#rich kid jaehyun

[yongility]

NEO TV # I LIKE ME BETTER WHEN I'M WITH YOU. (jaehyun x reader) 1/? [next]

genre: angst, suggestive, gang au, rich kid au, enemies to lovers (kinda), a lil of fluffy stuff.

warnings: drug use mentions, gangs, fights, use of weapons, adult language, illegal activities, cheating (not on the main couple), toxic family environment, addictions, manipulation, insecurities, illegal street racing, death mentions. jeno is jaehyun's younger brother, angst, smut and if I slip something my bad haha.

word count: 10k?

a/n: I’m a sucker for cliche stuff so as soon as this fic popped in my mind I had to write it down, english isn’t my first language tho.

if you want to be in the taglist, just lemme know;) enjoy!

At SM City, things were simple.

Either you were born on the North side of the city where everything was filled with luxuries, privileges, incredible status, and the newest and most expensive things in the world, or you were born on the South side, where your childhood and adolescence could never be enjoyed because you would live surrounded by illegal businesses, in which eventually you would end up being a part of even if you didn't want to.

There was no third option.

There never was, and it wasn't expected that there would be.

SM City was radiant and beautiful... as long as you were in the Kwangya area because as soon as you set foot in the Neo Zone; things turned completely dark. Things were not always like this precisely; at some point in the past, despite the notorious differences between these two areas, Kwangya and Neo Zone had a synchrony that created an almost perfect balance and kept the city in maximum beauty.

But it was impossible to keep things that way.

Being part of the North side had its advantages: wealth, privilege, extravagant parties, designer clothes, and everything anyone could want, it would be in their hands as soon as they asked for it. Did you want a trip to the other side of the world? Done. Did you want the latest Louis Vuitton outfit? Of course. Did you want the newest car? Okay. Having it was as easy as asking for it.

They only followed one rule: do not approach Neo Zone unless your life depended on it... which would never happen.

While growing up on the South side was something peculiar. It didn't matter what you dreamed of, it didn't matter your future aspirations or your talents. Just by being born in Neo Zone; your life was already prescribed.

You would end up becoming a drug dealer, a hitman, or anything that involved ilegal businesses. Those were your only options. There were no others.

Did you want to get out of Neo Zone? Yeah, good luck with that.

On the South side, bad moves, riots, and problems were so common now that residents were accustomed to it. They began to accept their life and what destiny had prepared for them, even if it wasn't what they wanted.

Your age didn't matter, nothing mattered; as soon as you turned fourteen years old, you started your initiation into the Neo Zone gang. Each person had a different initiation and they had to complete it if they wanted the support and respect of the other inhabitants of Neo Zone, if not... you would end up fighting for your life alone. Without anyone's help, without anyone's support, and ending up being a nobody.

Welcome to Neo Zone, where there is an area as bright and welcoming as day and another as cold and dark as night.

______________________________________________

SM City was a small city, which meant there had to be at least one place where the inhabitants of Kwangya and Neo Zone had to mix and live together, and that place was none other than the high school. They shared the hallways, shared classes, the cafeteria, and that was not pleasant for either side.

Despite the always existing differences between the south side and the north side, the one thing the Mayor couldn't deny Neo Zone was education for its youth, and even though there were protests from Kwangya's parents about that abrupt mix, the mayor's idea would never change.

Because deep inside, he believed that the power of education would change his students and turn those Neo Zone vandals into good and promising individuals.

However, this opportunity served a completely different purpose for the youth of Neo Zone.

Because... What better place to do their business when it was Friday and many were looking to have a bit of fun on their weekend? It was no secret that the youth of Kwangya would take any opportunity to squander their millions of wones on some party made every new weekend. A party surrounded by the most expensive alcohol, the most relaxing and crazy drugs, and surrounded by hormonal teenagers who spent their time having sex whenever possible.

Jung Jaehyun wished that his business was different.

The boy let out a heavy sigh, frustration evident as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, quickly glancing at his friend before returning his gaze to the slender boy in front of him, who had his head bowed, hands and lips trembling and sweat drops were running down his forehead from fear.

Anyone facing Lucas Wong and Jung Jaehyun would feel fear.

"Look dude, this is the third time this week that I've come to look for you" Jaehyun said with a deep voice.

"I know, I know. It's just that..."

"I don't want to hear another lame excuse, you've given me enough of those already" he interrupted, dangerously approaching and grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, clenching his fists in it "look, I'll make things clear to you; you owe money to my boss, that shit you asked for is expensive, do you get it? He gave you a week and a half to pay for it, and guess what? The deadline ended... how long ago, Lucas?"

"Five days ago" Lucas, who was standing just behind his friend with his arms crossed over his chest, answered, flexing his muscles.

"Right, five days ago" Jaehyun affirmed, then looked to the side where the boy's Tesla was parked. He huffed with a sideways smile and returned his gaze to him, shaking his head slightly. "Those drugs won't pay for themselves, and you know it. You had a deadline to give us the money, and my boss was kind enough to wait for your little delay, and guess what? He's not very happy about it" he continued explaining without releasing his grip. The boy in front of him swallowed hard and nodded. "Daeho, you're surrounded by money, how hard can it be for someone like you to pay a few wones for the drugs you enjoy so much at those damn parties you throw?" he received no response, only seeing fear in Daeho's eyes and the fact that he couldn't give a good answer was starting to bother him.

He pushed him slightly with the collar still in his hands. Jaehyun clenched his jaw, and Daehyun closed his eyes momentarily.

"Jaehyun, let him go, I think he gets it" Lucas intervened when he saw his friend's white knuckles from the tight grip and knowing that if Jaehyun's patience was pushed further, things wouldn't end well.

"Sorry, I'm really sorry" Daehyun nervously apologized.

— Being sorry won't do a shit... your car is new, isn't it?"

At Jaehyun's unexpected question, Daeho furrowed his brow and shifted his gaze to Lucas, who simply nodded, then looked back at Jaehyun and swallowed hard.

"Yes, it is."

"Hmm, I see" Jaehyun examined the car meticulously, then scoffed and looked back at Daehyun with a smirk. "It's incredible to know that you can afford a damn car that costs much, much more wones than the money you owe us."

"My... my dad paid for the car. The money... the money is from my parents" Daeho stammered "I can't ask my dad for money for drugs, he would kill me" Daeho explained, avoiding Jaehyun's gaze and receiving a stern look from him.

"You should have thought about that before asking for them, you shitty addict" Jaehyun muttered, and Lucas placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, trying to calm him down.

"Let me talk to him" he requested, and Jaehyun, looking back at Daeho, finally released his grip, stepping back a bit, allowing his friend to continue. "Alright, Daeho, here's how it is: you owe us, your deadline ended a while ago, we've come to look for you three times already, and no matter the excuses you keep making up, you still haven't paid us. We want the money tomorrow, or the next visit won't be us, but our boss personally. And if you fear an angry Jaehyun, you should fear our boss more" he clarified while giving some not-so-gentle pats on his back.

"Tomorrow, at eight sharp, we want the money" Jaehyun announced, getting closer to the boy again.

"Tomorrow is Saturday, there's no school. Where am I supposed to give you the money?" Daeho asked, confused.

"We've looked for you several times, haven't we?" he questioned, not getting a response. "Haven't we?

"Yes."

"Good, tomorrow we have a race. Go to Neo Zone's main street and find us, we want the money with you" he requested, still smiling.

"Jaehyun..." Lucas called, and he shook his head.

"No Yukhei, we've given him many chances" he declared, approaching Daeho "Next time, you should think twice before asking us for more drugs if you won't pay on time.

Jaehyun turned around to walk away from the boy with Lucas by his side, but suddenly he stopped and chuckled. Returning to Daeho, he gave him a smile that made him even more nervous. Jaehyun looked around, making sure they were the only three people in the parking lot, and before Lucas could say or do anything, Jaehyun's fist hit Daeho's stomach, making him cough and place his hands on his abdomen, letting out groans of pain.

"Next time, don't play with us, you little brat" Jaehyun patted his back and winked.

Lucas hurried to take his friend by the arm and lead him away while muttering curses. They walked together to Jaehyun's car, and once they arrived, they got in. Lucas let out a heavy sigh as he shook his head, looking at his friend.

"I don't want to listen to you" Jaehyun spoke as he leaned back in his seat.

"We came to give him a little scare so he'd pay up, not for you to beat him up and ask for the money at tomorrow's race. Are you nuts?" Lucas asked, looking at him with disdain. "If Daeho goes to Neo Zone, they'll tear him apart, and you know it. As soon as he sets foot there, they'll know he's from Kwangya, and he won't be welcomed with flowers and claps."

"I gave him plenty of chances, and he didn't take them. Whatever happens to him next is not my problem," murmured Jaehyun as he tapped the steering wheel with his thumb. "Look, Lucas, I sold him the stuff, I asked the boss to give him a week and a half to pay, and now that he hasn't, the boss is getting on my nerves. He either pays or I make him pay. It's that simple."

His friend sighed and scratched his head as he looked out the window.

"At least make sure he doesn't have a rough time tomorrow."

Jaehyun scoffed. "Whatever. I couldn't care less about that rich boy"

____________________________________________

(Y/N) opened the large door of her house, and before she could say anything, Daeho took her by the arm and started walking with her trailing behind him. (Y/N) furrowed her brows and followed the confused boy, who began to climb the stairs and she almost stumbled trying to keep up with his pace. Her cousin continued the journey, then entered her room and locked the door. (Y/N) sat on her bed, breathing heavily, and gave a disapproving look to the boy in front of her.

"Could you stop acting like a damn paranoid and tell me what's going on?"

Just over half an hour ago, when she had arrived home from school, Daeho had called her sounding a bit nervous and asking if her parents were home. (Y/N) asked for the reason for his state, but he simply replied saying that he would come to her house and explain everything in there.

And not knowing what was going on was also making her nervous.

"Okay, it may sound strange, but I really need your help," Daeho pleaded, looking at his cousin with a plea in his eyes.

She looked at him confused and tilted her head, trying to decipher the look of the boy in front of her.

"What did you do this time, Daeho?" (Y/N) asked. "I'm not going to lie to your parents again if that's what you want."

"No, that's not it," he hurriedly replied.

"Then what is it?" she asked, crossing her arms.

They had grown up together, sharing everything from an early age. Wherever Daeho did... (Y/N) would also. Did she enroll in music lessons? Well, Daeho did too. Did he want to go to a summer camp? (Y/N) did too. They did everything together, they were always there for each other, and that's why they knew each other so well, too well, and every time Daeho said he needed help, (Y/N) couldn't help but to feel anxious. Her cousin always found a way to get into trouble, and the person who was always there to get him out of trouble was none other than his dear cousin.

"Hmm," Daeho scratched his head. "I need you to lend me some money," he said almost in a whisper, but loud enough for her to hear.

(Y/N) burst out laughing, and Daeho looked at her seriously, which made her realize that her cousin was not joking, and she furrowed her brow in confusion.

Of all the things she expected her cousin to ask for, money was the last thing on her mind.

Both families were among the wealthiest in the area. Their parents, being siblings, shared the same royalties in the family company. The same company that would soon be in their hands. Their parents were known for the international business they conducted, for the galas they organized to donate money to the city, and for the luxuries everyone knew they had. Money was never a problem for the Hwang families, so why was her cousin asking her for a loan?

"Money? Isn't it easier to borrow from your parents than from me?" she asked with a smirk.

"I can't ask them for money; I exceeded the limit for this week and now I'm grounded, they blocked my bank account for two weeks" he explained with frustration.

"Well then, how much money do you need?" she asked again.

"A few wones," he replied without looking at her.

"How much is 'a few wones'?"

Daeho sighed and nervously scratched his head before looking at her again. He closed his eyes for a moment and, without opening them, he replied, "545,000 wones."

(T/N) widened her eyes and then shook her head.

"545,000 wones?" she repeated, and he nodded. "What do you need that for?"

"It doesn't matter what it's for," he hurried to say.

"Well, it matters if you're asking me for a loan," she said simply.

The girl knew he could have expensive tastes, but she didn't know how he had exceeded his weekly money limit when the week wasn't even over yet, and he still needed more money. The same money he didn't want to ask his parents for.

So no, her cousin wasn't acting normal, and that worried her. First, he called her nervously asking if he could come to her house, then he took her to his room while asking if his parents weren't home, and now he asked her for money without intending to tell her what it was for.

What trouble did you get into, Hwang Daeho?

"If you don't tell me what you need the money for, I won't lend it to you," she warned him, and seeing that she didn't get a response, she got up from her seat and stood in front of her cousin, pointing a finger at his chest. "Fine, I won't give it to you, and I'll also tell my uncle that you asked me for money."

Daeho widened his eyes and shook his head hastily, taking his cousin's hands and looking at her with pleading eyes, pouting, and speaking, "Please, don't tell Dad, I don't need a lecture right now," she looked neutral, "(Y/N), please."

"Tell me what you need the money for, I won't tell anyone, and I'll lend you as much as you need. Even more, but be honest."

He sighed for the thousandth time that day and finally relented.

"It may or may not be that I asked for drugs..."

"What?" she interrupted. "Daeho, you told me you wouldn't use anymore," she said angrily.

"I'm sorry, okay?" he said, raising his hands defensively, "but we had that party two weeks ago, and I couldn't bear to spend a whole night with my parents and all those people asking me about my future, when I don't even know if I want to keep getting up every day!"

(Y/N) knew the pressure her cousin felt about his future because she felt the same pressure. Being the next in line for an international company left many people wishing, and every chance they got, they bombarded them with the same questions about it. Making both of them wonder if they were good enough to fill the big shoes their parents would leave behind. If they were capable enough to be the leaders their parents were. They knew they had carried that weight since they were little, that their lives were already determined from the moment they were in the womb. (Y/N) knew her place and her responsibilities. She was aware that any mistake she made would affect her future. She couldn't make any mistakes, not even one, or it would be the next topic at their father's business meetings.

Just like Daeho was.

She had always been like that; upright, responsible, making sure things went as they should. Almost perfect. The pressure was even greater on her, after all, many didn't trust her just because she was a woman. They believed that really the only one who could take over the company in the future was Daeho, and that hurt her pride because she tried. Really, she did. She put all her effort into that company, even when she was still in high school and didn't have time for her university career yet. However, from an early age, she was involved in the business world, she wanted to do more and be more. Because she needed to be the pride of her family. Her father's pride. There was nothing else she wanted more.

She wished she could shut people up.

And Daeho, on the other hand, was different. All eyes were on him, expecting him to be the only leader in the future, but Daeho hated everyone's attention.

Everyone's attention except his parents.

If there was one thing different between (Y/N) and Daeho's families, it was their parents. Daeho's parents were absent. They were always away on business trips, in the office, or anywhere but home. That was part of the reason why he was so close to (Y/N); during his childhood, he spent more time with his aunt and cousin than with his own parents. And that led him to do things that would catch their attention. Daeho was known as the rebel, yet people still expected a lot from him. He always threw parties whenever his parents were away on trips in the hope that they would return soon and spend time with him. He spent money on unnecessary things so that his parents would call him when they were away, and among all his needs to get their attention, it led him to drugs.

"(Y/N), I know I said I would quit it," the boy spoke again. "But believe me, right now it's the least of my worries. I need to pay for that stuff tomorrow, and I can't ask my parents," he explained impatiently.

"God, Daeho," she sighed. "Okay, I'll give it to you," she rolled her eyes and went to her bag, opened it, took out her wallet, took all the bills she had in there, then went to her desk and took a little more from one of her boxes. "Who do you owe the money to?"

Daeho swallowed hard at the question and looked at her guiltily.

"To... Jaehyun," he murmured, and she slapped her forehead with her hand.

Jung Yoonoh, or as many knew him: Jaehyun. If someone described him in simple words, it would be: leather jackets, tattoos, cigarettes, gangs, and drug deals. If she described Jaehyun, it would be with a single word: danger.

He wasn't just a drug dealer. Jaehyun was always in fights and in bad situations. Jaehyun participated in illegal races. He was the one who showed up to first period with bruised knuckles, a split lip, and a cigarette in his mouth. He was the one teachers respected – or rather feared – and never messed with him. He was the one you wouldn't look at for more than five seconds for fear that it might bother him, and things would end badly. Jaehyun screamed danger at its finest, and that caught the attention of many people.

However, if you wanted good stuff to have a good time, to escape your worries, or simply to annoy your parents, Jaehyun was the person you should go to. It wasn't a secret that he was one of the dealers at the high school. Hell, even the principal knew. Everyone did. He and his group of friends were the people you should stay away from if you wanted to be okay, the only reason you could or should communicate with them was to make a deal. Nothing else.

Being from Neo Zone, he was the last person you wanted to associate with, and there was Daeho, buying stuff from him, then owing him money, and asking her to lend it to him.

"Of all the people you could have asked for your damn drugs and then stay in debt, did it really have to be Jaehyun?" she asked with frustration, hitting him on the head. "You could have gone to that guy Taeyong. At least he has a bit more manners," Daeho lowered his gaze, and she sighed, "Okay, take the money and promise me... promise me that you'll never buy drugs again, much less from Jaehyun," she asked.

Daeho took the money from her hands and nodded with a smirk.

His cousin really was his savior.

"When do you have to give him the money?"

"Tomorrow," he replied as he put it in his wallet, looked at his cousin, and swallowed hard. "I might have to go to..."

"Please don't say Neo Zone, please don't say Neo Zone," she begged in whispers.

"Neo Zone," Daeho said again, lowering his gaze. His cousin covered her face with her hands while shaking her head vigorously. She sighed; why did her cousin always find a way to get into trouble? Revealing her face, she walked straight to her bed, where she threw herself onto it, grabbed her pillow, and put it on her own face before letting out a frustrated scream.

Daeho sat on the small couch in the room, looking at the money in his hands while thinking about all the possible scenarios that could happen the next day.

Of all the places her cousin could go, it had to be there... it had to be Neo Zone. She imagined what could happen as soon as he set foot there, and the thought that maybe her cousin wouldn't come out of there scared her. They had never set foot there; they didn't know for sure how things were done, but it was enough to hear the rumors about that area to fear it.

Now Daeho would go and get involved there.

And she would have to do something to make sure he came out with all his limbs intact.

She removed the pillow from her face and let out a heavy sigh, got up from the bed, and sat on it. She looked at her hands for a moment and anxiously played with her fingers. She thought about the words that would come out of her mouth: would she regret saying them? Possibly, could something go wrong? Maybe, but that's who she was. She would take care of her loved ones' lives before her own, because that's (Y/N) for you.

"I... I'll go with you," she said almost in a whisper. Daeho raised his eyes extremely quickly, almost panicked, looking at his cousin. He couldn't risk her, he couldn't put her in danger.

"(Y/N), you won't go. You'll stay here; we won't even argue about this," Daeho spoke, standing up and looking at her defiantly.

"It's my money you're carrying with you; I'm involved in this, and I'll go with you because I need to know that you'll be okay," she also said, standing up.

"Listen, me going to Neo Zone is already stupid and dangerous, you going with me is even more so I don't want to put you in danger; if something happens to me? Fine, it's under my responsibility, but I couldn't bear the guilt if you get hurt."

"Daeho, I won't let you go alone. We've always done things together. If you're in trouble, I want to help you. Just like you would if it was me," she explained, raising her voice.

"(Y/N), I really don't want to argue about this. You're not going..." he was interrupted.

"In one way or another, I'll go with you. Whether you want it or not ," she finished, crossing her arms.

Daeho looked at his cousin for a moment, analyzing her face. He knew that once she had made up her mind about something, there was no turning back. She was stubborn and determined, and if she had said she would go with him, she would.

He sighed and nodded.

"Fine, but I swear to you, (Y/N), if something happens to you, I'll never forgive myself," he said sincerely.

"Don't worry about me; worry about not making me regret going with you," she replied with a small smirk.

Daeho rolled his eyes and shook his head with a small smile.

Of course, his cousin was like that.

"You'll have to wear something less conspicuous," Daehyun spoke, breaking the moment.

"What do you mean by less conspicuous?" she asked, tilting her head.

He approached his cousin and put his hands on her shoulders, then looked her straight in the eyes.

"(Y/N), you can't go dressed like a rich girl. You'll attract too much attention, and it won't be good for you," he explained.

(Y/N) narrowed her eyes and shook her head, removing her cousin's hands from her shoulders.

"And what do you suggest?l she asked sarcastically.

Daeho smirked and shrugged.

"Just wear something that doesn't look like it costed you millions" he replied.

(Y/N) looked at her cousin incredulously and sighed.

What was she getting herself into now?

______________________________________________

(Y/N) took a quick look at the large mirror in her room and observed the clothes she had put on. Nothing extravagant, nothing expensive, nothing that screamed her social status. If she could keep a low profile, she would, and she hoped it would work.

She didn't know how to feel. Fear and nerves were running through her body and could be seen reflected in her eyes; her hands were sweating, and she had to wipe them on her pants, letting out a long, heavy sigh, trying to erase all the negative thoughts that came to her mind.

Would something happen to Daeho and her while they were in Neo Zone? She hoped not; she hoped they would just hand over the money and leave that place as soon as they could.

She grabbed her bag with her belongings inside and left her room as quietly as possible. She walked almost on tiptoe along the long hallway, passing her parents' room with great care and approaching the stairs. She checked the time on her wristwatch; it was seven thirty in the evening. The way to Neo Zone would take them about fifteen minutes, and hopefully, they would be there by the agreed time.

She cursed Jaehyun with all her being for getting them into this, but she cursed her own cousin even more for getting involved in these situations.

She began to descend the stairs, one by one and carefully. Her cousin was at the main entrance of the house, waiting for her, and the last thing she wanted right now was to run into one of her parents.

And it seemed that was exactly what she asked for.

"(Y/N)," her mother's voice was heard behind her from afar. "Where are you going?"

The girl closed her eyes for a brief moment and cursed under her breath. She adjusted her posture and turned around to see her mom leaning on the second-floor railing.

"Um, I'm going out with Daeho," she replied, moving her head slightly.

"Oh, has Daeho come?" her mother asked.

"Hmm yes, he's waiting for me outside," she replied.

"Well, where are you and Daeho going?" her mother asked again, this time getting closer to her daughter, descending the stairs and stopping before her.

(Y/N) swallowed hard. Lying to Daehyun's parents when he got into trouble was easy... lying to her own parents was something different. Very different. She tried not to move her hands anxiously as she always did, a movement that everyone in her family knew, something that betrayed her every time something happened.

She clenched one of her fists at her sides to avoid doing it and cleared her throat.

"Daeho said something about seeing a new movie and then going out to dinner. You know that my uncles are traveling this week, and you know how lonely Dae feels when they're not around," (Y/N) murmured the last part.

Her mother looked at her from above and squinted her eyes for a few seconds, then smiled as she nodded. She raised her hand and brought it to her daughter's cheek to stroke it slowly, causing her to hold her breath.

"Of course, dear. Keep your cousin company, offer to spend the night here so he doesn't feel lonely until your uncles arrive," she said, then pushed one of her hair strands behind her ear. She then gave her daughter a quick once-over and wrinkled her nose a bit. "Poor choice of clothing, dear. Too casual. Remember who you are; you can't go around like that... looking like a homeless. What will our associates say if they see you like this?" She put her hand on the girl's shoulder, feeling the fabric's material and wrinkled her nose.

(T/N) fought with herself not to roll her eyes right there and push her mother's hand away abruptly. She hated it when her mother told her what to do, what to wear, or what to say. She hated the phrase she always used against her, "remember who you are." It made her feel so small, as if her status or her way of acting were more special than what she thought. Than her own thoughts.

"Of course, mother," she replied simply, as she always did. No matter how many times she tried to gather the courage and say everything she felt... it never worked. Her mother's gaze would always manage to intimidate her, and she was tired of it.

She turned around to continue her way and walked through the entire place from the stairs to the main door. She left her house after a while, crossed the main yard until she reached the entrance. She greeted the security men with a simple nod, and they opened the doors for her to finally exit. Her cousin's Tesla was in front of her; as she got in, she saw Daeho tapping lightly on the steering wheel with one of his fingers.

"Why did you take so long?" Daeho asked impatiently.

"My mother stopped me as I was leaving my room," she replied, taking a deep breath.

Her cousin didn't reply; instead, he started the car and drove off. None of them spoke throughout the journey, possibly because of the anxiety it caused them. The city looked increasingly different as they approached the Neo Zone area. The streets were now darker and lonelier; (Y/N) could feel her chest pounding strongly. Her hands were sweating, and she felt a slight pressure on her chest.

May nothing go wrong tonight.

She shifted her gaze forward and finally could see the lights of Neo Zone in the distance. A few more minutes, and they would enter what would determine whether they would continue to live or not.

Was she being dramatic? It was just a part of the city. It couldn't be as bad as they painted it, right? Maybe everything they had heard from their parents or older people about that place was just an exaggeration.

Right?

She didn't even notice it. She didn't even feel when her cousin's car stopped. Daeho let out a sigh and lightly tapped the steering wheel in frustration.

"Well, we arrived on time," her cousin murmured, (Y/N) nodded, and they both got out of the car.

A few meters away from them, they could see a bunch of people. Some drinking, others smoking, others dancing, and others having passionate sessions with others. The music volume was loud, too loud for a public place. However, the car engines could be heard over it. Loud and clean. (Y/N) remembered Daeho mentioning that there would be a race... one that surely wouldn't be legal.

Daeho stood beside her, and they looked at each other. He nodded slightly, and together they began to blend in with the crowd. For a moment, they thought they had gone unnoticed. It seemed that many people were busy with their own business to even notice them.

Or so they thought.

(Y/N) stayed close to her cousin, who was leading the way for both of them. She bumped into some people from time to time, but none bothered to turn and look at them. It wasn't until Daeho felt a hand on his chest stopping him and causing (Y/N) stopped abruptly, colliding with her cousin's body.

"Oh, well," a deep voice spoke. "Who are you?" asked the broad-shouldered man. His arm muscles were large and with a particular tattoo. The Neo Zone one.

The girl swallowed fearfully and stayed behind her cousin.

Great. Just great.

"Excuse us," Daehyun spoke, trying to keep walking, but again the man stopped him.

"I hadn't seen you around here before," the man spoke again. "I repeat, who are you?"

(T/N) looked around, now seeing more people cornering them. The difference between them could be noticed. It was clear that neither she nor Daehyun fit in there. It was clear they weren't part of Neo Zone.

That had been a bad idea. A very bad idea.

Someone took her by the arm and separated her a bit from her cousin. They did the same with him. Placing him right in front of the big man, who impatiently awaited an answer.

"Aren't you the Hwangs?" someone asked from afar. Upon hearing her last name, (Y/N) turned her head to see who had spoken, seeing one of her schoolmates among the crowd.

She forgot that several people there attended the same school.

"Oh, the Hwangs?" the man questioned. "As the kids of Hwang Inc’s owners?”

Before anyone could even say anything. The crowd parted, and the tall figures of Jung Jaehyun along with Lucas Wong appeared. Jaehyun stood between the man and Daeho and smiled slightly, patting him on the shoulder.

"Calm down, Hanseok. They're with me," Jaehyun said firmly. He turned to look over his shoulder at the Hwang cousins and clicked his tongue.

"Hmm," the man, now known as Hanseok, looked at each boy and then at Jaehyun. "What are you doing associating with someone from Kwangya?" Hanseok approached the girl, and before he could get too close to her body, Jaehyun stopped him by placing his hand on his chest and Lucas slipping in front of her.

"Business," the boy replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to take him... take them to the boss," Jaehyun stopped looking at Hanseok and changed his gaze to the Hwang cousins. "Let's go."

Neither Daeho nor (Y/N) uttered a word. They both followed Jaehyun and Lucas, who were heading towards what seemed to be a garage, which was surrounded by cars and was dimly lit. (Y/N) swallowed hard and kept walking. Thanks to Hanseok, all eyes were on them. They could feel each of them staring at their bodies, watching them meticulously. Waiting for a wrong move to pounce on them and tear them apart.

The air was tense, and Jaehyun knew it.

Now he was having second thoughts about bringing Daeho here.

But screw it. Daeho had let him down. He owed money to his boss, and his boss was being a painful nuisance in his balls.

He glanced back to see the Hwang cousins; Daeho walking cautiously and (Y/N) behind him trying to look calm, although she actually looked like a scared little mouse.

He clicked his tongue and shook his head. The idea was to bring only one Hwang. Just Daeho, why did he bring his cousin along? Something wouldn't end well tonight.

“I don’t remember telling you that you could bring someone with you” Jaehyun said without looking back at them. “The deal was only you coming, not your cousin as well” they both could hear the anger in his voice”

And before Daeho could answer, she spoke “I tagged myself along” (Y/N) said. “It wasn’t Daeho’s idea”

“I thought someone like you would know better” he gave them a side smile and scoff”.

Lucas stood beside him, and both stopped when they reached the entrance of the garage. Two of his boss's bodyguards were guarding it and looked at them with superiority.

"Cheol Uk, the boss is waiting for us," Jaehyun explained, looking neutral.

"Only two people can enter," Cheol Uk replied nonchalantly. Jaehyun and Lucas looked at each other, and the former sighed. He nodded and turned to the Hwang cousins with no expression on his face.

"You brought the money with you, right?" he asked Daeho, who nodded eagerly. Jaehyun clicked his tongue and looked at Cheol Uk. "The boy and I will enter."

Daeho quickly turned to look at his cousin, and she could see a bit of panic in his eyes at the thought of leaving her alone, but she straightened up and smiled slightly, mouthing a "I'll be fine."

"Lucas will stay with her," Jaehyun told Daeho, who turned to look at the mentioned.

"I'll take care of her," he assured, approaching the girl and nodding at her.

Jaehyun gave Daeho a little push, and they both approached the entrance even more, the bodyguards inspected Daeho, making sure he didn't have any weapons with him, and once they saw he was clean, they allowed them to enter.

(Y/N) swallowed when she saw her cousin's body disappear through the entrance.

Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine.

She felt Lucas Wong's presence beside her. Both standing side by side, saying nothing, and the atmosphere was weird. (Y/N) began to play with her fingers unknowingly and moved one of her feet slightly. Lucas looked everywhere except at the girl. He didn't know what to say because the situation wasn't really the best. His boss was angry, and he knew what his boss was like when he was in that state, so he didn't want to make (Y/N) panic right there because he wouldn't know how to calm her down.

It had been a bad idea of Daeho to bring her here.

The brunette straightened her back and with a little curiosity, she looked around. The night had completely fallen by then, the full moon reflected on them, and the lights of the city and the place created a contrast. The music could still be heard even from where they were. And from there, in her position, she could be a perfect spectator of what that scenario was.

The car engines roared, the girls in mini skirts stood in the middle of the highway to announce the start of the race. The young people, who were also (Y/N)'s classmates, drank effusively as they moved their bodies to the rhythm of the music. Some had a cigarette between their lips, others brought their nostrils to what seemed to be a key and inhaled strongly from it, and their eyes widened when the substance was inside them.

Lucas let out a sigh that (Y/N) could perfectly hear, looking at him, she noticed how the boy put his hand in his jacket pocket and from there took out a small bag and some papers to roll. He placed the substance on the paper and rolled it carefully, then after a moment, brought it to his mouth and lit it. He inhaled deeply, furrowing his brow slightly, and slowly released the smoke from his lungs, causing it to reach the girl, who coughed when she smelled the smell of that substance reach her nostrils.

"Do you participate?" she asked, trying to break the ice.

"In what?"

"In the races."

"Sometimes," Lucas replied. "Not right now because I'm fixing my car, the last race didn't end well," he continued.

"Oh..."

"Jaehyun does it," the boy said as he took another drag of his cigarette, then offered it to the girl, who quickly declined. "He's one of the best in the area."

"Is it fun?... racing like that?" she questioned, looking at the highway.

"Yes, it is," he replied simply, bringing the cigarette to his lips, sucking slightly, and holding the smoke in his lungs. "It's really a stress reliever, and it's even more fun when you get the final prize," he released the smoke, and this time, he didn't receive a response from the girl, but she remained silent and continued to watch the show in front of her.

A few minutes passed... (Y/N) lost track of time, but it really seemed like many minutes had passed, but finally, the garage door opened, and she looked up with shining eyes to see her cousin. However, she found only Jaehyun arriving at the place. (Y/N) frowned and looked behind Jaehyun's shoulder, searching for Daehyun, but the door closed, and he never came out.

A pressure in her chest became present, and she walked to the door to try to open it, but she was stopped by Cheol Uk himself. She tapped her chest a bit to let her go. Mumbling a couple of nonsensical things and kicking before feeling the pressure of a hand on her arm, holding her back. Cheol Uk sure had strength and was beginning to hurt her arm.

Where's Daeho? Where's Daeho? Where's Daeho?

If something happened to Daeho, she wouldn't know what to do. She wouldn't know how to react.

She didn't know at what point, but someone’s hands took her from behind and separated her from Cheol Uk. They moved her away from the door a bit, and then she slightly felt her feet touch the ground. She couldn't focus on what was happening.

(Y/N) always used to worry, and maybe that was her weakness. Thinking that something could happen to one of her loved ones drove her crazy in every imaginable way, and now there was Daeho, on his own, inside a garage with some mobsters. What if it ended badly? What if he got shot? What if he got stabbed?

"(Y/N)," she heard a voice calling her, and after shaking her head, her attention focused on the boy in front of her. On Jaehyun. Who looked at her with one of his eyebrows raised and without any emotion on his face.

"Where's Daeho? Why didn't he come with you?" she asked hurriedly.

Jaehyun glanced quickly at Lucas and then returned his gaze to the girl.

"My boss wanted to talk to him alone," he explained.

"Why?"

"He owed money, his deadline expired almost a week ago. It wasn't just a few wones he owed, and my boss wanted to make a few things clear to him," he explained again, staying neutral.

She swallowed and then squeezed her eyes shut.

It was now or never.

She had never imagined in her life trying to do business with someone from Neo Zone, much less with someone like Jaehyun, but as they said somewhere, "desperate times call for desperate measures." So there she was, on a Saturday night at an illegal race, with her cousin inside a garage with other mobsters, Jung Jaehyun in front of her, and her hands sweating like they had never done before.

So, to protect her cousin from future problems, she would have to do it.

"Jaehyun?" she called softly. Jaehyun looked up at that, his name, his nickname, sounded so different coming from the lips of that girl that it almost sent a chill down his spine. How weird that felt. "Can I talk to you?" she asked, and Jaehyun looked at her with confusion, then glanced at Lucas, who was in a similar state, and nodded. (Y/N) cleared her throat and smiled sideways. "Alone."

Again, a look of confusion crossed his face, and he glanced at his best friend, who was already moving away from both of them. He looked at the girl and noticed how she lightly played with her fingers. Then, she followed his gaze and immediately stopped her hand movements, embarrassed and feeling her cheeks heat up a bit.

"What do you need?" he asked, looking into her eyes, and before she could say a word, he spoke again. "I won't sell you drugs if that's what you want."

(Y/N) frowned and quickly shook her head.

"Hey! I'm not Daeho, I don't put that stuff in my body, and that definitely wasn't what I wanted to talk about," she replied, pointing at him with one of her fingers.

Jaehyun thought she looked cute with her annoyed face.

"Well, then enlighten me," he asked with a sideways smile.

She cleared her throat again and unconsciously started playing with her fingers again.

Yes, that was definitely a tic.

"I... wanted to ask you something," she murmured, and when she didn't receive a response from the boy, she continued. "Could you... could you stop selling to Daeho?" she asked without looking him in the eyes. Why couldn't she meet his gaze?

He chuckled softly and then received a glare from her.

"Oh, are you serious?"

Jaehyun looked at her in surprise for a few seconds. He observed every detail about her. From her slightly furrowed eyebrows to her lips that were almost pouting. Then to her hands that played with each other, and then to her clothes, which were very different from what he usually saw her wearing at school. This was more casual; it didn't scream 'look at me, I'm the heir to a billion-dollar company.' This felt more like her, it suited her very well.

But he shouldn't get distracted. Especially not by someone like Hwang (T/N). So he scoffed and gave her a sarcastic smile.

"I'm sorry, Angel, but business are business. I can't stop selling to Daeho just because you ask me to. He's my client, after all, not you" he said, crossing his arms.

"You know my name, Yoonoh," she snapped, mirroring Jaehyun's movement and crossing her arms.

"You know not everyone is allowed to call me Yoonoh," he approached her with a furious look.

His name was something different. Only his family and very close friends called him that, and no one outside that circle could or should call him that. It just wasn't allowed.

So now she was coming and doing it?

"Don't sell anything to Daeho," she asked again, this time with firmness.

"Business. Are. Business," he repeated, emphasizing each word.

"Let's negotiate then," (Y/N) challenged. "How much money do you want?" Without hesitation, Jaehyun burst into laughter and shook his head slightly, making the girl look at him with annoyance and clench her jaw.

Was Jung Jaehyun really laughing at her? Who did he think he was?

"Angel, things don't work like that," Jaehyun teased, running his tongue over his lips. "You won't just come here and tell me what to do or not do, who to sell my shit to and who not to. That's just how things are," he explained with some gestures.

"Listen, Yoonoh," she placed her index finger on the boy's chest and tried to push him, although it was in vain. Jaehyun was stronger and managed to stay in place, not even moving an inch. Jaehyun lowered his gaze a bit to see her eyes and narrowed them, but at that moment, it didn't intimidate her. "Daeho promised not to use again, but I know him. As soon as his parents leave the city again and he feels lonely, he'll come looking for you to buy more stuff. One of the times he did, it ended badly. They punish him every two weeks because he's overspending, and I don't want him to be late with his payment again, because now he's there," she pointed to the garage. "With your boss, who's angry, and I don't know what he's capable of. Daeho has changed a bit since he started using. I'm afraid it might become an addiction and end badly. He lost weight. He's sleeping less. I don't want his habits to change and harm him. If my uncles find out about this, they're capable of anything, even sending him away until he changes those thoughts," she sighed and moved away from Jaehyun a bit. "Daeho is like a brother to me. We've always been together, and I'm afraid something will happen to him, either because of an addiction, a late payment, or whatever. I promised myself I would always take care of him, but I'm failing, and if I can do something to change that now, I will. Just... just stop selling to him."

She murmured the last part, and after a few seconds, she looked into Jaehyun's eyes, hoping to find a response in them, but she saw nothing. Not even an emotion. Nothing. They were flat. Empty.

Why did she think that was a good idea?

Everyone thought that the great Jung Jaehyun had no weaknesses. Or at least that's what he always showed. That was his facade. A tough guy, a dealer who had been through so much that nothing scared him. That was his life, or at least that's what others believed. His body was covered in scars, possible results of the many fights he had had throughout his life. His character was cold, a result of all the hard things he had been through. Of everything that being and belonging to Neo Zone meant.

Of everything that being Jung Jaehyun meant.

Of course, he wouldn't accept the deal with (Y/N) just because of her sentimentalism.

Of course not.

"Ugh, forget it. I shouldn't have even thought about asking you that," (Y/N) murmured as she walked away from him and let out a small sarcastic laugh. Had she forgotten who the boy in front of her was?

But Jung Jaehyun did have weaknesses. Deep down inside him. Amidst everything he presented to the world, they existed, and although no one might know them, they lived with him; and Jeno, his little brother, was one of his weaknesses. He had spent his whole life trying to take care of his brother, trying to prevent him from ending up like him. Trying to keep him away from anything that could hurt him, and if taking on a great responsibility within Neo Zone, even if he hated it, to take care of him, it was necessary... he would do it.

His family would always come first.

Then, the image of a Sicheng came to his mind, causing his throat to dry up and his eyes to close for a moment. Listening to (Y/N) talk about her cousin and how she felt the responsibility for him fell on her somehow shook him. Maybe there was something similar between them.

Something small but significant.

He sighed, debating internally.

“Do you want to negotiate? Then let's negotiate” his voice came out thick and a bit hoarse, (Y/N) turned slightly, surprised by the words that had come out of Jaehyun's mouth. “So, what do you have to offer me?” he prompted, raising his eyebrows.

(Y/N) moved her bag hanging from one of her arms to the front and began searching for her wallet. When she opened it, she remembered something: she didn't have any cash with her.

“Hmm, I don't have cash, but we can go to a nearby ATM and I can give you whatever you want” she said hurriedly, then Jaehyun laughed.

“So, you're offering me money, angel?”

“Well, yes, what do you need?”

Jaehyun made a pensive gesture and placed one of his hands on his chin. Then he looked at the girl and smiled slightly.

“Are you doing well in school?” he asked. Of course, she was doing well in school; she was the top of her class. (Y/N) nodded without understanding. “Alright, do my homework for the rest of the year.”

She frowned and looked at him incredulously.

“Of all the things you could ask for, you want... me... to do your homework?” she asked, confused.

“Look, I'm not doing well in some classes, and the principal warned me that if I didn't improve or maintain my grades, I'd have to drop out. And do you know what that means? That's right, no school, no clients. No clients, no money. No money, angry boss. Do you understand what I'm saying?” he asked, and she nodded “so do my homework, give me your notes, and let's make a deal.”

“You want my notes too?” she asked incredulously “besides, wouldn't it be easier if I gave you money? With whatever you ask from me, you could surely quit working. You wouldn't have to sell drugs anymore.”

Jaehyun scoffed and shook his head. “Do you really think it's that simple?”

“I mean… yes” she replied simply “I give you money, then you won't have to work on your own and stop selling. See? We both win” she said triumphantly.

However, he laughed. “Things don't work like that here, sweet cheeks. It's not just selling and that's it, there are other things, and things aren't that simple. Maybe where you live, it is. But not here. I can't just quit the business like that.”

(Y/N) sighed and looked into Jaehyun's eyes, trying to find something in them. Can't quit the business? She was sure that if Jaehyun was smart enough and asked for enough money, he could survive a few months without needing to continue his drug deliveries and without getting into trouble. So why would he pass up an opportunity like this?

“Jaehyun, just give me a number and I'll write you a check.”

“It's not just about the money for me!” he exclaimed annoyed “look, I'm not here for this... it's not something you'll understand, and it's not something I'll bother explaining to you. It was nice talking to you, Hwang, but I don't want your money” Jaehyun finished, turning around and walking away from the girl without saying anything else.

She closed her eyes and cursed under her breath.

“Wait... do you want my notes and for me to do your homework?”

He smiled slightly and turned around to face her again. Looking at her cynically.

“And a coffee every Monday, like those rich kids drink you have… Oh! And also, if I ever ask you for something, you'll have to do it” Jaehyun spoke playfully.

“What? Will I be your maid or something?”

“Deal?”

“Jaehyun...”

“Deal?” he emphasized this time, raising one of his eyebrows and giving her a hard look. Extending one of his hands, and she looked at him hesitantly.

Was it really necessary to shake hands?

Moreover, of all the things she could give him; money, clothes, jewelry... damn, she could even buy him a plane ticket to an island and a free vacation if she wanted to... did he decide that she would do his homework for the rest of the year, in addition to treating her like his servant whenever he pleased?

Jaehyun sure was interesting.

“Is there any catch?” she asked hesitantly, looking at the boy's hand.

“Take it or leave it. I can continue selling to your cousin, it’s up to you if you want to close the deal or not” he shrugged. (Y/N) gave him one last look and without saying anything else, she took Jaehyun's hand in hers and shook it.

“Deal” she murmured, looking at him directly.

Jaehyun gave her a sideways smile while still shaking her hand and nodded cynically. (Y/N) swallowed hard and quickly let go of the boy's hand.

She hoped he would keep his word, because as soon as he broke it, she would forget who he was, and she herself would kick his ass if necessary.

“It was nice doing business with you, Hwang (Y/N).”

Hopefully, she wouldn't regret doing business with Jung Jaehyun.

What could go wrong?

“You know that Daeho can go to any other dealer, right? I'm not the only one he can call” he questioned a bit obviously.

“I know” she replied, letting out a sigh “You take care of making your part of the deal, and I'll take care of the rest” he looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

“Do you know that you also can't go around offering deals or money to other dealers just because your cousin keeps getting into trouble?”

“I know, Jaehyun! I know..”

