you deserve the whole world, and it's so saddening to hear about what you've gone through. but you're so, so strong. i'm so proud of you, and i love you no matter what. you are so much better than your insecurities and the hoard of idiots at our school. i'll tell you that every day until you believe it, too."

he scoots closer, raising an implicit eyebrow as he tentatively wraps an arm around you. when you nod, he brings you close, pressing the side of his head against yours. as much as the small voice in your head tells you that you don't deserve his warm touches, chan clings onto you as if he never wants to let go. his grounding presence is enough to quiet the voice, even if it's for a short while. "it's not like i want to hide forever. but... i'm not ready now. maybe when i'm more confident, we can try." you timidly loop your pinkies together, keeping him close. "i'm sorry, channie. if you had someone else, maybe you wouldn't have to worry-"

"hey," he interrupts, frowning. "what did i say earlier? i told you, you're the only one i want. and your worries have reason to them, so i understand. i'll wait until you're ready."

"...you're a pretty impatient person, channie. can you even withstand waiting without knowing when i'll be ready?" you ask, voice quiet.

"i'll wait for you," he simply repeats. "until you're happy and see just how beautiful you are, we can just keep things simple. we don't need to go big on pda." he pauses as if to collect his thoughts. "but... there's one thing i'd like to do. we don't have to do it if you're not comfortable, though."

"what is it?" you ask.

chan smiles, sheepish. "i want to tell my hyungs about us, if that's okay. i've known them since we were kids, and it doesn't feel right for me to lie about someone so important to me. they won't judge, but i just wanted to ask you in case you don't want me to."

his words make you think of seungkwan and yena, as well as the guilt that comes with lying to them. they tell you all of their secrets, no matter how dark or embarrassing, because they trust you. and it's not that you don't trust them - you would trust them with your life, even if they're a reckless bunch - but when you had started dating, you both had kept it a secret from everyone, even those as important to you as them. you suppose there's no harm in telling them, but...

as if he's read your mind, he squeezes your hand. "i know my friends won't judge, just like you know yours won't, either. but it's okay if you aren't ready now. i just thought i'd let you know."

after pondering his words for a few minutes, you shake your head with a small smile. "it's not that. i agree with you. you can tell them, i think they deserve that much, anyways. i think i'll just need more time before i tell seungkwan and yena, though."

he nods with a smile. "of course. anything for you."

you both stay close together for a while, reveling in the bliss of sorting out your feelings. although there are still many things about your relationship to discuss, you're glad he is open-minded about how you feel, and you make a note to do the same, too.

chan is the first to break the silence, flopping onto the couch. "all of this talking has made me tired. let's cuddle."

being in his embrace sounds wonderful and cozy, and you want nothing more than to do that. yet despite having been reassured by him, you still feel hesitant. seeing the subconscious frown on your lips, he opens his arms, gesturing you to come over. "are you just going to leave me hanging? come here, i'll even give you my hoodie," he innocently convinces.

this sly fox. chan always knows how much you like wearing his clothes; how dare he use it to his advantage! you glare at him, but it's void of its usual malice. "you can't do that. that's cheating."

"then come here~ i need my hugs from my warm, lovely boyfriend~"

you roll your eyes but comply anyways, laying down to slot yourself in his arms. despite how different you two are, chan feels like home, your solace when times get tough. no matter how many times you think about it, you always wonder how you got so lucky.

"i love you. i wonder how i got so lucky," he hums, thoughts matching yours.

perhaps it's because of how much energy you exerted at the amusement park, or how draining the insecurities and crying has made you. whatever the reason, you feel yourself grow groggy, falling into his embrace. "love you, too. thank you for staying by my side."

"anything for you."

[renjuseyo]

Can I request a Mingyu x male reader where Mingyu is a jock and is attracted to a nerd. He wants to ask him to become his valentine but is always interrupted by his admirers. Eventually Mingyu catches him in the library alone and asks him to be his forever valentine.

answer ; mingyu

group: seventeen

pairing: kim mingyu / reader (male)

synopsis: the three times mingyu tried confessing to you and the one time he succeeds.

genre: fluff

after weeks of exams and projects, writer’s block, and a day of crying because of chemistry, i have finally finished this!! i didn’t think it would be this long, but i still hope it’s a good read :’) i hope you enjoyed anon, and as always, feedback is greatly appreciated!!

the first time mingyu tried confessing to you, three of his admirers ruined it.

well, ruined might be too harsh of a word, considering that those girls haven’t done anything wrong to him. disrupted would probably suffice.

with the labels high school enforces on people, mingyu would be categorized as a jock, seeing how he’s already on the varsity football team despite being a first year. unlike the stereotypical high school jock, though, he’s a nice guy who treats everyone equally. sure, he’s a bit clumsy, but he means well and thinks he has an exceptionally good heart. nothing like the jerks on television that shove people into lockers for fun.

but apparently life imitates art, because like on television, the jocks are loved by nearly everyone at their school and are constantly surrounded by swarms of admirers. while he’s always flattered receiving love letters, he can only guiltily return them with a heavy heart. they’re all great people, but he just happens to have his eyes set on someone else.

like a romantic slice of life drama, mingyu finds himself head over heels for you, the not-so-stereotypical nerd. the jock, in love with the nerd? no one is surprised. contrary to popular belief, you’re unafraid of speaking your mind, especially to jerks that live in the stereotypical high school trope. you’ve always voiced your dislike for the connotations being labeled as a nerd brings along. like, why should nerds expect to get bullied, much less for wanting to stay on top of their work? society is weird.

the day he saw you kick some jerk from the soccer team in the shins for pestering a girl to doing his homework, mingyu thinks he fell in love at first sight.

he’s also arguably the least subtle person... ever, and all of his friends tease him for it. (name) asks mingyu to duck down a bit so he can see the board? dokyeom spends the rest of class sending him atrociously drawn doodles of them kissing. (name) walks past mingyu in the hallway? jeonghan sends him a knowing look, wiggling his eyebrows. needless to say, his first year of high school was spent being relentlessly teased.

now, mingyu has always been a straightforward guy who’s pretty bad at keeping secrets. which is why now that he has these feelings in him, he wants nothing more than to put it out to the world. he had spent several days planning out ways to confess to you, and what better day to do it than on valentine’s’ day? it’s fitting for someone who swoons over chance encounters at the park and confessions in the rain like mingyu.

of course, things aren’t as simple on his part, because even as a first year, he was exceptionally popular, admirers drawn towards him like a moth to a light. whatever the reason, he was quite popular, though he didn’t mind. more attention means more friends, and mingyu loves making new friends!

inevitably enough, these admirers turn out to be the downfall of his plan.

fast forward to one year of pining, and it’s now valentine’s’ day. because you only share two classes with him, mingyu’s chances of getting you to himself are slim, especially since you two don’t belong in the same friend group. for things to go smoothly, he needs to simply get you by yourself and confess. a simple plan for a simple man... how hard can it be?

(the answer is very. not only are there external obstacles in his way, but even if things did go smoothly, the confidence he has quickly dissipates when he sees you. it’s not his fault he gets tongue-tied around cute boys like you!)

as his day progresses, mingyu’s nerves become increasingly noticeable. even dokyeom, who’s usually the last to put two and two together, asked if he was alright. he tries not to pay attention to that though, but the stream of admirers flitting towards him are constant reminders that today is valentine’s’ day, and valentine’s’ day means he’s planning on confessing to you.

his final class of the day is math, one he shares with you. he doesn’t even pay attention to the material, because he’s too busy staring at you, who sits right in front of him. if he’s not listening, he might as well come up with an excuse to talk to you, right? so that he does, timidly tapping your shoulder. you crane your neck to look at him, and suddenly all rational thought leaves his head. what was he thinking, trying to strike a conversation while you’re obviously trying to learn?

“do you need something?” you whisper, eyes flitting from the board to him.

he doesn’t have time to come up with a good excuse, so he comes up with the oldest one in the book. “i-i was wondering if i could borrow a pencil?” he whispers.

apparently even the oldest one is the most unreliable, because then you both simultaneously look down at his desk, and he mentally slaps himself in horror. he must look like some idiot, asking for a pencil when he has a functioning one on his table. you raise an eyebrow in silent question and scan him before turning around. he’s prepared for you to ignore him and focus on the lesson like he should be.

but instead, you turn back around with a mechanical pencil in hand. “don’t forget to give it back after class,” you remind him, handing it to him. he quietly thanks you, and when he reaches for it, his fingers graze your palm.

(mingyu is screaming. mentally, of course.)

after that, class is fairly mundane. he decides to refocus on his work, occasionally sneaking glances your way.

an hour flies by, and he isn’t even aware that class has ended until you tap his shoulder. when he blinks back to reality, he sees you looking down at him expectantly. “oh! right! pencil.” he flushes in embarrassment as he scrambles to hand it back to you. he must really look like a bumbling fool.

thankfully, if you want to laugh, you don’t. he drops the pencil in your hands. “thanks.”

mingyu sees you turn your heel and realizes this is his last opportunity, seeing how he already wimped out once during physics. “wait!” he exclaims.

you turn around with a raised brow. “yes?”

it’s now or never, he supposes. now is not the time for being nervous! he tells himself. after taking a deep breath, he looks at your curious eyes. “i was wondering-”

“mingyu~!”

he can already see his opportunity flying out the window.

when mingyu turns to face the source of the voice, he’s met with three unfamiliar girls. judging from the box of chocolates in their hands, he can already guess what’s to come.

“i said his name first!” a girl with a ponytail exclaims. another girl with glasses and another with a short bob refute her claims, arguing about who called him first.

he frantically glances from the three girls to you, who’s looking unimpressed. “how can i help you three?” he nervously laughs. he needs to make this quick before you run away.

the three girls simultaneously turn to face him and thrust their boxes into his hands. “please accept my confession!” they exclaim in unison. they move so in sync that the thought of them being each others’ rivals wouldn’t have even crossed his mind.

“i’m flattered- i really am, but-”

“well,” you begin, cutting him off. “i’m going to go now. we can always talk about whatever you wanted to say another time.”

before mingyu can stop you, you trail back towards your friends who are waiting by the doorway. he can feel a dreadful feeling pooling in his stomach. eventually he turns to face the three girls who are oblivious to his turmoil. “i’m flattered, i really am, but i can’t accept this,” he gets out as quickly as possible. you haven’t left the building yet, so there’s still time to catch up to you.

as he scrambles to throw his belongings into his backpack, the girl with the short bob intercepts him, blocking his way out. “you can’t just leave us with that curt of an answer!” she exclaims, propping both hands on her hips.

he supposes not, unless he wants to be treated like an asshole. the girl with the ponytail and the girl with glasses are staring at him with curious eyes. at least they’re taking his rejection well... for now. “i have my eyes set on someone else right now,” he explains. “i’m sorry, i really am. but you three seem like really cool people.”

“it’s okay,” the girl with glasses softly tells him. “sorry for jumping in out of anywhere and expecting you to just accept.” she sends him a comforting smile, which softens his nerves a bit. “i hope things are well with the person you like.” the girl with the ponytail nods in agreement, though the girl with the short bob is turned away from him. she’s probably not too happy about the outcome of things.

mingyu sends them a grateful smile. “thank you, and i really mean it. i’m sorry about this!” he apologizes once again, slinging his backpack across his back. he doesn’t wait for a response, because he dashes out of the classroom, looking for you.

he runs down the hallways and asks some classmates if they’ve seen you, but no one has. it’s not until he encounters jinyoung, his upperclassman and one of your friends, that he learns you’ve already left campus with your friends.

mingyu spends the rest of valentine’s’ day at dokyeom’s house playing basketball and stuffing himself full with food. while it is a lot better than being home all alone and sad, he sure is disappointed with the outcome of things.

the second time mingyu tried confessing to you, he questioned just how deep he’d fallen.

you and mingyu are now in your second year of high school. before he knows it, a year has flew by, and it’s valentine’s’ day once again.

his friends often ask why he spent another year waiting to confess again, considering how he’s had several other months to ask. but kim mingyu hasn’t successfully done anything unless he’s done it with passion and meaning, which means he can’t confess unless it’s on a special day suitable for the occasion. and what better occasion to confess his feelings than on valentine’s’ day? despite his purest intentions, though, his friends still tease him for being the hopeless romantic that he is.

to his dismay, he doesn’t share any classes with you this year, meaning his chances of getting you to himself have become even slimmer. but mingyu won’t give up without giving it a shot, so he formulates yet another plan! being simple wasn’t enough, so he’s upped his game by carrying chocolates and everything. really wants to show he wants to talk to you about not-so-platonic things.

the football team has just wrapped up practice for the night. mingyu’s currently by the bleachers drinking his water bottle when he feels someone tap his shoulder. he turns around to face jungkook, one of his friends and a fellow member of the team. “your little boy toy’s here,” he tells him.

he raises a sweaty brow, recapping his drink. “boy toy?” jungkook points at the top row of the bleachers. his eyes trail towards the top and is pleasantly surprised to see you deeply immersed in a conversation with an unfamiliar boy who appears half-korean and with seungkwan, a notorious first year from the debate club. perhaps the fates have decided to take pity on him. he had looked for you during lunch, only to fail and skip out on his meal. maybe this is their way of apologizing to him.

he notices his friend’s smug grin, which he responds with by glaring at him. “he’s not my boy toy. plus, what do you know? i don’t even tell you about my life.”

he innocently hums, placing his gatorate on the bleachers. “i have eyes, mingyu. from all the times he comes here to hang out with his friends, you give him your heart eyes. it’s kind of sickening.”

mingyu flushes in embarrassment, spluttering. “shut up! at least i’m not as gross as you and taehyung-hyung!” he shouts. jungkook merely responds by sticking out his tongue, sauntering towards the pathway connecting the football field and the storage room.

when he turns to glance at you, he doesn’t expect to see you staring back at him. it only lasts for a few seconds, but seeing your curious eyes on him, the faint light of the light post reflecting onto them, makes his heart do a flip. your gaze is quickly broken when the half-korean boy taps your shoulder, and you go back to picking up your belongings, prepared to leave the field.

the brief eye contact you two made reminds him of the chocolate rose in his backpack. it’s valentine’s’ day, which practically calls for roses, and as they say, the best way to someone’s heart is through their stomach! it had been bought not long before practice began, and from the cold breeze that laps against his face, he doesn’t need to worry about it melting.

the loud creaking of the bleachers pulls him out of his head, and he realizes you and your friends are prepared to leave. having to act fast, he speed walks towards his backpack slumped against the rails. the footsteps get louder as he rummages through his backpack, and after what seems like forever, his fingers graze the box. he whips it out and nervously glances at you, who just stepped off the bleachers.

you both make eye contact again. it’s brief, but once again, mingyu gets distracted by the way your eyes shimmer and the way your hair dances in the wind. he’s always gotten distracted too easily. it’s only when seungkwan begins humming to a familiar wonder girls song that he’s snapped out of his trance and realizes you’re seconds away from slipping away again. he can’t let that happen, not after the universe has gifted you to him.

but just as the fates pity him, they also have a vendetta against him, because right before he can take a step towards you, someone taps his shoulder. when he turns around, he sees wooyoung, a boy from his history class. other then the times they’ve borrowed pencils from each other, he’s never really talked to him. judging from the letter he nervously clutches in his hands, he deduces that he’s here like the other string of admirers, too.

“hi mingyu,” wooyoung greets. he gives him a weak smile, because now he can only helplessly watch as you walk away with your friends. another missed opportunity.

“hi wooyoung,” he responds. “what brings you here?”

he gulps, fingers drumming against the paper. “well, i thought it was kind of obvious.”

well, he does have a point. he turns to give him his full attention. it looks like he’ll have to wait another time to talk to you, anyways. “i mean, won’t know for sure unless i ask, right?”

“i guess...” he nervously hands mingyu the letter, hands trembling. “happy valentine’s’ day, mingyu. can you perhaps read my letter?” he nods, fingers making quick work of the heart-shaped sticker stuck onto it when he grabs his arm, stopping him. mingyu looks up in surprise and sees a very embarrassed wooyoung. “can you... read this in private? so i don’t have to see you react to my very embarrassing letter?” he quietly requests.

wooyoung deserves that much, anyways, especially if mingyu’s just going to reject him in the end. “sure,” he tells him with a smile. “do you want a response after i read it?”

the way wooyoung smiles makes mingyu feel like he knows something he shouldn’t know, like his hopeless crush on you. he waves a dismissive hand. “it’s okay, i can already tell you have eyes on someone else.”

mingyu’s jaw drops. “how- how did you know?”

he rolls his eyes. “you don’t go carrying around chocolate roses for fun, do you?”

well, he certainly forgot about that. at the mention of the rose, he hides it behind his back, eliciting a laugh from wooyoung. “it’s okay. i think you’re a really fun guy, mingyu, and i’d love to go out with you, but i get if you can’t accept my feelings. being friends- well, people who borrow pencils from each other- is good enough, too.”

guilt creeps into his skin; wooyoung really does seem like a good guy, but for some reason, mingyu can’t get his mind off of you. he doesn’t know you well enough to justify staying attached; you treat him like a classmate at most, always so polite and blunt, unlike the mischievous and giggly version of you when you’re with your friends. he could try things with wooyoung, because he really does seem like a good guy. yet he can’t bring himself to think of someone else in a romantic light that isn’t you.

“i’ll gladly read your letter, wooyoung, but i think you know my answer already. i’m really sorry,” he softly apologizes.

wooyoung shrugs, though there’s obvious disappointment in his eyes. “it’s okay. hope this doesn’t change anything between us. also, unless you’re accepting my feelings, let’s never talk about this letter again, alright? it’s super cheesy, and i’d rather not remember it again,” he laughs.

“alright.”

with that, he waves mingyu a farewell, and walks away from the football field.

there’s no use for the chocolate rose anymore, so mingyu eats it as he walks home.

the third time mingyu tried confessing to you, the universe taunted him by only giving him a sliver of what he truly wanted.

in mingyu’s final year of high school, it seems that the universe has finally listened to his silent prayers and granted him a chance of getting closer to you, because he miraculously finds out that both of you share nearly all of your classes together. he even does a victory dance upon learning this.

because of how often you two see each other, even being seated beside each other in several classes, he finally decides to take the initiative to befriend you. his friends have spent two years teasing him for only watching from afar, and he’s determined to prove them wrong! so a month after everyone has assimilated into their new routines, he approaches you some time during psychology and bluntly asks you if you can be friends. this garners snickers from dokyeom and their new friend minghao, especially when you bluntly turn him down.

(well, you didn’t quite shoot down his offer. you simply told him you had to get to know him better before you could conclude anything. he was quite eager to prove to you why you should be his friend.

...and something more, but he hasn’t quite mustered up the courage to get there.)

so after several weeks of initiating conversations, mingyu finds himself miraculously getting closer to you. your quiet, studious facade was quick to come down, particularly when you couldn’t stifle your laughter whenever he did something embarrassing. but he thinks it’s completely worth it, especially when you look so cute giggling like that. now he can confidently say he’s moved a step further in his world.

as it is now your final year of high school, he’s even more determined to confess to you, especially after getting to know you. he now knows what you like and dislike, so coming up with another plan that hopefully doesn’t fall apart on its head should go smoothly. sure, you’ve expressed your disdain for valentine’s’ day for being a corporate holiday, but he knows you’re only bitter because you’ve never received any gifts or confessions. which strikes him as odd, especially when you deserve all of the gifts and confessions the holiday could offer.

(though mingyu hopes you won’t actually accept any that aren’t his.)

yet another year has passed, and before he knows it, it’s valentine’s’ day again. even after two failed attempts, he’s still determined to make this holiday memorable for both you and him, which he plans on doing after school. after all, what could possibly be more romantic than a confession on valentine’s’ day?

then again, being assigned cleaning duty and sweeping the classroom floors isn’t quite romantic. he supposes it’s more tolerable because you’re here with him, standing on your tip-toes as you erase the remnants of the teacher’s writing off the whiteboard. he knows he should be helping you if he wants to leave as soon as possible, but watching you strain to reach the corner is so adorable. you really have no clue what you do to his heart.

it seems you notice this, too, glancing behind you. “are you just going to watch me struggle?” you ask, bringing your arm back down.

“it’s amusing, watching you struggle,” mingyu responds with a cheeky smirk.

you fold your arms, giving him your most threatening glare. “i apologize, not all of us have abnormally tall bodies like you,” you glower.

“six feet is not abnormal, my dear. you’re just short.”

“i’m only a few centimetres shorter than seungkwan?!”

mingyu shrugs. “seungkwan’s short. if you’re shorter than him, you’re like... an ant.”

you throw up your hands in exasperation. “i give up. you’re the worst.”

he laughs, propping his broom against a table. he walks up to you, and he’s keenly aware of how short you are. truthfully, you aren’t even that short, but with his bulk, he towers over you. you notice this too, expression souring. “let me help you out there, buddy,” he offers. he grabs the eraser of the whiteboard, easily erasing the parts you couldn’t reach. “see? all done.”

“show-off.”

mingyu’s about to laugh and retaliate, but when he looks at you all thoughts leave his mind. he wasn’t aware of how close you two were until he sees your back pressed against the whiteboard, slightly arched. his arms are barricading you, still outstretched to erase the parts you missed. you’re looking up at him with your nonchalant stare as always, but for some reason, he feels himself getting weak. maybe it’s the height difference, or the fact that he could swoop down and kiss you at any moment. whatever it is, it makes him dizzy.

his rationality flies out the window the moment he asks, “would you be mad if i kissed you here?”

you splutter in surprise, eyes widening and mouth hanging open. he’s never seen you this flustered before, not even at the news of a pop quiz. he didn’t think it was possible, but you seem to be getting smaller.

he really could kiss you there and then. he doesn’t see a reason not to, anyways, not when you flush under his gaze.

but of course, mingyu can never seem to get what he wants, because before you can respond, the door flies open. he swears he’s never jumped away so fast. you both turn to face the source of the sound, and there stands yejin, one of your underclassmen. she looks awfully flushed, like she ran a marathon. “mingyu-oppa, i’ve looked everywhere for you! i need your help with something!” she exclaims.

“oh, sure...” he looks back down at you, who’s still recovering from his question. “can you wait up for me after this? i have something i need to do,” he explains.

you give him an apologetic smile. “sorry mingyu, i have to help my parents with something tonight. maybe tomorrow?” you ask.

great. just perfect! oh how he wants to scream at the universe there and then, but he wouldn’t want to weird you or yejin out. instead, he forces a smile. “oh, never mind then. do you want me to erase the rest of the board?”

you shake your head, pointing your chin towards yejin. “no, go see what she wants. i’ll handle the rest, then i’ll be out of your hair.” a part of him wants to tease your height again, knowing you’d struggle to erase the uppermost parts, but then he hears her clear her throat behind him and instead leans in to ruffle your hair. you hate it when he does it, but for the first time since he’s befriended you, you don’t complain.

mingyu walks out of the classroom and leans against a wall, facing yejin. “what did you need help with?” he asks.

she looks like she nearly forgot she asked for assistance, flushing in embarrassment. “oh, actually...” from the way she guiltily looks away, his suspicions of her true intentions strengthen. “i-i wanted to... tell you something,” she sheepishly mutters. rummaging through her book bag, she produces a small, heart-shaped box. “happy valentine’s’ day. will you accept my chocolates?”

he catches a glimpse of a note wedged between the shiny ribbon. he looks at her with a raised eyebrow, and judging from her bashful look, he can only assume it’s another love letter. he can only give her a guilty smile, fingers swiping the pink wrapper. “i’m really flattered, yejin, but i’m afraid i can’t accept this.” his heart tugs when her smile falls from her face. no matter how guilty he feels, though, he simply can’t get rid of the feelings he has for you. “it’s just i have my eyes on someone else right now. i’m sorry.”

mingyu’s heart sinks even further when yejin smiles again, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes like earlier. “oh, is that so?” she reluctantly grabs the box, expression souring. “you don’t need to apologize, oppa. i get it, and it’s not your fault.” she shrugs, though he can clearly see the sad, disappointed look in her eyes. “i mean, i doubt you’d want to date anyone a year younger, especially not when you’re about to graduate, too.”

he furrows his eyebrows and shakes his head. “i promise you, yejin, i have no problem with dating people younger than me. it’s just...” his thoughts drift off to you, who enters his mind with such clarity; he wonders how many times he’s thought of you for you to appear so clearly in his head. “i’ve really liked this person for a while now, and i don’t plan on backing down just yet. again, i’m really sorry.”

she nods in understanding, though her disappointment doesn’t lessen. “i see.” she throws the box into her book bag so hastily, as if she never produced it in the first place. “well, as much as i would’ve liked you to reciprocate my feelings, i’m not going to force you to ignore your feelings. i hope things go well between you two.”

he thanks her before they leave their separate ways. despite having rejected several people since he’s laid eyes on you, it never gets easier. it’s not his fault his heart and mind always run back to you, though. he’s fallen too deeply to get back up, anyways.

aside from finals, there are no major events that happen after valentine’s’ day. you and mingyu go about your life as usual, and before you two know it, you’re graduating high school, leaving with the memories of your youth.

even during the graduation party, you and mingyu never bring up his comment again.

“you’re telling me it’s been three years, and you’ve failed all three times?” jeonghan snorts, stirring his straw.

dokyeom shakes his head in sympathy. “absolutely pitiful. i don’t understand how you still do it.”

mingyu shoots him a glare, threateningly pointing his plastic spoon at him. “be quiet. you just don’t understand what it’s like, being in love,” he answers before scooping a dollop of frozen yogurt into his mouth.

they both look at each other, matching smirks on their faces. he still thinks it’s terrifying how similar they are; perhaps letting jeonghan take dokyeom under his wing was a bad idea. “pulling out the l-word, aren’t we?” jeonghan hums.

“what are you, seven? love is a perfectly normal word,” he retorts.

the older defensively shrugs. “i’m just saying. all of us thought this was just going to be another crush, since you tend to gravitate towards cute people and move on in a month. it’s just crazy to see how you already know you’re in love with him despite only befriending him last year.”

now that he puts it that way, mingyu supposes he has a point. he used to have quick, meaningless crushes on attractive boys and girls. those feelings faded as quick as they came, seeing how he only knew them from afar, liking them without getting to know them. it would’ve been the same for him, too, had he not gone out of his way to befriend you. now that he knows who you really are, he doesn’t know how to love anyone that isn’t you. how can he? you occupy his mind with your poetic words, your sharp intellect, the way you cover your face when you laugh... as cheesy as it is, the small crush from freshmen year has grown into something much bigger for his body. perhaps big enough for him to pull out the l-word.

it’s been three years since he laid eyes on you. even when he’s in university, marking a new page in his life, he hasn’t quite left behind the hopeless love of high school.

he’s snapped out of his thoughts when dokyeom leans forward to steal a dollop of frozen yogurt from him. he doesn’t have time to stop him before he triumphantly shoves the spoon in his mouth. “do you have any big plans for confessing this time? i don’t know about you, but valentine’s’ day just doesn’t seem to be your lucky day,” he hums.

he glares at him, defensively pulling the cup of frozen yogurt closer to him. “be quiet. if i’m going to confess to (name), it has to be done in the most romantic way possible.”

jeonghan quirks an eyebrow. “why would you choose just one day out of 365 to make a plan that might not even work? from all the stories i heard from dokyeom, you seem to have the worst luck when it comes to valentine’s’ day. especially because the chances of being interrupted by your admirers increases tenfold.”

mingyu chooses to ignore his wise words, opting to glare at dokyeom. “you told him about that?”

“i would’ve found out eventually.” jeonghan has always had a scary knack at finding out people’s secrets, even from those that are impossible to read. “as i was saying. sure, come up with an extravagant plan and everything. sweep him off his feet! but you don’t have to do it on valentine’s’ day. if you’re so adamant about doing it on a special holiday, there are several to choose from. though honestly, i think you should just go for it no matter the day. because if things go south, that holiday’s just going to bring back bad memories.”

“why would you jinx me like that!” he whines.

“i’m not trying to. i’m just saying~”

mingyu pouts, swirling his spoon in his cup. “i guess you have a point... but i haven’t even seen (name) in a while, which will make things harder.”

before anyone can say anything, he notices jeonghan and dokyeom look up, their expressions souring. when he turns his head, he notices a trio of girls briskly walking towards him. “well, just think about it, okay? dokyeom and i are going to go now before we’re bombarded by your admirers.” he says admirers with such mockery that dokyeom cackles. “catch you later!”

he watches as his friends collect their belongings and leave the store. he’s left alone as he turns to face the girls, politely smiling. judging from the bashful looks on their faces, he can only guess what they’re here for - it’s not even valentine’s’ day yet, either. if he’s being honest, a new confession only reminds him of his three botched ones. it’s no one’s fault, really - emotions are a tricky thing. but there are only so many botched attempts he can take, especially when they ruin his methodically thought out plans.

well, it’s not like mingyu can run out of the store like his friends did. so he readjusts his seat, mustering his sweetest smile. “is there something you need?”

mingyu’s perched at a desk in the campus library one afternoon, typing an essay for his economics class as he plays a study playlist. he’s so absorbed with his work that he doesn’t notice the figure walking towards him. they tap his shoulder, eliciting a surprised yelp from him. luckily, the library is particularly empty, but those that are in there don’t hesitate to shush him. “sorry,” he apologizes.

he turns around to face his perpetrator and is pleasantly surprised to see you. you two hadn’t seen each other in weeks, both of you having been busy with projects and upcoming exams. “hey,” you whisper. “sorry for scaring you.”

he pauses his playlist and smiles. unlike the ones he’s faked around his admirers, this is one of genuine, evident in the way his smile reaches his eyes and how it brightens. “it’s okay. i haven’t seen you in a while.”

“yeah, sorry i disappeared. i was busy with homework,” you whisper, pulling out a chair beside him. mingyu pretends his heart doesn’t flip when you sit beside him, perching an arm on his shoulder. “how have you been? still terrorizing people?”

he rolls his eyes, though the corners of his lips lift up. “you make me sound like a menace. the only person i bully is you... well, and seungkwan.”

“you say it so casually like it isn’t a bad thing,” you snort.

he hums, moving his finger to tap your nose. you make a disgruntled noise, annoyed at the sudden motion, but to him, you look more adorable than frustrated. “short people have no rights.”

mingyu had originally gone to the library to focus on his work, since staying at his noisy dorm room wasn’t getting him anywhere. but now he’s here, talking to you like he doesn’t have a paper due in two days. if you ever found out he prioritized you instead of school, he would never hear the end of it. maybe he should take your advice and be studious for once.

but then you roll your eyes, lips threatening to smile as you shake your head. “tall people don’t deserve rights. or kneecaps, for that matter,” you retort.

perhaps his assignment can wait.

you both have touched on several topics, though you spend a good chunk of time catching up on each others’ lives. he’s just finished telling you a story about how jungkook nearly burned their kitchen down when someone clears their throat behind you two. it’s the librarian, looking at you two expectantly. “we’re about to close, gentlemen. if you need to check out any books, now is a good time. please don’t forget to take your belongings.”

mingyu glances at his watch and is surprised to see it’s already 4:55, five minutes before the library closes. how long has he spent talking to you, he wonders? “right! sorry for the bother,” he apologizes, scrambling to put his things away.

“i’ll give you two five more minutes to ready your things. please make sure to clean up after yourselves, too.” with that, she turns on her heel and walks out of the library.

you sling your backpack over your shoulder and give him a mock salute. “well, it was nice talking to you today. we should hang out again sometimes.”

mingyu doesn’t realize that you’re walking away again - both metaphorically and realistically - until he hears the chair being pushed in. you turn your back on him, and suddenly he hears the small voice in his head urging him to hold you back. sunlight slips through the window, a reminder that it’s only early october, not february. “wait!” he exclaims.

you pause to face him. “yeah?”

he didn’t plan on making a confession to you, nor did he even plan on seeing you today. but the fates have a funny way of doing things, he supposes. in the fight against his pride and his friends’ words, it seems the latter has won, evident by the way his heart is directing his actions. apparently his brain has no plans of cooperating with him today, because then he blurts, “i’ve liked you since we were high school freshmen, and i really want to date you!”

a pause.

right after the words are out of his mouth, mingyu begins going through the five stages of regret. because there was no plan to start with, he had no time to ponder the different reactions he could get, meaning he has no idea what’s to come. kim mingyu, you absolute clown! what the hell was that for?! he’s mortified with how abrupt and unexpected his confession was, and he can already imagine the several ways you’ll turn him down. how ironic is it, that he was so confident with his confessions when he barely knew you. now that he’s arguably one of your best friends, all of that confidence has faded away.

mustering up all the courage in him, he timidly looks you in the eye. from the way you’re frozen, eyes wide in surprise, he’s prepared to brush his whole confession as a joke. at least he can prepare a better way of confessing, anyways. after what seems like forever on his part, you slowly nod. “oh.”

this is it. this is the end of everything. he’s analyzing the various ways your oh could mean, and so far, most of it means rejection for him.

but then you walk up to him, so close that he can no longer avoid your gaze. here comes the rejection that stupid high school me never took to account! you tease him for everything he does, what makes you think he’ll readily accept?!

“kim mingyu,” you whisper. he’s quickly pulled out of his head, looking down to meet your gaze. your surprised look from earlier is replaced with a nonchalant one. it’s eerily calm, and it scares him. “i can hear your thoughts.” before mingyu can apologize, you pat his arms. “i mean, i kind of already knew.”

maybe the universe really does have a personal agenda against him.

“you- wait- you knew- you knew that-” snapped out of his frozen trance, he begins to wildly move his arms as if he were malfunctioning. “that i-” he raises both of his eyebrows to emphasize his hidden meaning, and luckily you’re able to put two and two together, nodding. “that i liked-”

“yeah. i mean, unless you tell all of your friends that you want to kiss them while pinning them against the whiteboard? because if so, i take it back,” you reply with a teasing smirk.

well, this certainly has reached a new level of embarrassing. mingyu certainly didn’t expect you to remember that incident, and from the two years he’s known you, he had wholeheartedly expected you to be the type of person who’s bad at dealing with feelings.

but then again, you’ve never quite fit into any stereotypes that society labels you. for a “nerd”, subtle has never been in your vocabulary.

before he can even panic, you lean forward and reassuringly pat his arm. “don’t worry. as insufferable as you are, i like you, too.”

hearing your answer feels unreal. those are the words he hears in his dreams, not something he’d expect to hear in the campus library. he must look nothing short of shell-shocked, because you laugh, spinning on your heel. “your height jokes are nothing short of annoying, but you’re someone i admire, kim mingyu. there’s something about you that’s simultaneously frustrating yet attractive.”

you’ve never been good at complimenting people, so with a compliment always comes an insult, though mingyu doesn’t mind. he knows you say them with good intentions, anyways. “you think i’m attractive?” he asks, beaming.

your calm, nonchalant expression is replaced with one of annoyance and you turn so he can’t see you. even so, he can tell you’re embarrassed. “i meant attractive as in magnetic. but i’m not blind, kim mingyu. you’re undoubtedly one of the most handsome guys i know, and you also have a good personality. what other word was i supposed to use?”

seeing you look away suddenly boosts his ego, and his heart feels full from how cute you look. with newfound confidence, he strides towards you, unable to contain the smile that spreads across his face. “for a cutie who always insults me, i’m just surprised you’d find me attractive. maybe my charm has finally rubbed off on you?”

you playfully shove him away from you. “did you not hear the part where i called you insufferable?”

mingyu doesn’t even care. he’s too giddy, knowing his three years of pining were not all for naught. “i have selective hearing. i only hear the positives in life.”

“you’re so annoying,” you groan, though he can see the corners of your lips threatening to lift up. “i’m out of here. good talk.”

for what seems to be the hundredth time today, he stops you from leaving, though this time he gently grabs your wrist. “you’re just going to leave like that?” what an anti-climatic confession. freshmen him would’ve cried.

you turn around, glancing at his hand around your wrist. “what else is there to say?”

seeing how you’ve reverted back to your calm expression, mingyu pouts. “well... will you...” as he stumbles over his words, he’s suddenly reminded of a letter he wrote to you in his second year of high school. since his botched confession that year, he had never touched the letter again, though he recalls it’s tucked in a box of memorabilia somewhere in his room. while his long, mundane confession remains a blur, there’s one line he recalls writing.

he knows you’ll tease him after this, but after waiting for three years, a simple will you be my boyfriend doesn’t seem fitting anymore. “will you be my forever valentine?” he whispers. his voice is impossibly quiet, as if he were embarrassed of saying them out loud.

the room is filled with a stunned silence, and he feels the tips of his ears burning; oh how the tables have turned. he’s bracing himself for teasing on your end, but instead, you gently hook your fingers together. it takes everything in him to not melt into a puddle there and then. “forever’s such an unrealistic concept though,” you whisper back.

he’s about to take back his words when you send him a reassuring smile. it both fills his stomach with butterflies and stills his nerves. “but then again, we’ve always liked taking on the impossible, right?” you ask.

you and mingyu have always loved challenges, even if it led to a meaningless end. just one of the many traits that brought you two together. “yeah,” he softly answers. his heart is still beating impossibly fast from your touch, but at least he doesn’t plan on melting... yet. “so is that a yes?”

you shrug, though the soft smile you send him is answer enough. “let’s try things out and see where things go for now,��� you tell him. it’s better than nothing, he supposes; of you two, you’ve always been the more realistic and grounded one. “but there’s one thing i want to try.”

he tilts his head in confusion. “what’s that?”

a mischievous grin creeps onto your face, but you give him your most innocent eyes. “didn’t you say you wanted to kiss me?”

if mingyu thought he could get through today, he was sorely mistaken. it’s only been five minutes since the librarian left you two alone, but he feels like he’s about to have a heart attack. but as much as his brain short circuits from your words, he’s able to vigorously nod, excitement evident. “yes please,” he whispers.

the giggle that leaves your mouth is dizzying. the way you cup his cheeks and pull him down to match your height makes his heart jump. the way your eyes shine is intoxicating. your presence is enough to make him lose his balance; if it weren’t for your hold on him, he thinks he would have literally fallen. “is this okay?” you ask.