“The deal I made with you has been innocent. Believe me, another dealer won't ask you for homework and class notes. They'll take advantage of your vulnerability” Jaehyun commented “I'm just saying, be careful with who you talk to and who you get involved with. This is not your zone, you had never set foot here before, you have no idea how things are handled in business here, and nobody... nobody will spare a thought for your little story of the protective cousin who wants to save her cousin from an overdose.”

“You did it though” (Y/N) retorted defiantly.

Jaehyun sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumbs: “Look, I'll stop selling to Daehyun because I keep my word, but you can't make every dealer in Neo Zone do the same. Much less by offering deals to anyone who crosses your path, because money won't be the only thing they'll ask for in return” he continued, this time looking her up and down, making her feel small under his intense gaze. (Y/N) bit her cheek inwardly and then cleared her throat.

“I can take care of myself, thanks for your concern, Yoonoh” she replied with a fake smile.

“I'm not concerned” Jaehyun responded with a smile as he turned around “And (Y/N)?” he saw her over his shoulder “don't call me Yoonoh again. Good luck with your mission of taking care of your cousin as if he is a child, you can leave or stay, maybe you want to see me run.”

When Jaehyun was far enough from her sight, the garage door opened and a Daeho was pushed by Cheol Uk, until his cousin fell to the ground, letting out a groan and placing his hand on his abdomen as he writhed in pain, causing (Y/N) to run towards him with panic evident on her face. She knelt beside him and took his face to examine it, identifying the bruise on his cheek, the cuts on his eyebrow and lip, and the blood running from the latter.

Daeho smiled slightly and after coughing, spoke weakly: “The debt has been paid”.

You're an idiot, Hwang Daeho.

a/n: taglist is open! thank you for reading! wait 4 the next chapter!

next part

[vnti-vnxiety-recs]

The Cat Burglar's Heist (M)

★ PAIRING: Ceo!Jaehyun x Cat Burglar! Reader

☆ WORD COUNT: 19.6k (sorry TT)

★ GENRE(S): Fluff, smut, angst, drama, strangers to lovers.

☆ SUMMARY: When you attempt to rob a wealthy businessman, things don't go as planned. Instead of calling the police, he offers you a job. Now, you're left uncertain about whether you can truly start anew or if your past will come back to haunt you.

★ ☆ WARNINGS: explicit sex, unprotected sex, minor character death, loneliness, theft

☆★ NOTES: probably gonna be my last fic for awhile so enjoy!

People might call you a pickpocket, a burglar, a larcenist, or a simple thief. Whatever the label, it didn’t matter to you; you always slipped away unnoticed. You never hit the same neighborhood twice, always staying light on your feet and never lingering too long in one place. There was only one rule you lived by.

Don't Get Caught.

Maintaining a low profile was essential whenever you scouted a new neighborhood. As the sun beat down, you strolled through the area with a dog at your side, scanning for the easiest target. The shades you wore partially concealed your identity while shielding your eyes from the scorching sun. Your friend’s dog trotted happily beside you, blissfully unaware of the role it played in your plan. If your friend found out you were using his beloved pet as cover for your schemes, he would kill you. You had to keep this under wraps—after all, your friends were all you had. Stealing was the only way you could keep pace with the lifestyle your friend enjoyed.

You refused to be left behind, so the money you made from stealing became your lifeline for fitting in. Each successful job meant another night out, another round of drinks, and another chance to blend seamlessly into your friend group’s lavish lifestyle. You had built your world around them, and you’d do anything to keep up appearances, even if it meant walking a dangerous line.

Daegal fit right in with the neighborhood, his designer leash and collar catching the sunlight. You wandered deeper into one of the city's wealthiest enclaves, surrounded by towering trees that served as natural barriers for the sprawling estates. Luxury cars glimmered in driveways, while some homes flaunted their riches with intricate architectural designs that spoke of unspoken fortunes.

As you walked, Daegal suddenly slowed his pace, his nose twitching at the approaching scent of another dog. You felt your palms grow clammy around the leash; the fewer people who noticed you, the better. You were keenly aware of the risks, and any unwanted attention could spell trouble.

The older lady, her silver hair gleaming in the afternoon sun, approached with her fluffy Pomeranian in tow. A wave and a smile erupted from her, directed toward Daegal, and you cursed under your breath. The last thing you needed was a conversation.

The two dogs tilted their heads, inspecting one another with the calm demeanor that only well-trained pets possess. You could feel her gaze on you, and you forced a tight smile onto your face, betraying none of your rising anxiety.

Wonderful!

"He's so cute! What's his name?" you ask politely, forcing a bright smile.

"His name is Prince, but the kids call him Pudding," the older woman replies with a hearty laugh.

You let a small chuckle escape your lips. "How adorable!"

"And what about this handsome fella?" she inquires, her eyes sparkling with warmth.

“His name?” Your mind races, almost short-circuiting. "He's… Fluffy!” you say, trying to keep your voice steady and convincing.

You know rich people have more connections than they do money, and there's a good chance she could be linked to your friend Chenle somewhere down the line. It’s safer to spin a little tale.

"Well, he's quite the charmer! I'm sure he’s brought you many joys," she continues, obliviously cheerful, while tension coils tighter in your veins. “It’s a pleasure to have you in the neighborhood! Someone as young and pretty as you would fit right in!” Her compliment catches you off guard, and you feel your cheeks heat slightly at her kind words.

“Thanks!” you reply quickly, hoping to deflect attention from the flush creeping up your face. "I love it here."

She leaned a little closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "You know, about a month ago, this really young CEO moved in just a block down. He's a bit too young for me, but my goodness, he’s quite the sight," she said, laughing heartily as she swatted her hand playfully, as if sharing a scandalous secret.

Rich people thrived on gossip, and you realized you didn't have to say much for her to fill you in on exactly what you wanted to know.

"A man like that has to be tied down, right?" you asked, bending down to pet her dog.

"From what I’ve heard, he lives alone," she said, raising her eyebrows suggestively. "Apparently, he works all the time. Word is, he comes home late every night. My husband says he drives an Aston Martin."

Bingo

"Thanks for the heads-up about the neighborhood hottie, but I'm not looking for a relationship right now," you joked, lightly chuckling to keep the conversation light. Just then, Daegal began to fidget, sensing your restlessness, and you took it as your cue to leave. "I’ll see you around, okay?"

As you walked a block down, your heart raced when you spotted a sleek black Aston Martin parked in a long driveway. The houses in this neighborhood were enormous. Although the properties weren’t far apart; the homes were set back from the road, mostly hidden by towering trees that provided an extra layer of privacy.

A young CEO who lives alone and works late.

You mentally sifted through the details you had gleaned from your earlier conversation. He was the perfect target.

Rich people were easy targets. Their homes, adorned with elaborate security measures, falsely reassured them of safety; all it did was signal that they had something worth taking. The flashy yard signs proclaiming "This home is under surveillance by _" told you their security company, which then told you the equipment they used. It wasn't hard to figure out how to disable it from there.

It had been a week since you first gathered your intel. Through careful observation, you had mapped out a schedule for when the house was empty and discovered how to bypass the alarm system. You’d managed to catch glimpses of the homeowner from a distance. The rumors were true; he carried himself with a confidence that only added to his undeniable charm.

Tonight was the night you would make your move. Clad in a black hoodie and sweatpants, you pull your bag over your shoulder and approach the perimeter of the house. Your heart was racing with adrenaline. You navigated the landscape smoothly, well aware of the blind spots in the security cameras. Timing was critical; every second counted.

You pressed yourself against the side of the window, heart pounding as you carefully peeked through the curtain. The green light on the alarm system by the door confirmed it wasn’t armed. This was a stroke of luck. According to your calculations, he should still be at work, and it appeared he had rushed out without arming the system.

You hesitated briefly, knowing this part was your least favorite. Breaking a window was always an awkward and potentially noisy affair. No matter how silent you tried to be, it was impossible to avoid the sound entirely. Taking a deep breath, you picked up a nearby rock, and with a swift, calculated strike, you shattered the glass.

The clatter echoed in the stillness, sending a surge of adrenaline through your veins, but you quickly reminded yourself to keep moving. You reached inside and unlocked the window, then climbed through carefully, stepping over the brittle shards that crunched beneath your feet as they scattered onto the plush carpet.

You found yourself in an open den, its decor exuding wealth and taste. Valuable paintings adorned the walls—masterpieces, maybe—but nothing small enough to pocket. You needed to keep going, focusing on finding something worthwhile.

Peeking your head out of the room, you scanned the hallway. Silence enveloped the house, amplifying the sound of your racing heartbeat. No sign of any pets, which was a relief. You made your way toward the primary areas, passing under the large winding staircase that commanded attention in the center of the home.

The layout seemed to follow suit with luxury; hallways branched off to what you assumed were the kitchen and living spaces. The primary room was likely upstairs, but there were many drawers and cabinets you could check on this level. Eager to find where the real valuables might be stashed, you decided to take a brief look around before venturing up the staircase. You shuffled quietly down the hall.

You glanced into a few rooms—one vast space was styled as a study, filled with leather-bound books and expensive-looking gadgets. A quick search through the drawers revealed a few electronic devices you could easily pocket. Moving on, you turned towards the kitchen, where gleaming countertops hinted at a lifestyle of lavish dinners and entertaining guests.

You couldn’t imagine why he would ever need a home this large if he lived alone; the sprawling floor plan was almost excessive. Each room you passed seemed to hold its own story, yet they stood untouched, as if waiting for guests that would never arrive. The formal dining room sported an enormous mahogany table, set for a feast that would never happen, and the living room boasted a grand piano that echoed a silent invitation to a party long forgotten. The atmosphere felt eerie, the elaborate decor clashing with the emptiness—like a stage set for a play that had never opened.

Your eyes darted toward the staircase. The rich wooden banister glimmered in the ambient light, inviting you to explore the secrets that lay above. You took a deep breath and ascended carefully. As you reached the landing, you spotted a door at the end of the hallway slightly ajar, the flicker of a light spilling into the dim corridor.

When you enter the room, the sweet aroma of cologne lingered in the air like a ghost, a faint reminder of its owner. The sheer magnitude of the space left you speechless. Adrenaline surged through your veins, propelling you forward to the side tables flanking the expansive bed. There, you quickly spotted a discarded high-end watch, its polished surface glimmering in the light. Alongside it lay a selection of intricate rings, each one whispering tales of luxury and allure.

As you rifled through the drawers, your fingers brushed against something solid—a wallet. You opened it, and your eyes immediately fell on the ID card nestled inside.

Jung Jaehyun 02/14/1997

Beneath the ID, you found a stack of credit cards and a few loose bills, all waiting to be claimed. You quickly slipped the wallet into your pocket. You approached the closet, and a gasp escaped your lips as the sight hit you—it resembled a mini-designer store. Expensive shoes, luxurious clothes, and shimmering jewelry lined the walls and shelves, all begging to be claimed. You wasted no time, swiftly swiping rings, watches, chains, and even a pair of stunning shoes, each item adding to the growing bounty in your backpack.

As you rummaged through the treasures, something caught your eye: a safe tucked behind a row of suits. Intrigued, you pushed the garments aside to inspect the lock. Cracking your neck, you glanced at the time—plenty of hours remained before he would return.

Just then, you heard footsteps outside the closet, and your heart dropped. You instinctively moved to hide behind the rack of suits, heart pounding in your ears.

“What the fuck?” A voice sliced through the silence, unmistakably belonging to the man you had been eyeing all week.

You held your breath, peering through the fabric. The hope flickered that he might just turn away and call the police, giving you a chance to slip out unnoticed. But instead, he stepped further into the closet, and your heart raced as you caught your first glimpse of him up close..

His hair glistened with moisture, and he wore nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, droplets of water still cascading down his skin, the steam from his shower enveloping him like a shroud. You had never seen him this close before, and the image was seared into your memory. He looked as if he had been sculpted from stone by the most masterful artist, every muscle defined, every feature striking.

His eyes narrowed as he surveyed the chaos—the discarded clothes on the floor, the missing racks of jewelry, the disarray of his closet. An annoyed sigh escaped his lips, and just as he seemed ready to turn away and leave, his gaze locked onto your hiding spot.

A jolt of panic shot through you, and you instinctively jumped back, trying to press yourself further into the fabric of the clothes. You held your breath, heart racing, as he took a step closer, eyes narrowing in suspicion. It was a moment of vulnerability and danger, a breathless standoff between the two of you.

Don't get caught

His steps were cautious as he approached, each footfall echoing in the silence of the closet. One hand gripped his towel tightly, clearly trying to maintain his modesty, while the other reached out hesitantly toward the clothes.

If it came to it, you knew you would have to fight him off and make a run for it, but with each passing second, you realized just how difficult that would be. He was built solidly and his height towered over you, casting an imposing shadow.

What if he got his hands on you? The thought sent a wave of dread through you. There would be no escaping him then.

Fuck

In a surge of adrenaline, you dashed out from your hiding spot, heart racing. His eyes widen in surprise as you rush past him, but the exhilaration of your escape was short-lived. Just a few feet away, you felt a sudden tug on your backpack that yanked you backwards.

You hit the floor with a thud, groaning as the impact jolted through you. Before you could recover, you felt a strong grip pinning you down, his hand firm against your shoulders. Panic set in, and you thrashed against his hold, fighting to break free, but he was unyielding.

As your struggle continued, exhaustion began to creep in. The fight drained from you, and you finally stopped, staring up at the man who had you pinned beneath him. His wet hair hung down over you, droplets cascading down onto your face.. His stern eyes bore into yours—there was an intensity that made your breath hitch, a mix of disbelief and something else entirely.

"Let me go!" you demanded, though your voice came out weaker than you intended. If it weren't for the predicament you found yourself in, you would have been unable to stop your wandering eyes. The towel around his waist was precariously close to slipping, a detail that, in ordinary circumstances, might have made you blush. But now, survival instincts prevailed over all else.

“If you try to run, I’ll call the cops,” he said matter-of-factly, and the gravity of his threat sent a chill down your spine.

A beat passed, your heart pounding in your chest, and finally, you nodded, conceding to the reality of the situation. There was no escape now; he had you right where he wanted you.

He released his grip on you and pulled himself off the floor, adjusting his towel. “Back to the closet, now,” he commanded, and you shuffled reluctantly back into the space that had formerly felt enticing but was now suffocating.

As you stepped in, you found yourself standing in front of the center island, where the glimmer of jewels had once laid. He followed you, shutting the door behind him, his body leaning against it like a barrier between you and freedom.

“Is everything you took in that bag?” He asked, his tone even, but there was an undertone of curiosity mixed with authority.

With a heavy heart, you hung your head and nodded, pulling your backpack off your shoulders and placing it on the floor in front of you. You could almost feel the weight of the stolen items pressing down on your conscience. You'd had visions of making thousands selling his valuables, the thrill of your heist driving you forward. But now, in the dim light of the closet, remorse washed over you like a tide.

“I’m really sorry, I—” you started, the words stumbling from your lips. What could you possibly say in a situation like this? Sorry, I almost stole a fortune from you? It felt absurd, but you didn't know how to express the chaos swirling within you.

He moved closer, looming over you as his intent gaze seemed to dissect every part of your being. It sent a shiver down your spine, and you felt small beneath his scrutiny. When he reached down, you thought he was about to pick up his possessions. But instead, he grabbed a discarded pair of sweats, and you felt a rush of a different kind of embarrassment as he stood up straight, his towel dropping to the ground. You instinctively looked away, sparing him what felt like an invasion of privacy.

Once he was dressed, he stepped back out of the closet, leaving you with a mix of relief and confusion. "Straighten this up, then come see me. Bring that bag and everything you tried to take with you," he ordered.

You swallowed hard. “Where are you going? Are you going to call the cops?”

Your mind raced with possibilities—how clever would he be if he made you tidy up while the police were on their way?

“Do as I say and you will have nothing to worry about," he replied, and there was an edge to his voice. "I don't like messes; clean that up before I change my mind."

Frustration mingled with a strange sense of gratitude. You were infuriated that he was ordering you around like a subordinate, yet the alternative—a police record—loomed much larger in your mind. Why wasn’t he calling the cops?

Taking a deep breath, you began to survey the mess you had made in your frantic attempt to bag his stuff.

It took you at least an hour to set everything back in its rightful place. You meticulously reorganized the jewelry, aligning necklaces and bracelets, smoothing over the disarray you'd caused. You busied yourself with invisible tasks afterward, finding solace in the repetitive act of pretending to straighten his shoes for the fifth time. Avoiding the inevitable confrontation with him was becoming a game of denial.

“I know you’re done; come here,” he commanded, and you froze for a moment. Biting your lip to gather your thoughts, you hesitantly grabbed your bag and stepped out into his room. He was seated on the massive California king bed, an imposing figure that radiated a mix of authority and casual dominance. Leaning back against his hands, he looked every bit like a king surveying his domain, and the sight sent a fresh wave of nerves through you.

“I know it probably doesn’t mean anything to you, but again, I’m really sorry,” you said, forcing the words out as you handed him the bag.

He took the bag from your grasp without much acknowledgment, his focus elsewhere. “Sit down,” he instructed.

You shifted uncomfortably, the anxiety bubbling to the surface. What more could he possibly want from you? He had said he would let you go, hadn’t he? “Sit where?” You looked around the spacious room, taking in the lack of chairs or any other furniture that might serve as a place for you to perch.

He finally lifted his gaze, his hair still damp from the shower, falling into his eyes. “Sit on your knees, right there,” he said, pointing to a spot on the floor in front of him.

You bristled at the command, a mix of confusion and indignation flooding through you. Kneeling before him felt like a submission you had not anticipated, and despite the gravity of your earlier actions, you hesitated to comply with his demands.

“I—" you stammered, trying to find the right words, but nothing came out that didn't sound foolish or defiant.

Seeing your hesitation, his expression shifted slightly, a mixture of patience and something else in his eyes that you couldn’t quite place. "You can either sit down like I asked, or we can have a much longer discussion about how this is going to go," he suggested, his tone low but firm, setting the stage for whatever decision you had to make next.

Slowly, you lowered yourself onto the floor, feeling the cool surface beneath your knees, and looked up at him, preparing for whatever was to come next.

He reached behind him and pulled out his phone, an unmistakable sense of dread washing over you as he dug into your bag, retrieving the stolen items one by one. Each piece felt like another nail in your coffin.

He was definitely calling the cops TT

But instead of pressing the call button, he seemed to be calculating something. “$532,724,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Your throat tightened at the reality of that number. You were going to jail. Panic bubbled in your chest, and you fought the urge to cry.

He ran a hand through his hair, the frustration evident on his face. “Let’s see how well you clean up,” he said, standing up and ushering you back toward the closet with a wave of his hand.

You stared at him, your heart pounding as his eyes scanned the confines of the closet where you'd made sure to return everything to its original place. His expression was unreadable at first, a blank canvas that made fear swirl in your stomach. But then it softened, surprising you further.

“Not bad. What’s your name?” He asked, his tone almost casual.

You swallowed hard before nervously answering, “Y/N.”

“How would you like a job, Y/N?”

Your eyebrows shot up, and your jaw dropped in disbelief. This had to be a sick joke. “Excuse me? I’m sorry, I don’t think I’m following,” you stammered, incredulous.

“You will work for me to pay off the debt that you owe,” he replied matter-of-factly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Wait, I didn’t actually take anything!” You argued, your mind racing to process his proposal.

“But you tried,” he shrugged, his casual demeanor shifting to something more serious. “It’s about principle. You made a choice, and now you have to make it right.”

“Are you seriously saying I have to work for you to pay off half a million dollars?” You felt the heat rise in your cheeks, a mix of indignation and disbelief gripping you.

“I could always call the police,” he said lightly, but the weight of his words sunk in with more gravity than you expected.

“Whoa now, no one said I wouldn't help,” you laughed nervously, trying to lighten the mood but failing to shake the anxiety coiling within you.

“Great! You start tomorrow. Come in business attire,” he said with a yawn, as if he were sending you off to a regular job rather than a complicated arrangement born out of desperation.

You turned to follow him out, not sure why you're trying so hard to argue him down “Wait, wha—”

Suddenly, a bright flash burst in front of you, and you stumbled backward, temporarily blinded. You blink a few times, trying to regain your bearings. “Ow! What was that for?” you exclaimed, rubbing your eyes.

He smirked as he lowered his phone, the camera still pointed at you. “If you try to run, I’ll post this picture online and tell the world what you’ve done. Then I’ll hand it over to the police so they can track you down.” His gaze was icy as he scrutinized you, taking in every detail. “I have the resources to find you. Don’t make me have to look for you.”

You felt a mix of anger and fear bubble up inside you. “So you’re blackmailing me?” you huff.

“I’m giving you a second chance,” he corrected, his tone slipping back into that unsettling calmness. He stepped closer, grabbing your shoulders with a surprisingly firm grip. “8 a.m. tomorrow. Now get out.”

Before you could respond, he gave you a gentle push by your shoulders, urging you toward the staircase. You stumbled slightly but regained your footing. As you made your way down the stairs and out of his house, Your circumstances settled squarely on your shoulders. He wasn’t just a thief of your freedom; he was now your employer, your keeper—at least for the foreseeable future.

He walked with you to the front door, his face a mix of annoyance and curiosity. Just as he was about to close the door in your face, he paused and turned back. “How did you get in?” he quirked a brow.

A small, nervous smile crept onto your lips as you fumbled for an explanation. “Uh, I broke a window,” you admitted.

Jaehyun regards you with an unimpressed stare.

“I’ll clean it up tomorrow!” you added, trying to lighten the mood. “Heh��� add it to my bill?”

The door slammed shut in your face, the sound echoing in the cool night air. You turned away from the door and took a few steps down the front path, your mind racing.

The situation was certainly absurd.

—

You roll out of bed at 6 a.m. with a groan, the early morning light cutting through your curtains. You’ve never been a morning person, and the thought of facing the day fills you with dread. After washing up, you slip into an outfit that fits the dress code he set for you—a blend of professional and approachable that feels foreign against your skin.

As you glance at your reflection in the mirror, a fleeting thought crosses your mind: what if you just ran away? With the money you’ve saved up, you could leave everything behind and start anew.

Dont make me find you.

His words echo ominously in your head, sending a shiver down your spine. Jaehyun was an enigma; you could hardly wrap your mind around him, but one thing was clear: he had the resources to track you down, wherever you might try to escape.

You gather your things and head out. When you finally arrive and buzz through the gate surrounding his property, it feels surreal to be walking through the front door. Just a day ago, you’d been climbing over his fence and breaking windows—now you were entering as if you belonged.

As Jaehyun lets you inside, you take in the surroundings anew. The sunlight floods the foyer of his mansion, revealing the space you'd barely noticed in your previous haste.

“Stop gawking. I’ll be back down in a bit; I need to finish getting ready. Go clean up the glass you broke,” he commands coldly, his tone leaving no room for argument as he strides back upstairs. His words and the task ahead settle over you as you prepare to face the mess you made, both physically and metaphorically.

“StOp GawKinG….gO CleAn Up thA GlasS,” you mumble under your breath when he’s out of earshot.

You roll your eyes at his cold demeanor, dismissing it as you head toward the den where you had sneaked in during your last visit. Peeking into the room, you’re greeted by a messy carpet littered with shards of glass. At least the window has been boarded up now. As the daylight streams in, you start to appreciate the paintings that line the walls, each one vibrant and expressive in its own right.

One piece catches your attention more than the others—a striking red canvas that emanates an intense energy. The angry strokes twist together in a way that’s both chaotic and mesmerizing, leaving you to ponder what the artist was trying to convey. As you peer closely, you can’t help but notice the name “Jung Jaehyun” inked subtly in one corner. Your gaze travels around the room, noticing the easel and paints tucked away in the corner; it dawns on you that this isn’t just a display but his workspace. The hard wood beneath your feet breaks the carpeted expanse, revealing about a third of the room transformed into an art studio. Impressed by his talent, you find yourself captivated, the earlier tension momentarily forgotten as you admire the skill behind the chaos.

You shake yourself out of the trance, the allure of the art momentarily fading as you remind yourself of your task. You need to find a vacuum and a trash bin—cleaning up that glass is a priority. Determined, you set off through the rest of the house.

You remember stumbling upon the cleaning closet during your earlier escapades, and you make your way back to it. As you wander, a sense of loneliness hangs in the air, and your suspicions about Jaehyun’s solitary lifestyle only deepen. There was no waitstaff, no other residents—just him in this grand mansion.

You finally locate the vacuum in the cleaning closet, and with the trash bin in hand, you retrace your steps back to the art studio. You kneel on the floor, methodically clean up the shards of glass and place the larger pieces into the bin. You finish cleaning just in time for Jaehyun to come back downstairs.

He fixes the cufflinks on his suit before grabbing his keys. “What else should I tidy up for you? Is there a list somewhere?” You ask.

Jaehyun gives you a puzzled look. “You’re coming with me,” he replies.

You blink, momentarily caught off guard. “I thought I was…" You trail off.

He lets out a laugh, one that surprises you—it's light and genuine, completely at odds with his usual demeanor. His eyes crinkle up, revealing warm dimples that you find surprisingly charming in that moment. “You thought you were going to be doing housework?”

You roll your eyes. “Well, what else is there for me to do?”

His expression becomes more serious, though the hint of a playful smile still lingers. “I said I had a job for you, and I meant it. Come on.” He opens the door for you, locking the house behind him with a click.

As you both walk toward his car, you can’t help but ask, “Where was your car yesterday?” Strapping yourself in, you feel a mix of bitterness and curiosity about how you ended up getting caught snooping—you really should have paid more attention. If his car had been parked outside, you’d have known he was home.

“It was in the shop,” he replies casually, turning the key in the ignition. “I needed new rims. Have you eaten yet?”

Your stomach growls audibly, and you nod in agreement and Jaehyun stops to get breakfast. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked biscuits fills the car as he orders.

As he goes to pay, you watch him rummage through his pockets, brow furrowing in frustration. It’s then that you feel a pang of guilt. You had meant to return his wallet, found tucked away in your pocket after your first encounter. Nervously, you pull it out and offer it to him, trying to lighten the moment. “Whoops, how’d that get in there?” You joke lightly, but when you glance up, you notice the glare he’s giving you.

“Seriously?” he replies.

You stutter out an apology as you take a cautious bite of your biscuit, almost choking when you see where he’s pulled into next. Your eyes widen as you take in the imposing tall building—it’s sleek and modern, with huge glass windows reflecting the bustling streets of downtown. The heart of the city is alive, and your heart races with both excitement and nerves.

Jaehyun turns to you, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes. “Surprised? I did say I had a job for you.”

“Uh, I thought we were just going to tidy up at home?” you say, trying to mask your nerves.

As you walk through the lobby beside Jaehyun, you can't help but notice the stares that follow you. Heads turn, whispers flit around as employees greet him warmly. "Good morning, Mr. Jung!" They say, beaming at him with admiration. When their gaze finally shifts to you, you catch a mix of confusion and curiosity on their faces. It’s both flattering and mildly embarrassing standing next to someone so well-regarded and polished. You try to maintain your composure, forcing a smile in response, even as you feel a bit out of place.

After navigating through the maze of cubicles and glass-walled offices, you finally enter Jaehyun's office—spacious, elegantly designed, with a view that overlooks the bustling city streets. The decor is smart and sophisticated, reflecting his professional persona. Once the door clicks shut behind you, Jaehyun makes his way over to his desk to settle into for the day.

Jaehyun leans back in his chair, crossing his arms as he looks at you with a serious expression. “You’re going to be my secretary,” he states plainly.

Your mouth drops open in surprise. “Wait, what? A secretary?” The idea is almost absurd. “Isn’t that a bit… much? I mean, you do realize I’m not exactly qualified for that, right?”

“I’ll teach you everything you need to know. Plus, it’ll pay way better than doing house chores.”

With a deep breath, you straighten your posture, letting determination creep in. “Whats there to lose?”

—

Being Jaehyun's secretary meant answering his calls, scheduling meetings, and running errands. Of course you could do those tasks… you just couldn't do them well.

A little desk had been set up in Jaehyun's office, where most of your day-to-day tasks took place. His office boasted expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a breathtaking view of the city. At night, the bustling streets below transformed into a magical landscape, with streetlights, headlights, and stoplights twinkling like stars.

You couldn’t help but blame the close proximity of your workspaces for your increasing difficulty with even the simplest tasks, like getting his coffee order right.

You had brought him his morning coffee, like he asked. You still hadn't gotten used to running his errands in his car. You felt so out of place at the office and the whispers and curious glances from your “coworkers” only heightened your anxiety.

When you finally brought him the morning coffee he had requested, your heart raced with hope for approval. But as he took a sip, his focus remained elsewhere, and he set the cup down without meeting your eyes. “It’s wrong, but you’ll get it right next time,” he said, casually brushing off your mistake. “There's plenty of time for you to improve.”

You bit your lip, anxious to prove that you could handle this role. You didn’t want to be seen as a screw-up, but everything felt overwhelming lately. Jaehyun shoos you away, giving you a task to retrieve printed papers from the printer. Your mind was a flurry of thoughts as you returned, but when you stumbled slightly, you fumbled the stack of papers in your hands.

As the papers fall from your grasp, you accidentally knock over a coffee cup, sending the contents spilling across the desk. The dark liquid splashed over papers, pooling on the surface.

Heart racing, you froze, staring at the mess you had just created. “Oh no!” you exclaimed, scrambling to grab napkins from the nearby drawer, your cheeks burning with embarrassment.

“Just breathe,” he said, reaching over to help you clean up the spill. “How do you call yourself a cat burglar with how clumsy you are?” Jaehyun asked, the bemused look on his face suggesting he genuinely wanted to know.

The napkins did little to absorb the liquid, and you could feel the heat seeping through, burning your fingertips. You let out a small wince, instinctively pulling your hand back. Jaehyun sighed at your reaction, and you flicked your wrist in an attempt to shake off the pain while still trying to contain the mess.

“Just hold on,” you muttered to yourself, picking up his laptop and elevating it to protect it from the potential disaster. The last thing you needed was to add an expensive repair bill to the debt you already owed him.

As you awkwardly juggled multiple items that had once laid neatly on his desk, trying to salvage the situation, you suddenly noticed Jaehyun stand up. He took off his suit jacket and, before you could protest, he used it to mop up the spilled coffee.

You gasped as the coffee splashed onto his jacket, but Jaehyun seemed completely unfazed. With purposeful strides, he walked over to you and gently took the items you were juggling, placing them down safely on a part of his desk that wasn’t sticky. Without a word, he grasped your hands, examining your fingers, which were twitching from the pain and already showing signs of red irritation from the hot liquid.

He blew softly on your fingertips, and for a moment, the world around you faded as you met his gaze. The warmth in his chocolate depths almost pulled you in, but before you could lose yourself in that moment, you quickly pulled away.

“I’ll go grab a towel. That’s going to make the wood sticky,” you stammered, turning quickly to leave, your cheeks burning from the tension that hung between you.

You hurried to the bathroom, running cool water over your fingers to soothe the slight burn. Leaning against the edge of the sink, you took a deep breath, trying to collect your thoughts. After a moment, you gathered a few items from the cleaning closet, bracing yourself for what lay ahead.

As you walked back, you passed the break room and inadvertently overheard a conversation that made your stomach twist uncomfortably.

“She’s probably sleeping with him. Mr. Jung has never taken on a secretary before,” one voice whispered.

“That’s what I heard. Not to mention she’s terrible at her job. She just gets in the way. Last week she accidentally printed 300 copies of a page because she didn’t know to hit the cancel button! We ran out of ink because of her, and now I have to go downstairs for my copies until a new order comes in!” another voice chimed in, laced with irritation.

You bristled at their accusations, knowing they were talking about you. It stung, but you pressed on, scurrying past and heading back to Jaehyun’s office. After giving a soft knock, you stepped inside.

Jaehyun had moved away from his desk, now seated on the couch in the corner of his office. He was typing away on his computer, still nursing the little coffee he had left that you had brought him earlier—a cup you knew he didn’t like, judging by the face he made when he first tasted it. His sleeves were rolled up, the tie discarded on the armrest, and the first button of his shirt was undone.

You tried not to stare, focusing instead on the mess at his desk. Moving over, you began cleaning up the sticky residue left by the spilled coffee.

“Excuse me,” you clear your throat. “Is it okay if I drop this off at the cleaners?” you asked, holding up his soiled jacket.

He didn’t look up from his screen, continuing to type away on his computer. “Go ahead, but please be careful,” he replied, pulling his keys from his pocket without sparing you a glance.

“That’s okay; I can just walk. There’s one not too far from here,” you said, attempting to dismiss the need to take his car.

Finally, he looked up at you, his brow slightly furrowed. “You never had a problem with driving my car before. Did something happen?” He asked, setting his laptop aside, his focus entirely on you.

“Well, no, I just don’t want people to get the wrong idea. I mean, I just kinda showed up out of nowhere and suddenly I’m moving into your office and driving your car,” you tried to explain, feeling your anxiety spike. “No one knows why I’m really here, and I can only imagine the types of things people are imagining.”

“What kind of things could they be imagining?” He replied, staring at you blankly.

You laugh at the statement but when you realize he's not being sarcastic, your face drops. You often wonder what kind of person Jaehyun was and what he did for fun. He always seemed to be looking at the world for the first time.

"Well,” you began, gathering your thoughts. “Imagining the types of things I would’ve had to do to get this job,” you said, hoping he would fill in the blanks.

He waited quietly, eyes steady on you, prompting you to continue. “Things like sleeping with you to get this job,” you finally admitted, your heart racing as you vocalized the thought.

Jaehyun's eyes widened, and you noticed his ears reddening, making you wonder if he truly hadn’t known about the whispers circulating around the office. Clearing his throat, he seemed to collect himself.

“You don’t need to worry about things like that,” he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I don’t want you being gone long. Take the car, and if anyone has something to say, they can come to me about it.”

His gaze was stern, the kind that made you feel as though challenging him would be futile. You could sense the protective edge in his words, and it surprised you. There was a part of you that appreciated his willingness to shield you from the gossip. “Okay, if you insist,” you replied, unable to suppress the small smile tugging at your lips. The gesture felt surprisingly comforting. “I’ll be quick.”

He seemed to relax a little at your compliance, his expression softening. “Thank you. And, uh, drive safely,” he added, almost shyly.

As you walked to the car, you found yourself reflecting on his words. Maybe it was time to focus on proving yourself here, to rise above the whispers and make your mark in the company. Regardless of how you came to be in this position, you were determined to show them—and yourself—that you were worth it.

—

Ever since that day, when you arrived at the office, the halls were silent, and no one stared at you and Jaehyun as you walked side by side.. The building buzzed along like usual. You were relieved. Your shoulders felt lighter in the absence of judgmental glances, and instinctively, you walked a little straighter, head held high, eyes forward rather than downcast.

As you entered Jaehyun's office, you set your things down at the little desk he had allotted for you, diving into your daily routine of answering emails and organizing his meetings. You found your rhythm quickly, the morning shift feeling productive as you ticked off tasks. The sound of your typing filled the room, creating a comforting background noise.

Halfway through the shift, you stretched your arms overhead, stifling a yawn. Out of curiosity, you peeked over at Jaehyun to see how he was faring. He had leaned back in his chair, his neatly combed hair falling over his closed eyes, looking surprisingly peaceful in the soft glow of sunlight streaming in through the window. The light danced around him, illuminating his desk, and for a moment, you couldn't help but admire how beautiful he looked.

Even after a month of working together, you still didn't know much about Jaehyun's personal life. You had gone over the basics: he lived alone, was single, and kept his family life largely private. Each interaction left you with more questions than answers, and you found yourself scratching your head at the blank spaces in your understanding of him.

You assumed that the high-ranking position had simply been handed down to him—a legacy passed through generations. But you had never heard any whispers about a preceding CEO or what led Jaehyun to take the helm.

Amidst the riddles, the only one you had solved was his coffee order: a no-foam skimmed latte with an extra shot, plus three drip coffees with room for milk. It was a peculiar detail to cling to, yet it felt like a small piece of Jaehyun you could call your own, a little insight he had unknowingly shared during your numerous morning coffee runs.

Your thoughts whirled as you watched him sleep, a wave of warmth washing over you. It was strange how quickly you had grown accustomed to his presence and how much you found yourself wanting to know about the man behind the polished façade. What did he do on weekends? What made him laugh? What were his dreams and aspirations beyond this office?

Suddenly, he’s awake and staring back at you, and you stop smiling, turning to busy yourself. You clear your throat. “You have a meeting at 3 PM,” you mention, making an excuse.

“Thank you,” he responds.

He yawns and cracks his neck before standing from his desk. “We should go grab something to eat before then.”

You don't expect him to take you halfway across town; normally, you just grab him something from the cafe down the street. A bit apprehensive, you worry about making it back on time with the traffic ahead.

Silence engulfs the car as it inches through the congestion. Jaehyun sits relaxed in his seat, his thumb tapping a rhythm against the steering wheel as he looks ahead. You decide to kill the time with some conversation.

“How do you manage living in that large house all by yourself?” you ask, trying to chip away at the silence.

Jaehyun shifts in his seat. “You get used to it, I suppose. It’s peaceful. Quiet.”

“Yeah, but don’t you ever feel lonely? I mean, it’s a huge place. I can’t imagine wandering through all those empty rooms.”

He pauses, eyes still on the road. “Loneliness is…relative. I find solace in my work. It distracts me.”

“But work can only fill so much, right? Everybody needs someone sometimes.”

“Not everyone has someone to lean on, A. Sometimes it’s easier to just…keep to yourself.” Jaehyun looks over.

“I get that. I guess I’ve been on my own for a while too. Never really had a stable family or anything. Just me and the streets.”

“So, what was it like? Living like that?” Jaehyun asks curiously.

“It was tough. You learn to be resourceful and to adapt. But it also gets exhausting.”

You had a rough upbringing; your parents were neglectful, and as soon as you turned 18, they kicked you out. You turned to the streets to get by, making connections with a few questionable figures, but they taught you what you needed to survive. Soon, you were taking care of yourself and hanging out with better crowds.

“Why don’t you talk about your family or friends? It feels like you’ve built up walls—like you’re living in that house, but you’re not really there,” you ask.

Jaehyun takes a deep breath, carefully choosing his words. “It’s complicated. I’ve lost people—friends, family… When you start at the top, it’s hard to trust anyone. Everyone has their own agenda.”

You wince slightly at his words; of course he didn’t open up to you. Trust issues are understandable, especially after you tried to rob him.

“Sometimes, you just have to take a leap of faith and give people a chance. You never know who they might turn out to be,” you suggest gently.

He pauses, letting your words linger in the air, before responding with a nod of acknowledgment. As traffic finally begins to move, you turn to look out the window, watching the world blur by.

Eventually, the car pulls into a cozy little bakery nestled on a side street. The overgrown greenery surrounding it gives the place a charming, almost hidden feel. A LED sign in the window brightens the words “Doughyoungs.” Stepping inside, a small bell chimes, and the delectable aroma of freshly baked bread wraps around you like a warm hug. Your mouth waters as you glance around.

The bakery is empty, but it exudes warmth and invites you further in. The display case is filled with tempting treats: crusty artisan breads, flaky croissants, colorful macarons, decadent cakes, and an assortment of cookies. Your heart feels lighter in this space; it seems like a hidden gem, the kind of place that just might feel like home.

“BE RIGHT WITH YOU!” a voice calls from the back of the shop. A tall man in a flour-dusted apron steps into the front room, wiping his hands on the fabric, a broad smile spreading across his face.

“Oh, Jaehyun! It’s been a while!” He steps closer, his tone filled with a sense of familiarity. “You brought a friend?”

You glance at the man’s name tag—Doyoung. It clicks; he must be the owner of the bakery.

“Yeah, this is my secretary, Y/N,” Jaehyun introduces, gesturing toward you. “And Y/N, this is Doyoung. He’s a good friend of mine.”

“His only friend,” Doyoung corrects with a playful wink before extending his hand toward you. “Nice to meet you!”

The three of you settle down at a small, round table in the corner of “Doughyoung’s,” sunlight streaming through the window and illuminating the inviting atmosphere. A warm plate of croissants sits in the center of the table as Doyoung pours steaming cups of coffee for you and Jaehyun.

You reach for a flaky croissant, the buttery aroma enveloping you. You’ve just met Doyoung, but your instant fondness for him grows as he recounts hilarious stories about Jaehyun, leaving you wiping a tear from the corner of your eye at one particularly embarrassing tale.

“How long have you two been friends?” you ask, still chuckling.

“We go way back to college,” Doyoung replies, a reminiscent smile on his face. “We were both fresh out of high school, and honestly, we couldn’t have been more different. He was this focused, ambitious guy trying to conquer the world, while I was just… well, trying to figure things out.”

You nod, picturing the difference between the two of them. “What about you?” Doyoung adds, leaning in with a mischievous glint in his eye. “How did you manage to land such a serious guy as your boss?”

You stuff your mouth with croissants, desperately trying to think of an answer that isn’t a lie.

“Sorry to cut story time short, but I have a meeting at 3,” he says, finishing his coffee and rising to push in his chair. You follow suit, a little relieved that your escape has come so soon. Doyoung was kind and you couldn't bring yourself to lie to him, but you couldn't exactly tell him you had attempted to rob his best friend.

“It was really nice to meet you, Doyoung,” you wave goodbye, offering a genuine smile as you shuffle out after Jaehyun.

Doyoung smiles and waves as you leave, his infectious energy lingering in the air. The drive back is quiet, but this time, the silence feels different—more comfortable. The gentle hum of the engine and the sounds of the outside world fade into the background as you steal glances at Jaehyun, who remains focused on the road ahead.

—

Since you started working with Jaehyun, today was probably the first time that everything seemed to go your way. You even managed to finish your tasks early. As you straighten up your desk, gathering papers and tidying the space, you’re on your way out when he walks in, his expression curious.

“You’re leaving?” he asks, making his way toward his own desk.

“Yeah, I finished up early,” you reply, grabbing your bag. “I was just going to catch the bus home.”

He nods, pausing for a moment. “Did you organize that pile of paperwork I gave you?”

“All organized and labeled,” you confirm, a sense of pride swelling in your chest.

“What about that email I sent you to look over? Did you make sure everything was in order for that conference?”

“Done and scheduled,” you say, feeling accomplished.

Jaehyun looks like he wants to say something more, as if he’s searching for another reason to keep you there. “Well, if you’re finished, we can head out together,” he suggests, beginning to pack his briefcase.

“Are you sure?” you ask, a hint of hesitation in your voice. “If there’s something you need to finish up here, I don’t want to hold you back.”

“I can finish it at home,” he replies, already standing and heading toward the door.

You share a brief glance, and there’s something in his demeanor that tells you he genuinely wants your company. You can’t help but smile as you follow him outside.

When you get back to Jaehyun's house, you expect him to finally let you off the hook, but instead, he keeps you around a little longer. He finds minuscule tasks for you to do while he works in his study—organizing his files, dusting the bookshelf, separating his pens by color—anything to keep you in his office with him.

“Jaehyun,” you yawn, stretching your arms overhead. “I’ve done everything! I’ve even organized your books by the Dewey Decimal System. I think it’s time for me to head home.” You really don’t mind Jaehyun’s company at all; in fact, you enjoy being around him. Plus, every task you handle for him counts toward the debt you owe, but it’s getting late, and the last thing you want is for him to fuss about you driving home in the dark.

He glances around the room, searching for another task to assign you, but all he finds is a sigh of resignation. “Are you sure you don’t want to just stay over?” he asks, looking genuinely concerned. “There are plenty of rooms for you. It’s getting late, and you seem really tired. I don’t want you to fall asleep at the wheel.” He closes his laptop, giving you his full attention.

You think it over. Spending a night in his mansion feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. Staying here is akin to a luxury hotel experience. You weigh the pros and cons in your mind, but then a concern arises. “I don’t have any extra clothes,” you say.

“You can wear mine,” Jaehyun offers, and your face heats up at the prospect of slipping into one of his shirts—an oversized garment that would probably swallow you whole.