“yes.” he nods to the best of his ability - god, he’s never wanted anything more.

you giggle at his eagerness. “cute,” you mutter, pulling him closer.

though mingyu has had dozens of admirers coming at him left and right, he’s never actually kissed anyone, much less dated them. he can tell it’s the same for you, too, evident by the way your hands tremble as he inches closer to you. as embarrassed as he feels, he doesn’t dare close his eyes, afraid of disrupting this reality that seems too good to be true.

it’s a slow, gentle press of the lips, and when you separate, your breaths fan over each other’s lips. though short, it’s electrifying, and he feels impossibly lightheaded. he can tell you feel the same, seeing you nervously bite on your lip. “well, that was... something,” you quietly laugh.

he’s still unable to believe that you, the boy of his dreams, just kissed him. he thinks he can die happy now. “yeah,” he lamely answers, because his brain is only capable of pumping out one-word responses right now.

he feels like he’s in a romantic drama, where everything has slowed just to fit the protagonists’ agenda. but then the library doors are pushed open, shattering the atmosphere. luckily he jumps away from you before anyone can catch him in a scandalous position. when you both turn towards the entrance, you see the librarian standing there, frowning. “gentlemen, it’s almost been ten minutes. i can’t let you two loiter in here forever.”

you both send her sheepish smiles, hearts still thumping from the events that happened only seconds ago. “sorry!” you both apologize, scrambling to grab your things. you both continue spewing out apologies until you’re out of her ear shot.

once you both are outside, the sun is already setting. when you face each other, you both laugh at the way your lips are curled upwards, twitching with excitement. “i certainly didn’t expect for things to go this way,” you tell him.

neither did mingyu, but then again, the universe works in strange ways. perhaps it was better to let things play out instead of clutching onto a plan that was more likely to fail than succeed. “me neither.” mustering up the confidence in him, he cautiously brushes his fingers with yours. you intertwine them in affirmation, and he swears his heart is soaring with how everything from his dreams seems to be coming true. “let me walk you to your dorm?”

you hum, nodding. the kiss has only marked the beginning of things, but knowing you, you two will probably spend a few days laying out ground rules for your new relationship. “sure.”

when you surprise mingyu with another quick peck on the lips and run off, he decides he much prefers letting the universe meddle with his life than taking matters into his own hands before taking off to chase you down.

[renjuseyo]

jaemin x male reader. where the male reader and jaemin are both late college students that both need to catch up so they both need to help each other, they have a lot of classes together, they message each other often and then occasionally eat together, the male reader even being a regular at the cafe jaemin works at. The school related topics slowly turn friendly, sarcastic and flirty (ohoho), they interact on social media and in person pretty often that the people around them seem to also notice (jaemin most specifically making up excuses to see the male reader even if he could get in trouble) until they both find out that they’re so extremely infatuated with each other, now seeing they have so much in common, a literal match made in heaven. a special formal night is about to happen and while shopping for something to wear they decide to with each other (jaemin in a tux🥰) and the male reader being told that something more feminine rather than a tux would suit him until they finish late at night almost getting soaked in rain, taking shelter and finally confessing.

 love like that ; jaemin

group: nct

pairing: na jaemin / reader (male)

synopsis: you and jaemin are college students that help each other catch up on school. somewhere along the line, you start to see him in a different light, until you realize you’re head over heels for your study partner.

genre: fluff

warning: explicit language, suggestive themes

fjskjds i’ve finally finished!! i’m so sorry for taking so long, school has been an absolute pain... #i hate chemistry. anyways this was longer than i expected lol and i had a bit of writer’s block with this one, but i still hope it’s okay anon!! as always, feedback is greatly appreciated <3

title inspiration: love like that by lambc

back when you were an oh-so studious freshman, naively undermining the severity of projects that professors assigned you, you rarely needed study groups to catch up on work. the bulletin board posted with miscellaneous announcements and requests was something you never even spared a glance at, since it never had any information pertaining you.

but now, you’re a stressed out sophomore in university, majoring in computer science of all subjects! it’s like you’re practically beckoning for the stress to eat you alive. there are only so many nights of staring at canvas with such hatred that you can take, and suddenly the student board with requests for study partners looks most attractive right now. thus, after much pushing on your friend sungchan’s part, you scanned the board for the first time since you’ve arrived, in hopes of searching for someone in the same major who happens to be struggling, too.

fortunately, you’re able to pluck out a poster requesting for a study partner, and the requester just so happens to be a struggling computer science major, too, who goes by the name of na jaemin. when you skim the date it was posted, you’re surprised to find out it’s one of the oldest posts on the board, piled under a mountain of other announcements. then again, you suppose students are more interested in information regarding clubs than in a plea for help.

when you contact him about his request, you’re both quick to arrange a date to meet up. for someone who isn’t too fond of social interactions, you’re pleasantly surprised to see how easy it is talking to jaemin, despite your texts only lasting a solid two minutes.

a week after you contact him, you’re sitting in the starbucks near campus, nervously tapping the keys on your laptop. as you await his arrival, a wave of anxiety suddenly washes over you. what if he turns out to be a jerk? what if he thinks i’m stupid because i can’t seem to nail this stupid code? what if this is all a hoax? what if-

“excuse me,” a voice above you begins. “are you (name)?”

back stiff and shoulders squared, you spin around, all of the what-ifs playing in your head. but then your breath hitches; from what you could tell from your texts, jaemin had an attractive personality, but now seeing him face-to-face makes you realize he has an attractive... well, everything. he’s wearing a warm smile, throwing out all of your scenarios out the window. “yeah. are you jaemin?” you ask, clearing your throat.

he nods, taking a seat in front of you, giving you a better opportunity to relish in his beauty. “yes i am! it’s nice to meet you, (name). thanks for taking up my offer, by the way. not many people noticed it, so i was worried i was going to fail this class,” he jokes.

his warm aura relieves the stiffness in your body, and your shoulders drop as you smile. “the feeling’s mutual. eight am classes are already dreadful, but having to attend professor kim’s class, too? way to make a guy’s brain explode.”

at the mention of the infamous professor, jaemin’s eyes widen. “you have his eight am classes, too? so do i! what a coincidence,” he laughs. you wonder how you’ve shared your classes with him yet never noticed his presence, considering how he has the looks and personality to make heads turn.

“this must be fate,” you tease. “at least now i’ll have someone to struggle with.”

“me too. now let’s get cracking, shall we? which parts are you having trouble with?”

once you’ve both settled into your seats, laptops out and notes covering every corner of the table, you two begin discussing the recent topics discussed in class, catching up on parts either of you have missed. when you look over his notes, you’re starting to think this encounter really must have been a sign, because whereas he has all the notes on topics you don’t understand, you have all the notes on topics he missed out on. he seems to notice this too, laughing at the number of coincidences popping up left and right. “you were right when you said this is fate. it’s like we’re destined to be partners,” he jokes.

it doesn’t take long before you and jaemin settle into a comfortable pace, diligently copying the other’s notes. you’re jotting down examples from the physics class you missed due to being sick when he taps your shoulder. “i’m going to get some coffee. would you like anything?”

“oh, i can just get myself something later.”

he shakes his head. “it’s on me, don’t worry about it.” before you can open your mouth to protest, he adds, “i work part-time here, so i get free drinks regardless.”

somehow, the image of jaemin as a barista doesn’t surprise you. “it’s okay, really.”

he doesn’t seem keen on giving up, still standing in front of you. “i’m not going to give up until you tell me what you want.” as if he can read your mind, he waves a dismissive hand. “and don’t worry about paying me back.”

the look in his eyes tells you he won’t be letting up anytime soon. reluctantly, you ask for an iced strawberry acai refresher, to which he takes with a smile. “for someone who i just met, you’re awfully generous,” you observe.

“what can i say? i’m a sweetheart like that.” you snort, though you quickly cover your mouth to conceal the noise. he doesn’t seem to mind though. “no, but consider it as payment for lending me your notes.” he gestures at your notes, covered in vibrant highlighter streaks and post-it notes. “but seriously, you’re a lifesaver. your notes make way more sense than kim’s material.”

a few minutes later, jaemin’s name is called on, and he leaves the table to pick up your drinks. he and the barista briefly converse before he begins to walk back. “here’s your order~” he announces, placing it in front of you.

you thank him, poking a straw into your cup. when you glance at his drink, reading the order attached to his cup, your eyes widen in shock. “twelve shots of espresso?!” you exclaim, shocked.

from the side, you can hear two baristas cackling at your expression. judging from the way they point at jaemin, you guess your reaction isn’t uncommon. “my usual,” he explains, sipping his drink. your eyes widen even more, but he still remains unfazed. “i mean, it’s not like i’m dead yet. what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger~”

you’re not sure whether to be scared or impressed. “not to police your drinking habits, but that’s so unhealthy. you’re going to die early.”

“at least i’d die by something i love, not by professor kim’s class.”

you snort. “yeah, that’s fair. i think death by anything is better than by his class.”

aside from jaemin’s shocking coffee order, nothing particularly interesting happens again. you both go back to working on your respective projects, occasionally sharing notes. for someone who takes a while to warm up to new people, you find that talking to jaemin is as easy as breathing. your conversations are effortless, and you’re surprised how talkative and open you are with him. perhaps it’s because of your shared hatred towards your classes, or the common factor of stress. whatever it is, it’s easy to relate to him.

neither of you are sure how long it’s been, but by the time you take a moment to absorb your surroundings, the sun is already setting. you watch the setting sun with shock; you and jaemin had met up at around one... just how long were you two together, you wonder? as if he read your mind, he stares at the sky, painted a pastel pink and blue hue. “wow, time really has flown by, huh? i guess we should get going soon.”

you nod in agreement, and you two make quick haste at putting away your belongings. as you slide your laptop in your backpack, he taps your shoulder. “we should do this again sometime. this was fun,” he smiles.

“i agree. i’ve been more productive in this one session than in the past week. i’m glad no one else took the offer before i did,” you tell him. “when are you free next time?”

“i have next thursday off, how does that sound?”

“perfect. same place and time?” he nods.

jaemin slings his backpack over his shoulder, and you’re reminded once again how attractive he is. “then i’ll see you then!” he’s about to walk off until he stops, turning on his heel again. “this might sound a little strange, but can i have your social media? you seem like a cool guy, and i’d like to get know you better,” he explains.

“sure!” you take a step closer to him, both of you huddled over your phones. after a minute of exchanging usernames on various social media platforms, you both prepare to part ways. “well, today was really productive. thanks for the notes and the drink, by the way.”

“no problem! and thanks for your notes, too. again, you’re a real lifesaver. see you next time, (name),” jaemin says. he waves you farewell and exits the store, but not before saying his goodbyes to his friends by the counter. a few moments later, when he’s rounded the corner and is out of eye shot, you follow suit, walking the opposite direction.

it usually takes five minutes to take the bus from the cafe to your apartment, but because of the surprisingly heavy traffic, you opted to walk home instead. it takes you around twenty minutes to walk home, and by the time you arrive at your doorstep, the sun is well over the hill, the pastel pink and blue painting fading away to reveal patches of indigo. when inserting your key into the keyhole, your phone suddenly vibrates, signaling a new notification.

na jaemin: hey! this is jaemin, the guy with the 12 shots of espresso. just wanted to make sure you got home safe! (´ ∀ ` *) [08:13 PM]

you: i did, thanks for checking on me :) how about you? [08:15 PM]

na jaemin: i did too (*^‿^*) [08:15 PM]

na jaemin: next time you see me in class, you should come sit with me! that way i’ll actually have a vague idea of what’s going on during class haha. only if you want to though! ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ [08:15 PM]

you find his texts oddly endearing. perhaps it’s because he sends an emoji with every message, but you find it more cute than annoying.

you: sounds like a plan then, partner ^^ [08:17 PM]

the days leading up to your next study session with jaemin are relatively uneventful. as always, the projects and reports thrown your way are stressful, but with the help of his notes, you think you have a better understanding of the material. at least now you can pretend like you know what you’re doing. the only thing that’s new is the frequency and duration of your texts with him. you two text each other so often that now you don’t go a single day without a message from him.

neither of you have classes on thursday, so you two plan on meeting up around two. after having multiple alarms blare in your ear, you’re on the bus to the starbucks by your campus. as you glance at the clock on your phone, an incoming message pops onto your screen.

na jaemin: hey (name), i don’t think i can make it to our session today! i had to cover for my friend last minute, and i won’t be off my shift until six >_< [01:50 PM]

you: well, i think it’s kind of too late for that since i’m already on the bus lol [01:52 PM]

you: but it’s okay, i’ll just hang around and work on the assignment :) good luck at work today! [01:52 PM]

na jaemin: thanks! i’ll drop off an iced strawberry acai refresher for you to help you power through the work ｡ﾟ( ﾟ^∀^ﾟ)ﾟ｡ [01:52 PM]

you’re surprised to see that he remembers your usual order, but then again, he’s a barista. he’s probably accustomed to memorizing people’s drinks. yet you can’t help the smile that forms on your lips as you reply with a sticker of a bunny cheering.

it doesn’t take long before the bus drops you off at starbucks. you thank the driver and step off the bus before entering the store. you’re instantly overwhelmed by the strong scent of coffee and the crowd of people in the store, but luckily you’re able to snag an empty seat. after hanging your jacket on the chair, you walk towards the counter. when the lady in front of you steps away, you step up with a smile, wallet in hand. “hi there, what can i get you today?” a barista with long, red hair chirps.

“hi there, can i get a-”

before you can recite your order, you catch jaemin approaching you two. before either of you can react, he pats the girl’s shoulder. “hey chaeryeong, can i take this one?” she gives him a curious look before shrugging, walking away to work on another customer’s order. he sends you a smile, working the cash register. “hey (name), one strawberry acai refresher, right?” he points at your wallet. “put that away, it’s on me.”

you’re reminded of your first encounter again, frowning. “jaemin, you can’t just give me a free drink all of the time. i’m a customer, i’m supposed to be paying.”

he shakes his head, already tapping on the tablet before him. “it’s fine, (name). it’s on me.”

you shoot him a firm glare. “do you go around giving free drinks to every person you’ve just met? i don’t want you to lose your job because of me. at least let me pay this time.” he looks like he’s going to protest, but you harden your stare and is soon met with silence, which you take as a win. “now, how much did you say it would be?”

“...5,572 won.”

you triumphantly smile as you insert your credit card into the card reader, which is met with a pout on his end. you’re unsure why he’s so adamant about giving you free drinks. of course, you’re not one to turn down freebies, but considering how you two have just met, you’re a little wary. perhaps he’s doing this to appeal to you, since you provide him with notes. “thank you for your business, i’ll let you know when your drink is done.” you tip your head and wave before heading back to your table.

a few minutes after you’ve assimilated yourself into your work, jaemin approaches you with your drink in hand. “here you are~!” he chirps, setting it down beside you.

“thanks,” you thank with a smile. he hums in acknowledgement before skipping back towards the counter. there, you see the barista known as chaeryeong approach him, and the two begin conversing. you swear you see her point to you, but she looks away as fast as she looked over. maybe there’s something on your face?

when you divert your attention back to your notes, poking a straw into your cup, you notice a sticky note attached to your order. plucking it off, you read its contents.

good luck with your reports! you got this! (b ᵔ▽ᵔ)b ~ jaemin

cute. the thought crosses your mind before you can even question it, and you spare a glance at him. thankfully, he’s too engrossed with the espresso machine in front of him to catch you staring. when you find your stare lingering longer than it should have, you quickly snap back to reality and hurriedly go over the multiple tabs open on your laptop.

though the store is loud with chattering of other customers and the whirling of coffee machines, you’re able to immerse yourself in your work, so much that you don’t even realize the time until at one point, jaemin seats himself before you, cupping his chin. “you’re still here, (name)? i’m surprised.”

you tear your eyes from your screen and scan your surroundings. to your shock, the sea of people have dwindled down to only three other patrons left, yourself included. when you glance at the clock on the bottom of your screen, you gasp. “it’s already six-thirty?”

he chuckles at your disbelief. “i’m impressed how you’re able to get so focused you lose track of time. if it were me, i would’ve taken a break a long time ago.”

you sheepishly smile. “i did, but i lost track of time.” you save your documents before closing your laptop, putting your things into your backpack. “maybe i should come here more often, seeing how much i get done,” you hum.

when you sling your backpack over your shoulder and reach for your drink, you swear you hear jaemin mutter, “i’d like that.” the coffee machines are still loudly whirring, though, so you probably misheard him.

as you prepare to depart, he taps your shoulder. he glances at the clock above the counter before back at you, fiddling with his fingers. “you know, i was wondering... since neither of us seemed to have eaten yet, what do you say about grabbing dinner with me? i know this really good ramen place nearby.” when you raise your eyebrow in questioning, he quickly adds, “i made you come all this way just for you to study by yourself, so take this as a token of gratitude.”

“do you treat everyone around you so generously? you don’t need to do that just because i chose to come here,” you laugh. “but sure, ramen sounds great, if i’m not bothering you.”

jaemin’s face lights up with joy, and again, you’re struck with the thought of how cute it is. “perfect! let me just get out of my apron first, and we’ll be on our way.” he shuffles towards the storage room in the back, and after a few minutes, he reemerges in his regular clothes and a backpack slung across his back. “let’s get going then!”

the ramen shop he mentioned isn’t far, but it’s tucked in a more isolated part of the neighborhood. when you both enter the store, there are only two other parties seated in the booths. the waiter by the door greets you both, greeting jaemin by name, and seats you two in a booth by the front. when he scurries to the back to grab you both beverages and menus, you glance at him. “you come here often? the waiter here knew your name,” you point out.

“oh, him? that’s my friend, jeno. i’ve known him since we were in diapers,” he answers. “since he works here and it’s near my workplace, i come here a lot. plus, he and the other chefs always hook me up with free drinks and desserts, so don’t be afraid to order whatever you want. it’s on me.”

you laugh, shaking your head. “you’re seriously an interesting character, jaemin. if i ate so much until i emptied your wallet, would you still be so friendly?”

jaemin bats his eyelashes with feigned innocence, smiling. “if it were for someone as cute as you, i don’t think i could ever get mad.”

you feel your face heating up at the comment, and judging from his laugh, you can tell you look nothing short of shell-shocked. “...oh,” you whisper, looking away in embarrassment. “um, thank you?”

“i’ve been friends with you since we were babies, and you’re willing to spend all your money on a boy you’ve just met than on me? i’m offended.” you both look up and see the waiter from earlier, who you now know is jeno. he sets the menus down, sizing you up. “so this is the study partner you were telling me about? the one you were stalking on instagram?”

jeno’s comment has jaemin spluttering like you’ve never seen before, causing him to go as far as jump out of his seat and throw himself on him. “have you no shame, lee jeno?!” he hisses. seeing him stumble out of desperation is a stark contrast from the flirty jaemin just moments ago, and you can’t help but giggle at the sight. “don’t listen to him (name), i did nothing of the sort-”

“you spammed the group chat with the pleading eyes emojis, what do you mean?” jeno interrupts. he’s met with a slap on the mouth, causing him to howl in pain. the other patrons are staring at the two in confusion, but you’re too amused to feel embarrassed. once he successfully rips his friend’s palm from his mouth, he flashes you his customer service smile. “anyways, what can i get you?”

you were too busy watching them to even look at the menu. “oh, right... could you give me some time to order?” you ask. he nods and trudges away, blissfully ignoring the damage he caused to jaemin.

he sinks back into his seat, shaking his head in embarrassment. “please don’t pay any mind to jeno. i’m not as weird as he made me out to be.”

you smile, reassuringly patting his arm. “it’s okay, i'm actually flattered. i’m surprised someone like you could even spare time to be interested in me,” you tease.

from the corner of your eye, you can see jaemin straightening his posture. “someone like me?” he beams.

three months ago, you plucked jaemin’s request for help off the student board, expecting to land yourself a study partner. instead, you’re pleasantly surprised to earned that and a new best friend in the process.

you’re not exactly sure when you had gotten so friendly with him. what was supposed to be study sessions that occurred once every two weeks has now turned into hangouts at least twice a week. when you both have finished your assignments, he drags you to eat food with him or take pictures of each other to upload on instagram. heck, you daresay to call them dates! as cliche as it sounds, it feels like you’ve known him forever; you two are already inseparable, attached to the hip.

it’s not like your relationship with him is strictly educational. with how often you two hang out, you think it’s safe to call him a friend. what’s surprising is how easy it was for you to click with him and how fast you let down your walls around him. that’s saying something, considering how you took a month to warm up to sungchan, who’s now your closest friend.

perhaps it’s because jaemin is just a natural sweetheart to everyone around him. perhaps it’s because he never makes you feel inferior for liking or saying certain things. perhaps it’s because he’s unafraid of being vulnerable with you, so you have no choice but to do the same, too. whatever it is, it’s drawn you to him, because for someone who enjoys solitude as much as you do, you find your fingers hovering over your keyboard, firing off texts to him, or leaning into his touch, arm not-so sneakily wrapped around your shoulders.

you’re not sure how to react when you find yourself feeling both elated and scared.

scared of what? you often wonder. that he walks into your life with that smile of his and makes you want to confide in him about everything in your life? how you became friends in a week, and are now an inseparable pair by the end of a month?

...that he treats you in a way that makes you wonder if everything is platonic?

(an underlying part of you does know, though, but you choose to lock that thought away.)

aside from your newfound friendship with jaemin, there aren’t any interesting developments in your life. however, your mundane routine is a little more lively with the addition of your hangouts with him; whether it’s studying at starbucks or pestering jeno at the quaint ramen shop, it’s never a boring day with him.

as if the fates couldn’t have thrown more coincidences at you two, you learn that the bookstore you work part-time at is conveniently located across from the starbucks he works at. “a match made in heaven,” you recall jeno mocking at one point. again, you’re surprised you never noticed before. then again, you don’t frequent starbucks all that often - at least until you met jaemin, anyways.

you’re working your shift at said bookstore one afternoon, shelving a pile of vinyls and books in their respective slots. the store doesn’t get much business, and it would probably have been shut down if not for the indie kids frequenting here. “you know,” a voice below you begins. you stop your hand in midair and look down at sungchan, who’s sitting cross-legged on the floor. he’s reading through a volume of detective conan, eyes flitting across the pages. “this is a really boring date.”

you roll your eyes, sliding a book into its shelf. “this isn’t a date. i told you i had a shift and told you not to come. you were the one that insisted. i quote, fuck you, i do whatever i want.” he flips a page, promptly ignoring your logic. “if you’re so bored, why don’t you just go to the starbucks across the street? buy us both drinks.”

“aren’t you not allowed to bring drinks in?”

you shrug. “jiyoung-noona doesn’t really care. heck, she’d make me buy something for her, too.”

sungchan closes the book and stands up. “fine, but only because i’m thirsty.”

you blow him an air kiss, to which he responds by sticking his tongue out at you. “your usual?” he asks, handing you back the book. you nod as you slide it into its slot.

he dusts himself off and is prepared to walk out of the door when the bell above the door jingles, signaling a newcomer. you turn your head to greet them and stop, watching jaemin step into the store with a bright smile. anyone can tell that his smile is directed at you, and you can already feel sungchan’s curious eyes on you. “what are you doing here?” you ask.

he takes a step towards you, arm outstretched to presumably ruffle your hair when he sees sungchan. you both watch as he freezes and quickly retracts his arm, letting it fall to his side. “i wanted to drop by to see my favorite person.”

you promptly ignore sungchan’s piercing stare and your twisting nerves, choosing to laugh instead. “jeno would be hurt.”

he blows an air kiss your way, lips puckered so obnoxiously you nearly snort. normally, affectionately obnoxious people irk you, but he’s an exception, just like he is for every other trait that peeves you. “good. he ate my box of doritos.”

before either of you can continue your conversation, sungchan clears his throat, keenly aware of his position as a bystander. “hey (name), who’s this?” he asks.

“oh, this is na jaemin, the study partner i was telling you about. jaemin, this is my best friend, jung sungchan,” you introduce. he politely waves at him, which sungchan responds with a nod of acknowledgement.

“do you work at the starbucks across the street?” sungchan asks. you look down and notice the green apron hanging around jaemin’s neck. he nods, moving his arm that he had hidden behind him, which is when you notice the drink and croissant in his hands.

“yeah, i just wanted to swing by to see (name) and drop something off for him,” he explains. you both watch as he approaches you, placing the drink and a croissant in your hand. you furrow your eyebrows as you stare at him, trying to send a telepathic message asking why he decided to give you a free drink again, much less visit you while he’s working. he doesn’t meet your gaze, though.

instead of interrogating him, you smile, not wanting to draw any more questions from sungchan later. “oh, thanks. you didn’t have to come here,” you smile.

for a moment you swear you see an affectionate look wash over his eyes. before you can question it, his phone suddenly rings. there are a few shushes that you don’t pay any mind to, eyes focusing on the picture of donghyuck glowing on his screen. he’s one of jaemin’s friends and coworkers, and like jeno, has a penchant for teasing him. when he slides the caller id to answer, he’s instantly met with loud shouting that can be heard clearly even without the speaker. “na jaemin, where the fuck are you?! you were supposed to be back five minutes ago!!” he shrieks.

you look at him with wide eyes, and he can only return it with a sheepish smile. “sorry hyuckie, i’ll be back soon!” he squeaks.

“you better be! if i hear you’re hanging out with your boy toy you’ve been gushing about-”

“okay bye!” he quickly cuts off, hanging up before any more damage can be done. a part of you wonders if you’re the so-called boy toy in question, but you’re more concerned that he’s late for his shift than that. “well, i better get going before hyuckie kicks me. nice seeing you though! we should hang out again sometime, and hopefully for longer~”

you roll your eyes, dismissing him. “yeah yeah, just hurry up and go back!” you’re about to scold him for lying about being on his lunch break, but when you think about the reasons behind it, you find yourself blushing instead.

jaemin skips towards the door, hand gripping the handle. “oh, and it was nice meeting you too, sungchan!” he exclaims. he waves you both farewell before dashing out of the door, hoping to make it back before donghyuck can kick his ass.

right when he leaves, sungchan looks at you, wearing the most determined look you’ve ever seen on him. he grips your shoulders, causing you to nearly spill your drink all over yourself. “what was that?!”

you feign innocence, looking away. “what was what?”

“don’t play dumb!” he exclaims. “that’s the study partner who’s been in nearly all of your instagram posts, who, mind you, is hands down one of the most attractive men i’ve ever met. and he just waltzes in, giving you your usual and a croissant for free even when he’s late to his shift and could get himself in trouble?”

you snort. “my usual isn’t difficult to remember. plus, jaemin’s a barista. i’d be more baffled if he didn’t remember my order.” you set your drink and food onto the counter and slide his hands off your shoulders. “i don’t know why he came in. i didn’t ask him too.”

he scrunches his eyebrows. “did you not hear him earlier? i wanted to drop by to see my favorite person,” he mocks, doing a horrible impression of jaemin. “why else would he be so flirty and give you a freebie if it were anything but romantic? i certainly don’t treat you like that!”

“the world would have to end before you could,” you snap, turning away from him. “and i think you’re looking into this too much. jaemin’s just a friend.” it sounds a little odd to you - it doesn’t sound right. yet, what else could he be?

sungchan looks thoroughly unconvinced; he’s been your best friend long enough to know when you’re hiding something. “well, from the five minutes i’ve known him, i can tell he looks at you like you hold the universe,” he chortles. you turn to look at him with wide eyes and hot cheeks. he holds up his hands defensively, shrugging. “i’m just saying. i don’t know if you like him, but you can’t deny that he looks at you with so much love in his eyes.”

when you pause to think about it, you’re horrified to find out he’s right. you’re a little slow, but you’re not blind; jaemin who always makes sure you have enough to eat, not even bothering with his own food. who carries extra jackets in his car for you. who has a habit of holding your hand and kissing your knuckles. you’ve only known him for three months, yet he treats you like a lover he’s known his whole life.

you turn to face the counter when your phone vibrates. fishing it out of your pocket, you see a notification from jaemin. seeing how you purposefully shift your body so sungchan can’t lean over your shoulder to look, he can already guess who it is.

jaem: i hope your drink was refreshing! i made it with my love for you in mind ❤ (ɔˆз(ˆ⌣ˆc) [03:25 PM]

the emoji beside his message feels taunting. of all the ones, why did he have to choose the one of two... people? kissing? it doesn’t help that your heart flutters too, still thinking of sungchan’s words from earlier.

curse na jaemin and his sickeningly, effortless flirting. you knew he was affectionate, but can’t he just keep it in his heart for a minute? in the five minutes he chose to spend with you than back in his store working, he was able to stir your heart, release a jar of butterflies in your stomach, and break down your closet of skeletons. his text, intentional or not, was able to force you to acknowledge the truth you were so keen on ignoring. it’s an anti-climatic epiphany, but.

ah.

i think i like him.

for some reason, this realization that has now dawned on you doesn’t make you feel panicked. if anything, it feels right, like this is how things should be. but then again, who wouldn’t fall in love with na jaemin? he’s practically love personified.

really, it’s inevitable, falling for him. there’s no use denying it; seeing how jaemin treats you, and how your friends pair you two as a match made in heaven, you don’t see a reason not to.

though you finally realized that you like jaemin, nothing has changed. you still make witty remarks and push him away whenever he’s obnoxiously affectionate. but the one thing you’ve noticed, thanks to jeno and donghyuck, is how you’ve unknowingly become bolder. when he flirts with you, instead of shutting him down like you used to do, you retaliate with an equally suggestive comment, sometimes even rendering him speechless. jeno and donghyuck had confronted you on it, cornering you one day on campus. needless to say, it led to a very embarrassing conversation; who knew those two, who made it their sole mission to embarrass jaemin, could act like such threatening parents?

seeing how everyone around you seems to know how you feel, you’re sure jaemin does, too. yet he behaves the same around you and never once addresses it. it’s inevitable that you’ll occasionally feel frustrated. the line between platonic and romantic has blurred so much that a kiss on the lips wouldn’t be an indicator of anything - that’s just how confusing a character he is. it’s obvious he won’t come out with his true feelings, too. so really, you can’t blame yourself for feeling this way.

so until he says anything, you resist furthering your relationship, even if you have the urge to run into his arms. although both of you are smart enough to know that there’s some infatuation there, you don’t want to look like an idiot should you be overthinking everything. thus, you remain blissfully ignorant, resisting the temptation to put your lips together.

of course, there are times when you falter and almost blow your ignorant facade. usually it’s when jaemin looks especially jaw dropping, or he’s treating you too sweetly for you to not profess your feelings for him.

or both, like now.

“so, what do you think?” he asks, gesturing at himself. his freshly dyed black hair, still wet from the rain, sweeps his eyes, which he pushes away by combing a hand through his hair. you’re keenly aware of how the tuxedo perfectly fits him, accentuating his proportions. it really isn’t fair for him to be so sweet, handsome, and for having great proportions.

you’re so busy admiring him that you don’t realize he’s waiting for a response. “oh, sorry,” you mumble, tearing your eyes away. you hope he doesn’t notice how much you’re affected by it.

but as perceptive as ever, jaemin smirks, resembling the cheshire cat’s. “i must look really handsome for you to react this way,” he teases.

you roll your eyes. “you look really good, jaem. i must say, i did well choosing this for you. i don’t think i’ve seen someone suit a tuxedo as much as it does you. no pun intended.”

you expect him to continue teasing you, but you notice he doesn’t say anything. when you take a closer look at him, you can see the faintest of blushes on his cheeks. he clears his throat, regaining his composure. “you should go change, so i can have some bragging rights, too.”

“don’t miss me too much,” you tease, slinking into the fitting room.

two weeks ago, you learned from jaemin that there was an upcoming charity event that the volunteering organization he works at had organized. because it was going to be an upscale formal event, all members had been requested to help out, being allowed to bring a plus-one. he had invited you to be his date (his words, not yours) and dragged you out to an expensive boutique sometime during the evening to shop for clothes.

recalling the memory has your heart excitedly beating. big, formal events aren’t your thing, but you know it’s important for him. plus, he invited you of all people to attend... you might be so bold to call it a date!

(except you don’t. just to have some humility.)

when you slide the curtain shut, you turn to see what he had picked out for you. it’s not a tuxedo, but rather a moderately feminine black jumpsuit with a mildly low v-line. you’re not opposed to wearing it; it looks professional and comfortable, yet you can’t conceal the surprise on your face. you admire it for a few more seconds before stripping yourself and slipping it on.

“to be honest, this isn’t what i expected,” you admit, emerging from the fitting cubicle. “but it’s comfortable.”

jaemin, who has now changed into his regular attire, looks up from his phone, and you watch as his nonchalant expression contorts to one of immense interest. he makes his way to you, not bothering to hide his attraction. “you... look really good,” he lamely babbles.

“really? that’s it?”

he pouts, leaning in to wrap his arms around your waist. your breath hitches at your close proximity, and you have to will yourself to not scream there and then. “you look too good for words,” he complains. “i saw this while we were browsing around for each other, and it looked too good for me to not get it.” he scans your body again, whistling. “i must say, i have great taste in clothes.”

you flush red at his straightforwardness, gently smacking his shoulder. seeing him so affected by you should make you swell with confidence, but you feel more than ready to melt into a puddle. “shut up,” you hiss.

jaemin coos, removing his arms to pinch your cheeks again. “aww, are you embarrassed?”

before you can protest, a soft knocking grabs your attention. you turn to the best of your ability and see one of the clerks standing a few feet away, politely smiling your way. “you two make a cute couple,” she absentmindedly comments.

if you thought you couldn’t get any more flustered, you were wrong. you’re about to open your mouth to correct her, but jaemin beats you to it. “thank you,” he smiles.

your heart pauses for a brief, stunned moment, before beating at an erratic pace. there are several thoughts swirling in your mind, but all you can focus on is how he didn’t bother correcting the clerk when he could’ve, considering how you two aren’t even dating. it’s probably easier that way, you convince yourself. but... do we look so close that others mistaken us as a couple?

the thought has the tips of your ears burning a fiery red.

you’re pulled out of your panic when the clerk speaks again. “i hope you don’t mind me asking you two to head out once you’re done. we have quite a line outside,” she explains.

jaemin nods. “alright, thank you!” once the clerk leaves, he faces you with a smile; you wonder how can he look so unbothered, especially after messing with your heart and head. “you should get changed. i’ll wait for you out here.”

perhaps you’re looking too deeply into it. it was an offhanded comment that probably didn’t mean anything. if sungchan were in jaemin’s place, you would have a very different reaction. you’re certain you’d laugh until you cried. but then again, it’s jaemin, the very boy that you are begrudgingly infatuated with. he always has a way to make your heart beat so fast you feel like it’s about to jump out of your chest.

after changing and paying for your clothes, you stand by the entrance, waiting for him to step away from the cash register. when he does, he approaches you with a wide smile, a shopping bag in hand. “shall we get going?” he asks.

you nod, ready to turn your heel and exit the boutique. but apparently he has different plans, because he grabs your hand and intertwines your fingers before walking out of the store, hand-in-hand.

if it weren’t for jaemin’s hands tightly woven against yours, you’re sure you would’ve melted into a puddle there and then.

as lovable as jaemin is, he can be a bit of an airhead sometimes.

before entering the boutique, it was already sprinkling. you were about to go back to his car to grab an umbrella for you two when he draped his jacket over your head, dragging you back to the entrance as it rained on his hair. as heart fluttering the gesture was, you wish you had torn away and went back to the car, because now the rain is pouring down on you two, soaking you to the core.

you both squeeze your bodies towards the door as much as possible, making a fruitless attempt at seeking shelter in the small concave of the entrance. you close your bag shut as firmly as possible, afraid of soaking your newly bought clothes. you glance at the rain, and you can tell it won’t be letting up anytime soon. you’re contemplating on staying inside the store until it stops raining when jaemin squeezes your hand. “i guess we have no other choice but to run.”

you turn your head so fast you nearly give yourself whiplash. while getting soaked by the rain isn’t a big deal, you’re terrified of ruining your new clothes, especially after seeing the price tag on them. “what?”

he gives your hand another reassuring squeeze before suddenly bolting away from the entrance with you in tow. you yelp as you’re jerked forward and you nearly drop your bag. on the other hand, he’s laughing as he runs, not seeming to care about his clothes soaking all over. when you take a second to look at him in his giddy state, your heart flutters. if it weren’t for your fear of ruining your expensive clothes, you’d probably be swooning, seeing how this scene is practically straight out of a k-drama.

a minute later, you both come to a halt in front of his car. he fumbles with his keys for a few moments, but when you hear the click of the car, you two instantly throw yourselves inside, gaining shelter. he locks it, and you both throw your bags into the backseat. aside from the heavy breathing and the downpour outside, it’s quiet.

when you shift in your seat, you grimace at the feeling of wet socks. “gross,” you cringe, kicking off your shoes. “you should’ve let me go back in the car to grab the umbrella earlier.”

jaemin laughs, sweeping a hand through his wet hair. “but if i did that, i wouldn’t have gotten to see you all cutely wrapped in my jacket.”

have you always been this weak around him? three months ago, such comments would have made you snort. now, despite shuddering from the cold, you feel hot all over. you can’t even get a snarky remark off your tongue. “what’s wrong? cat got your tongue?” he hums with a smirk.

you can think of at least five comebacks, all resting on your tongue. but you’re not sure what’s come over you; maybe the coldness of the rain is finally getting to you, or you’re finally fed up with his ambiguous flirting. whatever the reason, it makes you sarcastically chuckle. “do you think it’s fun?” you begin.

he shoots you a quizzical look. “do i think what is fun?”

the thin layer of rain coating your body is a reminder of the consequences to come if you don’t get out of your clothes soon. you close your eyes, resting your head against the window. “flirting with me. do you get a thrill out of calling me cute, or holding my hand?”