“I guess that would save me the commute of having to drive back over here in the morning.”

You can’t help but smile back, finding his stubbornness endearing. It’s moments like these that make you realize he might be holding onto you not out of obligation but rather because he enjoys your company. After all, he’s been doing everything in his power to keep you around, perhaps because he is alone most of the time. You’d probably become the closest person to him after Doyoung.

"Well, if that's all, I'm going to go get in the shower,” you say.

“Ill meet you upstairs, I just want to finish this up,” he says

You head upstairs, navigating your way to Jaehyun's room with an ease that comes from having spent so much time in his space. You step into the bathroom connected to his room and turn on the shower, relishing the luxurious feel of the gold dual heads—it’s almost like being in a spa.

As the warm water envelops you, the stresses of the day wash away. The towels are fresh and warm as you step out, feeling utterly pampered. You can't help but marvel at the abundance of skincare products lined up on the counter, likely a key contributor to Jaehyun's flawless complexion. After cleansing your face and brushing your teeth with an unopened toothbrush you found in his bathroom pantry.

Peeking your head out of the bathroom door, you confirm that the coast is clear. With nothing but your towel wrapped around you, you make your way toward his closet. As you rummage through his clothes, memories flood back to the first time you were here—a completely different feeling, one of nerves and uncertainty. Little did you know that you’d be invited back as a guest, spending the night in his company.

Finally, you find a large shirt that looks incredibly comfortable and toss it over your head. Pairing it with some pajama pants that are a bit loose around your hips, you tie them with the strings, feeling cozy and at ease.

With a determined smile, you head back downstairs, wanting to say goodnight to Jaehyun. As you enter his study, though, you find him fast asleep, his head resting on a pile of documents. His hair is pushed back by a pair of glasses you haven't seen before, and you can't help but notice the dark circles under his eyes. You never realized how taxing it must be for him to carry the weight of the company on his shoulders.

Gently, you shake him awake. “Jaehyun, come on, let’s go to sleep,” you whisper softly.

His eyes open slowly, taking a moment to adjust as he rubs them and slides his glasses back on. Confusion flits across his face before recognition sets in, and he begins to put his things away, a little disorientedly, but it makes you chuckle lightly.

You watch him for a moment, your heart swelling with fondness. You wish you could do something to help him relax—an idea pops into your mind. “I’ll meet you upstairs, okay?” you say before darting back up the stairs.

You run a warm bath; you make sure to adjust the water to just the right temperature. Bubbles foam up and you lay out his clothes neatly on the counter—a clean, comfy t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, paired with some fresh socks. The soft tune playing from a speaker fills the air, adding to the calming ambiance.

You hear the heavy footsteps of Jaehyun making their way up the stairs, and you work quickly, eager to ensure everything is perfect for him. When the door finally opens, he lumbers into the room, flopping onto the bed still clad in his work clothes.

“Come on, I ran you a bath,” you coax, gently taking off his glasses and tugging him up from the bed. His eyes are still closed, but he doesn’t resist, letting you guide him toward the bathroom.

“Your clothes are right here,” you say, pointing out the set you prepared for him. “Just let me know if you need anything.”

As you start to step away, eager to give him some privacy, he unexpectedly grabs your wrist. His grip is gentle yet firm, and he turns you back to face him. The air is thick with tension as he pushes you up against the sink.

“Help me undress,” he says sleepily, his disheveled hair falling into his eyes—a sight that makes your heart race. You’re practically chest to chest, and the proximity sends a rush of warmth to your cheeks.

Your face heats up and you find yourself a stuttering mess. Jaehyun seems to realize what his words imply “I’m sorry, I don’t know what I’m saying,” he fumbles, suddenly a little more awake. “Excuse me, I’m just really tired.”

“No, no, it’s okay,” you reassure him quickly, your cheeks ablaze. “I want to help you relax. I can do that.”

He looks down at you, and you briefly meet his gaze before you shyly avert your eyes. As your hands shake, you manage to unbutton his shirt one by one, the fabric parting to reveal flawless skin beneath. He stands there, shirt completely undone, his gaze holding a mixture of curiosity and something deeper. You can feel the heat radiating from his body, and you find yourself captivated by his happy trail, your knees feeling weak beneath you. Jaehyun’s hands gracefully move to his belt, taking charge of the moment. You watch, entranced, as he slowly removes it, each movement deliberate and inviting. Your heart races in your chest, a frantic drumbeat that drowns out the soft music still playing in the background. You could practically feel the air thickening between you—a magnetic pull that makes you want to fall to your knees for him—to surrender.

His belt clatters to the floor, the sound echoing in the quiet bathroom, but then a hand catches under your chin, lifting your gaze to meet his. You’re drawn into the depths of his eyes, so close that you can feel the warmth radiating off him. “I’ve got it from here, thank you,” he says, his voice low and confident.

Reality crashes over you like a wave, pulling you back with a jolt. You process the situation: Jaehyun standing before you, his pants hanging loosely around his waist, his shirt sliding from his shoulders. Heat floods your cheeks.

In a rush, you scramble out of the bathroom, the words tumbling from your lips in a hurried mess. “R—right, I’ll be in the room across the hall. Good night, Jaehyun!” You don’t dare look back, your heart racing as you leave the bathroom, and you swear you hear a deep chuckle escape him, warm and teasing.

You slip into the bedroom across the hall, the plush bed feeling foreign and oddly comforting at the same time. You let out a heavy sigh, shaking off the feelings that swirled between you two.

The silence of the house wraps around you. It’s an odd comfort, yet it amplifies the sense of isolation that looms over you. You stare at the clock on the nightstand, ticking slowly towards the early hours of the morning. You toss and turn under the covers, unable to settle. Thoughts of Jaehyun haunt you—thoughts of the way he looked, the way he made you feel—the anticipation, the nervousness. You cover your face with the pillow in an attempt to silence your racing thoughts.

Suddenly, a soft but loud crash reverberates through the house, breaking the stillness. You sit upright, heart pounding in your chest. A sense of dread settles in as you carve your way through the shadows, crossing the hall to Jaehyun’s room.

“Jaehyun?” You call softly, knocking gently on the door, but it creaks open at your touch, revealing a scene that makes your breath hitch. Jaehyun is sitting on the edge of the bed, looking disheveled; his face pales from what you can only assume was a nightmare. There’s sweat glistening on his forehead, and you can see the stark tension in his shoulders.

“Hey, what happened?” You take a step in, closing the door behind you.

He runs a shaky hand through his hair. “I just—I had a nightmare. It’s nothing.” He waves you off, but you can see the unsteadiness in his demeanor.

“No, it’s not nothing,” you assert, walking closer. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. You can talk to me.”

His eyes meet yours—a fleeting vulnerability. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me,” you say softly.

“I dreamed about… losing my family. It’s a nightmare I’ve had more times than I can count.” He lifts his gaze to meet yours, and you can see the pain that runs deep.

You quietly urge him on, your heart thrumming within your chest. “What happened?”

He swallows hard before continuing. “I used to live here, in this house, with my family. It was our summar home. Life was chaotic but… it was fun. My parents were always busy with the company, but they made time for us. Then…it just all fell apart.”

You can hear the tremor in his voice, the unsteady strength behind each word. “There was an accident,” he finally admits, his brow furrowing as if the very thought is a wound that never heals. “A car crash that took them away from me in an instant. I inherited everything. This houses the company and the money. Sometimes I feel like an imposter, like I’m not good enough for all of this. It helps that there are fewer memories here. Its emptier.”

Your heart aches for him, the stark reality of his loss weighing heavily in the air. “I’m so sorry, Jaehyun,” you whisper, feeling a surge of compassion for the boy he once was. You couldn't imagine how alone he felt. The weight of an entire company thrust upon him at such a young age. You understand why he found it hard to let people in.

“It’s been years,” he continues, “but every now and then, I wake up in a cold sweat, feeling their absence like it was yesterday. Sometimes Its so bad I won't sleep at all.”

You step closer and sit beside him on the bed, your heart aching to comfort him. “You don’t have to carry this by yourself. It’s okay to talk about it. It’s okay to feel. You deserve to express that pain instead of bottling it up.”

You take a deep breath, the weight of your own past pressing against your chest. It feels only right to share your truth with Jaehyun now that he’s opened up about his own pain. “I get it, you know—feeling like you’re not enough. I felt that way growing up too,” you begin, your voice steady yet soft as you look into his eyes. “I didn’t have the stability of a family like yours. My parents were often absent, lost in their own world, and I was left to navigate everything on my own. I longed for connection.”

You pause, letting your words sink in. A part of you feels apprehensive, but telling your story also feels liberating. “I did meet some friends along the way. They were a bit snobby, but I loved them. They were everything I wanted to be—popular, carefree, surrounded by laughter. I wanted to fit in so badly that I was willing to do just about anything to be part of their world.”

Jaehyun nods, his gaze understanding as he absorbs your story. You take another breath, your heart racing slightly as you reveal more of your past. “I started to steal. Not just to survive, because there were times when I truly needed food, but mostly to impress them. To show them I could be just as cool, just as daring. Those friends were all I had, and I felt like I was grasping at straws. I never wanted to feel alone again.”

As you speak, you can see the pain in Jaehyun's eyes—he understands the need to connect, the lengths people go to feel accepted. “Most of the time, I felt like a fraud. Like I was pretending to be something I’m not. Their world wasn’t mine, but it was better than being alone. I guess in some way, I thought being with them would fill the emptiness, but it never did.”

“I know what it feels like to wear a mask,” he says, his tone gentle yet earnest. “It’s exhausting isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” you reply, a small but relieved smile creeping onto your face. “But sharing it feels freeing. I think that’s why I wanted to tell you. Seeing you so vulnerable made me realize that maybe it’s okay to let myself be seen, too.”

Jaehyun reaches out, tentatively placing his hand over yours. It’s a small gesture, but it ignites warmth where your hands connect, sending a comforting pulse between you.

But just as the moment deepens, a loud crack of thunder rumbles outside, reverberating through the walls, making the lights flicker. A flash of lightning illuminates Jaehyun’s startled expression, momentarily freezing both of you in place until you’re instinctively drawn closer. A storm rages outside.

“Let’s… let’s just stay like this, okay?” You murmur, catching his gaze before looking down at your joined hands. “Just for tonight.”

He nods slowly, the tension shifting into something more profound. You slide under the covers beside him, and even though there’s a noticeable space between you, his warmth envelops you. The moment sinks into something intimate, something that goes beyond the mere physical closeness or the warmth of shared body heat.

— Your phone buzzes in your pocket, and you hesitate before answering an unknown number. But curiosity compels you to pick up.

“Hello?”

“Where have you been?” The voice on the other end drips with annoyance. Taeyong. Just hearing him makes your stomach churn. It's a voice you've been avoiding, one you hoped you'd never have to hear again. It reminds you too much of the past your trying to forget.

You bite your lip, your gaze flickering nervously around the bustling cafeteria. It’s lunchtime, and the air buzzes with chatter as people gather at tables. Jaehyun is tied up in a meeting, leaving you surrounded by a few friends who have become a surprising source of comfort. You've been at the company long enough now that the initial gossip has faded, allowing you to forge genuine connections beyond just your complicated relationship with Jaehyun.

You cover your phone as you pull it down from your ear and mouth a quick sorry to your friends as you make your way somewhere else secluded.

“Sorry, you caught me at a bad time,” you murmur, moving away to a quieter corner.

“A bad time? You've been ghosting us for weeks! We have a big job lined up and need you back,” he says, impatience slicing through his tone.

“I told you, I’m not doing that anymore. I’m in a good place. I can’t mess this up,” you reply, your frustration simmering just beneath the surface.

He scoffs, a sound that irritates you more than it should. “You think you can just bail on us? When we had your back when no one else did?”

His words resonate, stirring unwanted memories. They taught you everything you know about survival.

“Without us, you’d be scraping by,” he adds with a cocky lilt that grates your nerves.

“What do you need me for?” You huff.

“A quick job. In and out. Johnny’s got his eyes on this jewelry store. Thinks it’ll impress some girl he’s crushing on,” he explains, the casual tone in his voice only making you more uneasy.

“A jewelry store? Are you serious? You know that’s risky,” you almost yell before you remember where you are.

“Yeah, well, the guy’s moving across the globe. Apparently, his heart is in Vegas or something. Listen, you owe us. Let’s call this your last job before Johnny bails.” He says.

You pause, weighing your options. You knew how persistent these guys could get and you didn’t need them digging too deep into what you’ve been up to. If they found out about Jaehyun, your not sure what they would scheme.

“If I do this, you lose my number. Don’t ever contact me again. I appreciate everything you guys did for me, but I’m trying to move on.” Your voice is firm.

“Great to have you back, princess. I’ll send over the details,” he says before hanging up.

Your hands were shaking and you could feel your throat close up as tears began to well in your eyes. You wanted to cry. You lean against a wall, trying to calm your breathing.

You could always ask Jaehyun for the money; whatever Johnny was looking to score from the jewelry store, Jaehyun could match it; the only issue is you already owe him enough and Taeyong would definitely ask you where you got such a large sum of money.

You could not get Jaehyun involved. You didn't want him mixed up in any of this. This was your problem, your past, that you had to fix.

You tilt your head back, trying to will the tears away. If Jaehyun found out—Jaehyun couldn't find out.

You try to act normal when you head back up to Jaehyun's office. You bury yourself in paperwork and emails as an excuse for how unnaturally quiet you were today. You couldn't avoid him all day, though.

“How was lunch” he asks after returning from his meeting.

You don't turn to acknowledge him; instead, you give him a “it was good” before returning to your work. He doesn't comment on how quiet you have been but you definitely see it in his eyes that he wants to. He walks to his desk without another word. He knows when to give you space and probably figured now was one of those times.

—

You were making mistakes again. The chaos of the office felt louder than ever as you stumbled through the busy halls, your arms full of files that seemed to have a mind of their own. Papers slipped from your grasp, fluttering to the ground like fallen leaves as you scrambled to collect them, heart racing as you barely managed to avoid having someone step on the important documents.

The printer was your sworn enemy today; it jammed at the worst possible moment, leaving you flustered and anxiously trying to free the stuck sheets while praying no one noticed your struggle. You were constantly tripping over your own feet, rushing back and forth, trying to juggle tasks that felt increasingly overwhelming.

Jaehyun's eyes lingered on you longer than usual, suspicion bubbling just beneath the surface. He could let a few things slide, but it was clear he was picking up on the fact that something wasn’t right.

Finally, you excused yourself, heart pounding as you left for the bathroom. Clutching your phone tightly, it buzzed with a message that made your stomach drop. You glanced down and read:

[Meet us at xxx on Sunday at 3 AM].

This was it—tonight would be the night.

You quickly composed a response, your fingers trembling slightly as you typed. As you headed back to the office, you tried to shake off the brewing anxiety. With every step, you reminded yourself that soon, after tonight, you wouldn’t have to hide anything else from Jaehyun. After tonight, everything could go back to normal.

You had packed a small duffel bag. Its contents reminded you of the significance of the night ahead. Dressed in all black, you made your way to Taeyong's place, the night air cool against your skin. As you arrived, the tension in your stomach twisted tighter when you saw Taeyong, Johnny, and Yuta waiting for you.

“Hey.” you greeted, trying to sound more confident than you felt. You joined them, your heartbeat thumping in your ears as you went over the plan, going through every detail. The stakes were high; robbing businesses was far more complex than the petty house break-ins of the past. There was far more security to navigate this time, and your palms began to sweat at the thought of what would happen if you got caught.

“Stop overthinking it,” Johnny said, flashing you a reassuring smile as he finished loading the last item into the car. “It’s gonna be just like old times.”

You rolled your eyes. “This is the last time,” you declared, shooting a look at the back of Taeyong's head as he settled into the driver’s seat but you couldn’t stop the thrill that snuck into your heart. There was a small part of you that loved this thrill, loved the challenge that the night would bring

Johnny slid into the passenger seat, and Yuta hopped in beside you in the back. “I understand if you don’t want to steal, but we’re still family,” Yuta said, his voice calm and steady. “Don’t forget that, no matter what happens.

Your heart clenches painfully in your chest, a storm of emotions battling within you. You knew you were being cold towards them, shutting off parts of yourself that had always been open to them. They were your everything before Jaehyun came into your life, your partners in crime and laughter, and now you felt sickness coil in your stomach at the thought of discarding them for something that might not even last.

You bit back tears, feeling the sharp sting of regret and longing. One part of you mourned the life you were desperately trying to hold onto—the stability, the calm, everything that came with Jaehyun. The other half grieved for the carefree moments you’d shared with Taeyong, Johnny, and Yuta and for the friendships that felt more like family than anything else.

“I’m going to miss you guys,” you finally managed to say, your voice wavering as you fought to steady it. “Let this be it for all of us.” Your words hung in the air.

“Y/N…” Yuta began, an understanding between all of you that couldn’t be voiced.

“Please,” you interrupted softly, desperation coloring your tone as you looked from one familiar face to the other. “I don’t want anything happening to you guys.”

Silence settled in the car. No one answered you; there were no reassurances to offer, no words that could change the precarious situation you were all in. They couldn’t up and leave this life and you knew it.

As Taeyong turned the key in the ignition, the engine rumbled to life, breaking the stillness. You glanced out the window, taking in the familiar streets you had navigated countless times, the memories flooding back.

—

The blaring alarms pierced the night like a siren's wail as you moved to grab one more bag full of jewelry. Every clang of metal against metal made your stomach churn. Your hands were shaking, and as you tossed another bag over to Yuta, you felt a sense of disgust washing over you. How had it come to this? You stuffed your feelings deep down and concentrated on the task at hand—the only thing you could control. Yuta caught the bag and hurried it to the car, urgency fueling every movement.

Then came the wailing of sirens that sent a jolt of panic through your body. The familiar blue and red lights flickered on the walls of the alley as they crept closer, and your heart raced faster.

“Out now! GO!” Taeyong shouted, urgency slicing through the chaos. You hurled yourself into the car just as the engine roared to life, Taeyong hitting the gas pedal with a force that slammed you back against the seat. Your head twisted around, searching for any sign of the approaching police cars. Relief washed over you when you didn’t see their flashing lights right behind you—yet.

Then, terror gripped you as a police car roared around the corner, lights ablaze, barreling towards you.

“We’re not going to make it!” You cried out, panic rising in your chest like bile.

“Shut up! Let me think!” Taeyong snapped back, his voice sharp and focused.

With skill, he made a sharp left turn and then another, weaving through the streets as your heart thundered in your ears. The fear began to lift, the thrill of escape practically intoxicating, until the dreaded sight of the police car revealed itself again, like a predator stalking prey.

He maneuvered the car swiftly into a dark alleyway, the bright streetlights fading behind you, swallowed by the inky shadows of the narrow passage.

“Get out!” Taeyong shouted suddenly, and you whipped your head around to look at him, wide-eyed, disbelief painted across your face.

“Are you crazy?” you exclaimed, your pulse racing even faster. The alleyway loomed dark and empty beyond the car.

“What are you—” Yuta started to say, confusion evident in his voice.

“I’ll lead them away; just go!” Taeyong insisted, urgency etched deep into his words. “We don’t have time!”

You knew if he was caught, he would never snitch—Taeyong was loyal, he would take the fall for you without a second thought. But the prospect of him behind bars was more upsetting than you'd ever anticipated.

“That wasn’t how tonight was supposed to go,” you murmured, helpless, as Johnny dragged you along through the darkness. You struggled to comprehend what was happening through the haze of tears obscuring your vision. Out of instinct, you pulled off your mask and dark jacket, tossing them into a nearby trash bin.

With your heads down, you walked in silence, the distant sirens haunting the air. It wasn’t long until Kun, Yuta’s friend, pulled up to a nearby park to pick you all up.

You didn't go home that night. Instead, you ended up at Chenle's place. He didn’t ask any questions when he saw your tear-stained cheeks; he simply pulled you inside and set about making some tea to soothe your frayed nerves. Chenle was always the one who understood you the most.

Tonight, the weight of secrets felt heavier than ever. You couldn’t keep it all inside any longer. As you sank onto his couch, the dam broke, and you began to tell Chenle everything—from the very beginning to the events of the night. Sobs wracked your body as you relayed the tale, the guilt and shame spilling out with each word.

You were a liar, a thief, a fake.

Chenle sat in silence for a moment, absorbing your confession. He let out a heavy sigh and rose from his seat, your teary eyes tracking him as he rummaged through his cupboard.

“We’re gonna need something stronger than tea tonight,” he said, pouring you a shot.

—

When you wake up the next day, a piercing headache pounds through your skull. You had fallen asleep on Chenle’s couch. Blinking against the sunlight filtering in, you glance around the large living space and spot Chenle sprawled on the other end of the couch, still blissfully asleep.

Rummaging around the couch cushions, your fingers finally brush against your phone. You remember that you powered it down last night, a decision made during the chaos of emotions. You turn it back on, the screen lighting up and revealing a barrage of messages.

YUTA [taeyong got away last night] [Just keep your head down and we should be fine]

JOHNNY [TY PULLED THROUGH LET'S GO!]

You can’t help but roll your eyes at that. “Selfish bastard.” you think, feeling a stir of resentment alongside the relief.

JAEHYUN [are you coming into work today?] [are you hurt?] [if your sick i can bring you something] [call me when you can]

You wince at the notification count—Jaehyun had called you at least five times this morning

Just then, Daegal, Chenle’s dog, leaps onto the couch, nudging your leg. Chenle stirs awake, cracking an eye open, squinting against the bright light that seeps into the living room.

“Taeyong was able to get away somehow,” you inform him quietly.

“Don’t know whether I should be happy or upset about that,” he replies, his voice still thick with sleep.

“I’m sorry about lying, and I’m sorry for bothering you, but this was the only place I knew to come.” You let out a heavy sigh, tossing your phone down on the coffee table.

“If it makes you feel better, I’m not upset that you lied,” Chenle says, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. “I understand what you were going through, and if that’s how you made ends meet, I won’t judge you for it.” He stretches and yawns, then narrows his eyes playfully at you. “What I am mad about is the fact that you’ve been seeing a hot CEO and didn’t tell me about it!”

A weight lifts off your shoulders at his playful reprimand. At least you wouldn’t lose your best friend. You crawl toward him on the couch and envelop him in a warm hug. “I love you,” you smother him with affection.

You sit across the table from Chenle, a steaming plate of breakfast in front of you. As you tell him everything about your relationship with Jaehyun—the sweet moments, the little things that made you blush—it feels like a breath of fresh air. It takes you back to those late-night gossip sessions in high school, a sense of comfort washing over you. For that brief moment, you felt like yourself again, like the world around you wasn't being held together by a single string.

But soon reality creeps back in. You check the time and realize you can’t put off Jaehyun's calls any longer.

[im ok]

[where have you been?]

[Can we meet?]

[i can meet you at home]

Your heart clenches at the word ‘home.’ You aren’t sure when you two became this close, but the thought of lying to Jaehyun anymore feels unbearable.

As you approach the house, a heavy silence envelops you. It’s eerily quiet; the only sound is the faint shuffle of papers filtering in from Jaehyun’s study. You take a deep breath, steeling yourself for the confrontation ahead.

You clear your throat, your voice slightly shaky. “Hey,” you announce, trying to keep your tone steady.

Jaehyun looks up, his expression distant and unreadable. “Where have you been?” he asks, setting aside the documents that had consumed his attention. Frustration flickers across his face as he stands and closes the distance between you. He crosses his arms over his broad chest, the muscles evident even beneath the wrinkled fabric of his work clothes, a testament to the long day he’s had.

He leans back slightly against his desk, exuding a mix of authority and weariness. His glasses sit low on the bridge of his nose, casting a shadow over his eyes and intensifying his gaze as he studies you, waiting for an answer that feels heavy in the air

“I was at a friend’s,” you reply, your words catching slightly in your throat.

“Why weren’t you answering my calls? What’s been going on with you lately?” His voice is firm, perhaps too firm, sounding too much like your boss, and you can feel your irritation simmer.

“It won’t happen again. I’ve just been taking care of some business,” you mumble, but it feels inadequate.

“You need to let me know if you’re not going to show up!” he says, and you can see the frustration etching lines across his forehead. But beneath that, there’s something else—something more worried.

“Is this all I am to you? Just another one of your employees you have to keep track of,” you challenge, the heat of your annoyance flaring. “I’m sorry I didn’t show up to work, Mr. Jung!” You spit his name like it’s a bitter taste in your mouth.

“Don't do that. I was worried about you!” He snaps back, his eyes blazing with a mix of anger and concern.

“I just needed some time!” You fire back, defending yourself but feeling the weight of his gaze.

“Time for what? I’ve been giving you time! Time to text, time to leave, time to make calls to whoever it is you’ve been talking to,” he replies, the edge in his voice sharpening with jealousy.

“Why do you even care who I talk to?”

His lips are on yours in an instant and he kisses you for the first time. You can feel his anger, frustration, and annoyance at you through the way he kisses you. It was as though the heavens had opened and a lightning strike had struck you, igniting every nerve ending in your body. The kiss was electrifying, sending waves of warmth cascading down your spine, and you felt as if your lips were two magnets with an irresistible force drawing them together. The kiss is harsh, and your teeth clink together as you kiss him back with just as much heat. Everything that had been boiling within you—the frustration, fear, and anxiety—pours out as you let it all go. Your fingers pull at his hair, and you bite at his lips. His hands grip your hips roughly, like he's barely holding himself back from breaking you. He pulls you against him, and you can feel him hard through his slacks.

The tension in the room was high, and when it snapped, it was like the barriers that you both worked hard to keep up around each other had fallen.

He switches positions with you, pushing you up against his desk as he kisses down your neck. You have half the mind to be mindful of the things that litter his desk, trying not to knock anything over as his hands explore your body. He senses your hesitation and clears his desk with a swipe of his arm, not breaking the kiss in his haste. You moan into his mouth as he lays you down flat against his desk.

“Who have you been texting?” he asks, his chest heaving. You knew it must have been eating him up over the past few days.

“It was no one. I’ll explain later, just don’t stop,” you whine and pull him back to your lips.

Your fingers start working at the pesky buttons of his shirt. You try to work them one by one, but only get half way before you give up. You slide the fabric half way down his shoulders.

You run your hands down his back, savoring the feel of his skin beneath your palms. His hands move to your shirt, pulling it over your head with ease. His lips trail kisses down your collarbone, causing you to arch your back involuntarily. He pulls your bra open, the fabric falling away to reveal your breasts. His mouth descends on one nipple, his tongue flicking against the sensitive nub as his hand cups the other breast, squeezing gently. His tongue circles your nipple, teasing and tormenting until you’re practically begging for release. His hand slides lower, slipping beneath the waistband of your sweats. His thick fingers pinch and tug at your clit, rubbing it in tight circles that elicit moans from your lips. You’re soaking wet, and it’s not hard for him to slip his fingers inside your tight pussy.

Your eyes meet his, and his pupils are dilated, like he’s lost in pleasing you. His fingers pump into you at a steady pace, and your thighs spread wide for him, giving him complete access to you. His hand presses against your abdomen as he curls his fingers inside you. He wants you to feel it.

“Say you’re mine,” he commands. “Say it.”

“I’m yours,” your voice trembles, and you can feel your stomach clench with how close you are. Your back arches as you squirm under his ministrations. He leans down and attaches his mouth to your clit as he fingers you, and that’s all you need before you’re cumming all over his fingers. He continues to suck and lick at you until you’re pushing at his head to stop.

Once you have caught your breath, you pull your clothes back on as a heavy silence engulfs the room. You know you need to tell him the truth. You need to tell him what happened.

“I robbed a jewelry store.” You say as he helps you down from his desk.

He freezes, eyes widening in disbelief. “You did what?”

“There’s nothing to worry about! It’s over, okay? I just didn’t want to lie to you anymore,” you say defensively.

“Are you serious? What were you thinking?”

“I didn’t want to drag you into this! It was my past that got me here. I can’t rely on you to fix everything for me,” you explain.

“But you were the one who taught me not to bear it all alone!” he counters, hurt flashing in his eyes.

“Not this Jae, I couldn't drag you into this. I care about you way too much”

“And you think I don’t care about you? You throw yourself into trouble like it’s nothing, and you want me to just forget it? Tell me what really happened.” His gaze is piercing, demanding honesty.

You tell him everything.

You take a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment. “I didn’t want our lives to cross paths like this. I thought I could leave that stuff behind but they kept reaching out. It was just one last job, and I thought I could handle it.”

“You should have told me. I could have helped,” he says, brow crinkling in frustration.

“I was scared,” you admit, stepping closer to him. “Scared that getting you involved would get you hurt.”

Jaehyun sighs deeply, processing what you’ve just shared. “No more secrets, okay? You need to promise me that.”

—

The way your life had fallen into rhythm with Jaehyuns was scary; you couldn’t help but worry about what would happen when this arrangement finally came to an end. You found yourself practically living in his home, spending almost every day together. You cherished the moments you shared working side by side. Each laugh, each quiet evening, felt like a treasure you never wanted to lose. Still, you understood that, like everything else, even the best things must eventually come to an end. You just hoped that day would remain far off.

Unfortunately, today was that day. After the countless hours you’d spent with Jaehyun, both on and off the clock, you had officially repaid your debt. Of course, your coworkers gathered around the dinner table at the prestigious restaurant had no idea. They believed you were simply celebrating your one-year anniversary. You forced a smile; would they still see it as a celebration if they knew the full story behind your relationship with Jaehyun?

The atmosphere in the restaurant was a blur of laughter, clinking glasses, and the delicious aroma of carefully prepared dishes. As the celebrations for your one-year anniversary at the company unfolded around you, a wave of anxiety gnawed at your insides. You had worked hard for this moment, but all you could think about was what came next. You glanced down the table, where Jaehyun sat, a warm smile plastered on his face as he engaged in conversation with your coworkers, but he hadn’t looked your way once.

It was a stark contrast to the intimacy that you two shared. He didn’t bring up that night. He didn't bring up how he made you promise that you were his. For awhile, you thought you had just imagined it all but you could feel the shift in your dynamic. His touches lingering a little longer and the way his eyes wandered to you when he thought you weren't looking.

You find yourself looking back on your relationship with Jaehyun. Surprisingly, Jaehyun wasn’t the cold, distant person you first encountered; now, he trailed after you like a loyal puppy, and there was something sweetly comforting in the role reversal. You remembered how he had seemed so vast and imposing on your first day at the company, while you had followed him around like a lost puppy trying to match his stride. Now, as you walked through the hallways with your head held high, Jaehyun was the one keeping pace behind you, as if he feared losing you.

But as you looked at him now, across the expanse of the table, he felt miles away. The realization that the debt you owed him was fully paid loomed over you, casting a shadow that threatened to eclipse the joy of the evening. What would happen after tonight? How would your relationship change? You couldn’t shake the nagging fear that everything you had built together might soon unravel.

The cake arrived, beautifully adorned and lit with candles, drawing enthusiastic cheers from your coworkers. Jaehyun raised a glass to toast the moment, and when he glanced around, his eyes skated over you without recognition. You blinked, a pang of hurt lacing through you as the reality of it all settled in.

After the dinner wound down and laughter faded into the background, Jaehyun drove you back home—well, to his house. The silence hung between you like a tightrope, and it was nearly suffocating. Once inside the house, the familiar warmth enveloped you.

Finally, unable to contain your feelings, you broke the silence. “Jaehyun,” you started, your voice trembling slightly. “Why have you been so quiet tonight?”

He paused, fingers brushing through his hair as he leaned against the kitchen counter. The flickering light above cast shadows across his face, making it difficult to read his expression. “I—” he hesitated, eyes dropping to the floor, “I know your probably getting ready to leave since the debt is paid and I guess I was just preparing myself for that”

Your heart raced. “Is that why you haven’t brought up that night in your office?”

"I just didn’t want to grow more attached than I already am. I thought if I could pretend that night never happened, it would hurt less when you left.” He takes a deep breath as he searches your face for the right words to say. “I want you to stay with me. I know you’ve paid me back for everything… but I need you to understand that I want you in my life for reasons that go far beyond debt.” He took a breath, as if gathering the courage to continue. “I care about you. More than you know.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Jaehyun. I'm not going anywhere you don’t want me to,” you say, stepping closer to him and cupping his face.

Jaehyun reached up, touching the hand that was caressing his face. “Then let’s stop pretending that all this is just transactional. I want something real.” The sincerity in his gaze melted your worries away, replacing them with something brighter, something full of possibility.

When he leans down to kiss you, your fingers caress his cheeks, memorizing the contours as you breathe in the essence of him. His hands roamed over your hips, exploring with an urgency that both thrilled and comforted you. The way they eventually tangled into your hair was possessive, a silent promise that he wasn't going to let you go.

Your bodies pressed together tightly and with every passing second, the kiss grew hotter, needier, and wetter as he slipped his tongue into your mouth. You panted softly, surrendering to him, allowing him to take over completely, losing yourself in him.

As the fervor of the moment intensified, you felt his hands traveling back down to your hips. Before you could process what was happening, you found yourself being lifted off your feet. Instinctively, you wrapped your legs around his waist, anchoring yourself as he backed you up against a nearby wall. The cool surface contrasted sharply with the heat radiating between your bodies.

The makeout session became heavier and more desperate as passion consumed you both. Each kiss felt like a promise, filled with hunger and longing, as if you were trying to convey everything that words could never fully express. Finally, as your lungs burn for air, you part, a thin string of saliva connecting you.

The way he looked at you suggested a man starved—and that only fueled your desire to explore him further. As his hips rocked against yours, a low moan escaped your lips, the friction backing your toes curl. You welcomed his touch and his kisses but you wanted more. You wanted to take your time, savoring each curve and contour of each other’s bodies.

His face nestled in the crook of your neck, his warm breath sending shivers racing down your spine. A dampness was forming in your panties, an exhilarating rush that clouded your thoughts. Gathering the courage, you gently tapped him on the shoulder, hoping to break the spell that enveloped you both.

He lifted his head, planting soft kisses along your neck, climbing up to press a tender peck against your lips. He pulled back just enough to meet your gaze, his eyes holding a raw sincerity that made you forget the world around you. “Should we stop?” he murmured, his voice low and earnest.

“It’s not that,” you replied, your breath coming in soft gasps as you regained your composure. “I just want to move to the bedroom.”

You expected him to set you down for a moment, but instead a gasp slipped from your lips as he tightened his grip. He effortlessly began to ascend the opulent winding staircase. The walls were adorned with portraits, their painted eyes following your every movement, as if they were witnesses to this unfolding moment. Rich mahogany railings glimmered under the soft light of the chandelier.

You felt like a princess from a fairytale, swept away on a wave of romance and fantasy as he carried you up the staircase. Yet, amidst the enchantment, a small knot of doubt tightened in your chest—a complicated mix of guilt and disbelief. You don’t deserve this, you thought, battling the insistent voice in your head. This isn’t your life.

This dreamlike encounter with Jaehyun, who seemed to embody the very essence of Prince Charming, felt almost too good to be true—like a scene plucked straight from a storybook. The way he held you, the intensity of his gaze, and the atmosphere were intoxicating. But hessitation tugged at you, casting shadows over the light of your fairy tale.

As he gently set you down on the edge of his bed, Jaehyun kneeled before you. He looked up, his deep eyes searching yours as if trying to read the secrets hidden within.

“What’s wrong, pretty?” he asked, his voice a low, soothing murmur that seemed to wrap around you like a protective embrace. His hands enveloped yours, thumb stroking over your skin in a languid, comforting rhythm.

You forced a smile, desperate to maintain the illusion of this fairytale moment, but you knew better than to lie to him. Jaehyun had a way of seeing through your facades, as if he had developed some sixth sense when it came to understanding you. The light in his eyes flickered, a mix of concern and curiosity, as he waited for you to speak.

This was all so surreal—when the world outside seemed so turbulent, here he was, the embodiment of calm and acceptance. But as much as you tried to bask in this moment, the shadows of your past crept in, reminding you of who you once were.

“About that night…” you started, your voice barely above a whisper, throat tightening. Sudden shame washed over you like a cold wave. “I can’t help but feel like I don’t deserve all of this.

Jaehyun’s gaze softened, and he leaned in closer, brows furrowing slightly in concern. “Everyone has a past. What matters is who you choose to be now.” he said gently, as if unfurling your tightly wound shame with each word.

“But I’m a thief, Jaehyun… I tried to steal from you. I lied and even robbed a bank” The admission hung in the air.

“I don’t see a thief when I look at you; I see someone who has struggled but is capable of so much more. Someone I care about.” His thumb brushes over your knuckles.

You looked down at him, finally meeting his gaze, and in that moment, you saw a man who would stop time for you if he could, who would pause the world just to shield you from its harshness.

He was your man.

Without a second thought, you leaned in and pulled him into another kiss, the warmth between you igniting once more, filling the room with an undeniable heat. He broke away for just a moment, a playful glint in his eyes, before he gripped your hips and effortlessly lifted you. In one swift motion, he tossed you onto the middle of the soft, inviting bed.

You bounced with a delighted laugh, the sound echoing through the air as you playfully crawled back toward the headboard, an exhilarated sparkle dancing in your eyes.

Jaehyun crawls to you and you tug off your blouse before he reaches you. It was like he couldn't keep his mouth off of you. He kisses the bare skin of your chest and stomach as his hands toy with the button on the dress pants you wore at dinner. He tugs them down your legs until your only left in your bra and panties. When he's done, you push at his shoulder until your able to sit up, stradling him.

You begin undressing him like the time in the bathroom but this time he lets you strip him down until hes in his boxers. You could see him straining against the fabric of his boxers and you whimper. You had to have him in your mouth. He tries to lay you back down, insistant on taking care of you but you shake your head; thats not what you needed right now. You connect your lips and grip him through his boxers. He lets out a slight gasp, and you can feel him twitch in your grasp. His eyes are closed, but you can see the tension in his jaw and the way his hands grip the sheets beneath him. You’ve been thinking about this for a while now, about how you want to unravel him, piece by piece, until there’s nothing left.

“Can I show you what's been on my mind?” You whisper against his lips, your voice low and sultry. “Do you trust me?”

His eyes flutter open and he nods. You slide down until you settle between his legs, your fingers trailing over the fabric of his boxers and you kiss along his chest. Finally, you pull him out of his boxers. His tip is a pretty pink, begging for your attention, and there’s a vein that follows along the base of his cock, pulsing with every heartbeat. You make a mental note to pay extra attention to that. His breath picks up before you can even do anything, and when you finally tear your eyes away from his cock, you see that his cheeks are dusted pink and his ears are red. Even at a time like this, you find him endearing. You smile, but it comes off more sultry than you intend.

You gather spit in your mouth to wet your tongue, savoring the anticipation as you lean in closer. The moment your lips wrap around his tip, he lets out a sharp gasp, his body tensing. You take him into your mouth, feeling the warmth and saltiness of him as you bob your head gently. You circle his tip with your tongue before pulling off to lick him from base to tip, spreading your saliva and making him slip easier into your mouth.

You look up, meeting his gaze as you take him deeper, your throat working around him. Jaehyun’s head is thrown back, his chest heaving as he tries to keep still, but his hips betray him, thrusting slightly into your mouth. You moan around him, the vibrations sending shivers down his spine. Each time you pull off, you leave a trail of saliva connecting you, making your next descent even slicker.

“Fuck…hah,” he breathes, his voice rough and strained. “You feel so good.”

“When was the last time someone did this for you?” You ask, your voice muffled around his cock, noticing how sensitive he is.

“I can’t remember,” he groans.

“We’ll have to fix that, won’t we?” You say seductively, your eyes locked on his as you take him back into your throat, not holding back as you show him the pleasures he had probably been withholding from himself. You moan around him, pumping him vigorously as you suck on him, making a show of giving him the sloppiest head possible.

He was polite in the beginning; he didn’t push your head or tug your hair, and he didn’t buck his hips. Instead, he gripped the sheets and bit his lip, trying to control himself, trying to be a gentleman. But after he hits the back of your throat a little too roughly and you gag on him, he loses it. The way your throat convulses makes him bury his fingers into your hair, pressing you down until your nose is nuzzling against his happy trail. Tears burn your eyes as you let him drown in his pleasure, your own arousal building in response.

You know your panties are ruined at this point. Your free hand snakes down between your legs, your fingers gliding over your clit, circling the swollen button as he uses your throat. You barely notice the ache in your jaw, too consumed by the sensations coursing through your body. Suddenly, he pulls you off, his breathing ragged, his eyes wild with desperation.

“Lay down,” he commands, his voice gruff and urgent. You don’t even have time to follow his command before he manhandles you onto your back, his hands moving with a mix of urgency and precision. Desire and desperation swirl in his eyes as he practically rips your panties from you, his fingertips grazing your inner thighs as he strips them away. He’s far too impatient to unclip your bra, so he just pushes it up, exposing your breasts to the cool air.

Your back arches into his touch as he attaches his mouth to your nipples, flicking and nibbling at them with a ferocity that leaves you breathless. You moan, your nails scratching down his arms lightly, urging him on. He kisses down to your thighs, leaving a few love bites along the skin there that have your hips twitching for more. Finally, he pulls back, his eyes raking down your body like he’s seeing you for the first time.

“Hurry, I need you,” you cry, your voice breaking with urgency, your fingernails digging into his arms.

He shushes you with a kiss, his lips pressing against yours in a brief but intense moment of connection. Then he lines himself up, coating himself in your slick, making sure he’s slick enough to slide right in. Your breath hitches when he presses against your entrance, the head of his cock nudging at your folds. You were definitely feeling how big he was. Not only was he long, but he had a nice girth as well, stretching you in ways that had you clenching your teeth a little at the sensation.

“Relax,” he murmurs, his voice soothing as he begins to push in. “Let me in.”

You gently press him back, creating a space between your bodies, your eyes drawn to where your bodies connect. You can feel him deep inside you—only a third left before hes in completely and you already felt full. A soft whimper escapes your lips, vulnerability flashing in your gaze as you look up at him, searching for assurance.

“It’s okay, baby. You can take it,” he whispers, his voice low and soothing, sending shivers down your spine.

You stay still, allowing the initial sting to fade, his fingers intertwined with yours, rubbing gentle circles into your skin as a calming gesture. You focus on the warmth of his hand against yours and the tension slowly dissipates. The discomfort begins to melt away, replaced by a delicious ache. You give him a slow nod, a silent agreement, and he takes that as his cue. His hips pull back, and you can’t help but watch, mesmerized, as he slips out—he was so big but still so perfect.

“Keep your eyes on me, baby. Focus,” he urges, his voice a deep rumble that resonates in your core.

You meet his gaze and its so intense you almost shy away. “Thats right baby, im right here”

One of his hands grips the underside of your thigh before pressing it up against your chest. your back arching involuntarily at the delicious rush of pleasure that courses through you. You could feel him in your gut in this position. His eyebrows furrow in concentration as he drills into you again and again. Short, fast thrusts gradually deepen into long, languid strokes that have you pushing at his hips weakly.

“Fuck, Jae… it’s too deep,” you cry out, your thighs trembling.

He pulls out slowly, leaving you empty and momentarily disoriented. “Turn around,” he commands, a sheen of sweat glistening on his brow. You pout, suddenly regretting opening your big mouth.

Taking a deep breath, you prop yourself up on your hands and knees, glancing over your shoulder at him with a pleading gaze. “I can take it, I promise,” you reassure.

“We’ll see,” he replies, his tone low and teasing, as he leans down to lay a line of soft kisses down your spine.

You shudder at the gesture and just as the last kiss lingers on the small of your back, you feel him slip inside again. This position gives him more control but he isn't as deep as before. You roll your hips back into him, urging him to fuck you as deep as he was before.

But he slows, his thrusts coming to a halt as he watches you move, his gaze dark with pleasure as he just watches you fuck yourself on him. He hums a noise of pleasure. He lets it go on for a little while longer before he is gripping your hips and stilling your movements.

“Let me take care of you”

He pushes the space between your shoulders, urging you down into the softness of the mattress until you're face down, ass up. With one hand gripping your hips, he resumes his thrusts. Picking up a brutal pace and this time you don't fight it. Each thrust strikes with precision, sharp and calculated, as he takes you from behind. His movements are relentless.

A low growl reverberates from deep within him. In an instant, he pulls you up until your back presses against his chest, your body perched in his lap as he continues to drill into you. You tilt your head back against his shoulder, gasping as his hands roam over you. One grips your chest, kneading your breast, while the other slips between your legs to expertly rub your clit. You let out unrestrained moans, the sounds echoing in the room without a care.

Your thighs tremble and you can feel tears prick your eyes as the overwheliming sensation consumes your body. Each thrust, each caress pushes you closer to the edge, and your chest heaves as you squirm in his hold. It was too much.

“I got you. Let it go baby.” he whispers breathily in your ear. His hand that was kneading your breast moves to hook beneath your shoulder, anchoring you down as he thrusts deeper, pulling you back into him as his hips drive into yours.

It isn't long until your an incoherent mess, until finally you collapse against him as your orgasm washes over you like a tidal wave. You moan shamelessly, feeling your heat pulse around him and coating his cock as your release spills out, dripping down his balls. Jaehyun groans, his arms wrapping tightly around you as he holds you in place, burning himself into you over and over again until hes lightheaded.

“Just a little more, baby, please. You can take it, yeah?” Jaehyun's voice wavers slightly, the raw need evident as he edges closer to his release. The urgency in his tone drives you wild. With a few more deep thrusts, he finally reaches his peak, filling you with thick, hot strands of cum. You shudder in his grasp, a wave of pleasure washing over you as he exhales harshly, breaths mingled with soft curses. “Fuck… mmmh… fuck,” he murmurs.

Jaehyun breathes as he slowly tries to catch his breath. You both take a few moments to come down from your high. His grip loosens at last, and with a gentle touch, he pulls out, laying you delicately on the mattress. You sink into the sheets, breathing heavily as he gets up to run a bath.

A few moments later, he returns, scooping you up in his strong arms. Together, you step into the warm water, which soothes your tired muscles instantly. You sit in front of him, letting the warmth encapsulate you as he takes on the role of caretaker, washing your back caringly.

He massages your shoulders, and you let out a content sigh, a sound that embodies the perfect blend of exhaustion and bliss. The water laps around you, and you feel a sense of tranquility settle in, wrapping around you just as warmly as his hands.

After you both wash up, you're enveloped in a comfortable silence. You were too tired to talk anyway. You lean back against him, feeling his fingers play in your hair. Eventually, when you finally muster the energy to pull yourselves from the bath, he wraps you both in warm towels. You don’t even bother with clothes, opting instead to pad back toward the bedroom

The bed was a chaotic mess, sheets crumpled and soiled from the nights activities. You yawn, too exhausted to even think about changing the linens, and way too impatient to wait for Jaehyun to take care of it. Without hesitation, you reach for his wrist, pulling him gently out of his disheveled room.

You guide him into the room across the hall—the very one where you first stayed. As you get under the covers, you tug them up and slip in beside him, legs tangling with his as you get comfortable.

Jaehyun can’t tear his gaze away from you as you settle next to him, the soft glow of the moonlight illuminating your features. Your eyes feel heavy, and you yawn again, surrendering to the fatigue. “Go to sleep, Jae, stop staring like a creep,” you grumble, nuzzling deeper into his chest.

“I'm afraid to,” he admits, his words muffled against your hair as he leans down to press a soft kiss on the top of your head.

“Why?” you ask, brows furrowing in concern.

“Because I’m afraid that when I wake up, this will all be a dream,” he confesses.

“Jaehyun. I’m right here,” you murmur with a soft yawn, your eyelids feeling heavier by the second. The warmth of his body and the soothing rhythm of his heartbeat lull you into a sense of comfort that makes it hard to resist the pull of sleep. “I’ll always be… right here,” you promise, your words fading into a whisper as sleep finally overtakes you.

[mvrkieboo]

Old Bloodhounds

P46 | he's going to pay

You stared at the city mortuary. Gangnam in the daytime is poppy and bright, lined with riches and luxury. Gangnam at night, however, was when the devils came out to play. Gangnam nightlife is erratic and explosive, deadly and fraught with danger , the morgue was never empty because of it. Fatal overdose, beaten to death, unknown corpses, and mangled bodies. You were still desensitised to it, to your misery.

The fact that you could look at it head on without getting nauseous was a testament that you were never really meant for a life beyond Yoonsu, right?

“Kid. It’s been a while. You promised to stop smoking, remember?” Detective Do’s—Kyungsoo—voice reached your ears, making you lower your cigarette.

“I’m just going through some shit right now.” You had kept that promise, but with Yoonsu back into your life and your loved ones moving on without you, you couldn’t resist it.

Kyungsoo’s partner, Detective Lee Taeyong, tilted his head at your language.

Kyungsoo let out a huff at you, a ghost of a smile hanging on the corner of his lips. To him, you haven’t changed at all. Still rough around the edges, the same girl he had met in that godforsaken stripper joint years ago. Your gaunt face had always haunted him, in a way it’s slightly disappointing you’re still so…jaded.

“This is Detective Lee Taeyong, he’s been my partner for a year now. Still a rookie.” As if on cue, Taeyong stretched out his hand, and you shook it halfheartedly.

“Let’s get inside. I’ll be with you every step of the way.” Kyungsoo gave your shoulder a squeeze, and you nodded rather stiffly.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

“That’s him. It’s Cha Yoonsu.”

Maybe you got too arrogant. Maybe you weren’t so desensitised anymore. That would explain the bile rising in your throat at the sight of this impostor, innocent, who’s wearing Yoonsu’s face. Your chest rose up and down rather violently, making it clear you were in distress. Kyungsoo didn’t have the chance to get a grip on you before you suddenly broke out of the lab, running all the way to the front desk and almost exiting the building altogether before Kyungsoo caught up to you.

He barked out for Taeyong to buy a bottle of water from the vending machine, guiding you to sit on the waiting chairs. He knew you preferred somewhere with more privacy, but considering the only other people at the front desk area was the receptionist, it was adequate enough. When Taeyong came back with the water, he was decent enough to offer you a piece of tissue. You took it to wipe away the few stray tears that escaped your eyes.

Kyungsoo who was sitting beside you—his knees digging into your thighs—kept his hand on your shoulder constantly.

“I thought you’d laugh and cuss at the corpse, but I guess I didn’t know you as well as I thought. He’s dead now kid, he won’t hurt you anymore.”

No, if you were still who you were as a teenager, you’d do just that. If it had been the you from just a few weeks ago, Jaehyun your brother again, Mark in your close proximity after so long, you’d break down in tears—you wouldn’t have gotten so nauseous. It was because you were aware that the corpse lying on that slab wasn’t Yoonsu. He was just another one of Yoonsu’s many victims, and you can’t help but think it was you that got that poor innocent man lying on that slab, wearing the face of a monster.

This was your fault. All your fault.

But the worst thing was, you’re about to move in with Yoonsu in some podunk apartment not long after this, and leave behind the people that you yearned for.

Why did Yoonsu have to come back?

No, why was Yoonsu even borned in the first place?

Why did he have to make your life a misery? Why did he have to push you to isolate yourself from your loved ones?

You turned your head to the clear glass doors of the building, seeing Yoonsu drinking a cup of coffee from across the street, a hat covering most of his face.

You’ve had it. He’s going to pay.

You snapped your head back to the floor, focusing on gathering yourself and calming down. When you were stable enough, you stood up, Kyungsoo following suit. He looked at you weirdly, finding your emotionless face a little off putting. You didn’t look even remotely relieved with Yoonsu dead. Something was off with you, but as you turned to face him and asked if you were allowed to leave, he let you go anyway. The look behind your eyes was full of rage for some reason, and he noted you actually looked like you were gearing up for something. He watched as you walked away, a lingering feeling gnawing at the back of his mind.

Something was wrong with you, but what exactly was it?

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Yuno would always make sure not to be at home every time you were, and for the first time in a while, you couldn’t feel so terrible about it anymore, even though he’s probably avoiding you for that fight you had two weeks ago. It was just three days after the concert, after you ditched him and your dad.

“Why? Why am I not as important as he is? Please, I’m sorry for not being there for you when you needed me most, Y/N, but—but I’m here now, as your brother again, so that has to mean something to you. Do you have to put that guy over me? Over Geonwoo and Woojin? When they’ve sacrificed so much for you?” Yuno never liked to raise his voice or yell, as he would seldom get so worked up enough to do so anyway.

But he can’t help it. He still remembered how it felt like when he watched you walk away from the bleachers when he was just about to perform the songs that were of his own creation. Not just covers of some other artists’ songs that he liked, but his own songs. He knew that you knew just how much that concert meant for him, so why?

Why did you have to leave and go to Junyoung? Couldn’t you have put it off just for that night and watched your brother perform and live out his lifelong dream?

“Here we are again as family, but you had to throw it all away for that guy!” He yelled out at the top of his lungs, making you wince.

“...just because you’re sorry for not being there for me doesn’t change the fact you weren’t there for me, Yuno. Seriously, what would you know about what I went through back then?” You scoffed by the end. 

Yuno began to place his palms on the kitchen area’s island, head dropped down as he took in deep breaths.

“I don’t know anything, Y/N, because I’m trying to let yourself open up to me in your own pace—”

“It’s been so fucking exhausting forcing myself to open up to you guys. It’s not like that when I’m with Junyoung, don’t you get it? Every time one of you act this way, you’d just make me regret coming clean about my past to you in the first place. God, now you’re making me wish you’d go back to treating me like a stranger again.”

—and that’s why he doesn’t want to be around you anymore. Wasn’t even phased when you said you were going to move in with your precious Junyoung. Ever since the morgue visit, every time you replayed that argument you had with Yuno, your promise to get back at Yoonsu would be whispered back to you with more conviction. You were going to make him pay, doesn’t matter the cost.

As you taped the last box of the stuff you're bringing along for the moving, that’s when you noticed Yuno had left his old phone on the living area’s coffee table. He brought a new sim card along with the new phone he brought just a few days ago, so this old phone probably had his old sim card. You took it and checked—yes, it was still inside, and intact, and functional. With Yuno’s old phone in your hand, you stared at it for a long while, until you made a silent apology to Yuno before pocketing it. You knew he probably wanted to sell it, considering he already did a factory reset on it, but you needed it more.

You could think of a good use for it.

prev | masterlist | next

A/N : Y/N IN HER REVENGE ERA YUPPPPP

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

• taglist • [CLOSED]

@spiderm444rk @morkiee @xiuriii @solvrse @neozon3nha @herebyaccident0 @injunnie-lemon @mystverse @dearmonamour @v-6893 @sehunniepot @bee-the-loser @nessaassen02 @luluvhs @sunghoonsgfreal @docilismo @neocrashed @soobinbunnie5 @cigarettesafterjae @dudekiss3r @kittydollzz @urlocalbeaner5 @polarisjisung @conwunder @wonupuppy @jae-n0 @413ktz @kimsaerom @meowtella @aerivrs @swanyvess @morkleesgirl @sthwaaberry @nominzn @grassbutneo @spicyryujin @koizekomi @sunflowerhae @markeroolee

[neoballsucker]

𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑙𝑠

Genre : the neighbors nextdoor

Pair : dilf! jaehyun x fem!reader

Waring : smut , unprotected sex , jaehyun is a father , mentions and usage of alcohol, anal sex , jaehyun is older than he actually is (in his 30s) , legal age gap, non-con (?)

Summary : jaehyun is your neighbor rich handsome and a gentleman but he has a daughter from his ex-girlfriend who cheated on him

W.C : 1.5K

A/N : something quick for jae's birthday (ik I'm late 👎👎)

You've been looking for a job beside college since you moved out to a farther place for your college , you look online and in stores and cafés , you got to know your neighbors, they were all nice and lovely, you also introduced yourself to your next door neighbor jaehyun, he was handsome, respectful , you also heard he used to be married or he always bring girls to his house but he looked the opposite, he looked like a quiet person and calm , his voice was kind of Deep and smooth as well , he told you he owns a company, so you asked if he had any job for undergraduate students, but unfortunately he doesn't, but that's not really important,you then discovered he has a daughter from his ex girlfriend and they left eachother because she was cheating on him ,but they keep in touch just for the poor little girl, it wasn't your business or anything , few days passed and you finally found a job in a café near your house,it didn't pay too much but it was good for a part time job, It was until Jaehyun texted you one day

“Hey y/n”

“Oh hey jaehyun !!”

“Are you still available for work”

“It's just my ex girlfriend traveled due to work and left Yoon with me and I need someone to take care of her”

“Ahh yeah sure , when will your ex-girlfriend come back?”

“After two weeks”

“Don't worry I'll pay you”

“it’s okay you don't have to”

“We can meet at my house and discuss everything. Is that okay with you y/n?”

“Yeah, sure then see you later”

That's how the conversation ended between you two , the day passed , and the next day he invites you to his house, you wear something simple and proper at the same time and put on some makeup and do your hair,you go to his house and knock the door gently,he opens the door his figure was slightly bigger and taller than you

“Oh hi y/n come in” he smiles softly making his dimples appear ,his hair was brown and fluffy he just looked perfect, you smile back at him and gets in the house,it was tidy and clean also so good, there were also some toys you assumed it belongs to his daughter

“Take a seat please” he said after leading you to the living room, you sit on one of the many chairs In Front of you

“So basically you will be here everyday except the weekends , also my schedule is flexible so I don't have specific time to come back home , so don't mind if I came too late”

“No it's okay I'll make sure to take care of her”

“Thank you so much y/n , I really appreciate your help, how much money would you like to get?”

“It'll be for free for a special customer” you chuckle and wink , he smiles and nods

“Fine fine but I'll for sure take you out for dinner once I'm free”

“You don't have to seriously, you have job and her mom is not available, it's okay”

“You sure y/n? You know kids can be tiring sometimes”

“It's okay jaehyun, it's not that much to worry about” of course he was a busy man with responsibilities and well…a child, how can a man like him be in his mid 30s it was shocking how can such a sweet man like be that old some of your friends told you to go after him since he's rich but isn't he too old for you? You usually don't like taking care of children but Yoon was surprisingly a really calm and quiet child just like her dad, jaehyun told she is quiet but can be playful sometimes, she only plays with her toys eat and sleep or watch the TV and sleep , the days passed really quickly surprisingly , jaehyun sometimes comes home early or too late , he can be drunk sometimes,you help him go to bed and make sure yoon is sleeping and then leave the house , this is how it went until yoon’s mom came and took her , jaehyun thanked you and insisted on paying you 1000 dollars, you found it too much but he said it was his first and only daughter it's never too much , you noticed that jaehyun likes to spoil his daughter, her branded clothes and her decorated room and how he gets her everything and anything she wants, food , candy and toys , yoon also adores her dad so much , you notice how happy she gets when she sees her dad , their relationship was so warm and good , you kept working at the café and drowning in college and project and essays you didn't have time for yourself , valentine was soon coming , but who are you celebrating it with? No one you were planning on staying home and just sleep or something,but you remembered that Yoon told you that her dad's birthday was on valentine's day, so you decided to give him a small gift, you didn't know jaehyun really well, so you decided to get him a perfume and maybe cake as well, you went to a bakery near college after you finished classes and got a small cake and went to a near gift shop and got him a gift card and a perfume, you then go home and prepare everything for him, you then go to his house and knock on the door , nobody opens so you decide to leave it In Front of the door , his house wasn't that big you can hear footsteps and some noises, you can't tell where is it from , you can hear some moans , when you realized you can feel yourself getting embarrassed by it and immediately go to your house , days passed since the coincidence , you and jaehyun didn't really talk since you were busy studying and working, jaehyun on the other hand didn't even have time to hang out with his daughter, the work increase more and it became hard to even have a break at home, he was at his office for nearly 24 hours, finally summer vacation comes after hard work and exhaustion,it was all worth it after all , you were finally able to have some fun and discover the city that you're in even more now, you had some fun , you were also able to visit your parents for few weeks, and then returned to your house, you rest in your house and one day you decide to go on a walk around the neighborhood, it was kinda refreshing to go around the place , you suddenly run by jaehyun

“Oh hi y/n”

“Oh hi jaehyun, how have you been doing” you smiled and then remembered what happened a while ago , you panicked slightly but you tried to not make it obvious

“Oh I'm okay, also thank you for the gift on my birthday, I really appreciate it” he smiles softly and gosh these dimples of his , made you melt

“Oh it's nothing much” you smile , shaking your head

“I should treat you , are you free right now? Maybe I'll take you out for dinner.” He obviously just came from his job , he also looked really exhausted and tired

“Maybe next time? You kinda look tired today.” You say with a slightly worried tone

“No no ,I insist!!” he says with slight sarcasm

you sigh and accept his invitation, you were hesitant at the beginning but you tried to keep calm , you go to your house and get ready, wearing a simple dress and high heels, since he told you it will be in a fancy kind of restaurant, , he took you in his car, it looked expensive and clean ,he also looked wonderful and handsome , you finally to the restaurant and order the fokd , you would be lying if you said that the food is not good , it was amazing, everything was amazing, jaehyun was jaw dropping and such a gentleman , he took you to his house suggesting to drink together, you get drunk and things took a turn and all you know is him thrusting his hips while kissing your neck and you moaning and screaming for more , you can't even remember how did you end up like that but you don't want it to end anyways , the sounds of the fraction between your bodies, your moans and his heavy breaths , your vision is blurry , tears about to fall out your eyes , you can hear him groan in a low unaudioble voice. You were at the edge of collapsing due to overstimulation , you felt your release is soon.

“I-i'm gonna-”you couldn't even finish the sentence and felt your release, close your eyes and bite your lips

“You look so beautiful all fucked under gosh” he smirks and keep thrusting inside you until you felt his warm seeds inside you, he falls next to you , looking at you with his brown semi closed eyes and kisses your lips , and you two end up sleeping next to eachother

[springseasonie]

To New Friends | JJH (M)

Corporate AU, Strangers to lovers (?), Younger Jaehyun x older fem reader

Summary: You really hate having to go to formal events. The people, environment, joverall experience is never pleasant. Having to constantly deal with being undermined as a woman and CEO is something no one should have to deal with, but here you are, forced to deal with it anyway. You were sure your night would be horrible, that is until you bumped into Jaehyun, who not only happened to be a new face, but just your type.

Warnings: sexual content, unprotected sex, semi-public sex, oral (male and fem receiving), snowballing, cum eating, spit, sexism/misogyny, harassment (if you would call it that, proof read but may contain errors my bad y'all)

Word count: 5,3 k

Song recs: perfume, kiss by NCT djj, on the way by Jhene Aiko

A/N: been a bit obsessed with Jaehyun and wanted to write about him. Got a bit carried away a bit too delusional so this is the product of that. This is pure filth I'm so sorry. Feedback is loved and appreciated

Charity events were never really your thing. The pleasantries, snobby sexist businessmen, and their annoying wives. You always hated them. All of them were just ways for rich narcissists to make it seem like they had compassion, but everyone knew it was just as fucked up as anything else. None of these people ever cared for the cause, just how much they were putting into it.

However, the hardest thing about these events is being a successful single woman. You take pride in not being taken although people your age tell you it's about time you settle down and start a family. You don't really like the idea of not working and giving up a career you worked hard for over some snotty nose kid and a man who probably would cheat on you anyway. It's an extremely pessimistic way of looking at marriage, but you couldn't help it, especially seeing how all of your friends' relationships are at the moment.

But sometimes, you did wish you had an interesting life, like right now. Right now you were stuck in a conversation with 2 CEOs and their wives going on and on about their children in private schools across the globe. You twirled your drink in your glass leaning on your elbow as you stood across from them.

"But Y/N..you aren't looking for anyone right now," Rosé asked. She was the wife of a powerful man who owned one of the biggest tech companies in the world. She was also the fakest person you've ever met. You didn't like her and thank God the feeling was mutual.

"No, I'm not. I prefer to focus on working right now," you answered. You sipped your drink without breaking eye contact with her. She knew exactly what she was doing, constantly trying to embarrass you.

"You said that last time honey. Don't you want to..rest for a while? Find someone to take care of you? I mean, you're beautiful, so it shouldn't be too hard," she replied.

"I like working. And I can take care of myself." The table got quiet, sensing the attitude you didn't mean to let slip out. "Anyway, I'm going to go greet other guests. Have a good night."

Just as you turned around, you practically walked into a wall of a man, spilling your drink on your off-white dress.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry," he said. It was a voice you didn't recognize. You looked up at him, surprised at the handsome sight your eyes were met with. He was blonde and tall. His voice was a bit deep for his appearance.

"It's.. it's okay," you said, trying not to show how irritated you were.

"I'll go get something for you to clean up with." He turned around and walked away quickly. You watched him as he begged the kitchen staff for napkins, ears red from the embarrassment. When he came back, he handed them to you with both hands.

'Polite,' you thought to yourself. "Thank you," you said, flashing him a quick smile. "I'm Y/N by the way. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Jaehyun," he said, watching you wipe your dress. "Do you come to these things often?"

"These events? Well, I have to, considering my job. But If I'm gonna be honest, I don't really like them," you said, whispering at the end of your statement.

Jaehyun chuckled softly, looking down at you. "Tell me about it. I can't stand these things either."

"At least we have something in common. Well, it was nice to meet you Jaehyun," you said with a small smile. You walked away before letting him respond, almost as if you were running away from the conversation. He was handsome, a little too handsome, and really well-spoken too. And for the first time, someone finally spoke to you like a regular person. But of course, you didn't want to give him the impression that you were trying to flirt when he was just being nice. That's what you tell yourself all the time - that they're just trying to be nice - no matter how many times they ask you for your number or ask you on dates.

No one knew, but another reason you didn't want to get married is that you had no interest in having a trophy husband. Most men who try and get with you are often just looking for someone to sink their manipulative claws into. They thought that because you're beautiful and rich, you must've killed an old husband for it. But whenever you tell them about how you busted your ass since your teenage years to get where you are, they're no longer interested. You aren't well known amongst your run-of-the-mill businessmen, so they take you as a joke until they actually google you. You found it comical how many of them text you saying they were sorry and begging you to go out with them again. But after a while, dating and trying to talk to people really did become exhausting, so you just decided to not do it anymore. And it's been that way for 4 years now.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Lee! How are you guys?" You shook both of their hands with a smile, trying to hide how much you wanted the interaction to be over.

"We're good. You know we just had another kid," Taeyong announced.

"Oh really? Congratulations!"

"Thank you..and I see you're here alone again unless that," Irene said pointing to the wet stain on your dress," was made by someone I assume."

"Oh, this? I bumped into someone, that's all," you answered. You were sure they knew you were getting more and more annoyed with how Taeyong's eyes shifted between you and his wife.

"A shame. I was almost excited to see someone here with you but alas..the ice queen will never melt." Irene's eyes were always judgmental. You knew she thought she was better than you with all her expensive dresses and jewelry, constantly trying to flaunt her possessions and family in front of you and other people.

'What a bitch,' you thought to yourself. You flash her a small smile, twirling the drink from your glass. "I do hope you guys have a good night, and I hope you figure out your son's scandal. Buying test scores isn't something I'd want to be accused of."

You walked off seeing Irene's ticked-off expression. 'Serves that bitch right.' Taking a sip of your champagne, you spotted Jaehyun talking to a group of men, some of whom have tried to get with you in the past. You shouldn't have stared but you couldn't help it. He was the first man you actually found yourself attracted to out of all the single men in these events. You watched and sipped your drink, staring at him as he laughed and smiled. 'He has dimples?' you caught yourself thinking. "I need a stronger drink." Just as you were about to walk away, the one person you didn't want to see spotted you.

Jaehyun motioned for you to come to him from across the room. Being the nice person you are, you walked up to him and the other men. "Hey," you said, glancing at the group of them awkwardly.

"I know we just met but I wanted to introduce you to some of my friends," he said.

"We've.. already met before," you laugh awkwardly.

"Yeah. She's not very nice," Mingyu commented. His eyes went from your face to your cleavage which was showing a bit in the low-cut dress. "But who needs to be nice when you're dressed like that?"

Mingyu and the other men snickered at your fading smile, nudging each other to look at your expression. Jaehyun took notice, clearing his throat and gaining their attention. "Guys, chill out."

"Or what, she can't take a little joke?" Mingyu scoffed and sipped his drink, staring at you, daring you to say something. Little did he know you weren't scared of anyone, and you certainly wouldn't be embarrassed by anyone either.

"You know what? Yeah, it was a bit funny," you said nodding. "You wanna know what else is funny?"

Mingyu raised his brow, clicking his tongue. "I'm listening."

"I think it's funny how you had to close 5 of your 15 stores already because of how poorly they're doing." You covered your face letting out a fake laugh. All the men looked at you, none of them amused anymore, especially Mingyu. "What's with the serious faces? I thought we were telling jokes."

"You're miserable really," he said, turning away from you, and walking away. "No wonder no one wants you. You're gonna end up dying alone."

"As long as it's not with you." You let out a big sigh as he and his other friends got farther away from you. You've always had a sharp tongue and quick remarks never letting anyone catch you off guard. It was something you had to learn for survival in the corporate world, especially as a woman.

"I'm really sorry about him," Jaehyun said, tongue poking his cheek in annoyance.

You turned to him, surprised to see he was still there. "Oh no, don't apologize. You seem so nice. Why are you friends with people like that anyway?"

"I'm a bit new to stuff like this," he admitted. "I've never been in an environment with such successful people, so I just became friends with anybody."

You chuckled softly at his words, finding his naiveness endearing. "If you want advice from someone who's been here for a while, I'd say don't become friends with just anyone."

"And what if I wanna be your friend?"

You look at him immediately being faced with his dimples. 'Gosh, he's cute.' "Then I'd be grateful," you said.

He raised his glass, fixing his suit jacket with his other hand, proposing a toast. "To making new friends?"

You clung your glass with him with a smile nodding. "To making new friends."

-

It's been 2 hours since the event started and usually at this point you would've gone home, but this was unfortunately the most important event of the year, so you had to stay. If you didn't, you would probably get a very angry email from the board of your company again, and you didn't feel like dealing with any of that.

In situations like this, you usually went outside, but the location of this event was a million-dollar penthouse. Thankfully, there was a balcony with a pool that too many people were afraid they would fall into. You were leaning on the ledge of the glass fence staring out into the view of the city. Even at night, it looked like daytime. No one stopped for anything or anyone, always fast-paced no matter what. If you knew that's what your life would look like years ago, you probably would've just pursued something lowkey. But you worked hard and weren't going to stop now.

"You been out here for a long time?"

You turned around to see Jaehyun walking up to you. He held his suit jacket in his arm, his other hand stuffed in his pocket. He was buff, buttons straining against his chest. You gulped, not being able to control your obvious staring. 'How was he hiding all that under his suit,' you thought to yourself.

"No, just for a couple of minutes. It gets kind of suffocating sometimes," you admitted.

Jaehyun came up next to you, leaning on the fence as he stared into the city lights. He had such a well-defined face, a jawline sharper than diamonds. He's probably the most handsome man you've ever seen. If you had more to drink, you'd probably fall right into his lap by now.

"I feel you. What..do you do by the way," he asked, looking away from the view and at you.

"I own Jasmine Marketing Company," you answered. Your company is one of the most famous marketing companies in the country, and you basically did it all by yourself. Being a woman in her mid-30s with an establishment as big as this one is rare, but you happened to do it. You don't like to announce who you are because people treat you differently, but you don't mind doing it if you have to put someone in their place.

Jaehyun's eyes went wide, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Woah..didn't expect that."

"Why? Did you think I was gonna say something like 'Oh I'm blah blah's wife' or that I own some fashion brand," you joked.

"Oh, no. I didn't mean it like that." He panicked, letting out a big sigh before looking down at his feet. Jaehyun's head shot up when he heard you laugh, voice lighting up the quiet balcony.

"I was just kidding. I know you didn't mean it that way, it's okay," you said, comforting him.

Jaehyun smiled, letting out a laugh in disbelief. "Goodness, you are really something," he commented, a bit more relaxed.

You turned your body to him, arm leaning on the railing for support. Jaehyun might've been nice and well-mannered, but on the surface, he was just a man. It was taking everything in him to not look at your chest. Being the smart woman you are, you notice it. "It's okay. I won't get mad at you," you said quietly.

"W-what are you talking about?" Jaehyun gulped, biting his lip nervously.

"I mean.." you took a step closer to him, so close he could smell your floral scent perfume. "You can look. I won't get mad."

It wasn't like you to be this bold, but after a couple of glasses of champagne and constantly being talked to by people you didn't like, the least you could do was treat yourself to the nervous new guy.

Jaehyun chuckled softly, trying to cover up how flustered he was. "I'm not gonna fall for that." Jaehyun would like to think of himself as a smart man. He knows what he should do and what he shouldn't despite being given permission to do so. He's dealt with many women but none like you. You're confident and quick, but never let your guard down. And that's how you wanted to keep it.

You smirked, turning back to lean on the railing. "I like you Jaehyun," you commented. "Most men would look, and then proceed to think that means they could touch me. It's annoying."

"Well, I'm not like most men."

You smiled, moving your hair from your face. "You know, it's kind of rare to see a fresh face among all these old people," you admitted. "For the first time in a while, I can say I had a little fun tonight."

Maybe, just maybe, there was something here right now, between the 2 of you. It's so cliche. He bumps into you making you spill your drink over your dress, defends you from his annoying friends, and is now talking to you instead of making connections at a charity event. He's handsome with pretty blonde hair and nice dimples, and a body to go with it too. This night was almost too perfect for you. You hadn't felt a spark with anyone for a very long time, not wanting to get with just anyone.

"Why? Because of me," he asked, joking. Jaehyun's smile dropped a bit when you nodded.

"What do you do, if you don't mind me asking," you asked.

"I'm the CEO of Jeong Enterprises," he answered.

"Really," you asked, a bit shocked. "But you're so.."

"Young? Yeah I know. Took over for my father a couple of years back," he answered with a sigh.

You know Mr. Jeong, but you never met his son. He's a nice man with very strong values, always talking about how much he loves his family, and how much he wants them to succeed. Years ago, he got sick and hasn't been able to manage the company head-on. Mr. Jeong said he was going to appoint a new CEO, but you never would've guessed it was his son.

"It's not as easy as people make it look. I mean having to pick up from where he started was hard, but I would say I've done a pretty good job," he admitted, a small smile on his face.

"You have."

Jaehyun looked at you, mouth a bit open trying to form a response but failing. You couldn't help but glance at his lips, then his neck, and trail your eyes down his body. You were sure he noticed, but he could pick up a hint right? But maybe he couldn't, so maybe you should apply some more pressure.

"For someone who doesn't come to these things often, you look great," you complimented.

"Oh, thank you. You look..great too," he said, nodding his head as he looked away from you.

"Great? That's all I get?"

"Well you look beautiful," he said, trying to change his words.

"So you think I'm beautiful," you teased. You gave him a small laugh seeing how flustered he was. "Well, I think you're very handsome."

Jaehyun watched you intently as you took a step towards him, looking at him with doe eyes. He gulped, not really knowing what to do. He had a feeling you were going to try and do something reckless, and by the time he could say no, he would already have done it.

"You're too kind," he said, shaking his hair from his face.

"Goodness, you're cute. I wanted to keep the flirting to a minimum but I can't help it. You're really something," you said. All that was happening at the moment was a bad case of word vomit, but you really couldn't stop yourself. It'd been a long time since you were this attracted to a person, so you had to let it be known.

Jaehyun gave you a small chuckle looking at you as he licked his lips, brushing his hair back. Jaehyun really didn't know if he should give in to your advances knowing you were probably saying all of this because of how many drinks you had, but after all, he is just a man. "Well, people don't usually find me cute after first meeting me, so you're a first."

"What do they usually say?"

"They say I look like I'm great in bed." Jaehyun eyed you, gaze shifting from pleasant to lustful in less than a second. Your lips curled into a smile as you cocked your head to the side.

"Well..are you?"

"There's only one way to find out." To anyone who might've been looking at the both of you from afar, it looked like you were having a normal conversation. But the tension between you and him was so thick, it would probably startle some people you know. Your presence was so dominating to him, but you liked how he wasn't intimidated by you.

"I didn't think you had it in you. You were so shy and careful a couple of minutes ago. What happened to that," you teased.

"Trust me, I have a lot of things in me you don't know about." His voice was low, sending a shiver down your spine, right to your core. Goodness, he was hot. You're surprised he never got into a love scandal with the way he's talking to you.

"Would it be unprofessional of me to say I would like to find out?" By this point, you were definitely too far gone to back off now. It was a bit unlike you - the woman who kept all her ducks in one row - to fuck someone the night she met them, but Jaehyun was too good to be true. It's rare to come across someone who's exactly your type, so you can't let this go to waste.

"I'd like you to find out," he answered.

You stepped closer, chest in his as you leaned into his ear. "Meet me upstairs in 15 minutes," you whispered and walked away. Jaehyun watched you, the click of your heels getting further and further as you walked back inside.

-

Jaehyun attached his hands to your waist, holding you firmly as you wrapped your arms around his neck. "I hope you don't mind the lipstick," you muttered.

Your lips smashed onto his as you pressed him against the wall, holding his face in your hands. Jaehyun tugged off his suit jacket, throwing it somewhere on the floor beside you. The light was low in the room, the only source of light coming from the moonlight shining through the gigantic window of the empty room. Your lipstick was probably all over his face by now, so there was no way either one of you was coming out of this room unscathed.

He pulled away from you, planting kisses on your neck. He lowered his hands in response, cupping your ass firmly as you moaned softly. You removed your arms from his neck and loosen his tie wanting to see more of him. He inhaled the scent of your perfume, taking in everything about you all at once.

"I want you in my mouth. How does that sound," you asked, eyes closed in pleasure.

"Sounds like heaven." Jaehyun lifted his head, letting go of you as you sunk onto your knees. His eyes never left your hands as you unbuckled his belt, hands moving fast and clumsily. Jaehyun couldn't help but smile. He's been with a lot of women, but no one older. He always felt like older women weren't his type, but here he was about to get blown off by one.

You unzipped his slacks, tugging his neatly tucked shirt out of the fabric. You tugged his clothes down quickly, unable to hide your excitement when you saw his hardened length.

"Fuck," you mumbled. You grabbed his length, stroking it slowly, and bit your lip. Looking up at him, you swore his eyes rolled back from the simple touch. Jaehyun's eyes never left yours as you started to stroke him faster.

You kissed the tip of his length, tongue softly digging into the slit. Jaehyun let out a low grunt, brows furrowing at the sudden feeling. You removed your hand slowly as you sunk his length into your mouth. You bobbed your head, staring into his pretty brown eyes. Your hand gripping the hem of your dress nails sinking into your palms through the thin fabric.

Jaehyun's hand reached the back of your head, following your rhythm. Your cheeks hollowed as you sucked him harder, moaning softly.

"You're so pretty on your knees," he muttered. His eyes were glossed with pleasure, unable to care about the many voices and footsteps that come a little too close to the door. "I bet it'd turn you on even more if someone happens to walk in here."

You whined softly in response. You bobbed your head faster brows furrowing at how full your mouth was. Pleasuring him was turning you on even more, so when you opened your legs and crept your hands under your dress, Jaehyun was in absolute awe. You weren't wearing anything underneath and he could tell how easy it was for you to start fingering yourself. You pumped your fingers in and out of you matching the pace of your bobbing head.

Jaehyun moaned softly, mouth falling slightly as you moved your head faster. His eyes shifted from your face to your hands stuffed between your legs not knowing where to look. You pulled your mouth off of him slowly, droll falling down your chin, the only thing connecting you to him being a string of spit.

"Cum on my chest," you said, voice a bit raspy.

Jaehyun grabbed himself, stroking his length quickly. His soft moans turned into gentle whines. The scene was right out of a movie, him standing over you moaning as you touched yourself on your knees in front of him - so many people would pay to see it. Jaehyun's brows furrowed, throwing his head back feeling closer and closer to his orgasm. "Fuck, oh my god."

And with that, he came all over your chest, the hot sticky liquid staining your skin. Your lips curled into a smile as you bit your lip, still pumping your fingers in and out of your core. You pulled them out of you slowly and came to your knees. You never looked away as you stuck your fingers in his mouth, watching him as he sucked your arousal off your fingers.

"That's so fucking hot," you said, a smirk on your face. "And you even managed to keep my dress clean."

He took your fingers out of his mouth, letting out a soft chuckle. "I don't know if it'll still be clean when I'm finished with you."

"So finish me."

Jaehyun couldn't control himself when he pushed you into the wall and pulled up your tight dress. His lips attached themselves to your neck, leaving wet sloppy kisses all over your skin. "Fuck, you smell so good," he groaned. Jaehyun was in way too deep with you now, his tongue gliding from your neck to your chest.

If you had underwear on, they would probably be soaked by now. You watched him as he licked up his own cum, immediately kissing you right after. You couldn't get enough of the taste of his arousal as you kissed him moaning softly into his mouth.

"Don't wear a condom," you mumbled on his lips.

"Wasn't planning to." Jaehyun lifted your body, pinning you on the wall. You wrapped your arms around him, legs being held by him. You let out a breathy moan feeling yourself sinking into his length.

"Jesus Christ," you moaned quietly. Jaehyun held you with a strong grip on your thighs, so strong you were sure they would leave prints. He rocked his hips into you slowly, every moment bringing out a small groan from him.

"God, you're so big," you whispered, a smile spreading across your face in pleasure.

Jaehyun chuckled softly, kissing your neck. You looked so pretty to him, face lit up by the moonlight moaning his name. Your smile lights up your whole face, too perfect to look away from. He wanted to wipe that smile off your face. He wanted to fuck you so good, you wouldn't even be able to talk.

Your hand tangled in his hair as he fucked you slow against the wall, a small gasp escaping your lips with every thrust. Your lipstick is all over every part it shouldn't be, but that's what made this even better. The thrill of doing something you weren't. As much of a rule follower you were, you've always enjoyed breaking the rules sometimes, even if it was as risky as this. And fortunately for you, this was one rule Jaehyun broke with you.

Jaehyun thrust into you faster, making your body bounce at the same pace. The smile faded, and your jaw dropped at the pleasure that shot through your body. "That's it," he cooed. "It feels good doesn't it?"

"Y-yeah," you moaned out quietly.

"You take me so well baby." The praise made you go crazy, making you nod your head fast. You could barely form a coherent sentence at this point, not when he was fucking you this good. With every movement, your sensitive bud brushed against his skin making your head spin. You leaned in, kissing him deeply, tongues tangling with each other. You clenched around him, making him moan against your lips. "Fuck.."

"I'm so close," you whined against his lips. All that could be heard in the room was the sound of skin slapping and the sound of your soft moans.

"Can you wait for me?"

You shook your head, unable to form a coherent sentence. You looked down at where the both of you were connected, mind unable to focus on anything else. "Jaehyun..fuck I'm so close.."

"You're doing so good," he breathed out. "Just a bit more."

"F-fuck I can't.." You whined loudly feeling your entire body tense up under his touch. You clenched around him as you came, making him moan softly into your neck.

Jaehyun kept fucking into you, feeling himself coming closer and closer to his orgasm. He gripped your hips legs harder as he fucked into you at an unsteady pace. Soon enough, he threw his head back, brows furrowed, biting his lip to keep the loud groan from reaching the ears of the people outside the door as he came inside you. Feeling weak, Jaehyun put you back onto your feet carefully, the sound of breathing and your heels clicking on the floor filling the room. But before you could even register what just happened, Jaehyun disappeared right in front of you, dropping to his knees.

"W-what are you doing," you whispered softly.

"I'm not done." Jaehyun's voice was tired and raspy, sweat dripping down his forehead. He grabbed your leg, throwing it over his shoulder. Jaehyun wasted no time attaching his mouth to your core looking up at you with lust filled eyes. He lapped licked and sucked your clit hard, lapping up the mixture of both of your arousal.

You could barely stand how badly he was abusing your sensitive bud. You leaned against the wall trying to keep your balance as Jaehyun gripped your hips. "Oh my god," you whimpered, breathy moans sounding like music to his ears. Everything was overstimulating you, the feeling of his tongue, the eye contact - the sounds he was making - it was driving you crazy.

"Shit, I'm gonna cum." Your breathing was so loud, you were basically heaving trying to keep yourself from moaning too loud.

"Cum, and keep those pretty eyes on me." Jaehyun moaned as he licked you up, his half opened eyes never leaving you. Your jaw dropped, a gasp that was a little too loud leaving your mouth reaching the ears of someone outside as soon as you came.

"What was that," you heard someone ask.

You clasped your hand over your mouth in an attempt to muffle whatever noises were coming out as he lapped up your arousal. Jaehyun removed your leg from his shoulder, holding you so your weak body wouldn’t fall. You gulped as he removed your hand from your mouth, not knowing what he was about to do next.

"Open up." Jaehyun grabbed your jaw and brushed his finger against your lip. A smirk was plastered on his face as he let a ball of cum and saliva fall from his tongue and onto yours, his smirk becoming wider when you let out a soft whine. "Swallow."

Eyes never leaving your, he watched you so what he said, kissing you right after. He held your face in his hands while kissing you passionately.

"That was..fucking amazing," you mumbled on his lips.

"You were amazing." He moved his hands from your face, moving them directly to your ass. "That was the most fun I've had in ages."

"That was the most fun I've had in my life," you replied, chuckling softly. "I thought you were bluffing when you said you were good."

"Yeah, I might've gotten a bit carried away." Jaehyun's eyes scanned over your body taking in the mess he made of you at the very formal event. "I'm sorry for that," he said, glancing at your cleavage.

"I'm sorry about the lipstick everywhere," you said laughing softly at the red smeared all over his face. "I don't know how we're gonna make it out of here."

"I could always give you my jacket and we can make a run for it," he joked.

You shook your head, wrapping your arms around his neck with a smile. "I think I'd like to stay here for a little bit longer. I hate these events."

Jaehyun kissed you softly, nipping at your lip. "Round 2? I don't think you can keep up with me."

"I'm better at showing you than telling you."

"So show me."

[jungaji]

ghostbusterヾ(ﾟДﾟ;ヾ) | k.jw

synopsis: in the week leading up to halloween, you're haunted by dreams of a faceless man who promises you'll meet soon. but things aren’t as simple as they seem, and the line between dreams and reality begin to blur when cryptic messages and strange events unfold on the night of haechan's halloween bash. you're left questioning: who—or what—is this mysterious man?

pairing: kim jungwoo x fem!reader feat. mark lee & lee haechan

genre: one-shot social media au, written portions (7 dream journal entries), supernatural, comedy

authors note: hihiii this was meant to be posted on halloween LMAO oh well ANYWAYS this smau is my baby 🥹💖 im finally getting it out of the drafts and into the world waaahh i hope you’ll enjoy!!!

also disclaimer, this is really long (i got carried away ToT) reblogs & replies are greatly appreciated <33

YN’S DREAM JOURNAL

DREAM ENTRY #560

28/10/2024

i dreamt that i worked at an ice cream shop with this guy named, woo? he didn’t have a face (kinda creepy) but he had pretty pink hair and he was really tall! we had to work together to design a new logo for the shop & we fought over making it olaf inspired or spiderman inspired (mark is corrupting my mind) we played rock, paper, scissors to decide and i obviously won!!! he told me we needed to have a rematch when we see each other again (?) anyways, the spiderman ice cream logo turned out really cute & our manager loved it. 10/10 dream

DREAM ENTRY #561

29/10/2024

dreamt of woo (the faceless guy) again today! we were playing dress to impress together & the theme was halloween. he dressed as a ghost & i dressed as a zombie! we duo-ed & hit pose 28 as a team and some kid in the server told us we had no taste & woo went crazy on them 😭 we got kicked out of the server after & we were somehow transported to some kind of harry potter universe (?) hyuck was there too & i tried talking to him but he ignored me & tried to KILL ME instead!!! woo swooped in to protect me though, he killed dream hyuck & told me he would steal me away from hyuck when we meet (?) because i deserve better friends

DREAM ENTRY #562

30/10/2024

i had the perfect life in last night’s dream!!! i had like a million friends & i was super rich 🤑 the only factor was that i was a vegetable (?) oh! & woo was in my dream again today too (third night in a row) anyways, we were both some kind of vegetable & we had to compete in a vegetable eating competition? (so basically cannibalism..) we won the competition though & we got transported to this super cute studio ghibli inspired house >.< woo mentioned how we should binge all the movies together when we meet!