“of course i do. you always have the best reactions,” he answers matter-of-factly. even though you’re closing your eyes, you can feel his concerned stare boring holes into you. “where’s this coming from? if you’re uncomfortable, i can stop.”

this confusing mixture of cold and hot that you feel is probably an indicator of a fever that’s to come, you note to yourself. at least the heater’s on, so you can warm yourself up. “do you do it just because it’s fun, or because you’re genuine?” the words are already out of your mouth before you can filter them, but strangely, you don’t feel panicked. to be honest, you feel relieved to finally ask the question that’s been weighing on your mind for weeks.

a stunned silence hangs in the car, so you decide to focus on the pattering rain and the low hum of the heater instead, awaiting his response. you wait a few moments before cracking your eyes open, tilting your head towards jaemin. he wears an unreadable expression on his face, so you’re unsure if you should feel happy or scared. it takes a few more agonizing seconds before he says anything, and when he does, he’s looking you straight in the eyes. “is there a right answer?” he asks.

as much as you want to tell him there is one, that the right answer is him confessing that he’s just as in love with you as you are with him, you remain silent. even if he confuses your heart with his actions, you don’t want to pressure him to feeling something he doesn’t feel - assuming he doesn’t like you back, anyways. “no.”

he deeply inhales, and you’re suddenly reminded of how humorous your situation is. both of you are sitting in his car, soaking wet and shivering. apparently all it took was some downpour and an impending fever for you to reveal the thoughts that had been buried in your mind. the more you think about it, though, the more silly it seems. seeing how he’s so silent, you can already imagine what’s to come, even if you had high hopes. “you know what, forget what i said. i think the cold’s just getting to me-”

“it’s genuine.”

your words are cut off by jaemin’s response. it’s curt, begging more questions than answers. you can only imagine the look of surprise on your face, considering how you had been bracing yourself for heartbreak. “i’ll call jeno cute because i know he doesn’t like it. it’s fun, riling him up. but i’ll call you cute because i genuinely think you’re the cutest person i’ve seen.” you feel yourself blushing, but he continues. “i kiss hyuckie on the cheek because it’s fun to see him lose the confident facade he always brags about. but i kiss you on your cheeks, hands - you name it - because my heart jumps out of my chest each time i see you get all pouty, or when you get red all over. i don’t think you know the kind of effect you have on me,” he chuckles.

both of your eyes are still locked together, and you suddenly feel much smaller than him, despite being the same height. “...huh?” you lamely babble.

he chuckles, but it’s not his usual loud, obnoxious laugh. it’s short, almost bittersweet. “i flirt with you because i like you a lot and don’t know how to deal with my feelings,” he explains. “i flirt with others so my feelings aren’t so obvious.” before you can open your mouth, he adds, “if i’m being perfectly honest, i was planning on confessing to you at the charity that’s happening next week. i guess you figured things out before i could.”

although you’ve only known him for three months, you’ve gotten pretty good at reading his thoughts. you can see a look of regret flash in his eyes, and he smiles, bittersweet. just as you had braced yourself for a rejection, he is, too. you so desperately want to wipe that look of sadness off his face, your urgency trumping your thinking. instead of going on a tangent about how you like him, too, you blurt, “i think i’m in love with you.”

he snaps his eyes wide, jaw hanging open. you can feel your face and ears heating up, and- like and love are two very different things! you think to yourself. before he can say anything, you quickly add, “i mean, i like you a lot, too! in a romantic way. er, love? well, i love you like a friend, but i think it’s too soon to say i love you romantically. wait, that came out wrong-”

your rambling is interrupted by a loud snort, and you timidly lift your head up to see jaemin trying to stifle his laughter. you’re not sure whether you should be relieved or embarrassed. he notices your abrupt pause and holds up his hands in defeat, a smile gracing his lips. “sorry, i wasn’t laughing at you. well, technically i was, but it was just because i feel relieved.” he props a hand on the armrest wedged between you two, and you’re suddenly aware of how good he looks despite being drenched by the rain. “i’m in love with you, too.”

instantly your face heats up, and judging from the laugh that leaves his throat, you can tell you look the part, too. his confession makes you backtrack and question everything you thought you understood about romance. how can he be so confident? how does he know that he’s in love and that it’s not just a simple crush? heck, what even is love? you wonder to yourself.

you’re too immersed with your contemplation to notice his free hand sneaking to link yours. it isn’t until he loops your fingers together that you snap out of your thoughts, eyes boring holes into your intertwined fingers. you’re used to his touchy gestures, but after hearing him confess, it feels completely foreign. as if he’s read your mind, he explains, “love is a confusing thing, especially because it comes in various forms.” his solemn eyes meet yours. “but i’m serious when i say i’m in love with you. you make my heart feel so full, and in the three months i’ve known you, you’ve somehow assimilated yourself as this beacon of light i always look towards. i love how you cute you look in my jackets, i love how you care so much even if you always tease us, i love how you talk a little faster and how your eyes light up when you talk about your favorite things... to be honest, i don’t think you’ll understand how my heart swells whenever i think about you.”

this is all too overwhelming, especially in the setting you’re in. you can only flare up as you bury your face in your intertwined hands, mumbling incoherent words that he can only assume to be insults. he mutters something about how cute you are, and you can only grumble in embarrassment. “i understand if you feel overwhelmed,” he begins, brushing wet strands of hair behind your ear. “but i think you deserve to know that everything i do to you and everything i feel about you is genuine.”

your face is still buried in his hands, afraid of melting if you looked him in the eye. “...i really like you. i like you a lot, jaemin,” you mumble. his hold on your hand tightens, and you squeeze back. “like you said, love is a confusing thing. i don’t really know what it is... how do people differentiate the types, anyways?” slowly lifting your head up, you will yourself to not waver from jaemin’s gaze. “infatuation is a scary thing, jaem. but if wanting to kiss you and wanting to run into your arms means i’m in love with you, then so be it.”

he practically lights up, all happiness and hope radiating from his face. “you want to kiss me?” he chirps.

“is that seriously the only thing you got out of it?”

“okay, okay, i’m sorry, love,” jaemin apologizes. for someone who understands that you’re overwhelmed, he’s doing everything just to intensify that feeling. it’s a nickname that comes out absentmindedly - you know this, having been called that more times than you can count - yet it almost feels intentional this time. it’s quite ironic how warm you feel despite being covered in a layer of cold rain. “if it makes you feel better, i want to kiss you, too.”

this feels like a scene straight out of a k-drama. here you both are, professing your love for each other in the midst of a downpour. cupid would be swooning. you gulp, absentmindedly rubbing your thumb on his hand. “i’ve never kissed anyone before,” you admit.

you expect him to tease you about your lack of experience, but instead he leans forward, cupping your face. “it’s okay, love. may i kiss you?” he asks.

for some reason, you’re suddenly brought back to health class from high school. consent is sexy, you recall sungchan hollering for weeks. it’s kind of funny how you’re about to have your first kiss with the boy you’ve been infatuated with for a while, yet sungchan’s words are the only thing echoing in your head. he’s not wrong, you think to yourself as jaemin’s lips hover yours.

you’re not sure why, but when he inches closer, you subconsciously squeeze your eyes shut. seconds later, you feel his lips molding against yours. your shaky hands are tightly gripping onto jaemin’s hands on your face, and you simply wait for him to lead you. he’s moving his lips, and you clumsily follow his lead. at first, it’s a bit messy; you weren’t lying when you said you were inexperienced, awkwardly bumping noses each time. thankfully, he doesn’t make fun of you at all, only comforting you as you bashfully apologize for your skills. but slowly you two settle into a comfortable pace as his hands snake behind your neck; you’re unsure if you’re shivering from his touch or the cold.

he seems to be getting bolder, though, because moments after you’ve gotten used to kissing him, he sneakily suckles on your bottom lip, eliciting a whimper from you. the sound surprises both of you, because he pulls back, breathless, while your face is flushed all over again. “...that was hot,” he whispers in awe.

you smack his shoulder, face a fiery red. “we’re not going to speak of this ever again.”

“i don’t know about you, but i’m engraining this moment in my head forever. it’s cute, seeing you get all sensitive just from kissing. i wonder...” his hand on your neck lowers until his fingers ghost your waist, and you immediately recognize his implications. “i’m kidding, i’m kidding,” he laughs, ignoring the embarrassed glare you shoot at him.

“for the hopeless romantic, you’re awfully brave suggesting such suggestive things. seriously, what nerve!”

jaemin’s laugh is loud, and you’re relieved it’s no longer the short, bittersweet one from earlier. “you love me. or like me, at least.”

“as if,” you roll your eyes, fisting his collar and pulling him closer.

“i never expected you to be so needy, (name). we should be heading back soon, unless we want to catch a cold.” his actions contradict his words, though, because he lets himself be pulled in as you crash your lips together.

you pull away a few seconds later before sticking your tongue out at him. “the only reason why i’m like this because it’s my first kiss, and i plan on treasuring it as much as i can. when i get home, i’m going to be a changed man.”

when you let go of his collar, you notice a mischievous smirk curl at jaemin’s lips. “who says you’re going back to your place?”

“...what.”

“i’m just kidding, (name)- ow!! don’t hit me!!”

“you’re so lucky i lo- like you.”

jaemin’s smile is contagious; as much as you want to feign annoyance, you can’t, your frown quickly being replaced with a giggle. “and so lucky i am, my love~” he hums, peppering kisses on your knuckles.

[renjuseyo]

I'm the one that ask about poly. I want to make request now if you're okay with it about male reader jihoon and seungcheol. Seungcheol being jealous when reader babied jihoon even though Seungcheol get it most of the time. While jihoon hate it when reader doing that but only whine and do nothing at all. Reader didn't stop because he know Jihoon enjoy it and also watching Seungcheol pouting and making a fuss is one of his entertainment.

pay attention to me ; s.coups & woozi

group: seventeen

pairing: choi seungcheol / lee jihoon / reader (male)

synopsis: just because seungcheol’s dating you two doesn’t make him less jealous when you direct your attention to jihoon, even if he always receives your pampering.

genre: fluff

i hope you liked this anon! i think this is a very cute prompt, and i had fun playing with jicheol’s dynamics. i kind of lost inspo if you couldn’t tell though lol... anyways, feedback is always appreciated!! ^^

age order goes as: seungcheol > reader > jihoon

jihoon: i won’t be home until late, so don’t wait up for me [11:58 PM]

that was sent to you and seungcheol four hours ago. seeing how seungcheol had gotten off work at a decent time (if you consider ten-thirty decent) compared to usual, you had assumed it would be the same for jihoon, too. apparently not.

normally, by the time the clock strikes three am, you would be fast asleep, squished between seungcheol and jihoon. but instead, you’re parking your car outside of the pledis building, with seungcheol struggling to stay awake in the passenger seat. “you know, i could’ve driven here instead,” the older offers, yawning.

you roll your eyes, pushing your door open. “don’t be ridiculous. you can barely keep your eyes open, and you’ve worked all day. driving is the least i could do.”

you two step out of your car. after locking it, you begin walking towards the studio. the dim glow of the lamp posts and the faint twinkle of the stars are your only guides to the entryway, and you’re reminded once again just how late it is when you take in your surroundings. not a single sound can be heard, and the sky above you is blanketed black. what in the world is jihoon doing so late?

(well, there’s only one thing he could be doing this late. but most importantly, why? the members of seventeen are supposed to have the weekend off, so he has plenty of time to finish up any projects.)

once seungcheol unlocks the door, you two trudge inside, yawning. it takes a few minutes for you both to find jihoon’s studio, but it isn’t hard to spot. in the dark hallway, there’s only one room lit up, with a blue, fluorescent light splashing its walls. you glance at the small window, and just as you had suspected, your boyfriend is perched on his chair, hunched over his desktop.

luckily his door isn’t locked, so seungcheol twists the doorknob and pulls it open. the intrusion startles jihoon, evident by the way he flinches in his seat. when he spins around, you frown at the weary look on his face. the bright blue of his room highlights his eye bags, and you can see him struggling to stay awake. “what are you two doing here? you should be asleep,” he says.

you stride towards him, eyebrows furrowed. “that’s what we should be saying. do you have any idea what time it is? you’re supposed to be at home with us.” seungcheol nods in agreement, probably too tired to engage himself in a conversation.

“not until i finish this,” the younger protests, gesturing at his monitor. you peek behind him to look at what’s pulled up, and unsurprisingly, there’s a new project loaded up, probably one of the songs he’s working on for seventeen’s next album. “management said i have to get this done by next week.” he glances at the clock. “plus, it’s only three am. i’ve had less sleep.”

“by less sleep you mean no sleep,” you correct, propping your hands on your hips. you almost look the part of a disappointed parent. “that’s so bad for you, you know.”

“hoon, we have this weekend off. you can work on it then,” seungcheol replies, yawning. “come sleep with us. anyone with a pair of eyes can tell that you’re tired.”

jihoon rolls his eyes, but the yawn that leaves his throat is evidence enough. “i’m just fine. i already downed a whole bottle of soda, anyways.”

you tiredly trudge over to him, tugging at his sleeve. he raises a questioning eyebrow, but he doesn’t say anything as you drag him over to the couch by the wall. “hoonie, you’ve been up since six am. it’s not good for babies to sleep so late.”

he flushes at the implications, frowning. it ends up looking more like a pout, though, further proving your point. “i’m not a baby. you’re acting like one right now,” he protests.

you pull him onto the couch, arms trapping him. “but you’re the youngest, so you’re the baby. right, cheol?”

instead of agreeing with you, the oldest of you three pouts, flopping down beside you. “that’s no fair, (name). both hoonie and i worked today, so why are you only babying him?” he whines. for someone who’s supposed to be the oldest, he sure craves attention like a child.

you wave a dismissive hand, scooting over so seungcheol has more room. this causes you and jihoon to squish even closer together, and as discomforting as it is for all three of you, no one makes any moves to go to a more comfortable area. but then again, you three usually wound up like this more often than not, so you all stopped minding altogether. “hush, cheol. we cuddled for like, an hour when we were home. hoonie hasn’t had anyone to take care of him yet.”

jihoon rolls his eyes, pressed against your chest. “i’m right here, you know.” as much as he dislikes skinship, he’s too tired to move, and your embrace is comforting, though he’d never admit it.

you hum, snuggling closer to him. “lack of sleep makes babies grouchy. you can worry about your project tomorrow.”

“but-”

“don’t talk back to the adults,” you murmur, dozing off, pressing your forehead against his.

jihoon grumbles, though he doesn’t try to move. “this is crazy. i’m only a year younger than you and seungcheol-hyung. what do you mean don’t talk back to the adults?” he snorts.

when you don’t respond, he can only assume you’ve fallen asleep. he rolls his eyes and cranes his neck to peek at seungcheol. his eyes are also fluttering close, arms firmly wrapped around your waist. sometimes he wonders why you call him the baby when seungcheol is right there, constantly whining for your affection. if anything, he’s the baby of you three.

seeing how he can’t wriggle his way out of here (not that he would. drinking a whole bottle of coke-cola has done nothing to lift his drowsiness), he can do nothing but surrender to your clutches and lay limp in your arms. he closes his eyes in an attempt to fall asleep, but hearing your voice in his head makes it a tad difficult.

you’re the youngest, so you’re the baby~

jihoon huffs, glaring at you, who’s oblivious to his piercing eyes. “says the one who always needs to hug something before he sleeps,” he quietly grumbles, poking your cheek.

to his surprise, the subtle motion is enough to stir you awake, and he feels himself heat up when your eyes flutter open. even when you’re tired, you still manage to look breathtaking. “go to sleep, hoonie,” you remind again before dozing back asleep.

when jihoon glances at the clock, the white, neon digits show him that it’s nearly four am. so this is what he ends up doing, but not because you told him to.

jihoon knows that despite your constant babying, you recognize that he’s a functioning adult who’s more than capable of handling responsibilities. even more than you, he might argue. you just have an affectionate nature and make it your sole duty to take care of everyone around you, even if they’re older than you, like seungcheol. plus, you just like calling those younger than you babies. if it weren’t for the fact that you’re only a few months older than him, he would’ve thought you were the oldest of you three.

though he claims to despise your affectionate nature, he’s thankful to have your presence, especially around him and seungcheol. he knows that as the leader of one of the biggest boy groups - both metaphorically and physically - the stress is undoubtedly more burdensome than the ones the other members have. he knows that seungcheol spends more time structuring himself as a strong leader and wise oldest member than as a twenty-five-year-old man who likes music and video-games. which is why he’s grateful that you’re around to give him the pampering and leisure he deserves, reminding him that it’s okay to be taken care of sometimes.

he isn’t mad that you direct most of your pampering at seungcheol. if anything, he’s more than happy, because now you’re there to give him the attention he complains about when he can’t. your presence, for a lack of better words, acts as a balance for you three. but there are times where you choose to baby (read: pester) him, simply because he’s the youngest and needs attention once in a while. your words, not his.

now is one of those moments.

jihoon blinks, staring at the shoe box perched on the table before him. he looks at you, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. you gesture at the shoe box in a flourish, widely grinning like a child who’s won candy. “ta-da!” you exclaim. seungcheol, who had been immersed with a mobile game, is now looking his way, curiously staring at the box. judging from his expression, he guesses he doesn’t know what the contents are, either.

“and what exactly am i looking at?” he asks.

“open it!” you exclaim.

he does as he’s told, lifting up the lid of the box. to his surprise, they’re a pair of black slide-ons. he remembers eyeing a pair a week ago at a mall he had gone to with you and soonyoung, but had dismissed the thought after seeing the number shopping bags soonyoung had on each arm. he isn’t sure if you remembered or if this is a mere coincidence. either way, he’s surprised you bought him a pair of shoes out of the blue.

“what!” seungcheol exclaims. he throws his phone onto the couch, the device bouncing on the cushions. he walks towards you, instantly wrapping his arms around your waist and resting his chin on your shoulder. “you bought shoes for hoonie, but not for me?”

you roll your eyes. “cheol, you’re the one giving people your credit card information. you’re quite capable of buying your own shoes... actually, you’d buy them, unprompted.”

“but it’s different when it’s a gift,” he whines. “i want you to buy me shoes, too.”

ignoring your whiny boyfriend, you gesture at the sandals. “i saw you looking at them when we were at the mall with soonyoung last week! i know you don’t have a lot of time to go shopping, so i bought them for you,” you explain.

jihoon frowns. he’s the one practically swimming in a pool of money, so he should be the one buying you nice things, not the other way around. “oh... you didn’t have to.”

when he looks up at you, he sees the excitement vanish from your face, being replaced with a pout. seeing you like that makes him wonder why he and seungcheol never try babying you, especially when you have the audacity to look as cute as you do now. “do you not like them? i can always return them and get you something else...”

he practically flies out of his seat, eyes wide. “no!” he blurts. you and seungcheol are startled by the sudden outburst, your eyes mirroring his. “i mean-” he clears his throat, “i like them, i really do. but i should be the one buying you things, not the other way around.”

thankfully, you smile. “don’t worry about it! a baby like you should be bought nice things, even if you probably have better versions of them,” you tease, blowing him an air kiss.

jihoon scoffs. "you know, now that i think about it, you always pay for my things even though you’re the, and i quote, broke college student. what’s up with that?”

“because babies shouldn’t be paying for things.” you size him up, feigning innocence. “are you even allowed to have a debit card?”

seungcheol snorts at your comment, stifling his laughter by burying his head in your shoulder. on the other hand, jihoon’s jaw drops in disbelief. “this is bullying!” he yells, exasperated. “i’m being bullied by my boyfriend. hyung, you can’t be siding with him.”

the older shrugs, nuzzling his face into the crook of your neck. “when i do it, you always kick me, but you never do anything when it’s him. it’s so fun, seeing you get all flustered.”

he glares at you both. “i actually hate you two. especially you,” he seethes, pointing at you.

you lean over to whisper in seungcheol’s ear, but you’re side-eyeing him, obviously trying to get him to hear you. “has he been fed yet? you know babies get grouchy when they don’t have food in their system.”

“(name) (last name)!!”

seungcheol knows that like him, you’re usually the oldest in most situations. because of this, taking care of those around you has practically become second nature. making sure everyone around you is healthy and happy has become instinctive, and you’re willing to go through hoops and hurdles just to achieve that. it’s one of the many traits he loves about you.

he’s grateful to have you around to take care of him, but most importantly, he’s glad that there’s someone like you taking care of jihoon. sure, he whines about not being the center of your attention, but he knows that there are times when jihoon needs it more than he does. viewed as the genius producer and leader of the vocal unit of seventeen, there’s no doubt that the pressure he receives to repeatedly produce big hits is unimaginable. though it’s something that the two of them share in common, he knows he would never willingly open up about his thoughts, afraid of burdening the already stressed leader.

thankfully, there’s you, with a warm and loving aura encompassing you. you just have this aura that makes people want to lower their guard, even for those as whole and reserved as jihoon. it undoubtedly helps relieve the tension that the young producer has, even if he claims to hate it.

even if he knows this, though, that doesn’t stop him from wanting all of your attention. you’re the only person jihoon allows to pamper him (even if he denies it), so it’s not surprising that you take every opportunity you get to do so. while it’s fun to see him get riled up, seungcheol can’t help but act bratty when your attention isn’t on him.

on an exceptionally mundane day where the members of seventeen are lounging in the practice room, taking a break after excruciating hours of nonstop dancing, you knock on the door, arms loaded with bags of takeout. a few seconds later, the door swings open, and you’re standing in front of a sweaty chan. “oh, hyung! what brings you here?” he asks, surprised.

“hey chan,” you greet with a smile. he moves to the side, giving you space to enter the room. when you do, you’re greeted by twelve boys who seem equally sweaty and exhausted, who slur their greetings. “i was going to drop off some food for cheol and hoonie, but i figured you guys would be hungry,” you explained, gesturing towards the bags. from the way their eyes light up, you can tell they’re pleased with the surprise. “i have fried chicken, tteokbokki, japchae... just a bit of everything.”

immediately, the thirteen boys gather around you, salivating at the scent wafting out of the bags. “thank you hyung, you didn’t have to do that for us,” dokyeom smiles.

you shrug, seating yourself between seungcheol and jihoon. “it’s the least i could do, don’t worry about it. now eat up! you all are probably starving.”

another chorus of thanks echoes throughout the room, and soon, everyone begins to dig in. as you chat with the other members, catching up on each others’ lives and learning about comeback preparations, you suddenly feel someone pulling you up by the armpits before placing you down on their lap. startled, you crane your neck and see seungcheol, who responds by pecking your forehead. “what was that for?” mingyu asks from across you, voicing your question.

“you haven’t paid attention to me at all,” he murmurs.

you simply hum, leaning forward to stab a piece of fried chicken. you aim the fork at seungcheol’s mouth, who eagerly sweeps in and takes a bite. from the corner of your eye, you can see the other members eyeing you two with disgust. “sometimes i forget this is a three-way relationship, seeing how you both react so differently around (name)-hyung,” seungkwan snorts, scooping more japchae onto his plate. “why can’t you be more like jihoon-hyung? at least he doesn’t whine when (name)-hyung isn’t around every five minutes like you.”

you roll your eyes. “please. hoonie likes it when i baby him, too.” you send him a wink, to which he responds with by rolling his eyes.

“you’re talking nonsense.”

“don’t lie~” you coo, leaning over and ruffling his hair. “our cute baby hoonie~”

above you, seungcheol pouts, resting his chin on your head. “why don’t you ever treat me like that, (name)? this is unfair.”

you add more tteokbokki onto your plate. “it’s fun, seeing both of your reactions. hoonie’s more fun to tease, and it’s fun seeing you get all mopey.” he pouts, though he can’t refute your claims. jihoon does have funnier reactions than he does, and judging by both the amused and unimpressed looks the other members give him, he’s sure that he looks nothing short of glum.

“you know,” wonwoo begins, “i never would’ve imagined that jihoon would’ve gotten together with them. maybe with (name), but not with seungcheol-hyung. you both cling onto him more than to each other, anyways.”

“cheol here just comes to me more because he’s scared of hoonie,” you laugh, patting his thigh. “besides, they have each other when i’m not in the picture.”

“(name), you shouldn’t spoil cheollie so much. he’s already so bratty when you’re not here,” jeonghan sighs. “i’d love to see you tease jihoon more, though. you’re the only person who can get away with it unscathed, anyways.”

both seungcheol and jihoon darken in embarrassment. “shut it, yoon jeonghan,” they snap in unison.

when seungcheol and jihoon wake up one saturday morning, they don’t expect to be clinging onto each other in bed. they also don’t expect you to be awake already, seeing how you’re usually one of the last people to get up.

“where’s (name)?” jihoon groggily asks, scooting closer to an equally tired seungcheol. though he rarely lets seungcheol hold him, his need for warmth overpowers his disdain for skinship.

the older doesn’t seem to mind his sudden touchiness, wrapping an arm around him. “dunno,” he mumbles.

neither of them further questions your disappearance, cuddling closer to each other. they both begin to drift back asleep when the floorboards of the hallway creak, signalling a new presence. the bedroom dear squeaks open, so when they both turn to face the source, they see you tiptoeing your way in. “oh, morning guys,” you whisper, sheepishly smiling. “sorry for waking you two."

“it’s fine,” jihoon yawns, slowly sitting up. beside him, seungcheol turns to dig his face into his pillow, stretching his limbs. “why are you up so early? it’s-” he pauses to glance at the clock, which reads 11:30 am. “okay, maybe it’s not so early. but what are you doing up?”

you shrug. “cheol elbowed my face earlier, and i couldn’t fall back asleep again, so i decided to get out of bed.”

seungcheol turns around and looks at you with guilty eyes, sitting up. “sorry babe,” he apologizes. he grabs your arm and pulls you onto him. “is your pretty face okay?” he asks, rubbing your cheeks.

you thread your fingers through his hair, untangling the knots as jihoon rolls over. “why don’t you come back to bed and sleep some longer? i know how irritable you can get when you don’t get enough sleep.”

you shake your head at his offer. “it’s okay, but thanks.” you reposition yourself so you’re sandwiched between seungcheol and jihoon, which is when they notice the navy apron hanging around your neck. “i made food not long ago, it should be warm still. come eat with me.” you wriggle your way out of the human sandwich, standing up again. “get up, lazy bums!”

“kiss me first,” seungcheol jeers like the brat he is.

you lean in close until your breath fans his lips. when he looks like he’s going to reciprocate, you move your lips last minute and peck his forehead instead. “brush your teeth first, brat. your breath smells like ass.” before you leave, you swiftly move your head and place a kiss on jihoon’s cheek, running out of the bedroom before either of them can do anything about it.

half an hour later, jihoon steps out of the bedroom and trudges into the kitchen. seungcheol’s still in the bathroom washing up. when he rounds the corner, he nearly screams to see you so close to him. you take this opportunity to wrap your arms around him and lift him up, to which he responds with a yelp. “put me down!” he shrieks.

you pay no mind to his shrieking, walking towards the counter. you plop down on a stool and seat him on your lap. he’s still squirming, but your grip is tight, so his fidgeting proves futile. “good morning, my baby~”

for someone who claims to hate the nickname, he always flushes a pretty red when you or seungcheol use it. even after getting together, he still isn’t used to it. “how many times do i have to tell you to not call me a baby? i’m only a year younger than you.”

“then what should i call you then?” you pucker your lips, which are met with jihoon’s palm. “my liege? my love? which do you prefer?” you flirt.

his blush darkens, and he can only look away in embarrassment. “shut up.”

your laugh is so loud it hurts his ears, but it’s endearing and true, something he never gets tired of listening to. “our baby is so cute when he’s flustered~”

“is today a bully seungcheol or a bully jihoon day, i wonder?” a voice in front of you asks. he cranes his neck as much as he can and sees seungcheol pouting in front of you two, bangs wet. “do i not get this treatment because i’m the oldest?

you stick your tongue out at him before flicking his forehead. “come on, let’s eat! you two took forever.” fortunately, seungcheol pulls out a stool for jihoon to sit on, so he’s all too eager to hop away from your clutches.

you’re sitting across from the duo, who are seated beside each other. the kitchen is mostly silent, save for the clinking of utensils. it isn’t when seungcheol takes a bite from an egg that you notice a band-aid plastered near his chin. “did you hurt yourself?” you ask, aiming your fork at his wound.

he absentmindedly runs a finger against the band-aid. “oh, this? i was shaving earlier and accidentally cut myself,” he explains. he gauges your reaction, from your furrowed eyebrows to worried eyes. just then, he lets out a cry, startling you and jihoon. “oh (name), it hurts~”

you laugh at his silliness, while jihoon snorts. “you’re so embarrassing. gosh (name), this is what happens when you spoil him too much. one single mishap and he comes running to you with fake tears. look at the monster you’ve created.”

you glance at seungcheol, and the mischievous smirk on your lips only spells for disaster. “cheol-ah, you were just fine a moment ago. i think you’re strong enough to handle a tiny cut, aren’t you?”

normally he would never allow for someone to question his strength, but when it comes to you, all he wants is your pampering, even if he makes himself look like a fool in the process. “don’t tease me, (name)~ don’t take jeonghan’s words so seriously!”

you laugh, recalling your friend’s words. you love to indulge your boyfriends, though teasing them is also fun, too. you used to only tease jihoon with your sickening babying, but seeing how seungcheol whines only fuels your mischievous nature. “i think you can handle it, cheol.” changing the topic, you smile at jihoon. “how’s the food? i think i did a good job for someone with abysmal cooking skills.”

“babe~” he whines.

“the food’s good, although your chopping skills could use some work,” jihoon comments, poking at an unevenly cut tomato.

you snort. “i’m cooking for you guys, not gordon ramsay. as long as it tastes good, it should be fine.”

“this is bullying.”

you turn to face seungcheol, who’s still pouting. “why don’t you ask hoonie?”

“because he’s going to say no. or worse, he’ll kick my shins.”

you laugh, getting up to refill your water. before you enter the kitchen, you cup seungcheol’s face and press a chaste kiss on his band-aid. “there. happy?”

the dopey, lovesick look he gives you is answer enough, and as confident and nonchalant as you are when it comes to flirting, you can feel butterflies swarming in your stomach. it never gets less exhilarating, knowing you have him wrapped around your finger. “suddenly, my cut doesn’t hurt anymore.”

jihoon gags. “disgusting.”

“you like it when we’re disgusting,” you mumble, pressing a kiss on his hair. before he can react, you swoop down and squish his cheeks, leaning in to press your lips together. he makes a disgruntled noise, though he doesn’t make any attempts to pry your hands off or to move away. when you pull away, a satisfied smile rests on your lips. “see? i knew you liked it when i babied you.”

you move your hands away from his face and lay them atop his hair. on the other hand, seungcheol squishes your cheeks together and begins peppering kisses on your face, drawing out little giggles from you. below you, jihoon frowns, folding his arms. “you’re so annoying. i could step on your toes if i wanted to.”

“if you wanted to,” you reiterate, turning your head so seungcheol doesn’t muffle your words with his lips. “key word is if, my dear. you would never actually hurt me, our cute baby.”

seungcheol relinquishes his attacks, sitting back onto the stool. “i wonder what would happen if i called him that?” he wonders out loud. suddenly, he squishes jihoon’s cheek, mirroring the fond look you always give them. “our cute baby jihoonie~”

right when he does this, seungcheol decides then that is the first and last time he’ll ever try to baby jihoon again - at least, if he wants to stay unharmed. pampering is more of your forte, anyways.

[renjuseyo]

if ur requests are open can i pls request Jaehyun x male reader where the reader is so drunk that he forgot that his boyfriend(jaehyun) is his boyfriend. then he asks a member if he is taken and they said yes and that will make reader to silently be sad in the corner and jaehyun asks if readers ready to go home......... andddddddd ill leaveee the rest to u hehehehe (iloveurwriting so much)

tipsy ; jaehyun

group: nct

pairing: jung yoonoh / reader (male)

synopsis: both you and jaehyun knew how much of a lightweight you were, but when has that ever stopped you?

genre: fluff, crack

warnings: implied sexual content, explicit language

i lost inspiration for this, so i hope this mess of a fic is okay anon! as always, feedback is appreciated!!

when you peek through the peephole, you expect to see the delivery man holding the package you had ordered online. instead, you’re pleasantly surprised to see your boyfriend on the other side of the door, wrapped in a hoodie, mask, and tinted sunglasses. his disguise is pretty unnecessary given how your neighbors are mainly made up of old people who have never heard of nct, but it gets the job done.

once you’ve unhooked the chain bolt, you unlock the door and swing it open. he slightly jumps at the noise, but visibly softens when he sees you. “hey (name),” he greets, slipping off his mask and sunglasses.

“hey yourself. what are you doing here?” you ask. with how hectic his schedule has been after promotions with the nct 2020 project and working as an mc on inkigayo, you two hadn’t seen each other in weeks. though you missed him, you sympathized with the tireless hours he spent working as an idol. at least you preoccupied yourself with netflix.

he slips off his sneakers and enters your home, taking off the rest of his disguise. you close and lock the door behind you, trailing behind him. “i managed to squeak in some free time today, so i came to visit you,” he explains. he faces you with a smile, pulling you close. you subconsciously lean your head onto his shoulder, humming as he sways your bodies.

“i missed you,” you tell him, fingers ghosting his waist. he makes a noise of agreement, resting his chin on your head.

you eventually pull away, eliciting a grumble from jaehyun. contrary to popular belief, he was the clingy one of you two, always using the excuse of “you’re just the perfect size for cuddling.” “stop grumbling, jae. you’ve come so far, so it’s only fair i make you something to eat,” you tell him, making your way towards the kitchen.

he follows suit, hand grabbing at the hood of your hoodie. you stop in front of the refrigerator and open it, canvassing the food you have in there. as you debate what to make for lunch, he rests his chin on your shoulder and snakes both arms around your waist. you roll your eyes, though you don’t make any movements to pry his arms off. “i can always eat something else,” he smirks.

you realize too late the implications of his comment, absentmindedly sorting through the bags of vegetables in your fridge. “do you want takeout instead then? mrs. moon from two doors down said that there’s this really good pho house near here.”

he nuzzles into your shoulder. “i’d really like to eat you,” he says as nonchalantly as one can, considering his implications. you nearly drop a bag of spinach, spluttering incoherent words as you spin around to swat his shoulder. he laughs, loud and proud, a stark contrast from the quiet, polite laugh he’s practiced.

“you’re the worst,” you hiss, reluctantly closing the fridge. he pecks your cheek, eliciting a disgusted screech from you. he leans back with a laugh before attacking your face with kisses. you shut your eyes as you try to wiggle out of his grasp. but jaehyun’s been working out, evident from his arms, and he’s always had an intense grip. when he leans away, satisfied, you flick his forehead. with how clingy jaehyun’s being, making lunch isn’t an option anymore. “i hate you.”

jaehyun eventually relinquishes his attacks, threading his fingers with yours. “you’re usually not this clingy, jae. actually, now that i think about it, you don’t flirt all too much either, much less suggest sexual innuendos. what’s the occasion?” you ask as he walks you two to your living room. he doesn’t immediately respond, flopping down onto the couch and dragging you along with him. you land on his chest with an oomph, your cheek squished against his chest.

he combs his fingers through your hair, smiling as you make a noise of approval. “well, i wasn’t going to say anything before the news outlet, but...” his smile only widens when he sees you look up at him with curious eyes; he nearly coos at how innocent you look. “a certain idol you know might make his acting debut soon~”

your eyes widen, and you quickly prop yourself up with your elbows. “what! no way!” you exclaim, jaw hanging open. jaehyun laughs at your shell-shocked reaction, though it’s a given; when you were in a mood to vent, he would always take your hand and pepper your knuckles with butterfly kisses as you ranted about how he deserved better and shouldn’t only be seen as a visual, whining about how sm failed to show his talents as a singer and an actor. well, those days are over now, he supposes.

“yes way, love. are you excited?” he isn’t sure why he asked that question, considering how shell-shocked you already look. plus, the squeal that leaves your throat and the way you throw yourself onto him is answer enough already.

“do you even have to ask? you used to send me videos of you acting out different roles because you wanted to try acting, and you always did them so well! i’m really proud of you, jae. you deserve it.”

“i’m really glad you think so, (name). do you want to hear-”

“no!” you interrupt, slapping both of your palms on his mouth. he tilts his head in confusion, surprised by your sudden outburst. “knowing you, you’re going to accidentally tell me everything, and then i’m going to know the whole story line before the show even airs!”

he’s about to refute your claims, but he can’t really considering how you’ve layered both of your palms on his mouth. plus, judging by the look you give him, he’s certain he’s going to be eating his own words sooner or later. with a sigh, he peels your palms off. "you’re no fun. can i not even tell you the name and the basic plot?”

“i’m sorry for wanting to give you ratings,” you snort. “and no. then i’ll be waiting in anticipation and will force you to tell me everything, even if you tell me you can’t because i told you before not to say anything. you can’t even give me a drop of information.” well, jaehyun supposes that is true. you’ve always been enticed by television shows; he’s personally seen you react to cliffhangers a show gives before it ultimately gets cancelled. needless to say, it isn’t a pretty sight. “this calls for celebration! we can invite the boys too... do you want it to be extravagant, or are we keeping it low key?” you ask, sitting up and reaching for your phone.

“what happened to just you and me?” jaehyun asks, batting his eyelashes with feigned innocence. “i can think of a lot more fun things we can do.”

you don’t even bat an eye; unlike earlier, you were prepared for this kind of comment. “shoving my foot up your ass sounds really fun, but unfortunately that won’t get me any food. the boys probably already knew before i did, so you’ve probably already celebrated with them... i guess we can keep it simple.”

“i’d take your foot any day,” he fires back with a heavily exaggerated moan, to which you respond with a slap on the arm.

“i’m telling johnny to bring over beer.” you’re texting a group chat with you and the other 127 members. you’re only dating jaehyun, yet sometimes it feels like you’re dating all of them with how close you are. plus, gossiping with jungwoo about your boyfriend is always fun. with him being his roommate, you both often share similar struggles.

he rolls his eyes, stretching over to wrap his arms around your waist. he peers over your shoulder to look at your screen. “please, (name). you’re the lightest lightweight i’ve ever met. who are you telling to bring over drinks? you’re like a baby.”

“fuck you.”