DREAM ENTRY #563

31/10/2024

i dreamt that i was an idol! but i was also a mosquito (?) woo was with me once again, as well as jaehyun! (which is odd considering i haven’t seen him in a long time) anyways, the three of us just flew around and sang together, it was cute 🥹 jaehyun had a schedule after so he left first, & me and woo went to watch the sunset!!! it was so pretty, an ombre of orange & pink (my favourite colours ToT) — woo kept talking about how he would bring me to watch the sunset when we meet! usually i would wake up right after woo says something like that but i didn’t last night so i asked him what he meant by meeting (?) & he told me to look for someone dressed as olaf at hyuck’s halloween party tonight (i guess i’ll be anna then :p)

RECENTLY DELETED

DREAM ENTRY #019

31/10/2021

i dreamt that i was grocery shopping with woo! he kept talking about some guy named, yuno (?) i thought it was his boyfriend at first but he assured me that they were just good friends (also, roommates? i think.) anyways, we bought soo much halloween candy & we went back to my place to watch ghostbusters!!! before i woke up, i asked woo what he was wearing to hyuck’s party so i could spot him easily & he told me he would be dressed as rose..? from titanic 😭 (i don’t wanna be jack but when duty calls!!!)

DREAM ENTRY #119

31/10/2022

dreamt that i was cycling with woo at hundred acre woods! it was so fun >.< we talked to winnie the pooh & he even shared some honey with us !!! but after we ate the honey, the whole scenery (?) changed & it became that one winnie the pooh horror movie 😭 we got chased by him and piglet i woke up in cold swear (NO joke) also didn’t get to ask woo if i would meet him at hyuck’s party tonight or not :(

DREAM ENTRY #390

31/10/2023

i dreamt that i was baking a cake with mark! but when i turned to ask him where the sugar was, woo was standing there instead of mark Ö it was confusing at first but we just continued baking & woo kept talking about ghostface (?) ,, halfway through the conversation, we were suddenly sucked (?) into the cake 😭 we were inside of this cake house (chocolate cake!!!) & woo started eating all the funiture HAHAHA anyways, after eating we got tired so we laid on the chocolate bed & i asked if i would meet him somewhere soon and he mentioned hyuck’s party! he said to keep an eye out for that girl from twilight & then i woke up :( (guess i’ll be edward for tonight)

[kiachiako]

april nct recs

my library of favorites from APR <3 all creds to authors

[ sorted by word count ]

series

JAEMIN | better than your next (i'm the next) | @ddeonuism 11.9k [ part one ]

RENJUN | messenger | @dojunie — smau | You find a phone number written on the mirror of the Sulim Library's second floor bathroom. It’s scrawled messily across the glass in erasable expo marker, the handwriting underneath almost closer to hieroglyphics than lettering— and what you thought it read, was ‘SEND DUCK PICS FOR A GOOD TIME.’ (You suppose, in hindsight, it was a good thing this person’s penmanship was so shit— because if you knew what it really said, you might have never stumbled across the oddly intriguing inbox of one Huang Renjun.)

oneshots

[m] JAEHYUN | seeds of pomegranates | @anashins 29.5k — The day the god of the underworld steals you away, he expects to have found a timid wife to make his isolated life more bearable. Little does he know that the rose he picked from the garden called earth bears knives instead of thorns, and he might not have found a timid wife, but a queen with a heart as dark as his.

[m] JAEHYUN | hearts are won at practice | @angelwonie 21.2k — jung jaehyun is an obnoxious, way too handsome footballer whom you have no intention of getting to know. at least until a series of coincidences forces you to spend time with him, and you realize there might be more to him than what meets the eye.

CHENLE | potential | @rrxnjun 20k — rich kids au, childhood friends au, friends with benefits au. angst, fluff, suggestive | You saw his potential without seeing credentials. And maybe that's the issue.

[m] HAECHAN | monochrome | @sundaysundaes — Lee Donghyuck once believed in the concept of soulmates—how fate would connect a red thread from one lover to another, in a form of dreams and memories. That was how his parents met, that was how they claimed their happiness, and he wanted nothing more but to live his life the way they lived theirs. Until one day, as he sees her slipping away from his hands, he has no choice but to stop believing entirely.

CHENLE | i still love you | @xiaodejunletsact 17.4k — high school can be complicated. thats why when your crush of three years, zhong chenle, approaches you out of nowhere offering to drive you home you are right to question his intentions.

HAECHAN | free trial wedding style | @liliansun 10.6k — when a random, cute, guy comes up to you and practically asks for you to follow along, you do so without much thought. that is until you get home and see he’s your new neighbor who just might need your help a little more than you expected.

[m] HAECHAN + MARK | the girl is mine | @luvrkives 10.5k — mark and hyuck can't stop fighting over you. who fucks you better, who makes you laugh more, who you like most, who fucks you better, yada yada yada. but honestly, why argue when you would happily take them both?

JAEHYUN | love you goodbye | @serendipityseulgi 10.3k — the one with the story of dysfunctional love between you and jaehyun. aka, you both want different things and your love isn’t always enough.

[m] JOHNNY | color evasion | @ncteez 8.7k — or the one where you join a kink website and a specific dom’s profile catches your attention enough to actually meet him at a hotel and practically ignore your safe words bc man, he’s good. 

[m] HAECHAN + JAEHYUN | mine too | @waithyuck 7.5k — donghyuck x jaehyun x reader (f), smut, basically pwp

JAEHYUN | eye of affection | @aitarose 6.6k — for as long as he can remember, jaehyun’s world has been in black and white - giving him no reason to appreciate his mother’s profession as an artist and the beauties that art can provide. however, an accidental meeting with you gives him reason to doubt his former beliefs - proving to him that there may be true beauty in a world that’s void of everything bright, that beauty being the sunshine that you provide. 

HAECHAN | full of love (and stars) | @httplastic 6k — friends/roommates to lovers, light angst

[m] HAECHAN | unavoidable | @sunpopz 5.8k — after swearing to yourself you're done catching feelings for people; you meet someone who makes that incredibly difficult. you think you can avoid him... then you're assigned a final together.

RENJUN | hard to let go | @cinnajun 4.3k — your high school friend group had an ambiguous and messy end, and you never got any closure for anything. two years later, and lee donghyuck’s girlfriend lives on the same floor as you, and you’re forced to face huang renjun, whose abandonment hurt you the most.

HAECHAN | she's quiet | @ijuliet 3.4k — although you were not looking to make new friends, the ones you had tried their hardest to push you out of your comfort zone to find something abnormal for you. which is why you’re at a frat party on a thursday night, watching as lee donghyuck observes you from afar.

[m] HAECHAN | all bark no bite | @jjsneo 2.5k — lee haechan is the most annoying man you’ve ever encountered. but that doesn’t mean you don’t find him hot; and maybe that’s why he has you flat on his mattress one night at a random frat party.

JAEHYUN | in the rain | @sehunniepotwrites 1.9k — All this time, you were looking for love in the wrong places and in the wrong people. As a serial dater, you never thought you would find it in the pouring rain and in the person you trusted the most. 

. . .

ur fav recs n fics blog is back hehe | happy reading <3

xoxo

[yuuuta95]

Super Rich Kids

Pairing: Nakamoto Yuta x Reader (ft. Taeyong, Jaehyun, Ten, and Xiaojun)

Warnings: sexual content, mention of suicide (but not really)

Summary: Spending the summer at a country club sounds like torture. Spending the summer at a country club with Nakamoto Yuta, Lee Taeyong, Jeong Jaehyun, Lee Ten, and (a brief appearance from) Xiao Dejun is even worse.

Word Count: 18.4k

Soundtrack: Super Rich Kids by Frank Ocean

A/N: This is my first post. A reworking of something I wrote a while ago. I hope you like it! Let me know your favourite parts! ^^

one

“Stop being so dramatic; I’ll be joining you in two weeks. My new step-bitch wants to take me shopping in Dubai so we can ‘bond’ but I know it’s just a massive excuse to convince my dad to give her his credit card so she can fulfil her gold-digging fantasies”, Sana’s voice echoed through the loudspeaker of my phone as I finished packing my bags. I walked over to my bed, falling back onto it and turning my head so that I was facing the phone I had laid on my pillow.

 “I’m sorry, Sana. If it makes you feel any better, while you’re splashing the cash in Dubai, I’ll be suffering a slow and painful death at the country club. God knows why my dad and Jessica insist on spending all summer there when there are so many other places to visit and so many other things to do that don’t involve making forced conversation with a bunch of rich, sexist men, their trophy wives and their spoiled children!” I sulked. I lifted my head as I heard Sana giggling on the other line.

 “Didn’t you just describe your own family, Y/N?” she laughed. As the realisation hit me, I couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle.

 “I’m not spoiled though”, I argued, though my smile never left my face.

“You are a little… Oh, shit, I have to go. The step-bitch is calling me. You’re so lucky your dad married someone who at least cares about you. My mommy treats me like a burden she has to bear in order to continue getting access to unlimited money. Okay, I really have to go now, she’s coming upstairs. I’ll see you in two weeks, yeah?” Sana didn’t give me a chance to reply before hanging up. Burying my head deeper into my pillow, I screamed. This was going to be another dull networking event disguised as a holiday. Same shit, different year.

“Y/N… sweetheart, we’re here”, I slowly opened my eyes and saw Jessica smiling down as she gave me another gentle nudge. “Your father and I are going to go check in; make sure you lock up the car when you get out”. With that, I felt car keys being pushed into my hand and the car door being closed. I lifted my head and looked out of the window just in time to see her shuffling away in her heels, struggling to keep up with my dad who clearly didn’t care that she was having trouble in her new shoes. He really didn’t deserve her. I reached into my bag and pulled out a mirror, trying to salvage my messy hair and clean up my smudged makeup. How had I managed to end up looking like such a mess within the space of a 3-hour car ride and nap? A few moments later I emerged from the car looking somewhat presentable. I locked up the car, not failing to notice that it was parked right in front of the club in a reserved parking space. It must have been one of the perks of being close friends with the club’s owner, Lee Soo-man.

 “Dude, isn’t that Y/N?” I heard a voice mumble. I recognised it immediately… Jaehyun. My head whipped back to find what I could only describe as my worst nightmare. Standing in front of me, smirks covering their features as they each gave me a once-over, were Jaehyun, Yuta, Ten and Taeyong. I could feel my heart racing as I tried not to feel too insecure under their gazes. As always, Yuta was the first to speak.

“You look like shit”, he scoffed before adjusting his bag pack and making his way towards the reception building. I rolled my eyes. Typical prick. I looked over at Jaehyun expectedly. He was Yuta’s right-hand man and usually the one to add onto any insult that had been thrown my way.

 “Hmmm, I’d still fuck you”, he simply winked before following on the heels of his best friend, shadowed by a bored looking Ten.

“In your dreams, Jeong”, I yelled after him. Frustrated and already planning how I was going to avoid those jerks for the whole summer, I turned to find Taeyong staring at me as a result of my sudden outburst. I shifted uncomfortably as I waited for him to say something. He simply smiled and nodded before following the others. As luck would have it, the boy I have been crushing on for the past year was the one who had just barely acknowledged my existence then walked away. Why couldn’t he have been the one to say he wanted to fuck me?

As soon as I got into my room, I collapsed onto the bed. Why was the universe punishing me? Not only could my best friend not be here for the first two weeks of this dumpster fire, I was going to have to deal with Yuta alone. I could handle Jaehyun; he was just a cocky playboy who used his admittedly gorgeous face to manipulate vulnerable, attention deprived trust fund girls into letting him fuck their brains out. I knew him too well to fall for his techniques. I could handle Ten; he was uninterested in everyone and everything, only looking up from his phone occasionally to drop a sarcastic comment or two. He didn’t care enough about me to bother me… I’m not going to lie, that actually made me crave his attention a little. Taeyong… I could barely handle him but anyone would only have to look at his face to see why. He was sculpted by the Gods yet was so unaware of his beauty. I didn’t understand how someone so sweet and friendly could be mixed up with someone like Yuta.

Oh yes, Yuta, the one boy I couldn’t handle.

He was the definition of a spoilt brat, using money to buy whatever and whoever he wanted. Urgh, I couldn’t understand what had possessed me to sleep with him repeatedly over the course of the five years I’d known him. He was rude, selfish, materialistic and arrogant, yet I’d managed to let myself get lost in him. I’d managed to let him whisper sweet nothings into my ear as he pulled my hips into his, thrusting desperately as I trembled beneath him. I’d even managed to repeatedly allow him into my mouth, my swollen lips wrapped around him as he tried to control his grunts out of fear that someone would discover us in the empty classroom. Despite our regular arguments and less-than-friendly manner of addressing one other, we had always found our way back together. I eventually broke it off when I realised that my crush on Taeyong would never become anything more than a crush if I was secretly fucking one of his best friends. Yuta didn’t take it so well. He accused me of being desperate for ‘pining after a guy who was worse than all the fuckboys he knew combined’. He tried to convince me that Taeyong wasn’t as he seemed and frankly, I found his attempt at sabotaging Taeyong to be pathetic. Since our ‘break up’ almost 6 months ago, I hadn’t seen or heard from Yuta, and had therefore mistakenly assumed I would never have to deal with him.

 “Y/N, we’re going out to dinner. Do you want to join us?” I looked towards my door and found Jessica smiling at me. Before I could respond, my dad’s voice came booming from the living room.

“She has to go. What will Lee Soo-man think if my whole family isn’t there? It’ll look like we don’t appreciate his hospitality. Y/N, wear something presentable, and be out here in 10 minutes”, he bellowed. I could see the apologetic look on Jessica’s face as she closed the door, leaving me to get ready.

The ballroom where dinner was being served was massive to say the least. But with its expensive art, frosted windows, golden walls and extravagant chandelier, it looked like it was trying too hard. As we were shown to our table, I couldn’t help but notice that there were seven plate settings, meaning we were expecting to entertain four other guests. I sighed as I adjusted my dress, becoming more self-conscious of how low cut it was. I turned around and scanned the room looking for… Yuta? Taeyong? I wasn’t sure. Either way, I found neither. Turning back in my chair, I almost let out a scream as the previously unoccupied seat in front of me now had a raven-haired boy whose attention was consumed by the device in his hand.

 “Hi Ten”, I tried to usurp his concentration. He simply looked up at me, gave a forced smile and returned to him device. “Okay then”, I mumbled under my breath. Ten’s father and mine were good friends so it was no surprise that they had chosen to combine our family dinners. Like I said, this was all a big networking event disguised as a family getaway.

 “Ten, please put that thing away”, his mother said, her voice so overly sweet that it was obvious that she was upset with him. Ten let out a dramatic sigh before slipping his phone into his pocket and staring at me, as if to say this is your fault.

“You have my attention. What do you want?” he simply stated.

 “Is being a total asshole a pre-requisite to being in Yuta’s squad?” I shot back.

“If it is then you seem to have a thing for assholes”. I furrowed my brows. “Don’t think I’ve missed your pathetic attempts to get me to talk to you. Or your whatever with Yuta. And, God, you look like a love struck puppy every time Tae walks past you. It’s only a matter of time before you start lusting after Jaehyun as well”, he mused, “Good thing Xiaojun is volunteering this summer otherwise I’d have to endure you eye-fucking him as well”.

 “Ten! That is enough!” his mother had clearly been eavesdropping on the conversation, not trusting her antisocial son to interact like a normal human being.

“It’s okay, ma’am”, I smiled sweetly at her before turning my attention back to Ten. “You’re more observant than you seem”, I simply laughed. Without his phone, he was looking for some entertainment and clearly riling me up was his idea of a good time.

 “You don’t have to be observant to notice the drool falling from your lips when Tae is anywhere within your line of vision”, he retorted, “As for Yuta, you two really weren’t as subtle as you thought… And me? Whenever you see us at school, you say hi to me first, even though we’re not friendly. It’s because you crave what you can’t have; it’s a subconscious thing. But who can blame you? Just look at me, who wouldn’t want a piece?” he winked. I rolled my eyes. For someone who was constantly looking down at his phone, he saw a lot more than other people did. I stated to wonder if he had discussed all of this with the others. As if he had read my mind, Ten simply smirked and said, “Don’t worry. These are all our little secrets”.

I had somehow managed to get through dinner, using all my energy to ignore Ten’s gaze. I was starting to want anything but his attention. He had this intense way of undressing people with his eyes. I’d felt naked as I took forks full of pasta to my mouth. This hadn’t been helped by the fact that my already low cut dress kept slipping down, resulting in Ten occasionally glancing at my chest.

 “Ten, why don’t you walk Y/N back to her family’s suite?” his mother suggested when she noticed how restless I was becoming, having finished my food half an hour ago. Ten, whose gaze had now shifted to a red head a few tables down, looked at me and raised his eyebrow as if to ask do you want me to? I gave a subtle nod and got up from my chair. I made my way to the exit, and could hear Ten’s footsteps not far behind.

A refreshing gust of wind hit my face as I stepped out of the ballroom. It was its own separate building meaning that I had to walk across the artificial field to get to the building where our suite was. Although I could have allowed the short two-minute walk to be a silent one, I found that familiar craving for Ten’s attention creeping back into me as I noticed that he was already looking down at his phone.

 “So who was the red head?” I questioned.

“Why? Are you jealous?” Ten grinned at me.

 “No… I was just curious. You kept staring at her. Could you be crushing on her perhaps?” I countered.

“Leave the psychoanalysing to me, Y/N”, he laughed, “No, I don’t like her. But she likes me. I can tell she’s been crushing on me for a while. She was looking for me from the moment she entered the ballroom, and when she finally found me, she couldn’t stop looking back again and again… and again. I was bored so I looked back”, he spoke as if he was reciting a well-known fact.

 “What are you?” I looked up at him in disbelief. He let out a laugh. A genuine laugh; and it was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever heard.

“I like psychology. I like analysing people. Humans are so fascinating. I read somewhere that humans are their true selves when they think no one is watching so…” he waved his phone, “I often pretend I’m not watching”. I couldn’t help but laugh at this new revelation that uninterested Ten was actually secretly analysing everyone.

 “Apart from all that bullshit from dinner, what can you tell me about who I am?” I asked. He stopped in his tracks, looking taken aback by the question. I stopped and turned to see what he was doing. He unlocked his phone and tapped the screen a couple of times before clearing his throat.

“I have here in my notes…”

 “In your notes?!” I cried.

“Shhhh. I have here in my notes, ‘obsession with Tae shows destructive personality, dated (or at least fucked) Yuta then broke his heart, desperation for Ten - that’s me – shows a desperation for male attention possibly brought on by paternal issues, pupils dilate when looking at Yuta suggesting attraction, actually pupils dilate when looking at Jaehyun, Taeyong, Xiaojun and Ten – me again – so possibly just super thirsty’. Again, I think that might be because of your paternal problems”. I stood there, shocked at the incredibly accurate yet also very invasive analysis.

 “I have some questions”, I muttered.

“Naturally…”

 “Why is my ‘obsession’ with Tae destructive? What makes you think I broke Yuta’s heart? And how the fuck do you notice my pupil’s dilating? You hardly ever look at me!”

“You did break Yuta’s heart. I can tell. He hasn’t been the same since you two stopped… whatever the fuck it was you were doing. He’s crankier and he just sleeps with a shit ton of random girls like he’s trying to forget something… or someone. How cliché. As for the eyes thing, I watch you closer than you realise. Don’t be embarrassed though, we’re all pretty fucking hot. You’re one of our many, many, many, many admirers”, he smirked as I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, “And Tae… You like him because you think he’s not like the others, right? That he’s charming and humble and shy? But honestly, Tae is as manipulative and cocky as they come. The only difference between Jae and Tae is that Jae is upfront”. My mind is suddenly reminded of Yuta’s own warnings about Taeyong. “Tae is like me; he likes psychology. But unlike me, he uses it to fuck with girls. Surely, you should be able to realise that it doesn’t add up that he is friends with people who are supposedly so unlike him… birds of a feather flock together. There are so many signs that he’s playing you and a dozen other girls but you’ve subconsciously erased all…”

 “Okay, geez, stop!” I finally shouted, “You can go back! I can find my own way back to my room!” Ten really was using me as a form of entertainment because he wasn’t on his phone. Before he could respond, I was already turning on my heels and making my way to the building ahead of me.

“Be careful of wolves in sheep’s clothing, Y/N”, chuckled Ten. I ignored him as I continued walking.

two

Be careful of wolves in sheep’s clothing, Y/N.

Be careful of wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Be careful of wolves.

Be careful.

These words had not left my brain in the last three days. I hadn’t spoken to Ten since that night although I did occasionally catch glimpses of him and Yuta walking around the club. To my relief, neither of them even bothered to acknowledge my existence. I was still incredibly upset at the fact that Ten had essentially told me I had severe daddy issues which made me crave male attention. No wonder I’d never seen him or heard of him dating anyone; despite being insanely attractive, he wasn’t exactly a charmer.

“Y/N?” I heard a knock at my bedroom door. Panic set in my chest as I shuffled off my bed and cautiously made my way to the door. That deep voice didn’t belong to Jessica or my father, the only two other people with access to the suite. As I reached the door, another knock resonated through my room. Okay, if it was a murderer, they wouldn’t have been knocking, right? I turned to door knob and swung the door open only to come face to face with…

 “Taeyong?! What are you doing here?” I made no effort to hide the surprise in my voice. He stood there in a plain white shirt and swimming shorts, a shy smile rested on his lips.

“Your dad told me you hadn’t left your room in a few days. I-I wasn’t asking about you; he was talking to my dad and I was just there and he saw me and he just asked me to invite you out or something...” Taeyong sped through his sentence so quickly I had to take a moment to process what he was saying. “Anyway, I don’t want you to be bored and alone, and some friends of mine have booked out the West Court Swimming Pool for a party that’s starting in about an hour so I was wondering if you wanted to come? I know it’s already like 9PM so I understand if you don’t want to come.” I froze in place, simply staring at the Greek God before me; this sculpted piece of art who had just asked me to hang out with him. As I smiled, about to accept his invitation, it dawned on me that his ‘friends’ were the boys I’d been trying to avoid.

 “Actually… I don’t think that’s such a good idea…” I started.

“Is it because of Ten and Yuta?” he surprised me by asking. I looked up from my feet and into his eyes, nodding. “Ten told me what he said to you. It was pretty shitty but that kid just lacks a lot of social skills so don’t take it personally”.

 “He told you that he told me you’re basically evil?” I found myself asking. Taeyong’s eyes widened and I immediately regretted what I had said.

“No, he told me that he told you that you crave attention or something like that… Wait, he said I was evil?” Taeyong held my gaze as I tried to think of an excuse. I couldn’t so I just nodded. “I mean; do you think I’m evil?” he asked. I shook my head and he seemed relieved. “Listen, you didn’t hear this from me but Ten likes you. He’s had a crush on you for about three years now so maybe he’s trying to weed out the competition because he’s – I don’t know – obsessed with you or something”. Overwhelmed by this new revelation, I stood speechless for a few seconds before deciding to use this opportunity in my favour.

 “The competition? That would imply that you like me too”, I questioned. Again, Taeyong’s eyes widened at my response and he immediately ran his hand through his hair.

“Wow, I really shouldn’t have come. Your dad was worried about you so I just thought… Now I look pathetic; it looks like Ten and Yuta really did mess up my chances”, he stated. At the mention of Yuta’s name, my entire body began to burn up with anger. I just knew that he had been involved in this. Ten and Yuta were trying to sabotage Taeyong, and by me avoiding their entire group, I was playing into whatever this was. But if according to Ten, Yuta still liked me, and according to Taeyong, Ten liked me, why were they working together to – no, I was looking too much into this. I liked Taeyong and he had just revealed that he liked me too so that’s what I would put my energy towards.

“No, you don’t look pathetic. Actually, I’d love to come to the party”, I beamed. Taeyong immediately smiled back.

“That’s great! I’ll wait for you in the living room if that’s okay”. I nodded, closed my door and ran to my unpacked suitcase to pick out some swimwear before I changed my mind.

“You look nervous”, Taeyong observed as we walked hand-in-hand to the West Court. I looked up at him and he gave me a small reassuring smile. As we approached the swimming area, I couldn’t help but notice how quiet it was. I also began to realise that the West Court building didn’t seem to have any lights on as we walked towards it.

 “It’s really quiet and dark”, I stated, hoping Taeyong could explain why there was no sign of life. As Taeyong opened his mouth to say something, I felt a sudden mass of water being poured over my head, completely soaking into the floral dress I had thrown on over my swimwear. Suddenly, I was being bombarded with what felt like water balloons. I felt Taeyong’s hand pull me so that I was standing behind him. My initial reaction was to laugh at this surprise attack but as my body started getting itchy and hot, I realised that something wasn’t right. As an influx of water balloons continued to come our way, I brought my hand to my nose and took a quick sniff; there was a faint smell that told me that this wasn’t just plain water. “WHAT THE FUCK?” I suddenly shouted. The water balloons continued at a steady pace until one hit my straight in the face, the liquid going right into my eyes. The intense burning caused me to collapse onto the pavement, my head in my hands.

 “STOP!” I heard Taeyong call out. Almost immediately, the attack ceased. The lights on the side of the pavement that had previously been off suddenly sparked on. With my eyes burning, I couldn’t make out the faces of the figures around me but I could see their panicked body movements as they tried to defuse the situation.

“Fuck! Was that supposed to happen?” I recognise the voice that belonged to Jaehyun. I felt Taeyong pull me closer.

 “What was in those balloons?” Taeyong asked as he used the back of his hands to wipe my now stinging eyes.

“It was water infused with-with some of-of those hot J-Japanese bath s-salts of Yuta’s. Shit! I don’t think they’re supposed to get in the eyes!” I heard Jaehyun panic.

“Well they did so now what?” Taeyong spat out. Another voice I couldn’t recognise spoke up.

“It says to seek medical attention on the package”, the voice said. My vision was now un-blurring and as I lifted my head to look up at the figures in front of me, Taeyong grabbed my head and used his thumbs to wipe over my eyes, getting rid of the excess liquid.

“I’ll take you to the medical centre”, he whispered as he helped me up. “You guys clean this mess up and go back to your suites”, he ordered the others. As Taeyong and I started making our way to the medical centre, I quickly looked back and saw four figures begin to clear up the mess they had created.

“I can’t believe you have to wear an eye patch for the next couple of days”, laughed Sana as I recounted the previous day’s events for her over the phone.

 “I know right. And my dad is making me go out to watch a polo match in a few minutes”, I sighed. I had just finished putting on the final touches to my makeup but the massive black eyepatch covering my left eye and the redness still in the right eye took most of the attention.

“I’m sorry. Just wear a really big hat and keep your head down”, Sana tried to comfort me.

 “This would have never happened if you were here!” I cried out.

“Actually, yes it would have. If Taeyong had come to your door and asked you to go to a party with him, would you have been like ‘no, Sana is here’?”

 “Okay, fine! You’re right. I still can’t believe how sweet he was yesterday. He stayed with me until midnight in the medical centre and then walked me back to my family’s suite. Why does he hang out with those Neanderthals?” I felt myself getting angry just at the mention of his friends.

“I can’t believe Yuta and Ten would stoop to that level. Jaehyun, I can understand because when he’s not fucking girls, he’s harassing them”, Sana spat out angrily.

 “Yeah, they must have been furious to find out that Tae and I were coming to the party together… If the party was even real. I bet they set it all up just for that attack”, I mused.

“But then they wouldn’t have known Tae was going to bring you… Unless he was in on it too”.

 “Why would Tae be in on something like that? He was attacked too”, I shrugged off the claim, “I have to go now. I’ll talk to you later”. After exchanging goodbyes with Sana, I went into my dad’s room and grabbed the biggest hat I could find in Jessica’s collection before making my way down to reception to join my family.

The polo match was as dull as I had expected. I sat at our family’s table alone as my father and Jessica had gone to mingle. The tall lemonade in front of me had quickly become too warm under the intense heat of the sun. I found myself sweating but resisted the temptation to take off my hat as it had done a great job at hiding my eyepatch.

 “Hello Y/N. Fancy seeing you here”. I felt the presence of two bodies sitting either side of me.

“Hello Yuta. Are you surprised because you were expecting me to be blind after your little stunt last night?” I shot back.

 “What the fuck are you talking about?” he chuckled. He leaned his head forward and upon catching a glimpse of my red eye and eye patch, his smile fell. “What happened to you?”

It took all my energy not to slap him. “Oh it turns out that Japanese bath salt stuff isn’t eye-friendly”, I sarcastically retorted. Ten had now leaned forward and was studying my face too.

 “You’re a weird chick, Y/N. What are you actually talking about?” Ten joined in.

“Why are you two even talking to me? You’ve been blanking me for days”, I changed the subject, tired of their fake innocent act.

 “This polo match is dead and we thought terrorising you would cheer us up but it looks like someone beat us to it”, Yuta’s hand had found its way to my face; he gently stroked the involuntary tears falling from under my eye patch. I grabbed his wrist and pulled away his hand in an attempt to stop the fluttering in my stomach as our skin made contact.

“You don’t get to act like you care when you didn’t even say a word last night”, I hissed.

 “You keep referring to ‘last night’ like I’m supposed to know what the fuck you’re talking about”, Yuta hissed back.

“Yeah, Y/N, you sound a bit confused. Are you sure you didn’t eat any of these bath salt things?” Ten continued analysing my face. “Your face is so swollen. You should go to the medical centre”, he added.

 “You two are such assholes. You see how bad the damage is in day light so now you want to relinquish responsibility”, I scoffed.

“I’m literally going to fucking drag you out of here by your eyepatch if you don’t start making sense”, Yuta exhaled in frustration. As I opened my mouth to shout at him, I spotted Taeyong quickly making his way to the table.

 “Y/N, come with me. Don’t let them bother you anymore”, Taeyong took my hand and pulled me away, leaving behind a very confused looking Ten, and a very furious looking Yuta.

“…so then Ten told me the party was a West Court and I should be there at around 9PM. I never knew they were going to ambush us like that. Yuta told me earlier this morning that it was payback – whatever that means”, Taeyong explained.

 “How did they know I was with you? It didn’t even seem like there was a party to begin with so what if you hadn’t run into my dad then ended up inviting me?” I tried to make sense of everything.

“I-I don’t know Y/N. I just know that I texted them while you were getting ready to explain why I was running late”, he sighed. We were sitting in the reception area of the club’s main building enjoying the feeling of air conditioning hitting our hot skin. There were so many things that still didn’t make any sense. Taeyong looked at me and gave me a sympathetic smile before saying, “This is all my fault… You still look beautiful though”. I had long since removed my hat and allowed my puffy face to be revealed to him.

 “No, I don’t. My face is swollen”, I echoed Ten’s words. Taeyong simply leaned forward, placing a chaste kiss on my lips.

“You’re actually kidding me, right?” Taeyong and I both quickly turned to face Yuta and Ten who were now standing just a few metres away from us. “Tae, we agreed that she was off limits”, Yuta growled.

 “She’s not a possession”, Taeyong shot up in his seat and took a step closer to Yuta.

“You manipulative… What is this I hear from Jaehyun about bath salts and water balloons?” Yuta stepped closer to Taeyong.

 “I don’t know. You tell me; they were your bath bombs. Stop trying to act innocent now that you see the damage you’ve done”, Taeyong didn’t back down and now the two boys were standing there with their faces only inches apart.

“Tell me, Y/N...” Ten suddenly spoke up, “… did you actually see me or Yuta wherever the hell you were attacked last night? You seem pretty sure that we were there”. I carefully thought back to the night before. The stinging in my eyes. The blurry vision. Only being able to make out dark figures. Only being able to recognise Jaehyun’s voice.

 “There were four people who orchestrated the attack, and I know that one of them was Jaehyun. I didn’t recognise the other’s voice. And that leaves two others”, I worked out. Yuta rolled his eyes.

 “Tae has more friends that just Ten and I. That could have been anyone”, he countered.

“Then where you last night?” Taeyong suddenly asked. Yuta turned his attention back to Taeyong.

 “I can’t say…” Yuta’s voice was low and menacing.

 “And what about you, Ten?” Taeyong smirked.

 “…I can’t say either”, Ten cleared his throat.

“How fucking convenient”, I muttered before getting up from my seat and grabbing Taeyong’s hand. Yuta’s eyes immediately landed on our entwined fingers and I could tell he was angry.

 “Dude, I said she was off limits”, he simply said to Taeyong before turning around and making his way to the reception door. Ten began to follow but turned around before reaching the door.

 “Did you ever think that maybe five guys orchestrated that attack and one of them was the one standing by your side”, Ten chuckled humourlessly before leaving. Taeyong squeezed my hand tighter and looked down at me smiling. It made no sense for him to have been a part of it and so for the second time that day, I dismissed claims that he had been involved.

“There you are!” Jessica shouted from across the field. I ran over to her and my father; they were sitting at our table, my boiling hot lemonade keeping them company.

 “Please put the hat back on, Y/N, your face is a bit of an eyesore right now”, my dad mumbled. I placed the hat back on my head. “Honestly, you go out one night and I get a call from medical at stupid o’clock telling me that some boy is bringing you back home”.

“She was attacked, darling”, Jessica gritted her teeth.

 “What was she doing out so late at night anyway?” my dad huffed.

“You’re the one who told Taeyong I hadn’t left my room in days…” I countered.

 “And why would I do that? What business do I have discussing you with this Taeyong boy?” he turned to me.

“Well, maybe he just overheard you when you were speaking to his father about me”, I stated.

“And what business would I have discussing you with his father?” my dad looked perplexed. Come to think of it, he had a right to be confused. The situation made little sense now that I thought about it.

 “Tae came over yesterday and…”

“Oh, my fault”, Jessica laughed nervously, “He told me you two had plans and that he wanted to come and get you because you weren’t answering your phone… so I gave him our suite key”.

 “You gave a boy the key to our suite so he could visit my daughter while we weren’t there?” I heard my dad start to argue but my thoughts were elsewhere. Taeyong had not tried to call me, and up until he had come up to my room, we did not have plans…

three

Taeyong placed another chaste kiss on my lips as we walked hand-in-hand down the beach. It was getting late but the summer sun was refusing to set. The beach was only a 15-minute drive from the country club but I knew we had to leave soon in order to make it back in time for yet another networking dinner.

“Walking on the beach. Who would have thought Lee Taeyong was so cliché?” I giggled. Taeyong smirked at me.

 “What can I say? I’m full of surprises”, he whispered as we came to a sudden stop and he pulled me into an embrace. We stood there in silence for a few seconds before I pulled away from him.

“We should really be getting back now. My family is meeting up with the Jeongs before the dinner to pop open a bottle of champagne. Something about a business deal or whatever”, I mumbled, upset that I had to pull myself away from this perfect day. Ever since the stupid prank Jaehyun, Yuta and Ten had pulled five days ago, along with the mystery guy, Taeyong and I had spent every day together; we’d gone to restaurants outside of the club, we’d gone shopping, we’d walked on the beach and… we’d made out on more than one occasion. Taeyong wasn’t trying to rush me into anything deeper, and I truly appreciated that.

 “Okay, let’s go. I’m sorry you’ll have to spend time with Jaehyun though”, he laughed as he led me towards the stairs to the car park. “I know you still haven’t forgiven him and the others for what they did”.

“I’d be less upset if Yuta and Ten would actually admit that they were involved”, I huffed. Taeyong let out a sigh.

 “Like I said before, they’re both just trying to fuck with us. Ten is head over heels in love with you so he doesn’t want to see us together. And Yuta is still bitter over your break up, I guess”.

 “Did everyone know about Yuta and I because I thought we were a secret”, I laughed nervously.

 “Don’t worry. Ten and I are the only ones who really noticed. We’re more observant than other people”, he stated. I was immediately reminded of the night that Ten had told me that him and Taeyong were a lot alike but Taeyong used his ‘observations’ to manipulate girls. After learning that Taeyong had lied about having plans with me so that Jessica could let him into our suite, I’d been wary of him. However, having spent these last few days with him, I didn’t feel manipulated. He was sweet and considerate and hadn’t tried to get into my pants or anything so I was struggling to see how this benefited him in the slightest. Yuta and Ten had made no attempts to apologise or offer an explanation as to where they were during the night my eyes were almost burned out of my skull. Jaehyun had offered a very sincere apology but then instantly gone back to being his fuck-boy-self the next time I’d seen him. I wasn’t looking forward to seeing him at the pre-dinner celebration.

As luck would have it, I arrived at our family suite only to be met by my father, Jessica, Mr Jeong and Mrs Jeong toasting to whatever they were toasting to. Jessica immediately explained that they had decided to make it a ‘adults only’ thing and that I would have to go to the Jeongs’ suite to wait for them to finish their mini-celebration. Then they’d call us down to dinner. I’d essentially cut my date with Taeyong short to come back and be forced to hang out with the mess that was Jaehyun.

As I entered the Jeongs’ suite, I couldn’t help but notice that it was twice the size of ours. With its tall ceiling and grand furnishing, complete with a jacuzzi on the balcony, I could tell why my dad had been so eager to close his deal with Mr Jeong’s company. My father was nothing if not money and power hungry. It would explain why he spent most of my life trying to raise profit instead of his own daughter.

 “All of this could be yours if you married me one day”, I heard Jaehyun’s voice cut through my thoughts. I turned around to see him standing there with his hair dishevelled and half of his shirt buttons undone, a small smirk playing on his lips. It didn’t take a genius to notice that he had just finished fucking some girl in his room. And sure enough, as I was about to reply to his comment, a disgruntled blonde stumbled out of his room with her heels in her hands.

 “So, you just go around promising marriage to every girl you see, huh?” she spat out as she struggled to fix the strap of her red dress.

 “It’s the fastest way to get them into bed”, Jaehyun shot back, smiling.

“You’re lucky you’re rich and hot, but at the end of the day, does that money buy daddy’s attention?” she taunted.

 “See, all I heard was ‘you’re rich’, ‘you’re hot’ and ‘daddy’. I just fucked your brains out, okay… learn to share; Y/N is standing right there if you maybe want to…”

“You’re disgusting, Jeong Jaehyun. I can’t believe I actually liked you”, tears began forming in the girl’s eyes.

 “Gee, listen, I’m sorry Rochelle…”

“IT’S ROSÉ YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!” And with that, the blonde spun around and stomped towards the door. She struggled with it for a second before flinging it open and storming out.

“How rude. She didn’t even close the door”, Jaehyun mused, “Sorry you had to see that, darling”.

“You’re disgusting”, I mirrored Rosé’s words. Jaehyun brought his hand up to his chest in fake hurt.

 “I thought we were cool now”, he pouted. I rolled my eyes before falling back onto the large black sofa in the middle of the living room. I took my phone out of my pocket and began texting Taeyong. I heard Jaehyun’s footsteps coming towards me but I ignored them in an effort to remain calm and stop myself from attacking him. That Rosé girl clearly had very real feelings for him and he used that to his advantage then discarded her like a used tissue. “I said I was sorry about the balloons, okay?” he sighed as he took a seat next to me.

“No, not okay, Jaehyun. You, Ten and Yuta are such dicks”, I finally replied after realising that Taeyong would not be responding to my text for a while. Jaehyun looked at me, confused.

 “I get why I’m a dick. But what did those two idiots do to piss you off?”

“The same thing you did”, I shot back.

 “Babe, how many times have you been attacked by bath bomb infested water balloons this summer?” he laughed. I didn’t need to ask what he meant because I understood. Yuta and Ten hadn’t been there. “If you want, I can get Jisung, Jaemin and Jeno to write official apologies and we can get up at dinner tonight and read out our letters and cry and…” He continued with his sarcastic train of thought as I suddenly realised that I had spent the last five days angry at the wrong people. The three little Js, as everyone stupidly referred to them as, were boys from the lower year of our school who occasionally carried out Yuta, Jaehyun, Ten, Taeyong, and Xiaojun’s dirty work in order to impress them; I guess they hoped that by the time the older boys graduated, they’d become the new fuck-boy clique that got all the girls and was envied by all the guys. I felt disgusted that I lived in a world where young boys aspired to be like…

 “Jaehyun. Shut up. I’m over it”, I snapped. At that moment, I realised that I could use this opportunity to confirm what my heart already feared to be true. “I forgive you, the Js and Tae”, I said. I waited for Jaehyun’s face to twist in confusion and for him to ask me why I’d mentioned Taeyong but he simply smiled and nodded. I suddenly felt so stupid. I’d let Taeyong manipulate me for these last few days and turn me against Yuta and Ten… but to what end? What was he getting out of this?

An hour passed and I was thankful that Jaehyun’s fuck-boy façade had faded after about 10 minutes. As much as he liked to believe he was this heartless playboy, and as much as he liked to make others believe it too, he was actually a very decent guy. Some would go as far as to say that he was actually… cool; and not in the school popularity way, in a genuine and fun-to-be-around way. I still had to deal with the occasional pervy comment every now and again though. But he helped me forget about the mess that I would have to deal with later that night; I needed to confront Taeyong and apologise to Yuta and Ten.

“What are you thinking about?” Jaehyun whispered. My head was rested on his shoulder and his head was rested on my head as we watched TV.

 “I’m thinking… how are you this bearable when I normally want to punch you in the teeth?” I chuckled. Jaehyun laughed along.

 “Don’t go around telling girls I’m bearable! You’ll fuck up my street cred”, he simply replied before we settled back into a comfortable silence.

This time dinner was held outside. I’d quickly run to my suite, changed and redone my makeup when I got a call from Jessica telling us that they were heading to dinner. My father would not have appreciated me showing up in a swimsuit cover up. The dinner location was stunning; it was next to the lake and the trees were covered in dozens of fairy lights. White tables and chairs were carefully placed across the grass, and live classical music filled the space. I immediately started looking for either one of the boys I needed to talk to tonight and as luck would have it, I spotted Ten sitting on a chair by the lake looking down at his phone. I quickly grabbed my own chair and made my way towards him, startling him a little when I took a seat beside him.

 “Fucking hell”, he gasped.

 “Sorry, I thought you’d see me coming. Isn’t seeing stuff your super power or something?” I laughed. Ten shot me a dazzling smile before he looked back down at his phone.

 “Does this mean I’ve been forgiven for what I may or may not have done?”, he suddenly said. I knew he had realised that I’d worked out the truth and was trying to apologise. He wasn’t going to let this be easy, was he?

 “I don’t know what Tae wants from me but yeah, I’m sorry. I was… I am being played and I didn’t want to believe it because of my stupid crush”, I sighed, “You have to admit it looked so suspicious though! You and Yuta wouldn’t tell me where you were on that night and you’d both spent all week together throwing me dagger eyes”. Ten observed me for a moment.

 “You’re right. It was all a bit shady” he pondered.   

“So I’m guessing you’re not head over heels in love with me like Tae said?” I could feel my heart pounding as I waited for an answer but Ten simply burst out into laughter. I looked over at him and saw him struggling not to fall out of his chair as he continued cackling. Eventually, his laughter died down and he wiped the tears that had escaped from his eyes.

 “Sorry but that’s hilarious”, he stifled a giggle.

“Glad to know being attracted to me is that funny”, I made no effort to hide my hurt.

 “Shit, sorry. I’m guessing Tae failed to mention to you that I am 100% gay?” he smiled at me. My heart stopped. Suddenly, things started coming together. I’d never seen or heard of any of his relationships with girls but I assumed that he was just more private than his friends. I remembered him telling me that he was looking at that girl ‘just for fun’ the first time our families went to dinner but I’d assumed he meant that he wasn’t interested in her specifically. He did spend a lot of time with Yuta and they had failed to tell me where they were the night I was hurt. Was he… was he…?

“Are you dating Yuta?” I suddenly shouted out loud. Ten’s eyes widened and he turned to face me. We stared at each other for a few seconds before he started howling with laughter yet again. This time, he failed to restrain himself and ended up slipping out of his chair, unable to control his breathing.

 “Stop! You’re killing me”, he managed to choke out, “Yuta? Me and Yu… Oh my gosh, this is too good”. I sat in my chair, completely unimpressed by the entire situation. Why was he laughing at me?

 “If you’re not secretly dating him, then where were the two of you that night?” I snapped. Ten had managed to regain composure and had found his way back into his seat, still wiping away at his tears.

“I don’t know about Yuta because I wasn’t with him but I… Okay, promise not to tell Yuta but… I went to visit my ex. I made Yuta promise not to let me see him again but I caved that night and drove out to meet him in town. Tae must have found out through Jeno or something, that kid is a super spy, and he knew I wouldn’t say anything in front of Yuta when he asked so I’d look pretty guilty. God knows what he has on Yuta. Dude, I can’t believe you thought I was dating Yuta. You two had a thing; you know he’s straight”.

 “Sexuality is a spectrum”, I defended myself. Ten gave me a small shrug before looking out at the lake.

 “Wow, Tae really has us playing into his hands, doesn’t he?”

“Why are you friends with him?” I asked the question that had been plaguing my mind all this time.

 “Jae and Tae get on well because they both run on sex. I already told you that Tae and I are super similar so we just click. Tae and Yuta argue a lot because they both have ‘alpha male tendencies’ but they have this inseparable bond. Tae and Xiaojun have been friends for a very long time. They get on extremely well. I guess Tae is that one friend who is super annoying and starts shit all the time but the good outweighs the bad, you know. And to be honest, we usually don’t care about his schemes because they’re usually directed towards people we don’t really know or care about”, Ten mused. I sat there and thought about how strange this group’s dynamic was but apparently it worked. “What are you going to do now? Don’t think I haven’t noticed you running around with Tae”.

“I want to beat him at his own game”, I thought aloud.

“Good luck with that. Tae isn’t stupid. If you try and flip this around on him, he’ll see it from a mile away and manipulate the situation so that you end up worse off”, Ten warned me.

 “I can handle him. I just need to get inside of his head”.

“Okay, so if I ask you right now what Tae is trying to get from you, can you tell me? It’s obviously not sex because no offence but if he wanted you, he would have had you by now… many times”, Ten looked at me apologetically but he had a point.

“I don’t know what he wants”, I sighed, defeated. I thought back to the information I had garnered and tried to figure out what he wanted.

I told you she was off limits.

Tae and Yuta argue a lot because they both have ‘alpha male tendencies’.

And then it hit me. Tae wasn’t trying to get anything from me. He was using me to get something from Yuta.

four

“I can’t believe you’re not even coming anymore! I spent all my time here counting down till the day you get here and now you’re telling me that you’re just staying in Dubai?” I yelled at Sana’s sun kissed face through my FaceTime app. I shot up from the comfort of my blankets and waited for her excuse.

 “Y/N, I’m sorry! My dad surprised the step-bitch with a trip to Hawaii and so they’re going to be off doing God-knows-what for the rest of the summer. I can’t exactly show up to a family country club resort alone”, she pouted.

 “You can stay with my family!” I almost shouted. Sana let out a sigh as she readjusted the angle so that I was now looking at the sunset from her hotel window.

“This is my view right now! I just want to chill here for as long as I can. The country club sounds so dramatic right now. I heard from Rosé that you’ve been hanging out with Jaehyun for the past couple of days. She says she saw you in his hotel room once and she’s seen you guys walking around together, eating ice cream and all that. Y/N? Is there something you want to tell me?” Sana had now readjusted the camera onto herself and she smirked at my shocked expression.

“No, I am not dating Jaehyun… He’s just been helping me with a plan to get back at Tae. I asked Ten to help but he said he didn’t want to get involved, especially with the losing team. He’s so sure Taeyong is already one step ahead of me. He’s so disrespectful!” I huffed.

 “Hey, don’t say that about my future husband!” Sana scolded me. It had taken all my self-control not to tell Sana that Ten was actually gay. It wasn’t some big secret or anything, Ten hadn’t really hesitated to tell me, but it also wasn’t my job to go around announcing it to people who didn’t already know. I loved Sana but she was such a gossip; if I told her, she’d needlessly blow it out of proportion.

 “Whatever. At least Jaehyun has been a big help. We’ve come up with a plan. It’s simple but effective. He wasn’t hard to convince; he was bored so…”

 “He’s a billionaire with unlimited access to anything and any girl… He can’t get bored; it sounds like he just really likes spending time with you”, Sana wiggled her eyebrows. I rolled my eyes at her statement. “So, what is this masterplan?”

 “Taeyong is using me to get something from Yuta but I don’t really understand what he could possibly want. I haven’t seen Yuta since I accused him of the water balloon thing so I can’t even ask and I’m pretty sure he blocked my number because he’s not responding to any of my texts. Jaehyun hasn’t seen him either and apparently every time he calls, Yuta always says he’s busy. Taeyong hasn’t talked to him either so his plan must not be working because how do you get something from someone if they’re not there?” Sana nodded along eagerly at my ramblings, “The plan is to step up the game. Tae must be getting desperate for Yuta’s attention so I’m going to make him think I want to sleep with him then when he comes into my room, I’ll tell him I’m going to get something and that I’ll be back. Then when I leave, he’ll get naked and Jaehyun will be in the room already with a camera, he’ll take a picture, and we’ll basically own Tae because we’ll have his nudes. Then we’ll make him confess everything”. I smiled proudly at my scheme.

 “That is the single most ridiculous, convoluted, barely R-rated High School Musical bullshit plan I have ever heard in my entire existence”, Sana snorted, “No wonder Ten called you the losing team. That sounds like the plot of a Gossip Girl episode. It took you three days of talking to Jaehyun to come up with that?”

 “Shut up! It was my idea and Jaehyun is just going along with it”, I pouted.

“Damn, that boy must be in love with you if he’s going along with this rejected Teen Wolf storyline”, Sana’s laughs continued to fill my room.

 “You’re such a bitch”, I sulked, trying to hide my own smile. I had to admit, it wasn’t one of my finest plans. “I have to go now. I have an awesome plan to carry out”.

“Oh, you have second plan?” Sana cackled as I hung up on her. I laughed to myself as the room fell silent. Ten had told me that going against Taeyong was dangerous and that I would end up worse off so was this really the plan I wanted to go with?

“Sana is right. It is a shit plan”, Jaehyun simply said as we walked towards the pool.

 “So why were you going to help me carry it out?” I cried as I playfully hit his arm. He stumbled back in fake agony as I rolled my eyes and tried not to laugh at his childishness.

 “Because either way, it’s going to be fucking hilarious. I’m on both sides here, babe. Tae is my boy and you… you’re hot”, he smirked, snaking his hand around my waist. I quickly pushed him off and started walking faster.

“I can’t have someone who is on both teams. You might double cross me. I assume that in your twisted mind, Tae takes priority?”

“Bros before hoes”, Jaehyun shrugged. I had to admire his loyalty, I guess.

“Why are you even helping me then?” I finally decided to ask.

 “Like I said, you’re hot”

“There are girls around here who are fifty times hotter than me that you could be… entertaining”

 “You’re a different kind of hot”, Jaehyun simply smirked as he looked down at me. As I was about to ask what he meant, I heard Taeyong’s voice calling my name. Jaehyun and I both stopped and turned as we saw Taeyong running toward us.

“Hey baby”, Taeyong smiled as he finally reached us. He pulled me by the waist and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Jaehyun shifted uncomfortably as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. Taeyong must have noticed the shift in atmosphere too because he suddenly let go of me and looked between Jaehyun and I.

 “Was I interrupting something?” Taeyong asked almost mockingly. He looked at Jaehyun, then back at me again before slowly nodding his head, “My bad. I’ll catch you tonight at Mark’s party, right?” he looked over at me. I gave him a forced smile and nodded.

 “I’ll see you then”, I said, my voice barely a whisper.

“Hey, and I heard Yuta will be there!” Taeyong beamed. He turned his head to Jaehyun, “Me, you and Yuta seem to have a lot of catching up to do”. Jaehyun clenched his jaw and kept his eyes trained on Taeyong.

 “I don’t think so. Nothing much has really happened lately”, Jaehyun shot back.

“Well then let’s change that tonight”, Taeyong smirked. He turned back to me and pushed his lips onto my own. I almost stumbled back but Taeyong’s arm snaked around my waist once more as he pulled me closer. He slid his tongue into my mouth and I stupidly let him. After a few seconds, Taeyong finally pulled away with his signature smirk plastered on his face. He turned to Jaehyun and winked before turning around and walking back in the direction he had come from.

 “Are you sure you want revenge because from where I’m standing, you’re pretty happy being his play toy”, Jaehyun scoffed. I adjusted my dress, embarrassed.

 “I can’t let him know I’m onto him”, I tried to justify my actions. Jaehyun let out a chuckle.

“He knew something was up from the second he saw us together… You know what, you’re boring me now. I’m gonna go find one of those girls who is fifty times hotter than you to entertain me”. And with that, Jaehyun turned around and started walking back in the direction Taeyong had gone. I stood there, confused by what had just happened. As I was about to follow Jaehyun, I heard a clap from behind me. I turned to see a smiling Rosé walking slowly towards me, applauding.

 “I never thought I’d see the day Jaehyun got a taste of his own medicine”, she smiled.

“What do you mean?” I asked her.

 “You just made out with Taeyong in front of him. I could practically see the jealousy bubbling up from all the way down there”, she threw her head back in laughter, “I should be more upset at you for stealing the guy I like but after the way he has treated me, I’m happy the universe is punishing him… even if that means I have to permanently lose him to you”, her smile faded a little.

 “Oh no, it’s not like that. He was just helping with something”

“When was the last time you saw Jaehyun just ‘helping’ some girl with no ulterior motive?” Rosé rolled her eyes, “How do you do it? You managed to get Ten to actually fucking look at you for longer than he looks at that damn phone, you’ve got Taeyong making out with you and taking you on dates, you’ve got Jae crushing on you, and I even heard rumours that you and Yuta were a thing. Are you just working your way through the group? If so, let me just tell you, Xiaojun is a phenomenal fuck. I hooked up with him last year and to this day, he is still the best sex I’ve ever had. Don’t tell Jaehyun”, she laughed as she began walking away. I was left standing in the middle of the sidewalk again, alone and perplexed.

I sat on the sofa in our living room as I scrolled through Instagram. There were already a shit ton of stories from Mark’s party being posted. The party had only started about an hour ago but people had already blown up all of their social media, telling everyone what a good time they were having. After what Rosé had said to me, I’d realised that this was all getting too messy. This wasn’t just some summer drama; once we got back to our normal lives, I’d still have to deal with these boys on a somewhat regular basis. As I sat there in my tank top and pyjama bottoms, ignoring Taeyong’s texts, my phone vibrated yet again.

Unknown: Hey. It’s Yuta.

I immediately replied.

Y/N: Why the new number?

Unknown: I have more than one phone you know.

Y/N: What do you want? You blocked me on the other one?

Unknown: Yeah, sorry about that. Why aren’t you at Mark’s thing?

I looked at the message for a moment and contemplated what I could say. It then dawned on me that I was trapped in this stupid cycle of lies and manipulation. Why would Yuta contact me from a completely different number instead of just unblocking me on his other phone? Come to think of it, when we used to be whatever we were, I only ever saw him with one phone. I was tired of the games so I simply replied.

Y/N: Is this really Yuta?

The reply piqued my curiosity.

Unknown: Come to the party and find out ;)

By the time I arrived at Mark Lee’s suite, it was practically overflowing with people and some party goers had started drinking and hanging out in the corridors. It took me approximately ten minutes to actually get into the suite itself, and even then, it was so packed it took me an additional five minutes to get to the kitchen. As I reached the counter which was covered in drinks, my phone buzzed again.

Unknown: You actually came. You must still really be into me.

I rolled my eyes and replied.

Y/N: I still don’t know who I’m talking to. Taeyong, if this is you, I’m done with your games.

I pressed ‘send’ only to look up and immediately regret my decision. Taeyong’s frame made its way through the crowd. He spotted me, smiled and started making his way towards me. I looked back down at my vibrating phone.

Unknown: This isn’t Taeyong. I told you it’s Yuta.

I looked up again and saw Taeyong getting closer, no phone in his hand.

“I was scared you wouldn’t make it”, Taeyong shouted over the music as he finally reached me.

“Here I am!” I yelled back. He smiled at me and leaned in closer to my ear.

 “I just wanted to say that I think I’m done”. I looked up at him, confused.

“Done with the party? It only started an hour and a half ago”, I was getting tired of straining my voice.

 “No, babe, done with this”, he motioned between us, “You obviously aren’t as oblivious as I thought”. Wait, he was shutting this down? If anything, I was the one who should have been getting to dump him. Even though we weren’t dating, I wanted the satisfaction of breaking it off. I found myself sighing with relief anyway, glad it was all finally over. I was going to be on the next flight to Dubai tomorrow morning no matter what my father had to say. This place was suffocating me.

 “Whatever. Bye Tae”, I turned to leave but turned back to ask one final question, “What were you actually trying to achieve here?” Taeyong simply smiled and looked around the room. He leaned into my ear once again.

 “You’ll find out in a bit. I still need you for one more thing. Jaehyun asked me not to hurt you but I’m already doing him the favour of leaving you alone”, he simply said. I stood there, perplexed.

 “I refuse to be part of any more of this silliness”. And with that, I turned to leave. As I reached the entrance, I checked my phone for any texts from Yuta I may have missed.

Unknown: Come to the room with the white door. I need to talk to you, Y/N.

I still needed to apologize for not believing him about the water balloons. I also now wanted to make sure we were in a good place. I missed him more than I liked to admit. When we weren’t too busy fucking, we actually had a great time together… secretly of course. Sneaky movie dates, spending time at each other’s houses, and even going on long drives out of town just so we could talk; I missed our relationship which wasn’t really a relationship. I wouldn’t admit this to anyone but Yuta was my first love and I wished my stupid crush on Taeyong hadn’t made me ruin what we were… what we could have been.

Y/N: I’m on my way.

I turned around yet again and pushed my way through a dark corridor, towards the white door which was decorated with a sign that read ‘DO NOT ENTER’. Looking around for any other possible options, I realised that this had to be the door Yuta was talking about. I twisted the door knob and attempted to push it open but it must have been barricaded from the inside. I attempted again to open it. Again. Again. Once more. Suddenly, the door flung open.

 “Can’t you read, you fucking…?” Yuta stood before me shirtless and with his hair dishevelled. His eyes instantly widened as he saw me. It took less that a second for a gorgeous red headed girl to appear behind him in nothing but a bra and panties. She held onto his arm and looked over at me before attempting to hide her almost-naked body, embarrassed. “Y/N…”

 “Is this what you wanted to show me?” I could feel the tears threatening to fall from my eyes. In reality, I had no reason to be this upset. But after finally admitting to myself that I loved Yuta, it hurt to see him with someone else. Even though I knew he’d been sleeping around. I guess seeing it with my own eyes hurt more than I anticipated.  

 “What are you talking about?” Yuta looked down at me. By the looks of it, Yuta had been a little too preoccupied to have been the one texting me. I could think of nothing but to run away so I did. I pushed my way through crowds of people yet again and made it to the entrance. I turned to look back and see if Yuta had made an attempt to follow me but he hadn’t. Before I turned to leave, I did however notice the big smile on Taeyong’s face as he watched me.

five

I knew I was being ridiculous.

 It was 4AM in the morning and after crying in my room for what felt like forever, I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and just pack my bags. I didn’t know where I was going but I just knew that I didn’t want to be here anymore. I didn’t want to go to Dubai and ruin Sana’s drama free break, and I didn’t want to go back home because that would just remind me that when the summer comes to an end, I have to go back to school and confront… him. At this point I didn’t even know who ‘him’ was. I didn’t want to confront Taeyong because I could already see his smug grin mocking me. I didn’t want to confront Jaehyun because he was mad at me for some strange reason. And I most definitely didn’t want to confront Yuta after seeing him with another girl. Again, I knew I was being ridiculous. I was mad at Yuta for sleeping with someone else when we weren’t dating? Yeah, that’s insane.

I threw the last dress into my suitcase and hastily zipped it up. I’d made the bed and emptied the wardrobe; I was ready to leave. I wanted to go before my dad or Jessica woke up so that I wouldn’t have to deal with that mess. I took one last look in the mirror; my makeup was smudged and my hair was… I don’t even know what my hair was doing, but I didn’t care. I grabbed my suitcase handle and made my way into the living room. I quickly realised that dragging my suitcase on a hardwood floor wasn’t exactly the stealthiest escape plan so I ended up lifting the heavy case and waddling to the door.

“We’re almost there, doll”, the taxi driver looked at me through the rear view mirror. I had anxiously been fidgeting with the watch on my wrist, and the loose string from my jeans… and the handle of my bag… and my hair. He had obviously sensed my negative energy and felt the need to reassure me that I was almost at the airport. Little did he know that his statement only made things worse. The closer I got to the airport, the quicker I’d have to make a decision about where exactly I was going. I grabbed my phone from my bag; I hadn’t looked at it since I left Mark’s party. I had 3 new messages. One was from my service provider telling me about the ‘exciting new offers’ they would give me if I introduced a friend. The other was from Jaehyun.

JJ: Hey. Sorry about what happened earlier. I let Tae get the best of me. I also got sucked up in this fight for your heart and somehow managed to convince myself I liked you too. You’re fucking cool and we’d be great friends but I don’t think my feelings are that deep… Anyway, I told Tae to leave you alone and not hurt you so you’re in the clear now ;) Erm, also I saw you talking to Rosé after I left… Is she still mad at me? :’(

I laughed at his message but still felt annoyed by his attitude towards me earlier so I simply texted back.

Y/N: She said Xiaojun is a phenomenal fuck.   

I felt petty but I knew he’d see the humour in it… eventually, and we could laugh about it… eventually. I really did want to be his friend. If there is one thing I’d learned this summer, it’s that Jeong Jaehyun was alright. I hoped he’d clean up his act and apologise to Rosé. I moved on to my final message. It was from Ten.

TenOutOfTen: Dude, what did you do to Yuta? He’s in my room practically crying?! I hope you burn in hell for indirectly making me wake up so early… bitch.

Again, I laughed at the text but my laughter soon faded when I re-read the first half of the message. Yuta was in Ten’s room, crying. And he must have mentioned me because Ten had asked me what I had done. I checked the timestamp on the message; it was sent 50 minutes ago. My curiosity had me wanting to tell the taxi driver to turn back immediately but just as I was considering this option, the taxi pulled up to the airport. It was large and bright yet startlingly quiet. I hopped out of the vehicle and paid my driver.

 “Keep the change”, I smiled as I adjusted my bag and began walking away.

“Keep the change? Oooh, splashing the cash, are we?” I heard a voice laugh. I turned back to the taxi rank and saw a figure sitting on his suitcase. I didn’t immediately recognise his voice but as he turned his head back to me and I saw his face, I rolled my eyes. Xiaojun.

 “What are you doing here? I heard you were volunteering or something like that”, I dragged my bag back towards him. He stood from his perched position and suddenly towered over me.

 “I finished my volunteer stuff. It was fun but Taeyong’s texts told me that the real fun was at the country club. I came to see the drama is real life but it looks like the female lead is leaving before curtain call?” Xiaojun smirked.

“You left your volunteer position to come watch some petty feud between Yuta and Tae? I thought you were the more decent of the fuckboys”, I let out an exaggerated pout.

 “Don’t flatter yourselves. The programme was a short one; I’m going to the club because my parents need me to complete their ‘happy family’ set up”, Xiaojun explained, “The petty feud between Yuta and Tae was just a nice little treat”.

“Well I hate to break it to you but it’s all over now”, I was about to turn around when Xiaojun chuckled.

“Over? According to Jaemin’s texts, you walked in on Yuta and Umji. Tae confronted Yuta about fucking his ex. And now Umji has broken up with Yuta because she doesn’t want to be part of their ‘sick little dick measuring contest’” Xiaojun turned around and looked down the road, “Why the fuck is my Uber taking so long? I can’t stand getting into taxis I didn’t order. It’s creepy as fuck; the dude could be some insane looney who bought his taxi sign on eBay and you just get in his fake taxi and…”

“Wait a minute…”, the cogs were turning in your head and you were finally starting to see the bigger picture. “Yuta was secretly dating Umji, Tae’s ex, so Tae started messing with me as a warning for Yuta to back off?”

 “Basically, yes. Jeno accidentally told Tae that he had seen Umji leaving Yuta’s house one morning when he’d gone over. Tae and Yuta are idiots who never talk shit through so instead of Tae asking Yuta to stop seeing Umji, Tae decided to pretend he didn’t know and try to get Yuta to admit it himself. Yuta played dumb so Tae got pissed and decided to give him a taste of his medicine by targeting the one girl he knows Yuta gives a shit about”, Xiaojun pointed to me.

 “Why was Yuta dating Umji anyway?” my jealously was getting the better of me, “When Yuta and I were… He told me he couldn’t stand her”.

“Ego. It’s all about ego when it comes to Dumb and Dumber. Even though you refer to us so lovingly as ‘fuckboys’, we do have our weaknesses. Tae’s is Umji and Yuta’s is you. We all know each other’s weaknesses and they instantly become off limits but after Tae and Yuta had yet another alpha male standoff, Yuta hooked up with Umji because he wanted to prove to himself that he was better than Tae. Umji was the first girl who ever really properly distracted from you so I guess he kept her around… I don’t know”, Xiaojun threw his glance down the road yet again but there was nothing in sight.

 “You know you can track your Uber on the app. It tells you how far it is?” I simply stated.

Xiaojun raised his eyebrows and looked back down at his phone. “This is my first time using this. I usually have the family’s driver take me everywhere but I didn’t want to wake him so early”, he tapped at his phone, “It’s close”. We stood there in an uncomfortable silence before I decided to turn around and leave; I finally had the whole story. “Why are you leaving?”

 “Why not? Your idiot friends have been using me as a prop in their game and I’m tired”, I sighed.

“It’s all over now though, right? Umji and Yuta are over. Him and Tae are pissed at each other but they’ll hug it out in a few days. Everything is chill”, at that moment, Xiaojun’s phone beeped and he looked down to read his text, “Maybe not…”

“What is it now? Did Umji reveal that she was pregnant? Did Jaehyun propose to Rosé? Did Yuta and Tae finally admit their feelings for each other and finally make it official? At this rate, nothing would surprise me”, I chuckled humourlessly. As I said this, Xiaojun’s Uber pulled up in front of us.

 “You might want to get in and come back with me, babe”.

“And why would I do that?” I laughed.

 “I just got a text from Ten and…” My own phone suddenly vibrated in my hands. I looked down and couldn’t understand what I was reading.

TenOutOfTen: Your idiot ex got drunk and fell off a roof. He’s at the General Hospital downtown!

six

Five years earlier

It was just my luck that the day my father had told me he couldn’t pick me up from school, it just so happened to start pouring down with rain. I usually had a driver who would come get me but my mother had asked my dad to do it for a month in an effort to ‘improve our relationship’. My father hadn’t been too fond of that idea but he did it anyway. He probably did it out of guilt; my mother was growing suspicious of his ‘innocent friendship’ with a new employee at his company, Jessica. I’d met her once and she seemed lovely. My mother was probably just being paranoid. Anyway, my father had promised to tell the driver to pick me up instead but he’d obviously forgotten as I ended up standing outside the school doors for 45 minutes.

 “Are you okay, darling?” a voice rang from the bottom of the stairwell. A woman with beautiful long black hair had stepped out of her car and was staring at me, a wet, crying teenager at the top of the stairs, freezing my butt off. “Where are your parents?” she asked.

 “I don’t t-thing anyone is c-coming”, I stuttered. She gave me a sympathetic smile and asked where I lived. I told her.

 “Oh, you’re Y/N, right? We live just three houses away from you; we moved in last month. I met your mother at brunch a few weeks back and she told me she had a daughter but you couldn’t make it because of tennis practice”, she beamed at me.

“Oh”, was all I could say. This had all been true. I’d skipped brunch a few weeks back in favour of playing tennis with this girl I’d met a few months ago called Sana. She was very sweet and I knew we’d become good friends.

 “I hope you don’t find this odd but… if you need a ride, I can take you home. I’m actually here to pick up my son Yuta; he should be finishing lacrosse try-outs in a few minutes. Maybe you know him, he’s your age so he could be in some of your classes!” I shook my head. I didn’t know him.

“But if it’s alright, I’d really like a ride back home, ma’am”, I sniffled. The woman smiled sympathetically and nodded, walking over to her car and opening one of the back doors. I strongly considered the fact that I might be getting kidnapped and that this Yuta kid didn’t actually exist but I was too cold and wet to care. Plus, maybe if I went missing, my dad would feel super guilty and actually care about me for a minute. I made my way down the stairs and into the woman’s car. She closed the door and walked over to the driver’s side, slipping herself into the seat. She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel as we sat there in silence for about 3 minutes. Suddenly, the passenger door swung open and someone took that seat. I couldn’t see their face properly but I could I could see their black, rain-soaked hair.

 “Yuta, this is Y/N. She lives a few houses down from ours”, his mother turned in her seat to point at me. Yuta slowly turned his head and shifted his body so that he could see me clearly. He was beautiful. How had I not noticed him before? My eyes scanned his face at least ten times, my gaze lingering on his pink lips, before either one of us finally spoke.

“Nice to meet you, Y/N”, he smiled, “I’m Yuta”.

Present day

Xiaojun held me close as I cried into his coat. The Uber ride felt never ending. Xiaojun hadn’t said anything since I’d started sobbing after I read the text. He’d simply just walked over to me a hugged me, held me for a minute, then ushered me into the car. I knew this wasn’t entirely my fault but I had definitely played my part. If anything happened to Yuta, I would never forgive myself. I finally pulled away from Xiaojun and looked down at my phone. There were no new messages. I don’t know what I was expecting; maybe I wanted to look down and find a text that read ‘just kidding’ followed by an eggplant emoji and a winking face. I could handle this being some sick twisted joke better than I could handle Yuta actually being critically hurt.

 “We’re here”, Xiaojun’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. I immediately opened the door and sped towards the hospital entrance. As I ran towards the building, I could make out two figures walking out; Taeyong and Jaehyun. They both looked distraught, Taeyong more so than Jaehyun. It was probably the guilt eating away at him. Jaehyun saw me and immediately called my name. I ran over to them and into Jaehyun’s arms.

 “What’s happening, Jaehyun?” I tried to control my sobs.

“It’s alright, babe, he’s in surgery right now so there’s no more information we can get until after it’s over”, he whispered. We both stood there in our embrace for a while before we pulled away. I looked over at Taeyong who stared back with red, apologetic eyes. He was hurting, maybe even more than me, but I was too upset to care. I wanted to hit him, to slap him across the face and tell him this was all his fault. I wanted to tell him that if anything happened to Yuta, he would have to live with it for the rest of his life. He would have to understand that he caused all of this because of his stupid ego. But as I looked at him and saw the broken boy staring back, I realised that he already knew.

 “I’m so sorry”, he simply said before turning away and walking towards an already waiting car.

 “I should probably go with him. If you want to, you can come with us. Nothing is going to happen for the next couple of hours”, Jaehyun sighed. I vigorously shook my head.

“No, no, I want to be here. I want to be right here. Nowhere else”, I protested. Jaehyun nodded as a small smile appear on his face.

 “Your guys have one fucked up love story, huh? I’d love to hear it one day”. And with that, he followed in Taeyong’s footsteps.

 “Jaehyun, can you please take my suitcase back to the club. It’s over there with Xiaojun”, I smiled weakly. Jaehyun gave me a small nod and made his way to Xiaojun who was struggling with both mine and his suitcases.

“Y/N! Thank God, you’re here!” I heard as soon as I walked into the hospital waiting room. It was Yuta’s mother.

“Mrs Nakamoto”, I called as I ran into her arms. We held each other tightly and I found myself sighing with relief. She was probably the only person who truly knew the extent of my relationship with Yuta, well, apart from the hooking up. She knew how much he truly meant to me, despite the aloof demeanour I treated him with over the years.

“He’ll be alright! Don’t worry; I’ve prayed and I’ve prayed. He’ll be alright”, Mrs Nakamoto comforted me as she pulled away from our hug. “The injuries aren’t as bad as I thought they’d be. He probably broke a few things but his head wasn’t hurt that much so there is no possibility of anything more than a concussion”. A sigh of relief escaped my lips once again. I finally took the time to look around the small white room. Apart from myself and Mrs Nakamoto, the only other person in the room was Ten who was sleeping on the dark blue sofa near the vending machine.

 “Why didn’t he go back to the country club with Tae and Jaehyun?” I asked.

“Jaehyun didn’t think it would be a good idea for Taeyong and Ten to be in the same car together. Ten is pretty furious at Taeyong. He said he was going to leave in a different car but then he fell asleep soon after. I wish I had a blanket for him”, explained Mrs Nakamoto. I look over at Ten one more time and smiled at his small figure, curled in a little ball as soft snores filled the room. “What happened, Y/N? Why did my baby try to kill himself?” I looked back at Mrs Nakamoto whose eyes were now filling with tears.

 “Oh no! He didn’t try to kill himself. He was just being drunk and dramatic. Don’t worry, Mrs Nakamoto, he’s not suicidal”, I offered her small smile.

 “I really hope you’re right… God, I’ve missed you. You never come by the house anymore”, Mrs Nakamoto sighed as she took a seat; I went and sat next to her.

“I know. I’m sorry”.

We sat in a comfortable silence for about ten minutes before the waiting room doors swung open and I turned to see the last person I wanted here tonight. Umji.

Three years earlier

“I’m not going to tell you”, I screamed through my laughter as Yuta tickled me. I tried to push him off of me in an attempt to escaped his grasp but he was too strong. I could feel myself edging towards the side of the bed so I decided to give in before we both fell onto the floor of Yuta’s bedroom. “Fine, fine, I’ll tell you!”.

Yuta immediately stopped his attack on my body, and he sat up at the foot of his bed. He looked over at me expectedly. “I don’t understand why you’re being so difficult. I know all the date-worthy guys at school. I could set you up with anyone”.

“I don’t have a crush though. I just think there are some cute guys”, I explained.

 “Like?”

“Jaehyun”

 “He’s such a player!”

“He’s cute! Okay, Taeyong”

 “Even worse!”

“What? Okay, fine. Xiaojun”

“Better but still not good enough for you”

 “Why do you hang out with them if they’re such bad guys?” I laughed.

“I’m a bad guy too”, Yuta shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. I wished I could argue against this point but deep down I knew that he was right; I just chose to ignore his cocky rich boy side. “Choose someone outside of my friendship circle. And stop checking out my friends!”

“Hmmm, what about Ten?”

“I SAID SOMEONE OUTSIDE MY FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE, YOU IDIOT! Plus, that would never happen, trust me”

“Why not?”

“Just choose someone else!”

 “Mingyu”. I’d seen him playing lacrosse when I went to watch Yuta and I remember thinking he was one of the most gorgeous boys I’d ever seen.

“Oh. Yeah, he’s cool, I guess. I could get him to ask you out”, Yuta mused. I tried to hide my excitement.

“What about you? Who do you like?” I found myself suddenly curious.

“No one in particular. Who do you think I’d look good with?” Yuta crawled across the bed so that he was now sitting next to me, our heads both resting on the headboard.

 “You’d look good with… Sakura, or maybe Karina, what about Umji?” I analysed all the beautiful girls in our school.

“Hmm… what about Sana?” he asked, turning his head to look at me.

“You can’t like Sana! She’s my closest friend”

“Exactly! That’s how it feels when you say stuff about Xiaojun and Jaehyun and all those guys”, he pouted. I laughed and turned my head to face him. Our faces were close but we were used to invading each other’s personal space.

“Okay, fine. I’ll stay away from your clique of players and you stay away from Sana. I can set you up with Umji and you can set me up with Mingyu”, I smiled.

 “No, I can’t stand Umji. She’s so fake, and she lives on drama. She loves starting it, being part of it and talking about it; she pretends she doesn’t but really, she craves being the centre of attention. She’s more Tae’s type”, he laughed and I laughed along with him. “Why are we talking about this again?”

 “You said that this is the ages when teenagers start losing their virginity so we should start dating to get the process going”, I whispered against his lips. I hadn’t noticed that our faces had drifted even closer together. It was then I realised that if we didn’t stop, we’d kiss.

 “Well, I just realised that things would move a lot quicker if we just skipped all that dating shit and went straight for the sex”. And before I could ask him what he meant his lips were on mine. I had never kissed anyone before and I was sure he hadn’t either so we both moved slowly and cautiously. Yuta pulled me up onto his lap, our lips staying connected. We moved them in sync for some seconds when I felt Yuta’s tongue slip through the small gap of my slightly open lips. It felt strange at first; someone else’s tongue was in my mouth, but I quickly found my own tongue beginning to explore his mouth. I felt his hands slipping under my t-shirt and working their way up to my bra. As he was about to unhook my bra, his bedroom door flung open. I pushed myself off him and innocently looked towards the entrance.

 “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to interrupt!” Mrs Nakamoto looked between Yuta and I, flustered. Yuta awkwardly ran his fingers through his hair and jumped off the bed.

 “You didn’t interrupt anything”, Yuta mumbled.

 “No, I did. I’m sorry. I was just going to say I’m going out for a bit but now I’m not so sure”, Mrs Nakamoto chuckled. “I mean; I knew you guys liked each other but I didn’t know you were secretly doing whatever this is. Maybe I shouldn’t have let you guys have all those sleepovers…” she continued to tease us.

 “That was the first time, okay. We were just… testing something”, Yuta walked over to the door and attempted to close it.

 “Oh no, no! Just because I like the idea of you two being together, doesn’t mean I’m going to continue letting you hang out in this bedroom with the door closed. I’m too young to be a grandmother! No sex until you get married, guys!” Mrs Nakamoto exclaimed. Yuta groaned, and I simply buried my head into my hands and wished I could disappear.

Present day

“What are you doing here?” I jumped up from my seat and quickly walked over to Umji.

 “The same thing you are. I’m here for my boyfriend”, Umji rolled her eyes at me, “Just because we went through a bump in our relationship doesn’t mean I don’t love him and care for his well-being”.

 “You didn’t go through a ‘bump’, you broke up. And please don’t say you love him because you don’t and he doesn’t love you”, I spat out. Umji rolled her eyes again and took out her phone. She unlocked it and tapped at it until she seemed to find what she was looking for. She turned the phone to face me and I looked over the device; it was a picture of a big bouquet of flowers with a card that simply read ‘love Yuta’.

 “He had this sent to me on my birthday, along with a custom-made Tiffany necklace. What did he ever do for you? From what I heard, you were a quick fuck when he was bored”, Umji smirked. I could feel my blood boiling at her words but the picture she’d shown me calmed my nerves. I remembered Yuta telling me that flowers and a necklace are…

“Excuse me, sweetheart, but unfortunately the doctor said there can only be a maximum of three guests”, Mrs Nakamoto suddenly chimed in. I turned to face her but her eyes were settled on Umji.

 “Then why can’t Y/N leave? I’m his girlfriend”, Umji whined, “And who the hell are you to decide who stays and who goes?”

 “I’m his mother”, Mrs Nakamoto retorted, “And from what I hear, you’re no longer his girlfriend… Thank God”. Umji’s eyes suddenly widened as she realised who she had just addressed in such a rude manner.

 “I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you were his…”

“I think it’s time for you to go, Umji”, I smiled as a flustered Umji tried to formulate an excuse. “And don’t pretend you care about him. If anything you’re probably just here to live tweet the drama for the whole school”. Umji looked over at me ready to say something but then decided against it. Maybe she could tell that I’d been crying and distraught and in no mood for her shit. She simply nodded slightly and turned on her heels to leave. Before she closed the door, she turned to look at me one last time.

 “I know he doesn’t love me. And I know that you weren’t just an occasional fuck. Whenever I was with him and you walked by, I could feel all of his attention shifting to you. And you didn’t even have to try”, Umji confessed, a sad smile playing on her lips. She finally closed the door and left you standing in the waiting room.

“Occasional fuck? Hmm, it looks like my no-closed-bedroom-door rule didn’t help much” Mrs Nakamoto suddenly chuckled humourlessly from her seat. I knew that she was very religious and had truly not wanted me to sleep with Yuta outside of wedlock. I sighed as I walked over to her.

 “I’m so sorry Mrs Nakamoto. We just… we couldn’t help it”, I looked at her apologetically.

“Hormones are a powerful thing I guess”, she smiled at me. “So when did it happen the first time? Where?”

I groaned and buried my head in my hands like I had when she’d caught Yuta and I making out on his bed.

“Oh come on, I’m just curious”, she laughed.

 “This is so weird!” I joined her in her laughter. After a long pause I decided to get it over and done with. “It was about 3 months after you caught is making out in his room… My mother had just found out about my father’s affair with Jessica, she’d packed up her things and left without so much as a goodbye to me. I was distraught and angry. I just wanted to get away from everything so Yuta stole your car, sorry about that, and we drove for hours and hours and just talked. We went to a beach and I cried and cried and we talked some more. After that I felt much better and we decided to head back home. By that time, it was so dark and we were so tired that Yuta decided to take us to your beach house instead, again sorry about that. We watched my favourite film and ate my favourite snacks; I just felt so safe with him. One thing led to another and we ended up sleeping together that night”. I smiled at the memory. It was the first time I truly felt like I was in love with Yuta. I think I’d loved him before but that was the first time I really knew.

 “I can’t believe my car and beach house were involved in this”, Mrs Nakamoto joked. I giggled. I wanted to tell her more, it felt good to share.

 “After that night, we started… being intimate quite regularly. But as we grew older, Yuta became more and more influenced by his friends. I could no longer ignore the person he was becoming and it killed me. So, we drifted apart but we still…I don’t know, I guess we still loved each other. So it became more a hate-sex kind of thing even though there were times when he’d come over to my house and find me crying because of a fight I had with my dad. I’d expect him to just leave but he surprised me each time by taking me out for a drive and treating me like he did that day”, I took a deep sigh. It wasn’t until Mrs Nakamoto’s fingers were wiping away my tears that I even realised I was crying.

 “Your mother loved you more than anything in the world. I hope you know that”, Mrs Nakamoto cooed.

 “Then why did she leave without me?” I sobbed.

“Your dad didn’t give her much of a choice…”, Mrs Nakamoto admitted.

“What does that mean?”

 “It’s not my responsibility to tell you. Talk to your dad when you get back, okay. Actually, I’m going to call a car for Ten, you should go with him. I’d really like to be alone”.

“I’ll see you back at the club, okay?” Ten gave me a sleepy smile as the car dropped me off at the beach. I smiled back and nodded, getting out of the vehicle.

It was now 7:30AM and I still hadn’t slept. My mind was too chaotic right now. It took less than 2 minutes for me to find the perfect spot in the sand to sit and watch the waves. I thought about every trip to the beach with Yuta. I thought about every heated encounter we had, both sexual and verbal. I thought about how no matter how much we fought and teased each other; we’d always find our way back in each other’s arms. Most importantly, I thought about how we’d never vocally admitted we were in love.

 “He’s going to be fine, you know”. I looked up to see Taeyong standing next to me. I quickly got up from the ground and tried turning to walk away. Taeyong grabbed my arm. “Wait! Please!”

“What is it, Tae? You want to apologise? Because that’s not going to fix anything. Yes, he’ll be fine but the fact that it even had to escalate to this level is disgusting”, I spat out, pulling my arm out of his grasp.

 “You don’t think I know that?” Taeyong fired back. He frantically ran his fingers through his hair. “Yuta is one of my best friends. But he hurt me. I love Umji so much. Yes, she’s a bit of a bitch sometimes but I love that about her. She’s such a fucking drama queen but I could sit there all day and listen to her talking shit about people I don’t care about…”

“Why are you telling me this?” I suddenly spoke up.

“Because you know what it’s like to ignore all the bad because the good outweighs it. That’s what it was like with Yuta, right? He’s an arrogant dick and he thinks he’s better than most people but you looked over that because you loved him. I’m telling you this because I don’t want you to think I did this for the sake of being malicious. I did it for Umji. You were just an easy target because I knew you had feelings for me; I’m sorry”, Taeyong looked at me apologetically.

“You know… I actually broke things off with Yuta because I wanted to be with you”, I laughed at my own stupid confession. “Goodness knows what I saw in you”.

“I’m hot”, Taeyong flashed me his killer smile. A few weeks ago, I would have fallen to his feet at the sight but now I felt nothing. Okay, not nothing, he was still exceptionally attractive.

“Why do I always fall for such conceited idiots?” I joked.

“Knowing you’re attractive doesn’t make you conceited. That’s just a mind-set sold to us by the beauty industry to make us insecure so we buy their crap”, Taeyong stated almost robotically. And it suddenly reminded me of Ten and how he’d warned me that him and Taeyong were extremely alike. “I don’t understand why you gave up on a guy you love for a guy you were kind of crushing on though”.

 “I thought maybe if I moved on, I could forget him. I didn’t want to be in love with him forever. I wanted to be with someone who was always nice to everyone. Not just secretly nice to me. And I didn’t want to just be an occasional fuck”.

“We both know you weren’t an occasional fuck. Yuta talked about you so much without even realising it; ‘Guys, doesn’t Y/N look different today? I think maybe she did something different with her hair… she looks stupid’, ‘Hmm, this candle smells so good. Y/N has one like this… she’s so stupid’, ‘Why was Mingyu flirting with Y/N at lunch today? I thought he was dating someone else… Did you see her giggle? She’s so stupid’” Taeyong’s impression of Yuta coaxed the hardest laugh I’d had in a while. “The guys and I came to the conclusion that calling you stupid was his warped way of saying he loved you”.

 “He’s so stupid”, I mumbled, and it was Taeyong’s turn to let out a laugh.

“I really hope this shitty situation at least brings you two together… properly this time”. I smiled at Tae and found myself wishing this shitty situation would bring him together with Umji.

One year earlier

Yuta quickly put his lacrosse shorts back on while I pulled up my panties. There wasn’t much room to move in the janitor’s closet but we’d made it work.

 “I hope you realise that was the only time I’ll let you fuck me without a condom”, I scolded.

“I know, I said I’m sorry! You think I want a kid right now? I just ran out, okay, but I really needed you before this game”, Yuta rolled his eyes while he helped me fix my hair.

 “You should keep track of all the random girls you sleep with so you can manage your condom supply”, I huffed, “I don’t want kids right now either”.

“I only have sex with you, idiot, we just go through boxes really quickly”, Yuta retorted. I froze as I processed the new information; Yuta only slept with me? He must have felt my suddenly static state because he stopped and looked down at me. “Do you fuck other guys?” His voice was small.

 “No! I’m just surprised because I thought for sure I was one of many. I hear girls talking about all the gifts you give them and so I assumed you were wooing them or something”.

“Okay, first of all, who says ‘wooing’? And second of all, I give girls flowers and sometimes jewellery; it’s no big deal when you have money. Flowers and necklaces are basic gifts; you don’t have to think about them and they’re not really that personal. At least not to me. If I really like a girl, I’d buy her something with significance to our relationship, you know”.

 “If you don’t sleep with these girls, why do you buy them flowers and all that?” I asked.

“My friends don’t know about us and I’d prefer they didn’t find out so I have to keep up appearances and make it look like I’m trying to get laid”, Yuta shrugged.

“You’re ashamed of me?” I gave him a fake pout. Yuta took a step forward and kissed me softly on the cheek.

 “Of course I am. I can’t have people knowing we’re a… thing. I’m awesome and you’re… stupid”, he chuckled. I didn’t take anything personally; we’d both agreed to keep our escapades quiet to avoid drama and complications. “I have to go now. The game starts in 5 minutes and I told Coach I was just going to the bathroom really quickly”.

 “Good luck, jerk”.

“Are you coming?”

 “No, my dad wants me to have a family dinner with him and Jessica”, I gagged, and Yuta looked at me with sad eyes.