“i think it’s the other way around, but i’d gladly let you order me around~” he flirts.

you shove a pillow in his face as you fire off a text.

after ordering pizza, tteokbokki, and fried chicken, your dinner is nearly complete. the boys were coming over soon, with johnny being in charge of drinks, jungwoo in charge of takeout, and donghyuck in charge of entertainment. you had a nintendo switch jaehyun had gifted you two years ago, and you intended on making full use of it tonight.

(plus, you have yet to beat yuta at super smash bros. today is going to be that day.)

you had finished clearing the table for the food before you notice jaehyun’s sleeping frame on the couch. you’re about to walk over and reprimand him for being unproductive, but seeing how tired and peaceful he looks stops you. instead, you grab a blanket from your room and drape it over him.

you’re about to walk away and grab water bottles for everyone when you feel something tugging your hand. craning your neck, you smile at jaehyun’s hooded eyes laced with sleep. “c’mere,” he murmurs.

water bottles can wait, then. you pat jaehyun’s side, and he scoots over to allow room for you. as you slot yourself in his arm, spreading a leg across his, he makes a noise of satisfaction, eyes fluttering close. “someone’s tired,” you observe, pushing the mop of black bangs obscuring his eyes.��“did practice run late?”

he avoids your gaze. “no, i spent the night playing uno with johnny, ten, and mark,” he admits.

you laugh. “must have been intense. i bet you were so burnt out from uno,” you sympathize with sarcasm. “but in general, don’t overexert yourself, okay? i know you’ve been busy, but you need to remember to take care of yourself.”

jaehyun nods, but a yawn rips out of his chest. you give him a knowing look, one that reads what did i say? which causes him to laugh. “yes sir,” he lazily responds.

“as tired as you may be, don’t go falling asleep on me now. the others are going to be here soon. what would they think, the guest of honor asleep at his own party?” you chuckle, leaning down to press a chaste kiss on his forehead.

he beams at the gesture. “give me more kisses and i’ll think about it,” he coaxes.

usually you don’t give in to his bratty demands, but seeing how tired he is reminds you of the accomplishments he’s achieved in the past year. a kiss is the least you could down. you lean down, breath fanning his lips, and he closes his eyes in contentment.

a few seconds pass, but the kiss never comes. when jaehyun opens his eyes, he’s surprised to see you’re no longer by his side, instead standing by the door. “that’s one way of telling a guy to come and get it,” he sighs, sitting up. he wearily rubs his eyes, blurry eyes watching you.

“sorry jae, taeil-hyung just texted saying they’re here,” you apologize. he sighs, eventually standing up after a few moments of stretching.

just as you had said, knocks resonate throughout your home, signalling their arrival. you peek through the peephole to verify their identities and sure enough, all nine other members stand outside, arms loaded. you undo the chain lock and swing the door open, greeting everyone.

“thanks for having us,” taeyong smiles, stepping into your home. everyone else echoes his message, but it comes out mumbled, like they hadn’t thought of saying anything until taeyong. the power a leader has, you suppose.

“no problem. here, let me grab some of the food.” you scurry over to jungwoo and mark, whose arms were loaded with the takeout you ordered.

as you grab a box of pizza from mark, johnny slaps you on the back. you nearly lurch forward and drop the pizza; if you had, johnny would be first on your hit list. “so jaehyun finally told you?” he asks with a grin.

“thank god. he spent days talking about ways to tell you, knowing how excited you’d be,” sicheng snorts, slipping off his shoes.

you laugh, especially when you see jaehyun spluttering in embarrassment. “you could’ve fooled me. all he did was waltz in and drop the news after he nearly fell asleep. made me feel like a proud parent and everything.”

“you may feel like one now, but wait until you watch him act. just going to be lots of cringing and teasing,” doyoung sneers, elbowing his shoulder.

yuta rolls his eyes. “like you’re one to talk, mr. lead actor.”

your eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets. “lead actor?!” doyoung laughs, answering your question. “good for you, hyung!”

jaehyun narrows his eyes. “why do you look more amazed at his news than mine?!”

i’m not a lightweight, you told yourself. i can handle whatever yuta throws at me, you told yourself.

you were sorely mistaken.

jaehyun notices this too, seeing you sway in your seat. he chuckles at the sight; you were never able to hold your liquor, and when you got drunk, you were quite the spontaneous drinker to deal with. one time you had drank so much that you cried over cute things, like when sicheng showed you a picture of his dogs. or the one time you were a man on a mission, flirting with all of the members. needless to say, that led to a very interested jaemin and a very pouty jaehyun.

you had initially planned on just sticking to soda, but yuta had wanted to make things more interesting and challenged you to a game of super smash bros. each time the loser lost, they would have to down a can of beer. despite your inability to hold your liquor, it activated your competitive nature. but of course, yuta is crazy good at any games he suggests, completely demolishing you with lucina. no matter which character you chose, you were just no match against him.

after several fruitless attempts, you’re seated between taeil and sicheng, who seem way too interested in the tteokbokki to notice your behavior. everyone else seems occupied, too; johnny, yuta, jungwoo, and donghyuck are playing mario kart 8, taeyong and mark are immersed in yet another one of their deep, contemplative conversations, and doyoung’s watching the whole scene unfold, supervising everyone (probably to ensure nothing ends up in flames). on the other hand, jaehyun’s sitting on your sofa, alternating between watching the four men in front of your television screaming and you in your tipsy state. he decides to stick with the latter.

eventually you lift your eyes up and make eye contact with jaehyun, who responds with a wink. seeing you flush and look away has his chest swelling with giddiness; you’re just too cute sometimes. the table isn’t far from the sofa, so he can hear any conversation that goes on there. he watches as you take another sip of your can, eyes shifting back and forth from the television and to him. you stare at him for a bit longer, eyes canvassing his face, his posture, his thoughts.

it seems sicheng notices your staring, sitting back down and nudging your shoulder. “what’s so interesting that it’s gotten your attention?” he asks, purposefully raising his voice so jaehyun can hear.

you flush at how loud he is, lazily putting a finger to your lips. “shhh, i’m staring at the pretty boy there.” you point your chin towards jaehyun, who pretends to not see. you’ve never been subtle when you were drunk, but telling you that would just lead to you loudly slurring your arguments. “do you know if he’s dating anyone?”

jaehyun nearly spits out his beer. of all the times you’ve gotten drunk, you’ve never once forgotten that you were his boyfriend - if anything, you were all too eager to prove just how much you belonged to him. he’s not sure whether to feel startled or amused.

sicheng chooses the latter, a smirk forming. “yeah, he has a boyfriend,” he tells you. jaehyun hopes you’ll realize that you’re the boyfriend in question, but seeing how you deflate like a balloon, he guesses not. he questions how much you’ve had to drink.

you slide off of your chair, pouting. “of course a guy as attractive as him has a boyfriend. i’m not surprised,” you grumble, crossing your arms. jaehyun can’t help the amused smirk that makes its way on his face. watching you envy yourself for being his boyfriend is very amusing.

sicheng must feel the same, stifling his laughter. “don’t look so bitter, (name). his boyfriend’s a good guy.”

you pout, crossing your arms. “well, i bet i can treat him ten times better! pretty boy there doesn’t know what he’s missing out on,” you boast, standing up.

sicheng can only watch in amusement as you stagger towards the kitchen. if only you knew how strange that statement was. “if you’re so confident about that, then what are you doing? planning on hiding in the kitchen to wallow on your sorrows?” he teases.

“i’m not!” you protest. “i’m just going to get some water because i’m dizzy as fuck and possibly cry about how single i am.” you mumble the last part, though because sicheng has uncanny hearing, he probably heard, if the smirk on his lips is anything to go by.

jaehyun decides it’s time to intercept, because as amusing as things were, he hoped you weren’t actually going to cry about being single, especially since you had no reason to. he stops by the dining table where taeil and sicheng are. “so i heard you and (name) were talking about me.”

sicheng snorts, rolling his eyes. “just because we said pretty boys doesn’t mean we were talking about you.”

though unaware of the topic, taeil leans in, chewing on a mouthful of pizza. “yeah, for all we know, he could be talking about me!” he chirps. he’s met with an annoyed glare from sicheng (though both of them can see him stifling his laughter), which he responds with an air kiss. typical taeil.

“well, i’m going to check up on him. i’ll leave you two lovebirds alone for now,” he teases. taeil looks a little too happy at the joke, whereas sicheng threatens to stab him with a fork. it’s amusing watching their reactions, considering how everyone around them already knows that they’re dating. those two just haven’t admitted anything yet.

he follows you into the kitchen, though you don’t seem to notice, too busy pouring yourself a glass of cold water.  “(name),” he greets.

you jump in surprise, nearly spilling water on yourself. when you turn to face jaehyun, your confident nature immediately disappears, quickly replaced with one of bashfulness. “you know me?” you ask, in awe of how said pretty boy could possibly recognize you.

if only you knew just how well he knew you, he thinks to himself. instead, he decides to play along; you’re obviously too drunk to realize how silly this seems. “i do,” he hums, patting your shoulder. he isn’t sure if your red cheeks are from the alcohol or him, though he hopes for the latter. he never gets less prideful when you get all shy because of him.

hoping to maintain the confident facade you had earlier, you quickly clear your throat, looking away. “how can i help you?” you ask, taking a sip of your water.

“well, i was hoping if we could talk in a more... private area?” he asks.

you nearly spit out your water, eyes the size of saucers. he has to stop himself from laughing, afraid the drunk you would get the wrong impression. “just to talk, that’s all. it’s kind of loud here, don’t you think?”

the screams from the living room (which are mainly from johnny and donghyuck and the occasional ones of distress from taeyong) and the volume of the television are evidence enough, so you nod in agreement. “yeah, sure.”

“perfect. let’s go then~” jaehyun laces your fingers together before you can say anything, and your ears are practically fuming with smoke. you’re too distracted by his touch to question how he knows where your bedroom is. when you both enter your room, he flops down on your bed, patting the empty spot beside him. at this, you gasp, scandalized and very flustered. he chuckles at how shy you’ve gotten, shaking his head. “my my (name), get your head out of the gutter. we’re not going to do anything... unless you want to,” he flirts.

jaehyun never tries to take advantage of you, especially when you’re not sober. but when the sober you would throw pillows (or anything that wouldn’t actually hurt him) at him for flirting with you, the drunk you would always fire back with equally flirty remarks, or the shy you would just splutter in embarrassment. he can’t help it, spewing sweet nothings to you - you’re just too fun to mess with for him to not to, especially when you’re drunk.

reluctantly you place your water on your bedside table and lower yourself beside him, heart thumping erratically. he chuckles at how timid you are, a stark contrast from the snarky (name) that he knows so well. he turns to face you, both of your faces only centimetres apart. the smell of alcohol lingers on both of you, though it isn’t as prominent on him as it is on you. he makes a mental note to ask yuta how much you’ve had.

you squeak at how close you two are, hands flying to cover your face. “you have a boyfriend,” you whisper. you’re undeniably flustered, but you would rather die than be known as a homewrecker!

his laugh startles you, even more so when he presses a hand to the small of your back. you look like you’ve committed a heinous crime, potentially causing an attractive man like jaehyun to cheat on his boyfriend. the statement is so abusrd though, considering how you’re the boyfriend in question. “i do, you are right. he won’t be mad at me, though,” he hums, leaning in so close your noses would touch if it weren’t for the makeshift barrier you’ve made from your hands. you flush red in embarrassment, hiding your eyes behind your hands. if you make eye contact with him, you’re sure you’re going to melt into a puddle.

“even if he didn’t mind, i don’t think we should be doing this. i know i wouldn’t be happy if my boyfriend did this,” you whisper.

jaehyun sure is having a field day with this. you’re too flustered and worried to notice the pure look of adoration he’s giving you. “call it a hunch,” he says. “i promise you, he won’t be mad at this.”

“why?”

“you’ll find out tomorrow.” he pauses as a yawn rips out of his chest. “i’m really tired, so i’m going to sleep. the boys probably won’t quiet down on my account, anyways. you can always go back to them if you want, though,” he offers. a small part of him hopes for you to stay and cuddle with him, but judging how you’re so sure he has a boyfriend who would be absolutely devastated for literally sleeping with another man and how you have no knowledge of where you stand, he wouldn’t be surprised if you left.

what does surprise him, though, is when you stay rooted in your spot on the bed. “i’m tired, too,” you say.

jaehyun smiles so sweetly, the one that has his eyes dripping with honey, that your hands fly up to cover your face again. his boyfriend must be lucky to see that sight all of the time, you bitterly think to yourself. still, even if you’re not sure why he’s flirting with you or where you stand, you decide to savor every moment that you get to spend with him. even if you don’t really know who pretty boy is, he’s sweet and kind. plus, only a fool would cover their eyes when someone as beautiful as him lays before you.

he moves an arm to pat your thigh when he freezes in midair, remembering how he’s supposed to have a boyfriend to stay loyal to (even though he’s right in front of him). he retracts his arm and instead pulls your blanket to cover your lower bodies. “goodnight, (name),” he hums, shutting his eyes.

before jaehyun can begin the long process of trying to fall asleep, he feels you tug at his t-shirt. cracking an eye open, he sees you laying before him, staring at him with curious eyes and red cheeks. oh no, now he’s really tempted to kiss you. you’re impossibly adorable, seeing how vulnerable and curious you are. “yes?” he hums, trying to stay awake. the effects from last night’s uno matches have really begin to take a toll on him.

“i don’t think i’ve gotten the chance to ask, but may i know your name?” you ask.

jaehyun chuckles. he’s flirted with you and is even sleeping in the same bed as you, yet he’s forgotten the basic courtesy that is introductions. he didn’t think he would’ve needed it, considering how you’re his boyfriend. but then again, you’ve forgotten that you are his boyfriend. “my name’s yoonoh, but you can call me jaehyun or jae.”

no one actually calls him jae except for you. it’s a short and simple nickname that you have for him, nothing endearing. but because it’s something that only you call him, even though there isn’t a meaning to it, he’s grown fond of the way it sounds leaving your lips. which is why hearing it from anyone that isn’t you only leaves a weird taste on his tongue.

you’re so drunk you don’t even remember jaehyun, nor who he is to you, so it isn’t surprising that you stick with jaehyun instead. he doesn’t mind though, because he knows when you’re sober again he’ll hear you calling him jae and cuddling into him and doing all of the coupley things he wasn’t able to do tonight.

wow, jaehyun really is a lovesick fool. it’s only been one night of not being able to cuddle or kiss you, but he feels like he’s missed a whole eternity of them. he really isn’t sure how he’s lived before you came into his life.

for an hour, you pester jaehyun on how you two became acquainted and who you were to him. he indulged you, of course, purposefully skipping over the part of you becoming boyfriends and doing things that friends definitely didn’t do. his stories seem to be an effective way of getting you to sleep, because in the middle of a story of how a pair of swapped backpacks led to your relationship, you’re lulled to sleep, tired hands clutching onto his t-shirt.

he can only chuckle, leaning down to press a kiss on your nose. you’ll sure be in for a storm when you sober up tomorrow morning.

your jaw drops as you stare at the video on doyoung’s phone. it’s of you and sicheng, and right now you can only watch in horror as you pester him for information on the pretty boy you were so interested in last night. you have no recollection of last night’s events, though watching the video makes you glad you don’t. the problem is, the boys were there to witness them, even recording evidence of it on their phones. you’ve already seen pictures that johnny and taeyong have taken from when you and jaehyun were cuddling in your bed.

“please tell me that isn’t me,” you whisper, utterly mortified.

mark pats your shoulder in sympathy. “that’s you, all right.”

at his confirmation, you groan, burying your face in your hands. doyoung and donghyuck are cackling at your demise, with sicheng reciting your complaints word from word to a very amused johnny and yuta.

“...and then he was like well, i bet i can treat him ten times better! pretty boy there doesn’t know what he’s missing out on,” sicheng mimics, purposefully raising his voice an octave higher as he mocks you. out of embarrassment, you reach for a pillow on your couch and fling it at him. unlike jaehyun, he’s very good at dodging, proven when he ducks. instead, the pillow smacks yuta square in the face. he throws it back at you with even more force.

you duck, the pillow smacking an unsuspecting jaehyun. he really is horrible at dodging things - how shameful. “what the hell was that for?” he splutters, picking it up from the floor.

you turn to face him, eyebrows furrowed with annoyance. “you watched me make an utter fool out of myself, and you didn’t once try to do anything about it?” you hiss.

jaehyun frowns in confusion until doyoung dangles his phone in front of his face. when he watches the video, his face eventually contorts to one of amusement. “oh, that.”

your face is red with embarrassment. “yeah, that! like seriously? where is your loyalty? do you not care about my well being? you know how vicious these monsters can be!” you whine, gesturing at the said nine monsters behind you.

he nonchalantly shrugs, though you can see the corners of his lips threatening to curl into a smirk. “i do, but you were just too cute, seeing you all flustered. what about my own well being, huh? seeing you like that isn’t good for my heart,” he coos.

your heart leaps, but you mask it by smothering his face with a pillow. “you’re the worst,” you grumble.

“you act like you don’t like it, but i know you do~” he retaliates, albeit muffled from the pillow.

behind you two stands nine other boys, obviously unimpressed. watching you two engage in petty banter is always amusing, but not when it makes you flustered and encourages jaehyun to flirt with you like the cheesy, lovesick fool he is. “they’re so gross,” donghyuck gags.

johnny nods in agreement. “let’s get out of here before they start fucking on the counter.”

at johnny’s comment, you turn away from jaehyun so fast you swear you hear your neck crack. “do you have no filter?!” you shriek, exasperated.

with your guard down, jaehyun takes this as a chance to wrap his arms around your waist. a noise of surprise leaves your throat as he places his chin on your shoulder. “you’re so mean, (name). i liked the shy you a lot better~” he hums.

the other boys don’t even blink. “we’re going to leave now before things get bloody. good luck, (name),” taeyong says, saluting you.

jaehyun’s already tugging at the hem of your shirt and peppering your neck with kisses by the time the boys leave.

[renjuseyo]

can i pls request Lucas x male reader where Lucas is the popular kid and reader is really quiet, but lucas likes reader because of readers personality(not like other guys/girls who tries their best to let them get noticed by lucas) and Lucas always tease and talk to reader because of that. maybe add a scenario where reader gets bullied on why he's dating Lucas and Lucas comes in and comforts reader. Thats all thank you!💖

up to you ; lucas

group: nct / wayv

pairing: wong yukhei / reader (male)

synopsis: yukhei is your school’s most popular heartthrob, and you’re the quiet wallflower. can things be any more obvious?

genre: fluff

warning: bullying

i hope this satisfies you anon! personally i lost inspo so it’s not that good... i apologize :,) also i just realized how long my fics are, so oops? as always, feedback is greatly appreciated! <3

you’re in the library shelving piles of books into their respective slots, gently humming to yourself as you drum your fingers on the spine of a book. the library is silent for the most part, save for the low buzz of the fan by the entryway and your soft humming. it’s quiet and cozy, just how you like it.

the quiet ambience is slightly ruined by the loud rattling from the left. it startles you, but luckily you remain your balance and don’t plummet to your demise. when you look towards the source of the noise, you see yukhei standing by the bottom of the ladder, flashing you his signature rectangular grin. “hi (name)!” he chirps, waving at you. a warmth blossoms within you, but the chorus of agitated shushes distracts you. he cowers within himself, sending other students an apologetic look. “sorry,” he whispers.

“i didn’t expect to see you here,” you reply, turning your attention back to the books in your arms. there’s no malicious intent behind your words, because you genuinely would’ve thought he would spend his free period playing basketball with his friends, not in the library.

but he gasps with loud, feigned hurt. “i’m offended! just because i prefer sports over school doesn’t mean i won’t come in and pick up a book every now and then!” another round of shushes ripples throughout the room, though this time they’re paired with irritated glares. you’re among one of them.

“please be quiet, we’re in a library,” you remind him, stepping down a few rungs. he sends you an apologetic look, one that reminds you of a kicked puppy. “if you’re looking to borrow textbooks, the librarian’s up front. if not, you’re welcome to browse through.”

“nah, i already got all of my textbooks. i just came in to see you~” he winks, which you respond with by rolling your eyes. you promptly ignore the butterflies in your stomach. “oh come on, don’t be so mean. why don’t you ever react?”

“why should i? all you ever do is tease me,” you deadpan. you finish categorizing the last book and begin climbing down the ladder to grab a new pile. yukhei seems to notice this, eagerly scooping up a pile to hand to you. it doesn’t quite work out though, because his massive hands accidentally push them to the floor, and he winces, knowing what to expect. along with other disturbed patrons, you glare at him. you bend down to pick up the books, sighing. “you know, you’re lucky i haven’t kicked you out yet.”

“sorry,” he apologizes, sending you a sheepish smile. “sometimes i have no control over this massively tall body. i guess being short like you would be better, huh?”

for your age, you stand at a relatively average height. but yukhei is a little taller than most, standing at six feet. it really isn’t that big of a difference, but he still teases you for it all of the time.

you’re about to retort when you see two figures lurking by the other side of the shelf. you sigh, already knowing what to expect. something like this happens nearly every two days. “two of your so-called fans at nine o’clock.”

yukhei turns to face that direction and the two figures jump in surprise, confirming your suspicions. you see two girls step out from behind the shelf, timidly staring at you two. you recognize one of them, yujin, from your history class. “hi lucas,” the girl greets. it’s the nickname he goes by, the one that everyone is familiar with. you’re one of the few people that uses his real name, though.

you don’t even blink at the lack of acknowledgement. you’ve never really talked to yujin, save for the time she shared her notes with you. a real life saver. “oh hey yujin! is there something you need?” he asks. she looks pleasantly surprised that he remembers her.

you see the girl beside yujin, probably her wing woman, ushering her to hand him what appears to be a letter. not wanting to disturb the love confession that’s to come, you quietly grab the cart of books and roll it away from them. no one seems to notice though; the perks of being a wallflower.

five minutes later, you’re standing behind the counter of the check-out area, helping a few students check out textbooks. “is that everything you need?” you ask, not looking up from the computer screen.

“no, but i’d love to check you out.” you turn your head at the familiar voice and snort upon seeing yukhei.

“that was bad, even for you.”

“the only way you’d notice me,” he shrugs. you notice that he isn’t holding anything in his hands, and from the corner of your eyes you can see yujin and her friend walking towards the exit. judging from the way her friend rubs her shoulders, you can only guess that she’s been rejected like the others.

“you turned her down?” you ask.

yukhei sighs. for someone who receives several confessions, he never looks less guilty when rejecting them. “yujin is really sweet and smart, but i’m only interested in her as a friend. plus, between you and me?” he leans in as if telling you a secret. “i’m pretty sure her friend somi has a thing for her.”

you shake your head in sympathy. poor girl, having to be a wing woman for the girl you like. “well, that sucks.”

he frowns at your curt response, resting his arms on the counter. “you know, we haven’t been friends for very long, yet you never question why i reject everyone.”

you shrug, walking towards the storage room. “you’re just waiting for the right person, because contrary to popular belief, wong yukhei isn’t a heart breaker.”

yukhei can only forlornly watch as you head to the back. “i’ve found the right person, they just haven’t noticed yet,” he mutters.

if you’re being honest, you don’t quite remember how yukhei entered your life. after all, he’s way ahead in the social spectrum, surrounded by swarms of friends like some enforcer of happiness. on the other hand, you’re on the complete opposite side of that spectrum. you’re the quiet guy who minds your own business, so you don’t have many friends like he does, save for the few close ones you’ve made prior to high school. but one day, like the friendly giant he is, he magically appears by your side, and now his presence fills each of your days.

save for the times he teases you about your height and your personality, yukhei isn’t as bad as kids like you describe. sure, he’s loud and outspoken, every introvert’s nightmare, but he isn’t a jerk or a heart breaker like they whisper about. he’s quite the opposite, actually, his personality similar to a golden retriever. the way others perceive him never gets less funny for you. you’ve personally seen him get his nose stuck in a coat hanger before; how in the world does a klutz like him scream heart breaker material?

you’ve only known him for half a year, yet you feel like you’ve known him since childhood. he’s never quiet about his life, and he always seems genuinely interested in you. naturally, like the fool you are, you found yourself inevitably falling for him. it’s not like things will go your way - yukhei is at the center of the school’s attention, meaning he’s surrounded by plenty of suitors. it’s so cliche you’d laugh - the quiet guy pining over the school’s heart throb - but truthfully, you’d rather watch him excitedly talk about his interests or do anything that elicits a smile from him. you’ll have plenty of time to laugh later, anyways.

when you enter the cafeteria, you scan the cliques assembled at each table, looking for your own little group made up of you, mark, renjun, and donghyuck. it’s a mix of different personalities with even more different interests, but sharing the cast roles of trees in the third grade goes a long way.

your sight is quickly obscured by two massive hands, and you sigh, recognizing the cold feeling of a ring against your face. “guess who?” a voice above you sings.

“what are you doing here?” you ask. you quickly regain your sight as the hands slink away, and you turn around to face a smiling yukhei.

“here to grab food just like everyone else,” he answers, ruffling your hair. he laughs when he sees you try to remove his hand from your hair, yours impossibly small compared to his. “is this bothering you, tiny terror?” he teases.

“seriously?”

“sorry, did you say something? you’re a little too quiet.”

to a bystander, it would look like yukhei, the tall, popular kid, was bullying you, the average quiet wallflower. but your friendship all began with this “teasing”, so you don’t really mind anymore.

before you can say anything, you hear a crowd of guys headed your way. you take that as your cue to leave, removing his hand from your hair. luckily, you finally see your friends at a table at the other side of the room. “i’m going to go now. bye,” you say. before you get a response, you slink away from him.

as you slide in a seat beside mark, you catch renjun and donghyuck eyeing you with interest. you’ve known them long enough to know that look means trouble - specifically from renjun and donghyuck. mark is never a part of their schemes, wanting nothing more than a peaceful day. “can i help you?” you ask, leaning down to steal a fry from mark, who shrieks in protest.

"so, you and yukhei?” renjun gives you a knowing look, while mark gives you an apologetic one. you feel like you’ve just jumped straight into a trap.

“we’re friends. what about it?” you ask, taking more of mark’s food. at this point, he’s given up on fending it from your hands.

“he’s in denial,” donghyuck whispers, though you hear it loud and clear. “dude, he gives you heart eyes when you do so much as breathe. how does it feel, having a heart throb like him wrapped around your finger?”

the thought is baffling; you, having yukhei wrapped around your finger? “no comment because i don’t.” renjun and donghyuck boo at your comment. “enough with that nonsense already. we’re just friends. plus, i’m not going to swoon over him-”

“-like everyone else in the building?” mark finishes, pointing his head forward. you look up, and unsurprisingly, a swarm of people surround yukhei, and he’s eagerly chatting with them, probably thriving from the attention. you swear you see a glimpse of yet another letter from a guy you recognize from your biology class, but with so many people it’s hard to tell.

“you know, i don’t understand how people perceive him as a heart breaker. he’s like a clumsy puppy with too much energy for his own good,” you comment, munching on a fry.

“maybe because you’re one of the few people who actually know him well enough to determine that?” mark suggests. “he gets along with everyone, but he tails you like a puppy all of the time. it’s no wonder you know him well.”

you shrug. “maybe if he teased other people all the time, they’d probably get to know him better, too. apparently that’s how people befriend others these days.”

they all exchange a knowing look before staring at you. “riiight. because he teases everyone he wants to befriend. not because, you know, he’s interested in them,” renjun remarks.

you stare at yukhei for a little longer until he looks up and sees you. he frantically waves with a large grin, and you can’t help the small smile that forms on your lips as you wave back. when your hand falls and you go back to eating mark’s food, you shrug. “right.”

something you find odd about your schedule is how you have pe right after lunch. do teachers seriously think it’s a good idea to have students running laps right after eating? that only calls for disaster. it’s something you complain about every now and then to donghyuck, seeing how he’s the only person you can talk to.

“i heard we’re doing the mile run today,” donghyuck shares.

you groan, walking beside him. “i don’t care how many times we do it. i will never not complain about it. what makes him think running’s fun?”

“i don’t know, i think running’s pretty great,” a voice chimes. you don’t need to turn around to guess who it is, but you do anyways. unsurprisingly, yukhei’s right beside you, grinning his signature smile.

“easy for you to say. you’re built like a greek god and you have abnormally long legs. you’re like... a spider.”

yukhei chooses to ignore your comparison about the spider, instead beaming. “you think i’m built like a greek god?”

what a way to feed into his ego. “i take it back.”

he visibly deflates, pouting. “what! you can’t take it back, (name)! don’t hurt me like that!”

you’re about to retort back when donghyuck taps your shoulder. “lucas, (name), hi. i’d hate to bother your flirting session, so i’m going to bother yangyang now.”

“we’re not-” the words are barely out of your mouth before he slinks away from you two, but not before throwing up finger guns at you. you’re left alone with yukhei, who shoots you a cheeky wink.

the five minutes it takes for you to walk to the track field quickly goes by, having spent it conversing with yukhei. your teacher tasks everyone to partner up for the mile run, and your instincts are telling you to go to donghyuck, who’s been your partner each time. but then you see him approach yangyang with an intention in his eyes and you decide to go against it. the only other friend you have in this class would be...

you turn around to look for yukhei, but he’s no longer by your side, instead being encompassed by several guys. he doesn’t quite meet their gaze though, eyes flickering to you. he’s obviously occupied. to your dismay, there are no other options left, and you’d rather die than talk to other people.

someone taps your shoulder and you jump so high that even the perpetrator seems startled. you fearfully stiffen, contemplating the dozen methods of running away, but when you turn around, you visibly relax. it’s hendery, one of your classmates. you don’t know him too well, but you share most of your classes together. “hey (name), you still looking for a partner?” he asks.

“yeah, i am. are you?" of course he’s looking for a partner. why else would he approach you? great. now he’s going to think you’re weird, and then you’re not going to have a-

“perfect, so am i! do you want to run first, or should i?” he flashes you a smile that eases your nerves, and the butterflies in your stomach still.

“i don’t have a preference.”

“okay, then i’ll go first. be sure to keep a good eye on me, okay?” he sends you a flirty wink, and you’re taken aback by the sudden motion, lightly blushing. he seems to notice this, too, grinning at your silence. “i’ve been told i’m a good runner. i hope i impress you~”

your mind is running faster than your body could ever, still trying to process hendery’s boldness. “oh. well, i bet you’re far better than me. i’m not a good runner,” you awkwardly laugh.

it’s only been a few minutes, but you find yourself pleasantly surprised to become acquainted with hendery, though it’s mainly hendery doing the talking since you’re not quite out of your shell yet. in the five minutes you’ve known him, you learn that he’s the captain of the track team and strangely enough, really likes hot dogs. you go through the five stages of regret upon learning this, because your running won’t even begin to compare to his. but he gently assures you it isn’t a big deal, even patting your shoulder.

you decide that hendery’s ability to put people at ease is incredible, because you’re too absorbed with his presence to notice the look yukhei sends from afar.

after that, you and hendery quickly befriended each other. your relationship kind of reminds you of your’s with yukhei because of how different you are, but unlike him, he doesn’t tease you all of the time. you’re not sure how to feel when you find yourself missing it.

on the bright side, he’s a great friend to hang out with when others are busy. renjun and donghyuck have volleyball practice? you go to the arcade with hendery. mark has speech and debate? you get tacos with hendery. yukhei is busy... being the social butterfly he is? you go over to hendery’s house. your increase in hangouts has definitely made your friends suspicious, with donghyuck going as far as accusing you of cheating on yukhei, whatever that means. it’s not like you two are dating, anyways.

(the thought reminds you just how impossible the concept is, and you would be lying if you said you weren’t bothered by it.)

your third period is when you act as mrs. choi’s library assistant. you’re sitting by the counter, flipping through the latest issue of haikyu!! when you hear footsteps approach you. having to act like the responsible assistant, you quickly tuck the book away, but not fast enough judging from hendery’s smirk. “so mr. studious isn’t quite so studious, is he?” he asks.

“i don’t know what you’re talking about,” you shrug. “anyways, what are you doing here? do you have a free period like-” you quickly stop in your tracks. the name stands at the tip of your tongue, but for some reason, a part of you tells you not to say it.

thankfully he doesn’t question your abrupt pause. “no, i have math. pauses for boos,” he sighs. “anyways, can you check this out for me?” he slides a thick textbook your direction.

“sure. student id?” you go through the procedure of checking out his book, which doesn’t take long. “okay, you’re good to go.”

he doesn’t immediately leave though, eyes never leaving your frame. “(name)?”

you pull out your book, flipping back to the page you were on. “yeah?” there’s a pause, which is unlike hendery. from what you know, he’s confident and doesn’t take breaks, which makes you look up from your book. he looks almost... nervous? “are you okay?”

he pauses to take a deep breath, and you’re suddenly embracing for something serious. “would you go on a d-”

“hey (name), hendery! what a coincidence seeing you here!”

you look behind hendery and is surprised to see yukhei approach you with a strained smile. you’ve been hanging out with hendery so much that you haven’t seen yukhei in a while, aside from your shared classes.

at this point, the other patrons in the library have already gotten used to his loud voice, and seeing how you never once kicked him out, they stopped shushing him altogether. “it isn’t a coincidence, yukhei. you know i’m here during third period.” you squint at his appearance. he looks stiff, sweaty even. “are you okay?”

hendery looks like he knows something you don’t, glaring at yukhei. “we’re in a library, or have you forgotten?” there’s an obvious bite in his words, one that shocks you. you had no idea they didn’t like each other, but seeing their mutual glares, it’s kind of obvious now.

“sorry, i had to get my point across,” yukhei responds. he turns to face you, and his smile quickly fades into one of genuine. “hey (name), can i talk to you about something?” he turns to give hendery the stink eye. “in private?”

“he can’t abandon his responsibility as mrs. choi’s assistant, much less for you,” hendery snaps.

okay, you’re really missing something big here. in an attempt to clear the tense atmosphere, you clear your throat. “can it wait...” you glance at the clock. “five minutes? mrs. choi should be back then.”

yukhei nods, giving hendery a triumphant smirk. “of course.”

five minutes later, mrs. choi comes back, allowing you to slink into the empty hallway with yukhei. “before you tell me what you need to tell me- what the hell was that?”

he gives you an oblivious look. “what was what?”

“the tension between you and hendery!” you exclaim. “you two looked like you were going to shoot each other had i not been there.”

he looks genuinely surprised that you noticed. what does he take you for, a dunce? “oh, that? we’ve never really gotten along... but recently, we found out we both like the same person, so that kind of worsened things.”

you nod, though the thought of yukhei finding his right person surprises you, and a small part feels a little disappointed. rightfully so, because not only is it not you, but because he didn’t bother telling you! “you finally found the right person for you?”

“for a while now, actually,” he corrects. now you’re even more surprised; yukhei found someone he liked and hadn’t once told you? the betrayal! “i just haven’t been able to tell them.”

“well, who is it?” you sigh, shaking your head. “you had all of these chances to tell me, and you didn’t even try? i’m disappointed.” technically he would be saving you from heartbreak by not telling you, but that’s beside the point.

“well, that would ruin the surprise then. i was planning on confessing,” he explains, giving you a cheeky smile.

this is fine, this is fine... except it’s not, you mentally narrate. you’re already flashing him a strained smile. “when?” you ask.

yukhei’s smile never once fades, and you’re tempted to wipe it off his face. “right now.” he sweeps his arm in a flourish. “i like you, (name) (last name).”

a pause. you’re frozen in your spot, replaying his words in your head.

i like you, (name) (last name).

this must be some sort of fever dream. or an elaborate prank; you frantically look around for someone to jump out in front of you, camera in hand. but to your shock, you’re still wearing clothes, and no one jumps out. “did i hear that right?” you gawk.

yukhei’s still grinning; your shocked look seems to satisfy him. “i like you. you’re the person i was talking about.”

you’ve been duped - bamboozled! “am i dreaming?”

he laughs, ruffling your hair. “this is very much real, cutie. do you want me to kiss you to prove it?” you visibly flush, hiding your face behind your hands. he’s always teased you, but this it the first time he’s really flirted like this. has he been holding back on your account? he peels your hands off your face, cooing at how red you are. “may i ask for your answer?”

your face is still warm, eyes refusing to meet his. he’s holding your hands, and it feels like he’s holding your heart in them, too. “why?” you’re not asking this because of your insecurities, but because you’re genuinely curious. if he’s shown signs that he likes you, he’s done a great job at making it subtle. 

(yukhei’s definitely not subtle though, which means you probably didn’t notice because you’re just that dense.)

“i like your personality,” he begins. “you’re a breath of fresh air among the familiar, the quiet in my loud. i think we fit really well. plus, teasing you is a bonus, seeing you get all bothered.” he caresses your hands, and you’re suddenly keenly aware of where you two are. “you know, i would’ve made things more extravagant, but hendery was going to sweep you off your feet, so i had to make things quick.”

wait, hendery likes you too? then at the library... this feels like a wattpad fanfic. but instead of pondering on that, you roll your eyes. “even if he said anything, i wouldn’t have accepted.”

his face contorts to one of surprise, but it takes him a few seconds to understand the implications behind your comment. “does that mean you like me, too?” he hums, eyes twinkling in delight.

you hate feeding into his ego, but you decide right now is an exception. “maybe.”

you immediately regret it though, seeing him grin like the cheshire cat. you’re never going to hear the end of it now. “i even managed to woo you with my charms, huh?”

“shut up.”