“Oh… well, since you can’t come to my game, you owe me. We can go to the beach tomorrow, yeah?” he smiled. He made it sound like I was doing him a favour because I was missing his game but I could tell that he was doing me a favour because he could tell that I was upset at my father who was trying to replace my mother.

“Fine, I guess I owe you that much… Thanks”, I smiled. Yuta leaned down one more time, this time placing a chaste kiss on my lips.

Present day

I’d been back home for three weeks now and the first day back at school was tomorrow. Summer was officially over. After that day at the beach with Taeyong, we’d gone back to the country club where my father had shouted at me for trying to leave without telling him then proceeded to have a driver take me back home. He didn’t even let me check on Yuta before I left. All updates on Yuta’s condition had being given to me via his mother’s phone calls, and Ten, Jaehyun, Taeyong and Xiaojun’s texts. They told me he was fine and that he hadn’t even broken a single bone, although he still had some damage in his right ankle and had to walk around with crutches. I wanted to talk to him but every time I tried to ask his mother while we were on the phone, I’d chicken out.

 “I’ll see him tomorrow at school, Sana!” I groaned as she tried to persuade me to call him, “He still has my number blocked probably so it would be no use”.

 “You’re just making excuses! Call him on a different phone. You can’t ignore a guy who practically jumped off a roof because he was distraught about losing you”, Sana whined over the phone.

“I’m not ignoring him. I just want to give him space… And I’m pretty sure he just fell. What time are you getting here anyway?”

“I’m closer than you think”, Sana chirped. Suddenly the doorbell rang.

“Wow, impressive”, I laughed.

“What is?”

 “That you’re already at the door”, I said as I made my way to the entrance.

 As I pulled open the wooden door, Sana’s voice rang out from the device in my hand, “I’m not at your door…”

I froze in place as I looked at the person staring back at me, mirroring my motionless state. “Yuta…”

“H-hey Y/N”, he stammered, “I was wondering if…” Before he could even finish his sentence, I’d crossed the threshold of my house and thrown myself into him, hugging him tightly. He seemed caught off guard for a second before I felt his arms squeezing around me.

 “You’re okay! You’re okay!” I sobbed into his shirt. I’d been told multiple times that he was fine but seeing him here in front of me felt so unbelievably amazing.

“Yeah, I’m okay”, he laughed into my hair. We stood like that for minutes before we heard an awkward cough from behind us.

 “Sana! You’re here”, I blurted out. Yuta’s arms fell to his side and I took a step back, separating us. Sana looked between Yuta and I, a knowing smile on her face. She silently walked past Yuta and myself, entering my house and shutting the door. I stood outside my closed house and awkwardly looked up at Yuta; he let out a short laugh while quickly faded back into the silence.

The front door suddenly flew open and Sana quickly snapped a picture on her phone. “Say cheese”, she beamed before slamming the door again.

 “Umm, that was… weird. I… I just came here to… to let you know that… I’m not always that dramatic. You know, the whole roof thing. Yeah… I also wanted to apologise for…”

 “I love you”, the words sped out of my mouth before I could stop them. Yuta stared at me; his eyes wide. “I just… I wanted to say it loud just once”.

“You still love me after all this shit”, Yuta chuckled to himself, “Wow…”

 “Yeah, I guess I’m just stupid”, I giggled, embarrassed.

“You’re not stupid”, he smiled, “I love you too”. My heart stopped. I’d always imagined what it would feel like to hear him say those words but truly no fantasy lived up to the real thing.

“I guess we’re both stupid”, I whispered. Yuta closed the gap between us and rested his forehead on mine.

 “If Sana wasn’t here, I would have loved to take you out on a proper date”, he mused. Suddenly, the door flung open yet again and Sana, phone in hand, sped past us and down the driveway.

 “See you at school tomorrow!” she yelled as she disappeared into the distance.

“Your friend is so fucking weird”, Yuta laughed.

“Urgh, don’t even get me started on your friends”. We both chuckled, still holding each other. We had such a long way to go and so many broken things to fix but I loved him and he loved me and hopefully at the end of the road, that would be enough.

[yongility]

NEO TV # I LIKE ME BETTER WHEN I'M WITH YOU. (jaehyun x reader) 3/?

genre: angst, suggestive, gang au, rich kid au, enemies to lovers (kinda), a lil of fluffy stuff. slowburn, series.

warnings: drug use mentions, gangs, fights, use of weapons, adult language, illegal activities, cheating (not on the main couple), toxic family environment, addictions, manipulation, insecurities, illegal street racing, death mentions. jeno is jaehyun's younger brother, angst, smut and if I slip something my bad haha.

word count: +10k?

a/n: I’m sorry this took too long to post!! 😭😭 but I been so busy with college rn, I’m going to graduate this year so I’m like having a lot of work lately, and I wasn’t satisfied with what I was writing so that was the reason it took longer than expected, sorry!

I'm a sucker for cliche stuff so as soon as this fic popped in my mind l had to write it down, english isn't my first language tho.

I'm sorry if this is too long TT, but this is kinda a slowburn? it might contain a lot of parts so wait for part 3! One of the reasons this is long af it's because I would like to show you how Jaehyun and (Y/N's life is before they get together! So pls pls don't skip anything I hope you like it!

if you want to be in the taglist, just lemme know;) enjoy!

The third day of the week arrived promptly, where (Y/N) found herself comfortably seated in one of the library chairs, with her chemistry books scattered on the table in front of her as she studied for the exams she had coming up, with Jungwoo beside her.

It was becoming her routine for the week; after last Friday's party, what she most desired was to avoid being at home, especially after having an argument with her mother when she returned from the party.

She didn't want to deal with her in a good time.

Annoyed that her mother had thought it was a great idea to take away her right to use her own car as punishment for disobeying her that night and leaving the house... staying in the library seemed the most pleasant option; with silence, able to listen to music through her AirPods, without her mother bothering her every five minutes and being able to review what she had learned in her last classes: it was something she could take advantage of. She took a sip of her vanilla latte, which had been sponsored by Jungwoo, who, in an attempt to apologize for abandoning her in that way during last Friday's party, promised to pay for each of her daily drinks for a week and a half, no matter the cost.

And even though (Y/N) could afford that or even triple, she was still happy about it. Gifted things tasted even better anyway.

Of course, she first gave Jungwoo a -no- beating after telling him everything that had happened during his absence, but still, she appreciated that her friend was okay even though she hadn't heard anything from him until Saturday night.

During these last few days, with a new routine, (Y/N) was almost always in the same places, at the same times, and if she was honest, she was surprised not to have bumped into Jung Jaehyun at any moment.

It was weird; she would normally see him somewhere around the school, either accompanied by Lucas or just sitting on one of the benches while smoking his 'n' cigarette of the day. But simply, since Friday, she hadn't heard anything from him... she hadn't even bumped into Lucas, which increased the level of strangeness, considering he was a social butterfly, he was always around. (Y/N) had been aware of her words after Jaehyun had taken her home: she could no longer continue with whatever deal they had, with all the stress of her own tasks and knowing that no matter what she did, her cousin wouldn't give up his addictions, it was best to give up.

Although it would hurt her soul to know that there was no way to help Daeho.

But thinking about it, she didn't know if she had really been sincere about each going their own way... apparently Jaehyun had taken it very seriously to not show up anywhere, and although (Y/N) knew very well that being close to him didn't bring her anything good... his presence hadn't been so bothersome in the last few days. Really, after sharing a few words and spending more time with him, she couldn't say that she disliked his existence. It was funny if you asked the (Y/N) from a month ago, there would be no way she could have imagined that, somehow, she would be related to none other than Jung Jaehyun, who, on the outside, just seemed to be one more problem.

She tried to stop thinking about it and tried to focus her gaze on the book in front of her, but after a few minutes... it was difficult for her. There was something inside her that made her feel uneasy but she couldn't think what it was.

"There’s a race in Kosmo today" her best friend's voice brought her out of her thoughts.

Kosmo was the neighborhood that was right in the middle of the city, dividing Kwangya and Neo Zone. (Y/N) knew that there were usually illegal races in that area because it was when the rich kids from Kwangya usually dared to compete against Neo Zone.

"And why should I care...?"

"Your cousin will go to bet," Jungwoo replied, interrupting her study session.

The girl opened her eyes in surprise and asked, "How do you know?"

"Daeho told Mingi, and Mingi told me," he replied simply, shrugging his shoulders. The boy fell silent for a moment and cleared his throat. "Don’t you want to go?" He asked curiously.

(Y/N) looked up from her books and observed her friend incredulously. "Why would I want to go?"

"To keep an eye on Daeho," he answered.

"I'm still mad with him, I've decided not to help him anymore. I really tried, I've been trying for the past few years, but he doesn't want help and now I understand," the girl confessed, closing her book and letting out a sigh.

"Still... don't you think it would be fun? Getting out of our comfort zone a bit... seeing what all this racing stuff is about. I've heard they're amazing," Jungwoo insisted.

"Jungwoo, my mom will kill me if she finds out I went to an illegal race," the girl continued, taking a sip of her coffee.

"She won't find out."

"Jungwoo..."

"Come on, (Y/N), we won't even be in Neo Zone, it'll be in Kwangya only. We'll go, watch the race, and leave. We won't even make contact with anyone. We'll go on our own," the boy assured her, moving closer to her. "Please, I think it would be interesting to break out of our routine, just for one night, what could go wrong?"

"Many things could go wrong, Woo," she replied.

"We won't know unless we try," he pouted, clasping his hands together. "Please."

She hated how persuasive her best friend was.

She sighed and shook her head. "Fine, but at the first sign of trouble, we're leaving without a second thought."

"I love you so much," Jungwoo replied, hugging her shoulders.

"And I really hate you."

______________________________________________

The night fell faster than she expected, and among the roar of engines and the intense music that could be heard on the outskirts of Kosmo, (Y/N) felt something cold run through her body.

She could see familiar faces here and there, some of her classmates from Kwangya were in the place, and from the opposite side, the cars and familiar faces of Neo Zone were present.

It was a strange atmosphere for her; she had always played it safe, and now she didn't even know what to think. She felt herself getting closer to Jungwoo to not lose him, the last thing she needed was for them to separate like they did at the party.

She didn't think she could survive alone.

And it's not that she was dumb to think otherwise, but her parents raised her in an environment where they made her believe that she shouldn't do things outside her daily life. (Y/N) was afraid of adventures. Her life was governed by being obedient and doing the right thing; she didn't know when the moment of rebellion she had a few days ago when she left home the night of the party had been wise.

And now finding herself in Kosmo secretly from her mother at an illegal race? She must have gone crazy.

She believed even more so that she had gone crazy when something inside her hoped to run into none other than Jung Jaehyun.

She didn't understand why the urgency of what was happening, and even less why she expected to run into Jaehyun before running into Daeho.

Maybe it was because she found it strange not to have seen him since last Friday's party.

But she knew that if there was one place Jaehyun wouldn't miss... it would be the race tonight.

"Are you looking for Daeho?" Jungwoo asked when he saw her looking around. "He's probably with Mingi."

How could she explain to her friend that the person she was looking for was none other than Jung Jaehyun?

She nodded without saying more, and they both continued on their way while cautiously observing their surroundings. The smell of marijuana and car engines was embedded in the place, the music made their ears ring, and the night breeze made their bodies tremble.

(Y/N)'s eyes drifted away when she noticed Lucas in the distance, having a conversation with another guy. Lucas felt her gaze on him and looked at the girl with confusion before approaching her after apologizing to his companion.

"Hey, Kwangya kiddos, what brings you here on this magnificent night?" Lucas asked enthusiastically.

"We wanted to know what these races are about," Jungwoo replied simply.

"Hmm, interesting," the tall guy nodded. "Well, you're in luck, Jaehyun will race today, are you sure you want to see the show? The best of the area against someone from Yellow Wood," Lucas explained while cracking his fingers slightly.

Upon hearing the guy's name, (Y/N) looked up and paid attention to Lucas's words.

"If you're interested in betting, come to me," Lucas advised.

"I think we're fine like this," said (Y/N).

"Alright, take care. I'll go look for my guy to get him ready for the race," Lucas announced as he patted Jungwoo on the back.

The guy walked away from them with a smile, and Jungwoo responded with one of his own, then he looked at his friend and frowned, "relax, you're anxious."

How could she not be?

But before she could even answer anything, a few meters away, she saw the familiar face she had been looking for. In the distance, the silhouette of Jung Jaehyun was leaning against his car while talking to a few guys from Neo Zone, his neck tattoos weren't very visible due to the darkness of the night but she could distinguish them a bit, then... as if he had called him, Jaehyun's gaze moved to connect with hers, making her freeze in place.

Jaehyun frowned when he saw her standing just a few steps away from him, looking like a lost puppy as she stood beside Jungwoo.

The sight reminded him of a month ago when Daeho had clumsily brought (Y/N) to Neo Zone. Although this time she was accompanied by her best friend, another rich and spoiled kid from Kwangya. He observed the outfit she had decided to wear, once again, just like that time, it wasn't extravagant, no famous brand could be seen in her attire, and the only piece of jewelry she wore was a pair of earrings that definitely looked like gold...

He hoped she wouldn't lose them tonight.

Because they made her look good.

The surprise was evident on the girl's face when she took a better look at the brunet's body, who was now walking towards her, wearing a hoodie with its hood over his head and as he got closer, the darkness of the night was no longer so intrusive. It hadn't been enough to hide the bruises that were scattered across his body.

There was one under his cheek, just below his left eye, and it was reddish, as if it were flushed. Then, looking at the ones between his jaw and his neck, she noticed how they subtly mixed with the ink of the tattoo he had on his neck. That one was difficult to distinguish thanks to the dark lines that adorned that part of his body, but if you paid enough attention, it was alarming.

When she lowered her gaze over his torso and then looked at his hands, she could see the intense shades of red that his knuckles contained, as if ground blood had accumulated on each of them.

It wasn't the first time she had seen Jaehyun or Lucas with a bruise or two on a school day, but it was the first time she had seen it up close.

Her heart was pounding a mile a minute. Why was it suddenly doing this?

"Did you lost your way home?" Jaehyun asked when he was in front of her.

"Jaehyun," she muttered quietly, "... are you okay?"

The girl didn't need much to realize that was the stupidest question she could ask right now, of course he wasn't okay. And although she knew this happened regularly in Jaehyun's life, she couldn't help but fill her head with doubts; what had to happen for him to end up like this?

... was that the reason he hadn't gone to school?

A small smile appeared on the boy's face, and even with the different colors decorating his face, she could still notice the dimples that formed in it.

Why did he still look good?

"I don't think you came here to ask that, Angel," Jaehyun replied mockingly. "I really believed in your whole story about us going on our ways, so what are you doing at a race where most of the spectators are from Neo Zone?"

The girl was left speechless. "Jungwoo brought me here."

"Well, if that's the case, enjoy the races, I think it'll be fun for you to spice up your Wednesday nights a bit," he continued with a sarcastic smile.

"What happened to you?" She asked again.

Jaehyun didn't answer.

He had gotten himself into big trouble... all thanks to Jeno.

He had trusted that all his merchandise would be sold by the time Monday came around, but after being at Johnny Suh's party, where other dealers were also present, he didn't manage to sell what he needed.

He had a little less than half left in his pockets and in Lucas's.

Luck had not been on his side this time, and when he had to be accountable to Lee Sooman, he had to take responsibility for his brother's actions. And despite telling him that he would not take care of him like he used to after the argument they had... he'd much rather take the beatings he had received than see Jeno the way he did in the mirror.

That time, it really felt eternal. He still remembers the angry (but also mocking) look Sooman had on his face when Jaehyun and Lucas brought the money to his office and after asking Lucas none too kindly to leave, that was when Jaehyun knew what was coming.

With Cheol Uk by his side, leading him out of the office to the vacant lot not far from the warehouse, Jaehyun could do nothing but accept what was coming.

It was one blow after another, and he knew well that at that moment, defending himself was not something he should do or he would end up worse.

He remembers feeling every punch with tremendous pain, and all he could think about was Jeno and how he would have felt if it had been him getting beaten up.

At least Jaehyun was used to the beatings and had no choice; he already knew that all of this was part of being someone from Neo Zone, so he simply had to continue to comply with what Sooman demanded to the letter unless he wanted to end up again in the position he was in.

What felt like hours was really just a few minutes; Cheol Uk stopped hitting him after a while and without saying more, he left. Leaving Jaehyun in the middle of the vacant lot with a broken lip and eyebrow as he spat blood and reached for his abdomen for some support to get up and walk to where he knew Lucas was waiting for him.

How much more? How much longer would he have to keep with all of this?

But, right now, it wasn't something he should talk about.

"It's really not something you need to know," he replied with a smirk. "You came to enjoy the race, right? Then do it, I'll be running in a few minutes, if you don't get scared by the atmosphere here before that, I'm sure you'll want to see me," Jaehyun continued, winking at her.

"I think it'll be fun to see you in second place," the girl teased.

"Baby... I always win," Jaehyun bragged, looking her directly in the eyes.

It was then that the girl didn't say anything else, she just kept her gaze on his. She hated feeling intrigued by Jaehyun himself. Because right now she didn't even feel like she was in Kosmo, with Jaehyun in front of her looking directly at her, she didn't even feel real. She was getting into fire and she knew it.

And she didn't know if she could escape from it.

For a moment she felt a heaviness on her shoulders and warmth surrounded her, causing her to snap out of her thoughts and notice that the jacket that Jaehyun was wearing over his hoodie was now over her body.

"You were trembling like a chihuahua," Jaehyun explained. "Don't consider it an act of kindness, I'm just returning the favor after having done my jobs those two weeks... at least now they won't kick me out of school this evaluation period," he continued.

"I'm not sure if I should feel good knowing that I'm indirectly helping an illegal business," she replied, adjusting the jacket.

"No one needs to know," he replied. "Good luck tonight, don't get lost too much because things get interesting," he said, and without further ado, he turned around to go back to his friends.

(Y/N) stood perplexed in her place, and it was then that she felt Jungwoo's presence next to her.

"What was that?"

"I have no idea."

_______________________________________________

The next morning, after putting her books back in her backpack, (Y/N) looked at the jacket folded inside her bag, feeling a heaviness and remembering the events of the previous night.

The rumors were true... Jung Jaehyun was the best street racer in the area, because he not only competed once the day before, but two more times, winning 3 victories in a short time, and to be honest, it had been impressive.

She hadn't run into him again after the brief conversation they had, and even though she had been waiting for it... she and Jungwoo bolted from the place when they heard the police sirens approaching Kosmo.

The last thing she needed was for her parents to find out about her escapade.

She didn't hear anything from Daeho the night before, she even doubted if he had really gone to the race.

She didn't want to give too much importance to the situation, which is why she chose to continue her path through the school hallways, hoping to return the jacket that was at the bottom of her bag and trying to divert her thoughts to something other than Jaehyun.

And as if she had summoned him, she saw him under the entrance roof as he leaned against the wall and took a drag from the cigarette in his hands. (Y/N) checked the day's weather and cursed when she noticed the raindrops falling lightly. She had forgotten about today's forecast.

Jaehyun was lost in his thoughts as he watched the rain and let out the smoke in his chest.

The bruises were still visible.

She stopped abruptly to take the jacket out of her bag and, without saying anything, approached him and handed it back to him.

Jaehyun looked at her with a raised eyebrow and blew out the smoke from his lungs.

"You're welcome," Jaehyun said as he took the jacket in his hands.

"Yes, thank you," she said, feeling her cheeks flush.

"Where did you park your car?" Jaehyun asked out of nowhere.

"I didn't bring it with me, my mom confiscated it," she blurted out without thinking, and when she turned to look at Jaehyun, she noticed a mocking smile on his face.

"Oh, mom took away your Porsche," he pouted mockingly and shook his head. "Come on, I'll take you home."

"I'm fine, Jaehyun. Thanks," she said as she looked at the rain.

"Come on, it wouldn't be the first time I've taken you. Plus, the school won't be closing anytime soon."

She thought about all the possibilities that crossed her mind, but something about her was excited to think about the ride home.

"Where's your car?"

______________________________________________

It was fortunate that his car was nearby.

Jaehyun turned on the heater as soon as they got into the car, and without further ado, the journey began.

It was just like the first time they had been together in the same car. Without saying anything, both with their eyes focused on the road, and it was then that they both realized that they didn't have a topic of conversation. The few times they had interacted had been about their interests and what they needed from each other at the moment. However, Jaehyun didn't know anything about (Y/N) that he hadn't heard at school, and (Y/N) didn't know anything about Jaehyun that she hadn't heard in the hallways or from her parents about the people from Neo Zone.

At this point, they weren't even acquaintances.

They had just coincided in something and that was it.

(Y/N) took the opportunity to send a text message to Jungwoo and tell him that he no longer needed to pick her up, without explaining more, she sent the text and subsequently, Jaehyun's phone rang.

The boy sighed and cautiously looked for a quick place to park even with the sound of the mobile phone ringing filling the car. He took the device and (Y/N) could notice the slight tension that seized Jaehyun's body as he read the caller ID, without thinking twice he answered the call.

The brunette felt weird being able to hear Jaehyun's conversation, so she tried to distract herself with something else. First with her phone, then looking out the window where she could see the rain beginning to dissipate, and then she could hear a "I'll be there in a moment" that made her react and turn to see him end the call.

The boy scratched his neck and then brought his hands to his face to rub it, let out a deep sigh, and looked at (Y/N).

“Uh, I need to do something quickly and your house is still a bit far... Do you mind if we stop by that place first? It's on the way” he asked with no other option.

“Does this has to do with your job?” She asked.

It took him a moment to respond: — No, it's not about my job. You can stay in the car, it's just that, I really need to get there.

After seeing Jaehyun's face and not being able to decipher what he was trying to say, (Y/N) nodded, not very sure, and that was enough for Jaehyun to quickly start the car.

Thousands of thoughts ran through (Y/N)'s mind. Eager to know where they were headed; she didn't know if she should believe Jaehyun that this wasn't about picking up or delivering goods or meeting someone who worked on the same thing he did.

She was only sure they wouldn't go to Neo Zone because they were far from there.

She could see how impatient Jaehyun seemed while driving, and that only made her even more nervous. What exactly did they tell him in that call to make him like this? She wanted to ask, but she knew she wouldn't get an answer.

She didn't know how many minutes had passed, she only knew that the rain stopped just before the car parked and she finally noticed where they were. A gray building was a few meters away from them, and it wasn't hard to recognize it.

It was the National Rehabilitation Center.

A long and large building, which was accompanied by an extensive garden, and from the outside, you could see that there were a huge number of rooms inside it.

Her head was flooded with even more questions knowing that this was the place where Jaehyun was needed.

“You can stay in the car if you want. I'll be back in a moment” Jaehyun said as he opened the car door and got out.

Curiosity got the better of her.

And that's why she got out of the car and followed Jaehyun. Without saying anything, they entered the building where they were immediately greeted by a nurse who seemed to know the boy well.

“Jaehyun, I'm glad you were able to answer the call” said the woman as she greeted them. “We need to talk to you”.

The boy nodded and turned to (Y/N), who just nodded and said, “I’ll wait for you.”

He smiled slightly and walked with the person until they reached the reception where she was able to pull out a few papers.

It had been, perhaps, about two weeks since the last time he had been there. A place he was very familiar with and where he regularly went; he had become good friends with the friendly nurses who apparently didn't care where he came from.

He was grateful that the nurse didn't say anything when his bruises and wounds were clearly visible.

“Has something happened?” he asked after a few seconds.

“ He's fine” the nurse said with a smile “but we need to talk to you about his stay here” she continued.

That's when the small smile on his face disappeared. Jaehyun knew what she was referring to. He swallowed hard before the nurse could speak.

“The payment is overdue, Jaehyun," the nurse confirmed what he already knew. "We care about Sicheng's health, but this is not my concern. You know that the center relies on patients' monthly payments, and the administrators in charge of them request them punctually," she commented as she handed Jaehyun one of the papers. "I understand your situation and Sicheng's, but there's nothing more I can do even if I wanted to; I've tried to delay the payment as much as I could, but unfortunately, it can't be delayed any longer. The administrators expect the payment soon, or we'll have to discharge Sicheng and send him home," she concluded.

It was difficult at first for Jaehyun to process everything the nurse had said, as more than ten things ran through his mind at once; one of them being his good friend Winwin, then, thinking about how he could quickly get the money he knew he owed to the clinic, considering the beating he had just received for not being able to complete a sale. So, what would he do? He still needed half the money for that monthly payment, and between the clinic's expenses and those of his own house for his family, he couldn't see a way to get the money on time.

He would have to ask for more stash to sell if he wanted to do it.

He couldn't let them discharge Sicheng.

Not while he hasn't made progress.

"I'm sorry," Jaehyun said. "I... I still have a little left to complete the payment. It's just that lately, it's been harder, and... how much time do I have to pay it?" the breathless boy asked.

"Considering that it's only the first few days of the month, and the payment is already two weeks late... I can't give you more than three days," lamented the nurse, making a grimace.

"I'll try the impossible to bring you that money on Saturday. Sicheng still can't be discharged; he hasn't progressed the way he was supposed to," he affirmed, a slight pout evident in his mouth.

What a contrast there was between his expression and the bruises, accompanied by the tattoos on his body.

Being in the Rehabilitation Center was the place where he could be most vulnerable.

"How is he?" he asked, lowering his gaze.

"Same as the last time you came to visit him," commented the nurse. "We're doing what we can, Jaehyun, but as long as he stays the way he is, we can't move forward. We need his will to help him."

When no words came out of his mouth, the nurse continued: "Jaehyun, you know you can go see him."

For Jaehyun, each visit was just as difficult as the day he decided to admit Sicheng to that clinic, and each one left him more tormented than the previous.

He would give everything if that means that Sicheng would go back to be himself.

He nodded after a few seconds and cautiously glanced back, where, not far away, (Y/N) was reading some brochures and observing the facilities around them; when she noticed the boy's gaze on her body, she walked toward him carefully.

The brunette didn't really know what came to his mind or what caused those words to come out of his mouth, but when he wanted to back off, it was too late, because they had already been expressed.

"Are you coming with me?"

And although (Y/N) had no idea why they were there or where they were going, she accepted anyway. So they found themselves walking down the long whitewashed hallway until they reached an elevator, and then they went up about three floors.

The atmosphere was cold, the hallways and rooms were well-lit, and they could see a few nurses and what she assumed were doctors walking around in their lab coats.

Jaehyun didn't know why he was allowing himself to show her that part of his life, especially when it was such a fragile part for him. He had tried to protect it cautiously for the past few months, and now he was there, accompanied by Hwang (Y/N), with the person he never thought he would meet at that moment.

He hadn't really thought of her when he asked if they could go there before going home; his head was only thinking about the clinic and Sicheng when the call had ended, and it was too late to change his mind when they had set off.

He just hoped the girl would be discreet enough.

They reached room 119, where Jaehyun pushed the door open and where in a wheelchair, they both could see Winwin, who was facing the large window of his room, looking outside.

(Y/N)'s surprised face did not go unnoticed; she was confused in a thousand ways. She knew who Dong Sicheng was; everyone in her school knew him, however... she thought he had simply left the city. She had no idea he was in that place. So in her head, thousands of questions arose about him, why he was there, and why he was in a wheelchair.

She could only react when she heard Jaehyun's voice: "Hey, buddy. How are you today?"

Nothing.

That's what he received.

Jaehyun walked over to him, and when he stood next to him, he crouched down enough to be able to observe him better. Winwin had his gaze fixed forward, his cheeks were a little rosy, his hair fell over his forehead, and his hands were resting on his legs.

Jaehyun sighed.

"Oh, I see you've taken a shower today," the boy mentioned with a smile, and again, there was not a single response.

When he noticed the presence of the girl, who had remained in her place throughout the visit and hesitated to approach them, he spoke: "Today I'm not alone; I brought company. Maybe you'll find it helpful to hear another voice that isn't mine or Lucas's... or the nurses'," the boy teased and gestured to the brunette to come closer, who obeyed. "Do you remember (Y/N)? She was in our class; we've coincided a couple of times, that's why she's here."

"Hello, Winwin," she greeted softly. Jaehyun made a grimace and stood up from his place to be at the girl's height.

"Don't expect an answer," Jaehyun commented. "There won't be one."

"I thought... I thought Winwin had moved to China," (Y/N) confessed.

Jaehyun snorted: "Yes, that's what everyone thinks."

Those words took her by surprise, and it was when she decided to remain silent, watching from a distance the little interaction between the boys: it was just Jaehyun saying a few words while adjusting Sicheng's hair without expecting any response.

Dong Sicheng and Jung Jaehyun had been friends since birth, being two little boys who grew up on the streets of Neo Zone, it was easy to click with each other. Winwin's parents had decided to move to the infamous area after his father had met Lee Sooman in some low neighborhood in Wenzhou, China, and he had offered him a job where he could have his family at least a little better off than in his country.

Winwin had not joined the gang since it had not been of great urgency to him; his father was the active member needed by the family, and if he were honest... the farthest he could be from the Neo Zone gang... the better. He was always Jaehyun's companion at all times. Best friends who shared every detail of their lives for years, Jaehyun took care of Sicheng, and he provided the most sincere friendship he had ever had... then, a while later, Lucas Wong and Mark Lee joined their adventures.

Four boys from Neo Zone with the desire to conquer the world, but unable to leave their sad reality behind.

Jaehyun still remembers that fateful day a year ago, and he still feels like it happened yesterday.

The guilt gnawed at him every passing day, terrorizing each of his nights as he wondered: Why?

Why did something like that have to happen to someone as good as Dong Sicheng was?

A year ago, when Jaehyun had chosen to go deliver a package of stash after Winwin had asked him to stay and keep him company, and he had denied that request... that decision still drilled into his head.

Winwin's family and he had been robbed in their own home. Knowing who had done it, the reasons for the event, and who had ordered such inhumanity, were still a mystery. When Winwin's parents along with him tried to flee the place by leaving in a car; it had not been the wisest decision they had made at the moment... because not long after, outside of Neo Zone, after the group of people who had robbed their home managed to shoot a clean shot in one of the tires of the rear part of the car, causing Winwin's father to lose control of his own vehicle and not a few meters later it would impact hard enough for the car to be shot in another direction, causing immediate damage.

Jaehyun only remembers receiving a call from Lucas and minutes later finding himself at the entrance to the Emergency Room of the General Hospital, where a stretcher with Winwin's body was being transported.

He remembers seeing the blood. He remembers hearing Lucas and Mark's screams asking to see their friend. He remembers standing still at the entrance to the Emergency Room.

But above all, he remembers thinking, what would have happened if instead of deciding to go sell that stupid package of stash, what if he had stayed at home with his mother and Sicheng?

A week in a coma and a diagnosis of paraplegia was what made Jaehyun lose his mind.

It had been a year since the accident, and Winwin had not even progressed a bit. After being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, it had been difficult to help the injury in the dorsal spine that he had suffered; the damage had been partial, Winwin could handle his movements and his sensitivity to walk again... if only he would come out of the state of shock he was still in.

There were too many things he experienced in so few minutes, so much physical and mental pain for what happened, that now, Sicheng couldn't react.

It had been a year since Sicheng hasn’t spoken.

The doctors assured that he could hear and understand everything, but he was simply mentally tired to process the words and make them come out of his mouth.

His body didn't react as it should either.

And until Winwin had the strength of his own will to do it, the only thing they could do at that clinic was to keep him on medication so that the pains would not persist.

But Jaehyun couldn't take it anymore.

What he would give for Sicheng to be able to enjoy life again.

Unfortunately, the visits he made to the hospital... didn't last more than half an hour since that was the place's regulation. So, his farewell was as quick as his arrival.

"See you on Saturday, Win," he put his hand on his shoulder. "Don't give the nurses too much trouble."

He could swear he heard Winwin laugh and say goodbye.

Even though that really didn't happen.

(Y/N), who throughout the visit remained silent observing both boys, could feel her heart in her hand. She had never believed she would see that vulnerability on Jaehyun's part, and knowing what it was about because of the importance his best friend had in his life, made her heart ache with sadness even more.

"Now I'll take you home," murmured Jaehyun when he passed by her without saying anything else.

The girl glanced back, looking for the last time at Sicheng's silhouette, who hadn't moved from the same place since they had both arrived in the room. She took a deep breath and left the room when Jaehyun was already far enough away.

She didn't know what to say. There were no words of comfort for the situation, and she knew it, that's why they both silently said goodbye to the nurse who had received them and continued like that until they entered the car, which was not parked far away.

Jaehyun allowed himself to lean back on the driver's seat as he closed his eyes and sighed heavily.

"I guess you have many questions," Jaehyun said without opening his eyes.

She had.

"I don't know if I really should ask them," (Y/N) confessed as she looked at him.

The boy remained silent for a few seconds.

"Sicheng and his parents had an accident a year ago," Jaehyun said, opening his eyes to look at her. "An accident that was caused."

"By whom?"

"No one knows," he replied, taking his hands to the steering wheel of the car and squeezing it tightly. "His parents died instantly... Winwin arrived at the hospital in critical condition; it was a miracle that he came out alive."

"Why...?"

"Why is he in this clinic?" he interrupted, and she nodded with a knot in her stomach. "The accident had a great impact and damaged on his dorsal spine; the doctors diagnosed partial paraplegia; his sensitivity in his legs was minimal, and he couldn't make any extensive movements with his legs that didn't make him cry from the pain. After seven days, he woke up from the coma and realized everything that had happened, including my uncle's death... he hasn't said a single word since then... the doctors said it would take time for him to recover, and that eventually, he would speak, but Winwin doesn't have the will to do it; he's still in a kind of state of shock, and that has delayed his recovery," he explained, unable to see her in the eyes.

"Who... who pays for all this if Sicheng's parents aren't here?" she asked curiously.

Jaehyun sighed; "For the first few months, my boss covered part of the monthly fee, until suddenly he stopped doing it. Since then, I've been taking care of it."

The girl's expression was one of surprise.

"How do you do it?"

"That’s the reason I'm in the business that I'm in," he replied, changing his gaze to her, being able to see directly into her eyes and causing her to feel a shiver run through her body.

There was something about those bruised eyes that had done something to her.

"It must be hard," the girl said in a murmur.

Jaehyun snorted and nodded slowly. He hated being seen in his less tough character. The only person he allowed himself to be like that with was Lucas... or Winwin. And for a stranger to see him like that... made his blood boil.

"You know? Winwin loved dancing," Jaehyun said, smiling sideways as the memory came to his mind.

That fact wasn't strange for (Y/N), she remembers seeing Winwin at the school theater... the only boy from Neo Zone who was part of the dance team. She didn't even know how he had managed that, but he must have been good if the Kwangya students allowed him to be in the group.

"Now nobody knows if he'll be able to do it again," Jaehyun continued. "Winwin was the only one of all of us who really had a future, he wasn't even a gang member... he hadn't even gone through his initiation, and look how he ended up."

(Y/N) swallowed.

"Mark Lee is no longer friends with you, right?" The girl asked curiously.

"Things got complicated with him after the accident."

The brunette fell silent for a moment and then shifted her body to face him.

“Haven't you thought about looking for another alternative?” she questioned again “You know? If you let me help you, maybe I could get you a position at my father's company and...”

“Shh. I think I've told you it's not that easy.”

“ But it could be” she insisted.

Jaehyun scoffed and shook his head as he looked away from her.

“I not only have to cover this quota, I also have to bring money home, for my mom and for Jeno. It's the easiest way to get what I need” he confessed “besides, I told you once... in Neo Zone there's no way out, once you're in, you're in forever.”

The tattoos on his neck were what sentenced him to a miserable life forever.

But as long as that miserable life helped to ease the pain and managed to make Sicheng return to who he was, it would be worth it.

“It doesn't have to be like this” she murmured, focusing on her own hands.

"You don't know what it's like to be part of this," he countered in a low voice.

How had they opened up to have such a conversation so suddenly?

The girl felt her lip tremble as she remembered the scene she had witnessed minutes earlier in that room, and she couldn't help but think about how it would feel to lose a loved one in such a way... knowing that physically they were present, but mentally they weren't there.

(Y/N) had always had a heart easy to move, but she really never believed that Jung Jaehyun would be able to achieve that.

"Is that why you insist on continuing school?" she asked, looking at him again.

"Students are my best clients," he replied with a half smile.

(Y/N) didn't know how to take that.

She closed her eyes for a moment and then said, "I can help you with a few more assignments," she assured. "But only for a while and in my own way. But, I don't want you to involve me in any of the problems you're in, it will only be school matters. I don't want to be associated with anything you do, if anything you do is enough to help Sicheng, I'll try not to question it."

Jaehyun couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"If that helps you help me and me stay in school..." he paused "...I might be willing."

"What's the reason for your change of heart?"

"Because if I were in the same situation as you, I would also want someone to somehow help me," she replied, hugging herself.

The boy nodded with a half-smile, and without further ado, he started the car.

"Only school matters," Jaehyun confirmed.

She definitely didn't know what he had just gotten himself into.

______________________________________________

The day after the visit to the National Rehabilitation Center, something happened that made (Y/N) unable to concentrate enough during class hours. Her mind kept going back to the place over and over again, but how horrible was the situation the boy was in. One day you're capable, and the next... not even being able to move. How could anyone endure that?

At some point in the morning, during the physics period, her mind was spinning, her leg moving anxiously, and she bit her lips. She tried to erase the conversation she and Jaehyun had had the day before a thousand times and tried to erase the image of Winwin in that room.

But it was impossible.

Just when she thought she had succeeded, the image returned immediately.

She hated being someone who cared too much about things.

Because she knew something wasn't right with her when she found herself in front of the doors of the Rehabilitation Center.

Her coat shielded her from the cold breeze on that day, and as she clutched her bag to her, she didn't think anymore and entered the place.

She felt a little out of place when she entered the center, but after a few minutes, a presence came in front of her.

"Hello, good morning," the nurse greeted her. "Oh, you're the girl who accompanied Jaehyun yesterday, right?" She asked in confusion.

The girl smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'm Hwang (Y/N). I'm Jaehyun's classmate... and Winwin's."

"How nice of you to visit us... are you here to see Winwin? It's rare to see someone come for him other than Lucas or Jaehyun," confessed the nurse.

"Um, yes... I could say I'm here for a visit," the girl smiled. "But, to be honest... yesterday I overheard a bit of his conversation with Jaehyun... I know Winwin's payment is delayed this month."

"Yes, usually Jaehyun finds a way to pay on time," she sighed. "But this month it's been delayed for a few weeks, and if I'm honest, I've been doing everything I can to keep Winwin from being discharged."

The girl nodded and asked, "Do you think Winwin's treatment will still take time?"

"I can't answer that accurately," admitted the nurse. "It's all a matter of Winwin's will, but to be honest, right now he has no will at all, so far as we're concerned, and if the payment continues to be monthly... he could spend another half a year here."

The girl understood the situation, and although she would like to think more about it... she didn't, so she didn't even know when she blurted out those words: "Is there any way I can pay for the next six months?"

The nurse's eyes widened with surprise, and she looked at the girl with enthusiasm. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," she replied. "I would like to help one of my classmates as long as I can. Money is not a problem," she confessed.

"Wow... thank you, i really appreciate that. Winwin is a boy with a lot of potential from what we know, and although we're sad that we haven't made the progress we want, we know that someday he will leave through that door better," (Y/N) smiled nostalgically.

"I just need to ask you something," the brunette confessed. "Could you not tell Jaehyun that I've paid?" she questioned.

"I don't know if it's easy to lie to someone like Jaehyun," the nurse laughed. "But since it's something good you've done... I'll try," the nurse walked to the desk with (Y/N) behind her. "(Y/N)?" She called and paid attention. "I know there may be many things about Jaehyun... but he's a good guy... beneath all that facade; he really has something good."

Those words hammered in her head. "Thank you."

_____________________________________________

(Y/N) reviewed the same line of text she had read five times now on some molasses topic. Trying to understand the topic deeply.

The air coming lightly through one of the library windows was enough for her to try to hug herself to take warmth, read a bit from the physics books on the table, and impatiently move her leg.

She didn't know at what exact moment a tall figure stood in front of her, but what she did know was that that person didn't seem very happy.

"Why did you do it?" Jaehyun let out while looking directly at her.

"I don't know what you're talking about," (Y/N) replied while looking at her book attentively.

"I know you know. I thought I told you I don't need your money," Jaehyun repeated with annoyance.

"I still don't know what you're talking about," the girl stopped seeing her book and changed her gaze to the boy.

"Don't play with me," the boy exclaimed exasperatedly. "Why did I went to the center today and they told me Winwin's treatment has been paid for the next six months?"

The girl shrugged. "It could have been your boss."

"My boss doesn't give a shit about Winwin!" Exclaimed the boy. "I told you I didn't need your money, I was clear, I don't want to owe anything to anyone from Kwangya."

"You don't need to pay me back," the girl assured, standing up in front of Jaehyun. "With the money you'll save from that, you'll be able to sell less."

"It seems you don't understand a fucking thing!" Jaehyun raised your arms with annoyance. "Paying or not paying for Sicheng's treatment, it doesn't change the fact that I sell drugs!" The boy explained regardless of where they were; they were lucky the library wasn't being occupied by other people.

"Everyone starts somewhere!" the girl attacked. "I just wanted to take a weight off your shoulders."

Jaehyun scoffed and looked at her with a sarcastic smile.

"Why? I don't need your pity! If you hadn't accompanied me yesterday, you'd still be thinking Winwin had moved to China! You didn't give a fucking damn even when he was your classmate!"

(Y/N) started gathering her things and putting them in her backpack.

"Saying thank you would have been enough, Jaehyun!" the girl remarked. "I know you can do better with your life," she murmured as she turned to look at him.

Jaehyun's blood was boiling; he hated when people interfered in his life, as if he didn't already have enough to deal with.

"You don't know anything about me! You said it yourself; we're not even friends," he retorted.

"And what if I want to get to know you better?" the girl exclaimed without thinking. They both fell silent, staring into each other's eyes. (Y/N) didn't even want to say those words, but she did.

She couldn't deny that Jung Jaehyun was intriguing. She didn't know why. She didn't know why she had been avoiding him for weeks, but since that night at Neo Zone, when they had talked about the deal, she knew it would be difficult to shake him off, and when she had... something inside her wanted them to meet again. Why are things so difficult? They are two different people from different backgrounds; why would she suddenly be interested in him? Was it because she saw him vulnerable the day before? Or was it because she believed there was something good in him, just like the nurse had said?

She must be crazy to think like that.

"You really don't want to do it," Jaehyun said with a bit more calmness.

"I know you can get out out of that hole, Jaehyun."

"Winwin's parents tried, and look how that ended up!" he exclaimed. "There's no way out in Neo Zone, get that through your head," he explained. "There's nothing good about me. I don't even know why you think so, just because yesterday you saw something different or because I drove you home a couple of times, doesn't mean you know everything about me!"

"Stop acting like a fucking jerk."

"Like a jerk? This is reality! Your act of charity isn't going to change my life. I was born a dealer, and that's how my life will end!"

"I really believe there's something good in you."

"Well, keep believing it."

"If you ever feel grateful, you know where to find me," the girl said, gathering her things and walking out of the library.

Jaehyun cursed under his breath and shook his hands in frustration. In just a few days, the girl had managed to push his buttons faster than anyone else from Neo Zone.

But when he saw her walk out the door, why did he feel regret for lashing out at her?

_______________________________________________

The week had been slow this time. (Y/N) and Jaehyun had been avoiding each other like the plague, not even looking at each other when they crossed paths in the hallway. For the girl, it seemed like childish behavior, especially coming from Jaehyun and his usual façade; now he seemed nothing more than someone throwing a tantrum after she only wanted to help him.

But she still thought she really wanted to get to know him better.

What was behind his façade? What was it that made him who he was? Not the boy from Neo Zone, not the dealer everyone knew... who was Jeong Jaehyun really?

That question had been on her mind for weeks, and it disappointed her a bit to know that she might never know the answers to those doubts she had about the boy.