“with your lips? because i’d love that.” he leans down, batting his eyelashes, and you’re heating up all over again. at first, you take it as another one of his flirty remarks, but the look he gives you is a silent question of consent. it reminds you of how no matter how much he teases you, he would never do anything to make you uncomfortable, never do anything without permission.

there are several thoughts swirling in your head and many things you need to discuss with yukhei. how will the general public react learning about this? will you be harassed by his hoard of fans? will things even work? but instead, you grab his hand and begin walking to a secluded part of the wing. ignoring the what-if’s is very unlike you, but you have more important matters to tend to. “we have to talk about this later.”

yukhei can only hum in agreement as your breath fans over his lips.

as mentioned earlier, yukhei isn’t subtle at all, so it’s no surprise that soon the whole school finds out about your relationship. you can’t be mad at him though, because he really did try. but then he accidentally let it slip during basketball practice, bragging about how you were an amazing kisser. you can’t really be mad at his comment, anyways.

to your dismay, your popularity has soared being yukhei’s boyfriend. you much prefer the times when people had to ask for your name again, because now they all label you as lucas’s boyfriend. like, you have a name. plus, high school students are incredibly nosy. but people are nice, for the most part.

needless to say, your friends had a field day with you upon hearing the news. apparently renjun and donghyuck had made bets on you, to which the former had triumphed. mark simply congratulated you as he struggled to stop the two from fighting each other.

to your surprise, hendery had approached you and congratulated you two on the manner. he ruffled your hair and told you that he’s always available if you ever choose to drop yukhei, to which the latter responded by lunging at him. you didn’t have time to question hendery about the events in the library from the past week, having to stop your boyfriend from fighting him.

your days at school have certainly become livelier. for starters, yukhei has become much more open about expressing affection, though the displays in public are nothing compared to in private. his friends were also quick to introduce themselves to you, even going as far as stealing you from him. you’re pretty sure you’ve become an honorary member of the basketball team now. things have seemed to calm down now, though your friends still tease your relationship every now and then. you try to go by your day with minimal interaction as usual, save for yukhei and your friends.

today was supposed to be your free day, but mrs. choi had called you asking if you could finish up things in the library, having to leave early for a doctor’s appointment. like the kind assistant you were, you had accepted with no hesitation, finishing up her tasks. however, you did feel like you were forgetting something important.

you’ve just finished shelving the final textbook when you hear footsteps approach you. you turn your head, expecting to see the janitor, but you’re startled to come face-to-face with a guy. judging from the threatening look on his face, you can tell you’re in for an unpleasant conversation. and if that’s the case, it’s probably because of yukhei.

with his popularity and your relationship, it isn’t surprising that there were a few that weren’t too happy to see you together. he isn’t some object that wannabe teenagers have ownership over. however, many are yet to grasp that concept. “how can i help you?” you politely ask.

you barely have any time to blink before you’re being pushed against the bookshelf, trapped in between his arms. this feels like a showdown between the love interest and the wannabe, the latter fighting for the affections of the male lead. “listen up, (last name),” the guy snarls. “you better stay away from lucas. you don’t deserve him.”

under normal circumstances, you would be terrified. but apparently you have a death wish, saying, “and you do?”

you close your eyes, bracing for a fist to your face, but surprisingly, it never comes. you squeak an eye open to see him looking down at you with a smirk. “whatever he sees in you, it won’t be there long. did he ever tell you how much he hates boring people?”

usually jerks like him don’t bother you, but... boring? you may be quiet, but you don’t think you’re that boring... right? the stranger releases his hold on you. before he can say any more, the library doors swing open, and like some knight in shining armor, there stands yukhei who looks out of breath. “(name)? hyunjung?”

you two are lucky he didn’t see your position earlier, otherwise it would beg for some unpleasant questions. “hi lucas,” hyunjung politely greets, doing a quick bow. a complete 180 from his personality from earlier. “i was just leaving.”

yukhei nods as hyunjung walks away from you two. he approaches you, pouting. “i was looking all over for you! did you forget about our date today?”

oh, so that’s what you were forgetting. you absentmindedly nod, still thinking of hyunjung’s words from earlier. “oh, sorry.”

he must sense some hostility in you, because he gently grabs your shoulders. “hey, are you okay? you look a little shaken up.”

usually you bottle up your worries; when they overfill, you shove them down even further. but yukhei is the complete opposite, so open about himself like he has nothing to hide. perhaps it’s because you spend so much time with him that his candid tendencies have rubbed onto you. “are you sure you’re okay with this?” you ask.

he tilts his head in confusion. “okay with what?”

you shrug, trying to show hyunjung’s words didn’t bother you as much as it had. “dating me?”

instantly he narrows his eyes, tightening his grip. “did- did hyunjung say something to make you think that way? is that why he came in here?” he protectively wraps his arms around you. “remind me to give him a lesson next time.” you snort; yukhei can’t even hurt a fly. if he does, it’s unintentional, and he always screams at the realization.

“i mean, i usually don’t listen to jerks like that, but-” you pause to gesture at yourself. “i’m your polar opposite, and as funny i think i am, i’m pretty quiet and boring. plus, you hate boring people, or at least people too stuck up for their own good.”

yukhei musters all of the sincerity in his eyes. “but that’s what makes us work so well, (name). i think i’m really cool and nice and all-” you snort at the comment. while all of those adjectives are true, it doesn’t make it less funnier, seeing how much confidence he has. “but i also have my flaws. i can be hotheaded, and i’m bad at saying no. but you help balance them out. you keep me leveled, and you’re always firm about what you want. plus, i help balance your flaws, too; we just work like that.” he squishes your cheeks together, eliciting a sound of protest from you. “if i don’t have a problem with a cutie like you, they shouldn’t, either.”

“some have yet to grasp the concept of treating you like a taken man,” you answer, though it comes out muffled. he giggles at the acknowledgement, leaning down to peck your nose. a garbled noise leaves your throat, and you close your eyes in embarrassment.

“maybe i should show them just how taken i am,” he hums. he promptly removes his hands from your face and wraps an arm around your shoulder. “how about we start by going on our date?”

despite how simple his resolution seems, you know you and yukhei will have another deeper discussion about today’s events. whereas he likes solving things with cuddles and kisses, you like to do it with deep conversations. that can wait for now. “let me lock up first. we’re getting food, right?”

when you look up at him, you suddenly realize what donghyuck meant when he said yukhei looks at you with heart eyes. the look he gives you is so sweet you feel like you’re getting cavities. it’s so endearing you nearly forget all of your insecurities, only focusing on how much he seems to adore you. he always seems to know what to do when you’re in a slump. “of course! gotta feed the cutie here,” he answers, leaning down to kiss the crown of your head.

you roll your eyes with a laugh, though you sneakily wrap your fingers with his. you’ll have plenty of time to repay the favor later.

[renjuseyo]

If you don't mind, can i request one more with Soonyoung? It can be fluff or anything. Reader awestruck with Hoshi clothes on going seventeen magazine and can't help but to tease him seeing how shy he is wearing it. He looks really good on it and he's too cute when he try to hide his belly that i can't help but to think about it hahaha

tease ; hoshi

group: seventeen

pairing: kwon soonyoung / reader (gender-neutral)

synopsis: as seventeen’s stylist, it goes without saying that you’re surrounded by gorgeous people all the time, though none have made you as awestruck as hoshi has.

genre: fluff

this is so bad... i bow my head in shame... it’s pretty short but i lost inspo haha. i also made this gender-neutral since you didn’t specify the gender, i hope you don’t mind :)

for someone of your talents, you’re a stylist that those in the entertainment industry keep an eye out. but for someone of your talents that’s so young? you’re respected among stylists like you - a rising star, if you will. because of this, you’re often sought out from several agencies, looking to hire someone of your talents.

however, of all the agencies that had offered you a position, you ultimately decided to become a stylist at pledis entertainment, a renowned agency home to several esteemed bands like seventeen, nu’est, and pristin. one reason was as a fan of seventeen, you greatly respected them as self-producing idols and wanted to work in the same environment as them.

(yep, that’s definitely it. totally not because one of the managers is your friend who bribed you with ice cream. nope.)

it’s been exactly two years since you were appointed as one of pledis’s stylists, specifically for the boys of seventeen. your experience as their coworkers is definitely pleasant, to say the least. they’re respectful and fun people to let loose around, a contrast from the perfect, strict beings the camera portrays. while you admit that they’re all so gorgeous you feel like you should be charged for every minute you stare at them, your relationship with them is strictly professional. you do your job, they do theirs.

but apparently today is not one of those days. going seventeen is a popular show where the boys of seventeen participate in fun activities, and the content with the addition of their personalities has even reached those from other fandoms. you’ve helped style the boys and have personally been there to experience the activity and their shortcomings with them, such activities ranging from running around a haunted house to their dilemma over a failed episode. truly an uplifting experience.

for the year 2020, the members each chose an activity they were interested in doing to film. as it is now january 2021, the final month for this season’s going seventeen, there is only one member’s idea left to film. that member just so happens to be mingyu, who had expressed interest in holding a self-produced photoshoot for a self-produced magazine. on days where you both do your respective jobs, today is one where they take over your’s, apparently.

(curse talented self-producing idols, you bitterly think to yourself. for why do they have to be so talented and good at everything?)

though today was supposed to be where the boys took over the dressing rooms and the directors filmed the process, you were put in charge of supervising them should things go wrong. but honestly, what’s the worst that could happen? a fashion faux pas? minghao is here, so that would never happen, not on his watch. a makeup mishap? joshua recently expressed an interest in makeup, so there shouldn’t be a problem, either. but you suppose watching them work their way through it should be interesting. pair those with good style like mingyu and those that throw on anything remotely clean like vernon... this should be fun.

you’re pleasantly surprised to see that the photoshoot is going smoothly. it’s not like you expect things to end up in flames, but with how reckless some of them can be, you wouldn’t be surprised.

all of the members have their designated roles: mingyu is the head photographer, seungcheol and chan are his assistants, joshua and minghao are in charge of clothes, junhui and jihoon are in charge of hair, jeonghan and vernon are in charge of interviewing the models, wonwoo is in charge of videography, and soonyoung, dokyeom, and seungkwan are in charge of being the dj’s slash mood makers. most of them take to it with great care, to your surprise.

the camera has been filming nonstop, and you watch them all diligently do their tasks. since you’re specifically in charge of their clothes, you keep a watchful eye on joshua and minghao and are impressed to see how well they do. while there are some match ups that you personally think could be tweaked, it makes no difference, especially when the models make them look that good. seeing how serious they are makes you wonder if they ever watch you like that, paying attention to the little details.

the members each take their turn taking individual shots and shots with a partner of their choice. whenever one member finishes their shot, you make sure to stop them to praise their appearance. you also make sure to shower them with all praise with how well they’re doing their job. you joke about how they could replace your position and you wouldn’t be mad.

(maybe a little, considering how the paycheck you get is the only thing that keeps you going, but that’s beside the point.)

dokyeom has just finished his shoot, making his way back to the dj booth where seungkwan is. he approaches you with a wide smile, out of camera shot. “how’d i do?” he asks.

“you did great,” you respond with a smile. “i’m sure your photobook is going to turn out amazing, with how great you all look.”

he blushes a pretty pink. “thanks!” he chirps before making a beeline back to the dj booth, where seungkwan is unsuccessfully trying to draw the crowd’s attention.

you turn your attention back to the events unfolding before you. mingyu’s making some adjustments on the camera, looking through dokyeom’s shots. “hoshi-hyung, it’s your turn now!” he yells.

“give us a second... and done!” joshua announces, gesturing at him with a flourish. you turn to look at him, and your jaw drops.

soonyoung is shyly fiddling with the sleeves of his denim jacket. while you may have creative disagreements with joshua and minghao, you definitely have no issues with this one. he sports a cropped denim jacket that exposes his stomach and a pair of denim jeans that brush against his ankles with a black fedora hat to top it off. sure, denim on denim might be something you personally wouldn’t wear, but hey, some people make them look good. soonyoung is one of those people.

“over here,” mingyu calls out, gesturing towards the center of the backdrop. he does as he’s instructed, your eyes never once leaving him. he poses, though you can see him subtly hanging his arm in front of his stomach.

the others seem to notice this too, poking fun at his shyness. “he’s hiding his stomach,” seungcheol laughs. “going for the mysterious concept.”

apparently mingyu doesn’t quite like this concept, angling his camera vertically. “can you move your arm?” he asks.

you watch soonyoung pout before doing as he’s instructed. he raises his arm to a 45 degree angle, looking to the right. you can see how nervous he is, probably from exposing his stomach and the several pairs of eyes on him, but you can’t find it in yourself to look away. not when he looks this good.

all of the members of seventeen have undoubtedly inspired you to work harder and be a better person. you’ve learned several lessons from them and have watched their passion and dreams drive them to become the people they are now. personally the leaders of seventeen stand out to you the most, but of the three, soonyoung undoubtedly captivates your attention like no other. you’re not quite sure if it’s because of how versatile he is; he dances so gracefully, and despite his child-like behavior, he exudes an aura perfect for leading the performance unit. he also sings so well, so softly, that you wouldn’t be surprised if he was in the vocal unit. his rough voice and demonstration in songs like in bring it and just do it have also shown you he’s capable of being in the rap unit. he might just be the best all-rounder that you know, garnering attention from all around when he’s on stage.

even when he’s doing nothing, he still manages to captivate your attention like now.

what you feel for soonyoung isn’t exactly a crush, like your friend teases you about it. since you work in the same environment, you would say it’s admiration since you’re also a fan. plus, it’s because you work in the same environment that feelings that go further than inspiration and awe would be very unprofessional.

(you grimace at the times where you were only a fan, not their stylist. the times you spent screaming over them and analyzing their movements... yup, definitely unprofessional. they don’t need to know that, though.)

“pretty, right?” a voice beside you hums. you don’t need to look away to know it’s jeonghan standing beside you, proudly admiring soonyoung.

this is a trap, the voice in your head echoes. but... if you say no, that will definitely beg for some unpleasant questions. if you say yes, you’ll get the same outcome, especially since jeonghan can probably read minds with how scarily accurate his guesses can be. “yeah, he looks really good,” you answer.

jeonghan rolls his eyes. “come on, (name), is that all you can give me? no swooning about how he’s drop dead gorgeous?” he whines.

you’re not sure what he expected. “uh, i guess? i mean yeah, he looks really good. joshua and minghao did a great job styling him.”

he blows a raspberry, shaking his head. “you’re no fun.”

“what did you expect, jeonghan? i’m here to supervise, not scream over your every move.”

“you could have fooled me, with how intensely you’re staring at hoshi,” jeonghan hums. “you haven’t once looked away from him, not even to drink your water.” he points at the bottle in your hand, and you realize you hadn’t once looked away since soonyoung stepped up. “are you perhaps taking your supervising job seriously over a photo shoot like this, or are you just awestruck by him?” with the way your eyes widen at the realization, you can tell he’s gotten the reaction he wanted, walking away from you with a triumphant smirk.

conniving little thing, you think to yourself. he really knows how to mess with your head.

time seems to have flown by. mingyu just wrapped up the shooting for the night, and now everyone’s mingling by the sofa, obviously tired. on the other side of the room, jeonghan and vernon are interviewing the models about this year’s going seventeen and their aspirations for the new year. you’re standing by a table piled high with food, sipping a cup of orange juice. mingyu’s taking a few more shots, currently with joshua, dokyeom, jihoon, and seungkwan by the punch table.

from the corner of your eyes you can see soonyoung idly standing on the other side of you, eyes searching for a snack. he’s now in more comfortable clothes, wearing a white turtleneck and a black feathery jacket, more suitable for the cold weather of january. now that you think about it, you haven’t praised him like the others yet. which is strange, seeing how much he deserved it.

“hey hoshi,” you greet with a smile. “you know, i didn’t have the chance to tell you, but you looked really good today. joshua and minghao did a great job with your clothes.”

soonyoung flushes a color similar to the backdrop. he bashfully plucks at a cookie perched on a stand. you two are comfortable with each other, able to openly joke around, but this is the first time you’ve seen him so flustered. “oh, thank you.”

you’ve always emphasized the importance of professionalism, but at the end of the day you’re still a human being with urges. seeing how shy he got from your compliment sparks an unknown bravery in you, because you shoot him a flirty smile. “i’m serious, hoshi. you’re probably the prettiest person i’ve ever seen. plus, you looked really cute, trying to hide your belly.”

“you’re flattering me too much,” soonyoung mumbles.

“but you deserve all of the praise,” you fire back. “you really left other models jobless. mingyu did such a good job, seeing how pretty your photos came out.” the words are out of your mouth before you can stop them, but seeing how he curls within himself, red with embarrassment, only encourages you to keep going. you have no reason to stop, not when he reacts like this.

“stop,” he mutters, looking away. you nearly coo.

“what’s with the lack of confidence?” you ask, leaning in with a smirk. “where’s the confident hoshi with his tiger-like gaze?” it’s a challenge, a chance for him to fight back against your relentless praising. well, teasing.

“shut up,” he splutters. he’s burning a shade of red so fierce you think he’s going to pass out at any moment. from the corner of your eyes, you see some of the boys staring at you with curiosity or amusement.

it never gets old, seeing how easily flustered he can get. “you’re cute,” you laugh. as if that was the final straw, he takes a step back. that doesn’t go very well though, because he accidentally steps on a corner of the tablecloth and slips; thankfully the food and the table remains intact, but soonyoung’s lying face-down on the floor. “oh my god, are you alright?! i’m so sorry!” you exclaim in horror, kneeling down beside him.

“don’t apologize. that was my fault...” he mumbles. “ugh, this is so embarrassing.”

seeing how your words literally made him trip over his own feet, you decide now’s a good time to stop teasing. “come on, let’s get you up.” you offer a hand to him, to which he sheepishly grabs a hold of. you hoist him up until he’s standing upright, still looking embarrassed. “are you okay?”

he nods, dusting off his clothes. “yeah, i’m fine. sorry,” he apologizes, sending you a sheepish smile.

you shake your head. “i should be the one apologizing, not you. i’m sorry if i made you uncomfortable. that wasn’t very polite of me.”

he widens his eyes and quickly shakes his head. “you didn’t make me uncomfortable!” he exclaims.

you know you’re supposed to stop teasing him, but one more remark won’t hurt, right? your worried eyes are replaced with your teasing ones. “does kwon soonyoung here have a praise kink?” you ask, obnoxiously wiggling your eyebrows.

he wails in embarrassment, burying his face in his hands in embarrassment. “i just keep digging a deeper hole for myself, aren’t i?” he groans.

you laugh, reassuringly patting his shoulder. “it’s okay. you’re trying your best.” you tear your eyes away from his hunched over frame and see nearly everyone, save for the camera directors, staring at you. with the sudden attention, you’re tempted to cower away from their gaze, but then jeonghan sends you a thumbs up of encouragement, washing away your worries. “i still feel bad for making you slip and for embarrassing you so much though. is there any way i can make you feel better? if you’re hurt, i can get you an ice pack-”

“or,” chan yells from afar, “you take him out for food!” you look up at him, who’s lounging on the sofa with junhui and wonwoo. “please.” you see an amused smirk on his lips, probably enjoying this as much as you are.

“buzz off!” soonyoung yells, embarrassed. chan makes a buzzing noise similar to a bee, earning loud laughs from junhui and wonwoo. he turns his attention back to you, and you can see his face has lightened in color. “they’re so annoying, i’m so sorry.”

you smile, shaking your head. “it’s okay. it’s not a bad suggestion, though. unless you’re opposed to it, of course-”

“no!” his outburst is so loud that it stuns the room into silence, and his face darkens. “i mean,” he coughs, clearing his throat, “i would not be opposed to it.”

you look up at the clock, and you’re surprised to see how late it’s getting. with a teasing smile, you pat him on the shoulder. “then i’ll hold you to that.” you lean in, breath fanning his ear. you can see him jolt in surprise, goosebumps probably forming by his neck. “you have my number, so call me anytime.”

you grab your belongings and thank everyone for their hard work. you take a step out of the door and send soonyoung a wink, though you can’t quite see his reaction; you’ve never had the greatest vision.

you’re out of the door and making your way towards your car when your phone comes alight with a new notification.

kwon soonyoung: i appreciate your praise, but just know payback will be coming to you tenfold ;) [11:21 PM]

you smirk.

you: looking forward to seeing you try. i hope you’ll be able to form coherent words this time. [11:22 PM]

you chuckle when you hear a loud shriek from the building.

[renjuseyo]

mean ; jun

group: seventeen

pairing: wen junhui / reader (gender-neutral)

synopsis: junhui thinks you’re the shortest and snarkiest person he’s ever met. you think he’s the tallest menace that society has to offer.

genre: fluff, crack

warnings: explicit language, sexual humor

this is purely self-indulgent, a little something i whipped up because i just need a little junhui in light of everything that’s happened. this is my first reader-insert fic, but who knows? might make more if it gauges good responses :>

you’re slinking out of your best friend soonyoung’s bedroom, groggy from sleeping so late. having stayed the night, you two stayed up playing video games and binge-watching anime before ultimately falling asleep on each other, though soonyoung had woken up earlier than you to attend dance practice.

it’s currently one pm, and he’s supposed to be at practice for an hour longer. so you’re surprised to see him slipping off his shoes at the entryway with his friend chan, and...

your face instantly sours as you see the 6’0 tall menace that comes in the form of wen junhui, the computer science major who lives to torment you.

soonyoung notices you leaning on the door frame, arms folded and face puffy. “oh hey bestie, i thought you’d still be asleep! i brought jun and chan over, i hope you don’t mind.”

the look you give him shows that you definitely do mind, especially since junhui’s presence is enough to ruin your mood. he can tell that, too, sending you his signature smug smirk. “you don’t need permission to invite people to your own house,” he replies.

you roll your eyes and walk past the trio and into the kitchen. “i’ve been with soonyoung through his worst phases, i think letting me stay at his place is the least he could do.”

you can hear soonyoung and chan deeply immersed in a conversation about choreography, but you’re too occupied on getting some food in your stomach. you scour through his kitchen, peeking through drawers and shelves, only to find that there are no signs of ramen.

“soonyoung, where’s your ramen packets? they’re not where they usually are!” you holler.

there’s a brief pause. “in the cabinets!” he yells back.

just your luck. as tedious as your height is, being short and all, you suppose it makes you an expert at climbing cabinets. a shelf connoisseur, if you will. you sigh and clamber up the cabinets, knees propped on the counter when you hear someone shuffling behind you. someone’s snickering in the back, and you roll your eyes. you don’t need to turn around to guess who it is.

“can you stop laughing and be a decent human being for once? help me out here,” you hiss.

junhui sighs, but he walks past you. “i’d love to help you out, but i just can’t seem to see you,” he responds.

“i hope you trip on your socks and get a concussion,” you deadpan, opening the cabinets.

(but a minor one. so he doesn’t have to stay hospitalized or anything.)

junhui’s known you long enough to know your threats are all bark and no bite. yet he still moans, heavily exaggerated. “oh, don’t tease me!”

“can you two bring your sexual tension somewhere else? i will actually demolish you two if you have sex in my kitchen,” you hear soonyoung holler. you nearly fall off the counter at how blunt he is.

“fuck off!” you retort. when you open up a cabinet and find the missing ramen, you pluck one out from a box and slide down the counter. junhui’s looking at you, obviously amused.

“is the little one flustered?” he mocks, approaching you with grabby hands.

you promptly walk up to him and smack his hands as hard as you can, eliciting a pained yelp from him. “kiss my ass,” you snarl.

he waves his hand around to lessen the pain, but he still manages to flash you a smile and even bats his eyelashes. “time and place?”

you and junhui have an interesting relationship, if you can even call it that. you two don’t hate each other, but he’s nothing close to a friend. if anything, he’s probably your mortal enemy.

you had came to this conclusion about three months ago when you had first met the boy. after much pestering on your friend soonyoung’s part, you had reluctantly tagged along on a hangout with him, junhui, and their mutual friends minghao and chan. soonyoung had wanted to introduce you to them and perhaps set you up with one of them.

to this day, when you look back, you can’t help but laugh. sure, you can imagine yourself dating minghao, but chan? you both would rather run around naked than kiss each other. for you and minghao, you both have good chemistry, though you will always seem as a brother-figure, not a lover.

on the other hand, junhui? the idea is so laughable that soonyoung would win the comedian of the year award.

you can clearly remember your first encounter, standing before three men. one is impossible tall, you noted; if you thought soonyoung was tall, this man was a giant. you four had gone through brief introductions, quickly learning that the taller of the three was named junhui and the others minghao and chan.

you had been ready to get your game on when junhui had asked, “when were you born?”

“oh, me? 1999,” you answered. it’s a question commonly asked in korea, so you’re unfazed by how abrupt it is.

but.

“you’re really fucking short,” he blurted.

height has never been a sensitive topic for you. your friends tease you all the time which results in a very aggressive shove from you, but it’s not like you’re actually offended. you know that you’re not the tallest, but you’ve spent your childhood and adulthood climbing up cabinets. at this point, you’re an expert now. something you take pride in, even.

when a complete stranger comments on your height, though, especially as if it’s a hindrance, you do what your mother taught you. thus, like the obedient child you are, you marched right up to junhui and kicked him in the shins, leaving in a huff with a worried soonyoung trailing behind you.

apparently that moment had sparked an interest in junhui, his shining eyes never leaving your retreating silhouette. you, on the other hand, don’t like to judge based on first impressions. but you decided junhui was an exception.

it had been three days since that disaster of an encounter, and you had nearly forgotten about it. it’s friday afternoon and you had just gotten out of class, currently walking down the street on your way for your first day of work. working at a boba chain doesn’t exactly reap in the riches, but you’re a broke college student who needs to make money. you’re a little excited, though. you’ve wanted to try your hand at working at a boba store since you were in middle school, and this was the perfect opportunity for you.

you push the door open and is surprised to see how packed it is. there are people mingling around the store, presumably waiting for their drinks. you awkwardly shift from one foot to another, because you’re not quite sure where to go.

fortunately, someone behind the counter can tell that you look like a lost sheep in a crowd of wolves. “excuse me! you’re (name), right?” she calls out. you timidly nod, approaching the woman. “perfect! my name’s sejeong!” she sends you a smile that reminds you of a warm hug. “come on behind here, our manager jaewoo is out with a cold, so one of our employees will walk you through today,” she explains. “if you ever need anything, just let me know!” you decide then that sejeong is probably the sweetest human being to grace the earth, further proving this when she smiles and pats your shoulder.

you’re guided to the back to put on your uniform and instructed to wait for said employee while sejeong disappears to the front. just as you’re adjusting your apron, you hear footsteps approach you. “hey, you’re the new kid, right? cool, i’m...” you hear his voice trail off, and for some reason, it’s vaguely familiar, but you can’t quite put your finger on who it is.

it isn’t until you turn around with wide eyes to come face-to-face with a smirking junhui that you realize. ‘fuck.’

“well hello there short stuff! i guess i’m going to be your guide,” he smirks, his tone taunting. for someone who’s first words to you were “you’re really fucking short”, he’s bold. not a single apology whatsoever.

“you’re not the manager, right?” you ask. he looks slightly confused, but he shakes his head. “good. because i hope someone spills something on the floor for you to slip on so i can see you eat shit.”

junhui’s eyes glimmer in amusement; for someone who just got told to eat shit, he looks oddly happy. “ooh, this’ll be fun.”

(to your surprise, your days at work turn out to be quite pleasant. other than junhui’s unbearably annoying personality, he’s not the worst to work with; he actually knows what he’s doing, which you can respect. you’d have to be dangled over a tank of piranhas first before you’d admit that, though.)

your day is supposed to go like this: wake up, go to class, eat, go to work, eat some more, and sleep. maybe squeak in some time to cry about school while you’re at it.

what it’s not supposed to look like: waking up on the floor and arriving to class late, but not before spilling your smoothie all over the classroom floor. at least you were able to squeak in some time to cry about school, except that happened much earlier than expected. who cries about school at eleven am?

even after you’re profusely apologizing to your professor and even helped mop his floor, you aren’t able to catch a break, which is evident when you realize that you’re now late for work. thankfully your coworkers are pretty lenient, and you’re never late, so if you are, it’s probably from some unforeseen incident.

after sprinting so fast that the flash would be dumbfounded, you hurtle through the doors like you just won a marathon. luckily you’re only late by a minute, but to your dismay, you come face-to-face with a smug junhui, who leans in to ruffle your hair and tease your sweaty frame. sejeong and jaewoo, the quiet manager, aren’t here, either, so there’s nothing stopping his relentless teasing. you don’t even have the energy in you to curse him out, because you barely had time to shove food in your mouth.

it’s been around three hours since you clocked in, and you’re surprised you’re still powering through and haven’t passed out yet. a miracle, you suppose. if you did pass out, though, that’d be yet another thing to add onto your list of unfortunate events. you’ve already had a lady scandalized from your “lack of professionalism” all because you told junhui to fuck himself a little too loudly. fainting on the job would just be another thing to add.

as the last customer of the night leaves the store, you slide down the counter with a groan. “thank fucking god we’re done,” you groan, burying your head in your knees. you’re unsure if the sudden wave of dizziness you feel is from the lack of food or sleep, but from the sad growl your stomach makes, you guess it’s the former.

junhui hums, placing a towel on the counter. he slides down beside you with a raised eyebrow. “where’s your usual attitude today, short stuff? you’re usually a hard person to see, and your lack of attitude practically made you invisible,” he pouts. you’re not sure if it’s supposed to be a compliment or an insult, but whatever it is, it’s a horrible attempt at cheering you up... if that’s what it’s supposed to be.

you turn your head to the side, eyes closed. “i’m hungry and tired as fuck. hangry, if you will.”

you can hear him sit up, and you think he’s about to leave you in the store when you feel someone’s hands gripping yours. when you groggily lift your head up, squinting at the harsh light, you see junhui holding onto you. for a split second, you swear you see a look of concern wash over his face. “come on, let’s get you up.”

you snort. “why? so you can knock me down again?”

junhui rolls his eyes. “i’m not an asshole, shorty. come on, let’s get some food in you.”

“i beg to differ, you... beanstalk.”

“okay, you’re obviously starving if that’s the best you got.”

you roll your eyes, but you let yourself be pulled up from the floor. “it’s not that big of a deal, i’ll just grab some food on my way home or something.”

“can you even find your way home?”

“of course i can,” you snap, though your sluggish movements completely contradicts your words. junhui can tell as well, folding his arms with a raised brow. “shut up.”

“i didn’t even say anything?”

“you looked like you were going to say something stupid.”

“how rude!” he gasps, feigning hurt. despite this, he approaches you and squishes your cheeks together, eliciting a grumble from you. “do you need this beanstalk to carry you?” he mocks. he must be enjoying the sudden power he has over you.

you blow a raspberry at him to the best of your ability. “fuck you,” you curse, though it comes out muffled. junhui hums, swaying your bodies side to side. you frown, and you hope that he can’t see feel how warm your face is getting. he’s looking at you so sweetly and warmly that you suddenly feel compelled to apologize for being so mean to him all these times.

he releases his hold from you and tugs your hand forward. “come on little one, let’s go get you fed! and no, you’re not allowed to say no. my treat of course~”

you’re too tired to notice that you’re holding hands with your mortal enemy. instead you muster up your most threatening glare, but junhui merely responds with a cheeky wink. “how do i know you won’t poison my food?”

“if i do, then i’d poison mine, too. it’ll be so romeo and juliet.”

the moment you walk inside the studio, you’re instantly flooded with the smell of sweat. it’s a good thing the chinese takeout in your hands is much stronger, otherwise you would’ve gagged at how similar it smells to a locker room.

you walk inside the room that soonyoung’s team had been using and push the door open. at the sound of a newcomer, all eyes turn to face you; luckily there’s only soonyoung, chan, minghao... and junhui.

junhui’s face instantly perks up when he sees you, and you’re already embracing yourself for teasing. “if it isn’t the little bean!” he chirps.

you roll your eyes. “i’m not here for you, i’m here for soonyoung. and stop calling me a bean.”

the group walk towards you, their love for food dominating their passion for dance. apparently what’s soonyoung is theirs and what’s theirs is soonyoung’s, because they open up the bag and delve in like a pack of hyenas. you sit down on the floor and pull out a pair of wooden chopsticks and box after box.

as you open up a box of fried rice, junhui seats himself beside you and leans in, fluttering his eyelashes. “can you feed me? my arms are too tired.”

you roll your eyes. “what is this, the 1900s? i’m not your servant, feed yourself.” your comment has minghao snorting, while soonyoung and chan cackle at the comeback.

junhui pouts, but it isn’t his usual, exaggerated pout. he looks genuinely disappointed, even deflating like a balloon. you don’t know why, but the next thing you know, you’re scooping up some rice and shoving it towards his direction. the others, junhui included, look surprised. “you have three seconds before i eat this,” you tell him. it’s curt and your eyes are blank, but the way you’re frowning with red cheeks is far from it.

junhui beams in delight and is all too happy to comply, diving in and taking a bite before you can begin counting down. “this tastes even better because it’s from you~” he blows you an air kiss, and you grab it and throw it on the floor, eliciting a hurt gasp from him. the trio before you two look severely unimpressed.

“are we third, fourth and fifth-wheeling? i didn’t even know that was possible,” minghao deadpans, shaking his head in disapproval. soonyoung and chan nod, disappointedly eating their chow fen. you turn your head so fast you nearly give yourself whiplash.

“what? no.” your response comes a little too quickly, and you’re instantly regretting it judging from the mischievous grins that begin spreading across soonyoung and chan’s face. they mimick each other with such synchronization that it’s scary.

“well, myungho, chan and i are going to get some drinks for everyone. what do you all want?” soonyoung announces. you have an idea of what his true intentions are, but junhui’s oblivious, grabbing your hand to scoop more rice for him. you glare at him because his chopsticks are right there, but for some reason, you’re biting back a snarky remark.

“get me a coke please!” junhui requests.

“just get me water,” you respond, glaring eyes never leaving soonyoung’s frame. he shoots you a wink like the best friend he is and leaves with minghao and chan in tow. to your horror, chan makes the dick-in-hole motion with his fingers before minghao ultimately shuts him down. you’re thankful for minghao’s rationality, but then he wiggles his eyebrows at you. you silently stick your tongue out at the trio. thankfully, junhui seems too occupied with the food in front of him to notice.

as the door shuts, you return your attention back to the food. you scoop some chow fen in your mouth when junhui leans in and grabs your cheeks, startling you to the point where you nearly choke on your food. now that would be embarassing.

three months ago you would’ve cursed him out for even standing in a five-foot radius of you. but now you can’t even bring yourself to say anything, eyes locked with junhui’s. the logical part of you is formulating a reason for the sudden change, but your emotional part - the one that’s usually in charge - is running rampant in your mind, shutting down any possibility of you not hating junhui.

“hey (name),” he begins. you’re surprised that he isn’t using his arsenal of nicknames for you: short stuff, shorty, little one, little bean... now that you think about it, he’s never actually used your name before. not even when he had to act professional at work.

“you never use my actual name unless you have something serious to say,” you point out with a laugh. it comes out nervous and high-pitched, a dead giveaway of the anxiety pooling in your stomach.

junhui doesn’t even blink. “am i wrong to think that you don’t hate me?”

the same nervous laughter escapes your throat. your brain is a little frazzled, and apparently your brain-to-mouth filter isn’t functioning right now. “what? yes, you’re wrong. i dislike you very much.” the words are out of your mouth before you know it, and you sharply exhale at how wrong they are.

well, not exactly. you dislike how he ruffles your hair when you work, or when he pretends he can’t see you because of your height. you also dislike how he only teases you, and how he refuses to help you grab things from shelves.

...but you don’t hate him.

despite this strange cat-and-mouse relationship you two have, you’ve never explicitly stated that you hate him. maybe wishing a concussion on him is an indicator of it, but it’s not like you actually want him to get one. you shut your eyes in fear, expecting him to stand up and leave, angry and hurt like any logical person would be.

but no one moves. when you squeak your eyes open, you’re shocked to see a wide, cat-like grin spread on his face. “okay, good!”

hold on. what the fuck?

those are your exact words, eyes widened in confusion. maybe junhui is a sadist. who would react like that after being told that you aren’t liked? but he releases his hold on your face and does an impressive somersault before standing back up on his feet. “you could’ve said “yes, i hate you.” but you said you disliked me very much. the fact that you deliberately added more words just shows that you don’t hate me!” he explains.

you pause to think over his logic. huh, it actually makes sense, though you would rather die than admit he’s right. before you can refute his response he walks up to you. his strides are long and confident, the ones he takes when he’s feeling extra good. “so does that mean you like me?” he asks, grinning.

he doesn’t even give you a second to blink, let alone respond. “because i like you,” he hums.

a long pause.

“you like who now?” you slowly reiterate. your eyes are impossibly wide, and junhui laughs.

“you, short stuff.”

you’re pretty sure you look equivalent to the pikachu meme. several questions are popping in your head, but you can only blurt out, “what... why... how?” you’re suddenly hit with all of the memories of your petty arguments with him. the phrases “fuck off you skyscraper” and “i hope you eat shit” pop up most frequently, much to your chagrin. it’s hilariously ironic... talk about embarrassing.

he hums and ruffles your hair, but you’re too shocked to be bothered. “because you’re the cutest and snarkiest person i’ve ever met. you’re so tiny and compact, but your personality fills up the whole room.” he pauses to gauge your response and grins when he sees how shocked you look. “you care deeply for others, but your love for them shows even more when you curse them out and tell them to do things like trip over their own feet. you’re interesting and amusing, and i like our petty banters. i also like to see how pouty you get when i tease you,” he coos, leaning down to bop your nose. “i’m surprised you never noticed.”

instantly you blink back to reality and quickly stand up. “you say i show more love towards people when i insult them, right?” you repeat. he nods.

you slap a hand over your mouth, eyes comically wide. “by that logic, does that mean every time i tell you to trip on your shoelaces or run into a tree branch, it means...” your voice trails off at the realization. you’re keenly aware of how comedic the situation is.

junhui laughs at your frozen frame. “you just realized that’s how you express affection?” he cackles. “you’re always so polite to people you hate, but you curse out the people you actually care about. how ironic is that?”

your face feels impossibly warm now. you march up to junhui, red as a tomato. “shut up you... stupid light pole!” you shriek, looking down at your shoes and burying your face in your hands. “this is actually so embarrassing, oh my god.”

you hear him laugh and walk up to you before he places a hand on the back of your head. “how does it feel, potentially liking this stupid light pole?”

his tone is arrogant, and you’re horrified at how your love language has horribly backfired. you’ve spent three months thinking you hated said light pole, and you’ve only just realized that the way you interact with him is the same with how interact with soonyoung. except at the same time, it’s not. because soonyoung doesn’t call you cute and compact. if he did, he would’ve gotten shoved.

but when junhui does, all you do is call him a beanstalk or a skyscraper or anything impossibly tall.

your face is still buried in your hands until you feel junhui tugging at them. reluctantly you peel them off, face still warm. “can i hug you?” he asks. you find yourself even more overwhelmed at how careful he looks now, keenly aware of how sincere he is. he’s holding his heart in his hands presented right in front of you. you can choose to give him support or make him drop it.

“...sure.”

he can’t help the coo that slips from his mouth when he sees you bashfully looking away, and he slides his arms around your waist. you’re not sure if it’s out of embarrassment or purely instinctual, but you’re burying your head in his shoulders, keenly aware of the prominent height difference. “you’re so cute, shorty. i bet this wasn’t on your agenda today, was it?” you’re sure he’s giving his signature mischievous smirk.

the idea of you and junhui liking each other, and being in a relationship, even, was so funny that soonyoung should’ve won the award for comedian of the year. but now that you look back, maybe you should’ve gotten it, because apparently everyone, junhui included, was able to tell that the more you insulted him, the more you cared for him. everyone except for you.

you grumble, carefully wrapping your arms behind his shoulders. “shut the fuck up, you skyscraper.”

he leans down to rest his chin on your head. “anything for you, my liege.”

[renjuseyo]

attention, attention ; s.coups

group: seventeen

pairing: choi seungcheol / reader (gender-neutral)

synopsis: seungcheol thought he would have to fight several boys and girls just to win you over. he’s a little more than shocked to find that his rival for your affections is actually an entire franchise of fictional creatures.

genre: fluff, crack if you squint

warnings: explicit language, implied sexual content

i may not be the most competitive pokémon player, but the anime and the games were my childhood. so here’s a little seungcheol fic i whipped up because i’m in my geeky pokémon phase right now lol. this is also kind of really bad... hoping someone at least gets the terminology and shit lol

despite being the leader of one of the largest kpop boy groups in the industry, seungcheol is a simple, twenty-five-year-old korean man with even simpler wants.

sure, he loves seeing stadiums light up a pink and blue hue, and he loves knowing how much seventeen’s music has helped fans get through trying times. as of a year ago, you’ve been on the top of his list of things he loves. but right now, getting your attention is what he wants the most, especially after a tiresome day at work.

seungcheol’s laying on your bed beside your upright frame, pouting. you’re too focused on your nintendo switch to notice, though, making cooing noises at something on the screen. it’s been like this for ten minutes since he’s arrived, and he’s fed up with it.

he sits upright, his tall frame instantly towering over your body. “bun, i’ve been here for ten minutes, and not once have you given me the time of day!” he exclaims, exasperated.

you don’t even blink. “shhh, cheol. i’m feeding taro right now.”

he gives you an incredulous look. “who the hell is taro?”

you mirror his look, finally turning away from the screen. you turn your switch so the screen is facing him, and when he looks down, he only deepens his look. staring back at him is a yellow mouse with red, circular cheeks, baseball hat perched on its head, who he presumes to be taro. it’s staring back at seungcheol with innocent, round eyes like it didn’t just steal you away from him. he recognizes it as pikachu, the popular mascot from the pokémon franchise. “you have got to be kidding me.”

you turn your eyes back to the screen, using your finger to make circling motions on its head. taro makes a noise of satisfaction, and hearts and sparkles and whatnot pop up. seeing how happy it looks receiving your attention feels like a slap on the face, because apparently a 2d mouse can captivate you more than your boyfriend can. “i love you, cheol, but i would die for taro,” you tell him as solemnly as possible.

“but it’s fictional, babe! it’a an electric mouse that leeches off of your attention and food, for god’s sake!” he refutes.

you give him your most offended look, bringing the switch close as if his words were a personal attack on you. “don’t talk to me or my son ever again,” you hiss, deliberately turning it away from him. “hear no evil, see no evil...”

“i’m your boyfriend?!”

as the leader, seungcheol has personally experienced stress and burdens unlike any other. not to mention, he’s the oldest in the group, meaning that the others rely on him not only for his leadership skills, but for advice as their older brother. while he’s proud to be of service, he can’t help but feel the stress of being everyone’s rock every now and then.

at least he has you.

(name) (last name), the human being who he can always look forward to on stressful days like this. the kind barista at the nearest café who gives him an extra croissant and a sticky note with adorable pikachu doodles hoping for better days when he feels sullen. the friend he can confide in without fearing judgement. the partner he can come barreling to, arms open, desperate for a hug. having you in his life keeps him a little more grounded.

seungcheol prides himself for having a strong resolve, but he swears he’s never crumbled so fast when he first saw you. he feels like a child all over again, giddily giggling over your every move. he thinks he’s incredibly lucky to have gone from a customer pining over the cute barista to being able to hold said cute barista in his arms every night.

he makes sure to remind you of this every day, too, sending you gifs of animals sending hearts or audio messages of him proclaiming his love in a sickeningly affectionate way. even when you’re shoving him out of embarrassment because he’s saying something cheesy, like comparing his love for you to the love the stars have for the sky, he doesn’t stop, relishing in your reactions. you would tell him how much you know he loves you, but the truth is you won’t ever know, because his love for you is incomparable.

s.coups is the leader and main rapper of seventeen. hyung is who he is when offering guidance and cheering up his fellow members. seungcheol is when he’s with you, sleeping in a warm bed with dim lights.

you’re the odd one out in your family. you’re the quiet in their loud, you choose the indoors over the outdoors, and you prefer having a few best friends than a pool of acquaintances. while your family and friends are explosive with multi color, you’re the monochromatic canvas.

while you’re grateful for the balance your family and friends provide, seungcheol is the quiet and comfort you’ve been needing. he’s the reminder that it’s okay to relish in the simpler things of life. if your family and friends are the heater on a rainy day, seungcheol is the warm cup of tea.

you’re not one to be so openly affectionate, but your pikachu doodles and occasional i-love-you’s gets the message across. he knows this, too, even making it a point to keep at least one of your doodles in his bag. you think it’s horrifyingly cheesy. his members think so, too, with jeonghan and joshua constantly making jabs at how sappy he’s become because of you.

he always makes it a point to talk about how he’s lucky to have you, but it must be the other way around, because how did you manage to snag one of the most respected leaders in the kpop industry, let alone start a friendship with him? you see a side of him no one else knows, and not to mention, you’re lucky enough to sleep in his arms as often as you want. at first, dating him stemmed many insecurities in you because of how different your lives were. but after one particular event, you stopped doubting his love.

one time he and the other members had a tour coming up and were busy with preparations. naturally you didn’t want to bother him, and aside from your reminders and encouraging texts, you didn’t see him for a while. it wasn’t until the night before the tour began that you found seungcheol standing on your doorstep at two in the morning.

“it’s two in the morning, cheol. why are you here? you’re supposed to get proper rest before your tour,” you told him.

he had walked straight past you, kicking off his shoes. “i can’t sleep.”

your grouchiness from being waken up was showing, proven when you squint at him and scoff. “how can’t you sleep? you have the comfiest beds in the world. not just one, but like seven or something. go home.”

“it’s not home without you.”

his response is so silly that you nearly laugh, the fact that he considers your small apartment homier than the dorms he’s lived in for years.

but you’ve never pulled him into your arms so fast.

because seungcheol thinks you’re an angel that’s graced the earth, he had been fully prepared to fight off several people just to win over your heart.

but now he’s sitting on your bed, dumbfounded that his rival for your affections is a fucking pikachu. how ironic is it that the very thing that drew you to him is the very thing that threatens your relationship?

(it isn’t threatening it in any way. seungcheol is just hostile to anything that you love more than him, even if it’s a fictional electric mouse.)

“babe, it’s been an hour. what is so important that you have to abandon me?” he asks, flopping back down like a fish.

you absentmindedly place a hand on his head, and he beams in satisfaction. you’re carding through his hair, and he thinks he’s won you over when you say, “i’m chasing down team rocket right now, give me a second.”

“a second? you told me to give you ten minutes, and it’s almost been an hour!” he feels like a brat, folding his arms and pouting to complete the look. but he’s tired and cuddle-deprived from the very person he wants, and right now that person is too occupied chasing down some pokémon thieves than giving him that attention. “can i not even hold you in my arms?”

you sigh and slot yourself in seungcheol’s arms. “i’m sorry cheol, was work stressful today?”

he makes a noise of happiness before squishing himself beside you. “yes. i missed you,” he whines.

to his dismay, your eyes are still trained on the screen, but he supposes it’s improvement. “after this battle, we can do whatever you want, okay?” he glances down at your screen and sees your character battling off against a lady with magenta hair that defies gravity and a man with blue hair with a rose in hand. they have a snake on one side and... two balls of purple things floating in the air, while you have your pikachu and an... onion turtle?

“the purple balls that are conjoined together are called weezing, the snake is an arbok, and that onion turtle you’re referring to is a venusaur,” you corrected. “how are we even dating? you seriously couldn’t even name a single first generation pokémon aside from pikachu?”

(arbok and weezing are supposed to be the enemy, but your pikachu garners glares from seungcheol.)

fortunately for him, you eventually kept your part of the bargain and spent a good hour in seungcheol’s arms. he had ranted to you about an argument he had with the manager about the workload poured onto all of them as you combed through his hair. playing with his hair had always put him at ease.

unsurprisingly, he falls asleep mid sentence, and you nearly laugh at how similar he is to a child. his arms are firmly wrapped around your waist and yours around his neck. you don’t fall asleep as easily as seungcheol, though it is a given, considering how many long hours he spends tirelessly singing, dancing, and doing all the other activities that being an idol entails.

unfortunately your switch had been placed on your bedside table, courtesy of seungcheol. since he had fallen asleep, you decide to follow suit. you crane your upper body to the best of your ability and grab at the pikachu plushie propped on the corner of your bed. unlike taro, this one has a detective hat on. vernon, one of his bandmates, had gotten it for you for your birthday a year ago. you both bonded through your reserved natures and your love for pokémon. at least he understands the wonders of the franchise, unlike your anti-pikachu boyfriend here. you slot it in between the small space between you and seungcheol and cuddle into it as you shut your eyes.

two hours later, when seungcheol stirs awake, he expects to see your adorable, sleeping face. seeing you sound asleep is one of the cutest sights he’s ever seen in his life, and he thinks he’ll never get used to seeing how someone could be so adorable. instead, he’s met with a yellow ball of fluff with beady eyes.

he scowls and grabs at the plushie. as he tries to pull the tiny barrier separating you two, he feels something clutching onto it. when he looks down, he sees your hands tightly wrapped around its body. he pouts in envy, seeing how you-

wait. envy? ...he’s seriously hit rock bottom if he’s envious of a stuffed animal.

he shakes his head in disappointment and looks back at your sleeping frame. he can’t help the soft smile that spreads across his face, seeing how impossibly small you look, cuddled up against pikachu. he slides back down to lay beside you, pushing some strands of hair out of your face. he doesn’t mean to awake you, but then you move ever so slightly, groaning when you shift in a spot where the sun gazes down at you.

“good afternoon bun,” he greets with a hum, leaning down to press a kiss on your forehead. you grumble in protest, though he knows it’s only because you’re disgruntled from your nap. he takes this as an opportunity to snatch the pikachu plushie away and slots himself between your arms.

“hey,” you hum, subconsciously sliding your arms around him. you don’t seem to notice that he’s replaced your pikachu plushie. he does a mental cheer, even smirking at the doll, its beady eyes staring back at him.

‘take that, rat.’

the last time seungcheol saw you was two weeks ago, when you both spent the whole day being unproductive and cuddling each other. but with seventeen’s comeback and your midterms drawing near, you two hadn’t heard or seen much of each other.

fortunately for you, you had already gone through most of the dreadful process that midterms brought along. as a way to enjoy the short period of freedom before returning back to school, you decided to surprise seungcheol and the members with food.

as you knock on the door to their dormitory, you glance at the heavy bags loaded with fried chicken. you knew preparations for comebacks meant long hours in the studio and in the practice rooms, but a day of indulging in fried chicken can’t hurt anyone, right?

the door swings open and there stands joshua. “oh hey (name)! seungcheol, your bun’s here!” he says the last part with such mockery that it draws cackles from who you guess are dokyeom and chan.

seungcheol rounds a corner and shoots joshua a glare, who returns the look by sticking out his tongue. he turns to face you and his face lights up. “hey bun, what brings you here?” he asks.

“i brought food,” you answer. “i wasn’t sure if you all would be here or at the studio, so i figured i’d drop stuff off here.”

at the word ‘food’, several heads pop up to stare at you. “did you say food?” soonyoung chirps.

you laugh with a nod and enter the vicinity. seungcheol immediately comes to grab a bag from your arms as the others gather around the dining table, eyes lighting up in anticipation at the smell wafting out of the bags. as everyone scrambles to find a seat, you realize there are only enough chairs for the thirteen members. you’re about to roam the house for an extra chair when a muscular arm wraps itself around your waist and pulls you onto someone’s lap. you don’t need to look back to guess who it is.

the other members look at you two with evident disgust. “you two are so gross,” seungkwan gags. “why can’t you just pull out a chair for (name)?”

seungcheol sticks his tongue out. “you’re just jealous you don’t have someone like my bun. besides, it’s comfortable for both of us.” you shrug in agreement; while you’re not opposed to getting a chair, sitting on seungcheol’s lap has practically become second nature for you.

“ew, your bun? possessive much?”

jihoon shakes his head as he pulls out utensils. “why can’t we just have one peaceful dinner for once?”

“you know, now that i think about it, isn’t it kind of unfair that we’re doing this battle two-on-one?”

“under normal circumstances, i’d say yes. but this little bitch just ko-ed taro, so we’re getting payback!”

vernon laughs as he shakes his head. “‘little bitch?’ dude, you’re fighting a kid.”

“they proved they weren’t one the moment their nidoqueen decided to earthquake taro!”

“attached much?” he snorts, browsing through his pidgeot’s move set.

“the moment you start crying about pokémon, you know you’ve gotten attached.”

he nods in understanding. “right... you’re talking about that scene in the movie where ash turned into stone, right?”

“i was talking about that one scene where jessie and james had to release arbok and weezing, but yeah, i guess that’s a close second.”

you and vernon are too busy reminiscing about your childhood with pokémon to notice seungcheol sitting on the couch, arms crossed and face contorted in a pout. you both are pulling out terminology he’s never heard of, and he’s pretty sure you two are making up words as you go. he knows that no matter how much he tries to learn about the things you like, he’s incomparable to his members that share the same interests. just as he and jihoon share a passion for music, and you and vernon share a passion for pokémon, and he knows it isn’t worth trying to compete.

after lunch, he was hoping for you two to catch up on what you both had missed out on the past weeks by cuddling... and maybe more, if he’s lucky. but to his chagrin, vernon had asked to see your progress on your game, and you were all too happy to oblige. so now you two are standing in front of the television, pulling out terminology and pokemon that are completely foreign to him.

seungcheol would never suspect you of being unfaithful, but seeing your eyes light up when you talk to vernon about some fictional creatures makes him wish it was him in his place.

“someone’s jealous~” someone teasingly whispers. he scoffs and turns his head to the side and sees jeonghan sitting beside him, arms crossed with a smirk. he isn’t sure if he’s smirking at the view before him or seungcheol’s obvious jealousy.

“no i’m not,” he denies.

“yeah, and i’m bad at lying. try again.”

seungcheol rolls his eyes. “why do you always relish in my demise?” he complains.

jeonghan gives him an incredulous look. “you’re asking this after we’ve lived together for how many years? i thrive off of drama,” he answers matter-of-factly. he glances at you, who screeches, having accidentally run into some... bird. “if you want your cuddles so badly, you should go and ask (name) for some alone time,” he suggests.

‘that’s not a bad idea,’ seungcheol contemplates. he’s about to thank jeonghan for his advice when he sees him wiggling his eyebrows, and now he’s suddenly aware of what he meant by “alone time.”

(...he isn’t going to deny wanting it, but admitting it to jeonghan of all people would call for relentless teasing.)

“you’re insufferable,” he says instead, to which jeonghan responds by sending him a cheeky wink. he looks at you and vernon, and he’s startled by you screaming and clutching onto vernon for dear life. you both are jumping and cheering about catching a shiny or whatever the hell you two are talking about. “on second thought, i shouldn’t bother them. they both look like they’re having the time of their lives.”

jeonghan shrugs. “suit yourself.” apparently there doesn’t seem to be enough drama for his tastes, because he stands up and hops off to bother someone else.

“cheol!! did you see that!!” you exclaim.

seungcheol pretends he doesn’t see you squeezing vernon’s hands in excitement. “um... yes?”

you frown at his half-hearted response. “dude, that was weak, come on now!” he grimaces at your usage of ‘dude.’ first you’d throw him under the bus for a pikachu, now you’re dude-zoning him? talk about unlucky.

“you’ve been hanging out with vernon too much if you start calling your boyfriend dude,” seungkwan hollers from the kitchen. vernon turns his head so fast he nearly gives himself whiplash, spluttering. you both watch as he stomps to the kitchen, presumably to smother seungkwan. you’re guessing seungkwan probably speaks from experience.

now that vernon’s gone, you flop down beside seungcheol, frowning. “you’ve been awfully quiet, cheol. i haven’t even heard a single complaint from you about being deprived of cuddles,” you observe.

he sighs, subconsciously resting his head on yours. “you know, i get that you and vernon can geek out about pokemon or whatever. and it’s endearing, even though i don’t understand a single thing you two talk about. but sometimes, i want to talk about things that just the two of us get,” he explains.

you nuzzle against him. “i guess that’s fair. i’ve been holed up at home either studying or playing pokémon as of late, so i guess we haven’t had much time for ourselves. sorry if i seemed too... distracted,” you apologize, gesturing at the game before you.

“don’t apologize, it’s cute seeing you get passionate about it.” he hums, closing his eyes. “but if you really want to apologize, how about we snag a room for ourselves? catch up on the past weeks.”

“i’d say yes, but i’m too lazy to move.”

at this, seungcheol hooks his arms underneath your legs and hoists you up, eliciting a squeak from you. “it’s a good thing your knight is here, then,” he jokes. you roll your eyes and toss part of the console onto the couch.

“cheesy fucker.”

he hums in response and walks you two to his room. some of the members see you two, some going as far as wolf-whistling. “how scandalous!” dokyeom moans in exaggeration.

you look over seungcheol’s shoulder and glare at him. “eat me,” you hiss.

seungcheol hums, leaning down until he’s hovering your ear. “gladly,” he whispers.

you smack him so hard he nearly drops you.

[renjuseyo]

I guess i will try requesting then~

Chan

No one ever give male reader chocolate before on valentine day so he's surprised when reader find a chocolate with a note on his desk. It turns out to be chan, who is also jihoon younger brother and reader underclassmen. Reader ask for a time because he never date before and don't know how to do about it. So maybe story about their relationship after the confession? I will leave how it's gonna be turn out to you because i think you're better at this ☺️ 💞

sweetest thing ; dino

group: seventeen

pairing: lee chan / reader (male)

synopsis: you’ve never quite stood out at school, being more of a wallflower. so on valentines’s day, you’re a little more than surprised to see a box of chocolates and a note addressed to you.

genre: fluff, crack if you squint

ahhh my first request!! this prompt is very cute, but i’m not sure if i did a good job with it and i kind of wrote the last part in a rush if you couldn’t tell ^^” i hope this satisfies you, and as always, feedback is much appreciated~

- reader is a part of the ‘96 line. order goes as junhui > hoshi > wonwoo > reader > woozi

title inspiration: sweetest thing by seventeen

“...and of course, like the confident leo that i am-”

“-confident? you dropped, ducked and rolled in the convenient store the other day because i mentioned their names. look at me, i’m choi seungcheol who’s head-over-heels in love with yoon jeonghan and joshua hong, but i’m a coward who watches from afar!” wonwoo mocks.

seungcheol sends him his most threatening glare, but wonwoo nonchalantly blinks back. “that’s a thing of the past! i’m a changed man now, wonwoo.”

you walk up the stairs to the third floor laughing. “hyung. i barely know the two of them, but they made more progress establishing a friendship- well, relationship now- than you ever had. you are literally a coward.” seungcheol makes an offended noise as wonwoo cackles behind you, and you spin around to fist bump him. having known the two of them since childhood, you and wonwoo have made it your sole duty to shoot seungcheol down when the opportunity presents itself. the perks of being friends for so long, you suppose.

seungcheol jogs up beside you two, glaring at your smug smirks. “you two are just jealous you’re single! at least i gained the courage to confess to them!” he exclaims, exasperated.

you and wonwoo exchange incredulous looks, and he knows he’s only digging a deeper grave for himself. “firstly, we were the ones that pushed you to even meet up with them,” wonwoo begins.

“and secondly, they were the ones that confessed, because you kept on getting tongue-tied!” you finish. you turn to fist bump each other once again.

the older of you three visibly deflates, throwing his hands up in defeat. “i actually hate you two. can i not have my moment of glory?” he whines.

you roll your eyes as you approach your classroom, sliding the door open. seungcheol’s lingering at the wall, since his class is a few doors down from your’s and wonwoo’s. “you’re getting a little too cocky there, my boy. maybe in five years you can try boasting again.”

“i’m older than you?!”

you stick your tongue out at him, who storms away from you and wonwoo in a huff. your jabs at him have always been made in lighthearted fun, and you know he’d tell you and wonwoo to stop if he truly felt uncomfortable. but making fun of his love life is always amusing, especially since it provides you something new to look forward to amidst the mundane hours of school. it’s not like you and wonwoo have anything going on in your usual life, much less your love life.

but apparently the fates has something in store for you today, because the moment you step into the classroom, you notice two of your classmates lingering by your desk. you recognize them as jeongyeon, your friend and the class president, and soonyoung, a mutual friend of you and wonwoo. “what are you two doing?” you ask, approaching the duo.

“oh, hey (name). we were just passing out papers for ms. park when we noticed this on your desk!” soonyoung explains, pointing towards your desk. your eyes trail towards the small box neatly wrapped with a note tucked in between the ribbon. it’s not surprising to see gifts popping up on people’s desks, especially since today is valentines’ day. but you’re a wallflower, and you’ve never actually received a gift aside from the candy that kids in elementary school passed out to the whole class. if it weren’t for your name written in thick letters, you would’ve mistaken it for someone else’s.

jeongyeon gives you an apologetic look. “sorry (name), i tried dragging soonyoung away, but you know how curious he can be.”

apparently wonwoo knows you’ve never received a gift before either, nudging you with that unmistakable grin on his face. it’s the one he has whenever he makes fun of seungcheol, but this time, it’s directed towards you. “it seems our little (name) here has gotten a valentines’s gift~!” he teases.

you seat yourself at your desk, curiously staring at the present. you have five minutes before class starts, so what harm is there in opening it up? your fingers make quick work of the ribbon, unfurling its shiny restraints off the box. you’re about to unfold the note before you notice three pairs of curious eyes staring at you. “do you mind?” you ask. soonyoung and jeongyeon quickly apologize and straighten up, but wonwoo merely smirks. you make a mental note to apologize to seungcheol for your relentless teasing. reluctantly, you unfold the note and read its contents.

happy valentine’s’ day hyung! i hope this letter reaches you safely :)

~ your secret admirer

ps. i know you don’t like nuts, so i advise you don’t eat the ones on the bottom row! they all have nuts in them. on the other hand, if you don’t like chocolate or are allergic, feel free to give these to someone else! i wouldn’t want to poison you!

you can’t help the chuckle that escapes your lips, because even if you don’t know who said admirer is, you think that he’s incredibly endearing, if his note is anything to go by. you refold the note and place it on top of your desk. when you remove the lid of the box, you’re surprised to see an assortment of chocolates all with different designs.

jeongyeon gasps in awe. “those are the pricey chocolates from carat, that patisserie! they sell pastries, but i hear their chocolates are wicked good.”

like the best friend that he is, wonwoo leans towards you, wiggling his eyebrows. “expensive chocolates, eh? this admirer of yours must mean serious business if they spent money on you~” he teases.

“he,” you correct, plucking a piece out. “he used hyung.”

wonwoo sighs, wiping away a fake tear. “our son is all grown up now. i feel like a proud dad,” he whistles.

you don’t have time to smack him because the bell rings, signalling the beginning of first period.

when wonwoo approaches you during lunch, you know he has something to share, if the mischievous glint in his eyes is anything to go by. “(name), have you eaten your chocolates yet?” he asks.

you’re already wincing, feeling seungcheol’s piercing eyes at your back. “chocolates? what chocolates?”

wonwoo gives you a knowing smirk, the corners of his lips lifting up like the cheshire cat’s. “he didn’t tell you? our dear boy here-” he pauses to smack your back, though it comes out a little too hard than anticipated. he seems to notice this too, hiding behind seungcheol’s back as you send him a withering glare. “-received a box of chocolates and a confession during first period today,” he explains.

seungcheol gasps with wide eyes. “what! and you didn’t think to tell me?”

you shrug, looking away. “i didn’t think it was-”

“-do not tell me it isn’t that important, because it is! now i get to tease you about your love life,” he cuts off, cackling. you lean forward to steal a kimbap from his lunchbox, eliciting a scream from him. nearby students shoot you three weirded out looks, though you could care less, shoving the kimbap into your mouth.

you roll your eyes at seungcheol’s sullen expression. “to answer your question, wonwoo, no, i have not finished the chocolates. soonyoung helped me eat a few though.”

wonwoo gives you an offended look. “why would you give that leech anything? he’ll just come back for more. plus, they’re a gift from someone else! why would you just give them away?” he asks.

you shrug, pulling a piece out from the box. “eating that many chocolates isn’t good for me. and i don’t really like the nutty ones, so i gave them to soonyoung. it’s not like i’m dumping them away altogether.”

wonwoo shakes his head. “you have no soul. it’s no wonder you’ve been single for so long.”

“i’m sorry for not swooning over a confession, mr. i-know-everything-about-romance,” you retort. you pluck out a diamond-shaped chocolate decorated with hazelnuts and pass it to seungcheol, who devours it the moment he sees it. “plus, that’s not the only gift i’ve gotten.” dragging your backpack towards you, you unzip it to find it overflowing with more boxes. “it seems that at the end of every period, a new box just presents itself on my desk. so far, i’ve gotten chocolates, peach-flavored gummies, a can of iced coffee, and a stuffed dinosaur. they all have cute notes attached to them, too.” the duo coo at the gifts, though you can see them specifically eyeing the consumables.

he seats himself beside you, stealing a piece of chocolate from you. “well, you know jihoon, your neighbor? he said he found another box on your desk and wanted me to give it to you.” he rummages through his backpack and slides out another box with a note attached to it. you and seungcheol curiously eye it before you grab it from wonwoo’s backpack.

“open it!” seungcheol whispers, eyes gleaming with curiosity. you roll your eyes; why are your friends more invested than you are? reluctantly you untie the ribbon and remove the note, but this time you open the box first. you’re surprised to see a slice of strawberry cake nestled inside a plastic container. judging from seungcheol’s dramatic gasp, you guess it’s from the same patisserie. you pay no mind to him though, moving onto the note.

i hope this letter reaches you safely! i got you this cake because i know you like strawberries. do you like them because they’re as sweet as you?

~ your secret admirer, lee

“wow, he’s getting bold! putting out a last name now,” wonwoo chortles.

you turn back to the slice of cake. so far, you know that your secret admirer is younger than you with a last name of lee, and he knows you well enough to know you dislike nuts and like strawberries. before you can narrow down potential admirers, you can hear someone yell out. you barely have time to register a basketball slamming down beside you, startling you so much you nearly fall over.

“oh my god, i’m so sorry!” you look up after recovering from your near-death experience to see chan. he lives right across from you, yet you only know he’s your underclassman and is jihoon’s younger brother. he looks awfully concerned, though you suppose that’s natural, considering how he nearly crushed you with a basketball.

you send him a reassuring smile. “it’s okay.” it may just be your imagination, but you swear you see a blush creeping up his cheeks. perhaps it’s just the heat from the sun, you guess. he bends forward to pick up the ball, apologizing once again, but you catch his eyes lingering on the slice of cake on your lap. you don’t have time to question it though, because he’s already jogging towards his other friends.

wait a minute. your secret admirer is someone younger than you, has the last name of lee, and knows you well enough to discern your likes and dislikes...

“i think i know who my admirer is,” you blurt, staring at chan’s retreating silhouette. seungcheol and wonwoo look surprised; you’ve always been quick at solving problems, but having done so before the end of the school day is an impressive feat, even for you.

“well? out with it!” seungcheol exclaims, eyes wide with anticipation.

you don’t have time to tell him or contemplate your next move, because then the bell rings, signalling the end of lunch.

you’ve laid out a solid plan: confront your secret admirer, turn him down because you have no dating experience whatsoever, and continue your last year smoothly. there should be no hitches in your plan, because having no experience and not wanting to hinder them should be excuse enough. plus, you doubt you’re worthy of being someone’s object of affections for a long time.

it seems your secret admirer isn’t done with his gifts, because even after lunch the gifts have been reappearing. they’re all very sweet, though you wonder why he chose you of all people, especially if the feeling may not be reciprocated. however, there aren’t any more hints that could lead you to him other then the cheesy compliments he writes you.

the school day has officially ended, and everyone is bustling around, desperate to leave. you’re sipping on a bottle of strawberry milk your admirer had gotten you while listening to a heated debate between soonyoung and wonwoo about the superiority of mint chocolate chip ice cream. “you actually have no taste buds, wonu,” soonyoung retorts.

“it tastes like toothpaste. of course you would like it,” wonwoo snaps.

“it tastes like toothpaste,” he mocks. “you haters use the same excuse every time. come back to me when you have a valid reason.”

 “it tasting like toothpaste is reason enough!”

you chuckle at wonwoo’s exasperation. personally you’re on soonyoung’s side in this new debate. wonwoo just doesn’t have taste buds. you’re about to support soonyoung’s side when, from the corner of your eyes, you see jihoon lingering by his desk, as if he’s waiting for something. “hey guys, i’ll be right back.” you excuse yourself from their conversation, eyes never leaving jihoon’s frame.

“wait! (name), mint chocolate chip, yay or nay?” soonyoung hollers.

“yay,” you answer. you can hear soonyoung cheering behind you, probably breaking out into his little victory dance. wonwoo’s muttering something about having tasteless friends, but you’re only half paying attention. you push through clusters of students before stopping in front of jihoon’s desk. “hey, can i talk to you for a moment?”

jihoon looks startled to see you, which only furthers your assumptions. “me?” you nod. “...sure.”

the two of you step out of the classroom and into an empty part of the hallway. a trio of girls passes you two, chatting about their plans for valentines’s day. one girl is talking about taking her girlfriend out to hotpot, while another is talking about binge-watching romance dramas with her boyfriend. you wonder how people can just jump into a relationship with no experience whatsoever. there isn’t a manual to it, so how do people know they’re doing it right?

you’re pulled out of your thoughts when jihoon clears his throat. “listen, correct me if i’m wrong, but i have an idea on why you brought me out here. but my answer is no. i’m sorry, i have a boyfriend, but i have a younger brother who-”

you turn to face him with wide eyes. “wait, what? what did you think i came out here for?”

jihoon gives you an incredulous look. “well, it’s valentines’s day, meaning everyone’s confessing to people they’ve liked. is that not what you’re doing? i’m flattered, but-”

“-i thought you were going to confess to me!” you exclaim. he gives you a blank stare, and suddenly you feel like you’ve been transported to some corny romance comedy. this is obviously the big comedy part. sighing, you pull out the most recent note, waving it around. “you’re younger than me by two months, your last name is lee, and we’re neighbors and classmates. you’ve probably heard me express my disdain for nuts and love for strawberries before. plus, you were the one who gave wonwoo the cake! who else could my secret admirer be?”

all of a sudden, a loud laugh rips out from jihoon’s chest, and you feel like you’re missing something very obvious and very crucial right now. “i admit that you’re handsome, but i have a boyfriend, and i’m very loyal to him.” he pauses to give you a mysterious smile. “but i do know who your secret admirer is.”

you widen your eyes in surprise. “really? who is it?”

he approaches you, pulling out a slip of paper out of his pocket. “i have been the one putting gifts on your desk, but only because i was told to do so.” he hands you the note, and you unfold it and read its contents.

the final note of the day! can you guess who i am? if you so desire, meet me at the basketball court beside the cafeteria after school today :)

~ your secret admirer, lee

“he’s waiting for you.” you look up at jihoon, who’s folding his arms. “now if you’ll excuse me, i’m off to get some boba. oh, and can you tell him he owes me twelve-thousand won? and no skimping this time!”

you’re standing by the cafeteria entrance leading to the basketball court, heart beating at a fast pace. you aren’t sure why you feel so nervous, especially with a solid plan in mind. as you lean against the door, trying to calm your heart rate, you catch chan at the court, shooting hoops. with wobbly legs, you start making your way down the stairs. at the sound of a newcomer, chan stops dribbling the basketball and turns to face you. “oh, hi hyung.” he pauses, watching you nervously look around. “are you waiting for someone, perhaps?”

you nod, eyes wandering the horizon. “you could say that, yeah. what about you?”

“yeah, i’ve been waiting for you.”

today has just been filled with surprises, you note, turning to face chan. he’s giving you an innocent smile, ball tucked between his arm. “i beg your pardon?”

he shrugs, shyly fiddling with the hem of his school uniform. “um... surprise?”

seeing how bashful chan is has you piecing the puzzle pieces together. your secret admirer is younger than you... chan’s your underclassman. his last name is lee... chan’s full name is lee chan. he knows you don’t like nuts but like strawberries... your parents are friends, and his mother always brings over fresh strawberries for you to eat. he’s jihoon’s little brother, so it’s no wonder you came so close. now that you think about it, it makes perfect sense.

...but it doesn’t. because aside from the times you drop food over at their place, you never talk to him. how can he like someone he barely knows?

chan inhales, straightening the wrinkles of his shirt. “um... hi hyung. i’m your secret admirer, and i’ve liked you since i was a first year. it would be really cool if you accepted my confession?” he frames it as a question, probably to make you feel less nervous, but it does nothing to ease your nerves. from the way you’re standing before him, frozen in place, his smile falls. “or not...?”

“i’m flattered, chan, i really am...” you glance up at him, and the sad smile he has on his face, the one bracing for rejection, breaks your heart a little. “but... there’s a few things we have to take in account. first of all, i barely know you. i don’t know about you, but i’m not quite ready to jump into a relationship, much less with someone i barely know, even if we’re neighbors. i also don’t have any experience in dating. and there’s also the age difference. i’m graduating this year. chan, you’re a cool guy, but do you really want to date someone who you barely know, who has no experience, and will be away before you know it?” you ask, listing out the different factors.

if seungcheol or wonwoo were here, they would reprimand you for coming up with excuses. but what else can you do? you’re being realistic, even if it may sound harsh. you look up at chan, who’s sad expression is replaced with one of determination. “all of your reasons do make sense. but hyung, i don’t think you should make judgments on who i am. like you said, we barely know each other, but i would love to get to know you more. you’re really nice, and you’re someone i look up to.” he approaches you with such confidence that you feel yours knees getting weak. “i don’t have any experience, either. and about the age difference... i can always wait. because i really like you, hyung. i understand if you can’t accept this confession, but i just wanted to tell you before you graduate. and truthfully, i’d appreciate it more if you just told me you didn’t like me instead of listing excuses.”

well, your whole plan is thrown out the window now. you gulp at the bitterness seeping through his voice. “the thing is, i don’t know you well enough to make any conclusions.” you pause. “this may sound selfish, but... could you give me some time to figure things out? i wouldn’t be opposed to learning more about you, but i don’t want to make it sound like i’m leading you on. that being said, just because i’m figuring things out doesn’t mean i won’t be upset if you decide to move on. you deserve someone who’s made up their mind, anyways.”

there isn’t an immediate response from chan, which makes you feel anxious. but then he approaches you with a wide grin, his whole face alight with hope. “i can give you all of the time in the world!” he chirps. you aren’t quite sure why he’s so happy... does he really like you enough to behave this way? “i promise you won’t regret being friends with me.”

you smile at his giddiness. “thank you for understanding. i’m really sorry about not being conclusive.”

he shakes his head with such fervor you’re reminded of a golden retriever with his blonde hair and all. “it’s okay. i’ve long accepted that not everyone can be a hundred percent sure about everything like i am. that being said...” he pauses to extend a hand towards you. “hi there, my name is lee chan, a second year. what about you?”

you chuckle. might as well start this friendship on a new foot, you suppose. extending your hand to shake his, you smile. “hi, my name is (first name) (last name), a third year. pleased to meet you.”

and that was two years ago, when you and chan were in your late teens, still navigating the hardships of high school and paving a path towards the future. truthfully, you had forgotten how your relationship with chan began in the first place, considering how you two are close-knit best friends now (though not as close as you are with seungcheol and wonwoo. they wouldn’t allow it, anyways). now, you’re a second year in university, still trying to navigate the trying hardships life throws at you. chan attends the same school as you, majoring in dance.

you’re sitting inside a booth in mcdonald’s with seungcheol and wonwoo, along with the new addition of jihoon. ironically enough, you two had gotten close after that event, and he had quickly assimilated himself into your little group. to seungcheol’s dismay, he’s a carbon copy of you and wonwoo, and now his tormentors have increased by one.

“so, valentines’s’ plans anyone?” you ask, taking a sip from your soda.

seungcheol dreamily sighs. “hannie, shua and i are going to a drive-in theater. aren’t they the best?” you exchange looks with wonwoo and jihoon. even now that they’ve graduated, he’s still hopeless as ever.

“yes. very cool,” jihoon deadpans. seungcheol throws a fry at him, but he catches it in his mouth with scary accuracy. “i don’t understand why people glorify valentines’s day when it’s just a corporate holiday.”

wonwoo snorts, taking a bite from his chicken sandwich. “and yet you’re the one with the most extravagant plans. aren’t you the one who’s going to treat jun to a fancy restaurant and then take him shopping?”

jihoon shrugs. “i’d much rather go to a ramen shop or do something low key, but junhui likes to do fancy things for holidays.” he turns to face you. “what about you, lover boy?”

“who are you calling lover boy?” you ask, stealing one of seungcheol’s fries. “and no, i have no plans. yay for single people.” all of a sudden, the booth falls silent. when you look up, you’re startled to see three pairs of eyes intensely staring you down. “what?”

“you have no right to say that. that’s wonwoo’s phrase.”

“hey!” wonwoo splutters, glaring at jihoon.

“don’t listen to them. but dude, you’re still single?” seungcheol asks.

“why wouldn’t i be?” you ask, narrowing your eyes at them. they all look at one another, and you recognize that look. it’s the one you and wonwoo would give each other whenever seungcheol said something embarrassing in front of his crushes. well, boyfriends now.

seungcheol sighs. “it’s been two years already, (name). you’re telling me now that you and chan are just friends?”

before you can protest, wonwoo takes out his spoon out of his mcflurry, waving it in front of you. “and don’t give me the i’m still thinking crap, because i see the way you look at him. that’s the gayest look you could give someone, and i’m surrounded by gay people.”

if you’re being honest, your impression on chan has improved since becoming friends with him, and you’d be lying if you said you only saw him in a platonic light. but chan has been waiting for you for a while now, so even if you were to jump into a relationship, it would probably take forever to make any progress considering how neither of you have experience. chan deserves better than having to wait around. “he doesn’t-”

“-deserve to wait around for me and he deserves better. we get it, dude, we really do,” jihoon interrupts. “but i’m his older brother, so i know him better than he knows himself. and let me tell you that he’ll wait for you like a puppy until you give him a definitive answer.” he stares you down, and suddenly you realize he’s entered protective brother mode. “if you like him, just tell him. so what if he deserves better? if he thinks so, he’ll tell you. worst comes to worst, you have three other guys to comfort you.” he gestures at seungcheol and wonwoo, who nod.

really, you do understand that the worst that could happen is you feel heartbroken. you know chan isn’t the type to throw you away like trash, botched confession or not. and yet a small part of you is afraid of telling him, because then you’d have to tell him about your insecurities, too.

“i’ll think about it, okay?” you tell them. the trio all give each other another knowing look; the last time you told someone you’d think something out, two years had passed.

“just two guys, sitting five feet apart ‘cause they’re not gay~” chan sings from the kitchen.

you roll your eyes, sitting on the couch. “i can’t believe you came here just to raid my fridge.”

he hums, reentering the living room with a bowl of strawberries in hand. he flops down beside you, throwing an arm around your shoulder. you think back to the vine he had been reciting moments ago, because they are definitely not five feet apart, and you’re very much gay. “come on, it’s valentines’s day. you won’t even spare some room for your favorite dongsaeng? what happened to singles for life?” he asks, throwing a strawberry in his mouth.

that’s the problem, you bitterly think to yourself. i kind of don’t want to be single for life. he’s oblivious to your turmoil though, grabbing your phone and scrolling through netflix. you decide to distract yourself by eating your bitterness away, but now your favorite fruit just reminds you of the botched confession from years ago.

you two had decided to binge-watch naruto again, and before you know it, the whole evening has passed by. you’re watching team seven make their way through the forest of death when you feel something on you. chan’s head, you discovered too late, is resting on your shoulder, and now you’re feeling bothered. the problem is, he isn’t even sleeping. “what are you doing?” you ask, nervously laughing.

chan doesn’t say anything, instead moving to lock your hands together. now you’re really bothered. “a little birdie told me that you had something to tell me,” he hums.

you clear your throat. “jihoon wouldn’t appreciate you calling him little,” you laugh. chan giggles at that, but his head or hand never leaves you. he must know about your not-so-platonic feelings now, because before establishing a friendship you two had clearly stated there were to be no hugs or hand holding until you had figured out your feelings. well, here goes nothing, you suppose.

“do-”

“-i think i like you but i’m not experienced and i don’t even know if i want a relationship and you deserve better than waiting around for me,” you blurt. the room suddenly falls silent, the sounds from the television more prominent than ever.

you’re already going through the several stages of regret until chan nuzzles into you, nosing your neck. at this point you might as well die from embarrassment. you’re supposed to be the cool, suave upperclassman chan looks up to, not the flustered puddle he’s reduced you to. his breath is fanning your skin, goosebumps dotting your body. “what did i tell you when i first confessed, hyung? don’t go making assumptions for me.”

you scoot away from him, releasing his hold on your hand. “i don’t even know if you like me still, and even if you did, jumping into a relationship is already going to take time. i’m just wasting your time.”

at this, chan furrows his eyebrows. “you are definitely not wasting my time, hyung. i told you before, didn’t i? i would wait for your answer. and,” he continues, gripping your shoulders. you’re shorter than chan by only a centimeter, yet you feel impossibly small in his hands. “i still like you. the way i feel about you hasn’t wavered once.”

you gulp, face a bright red. “so... what does this mean now? are we boyriends?”

he shrugs. “i’m just as clueless as you, hyung. are labels really a necessity?”

you laugh. “i suppose not, are they?”

“we can figure this out in five more business days,” he jokes, causing you to giggle. he leans forward to wrap his arms around you, resting his head on your shoulder again, surprising you.

you grumble, digging your warm face in his shoulder. “when have you gotten so charismatic, chan?” you ask, voice muffled. “you’ve really grown up now.”

chan hums in satisfaction, tightening his grip on you. “learned from jun-hyung. how else do you think he and hyung started dating?”

[renjuseyo]

Can I request a Lucas x male reader where Lucas is trying to ask reader to prom but reader always gets distracted by friends or is too busy with school activities. Then when Lucas gets the chance to reader says no. But reader surprised Lucas with a date at the place Lucas asked him to be his boyfriend. P.S. They are already together for 2 years. P.P.S. I love your writings stay healthy and make sure to take care of yourself

-🧍🏽‍♂️

prom ; lucas

group: nct / wayv / superm

pairing: wong yukhei / reader (male)

synopsis: yukhei only has one goal in mind: to ask you out to prom in the most perfect way possible.

genre: fluff

i had a bit of writer’s block with this one, but i hope this is what you wanted anon! ^^ as always, feedback is greatly appreciated~~

“my plan is absolutely foolproof. there’s no possible way it could fail.”

“that’s what fools say.”

yukhei climbs to a seated position on his bed, folding his arms in a huff. “why would you say that, dude? way to encourage a guy.”

yangyang doesn’t even bat an eye, adding details to a sheep he’s doodling on his economics assignment. “well, when you put it like that, it’s going to spite the universe and make your plan fall apart on its head.”

dejun nods in agreement, tapping on his phone. he’s probably texting that guy he’s been eyeing from his history class, or playing solitaire like the old man he is at heart. “the universe loves playing tricks on happy, unsuspecting people.” he sets his phone down to look straight at yukhei. “happy, unsuspecting people like you. i love your confidence, but i’m just saying. don’t get all mopey if something does happen.”

he crosses his legs, pouting. “i get what you’re saying, but come on, how can a simple promposal go wrong?” dejun and yangyang give him a knowing look, one that screams there are several things that could go wrong, actually. “if it were a big, extravagant one, maybe, but come on. i’m taking (name) out to sushi and bringing him a bouquet of flowers. what’s the worst that could happen?”

“well, he could get food poisoning from the sushi.”

“or he pricks himself from the flowers.”

“or he-”

“i didn’t literally ask you guys!” yukhei interrupts, exasperated. dejun and yangyang give him a mischievous smirk. “you two are horrible.”

yangyang blows him an air kiss. “just here to give you a reality check, my love.”

the two had originally gone over to yukhei’s house for a study party, but seeing how dejun was on his bedroom floor playing solitaire, and yangyang was doodling sheep all over his assignment, they were doing anything but. somewhere along their “study session”, someone had brought up the topic of prom, which was to happen in four weeks. while the two of them had no big plans for promposals (because dejun is waiting for the guy from his history class to make the first move, and yangyang is perfectly content being single), yukhei had constructed a plan to ask his boyfriend of two years to prom.

yangyang sets his pencil down and spins around from his seat. “what happened to your love for big, extravagant promposals? i remember you gushing about that kind of stuff all the time,” he comments.

“(name) doesn’t like being in the spotlight. i think i’ll just make him uncomfortable if i pull one of those stunts with people nearby,” yukhei explains. he would be lying if he said he’s never thought of creating the most memorable promposal for him. hey, it’s not his fault he just wants to flaunt his cute boyfriend for the world to see.

dejun and yangyang nod in understanding, except they don’t, because they relish in the spotlight. “well, prom is in four weeks. will you even have the time to ask him?” dejun asks. “your boyfriend practically drowns himself in homework. plus, he’s on the student council.”

“we both may be busy with school and clubs, but mark my words when i say i’ll get to him!”

“well, as taken as you and your boyfriend are, i hope you realize that there are still people who’ll be lining up to ask you two,” yangyang points out.

yukhei pats his chest, a confident smile making it way back to his lips. “i’m not worried that someone else will woo him. he has me, after all!”

yangyang gags. “gross. i feel sorry for him.”

dejun nods in agreement, cringing. “me too... yangyang, come on, let’s actually be studious and do our homework, unlike that one there,” he sneers, pulling out a pen from his pencil pouch.

yukhei looks at them, exasperated. “oh now you two choose to do your homework?! where was this attitude when i told you two to work on it earlier?!” he exclaims.

dejun shrugs. “i have no idea what you’re talking about. as far as i’m concerned, yangyang and i are students who actually focus on our work.” he gestures at himself and said boy, but the way he’s hunched over his economics assignment doodling more sheep completely contradicts his words. “seriously yangyang? work with me here!” he shrieks, smacking his back.

the younger hisses in pain, glaring at him. “leave me alone! let me draw in peace!”

the older snorts, swiping his pencil away from him. yangyang makes a noise of protest, lunging at dejun to retrieve his pencil, and soon the two are engaged in a fight, limbs tangled together. yukhei can only watch in disappointment. sure, he’s chaotic, but his energy is no match for them. their energy seems to multiply when the two of them are together.

yukhei turns his attention back to the calculus textbook on his lap, ignoring the fight ensuing before him. though his mind is mainly focused on the problems on the pages, a part of him recalls dejun’s words. there isn’t many reasons for him to be worried about his plans backfiring, but then again, the universe has always loved to meddle with people’s affairs. he just hopes it will treat him kindly this time around.

though it’s your final year of high school, you and yukhei only share one class together, to his dismay. even in the hour he gets to spend with you, you’re too busy focusing on the lesson at hand. there’s always lunchtime, too, but both of you have your own respective friend groups, so even if you two are dating, you two spend more time eating with your friends than with each other. he doesn’t really mind, but now that he plans on enacting his plan, not seeing you often will make things harder.

after the bell rings, signalling the beginning of lunch, he makes a beeline out of the door and dashes towards the cafeteria. thanks to a secret source (which is really just shotaro and really isn’t a secret), he learns that you usually eat lunch on the roof of the school.

when he pushes open the door to the roof, he’s relieved to see you with your friends. at the sound of a newcomer, you all turn to look at the door. “yukhei?” you ask, surprised.

his smile widens upon seeing you. “hey (name)!” he chirps.

your friend sungchan raises a brow. “not often we see you here, lucas. do you need something?” he asks.

“yeah, i actually need to talk to you, (name).”

you stand up, slinging your backpack over his shoulder. “sorry, can it wait? we kind of have plans,” you tell him. 

yukhei gives them a quizzical look, which doesn’t go unnoticed by you or your friends. “it’s jisung’s birthday today,” jaemin explains. “we’re treating him to food later.”

he recognizes the name; jisung is a first year student who has become increasingly popular thanks to his position on the dance team. he’s also one of your friends and someone you tutor. now that he thinks about it, he recalls yangyang mentioning something about his birthday this morning, but he didn’t pay much attention. maybe he should have. “oh, okay. well, are you free later today?” he asks, sending you a hopeful look.

judging from your apologetic smile, he already can guess the answer is no. “sorry, we’re holding a surprise party for him later. i think i’m probably going to stay over at his house, too.”

renjun, who’s standing beside you, gags. “you two are so sweet, it’s kind of sickening.”

you turn to glare at him, who snickers at your look. “how? and you’re one to talk, mr. i-miss-jeno-even-though-i-saw-him-twenty-minutes-ago,” you spit. his expression is quick to contort to one of embarrassment, spluttering at the name of his boyfriend. yukhei feels like you don’t even realize his presence anymore.

to regain your attention, he clears his throat. “can you spare just a minute? i promise it’ll be quick.”

you turn to face him, but not before sticking your tongue out at a glowering renjun. “oh, s-” you’re cut off when your phone dings, and you glance at the screen to read the notification. a few seconds later, you look back up at him. “on second thought, i don’t think i can, sorry. chenle just texted me saying he and jisung just left mr. jung’s classroom. we should get going now.”

your friends nod and begin packing their belongings. once they’re all set, they walk towards the doorway leading back into the building, where he’s standing. they all pour into the small doorway, leaving you and yukhei alone. “sorry, how about next time?”

yukhei nods. it’s not like he can stop you from celebrating your friend’s birthday, unless he wants to be perceived as a jerk. “no worries, go celebrate jisung’s birthday. make his day a memorable one,” he reassures, smiling.

making sure your friends are far enough, you lean forward and peck him on the lips, catching him off guard. once you lean back, you smirk upon seeing his flustered expression. “catch you another time~”

and with that, you jog back inside to catch up to your friends, leaving a blushing yukhei behind. sure, his first attempt didn’t quite go the way he expected, but he’s not particularly disappointed, considering how he got a kiss from you. plus, there are plenty of other times to ask you again.

perhaps asking you to prom might be harder than yukhei had anticipated.

after jisung’s birthday, he had waited to catch you again when you were free, but you were occupied with homework, as well as duties of being on the student council. apparently jisung’s birthday was the only day you were free. as much as he sympathizes with you, he would be lying if he said he wasn’t disappointed. he hasn’t even been able to talk to you, let alone treat you to a proper meal.

after several weeks of not talking to you, he decides it’s time to take matters into his own hands. if he can’t take you out on a proper date, then he’ll just bring it to you! after inquiring his friends yerim and mark for your schedule, he learns that fridays are normally your free days. he recalls the previous fridays where you were too busy to hang out with him, catching up on projects and avoiding deadlines, so he hopes that this friday you’ll be free.

after school one afternoon, yukhei catches you by your locker, talking to two people he recognizes from the student council. as soon as you see him, you wave the two farewell, and they go their separate ways. he leans against your locker door, smiling down at you. “hello my sweet~” he greets.

though you smile back at him, he can tell you’re drained, judging from the way your eyes flutter close and the yawn that rips out of your throat. “hi,” you greet. “sorry, it’s been a long week.”

he watches as you sluggishly shut the door. “tired?” he asks, draping an arm over your shoulder.

he hums in delight as you lean into his arm, warm and snug. “that’s an understatement,” you tiredly sigh. “i thought being the secretary was easier than the president, but i’m exhausted. all this filing and meetings can really kick a guy’s ass. i finally finished my biology report, but i still have to study for the history test that’s on tuesday. i don’t know how mark does it, being the president and captain of the basketball team. he doesn’t even have bad grades, either.”

yukhei laughs upon hearing you rant, leaning down to press a chaste kiss on the crown of your head. “i’m sure it must be hard. do you think your tired self is up for sushi, though?”

at the mention of food, you instantly perk up. “you know i can never say no to food.”

once you two walk out of the building, pushing through the swarms of students gathered by the entrance, you both head towards the bus stop. five minutes later, you both board the bus and are lucky enough to snag seats. in the ten minutes it takes to get to the sushi restaurant you two often frequent, he’s surprised to see you fast asleep on his shoulder. you really must be tired, because you don’t normally fall asleep so quickly.

ten minutes later, he nudges you awake (he has to refrain from pinching your cheeks at your dazed state), and you both step off the vehicle. five minutes of walking later, you approach the restaurant. for a friday evening, he supposes he’s lucky to have gotten there without it being packed.

you both greet the waitress by the entrance, who leads you both to a booth near the back. after serving you both your beverages and menus, she slinks away, presumably to attend to other patrons. as you browse through the menu, wondering what to order, yukhei glances at you, who seems too concentrated on the menu before you to notice him. he mentally reviews his plan for what seems to be the twentieth time today: order food, eat, pretend to go to the restroom and head to the flower shop next door, and woo you into going to prom with him. what could possibly go wrong?

(upon saying this statement, he learns that’s the worst possible thing you could say. at least, if you want the universe to mess with your plans.)

after discussing what you two will order, he waves down the waitress from earlier, who gets both of your orders. you two spend around five minutes catching up on your lives, talking about upcoming events and games at school. soon your food arrives, and you both dig in. he doesn’t realize how much he’s missed you until he sees the way your eyes twinkle as you happily recall the time the vending machine malfunctioned and gave you two bags of skittles instead of one. it’s endearing, seeing you get excited over the little things.

as you pluck some calamari out of a small bowl, he realizes it’s time to put his plan in action. “hey (name), i’m going to the bathroom. feel free to order some more food if you want, it’s all on me~”

“when you put it that way, it’s like you’re begging to go broke,” you joke, though you nod nonetheless. yukhei gets up and makes a beeline to the restroom. he stands in front of the entrance, peeking behind the wall to make sure you don’t see him. a few seconds later, he quietly sneaks back towards the entrance. luckily, you’re too occupied with the food to notice him.

he steps out of the store and heads straight for the flower shop next door. when he steps inside, the bell above the door jingles, signalling a newcomer. “welcome to yong’s flowers~!” a florist chirps.

“hey hyung,” he greets. the florist turns away from a pot of tulips, revealing a bright smile and even brighter hair. “i came here for the flowers i was telling you about.”

the florist nods, heading towards the back. when he returns, he brandishes a bouquet of red roses to him. “here you go!”

when yukhei moves his hand to his pocket, the florist waves a dismissive hand. “don’t worry about it, it’s on the house. i hope things go well with you and (name)~” he hums, giving him a cheeky smirk.

normally he would decline the kind offer, but he needs to get back to the restaurant soon, otherwise you’ll get suspicious. “thanks, taeyong-hyung. i’ll pay you back next time! wish me luck!” with that, he waves him farewell and exits the store.

he runs straight back to the restaurant, bouquet in hand. the waitress from earlier seems to notice the new addition, sending him a knowing smile. he pays no mind to it though, simply heading straight to you. he notices three new plates on the table, but hey, he isn’t complaining. you haven’t had the chance to properly eat the past week, if you count salads as a proper meal. when you look up from your salmon belly, your eyes widen at the roses in his hands.

it’s now or never, he supposes. he sits on his seat, bashfully sliding the bouquet to you. “i’ve been wanting to do this for the past week, but you’ve been pretty busy, so i haven’t been able to catch you alone. but (name) (last name), would you do me the honor of being my prom date?” he asks, sending you a hopeful look and a bright smile to top off the look.

silence envelops the room, save for chefs yelling and the stove roaring back in the kitchen. from the corner of his eyes, yukhei realizes that the lack of patrons means extravagant movements like his are bound to be noticed by everyone. plus, he wasn’t exactly quiet when he popped the question. he usually doesn’t care, anyways, thriving in the attention. even now, he has nothing to be worried about. besides, he knows what your answer will be.

apparently not.

eyes still wide, you slowly remove the wooden chopsticks from your lips, placing it on your empty plate. he assumes your eyes are still wide out of shock, but when the silence gets too loud for his liking, his smile falters. “(name)...?”

you rapidly blink back to reality. “oh, right, sorry. um...” you take in your surroundings, and he suddenly wonders if this was too flashy for your liking. he watches you with bated breath; you look like you’re doing some mental calculations, eyebrows furrowed like they are when you encounter a particularly difficult question on a test. after you ponder the several options laid out in your head, you take a deep breath, giving him your most sincere look. “i’m sorry, i don’t think i can accept this.”

those nine words and thirty-one letters are enough to crush yukhei’s spirit, evident by the way he visibly deflates. he quickly regains his composure, hoping the smile he has is enough to assure you he’s fine. but from the way you grimace, he can tell he’s doing a poor job at it. “it’s not your fault yukhei, i promise! it’s just...” your voice falters, and the same, contemplative look from earlier returns. “i have something important i have to do that day. i’m sorry.”

no one seems to have seen this rejection coming, and he mentally reprimands himself for thinking of every scenario except the one where you reject him. apparently he looks so devastated that the curious eyes from earlier immediately turn their attention elsewhere, probably not wanting to put him in the spotlight any further. sure, he feels embarrassed, but most importantly, he’s curious. what could you possibly have to do on prom? it’s a friday night, meaning you should be free... maybe you’re occupied with student council duties? but if that’s the case, you would just tell him that. there’s no reason to hide it.

maybe you just don’t want to go with him.

the thought leaves a sour taste in his mouth, but he tries to shake it off. “oh, okay. don’t worry about it,” he says, tone flat. you try to change the topic and compliment the roses and thank him for the food, but no matter what you say, the ugly feeling of disappointment still settles itself in his stomach.

the rest of your dinner is relatively uneventful. yukhei doesn’t want to make you feel more guilty than you already feel, so he tries his best to engage himself in your conversations. after you two eat your fill, he pays for you both (and is surprised to see that the waitress from earlier docks off the price of a few plates. does he really look that pitiful?) and leaves the restaurant. the sun has set, and it won’t be long before the sky darkens.

he approaches the bus stop, waiting for your bus to take you home. “well, i guess we part ways now. see you next week?” he asks.

you nod, clutching the bouquet of roses in your hands. though you had rejected his promposal, he still pushed you to take the roses, claiming he wouldn’t have anywhere to place them at home when in reality, he just didn’t want to be reminded of his failure. “yeah.” you send him another apologetic smile. “again, i’m really sorry. i promise you it isn’t because of you, it’s just...” your voice trails off again. “i have plans.”

he makes the mistake of wondering if these plans mean you’ve accepted someone else’s offer. no, that can’t be it... we’ve been dating for two years. he wouldn’t just accept someone else’s offer. (name) isn’t like that, he attempts to reason. pushing these thoughts away before he says something he’ll regret, he nods. “don’t worry about it, it’s okay.” as if on cue, the bus begins to roll up in front of you two before coming to a halt. “well, your bus is here. get home safe.”

you smile, letting a few people off before boarding the bus. “you too. thanks for the meal and the flowers,” you thank.

he waves, making sure you’re safely aboard before beginning his journey back home. as he does, his phone goes off a few times, and when he checks them, he sees messages from taeyong, dejun, and yangyang. he assumes they’re texting to see how things turned out with you and him.

yukhei pockets his phone and continues walking.

after that failed promposal, yukhei distances himself from you for a few days. seeing you will only bring unwarranted frustration, and the last thing he wants is to blame you for something that isn’t your fault. he decides to distract himself by hanging out with his friends. while his friends prove to be a useful distraction, he would be lying if he said he didn’t miss you.

no one knows why you’ve turned down his promposal. everyone who knew about his not-so-secret plan had fully expected you to accept with open arms. even your friends were genuinely shocked. as they chattered among themselves, wondering what could have prompted the rejection (because what secretive plans could you possibly have during prom?), he noticed that only renjun and sungchan remained silent. looking back, perhaps they knew more than they let on, but at the moment, he was too focused on getting answers from your friends to notice.

it’s been two weeks since that incident, and there are only two more weeks until prom. dejun and yangyang had came over for a sleepover, and right now he’s lying upside-down on his bed, listening to dejun rant about how history boy (who he later learns goes by hendery) finally asked him out to prom. yangyang’s sitting beneath him, scrolling through tiktok, unamused.

“it wasn’t anything extravagant. he asked me for a pencil like usual, and who am i to say no?” dejun begins.

yangyang shoots him an incredulous look. “anyone who asks you for a pencil everyday without making an effort to bring their own are just pathetic. didn’t you say he forgot to give you back your nice mechanical pencils for a week?”

he rolls his eyes. “yeah, but he paid me back by buying me a pack of twelve. and they were the nice papermate ones, too! anyways, as i was saying,” he continues, “i gave it to him like normal, and class went by as usual. but when he was returning it to me after class, there was a note attached to it asking me to prom-”

“and you’re swooning over that? i took you for someone who cried over love confessions in the rain, not promposals written on lined paper during history,” yangyang interrupts again. now that yukhei thinks about it, it does sound a little funny. like him, dejun has always liked romantic gestures. he never would’ve thought a written note would be the thing to sweep him off his feet.

he huffs in embarrassment, glaring at the younger. “be quiet. when you have someone to actually swoon over, you’ll understand what i mean.”

yangyang rolls his eyes. “good thing i’ll be single forever.”

now that they’re on the subject of promposals, he makes the mistake of thinking back to two weeks ago. “i’m glad to hear that you’re happy. i hope you’ll have fun with hendery,” he comments.

at this, dejun and yangyang quickly turn to face him. they seem to have remembered the incident, too, evident from the guilty look in their eyes. “i’m sorry, i forgot...” dejun’s voice trails off, and yukhei suddenly wants to erase the pitying look in his eyes.

instead, he waves a dismissive hand. “it’s all good. if it comes down to it, i’ll just take yangyang with me, right?”

yangyang shrugs. “or we can just stay at my place and binge video-games and order pizza.” he pauses to ponder his suggestion before shrugging. now that he doesn’t plan on taking you, there’s no reason to go and spend the night dancing in a stuffy suit.

just then, his phone buzzes. when he glances to read the new notification, he expects everything except a message from you. since that event, you both hadn’t talked to each other very often. while it was probably because you were swamped with school and student council duties, he can’t help but wonder if you were avoiding him like he was with you.

(name) <3: hey! are you busy right now? [06:59 PM]

“who is it?” yangyang asks, sitting up to peek over his shoulder. yukhei doesn’t move his phone away fast enough, because then the younger frowns. “(name) finally texted you after what, weeks of not talking to you?”

he frowns. “in his defense, i was doing the same, too.”

“yeah, but you had a reason to. because you were upset,” dejun corrected. “did he seriously not once question why you suddenly stopped talking to him?”

he rolls his eyes. “you two make it sound more serious than it actually is. plus, he’s been busy with school. it’s not like his world revolves around me.” he pointedly decides to not add the part where it’s the opposite for him.

you: what do you need? :) [07:00 PM]

yangyang snorts. “with a smiley? dude, you’re whipped.”

“shut up.”

(name) <3: i was wondering if you could meet me at the gym at school in an hour? i’m pretty sure i left something by the bleachers, and i don’t really want to go alone;;; [07:04 PM]

yukhei raises a questioning eyebrow. did you seriously not notice how he had been avoiding you? you’ve always been sharp, so this was surprising. dejun, who’s now seated on his opposite side, seems to notice this, too. “wow, he’s really acting like nothing happened. if he knew you were upset with him, he wouldn’t have contacted you in the first place.”

“if he left something in the gym, it’s not a surprise he’d ask me. i have a spare key to the gym, after all.”

“why do you have it? shouldn’t that be mark?”

he shrugs. “he always loses his things, so he told me to hold on to it.”

yangyang nudges his shoulder. “well? what are you going to tell him?”

of course yukhei’s going to go. it’s almost dark, so it’s not safe for anyone to be out by themselves. plus, as disappointed as he is with his botched attempt of a promposal, it’s you. he can never get mad at people for long, much less if it’s you.

you: sure~ do you need a ride there? [07:06 PM]

(name) <3: no, but thanks for the offer ^^ see you then! [07:08 PM]

he turns off his phone and looks up at his friends, who are looking at him with an expectant look. “don’t give me that look. it’ll be quick, i promise.”

yangyang rolls his eyes. “that’s what you said last time, and then you ended up sleeping over at (name)’s house. do you know how awkward it was, telling your mom that you practically ditched us?”

an hour later, yukhei waves farewell to dejun and yangyang, who decided to play video-games in his room to pass time. as he gets into his car and drives back to their school, he wonders what you could’ve possibly forgotten that was so important.

ten minutes later, he parks to a stop and gets out of his car. after locking it, he walks towards the gym, though he sees no signs of you.

you: hey, i just got here. are you here yet? :0 [08:20 PM]

not long after, you reply back.

(name) <3: hey!! sorry, i’ll be right there [08:20 PM]

unsure of what to do to pass time, yukhei leans against the gym doors. out of curiosity, he decides to rattle the handle to see if it’s actually locked. to his shock, the door swings open upon being pushed, leading him to a pitch black room. the alarms installed in his head, the ones from being tricked into a haunted house by his friends, go off in his head, but unsurprisingly, curiosity trumps his fear. thus, mustering all of the courage in him, he shakily turns on the flashlight on his phone and timidly steps into the gymnasium.

it’s dark and empty, like it should be. so why were the doors unlocked, he wonders? the janitor at school is quite meticulous, so he couldn’t have looked over unlocked doors. maybe...

no, this is not a horror movie, he stubbornly thinks to himself. don’t scare yourself like that! as if on cue, a loud thud echoes throughout the gym, and he stills, unable to move a single limb. this is it. oh my god, am i going to die?

from what yukhei can tell, there seems to be two - maybe three - guys, distinctly whispering among themselves by the corner. the alarms from earlier are urging him to bolt out of the gym and tell you he couldn’t make it, but fear takes over, and he’s frozen.

“...sungchan, you idiot! you’re going to give up our position!” a familiar voice hisses.

“it’s not my fault it’s too dark! you know long limbs and the dark don’t mix well together!” another whispers.

wait. now that he can hear them, the voices sound a lot like renjun’s and sungchan’s.

“renjun? sungchan?” yukhei nervously calls out. because as familiar as those voices are, they could very well be impostors that plan on killing him in the middle of the night. “is that you two?”

he can practically hear them freeze; if the lights were on, they’d probably be comically staring at each other with wide eyes. suddenly, a third voice can be heard. “i knew i should’ve asked jeno or jaemin instead,” he quietly grumbles.

he knows that voice all too well.

before he can say another word, the lights suddenly switch on, blinding him. a few seconds after he’s adjusted to the light, he blinks, and sees you standing underneath the basketball hoop, head buried behind a poster board and a bouquet of red tulips with rose petals scattered by your feet. renjun and sungchan are standing by the light switch, awkwardly waving at him. when he turns his attention back to you, his eyes widen at the poster. there are doodles of hearts and basketballs on its borders, but it’s the words in the middle that catches his attention.

will you go to prom with me?

“what... what is all of this?” yukhei asks, dumbfounded.

seeing how you’re flushed with embarrassment, refusing to remove your head from the poster, renjun steps up. “it’s a promposal. what else could this be?”

his eyes wander back to your shrunken frame, and he can see you timidly peeking behind the poster board. “um... surprise?”

still stunned, he slowly walks to you, shoes brushing against the rose petals. “i can tell... but, i thought...?”

knowing what’s to come, you sheepishly smile. “i spent a long time trying to come up with something that you’d like, since i know you like big, romantic gestures. i turned you down because i wanted to be the one who asked you,” you explain, fiddling with the bouquet.

“wait, wait. when you said you had plans that day...?”

“i was lying,” you laugh. “i didn’t expect you to ask me, so i just came up with a lame excuse on the whim. i’m really sorry for upsetting you, but i didn’t want to ruin the surprise.”

now yukhei knows why renjun and sungchan were so quiet the day he asked your friends about your alleged plans on prom. there are still a few questions he has, but he’s relieved to see everything led to this surprise. at least now he doesn’t need to fret about his insecurities.

“how’d you get in here?” he asks, intertwining his fingers with yours.

you hum, relishing this newfound warmth. “i begged the janitor to leave the doors unlocked. i told him you had keys, and he knows that i’m more reliable compared to others,” you answer.

“so all of the times when you said you were busy...”

you laugh, throwing your head back. “that was the one thing i wasn’t lying about. school and the student council really was kicking my ass.” you point your chin towards renjun and sungchan, who wave. “they helped me with some of the preparations, like ordering the flowers and making the poster.”

yukhei nods. “everything makes so much more sense now... but i just have one more question.” you look at him with curious eyes. “why the gym of all places?”

you shoot him an incredulous look. “did you seriously forget?” judging by the confused look he gives you, you can tell he really did. “you remember the game against the jyp team two years ago, before basketball season ended?” he nods. “right before you guys played them, you pointed straight at me and asked me to be your boyfriend if you guys won.”

he flushes at the memory; in a stand jam-packed with spectators, he remembers only having eyes on you, the cute boy from algebra. prior to that game, you two were already acquainted, even going on a few dates here and there. there was an obvious attraction between you two, but no one had officially initiated anything until that day. he remembers you spluttering in embarrassment, having nearly everyone bore their eyes into you, as well as coming scarily close to losing against the opposing team. but alas, he and his team had triumphed, and while they celebrated, you bashfully accepted his offer and spent way too long making out in the back of his car.

he can’t believe he forgot that he had asked you to be his in this exact place two years ago.

he’s pulled out of his head when you clear your throat, brandishing the bouquet of tulips before him. “you never answered my question,” you whisper.

yukhei doesn’t even need to think about his answer. “of course it’s a yes,” he exclaims, leaning down to press a kiss against your lips. you giggle against them, wrapping your arms around his neck. there’s cheering from across the room, but he only sees you. right now, you’re standing before him, suddenly brighter than ever, and he wouldn’t trade this sight for the world, even if it meant having to go through two weeks of unnecessary frustration to get here.

it’s only prom, not a marriage proposal. there isn’t a reason why they should be acting like newlyweds, yet here they are. but even if they’re only third year students in high school, he knows, without a shred of doubt that he’s in love with you. even if they don’t truly grasp the idea of what love really is, the sheer fullness he feels when he’s with you couldn’t possibly be from anything else.

“you know,” he begins, “i asked you on a simple sushi date because i knew you didn’t like big, flashy things. but here you are, pulling this stunt because you know i like them. we’re just a perfect match, aren’t we?” you roll at your eyes at his cockiness, as well as his suggestive eyebrows, but the smile on your face tells him you agree.

yukhei’s peppering your face with kisses, and all you can do is giggle as you take them. “they act like they’re getting married,” he hears sungchan comment from afar.

“they might as well be. god, couples are so gross.”

“you’re one to talk. you and jeno-hyung act like that all of the time.”

“what! sungchan, come on, don’t joke around like that. we don’t.”

“yeah right.”

“but we don’t, right? ...RIGHT?”

[renjuseyo]

pinwheel (1) ; woozi

group: seventeen

pairing: lee jihoon / reader (gender-neutral)

synopsis: two years after you and jihoon break up, you find a box of scrapped songs tucked in your closet.

genre: angst

warning: explicit language

this was originally supposed to be a one shot but i kind of got carried away, so... here it is! i’m not the greatest at angst because i’ve never experienced a breakup but... yeah haha? this is also not proof read so forgive me for any mistakes... feedback would be greatly appreciated! <3

title inspiration: pinwheel by seventeen other songs: love letter by seventeen pretty u by seventeen say yes by seventeen all my love by seventeen

“you’ll be okay, right?”

you blink back to reality, weary eyes drooping. you look up at wonwoo, who’s looking at you with concern. the dullness in your chest is replaced with a flicker of frustration, but it goes as fast it comes.

as much as you hate the look of pity he gives you, you can’t do anything to ease his worries. if you can’t convince yourself that you’re okay, how do you expect to convince keen and analytical wonwoo?

“yeah, i’ll hold up.” you’re standing by the doorway, arms crossed. “you know, wonwoo, you don’t need to come and check on me every two days. i’m not going to die.”

from the way wonwoo raises his eyebrow, you can tell he thinks the opposite. you suppose it’s a given, considering it’s been two years since... you two parted ways. you should be okay. you should be having fun again. instead, you’ve spent the last year cooped up at home, only leaving when necessary. at least you’re past the crying until you pass out phase. “come on, wonwoo, have some faith in me. i already have a whole pity party hanging at my doorstep every week.” it’s a half-hearted joke, one that’s supposed to lighten the situation, but now that the words are out of your mouth, you grimace. it isn’t funny, just depressing.

to think it’s been two years since you two separated, and he still manages to have an iron grip on you.

“i’m sorry,” he apologizes. “it’s just... you’ve been...” his voice trails off, eyes awkwardly shifting to his feet. you chuckle, knowing exactly what he wanted to say.

‘different.’ you’ve heard that sentence more than you can count, and as true it was, it gets tiring. “yeah, i know.”

an awkward silence lingers in the air, and you suddenly ponder on your relationship with wonwoo. considering how he’s jihoon’s best friend, you’re bewildered that he stills hang around you and checks on you every two days to make sure you’re still alive. you had expected him to avoid you like the plague, or give you a glare so cold that you’d freeze over, but to your surprise, he treats you like a longtime friend. you’re unsure how to feel when you both appreciate and loath the gesture.

“hey, wonwoo?”

he looks up at you. “yeah?”

you awkwardly rub your arm, looking away. “um... is he, you know...” ‘doing okay?’ ‘how has he been doing?�� ‘he’s still eating properly, right?’

‘does he think of me still?’

a thousand thoughts are running through your head, but thankfully wonwoo has been around you long enough to read them. he almost always gets them right. “yeah, he’s doing okay.” you’re not sure how to feel when you both feel relieved and betrayed.

you let out a heavy breath before laughing. it comes out wobbly, a stark contrast from your signature boisterous laugh from what seems to be forever ago. “is he okay with this?”

wonwoo furrows his eyebrows in confusion. you shut your eyes. inhale on five... exhale on ten... and repeat, just like jihoon had taught you. “are you and him not bothered that we’re still friends?”

wonwoo rolls his eyes. “your relationship doesn’t affect our friendship. breakup or not, we’re still friends, so don’t expect me to drop you like a sack of potatoes.” you let a small laugh at how blunt wonwoo is, and you decide today that you’re grateful for his presence.

“thanks, wonwoo.” you feel a little proud that you didn’t end this meeting with wonwoo in tears, which had been the norm for a couple of weeks now. “i mean, if there’s one good thing i got out of this... mess, it’s that we’ve gotten closer, wouldn’t you say?”

wonwoo nods in agreement, but you can see his pitying eyes. you had been avoiding the word ‘breakup’ for a while now, usually using the words ‘mess’ and ‘situation’ as a replacement. you had claimed it made things a little lighter, but anyone with a pair of eyes could tell it’s because you’re not ready to believe it’s over. but having no one else beside you in the morning and walking out of your room to deafening silence are harsh reminders that this is the reality of things. had been the reality of things for a while now, actually.

he slings his backpack behind him and looks over his shoulder. “i’m off now. you sure you’re going to be okay?”

it’s the same question everyday, and you find it depressingly hilarious that the answer is still no. it’s astonishing that you can still open up the waterworks for thinking of jihoon for too long, and that even after two years you’re still stuck in an empty void, hung up over someone who’s probably long forgotten you.

‘ah, shit,’ you bitterly think to yourself. you can feel tears dotting the corners of your eyes, and you blink them back as fast as humanly possible. if wonwoo saw your tears, he’d stay for probably another few hours, and you really don’t want him to witness another one of your breakdowns. not after you did such a good job convincing yourself that today would go smoothly, too. “yeah, i’m going to be fine.”

if wonwoo notices your wobbly tone, he doesn’t press on the matter. “okay. stay safe.”

as he steps off the porch, you rub your eyes and quickly clear your throat. “hey, wonwoo?” you call out. he turns to face you. “you’re like a walking google, right?” he shrugs in acknowledgement. “how long is heartbreak supposed to last?”

you feel impossibly silly asking the question. any logical person knows it varies from person to person, and you don’t just ask someone that. but wonwoo sends you a soft smile, and you feel the same flicker of frustration from earlier blossom inside of you again. “i don’t know,” he answers.

inhale on five... exhale on ten... and repeat. “do you think i’ll ever be okay?” you curse at how your voice cracks at the end, but you’re not going to cry. not in public, anyways.

there’s a pause. “eventually, i promise.” and he waves you goodbye before walking out of your apartment, taking your emotional baggage in tow.

you wish you could wipe that look of pity off his face.

as far as you’re concerned, there has been a time before you fell in love with your best friend, but there has never been a before lee jihoon. he is the middle school boy in your math class never seen without his clarinet, your friend who shares his rice balls in the music room, and your confidant when you tearfully admit the pressures exams and your family’s expectations have on you. it isn’t a poetic verse or romantic comparison, it is simply a fact.

however, you’re not quite sure when the line between best friends and lover blurred for you. maybe it was when you felt a warmth bloom within you when you notice how jihoon’s eyes lit up as you complimented his songs, or when you found yourself grinning at how his eyes crinkled into crescent slits when eating something especially delicious. maybe it was when you stopped teasing how he structured himself as an organized and meticulous genius and admired him instead, or when the number of songs by bruno mars and one direction in your playlist began to increase.

falling in love with a stranger is an odd thing. falling in love with your best friend is stranger.

which is why now that jihoon’s no longer a part of your life, you live in the grayest area you’ve ever known with a jihoon-shaped hole beside you. even though he holds your heart in his hands, he is, first and foremost, your best friend. when the love of your life leaves, you’ll fall, but you know that you’ll eventually climb back on your feet. but when the love of your life and your best friend leaves? you used to joke about having a two-in-one package deal, which would cause jihoon to swat at your shoulder in embarrassment. but suddenly your words are being shoved back into your mouth, because all of a sudden having a lover who’s also your best friend leave your life isn’t quite so great.

(you’re standing inside your apartment, fingers fiddling at the bracelet around your wrist. it’s a simple, silver bracelet that loosely wraps itself around your wrist, one that your friend jeonghan had made you two buy. something to commemorate your relationship, he had said.

inhale on five... exhale on ten... and repeat, just like jihoon had taught you. it’s a simple breathing exercise you’ve been using since high school, yet it’s gotten you through your toughest times, like when you’re taking on the world without jihoon beside you. but no matter how many times repeat this routine, you can’t seem to pump any oxygen into your lungs.

jihoon’s standing by the doorway, arms loaded with a box of his things. you swear that if you pulled out each item, you could confidently recall a memory associated with it. the denim jacket that supposedly brings good luck, the one you both wear every time you have an exam. the baymax figurine he spent hours building and triumphantly placing it on your desk, reminding you of his achievement every time. each object that he takes back is a piece of you that gets chipped away.

“i think that’s the last of things,” jihoon says. his tone is void of any emotion, and you suddenly wonder whether the emotions from the past years were ever real.

a part of you wants to interrogate him with questions, like how you would whenever he skipped meals. you deserve some closure, at the very least. but instead, you’re wordlessly helping him pack away the four years you spent as a couple, and the several years you spent as best friends. “yeah.” your voice wobbles a bit, but thankfully no tears fall. not yet, at least.

but when he turns to face you, you can’t help but let the tears roll down your cheeks. jihoon isn’t crying - he seldom cries, even in situations like this - but the face he makes is enough to start the waterworks. you use the back of your sleeve to wipe the tears away, but now that they’ve started, there’s no stopping them. “sorry,” you mumble, desperately hiding behind your sleeves.

there’s some shuffling, and when you peek behind your sleeves, you see jihoon right in front of you. he’s rubbing his arms like he isn’t sure what to do, but what can he do, considering how he’s the one who broke your heart? reluctantly, he opens his arms, and you can tell this is the last time you’ll ever be in them again.

you dive straight into them, burying your head in his chest for the last time. you’re crying all over again, and you swear you hear jihoon sniffling, too.)

you step out of your apartment and take in the cold breeze of air. seeing the seasons change before your eyes are reminders that time heals opened wounds. but here you are, still pathetically wallowing over your losses.

it’s been too long.

you’re walking through the throngs of pedestrians to get to the nearest supermarket. it’s your turn to buy groceries for the week, and it’s the only place you’ll actually leave home for.

five minutes later, you enter the supermarket. as you grab a grocery cart, you glance at the screen of your phone, perusing through the list of groceries yoongi had sent you.

after ten minutes of browsing through the aisles and grabbing everything he needed plus some snacks of your own, you push the cart through the aisle of asian foods. it’s jam packed with people your age, presumably stocking up on ramen and whatnot. as you wait for a cluster of boys and girls to move aside, your cart comes to a stop at a shelf of samyang packs. you’re reaching out to pick up a pack, staring at the chicken mascot that used to make you laugh.

you hate how every corner seems to have something that reminds you of jihoon, no matter how trivial. you’re standing in the grocery store, reminiscing of your relationship with him because of a chicken mascot. truly, you’ve reached rock bottom.

(“jihoon, i was kidding. please don’t die from eating too much ramen,” you beg. the amused smile on your lips tells a different story.

jihoon sends you a glare, stirring the pot of ramen. “you’re a pussy if you die from eating too much ramen,” he snaps.

your laugh is so loud it fills up every corner of the room, and as obnoxious it is, it’s contagious, evident when the corners of jihoon’s lips lifts up. “jihoon, you put in three packs. at least split it with me!”

he rolls his eyes, tearing a small packet that came along with the ramen. “then you’ll die,” he answers matter-of-factly.

“are you calling me a pussy?”

“yes.”

you pick up the pack and attempt to piece the wrapper together so the image is still whole. “you’re going to look like this when you’re done.” you point at the mascot. it’s a chicken breathing black flames with a black toupee on its head, clutching onto a bomb. “actually, you’re halfway there! you’ve got the hair and the anger... just need a bomb to complete the look.” jihoon’s laugh is so loud that soon, you find yourself laughing along as you clutch your stomach. he says something about you being insufferable and you swat at his shoulder, and he screams at you for nearly tipping over the pot. but now your mundane evening is filled with laughter, and at this point you’re not sure what’s so funny. but jihoon’s cackling at you, and you’re cackling back until tears brim the corner of your eyes. unlike now, they’re tears of happiness.

it’s moment like these that makes you feel prideful, knowing you’re one of the few people who can make him lose his polished, reserved exterior. dating jihoon is already an adventure itself, but this? seeing such boisterous laughs rip out of his chest, the ones that has him body slamming himself against the nearest piece of furniture, is a treasure itself. it’s the rare moments where he allows himself to let loose, a stark contrast from the lee jihoon holed up in his studio, determined to perfect his craft.

jihoon’s eyes are too blurry for him to notice your look of adoration.)

you’re too busy reminiscing, and it isn’t until a droplet of water falls onto the packet that you realize you’re crying. you wipe the wet trail on your cheek, destroying any evidence of your sadness. as you move away from the aisle, your cart accidentally runs into a shelf, causing an assortment of snacks to tumble down. you quickly bend down to pick up the fallen items, burning with embarrassment at the stares boring into you. but then you hear someone coming to kneel beside you, helping you collect the items. “oh my god, i’m so sorry,” you mumble because you really are, having not only bothered other shoppers but also the employees.

“don’t apologize, you’re all right.”

you turn your head so fast you nearly give yourself whiplash, and you really feel like the universe is out to get you. like some stupid romantic drama, jihoon looks up, eyes connecting with yours. his kind demeanor is quick to fade, quickly replace with a blank, monotonous stare. you hate how all traces of love he had for you is gone, how he looks at you like you weren’t his friend before lover. even if your relationship is over, it shouldn’t have affected your friendship like it did.

before jihoon can say anything, you hastily throw the fallen items onto the shelf, even throwing some into your cart. you throw out a quick thank-you before grabbing your cart and zooming down the aisle at an inhumane speed.

at the cash register, you’re staring at the screen displaying the item and its price. when the cashier checks out the final item, you blink in surprise to see a six-pack of samyang ramen appear on the screen, rounding up the total price to around forty dollars. you don’t even remember throwing it into your cart.

you buy it anyways.

you groan at the pinging sound your phone makes, rolling over to the other side of the bed. you brush a few stray strands of hair out of your face, eyes still laced with sleep from your nap. a yawn rips out of your chest as you grab at your phone, body stretched across your bed.

yoongi: hey i don’t want to bother you or anything but have you seen my flannel? i think i left it in your room a few weeks ago [06:21 PM]

you: the black and red one? [06:22 PM]

yoongi: yeah [06:22 PM]

you: i can check my closet, do you need it now? [06:22 PM]

yoongi: nah, i was just wondering where it was so i can wear it next time. could you look for it when you have the chance? [06:24 PM]

you: sure [06:26 PM]

yoongi: thanks [06:27 PM]

a few seconds of stretching later, you stand up and pull up a playlist on your phone. you suppose cleaning your room while you’re at it would do you some good, too. as you scroll through your playlists, your eyes fall on one that’s been sitting at the bottom of your music library, and for what seems to be the hundredth time this week, your heart drops.

you aren’t quite sure why you still have jihoon’s playlist downloaded. while he does have great taste in music, his songs are only reminders of your heartbreak; bruno mars and one direction will never sound quite the same anymore. reluctantly you scroll back to the top of your library and shuffle a playlist. an r&b song kicks in, and you approach your closet, focusing on the task at hand. as you slide open your closet door, you begin sorting through the mountain of clothes on your chair, as well as the mess in your closet.

half an hour of rummaging later, you move on to the clothes in your dresser when you notice a particular black-and-red plaid pattern underneath one of your sweaters. just as you had expected, it’s yoongi’s flannel. you’re unsure how it got to your room in the first place considering how you both are always in your rooms, but you suppose it was probably a laundry mix-up.

you turn your attention back to your closet. your uppermost shelf has several small boxes tucked in it, so you decide it’s about time to clear them out. however, you’re not the tallest person, so your hands are blindly rummaging through them. that proves to be ineffective, though, because soon a number of boxes come tumbling down the shelf.

“clean you room, you said. it’ll be fun, you said,” you grumble to no one in particular. as you collect the fallen boxes, most of them coming up empty or filled with memorabilia, you stop as your eyes land on one that you’ve never seen before. there’s a sticky note with your name written in eloquent writing, and your heart clenches at the all too familiar handwriting.

setting aside the other boxes, you pull the one with your name close. reluctantly, you open the lid and are surprised to see a stack of papers neatly stacked inside. it must have been placed in here a while ago, evident from the dust lingering in the corners. as you pull them out, shaking dust off, your eyes scan the content of the papers. at the uppermost corner of the front page is another sticky note, and you peel it off to read it.

love songs. i can’t believe you had the audacity to write love... who even are you jihoon?

do not let (name) see unless you want to embarrass yourself! - jihoon

a sad smile rests on your lips, and you fondly swipe a thumb across the note. you leaf over the stacks of papers, various lyrics and titles scrawled on each one. a few familiar names such as love letter and pretty u pop up, the ones you recall jihoon playing a few times. you guess they ultimately got scrapped, because what purpose do they serve now with lost value?

beside the titles are dates scrawled beside them, and all of them are songs written when he was dating you. you wonder how he was able to pump out song after song, moreso without you knowing. a bitter smile spreads across your lips. the farther you go through the pile, the more inevitable your breakup feels. songs like say yes were filled with love so pure and full that it made you lightheaded, but as you go down the stack, songs like all my love show more regret and insecurity than love. it isn’t until you glance at the messy pile spread across your lap and your floor that you realize how powerful a motivator love can be, the source of many masterpieces; at least now you know at some point in time, jihoon loved you enough to utilize it as an inspiration.

you’ve just finished reading the lyrics of a song titled don’t listen in secret before you pull out what appears to be the final sheet of paper. in the center, pinwheel is written in eloquent handwriting, the last song dedicated to you. if you’re being honest, the date makes you tear up, because it was a week after he had turned your world upside down.

as you analyze the lyrics and wipe away tears that are threatening to fall, the light from your window shines onto the back, and it’s then that you notice additional writing. when you flip it back, you see that the contents appear to be a letter. judging from how it’s written in the very last song he wrote dedicated to you, you can only guess it’s a letter foreseeing your breakup.

i hope you won’t have to read this letter, because if you do, that means i’ve inevitably broken your heart like the idiot i am. i don’t have the right to even see you, much less address a letter to you, and i am so, so sorry.

jihoon seldom apologizes. your heart sinks even further.

we may have grown apart just a little with our schedules, but not enough to justify breaking your heart. please know none of this is, or will ever be, your fault. you deserve the whole world, and it’s so selfish for me to want to stay by your side even though i can’t give you that. and i want to be selfish, stick by your side, but seeing how the lights in your eyes dimmed, your sullen expression? i don’t think i can give you a star, much less a world. because i’m the one who is lacking, not you.

and i’m scared that by the time you read this, you won’t love me anymore, though quite frankly, i deserve it. i’m not sure if you’ll ever find it in yourself to forgive me for the things i’ve done. but i hope that even after these events, you won’t doubt the love i had - no, have for you. these songs are only a fraction of how much i cherish you. if you ever find this letter, i hope you can read this with a lighter heart. maybe you’ve found someone new to ease your pains. someone better than me.

i’m so sorry for breaking your heart. thank you for these past years.

by the time you’ve finished reading, there are already a few tears dotting the paper. ‘what an idiot. what a fucking idiot,’ you think to yourself, harshly wiping the tears away, your cheeks stained from crying. a small part of you is relieved for some closure, but the letter begs more questions than answers. and frankly, you’re tired of accepting an ambiguous ending.

with a scoff, you brush away your tears and stand up, the sheets of paper sliding down your lap. the floor is blanketed with songs, a reminder of the memories of you and jihoon. your mind is clouded with sadness, anger, but most importantly, a need for answers. and before you know it, you’re storming out of your bedroom, leaving all traces of his love behind. all except for the final song, the one containing his truest feelings. the letter that may have given you the opening you needed.

you burst out of your door, running.

[renjuseyo]

pinwheel (2) ; woozi

group: seventeen

pairing: lee jihoon / reader (gender-neutral)

synopsis: even if you get lost and it takes you a while, come round and round back to me.

genre: angst with a happy ending

warnings: explicit language, mentions of alcohol

part one got good feedback so here’s part two written in jihoon’s pov :) it’s almost one am where i am so this hasn’t been proof read quite yet! but as always, feedback would be greatly appreciated! <3 you can find part one here

title inspiration: pinwheel by seventeen other songs: i wish by seventeen

there is a time, always, when jihoon closes his eyes and sees you in the center of his world.

when you two were in a relationship, thinking about each other was a given. wondering if the other had eaten yet or what they were up to was practically second nature, though in jihoon’s case, these thoughts were accompanied by his adoration for you. sometimes he’ll catch himself picturing you beside him, laughing so loudly that you’re snorting. it isn’t anything romantic; if he’s being honest, you have one of the weirdest laughs he’s ever heard. but as weird as it is, it’s both endearing and contagious, because it never fails to brighten his day a little more.

or he’ll picture you nagging at him, probably because he’s failed to take care of himself once again, whether it be because he accidentally skipped a meal or spent more time working on a project instead of sleeping. even if you may act like a parent more than a lover sometimes, you’re really taking care of jihoon, and in some ways, you’re the best one to do it. it brings him a sense of comfort, being able to shut his eyes and make you out so vividly in his head.

now, every time he thinks of you, pictures your boisterous laugh or your nagging lectures, all he can feel is hurt. he can’t hear your laugh without hearing your cries, nor can he see you nagging without picturing your painstaking silence. he knows it’s not right, not after he left you crying in your apartment, not even sparing a glance back. he doesn’t deserve to, anyways.

not many things can change all at once, he realizes, even if it’s already been two years. he still wonders how you are doing, sometimes if you’ve moved on, even. today is one of those days, it seems, because he’s supposed to be composing a piece for a project due a week from now. but instead of pumping out poetic verse after verse like the machine he is, he’s laying in bed, staring at the plastic glow-in-the-dark stars sprinkled against the ceiling as he goes down the inevitable spiral thoughts of you bring along. he isn’t quite sure why he hasn’t taken them down, considering how memories are drenched up just by staring at them for too long. even if they provide a dim glow amidst the pitch darkness, it doesn’t make things less lonely.

when he was dating you, he was an absolute workaholic, constantly pouring his all into his projects. ironically enough, now that you’re gone, he spends his days doing nothing instead of working to distract himself. he still goes about his day as usual, but he doesn’t put work above himself anymore.

he sighs, rolling to his side. time helps some and hurts others, but he finds himself somewhere in between in a grey area. he hasn’t quite moved on from the events yet, but the bitterness he felt is replaced with a subtle dullness in his head. it’s a blank feeling, almost as if it isn’t there.

but it is, to his dismay, and he’s reminded of it every time he stares at a blank space for a little too long. jihoon isn’t one to ponder on falling outs for a long time - “everything happens for a reason,” he always says. yet here he is, in the dullest area he’s ever known, being the most unproductive he’s ever been. his friends had long given up on him; even his friend jeonghan, who might be the stubbornest person he’s ever met, has stopped pushing him to hang out with their friends now. wonwoo still tries every now and then, but that’s because he feels a sense of duty as his best friend. besides, he probably has made more progress with you than him, if seeing him drop off coffee at your place each time is anything to go by.

the thought of you and wonwoo together creeps into his mind before he can do anything about it. he doesn’t have the right to feel jealous or uncomfortable - if anything, he’s a much better fit for you than he will ever be, even if it hurts to admit. wonwoo won’t break your heart like he did, and he’s thoughtful and observant, so you won’t have to worry about expressing your thoughts. jihoon knows you could care less about physical appearance, but wonwoo is undoubtedly one of the most attractive people he’s ever met, so that’s a bonus, too. you deserve someone that brilliantly shines like the sun, like wonwoo. not someone who cowers in the darkness like the moon, like him.

but even if wonwoo isn’t the perfect match for you, he knows you’ll eventually find someone who does, because you’re just magnetic like that.

(he isn’t quite sure how long he’s spent wallowing his insecurities. but by the time he comes out of his head, he seats himself at his desk with newfound inspiration, writing i wish at the top of a new page.)

the four years jihoon spent dating you, and the several he spent as your best friend, has undoubtedly been the best years he’s spent. it isn’t like there’s a new adventure every day, because truthfully, you two spend more time being couch potatoes together than going out and exploring the world. but the sense of comfort and security he feels with you, the one that reminds him so dearly of home, is reason enough for him to spend each day contently.

if someone asked you how your relationship worked out as well as it did, he would say it’s because of your mutual respect for each other, and the confidence you had in your love for each other. your respect probably stems from your differences; if you’re loud and energetic, jihoon is quiet and reserved. when you relish in physical touch, jihoon resorts to subtle actions. some may even say you two are complete opposites, baffled at your compatibility, though others might argue that it’s these traits that made things just... work. truthfully, jihoon would argue that there couldn’t possibly be a more compatible pair that just got each other.

with such a perfect fit, how could you two have possibly fallen apart, some might wonder? he wonders this every now and then, too, though the answer to him is clear as day. and who else is there to blame except for himself?

having faith in each others’ love is the pillar to every relationship, and by doubting his, jihoon inevitably slipped down a rabbit hole of insecurities and what-ifs. and with these came the thought of you deserving much better than what he can offer, which eventually led to the mess that was two years ago.

now, if someone asked jihoon if he loves you, he would answer yes, in a heartbeat. but if someone also asked if he had any regrets, he would answer no, in the exact same time span. you deserve someone who won’t fall down said rabbit hole, even if it hurts him to think of you with someone new. love is a powerful motivator, anyways.

(jihoon’s perched on a stool by the bar, a glass of beer in his hand. moments later, wonwoo slides himself beside him, holding a new bottle. he raises an eyebrow in questioning. “bartender said it’s for you, from the girl in the blue dress.”

he scans the crowd until his eyes drift onto someone matching that description. she holds up her own glass in acknowledgement, sending him a flirty smile. he’s a little surprised considering how he rarely stands out like this. unsure of what to do, he sends her a polite smile before looking back at wonwoo. “no thanks.”

wonwoo shrugs, taking a swig of his own bottle. “suit yourself.” the bar is densely packed with people among their own cliques, eagerly engaged in conversation. it’s loud and reeks of alcohol, but jihoon feels like he’s in his own little bubble, save for wonwoo by his side. they both silently drink their respective beverages, taking in the crowd behind them, until wonwoo turns to face him. “care to tell me why you’re here, drinking your sorrows away?”

he rolls his eyes. “i’m not depressed, if that’s what you’re asking.”

he shrugs, holding up his hands defensively. “sorry. forgot you’re all sunshine and rainbows.” there’s a quick pause, and jihoon can tell he has something to say. “you know,” he begins, swirling his drink around, “(name) asked me how you’ve been.”

jihoon can feels his lungs contracting together, but he ignores the feeling, instead intensely staring at his drink. wonwoo continues, “i said you were doing okay.” he turns his head to give him a look of confusion, since wonwoo has experienced firsthand just how “okay” he’s really been. “well, you’re doing better than (name) is,” he explains. “i just thought you might want to know.”

he looks back at his drink, biting his lip. he supposes wonwoo does have a point, because he hasn’t turned into a sobbing mess like people had thought he would be. but then again, jihoon seldom cries, and he isn’t the most expressive, so no one is really surprised. he chooses to think of you instead. did you ask to see if he was still affected? did you ask to see if he was doing better?

his thoughts are running several miles per hour, but thankfully, wonwoo has known him long enough to read his thoughts, and he almost always gets them right. “(name)’s doing better compared to a year ago, but not much has changed.” he pauses to gauge jihoon’s reaction. “you know, i don’t understand why you don’t go back. you still love (name)-”

“no.”

it’s a simple response, really, but from the sudden edge in his voice wonwoo knows better than to pry. he knows it’s because of jihoon’s insecurities and because it would be a complete dick move to ask for your forgiveness two years later. not after he recklessly split your heart in two. you deserve better than a jerk like him, anyways.

jihoon knows this, and he knows wonwoo is only asking because he’s your friend as much as he’s his. he never gets less defensive, though.)

for someone who claims to be laid back, wonwoo sure is stubborn.

jihoon knows this, having known him since high school, yet the observation dawns to him every now and then. now is one of those moments, he notes, having been dragged out of their dorms to the supermarket. he knows fully well that wonwoo is very capable of bringing those groceries in by himself; he’s personally seen him carry two bags loaded with groceries inside without even breaking a sweat. but suddenly wonwoo, who enjoys being by himself more than normal, suddenly craves company from the very person who’s tried to stay indoors more.

“stop frowning, jihoon. you’ll get wrinkles that way,” wonwoo tells him, browsing through the shelves of cereal. “have you seen the honey bunches of oats, by the way? the almond ones.”

jihoon’s still brooding, arms tightly folded across his chest. “you wouldn’t even have to look at my face if i could’ve just stayed home,” he snaps. “and they’re to the right. you missed them a while ago.

he heads to the right as told and makes a noise of satisfaction upon finding what he needed. “come on, jihoon, you need to get some vitamin d in you. staying inside all of the time is bad for you.” wonwoo holds up a box of cereal, grinning. “see? if you weren’t here, i wouldn’t have even found it.”

"it’s night time, and your eyes can’t be that bad,” jihoon snorts, shuffling towards him. he unfolds his arms and shoves them in his pockets instead.

wonwoo rolls his eyes. “you’ve seen me run into a wall because i didn’t have my glasses. i think that itself proves a point.” touche. “anyways, i think we’ve gotten just about everything. is there anything you need?” he asks.

jihoon pauses to think of things they need. “we’re out of ramen,” he answers.

and with that, the two start pushing their cart towards the aisle of asian foods. it’s not surprising to see the shelves of ramen covered by people their age - after all, ramen is practically a necessity for college students. they make their way through the throngs of people when suddenly, one person’s cart abruptly runs into a shelf. packs of ramen fall from the shelves, and they can see someone who seems very embarrassed, bending down to pick up the fallen items as fast as possible. there are people looking at the scene, though apparently none are helpful enough to help.

jihoon makes his way towards the person, helping scoop up the variety of ramen. his eye catches sight of a six-pack of samyang ramen, and he can’t help the bittersweet smile that rests on his lips. you used to compare him to the chicken, and it was funny at the time. now it just reminds him of memories he doesn’t want to recall.

“oh my god, i’m so sorry,” he hears someone mumble beside him.

he scoops an armful of ramen from the floor and sends you a reassuring smile. “don’t apologize, you’re all right.”

the stranger turns their head so fast that it startles him, when he looks up, he decides there and then the universe really might be out to get him. like some romantic drama, his eyes connect with your wide ones, and your initial nerves seems to intensify more. his smile falls, and he’s staring at you, trying his hardest to remove any signs of emotions on his face. it seems it’s working, because he sees you look away at an impossible speed.

(he hopes you didn’t stare long enough to notice the bags under his eyes, the number of sleepless nights he’s had because of you.)

before he can say anything, you hastily throw the fallen items onto the shelf, even throwing some into your cart. you throw out a quick thank-you before grabbing your cart and zooming down the aisle at an inhumane speed. he’s left alone, crouched on the floor of the ramen aisle, probably looking like a fool with his arms full of ramen staring at an empty space with wide eyes.

as soon as the pile on the floor has been cleared, wonwoo slowly rolls his cart towards jihoon. “was that...” he glances at him to see his reaction. jihoon must have some grief stricken look on his face, because for all of his stubbornness, wonwoo drops the question like hot iron.

they roll their cart towards the cash register, silence lingering in the air. thankfully, wonwoo doesn’t question it, only asking if he’s gotten everything he needed.

he also doesn’t question the six-pack of samyang ramen that had miraculously matieralized in the cart, inserting his card into the card reader. and for all of his frugality, wonwoo doesn’t tell jihoon to pay him back, either.

when they slide into wonwoo’s car after throwing their groceries into the trunk, jihoon turns to glance at him, who’s connecting his phone to the car. “hey, wonwoo?”

he turns to face him, raising an eyebrow in acknowledgement. “yes?”

inhale on five... exhale on ten... and repeat. now that’s not something he’s had to do in a while. he isn’t sure why he feels so nervous - it’s wonwoo of all people. he’s seen jihoon through his worst moments and even lives to tell the tale about it. shutting his eyes, he sighs. “thanks.” he awkwardly rubs his thighs, eyes trained everywhere but at him. now that he thinks about it, he has a lot to thank wonwoo for. for the times he helped him get through his breakup, for the times he’s checked up on you, for the times he forced him out of their apartment, for the times he bought food and groceries for jihoon even though he didn’t need to, for the times he brought coffee to your apartment. for not giving up on him.

wonwoo shrugs, turning the keys in the ignition. “i’d rather not deal with a zombie in my apartment. you still need to pay rent, anyways.”

jihoon’s evening is supposed to look like this: buy groceries for wonwoo and two large bottles of coke-cola for himself, order pizza for the two of them, and spend at least an hour working on his latest project. he’s gotten one of the three parts down, having just come home from the supermarket.

he has two large bottles of coke-cola on the dining table, and if he’s being honest, they’re the only things he’s looking forward to tonight. he’s in the middle of putting carton of milk and fruits in their refrigerator when he hears soft knocks on his door. huh, weird. he sure wasn’t expecting anyone, and wonwoo has keys to their apartment.

he shuts the fridge and starts walking towards their entryway until the soft knocks are suddenly replaced with urgent rapping. he jumps and pauses in stunned silence, before quickening his pace towards the door. when he peeks through the peephole, he’s relieved to see it’s only his neighbor, lee dokyeom, and not a serial killer. he’s in the year below him and is a nice underclassman - nicer than the ones he knows, anyways. sweet, patient guy. definitely not the type to knock on doors so urgently.

jihoon cracks the door open in confusion. “is there something you need?”

dokyeom nervously looks left and right as if he fears something. so perhaps the possibility of a serial killer isn’t thrown out the window, he decides. “i saw someone on the first floor who was looking for you, and they looked really aggravated. just- be careful, okay?” he whispers. before he can say anything, dokyeom scurries away and darts back into his own home.

well he’ll be damned. he supposes this does add a little zest to his mundane routine, and what screams zest quite like an aggravated person looking for him? he shuts the door and locks it before contemplating the events that could have possibly led to this. looks like pizza and his project will have to wait.

a few minutes later, jihoon hears footsteps stoming outside of his apartment. before he can ready a weapon, loud knocks echo throughout his apartment, though they’re much louder and much more aggressive than dokyeom’s. unsure of what to do, he hesitantly peeks through the peephole. when he does, he fully expects to see someone that screams serial killer material. perhaps someone with a gun or a knife, or someone wearing all black with murderous eyes. saying he’s surprised to see you standing outside of his door, angrily clutching onto a sheet of paper, is an understatement.

wait... sheet of paper?

perhaps the potential of a serial killer is better than what he’ll soon face, he decides.

mustering all of the courage in him, jihoon nervously unlocks the door and cracks it open. you’re standing before him, eyes narrowed; if looks could kill, he would be a very dead man. if he’s being honest, this is definitely not how he expected seeing you again. the fates are a funny thing.

“is there-”

“lee. ji. hoon,” you growl, grabbing the collar of his sweater. you drag him into his apartment and kick the door close before pushing him into a wall. under normal circumstances, jihoon would be very flustered. a little turned on, maybe.

but in these circumstances, he’s very nervous and a little afraid. “yes?” he squeaks.

you glare at him, pointing a finger at the sheet of paper in your hands. “what the fuck is this?” so much for small talk. he doesn’t have time to answer, because then you shove the paper in his face. it’s his final song dedicated to you, the one he had written after breaking your heart as a desperate attempt to get over you.

it didn’t work.

“funny that you should ask,” jihoon nervously laughs. “because-”

“don’t act like a smartass right now. you-” you inhale on five... exhale on ten... and repeat. “you wrote me a song like this and a letter on the back trying to justify leaving me without any answers and expect me to just take it?”

looking back, he does realize it is kind of a horrible move. just more reason why he should never get back together with you, because as much as he yearns it, he doesn’t deserve to. “no, i suppose not.”

his nerves quickly disappear when he sees the look of hurt that washes over your face, all traces of anger gone. now he just feels his heart dropping all the way down to his toes. “i thought you left because you didn’t love me anymore.” your voice is quieter, a stark contrast from your yelling, though it’s the way your voice wobbles, the way it sounds so fragile that stands out to jihoon. he can feel the two years of grief hitting him in all directions, seeing you so hurt. “you just disappeared from the face of earth. why?”

you know the answer, having read his letter and analyzing the lyrics of his song. but you’d take the words out of his mouth than on paper any day, no matter how unreliable. jihoon can only give you his guiltiest look, though it can’t even begin to compare to the guilt eating at his heart. he doesn’t respond immediately, frozen in place. the silence hangs heavy between them, and he swears this is all a dream. because you aren’t real, standing before him, begging him for answers.

but the sharp inhale that leaves your mouth is a harsh reminder that this is reality. he’s the one who hurt you as you struggle to keep your composure.

“i’m not good enough for you,” he begins. “i don’t...” inhale on five... exhale on ten... and repeat. “i don’t love the way you do, with your need to touch and for constant assurance. i can’t easily hold your hand or easily tell you i love you, because as blunt as i am, it’s so, so hard for me to just go out and say it. you fall into step with people like soonyoung so easily, because they don’t shy away from touch like i do. and you both can say you love each other without batting an eye and still be genuine about it. but i can’t do any of those things.”

he doesn’t give you a chance to speak. he’s already spiraling down a rabbit hole, too deep to come back out. his secret’s already out, so there’s no stopping it. “i’m not good at expressing how i feel, a complete contrast from you considering how you practically wear your heart on your sleeve. you deserve someone who’s love comes in the form of warm touches and firm affirmations, the same way you love people. i don’t want you to adjust the way you express love just because i can’t.” he doesn’t realize he’s crying until he feels something wet roll down his cheeks. you’re just as surprised as he is, because he rarely cries. “you deserve better.”

his final words have some sort of domino effect on you, because as soon as he says them, you march straight up to him and squish his cheeks together as hard as you can. he makes a muffled noise of confusion, staring at you with startled eyes.

“you...” you’re already shedding tears, but it’s the fierce look in your eyes that catches his attention. “you stupid, fucking, dumb idiot!”

you’ve always had a colorful vocabulary. “who are you to decide who’s good for me and who isn’t? mind you, i’m only a month younger than you, and i’m quite capable of making my own decisions!”

you continue, “i’m not dumb, jihoon! i was your best friend before your lover, you dumbass! i know better than anyone how much you hate physical touch and how hard it is for you to put your feelings into words! do you think i jumped into this relationship completely forgetting that?” you don’t even try to hide the way your voice cracks anymore. “i’m in love with you because of how stupidly organized you are. i’m in love with you because you feel emotions more deeply than others. but what really made me decide to pursue you is the fact that you never tried to change yourself for anyone! so what happened?” you sob, loosening your hold.

jihoon’s heart clenches. “i thought... having to adjust to fit what i felt comfortable with discomforted you. i thought you would’ve been happier-”

“YOU MADE ME THE HAPPIEST, YOU DUMBASS!!” you yell. “do you not realize that this whole time, these are all things you thought? because you never once tried to talk to me about how you felt?” you let go of him and walk away, turning your back on him. “the only way we can ever resolve issues like these is if we talk things out. i know you don’t like to, jihoon, but look what the alternative did to us.” you gesture at the state you two are in: crying, guilty messes, letting lack of communication completely derail your relationship.

perhaps this was what wonwoo had been trying to tell him all along: communication is key. he realizes this too late, now standing in his apartment with your heart in his hands, and his in yours. the guilt of taking the initiative all by himself without consulting you and the fact that even after everything, you can still confidently say that you love him, is so overwhelming that his knees buckle and he slides onto the ground, tears silently falling down his cheeks. you really were right when you called him a stupid idiot and more. he deserves all of those names and tenfold for doing this to you.

a silence hangs in the air, and he wonders if you’ve gone, too afraid to look up. a part of him wants you to stay, though he can understand if you left. you deserve that much. but then you slide onto the ground before him with matching tear stains, and you cup his cheeks. it’s a silent question of consent, and he closes his eyes, letting himself sink into your hands.

you lean in and rest your forehead against his. it’s warm and makes him feel a fuzzy feeling he hasn’t felt in a long time. “you’re really fucking stupid,” you murmur. “what were you thinking?”

“of you,” he whispers. he can feel your breath fanning against his face.

“obviously not, if we had to take a detour to get to where we are now,” you respond. “you’re lucky i love you.”

at this, jihoon opens his eyes and removes your hands from his face, standing up. even after unnecessarily breaking your heart, even after making these decisions himself?

you’ve known jihoon long enough to read him, even if he prides himself in being a closed book. “i’m still very pissed, and i’m not stupid enough to just jump into a relationship and forget everything that’s happened. but...” you stand up and take a step closer to him. it’s careful and precise, like how you’ve always taken care of him. “you jump, i jump?”

it’s something you two always say when you’re about to do something stupid. you and jihoon are an inseparable pair; even if jihoon is the logical one of you two, he’ll still find himself being roped into another one of your reckless shenanigans. he can still remember the one time in middle school you were trying to get a very scared jihoon to ride a newly opened roller coaster at the amusement park you two had gone on for a field trip.

“i would rather keep my remains, thanks,” he remembers saying.

but you’re stubborn personified, and you’re very firm on having your partner-in-crime beside you. “you jump, i jump?” you had asked.

he knew you wouldn’t push him if you really knew he couldn’t do it, but apparently you just know what things he can do, given the right push. that push comes in the form of that phrase, because then he finds himself climbing onto one of the seats, nervously clutching onto your hand.

but this isn’t middle school anymore, and jihoon knows even with these cleared up misunderstandings, it’s going to take a while for both you and him to assimilate yourself into a proper relationship.

yet he’s never wanted anything so badly anymore. he’s yearned for your smile, your laugh... you, for too long, and he would be a fool to give up this second chance. he takes a step towards you and laces your fingers together. he seldom touches anyone like this, and he can tell you’ve missed it, tightening your grip. “you jump, i jump,” he repeats with more confidence.

everything’s a little blurry, probably because of the tears in both of your eyes, but the one thing that’s clear to him is when you dive into his arms, burying your head in his chest. the last time you had done this, he left with your heart in his hands.

jihoon wraps his arms around you. “i’m so sorry,” he mumbles, burying his head on top of yours. “i got a little lost on my way here.” it’s supposed to be a lighthearted joke, though he can hear you sniffle.

“you came back to me,” you quietly laugh, a little unable to believe that you’re in his arms again and that this isn’t just a dream. your voice is wet and raw from crying and yelling, but jihoon’s never heard a prettier sound. “that’s all that matters.”