Today was warm compared to the weather last week. The sun was shining brightly, and luckily for (Y/N), her mother had decided to return her car. So her day had started off on the right foot, and hoping for a good day, she took the opportunity to stop by her favorite coffee shop in Kwangya. Ordering her usual vanilla latte and just before it was time to pay, a thought invaded her mind, and after debating it internally, she decided to follow her thoughts.

An hour and a half later, when she was the last one to leave her physics class, someone blocked her path at the classroom door. Holding her book to her chest, after the unexpected startle, she looked ahead to find no one but Jaehyun. Who stood silently in front of her, with the same leather jacket he used to wear, the same combination of marijuana and vanilla scent, and with the same enchanting eyes, that she had just noticed.

She was in dangerous territory.

And she knew it.

"I need to go to my next class, Jaehyun," the girl said shortly.

For a few seconds, the boy in front of her didn't say anything, he just watched her, until he sighed and slowly said, "Thank you."

Short and to the point, he didn't say anything else, and that was enough to make (Y/N)'s heart flutter in a thousand ways.

"For the coffee," the boy finished. "And for the notes."

"I did my part, I told you I would help you," said (Y/N) as she fiddled with her fingers.

"I thought you wouldn't after the last time we met," Jaehyun confessed.

"I'm sticking to that."

A small silence ensued. Two people face to face. With thousands of doubts between them and things to resolve. What had drawn them together? How was it that the universe managed to put two completely different people in the same place?

"Did you mean it?" Jaehyun asked, and when he noticed that (Y/N) didn't understand what he meant, he continued. "About wanting to get to know me more."

(Y/N) swallowed hard and looking him in the eyes, nodded.

"I still believe there's something good in you."

"Why?"

"I don't know yet," she replied honestly. "And it's killing me. A while ago, I wouldn't have wanted anything to do with you, not even to cross paths, but now, I don't know what's changed, but every time I try to stay away, it's like something brings me back here," she confessed, leaving Jaehyun speechless, who just watched her, trying to decipher everything she was saying.

It was killing him too.

"Let's go to my car," he said.

"Huh?" she asked, confused.

"You want to know more about me, then get in my car," he said again, this time making his way to the parking lot, with (Y/N) behind him, who didn't say a single word, just followed his lead.

What was he doing?

When they reached the car, Jaehyun opened the passenger door, causing (Y/N) to get in without protesting. Then Jaehyun got into the driver's seat and without further ado, started the engine. She didn't know what was happening or what would happen next, but right now she could only trust Jaehyun.

Even though she didn't know how bad an idea that might be.

A few minutes later, as they had traveled a long distance, (Y/N) noticed they were approaching Neo Zone, and with her eyes wide open, she panicked.

"This is me," Jaehyun said out of nowhere, catching the girl's attention. "See all these streets? This is where I belong. This is what I am," he explained carefully.

(Y/N) looked out the window, a couple of people smoking on the sidewalk, others passing joints, and other silent streets. The houses weren't that big... rather, they looked cramped. Unlike what she was used to, to her lifestyle, this didn't seem like it would be enough for a family.

But what did she know with the privilege she had?

"I grew up here, this is what I know," he commented. "Most people are born and die here, it's something that seems to be already written," he continued as his car slowed down. "Those of us from here have a different perspective on life... people from Kwangya lives for the money... we live to survive, and although it's getting harder and harder, we manage to do it," the car finally stopped, and still looking out the window, (Y/N) saw a small house in front of them. One story, not much to describe or point out, it was small but for some reason, it looked cozy.

(Y/N) changed her gaze to Jaehyun, who was still looking ahead and spoke.

"Is this your house?"

Jaehyun nodded.

(Y/N) smiled softly.

"Would you invite me in?"

______________________________________________

He doesn't know how (Y/N) managed to have an effect on him, but now they were there, inside his little house, (Y/N) carefully examining the walls around them and analyzing every aspect of the small space.

He was grateful there were no one at home.

"It looks cozy," (Y/N) said as she looked at one of the frames hanging on the wall.

"I guess it's not even a third of your house," Jaehyun assured to (Y/N).

“And no matter how many people are there, it always feels lonely," she confessed. "It's like no one leaves anything there, like it's something unimportant. As if it's not a home," she finished.

Jaehyun looked at her gently, and as she looked around, thousands of things went through his mind.

"To be honest with you," the girl spoke. "I see more vibes from Jeno in this house than yours," she said. "Many things here seem related to Jeno... but I don't see many things related to you..." she continued. "It's like you don't even think about staying here for long."

"I don't plan on leaving Neo Zone," Jaehyun asserted, crossing his arms.

"Don't you want a different future?"

"There's no future for me," Jaehyun pointed out. "And if there were, I'd prefer to give it to Jeno. He has much more to live for than I do."

"You also have a life to live. A future to write, you can change what is today, for something better," (Y/N) turned around to face the boy.

"I have no way out," the boy replied. "Do you think this is easy? After seeing my dad die and doing everything my bosses ask me to do no matter what. Taking care of my mom, Jeno, and now Winwin? Huh? Making sure Winwin becomes who he was again and that my brother doesn't end up being a fucking addict are enough reasons for me not to leave here," Jaehyun concluded, getting dangerously close to her, with a few centimeters separating them.

The words echoed in her head strongly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Don't pity me," Jaehyun said under his breath.

"It's not that. It's just that every time I think about all this and now that I see your place and I don't see anything that seems to belong to you, it makes me think that's what you're looking for, to belong to something and leave here as soon as there's an opportunity,"

Jaehyun looked directly at her, not knowing what to say. And afraid to think that maybe she was right.

Because yes, maybe he wanted to get out of there, along with his mom, Jeno, and Winwin; maybe he wanted to do something with his life that wasn't illegal, but what was the point of thinking about it when he knew he wouldn't make it? He was afraid to admit that he wanted to be able to change things, to be able to make his family okay, that no shadow from the past would follow them, that they would have a place where they could forge a clean and safe future.

"This has never been about what I want," Jaehyun commented with a future. "Since I was born, everything around me was the gang. After my father's death, I knew what was coming, and I knew I would never be able to get out of it. It doesn’t matter what I want. It matter what my boss wants, he has that kind of power, no one below him has their own decision. The whole life of Neo Zone is ruled by him," he concluded, even closer to her.

(Y/N) looked him in the eyes, her breath uncontrolled. Her chest heaved, and her hands were sweating.

"What do you want, Jaehyun?" she whispered.

The boy paused for a moment and looked at her lips.

"Now?" he asked, and she nodded. "Would it be unrealistic to say that I want to kiss you?"

"How realistic would it be to say that I want you to do it?

She didn't even finish the question because Jaehyun's lips collided firmly with hers. The boy's long hands slid through (Y/N)'s soft hair, her hair smelling of lavender shampoo. He gently covered her cheek with one of his rough hands, and she melted into the touch.

It wasn't a hurried kiss, as (Y/N) thought it would be; actually, Jaehyun was taking the time to savor every passing second. As if this moment would disappear at any minute and he wanted to hold onto it.

Was he looking for something to belong to?

His hand moved from her cheek to her waist, and she took the opportunity to press her body against his and release a moan of pleasure. As if she felt complete leaning against Jaehyun's warmth.

As if it was something they both longed for for a long time.

And even though she wanted to continue with the act, they were severely interrupted when a car horn sounded incessantly outside the house, causing them to separate with tremendous confusion. (Y/N)'s red cheeks were enough to make Jaehyun's heart race, but when he heard another horn, he took her hand and they walked outside in hurry.

And then, there was Jeno, being thrown out of the back of a car, blood streaming from a cut on his eyebrow, bruises scattered all over his body, and falling firmly to the ground after being thrown.

"I want this to be the last time your brother sets foot in our zone. Next time it won't be him we throw," the familiar voice of a boy from the opposing gang spoke up. Chris. Who was with the window down and smiling maliciously. "Neither will it be you, Jung. It will be the girl who will end up like this,"

Jaehyun moved abruptly from his place to try to reach the car, but it left as fast as it could, (Y/N) shocked to hear those words, didn't do anything more than approach Jeno to help him up. Then Jaehyun cursed under his breath and looked into the distance at the girl and her brother together.

And his chest tightened as he realized that now, she too had been involved.

And he believed there was no turning back, because she was right... Jaehyun wanted to belong to something.

But how selfish would it be to belong to (Y/N)?

a/n: well now you know what happened to Winwin TT. Once again I’m sorry if this took too long I promise I’ll try to update sooner this time!

taglist is open! if you want to be added just lemme know;)

taglist: @spicyryujin @kriizztin @daegalismybiasinnct @peachfulnight @gojoscumslut @bluedbliss @dear-97 @girlwholoveslpreppyattire @hana-off-icial @cigarettesafterjae

[00127am]

NEW YEARS SPECIAL : happy 2024!

@ notyourmalelead top of his class, hallway crush kim doyoung isn't very interested in his semester long partnership with sailor moon obsessed, popular vlogger ln yn. until your larger than life crush on him is revealed. then he's much more interested in proving that he's not your male lead (and subsequently wishing he was).

click and enlarge the center image!

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FROM: yn.

find my very own tuxedo mask (NOT DOYOUNG!!!!). it's the same resolution you've had since you were a kid and old enough to know the implications of making said resolution. and yet, every year you seem to have to make it again...much to your chagrin. of course there has been those occasional off years where you thought you finally succeeded at long last. but the success never lasted long. or at least, not long enough for the resolution to be considered completed by any means. but this year you're determined! charging forward with newfound resilience. and look on the bright side! you've already eliminated one candidate. hence the disclaimer: not doyoung. there's plenty of other fish in the sea, right?

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FROM: doyoung.

get new friends. that's not his actual resolution even if he swears up and down that he means it. the words are always spoken with too much underlying affection to ever take him serious about it. if a perfect stranger had proposed the question, then he would simply answer that he will strive to hold his position at the top of the class. it's a bit bland, a bit predictable, and very much doyoung. though it would be important to note that he does hope that his friends resolved to get a grip.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FROM: taeil.

get accepted to graduate research. ask anyone who surrounds him and they would tell you that moon taeil doesn't need resolutions. primarily because he can do anything he sets out to do and has a track record of doing just that. because taeil is unstoppable when he puts his mind to something and you have no doubt in your mind that this will be easily conquered by him as well. you only wish that you were as fortunate in your own proceedings.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FROM: johnny.

get yn to stop falling in love with every guy she sees. certainly, a daunting task. one that johnny undertakes with a shrug of his shoulders and a teasing comment about how this is for your own good. which... you suppose it would be. it would have saved you from the doyoung situation at least. johnny's considering making you wear horse blinders when you go out, save you from the plight of another fleeting affection.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FROM: taeyong.

win three of four competitions and get doyoung to be nicer to people. unlike the famous saying, the first is as easy as it is said. in terms of the arts (and especially dance) NCIT remains undefeated, mainly due to the effort and skill of one lee taeyong. the second resolution however.... well, much easier said than done. perhaps even impossible? hopefully taeyong will have as much success as he does in dance.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FROM: yuta.

mark. that's it. really! were you expecting something else? it's easy to say that resolutions isn't something that yuta takes seriously. or at least... not seriously in front of his friends. you could say that but... you have a sinking suspicion that he is quite serious about this one.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FROM: jaehyun.

afford a cat. another step in the grand effort of taking in that stray cat. a stray cat whom he has affectionately named jamal, after... well, after himself. he really is quite determined, even if his apartment building doesn't allow pets. because nothing can come between him and jamal. not even doyoung who cusses him out from his balcony, reprimanding him for lingering around the apartment building like a stalker. the things he does for a cat...

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FROM: jungwoo.

BECOME SUPER FAMOUS AND POPULAR AND RICH. there isn't much of an elaboration needed on this one. jungwoo can never really choose one resolution every year, tending to combine them in some grand frankenstein resolution. and no one's one hundred percent positive that he knows what a resolution is. the way he talks about it is the equivalent of wishing on a star. no one has the heart to break it to him.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FROM: mark.

bring the team to nationals. NCIT basketball has never lost a nationals tournament to date with mark as captain, a streak he intends to keep up. the team has been his resolution since he joined and he's not quite sure that that will change until he graduates. if he had to set something else in stone for this year, it would be that he wants to score the last point just as the buzzer sounds. man, that would be so cool.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FROM: haechan.

reach immortal two ranking in valorant. haechan is a gamer first, human second. a fact that you're unfortunately accustomed too. so it only makes sense that his resolution is adjacent to his standing as a streamer. though if you pried for long enough, you would find that he has a secret, underlying resolution which is to annoy mark more than usual--not very exciting nor very new.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FROM: shun.

get better at cooking. the simple fact of the matter is that shun cannot cook. the boy cannot even make toast without something going horribly wrong. a fact which he undertakes with a glower and adamant protests. you think he'd be better at cooking since he lives alone in his own apartment. he isn't and this year he might starve if he doesn't improve. you both live in the same building so you hope he pursues this effort without setting off the fire alarms.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FROM: soo ah.

get doyoung and yn together! despite the nature of the resolution, soo ah wrote it large and clear on her resolution slip, waving it in front of shun's face with a grin. she believes that there is defineitly something more than partners going on between the two of you and she's resolved to get to the bottom of it. and get you too together in the process. i mean, have you seen the way he looks at you? (shun has and says he doesn't see anything out of the usual, what a party pooper).

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FROM: min.

get accepted to NCIT. min has high aspirations and lofty goals, including being admitted to the prestigious, golden aged: NCIT. this is something that has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that her favorite vloggers attend that university. nor does that fact that she chose the same major as you. though, meeting the taeilenators would certainly be a plus.

taglist. @haechansbbg @evilsailorsenshi @firstdonutllamafarm thank for you for supporting not your male lead! ♥︎

@ previous @ home @ next

🧾 © 00127am 2024

[smoll-tangerine]

ten reasons why i hate you: reason #6

SYNOPSIS. while you admittedly didn’t refuse the arranged marriage between you and jung jaehyun, that didn’t mean that you’d allow him to treat you like a doormat. for the emotional distress he had put you through during the months leading up to your engagement party, you ensure that he will pay for the way he had been treating you for the rest of his life. 

PAIRING. rich boy!jaehyun x rich girl!reader GENRES. romance, angst, drama, rich kid!au CHAPTER WORD COUNT. 1434

WARNINGS. none. 

DISCLAIMER. this is a work of fiction based on fictional events and characters. it is unrelated to any real people, organisations, locations, and events. the laws, and legal and medical interpretations in this work have also been modified for storytelling purposes.

TAGLIST. @crescent-iak​ @moonchele​ @ahtisa02​ @ghostfacefricker6969​ @jaehyunnie77​ @jungish​ @anya-writes-stuff​ @hey-won @ishireads​ @xxxx-23nct​ @peachibevuti @shepeelsoranges​ (bolded = unable to tag)

[a/n]: hello, everyone!! this was supposed to be posted in january, but i didn’t have the time. today’s also my birthday, so here’s a gift to you all to celebrate it hehe!! i already have the rest of the story mapped out (in my head), so if everything goes well, i should be back to my usual weekly updates, but no promises! hope you’ll enjoy this chapter♡ 

← REASON #5 || MASTERLIST || REASON #7 → 

REASON #6 

He’s good with kids. 

You tried not to show your emotions (or your thoughts, really) on your face as you watched Jaehyun play with the kids from the orphanage. 

You were done giving a quick check-up to the children, so you and Jaehyun decided to play with them before you leave. You quickly ran out of energy so you decided to take a seat on the stairs of the orphanage’s building, while Jaehyun was playing what seemed to be a round of tag with the children. 

“That’s not the same man you’ve brought over last time.” 

Startled, you looked up and saw the director of the orphanage smiling down at you with a knowing look. 

It annoyed you the slightest when she asked the same question as Ernesto. 

Was this a sign to stop bringing men to your favourite places, in general? They seem to always come back to bite you in the ass. 

“The children seem to be doing well.” 

“Avoiding my question, are we?” she replied with a mocking chuckle. “And yes, the children are doing fine. Thanks to you and Doyoung.” 

“That wasn’t a question that you asked, but rather a statement, wasn’t it?” 

You were surprised to hear from the director that Doyoung was still a donor. After all, this was something you two started when you were still dating. A part of you didn’t expect him to continue this tradition of yours.

“Doyoung visited a couple of months ago to check up on the kids,” the director continue. “He never mentioned that you two broke up.” She then glanced at the ring that adorned the fourth finger of your left hand. “Or that you were getting married to someone that was not him.”

You took a look at your ring before folding your arms, suddenly uncomfortable that she had seen your ring, for some odd reason. “Well, he never mentioned to me that he visited you guys.” 

There was a small moment of silence that ensued following your small exchange. The children’s laughter echoed throughout the whole square, mixed in were screams of delight as your now-husband captured them in his arms. 

Jaehyun’s deep laughter was one that clearly displayed his joy. 

But it was also one that you, admittedly, never heard much before until today. 

“Are you happy?” 

You remained silent as you knew that whatever answer you would give her, the director would able to notice your lie. 

“I don’t know.”

But regardless of what she thought, you also didn’t want to lie to yourself. 

“Will you be happy?” 

“I don’t know.” 

Her brows furrowed in slight worry. 

“Then, what are you going to do?” 

You took a deep breath and exhaled sharply through your nose. 

“I don’t know.” 

“I don’t know what I expected, but what we did today was not what I expected.” 

You glanced up from the medical article that you were reading, while Jaehyun emerged from the bathroom. He ruffled his wet hair and took a seat at the corner of the bed. Not close that he would be infringing upon your private space, but close enough that it did make you raise your eyebrows at his proximity. 

You were too jet-lagged yesterday night to realise what happened. 

But... you shared a bed with Jaehyun? 

And you were about to do the same for the rest of your honeymoon? 

“So, what’s the story?” he asked you with a shy smile. “Behind the orphanage? You seemed close with the director and the children. That kind of relationship must have been–” 

“You don’t have to do this, you know?” 

He seemed taken aback with your question. “W-what do you mean?” 

You set your iPad aside and motioned the empty space between the two of you. “Pretend that you like me just because you suddenly found out that I’m actually a nice person or something.” 

He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. His ears turned slightly red in what you assumed to be embarrassment. “I-it wasn’t something sudden. And also, I am genuinely curious. What’s the backstory? Don’t tell me you’re using the orphanage as a front to avoid paying taxes.” 

You made a face, unimpressed. You then looked away, trying not to show any annoyance on your face and said with a resigning sigh, “My best friend came from that orphanage.” You paused, unsure as for why would you even tell Jaehyun this story. “She passed away a couple of years ago. Right after we finished our residency.” 

“...How did you two meet?” 

“We met in med school.” The answer came to you easily. “Doyoung introduced us and well, the rest is history.” 

You knew the look in Jaehyun’s eyes, which was a mixture of sadness and pity and conflict. He looked liked he wanted to give you a hug but at the same time, he also seemed like he wanted to ask you another question. You could probably guess that he probably wanted to know how she passed away. 

But that wasn’t something you could easily share with him. 

“Doyoung and I donate to the orphanage in her honour.” You tried to change the subject. “I try to visit once or twice a year to give them a small check-up. Doyoung does it too, apparently.” 

Jaehyun’s jaw slightly clenched at your words. There was some sort of tightness to his face that immediately melted away when he noticed the inquisitive look you were giving him as he fell silent. 

“You and Doyoung must be close, huh.” 

That statement made you pause a little. 

“Was that meant to be a question?” 

“No, just... you two seem to be close even though you two are exes.” 

You felt irritated by his words, for some odd reason. Who was he to talk about your relationships when he wasn’t even in a position to do so in the first place? 

“Are– Are you trying to imply something?” you asked with a scoff. “Because if we were to imply anything, I think you’re the one we should be concerned here. Because I wasn’t the one who was—still is—in a relationship when we got married.” 

The cat was out of the bag as you finally revealed your thoughts. You never voiced out your displeasure at the fact that Jaehyun was still seeing Chaeyoung behind your back due to the fact that you felt guilty at the beginning, for dragging him into this arranged marriage, but wasn’t cutting things off the least he could do if he actually respected you? 

But your pride, out of all things, actually prevented you from doing so. 

No matter your thoughts about the subject matter, you would never ask Jaehyun to cut his relationship with his girlfriend. 

Because to do so meant that you were admitting your feelings for him. And that was something that could never happen. 

“I’ll break things off with her,” Jaehyun blurted out of nowhere. “With Chaeyoung. I’ll break things off with her the second we’re back in Seoul.” 

You forced yourself to remain impassive. The most you allowed was just a slight widening of your eyes, followed by an obnoxiously loud chortle. 

“Yeah, okay, I didn’t think you were someone with a sense of humour.” 

“I will!” he retorted. “What, you think I won’t?” 

You rolled your eyes. “What’s the catch?” 

“Huh?” Jaehyun replied dumbly. “What do you mean?” 

“Jaehyun, I’m not stupid,” you said with a sarcastic laugh. “Why on Earth would you break things off with your long-term girlfriend? Not to mention, everything we put each other through because of your relationship with her? So yeah, what’s the catch?” 

Was it so wrong of you to be cynical? 

For wanting to protect your feelings? 

“Give me some time.”

There it was. 

The catch. 

“Give me a year– No, five months. Give me five months to get over Chaeyoung. After five months, I’ll be a devoted husband to you and to you only. I promise that I’ll make this marriage work.” 

You couldn’t believe you were this close to fall for his sweet words. But wasn’t this a reasonable request? After all, he had to break up with someone he was in love with. 

But you couldn’t help but still be hurt by his words. Because he didn’t say that he was going to try and love you. He was doing this because he was married to you. Because he pitied you. Not because he was developing feelings for you.

“I’m sensing a but.” 

Jaehyun nodded and took a deep breath. 

“Cut all ties with Kim Doyoung.” 

Ah. 

There it was.

The real catch. 

← REASON #5 || MASTERLIST || REASON #7 →

[dongminz]

my reality . . ᝰ.ᐟ (han taesan)

౨ৎ Character Descriptions !!

ᯓᡣ𐭩 what happens when han taesan, a quiet boy with a cold demeanor, falls for a girl working part-time at his favorite record shop?

𐙚 cart ✦ chapter list

note: anything said here is based on my image of these characters. nothing here is confirmed to be how the idols are irl !! always remember au ≠ irl !! thank you ! 💞

all characters mentioned go to the same school, which is 'hanlim multi arts highschool' !

The 3 Idiots this is yn's friendgroup

yn:

fashion student 🎀

she's very outgoing and extroverted, you could say she can match the energy of jaehyun(?)

she help's out at her dad's record shop! she works as the register after school when she has time, but works there every afternoon during summer break.

she loves loves loves music !! if she didn't do fashion, she would've been part of the music department.

belle:

music student 🎧ྀི

she's been friends with yn since they were in grade 2 !

an amazing singer !!

a girls girl and overall such a sweetheart !!

anton:

music student ★🎸🎧

his friendship with belle and yn is the type of friendship where they don't even remember how they became friends LOL. all they know is that one day they clicked and the rest is history.

lowk an idiot

soft spoken but sassy asf??

also friends with taesan & jaehyun

Woonhak + Hyungs this is taesans's friendgroup/band aka boy next door

taesan:

music student 🎶

in charge of drums in their band

LOSERRR

quiet and introverted, but is vv clingy to those he’s close to !

loves music!! he lives and breathes it atp

loves vinyls 🫶

lowk nonchalant but the most loser to have ever losered if you get what i mean (like ryu sunjae)

sungho:

music student

gym rat 🤮 (js kidding i love gymrat sungho)

lowk gets worried easily

one of the main vocalist in their band

dare i say the pretty boy in their friendgroup

also very sassy like wtf

riwoo:

music student

spitting out dad jokes all the time (save bnd)

his timing is great though

he looks like his dog

in charge of piano and is also a vocalist

LOVESS dancing like he loves it

jaehyun:

music student

certified FREAK

get this guy away 😞🙏

the type of guy who’d do something embarrassing while theyre outside

is a cutie patootie though

LOVES annoying woonhak 24/7

plays the eguitar and is also a vocalist

leehan:

music student

i genuinely think hes an alien

weirdo

in charge of the saxophone

loves going to the aquarium

corydoras!!

loves alien/fish themed stuff

woonhak:

music student

SO LOUD

he’s 2 grades younger than the rest aka hes in g10

in charge of the bass

has anger issues

looks like a teddy bear lowk 🧸

fed up w jaehyuns shit (justice for woonhak 😞✊)

Music Video Groupmates not including yn, taesan, and anton

hanni:

film student 🎞️

classmates with dohoon

friends with yn and belle

super sweet and kind !!

can be loud too

grew up in australia

ricky:

fashion student

looks like hes abt to go on a runway everyday??

young and rich 🤑

tall and handsome 🤥

charisma BOSS 🔥

lowk a loser too

friends with leehan

dohoon:

film student

vv sporty

friends with taesan

plays soccer with him sometimes

has an interest for fashion so he often asks ricky for advice !

author’s note boom !! character descs r hereee 😼😼 had a lot of fun with this actually LMAOO might add more chars for future chapter purposes 🤷‍♀️

© dongminz 2024 ; all rights reserved

[agustdiv1ne]

3k event: “love like the movies”

think of a movie, now throw an idol into its universe and make it an x reader fic <3 thank you for 3k!!

f — fluff ; a — angst ; m — smut ; s — suggestive ; c — comedy

ones marked with ? have not had genres assigned to them yet

reqs are closed!!

STARRING: TXT

✰ — soobin

the avengers — f ; s

princess diaries 2 — f ; s

your name — f ; a

kate & leopold — f

everything everywhere all at once — f ; a

harry potter — f ; m

cruella — a ; m

✰ — yeonjun

howl's moving castle — f ; m

wish dragon — f

tangled — f ; m

pride and prejudice — f

work it — m ; f

a cinderella story — f

percy jackson — f ; a

✰ — beomgyu

titanic — f ; m

the devil wears prada — m

night at the museum — f ; c

twilight — s

hunger games — ?

made of honor — f ; a

little women — f ; a

✰ — taehyun

twilight — f ; m

the proposal — m

set it up — f ; a

to all the boys i've loved before — f ; m

pride & prejudice — a ; m

beauty and the beast — f ; a

a whisker away — ?

✰ — hueningkai

enchanted — f

rise of the guardians — f

how to lose a guy in 10 days — a ; f

love and leashes — f ; m

the batman — m

mulan — f ; m

✰ — ot5

harry potter — f ; c

STARRING: BTS

✰ — seokjin

fools rush in — a ; f ; m

✰ — jungkook

the maze runner — a ; m

STARRING: ATEEZ

✰ — hongjoong

twilight — m

✰ — seonghwa

dorian gray — s

ratatouille — f

✰ — yeosang

kiki's delivery service — f

✰ — san

pirates of the carribean — m

howl's moving castle — a ; f

STARRING: NCT

✰ — doyoung

crazy rich asians — f ; m

✰ — jaehyun

dirty dancing — f ; s

✰ — jaemin

alice in wonderland — f ; m

STARRING: STRAY KIDS

✰ — chan

twilight — f

✰ — minho

the lake house — f ; a

© to agustdiv1ne. do not copy, repost, steal, and/or translate.

[neoposh]

masterlist

Here you can find every work that I particularly enjoyed. All right to the authors, and a special thanks to them for the masterpieces they created for my slutty ass to be satisfied. I appreciate.

 NAVIGATION —

⤿ NCT DREAM

Netflix and Fuck part1 🠒Jeno & Jaemin x Reader 🙒 @jenoismydad

Netflix and Fuck part2 🠒 00′ line & Mark x Reader 🙒 @jenoismydad

Hot Sauce intro, Part1, Part2, Part3, Part4, Deeply Dip That, Can You Handle It? 🠒 00′ line x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy���

Universe Let’s Play Ball 🠒 Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Yangyang, Jungwoo x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​  

smashing the six the short stop 🠒 Jeno x fem!reader 🙒 @yutaholic 

smashing the six the point guard 🠒 Haechan x fem!reader 🙒 @yutaholic 

smashing the six the left wing 🠒 Mark x fem!reader 🙒 @yutaholic 

the quiet boy has a big dick?! Part1, Part2 🠒 Jisung x fem!reader 🙒 @johnsuhsposts​

Dive Into You Intro, Part1, Part2, Part3, Part4, Final  🠒 brothers!Jeno/Haechan x fem!reader  🙒 @neopuppy

Quiet Down Part1, Part2, Part3, Part4, Part5, Part6, Part7, Part8, Part9, Epilogue 🠒 Renjun/Haechan x fem!reader  @neobubz​

Switch (prequel), Chain (sequel) 🠒 Johnny & Jeno x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​ 

⤿ NCT 127 (Mark and Haechan links are on NCT DREAM or in their single names)

Universe Let’s Play Ball 🠒 Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Yangyang, Jungwoo x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​ 

smashing the six the center forward 🠒 Yuta x fem!reader 🙒 @yutaholic​

smashing the six the middle blocker 🠒 Johnny x fem!reader 🙒 @yutaholic 

smashing the six the tight end 🠒 Jaehyun x fem!reader 🙒 @yutaholic

Switch (prequel), Chain (sequel) 🠒 Johnny & Jeno x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy

⤿ WAYV

Universe Let’s Play Ball 🠒 Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Yangyang, Jungwoo x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​   

⤿ ENHYPEN​

Mixed Up: One, Two, Three, Four, Five 🠒 Heeseung & Sunghoon x fem!reader 🙒 @heeseungsslutsworld

SILENCED Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3 🠒 Enhypen x fem!reader (not completely smut but there’s something... just read it cause it’s chef kisses) 🙒 @heesdreamer​  

more to be added... 🙒

⤿ MARK

rainy day 🠒 00′ line + Mark x fem!reader 🙒 @moonlit-jeno

Netflix and Fuck part2 🠒 00′ line & Mark x Reader 🙒 @jenoismydad

smashing the six the left wing 🠒 Mark x fem!reader 🙒 @yutaholic 

A MOVIE OF OUR OWN 🠒 00′ line x reader ft. Mark 🙒 @neochan​ 

⤿ RENJUN

Burning Jealousy 🠒 dom!renjun x reader 🙒 @jenonctcity​

rainy day 🠒 00′ line + Mark x fem!reader 🙒 @moonlit-jeno​ 

Netflix and Fuck part2 🠒 00′ line & Mark x Reader 🙒 @jenoismydad

Huang Renjun and the MUGGLEBORN ​ 🠒 pureblood ravenclaw!renjun x muggleborn ravenclaw!y/n  🙒 @taeghi​

One Foot in the Golden Life  🠒 rich kid!renjun x caddie!reader 🙒 @nsheetee​ 

Hot Sauce intro, Part1, Part2, Part3, Part4, Deeply Dip That, Can You Handle It? 🠒 00′ line x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​ 

A MOVIE OF OUR OWN 🠒 00′ line x reader ft. Mark 🙒 @neochan 

Quiet Down Part1, Part2, Part3, Part4, Part5, Part6, Part7, Part8, Part9, Epilogue 🠒 Renjun/Haechan x fem!reader @neobubz​ 

bitch hunters high-waisted shorts 🠒 Renjun x fem!reader 🙒 @tyonfs​

⤿ JENO

Would You Rather...🠒 Lee Jeno x fem!reader 🙒 @sm-entertain-me

rainy day 🠒 00′ line + Mark x fem!reader 🙒 @moonlit-jeno​

Netflix and Fuck part1 🠒Jeno & Jaemin x Reader 🙒 @jenoismydad

Netflix and Fuck part2 🠒 00′ line & Mark x Reader 🙒 @jenoismydad

Stronger 🠒 Jeno & Jaemin x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​ 

Hot Sauce intro, Part1, Part2, Part3, Part4, Deeply Dip That, Can You Handle It? 🠒 00′ line x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​ 

Universe Let’s Play Ball 🠒 Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Yangyang, Jungwoo x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​   

HUSH, HUSH. 🠒 Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin x fem!reader 🙒 @domjaehyun​

smashing the six the short stop 🠒 Jeno x fem!reader 🙒 @yutaholic 

A MOVIE OF OUR OWN 🠒 00′ line x reader ft. Mark 🙒 @neochan 

Dive Into You Intro, Part1, Part2, Part3, Part4, Final 🠒 brothers!Jeno/Haechan x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy 

can you handle it? 🠒 Jonny, Jaehyun, Jeno, Jaemin x fem!reader 🙒 @neowinestainedress 

Switch (prequel), Chain (sequel) 🠒 Johnny & Jeno x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy 

bitch hunters netflix and chill 🠒 Jeno x fem!reader 🙒 @tyonfs​ 

rock, paper, scissor 🠒 Johnny, Jaehyun, Jeno, Jaemin x fem!reader 🙒 @neowinestainedress

⤿ HAECHAN

rainy day 🠒 00′ line + Mark x fem!reader 🙒 @moonlit-jeno​ 

Netflix and Fuck part2 🠒 00′ line & Mark x Reader 🙒 @jenoismydad

Hot Sauce intro, Part1, Part2, Part3, Part4, Deeply Dip That, Can You Handle It? 🠒 00′ line x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​ 

Universe Let’s Play Ball 🠒 Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Yangyang, Jungwoo x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​   

HUSH, HUSH. 🠒 Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin x fem!reader 🙒 @domjaehyun​ 

the right one. 🠒 bestfriend!hyuck x reader 🙒 @starryhyuck​ 

make it fit  🠒 bestfriend!hyuck x reader 🙒 @haechaninmyheart​ 

smashing the six the point guard 🠒 Haechan x fem!reader 🙒 @yutaholic​

A MOVIE OF OUR OWN 🠒 00′ line x reader ft. Mark 🙒 @neochan 

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA 🠒 Haechan & Jisung x fem!reader 🙒 @lisired​

Dive Into You Intro, Part1, Part2, Part3, Part4, Final 🠒 brothers!Jeno/Haechan x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy 

paperclip 🠒 ex-fwb!haechan & new-bf!jaehyun x afab!reader  🙒 @smileysuh​

Quiet Down Part1, Part2, Part3, Part4, Part5, Part6, Part7, Part8, Part9, Epilogue 🠒 Renjun/Haechan x fem!reader @neobubz​ 

bitch hunters and they were roommates 🠒Haechan x fem!reader 🙒 @tyonfs​

⤿ JAEMIN

a hundred dollars 🠒 enemy!jaemin x fem!reader 🙒 @longassride

rainy day 🠒 00′ line + Mark x fem!reader 🙒 @moonlit-jeno​ 

Netflix and Fuck part1 🠒Jeno & Jaemin x Reader 🙒 @jenoismydad

Netflix and Fuck part2 🠒 00′ line & Mark x Reader 🙒 @jenoismydad

Stronger 🠒 Jeno & Jaemin x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​   

Hot Sauce intro, Part1, Part2, Part3, Part4, Deeply Dip That, Can You Handle It? 🠒 00′ line x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​ 

Universe Let’s Play Ball 🠒 Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Yangyang, Jungwoo x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​   

HUSH, HUSH. 🠒 Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin x fem!reader 🙒 @domjaehyun​ 

A MOVIE OF OUR OWN 🠒 00′ line x reader ft. Mark 🙒 @neochan 

GO 🠒 alpha!jaemin x omega!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​

can you handle it? 🠒 Jonny, Jaehyun, Jeno, Jaemin x fem!reader 🙒 @neowinestainedress 

bitch hunters besties (gone sexual) 🠒 Jaemin x fem!reader 🙒 @tyonfs​

rock, paper, scissor 🠒 Johnny, Jaehyun, Jeno, Jaemin x fem!reader 🙒 @neowinestainedress ​

⤿ CHENLE something will be coming, dk if it’ll be smut... 🙒

⤿ JISUNG

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA 🠒 Haechan & Jisung x fem!reader 🙒 @lisired​

MORE THAN I SHOULD  🠒 dom!jisung x fem!reader 🙒 @dollyji​

Never Have I Ever  🠒 camboy!jisung x fem!reader 🙒 @iced-nct​ 

the quiet boy has a big dick?! Part1, Part2 🠒 Jisung x fem!reader 🙒 @johnsuhsposts

⤿ TAEIL coming soon... 🙒

⤿ JOHNNY

smashing the six the middle blocker 🠒 Johnny x fem!reader 🙒 @yutaholic​

can you handle it? 🠒 Jonny, Jaehyun, Jeno, Jaemin x fem!reader 🙒 @neowinestainedress 

Switch (prequel), Chain (sequel) 🠒 Johnny & Jeno x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy 

rock, paper, scissor 🠒 Johnny, Jaehyun, Jeno, Jaemin x fem!reader 🙒 @neowinestainedress

⤿ TAEYONG coming soon... 🙒

⤿ YUTA

smashing the six the center forward 🠒 Yuta x fem!reader 🙒 @yutaholic-main​

dress code 🠒 professor!yuta x student!reader 🙒 @lisired​ 

⤿ DOYOUNG coming soon... 🙒

⤿ JAEHYUN

smashing the six the tight end 🠒 Jaehyun x fem!reader 🙒 @yutaholic-main​

can you handle it? 🠒 Jonny, Jaehyun, Jeno, Jaemin x fem!reader 🙒 @neowinestainedress 

paperclip 🠒 ex-fwb!haechan & new-bf!jaehyun x afab!reader 🙒 @smileysuh​ 

rock, paper, scissor 🠒 Johnny, Jaehyun, Jeno, Jaemin x fem!reader 🙒 @neowinestainedress 

Trick? Or Treat? 🠒 switch(?)jaehyun x sub!reader 🙒 @127kive​

break up with your boyfriend, i’m bored  🠒 Jaehyun x fem!reader  🙒 @johnsuhsposts​ 

⤿ JUNGWOO

Universe Let’s Play Ball 🠒 Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Yangyang, Jungwoo x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​  

⤿ MARK — every link is on the NCT DREAM category...

⤿ HAECHAN — every link is on the NCT DREAM category...

⤿ KUN coming soon... 🙒

⤿ LUCAS coming soon... 🙒

⤿ TEN coming soon... 🙒

⤿ WINWIN coming soon... 🙒

⤿ XIAOJUN coming soon... 🙒

⤿ HENDERY coming soon... 🙒

⤿ YANGYANG

Universe Let’s Play Ball 🠒 Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Yangyang, Jungwoo x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​   

After Midnight 🠒 Yangyang x fem!reader 🙒 @neopuppy​ 

⤿ SUNGCHAN coming soon... 🙒

⤿ SHOTARO coming soon... 🙒

⤿ BAEKHYUN coming soon... 🙒

⤿ CHANYEOL coming soon... 🙒

⤿ KEEHO coming soon... 🙒

⤿ THEO coming soon... 🙒

⤿ JIUNG

ALL MINE 🠒 boyfriend’s bestfriend!jiung x afab!reader 🙒 @n1cholaswang

⤿ HEESUNG

Mixed Up: One, Two, Three, Four, Five 🠒 Heeseung & Sunghoon x fem!reader 🙒 @heeseungsslutsworld 

sharing is caring 🠒 Heeseung & Jay x fem!reader 🙒 @jencvnt 

swallow 🠒 Heeseung x fem!reader 🙒 @yoursjaeyun​

GAME OVER! 🠒 Heeseung x fem!reader  🙒 @svnoohe4rts

SILENCED Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3 🠒 Enhypen x fem!reader (not completely smut but there’s something... just read it cause it’s chef kisses) 🙒 @heesdreamer ​

⤿ JAY

tutor for sex math 🠒 tutor!jay x engineering student!afab!reader 🙒 @hee-pster​

sharing is caring 🠒 Heeseung & Jay x fem!reader 🙒 @jencvnt

the boys next door hard 🠒 Sunghoon & Jay x fem!reader 🙒 @drunkhazed 

PRE BREAKFAST 🠒 Jay x fem!reader 🙒 @heetro​

SILENCED Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3 🠒 Enhypen x fem!reader (not completely smut but there’s something... just read it cause it’s chef kisses) 🙒 @heesdreamer  

⤿ JAKE (smut coming soon)

SILENCED Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3 🠒 Enhypen x fem!reader (not completely smut but there’s something... just read it cause it’s chef kisses) 🙒 @heesdreamer

⤿ SUNGHOON

ROSES ARE DEAD 🠒 Sunghoon x fem!reader ft. Jake & Jay 🙒 @heetr​

Mixed Up: One, Two, Three, Four, Five 🠒 Heeseung & Sunghoon x fem!reader 🙒 @heeseungsslutsworld 

the boys next door hard 🠒 Sunghoon & Jay x fem!reader 🙒 @drunkhazed​

love me, hate me 🠒 Sunghoon x fem!reader 🙒 @jaeyunsz

afterparty 🠒 Sunghoon x fem!reader 🙒 @heeseungrr​

DEEP END 🠒 Sunghoon x fem!reader 🙒 @robyn-core​

Cabin fever 🠒 boyfriend!sunghoon x girlfriend!reader 🙒 @rosesbxrry​

SILENCED Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3 🠒 Enhypen x fem!reader (not completely smut but there’s something... just read it cause it’s chef kisses) 🙒 @heesdreamer  

⤿ SUNOO (dk if I’ll add smut about him)

SILENCED Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3 🠒 Enhypen x fem!reader (not completely smut but there’s something... just read it cause it’s chef kisses) 🙒 @heesdreamer

⤿ JUNGWON (smut might be coming soon)

SILENCED Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3 🠒 Enhypen x fem!reader (not completely smut but there’s something... just read it cause it’s chef kisses) 🙒 @heesdreamer​

⤿ NIKI (no smut, we love minors)

SILENCED Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3 🠒 Enhypen x fem!reader (not completely smut but there’s something... just read it cause it’s chef kisses) 🙒 @heesdreamer

coming soon... 🙒

[dojae-huh]

Youth: first listen

First of all. It's the first time the parasocial relationship I have with Doyoung mutated into a parasocial friendship of sorts, heh. The feeling is of cheering for a friend's project's success. I guess it is for two reasons: 1) the reverse order of things (instead of "like a song (my choice, I'm the active party)->discover artist behind", it is "like an artist->listen to what he gives you (artist's choice, I'm a passive party)", 2) I have artist friends whose drawing style I'm not particularly a fan of (i.e. I wouldn't care for it if it was made by someone else, a noname to me), but I still follow and consume their art, because I care for people behind and I know the character/thoughts/POV of the artist, which changes my perceptions).

I've listened to the album only once by the time I'm writing this post. My first impession is that there are no weak songs (yokshi, perfectionist Doyoung), and that I'm glad it is more diverse in sound and voice modulations than Korean ballads and songs usually are. As I like richness in songs.

Me and some of the readers had been apprehensive of Doyoung catering to fans and going gp friendly road. Thankfully, Doyoung is a mastermind afterall. The album is both for the fans and the general public and for himself. Half/half.

The album seems to be divided in the following parts:

Prologue: Beginning and Little light.

The main character of a Disney animation movie sets on a journey. A proclamation of intent to sing for a long time, of a goal to reach as many "stars" (hearts/listeners). "Beginning" was penned by Do himself (and, honestly, really reminded me Mulan or Moana, heh). For "Little light" he befriended Lucy's composer (they are both 96-line, btw). Considering the timing, it seems to be one of the last songs to be added. A song Doyoung needed for his vision of the album. The song was gifted to him (the composer's words), written the way he commissioned it. In other words, it is his story and his feelings, he debuted with HIS song, even if written by someone else (but for him).

2. First chapter: A letter to fans.

"From little wave" has lyrics by Doyoung. It is a song for the fans, a message to them.

3. Second chapter: Friends. Dreams come true.

"Time machine" was written by Mark, he and Taeyeon featured. Do is a known SNSD fan, a fan of Taeyeon and her friend. Mark has been Do's favourite kid since pre-debut. When the news broke, fans immidiently remembered how Do gifted Mark notebooks for writing lyrics. Let's also remember how Do sent a food-truck to Mark's first solo MV, always hyped him on IG. I think Do supports Mark as a musician in particular. Mark is a rapper in NCT, however, he wants to sing with the guitar. And that what he did on the track. A step towards his own dream, him as a songwriter and singer.

Both collabs are very meaningful and have roots in the past.

The redheaded teenager who didn't know what to do really and his prodigy baby growing up and becoming world known artists.

Do already has songs with Haechan (Maniac, Coming home), plus Hyuk has started songwriting attempts much later than Mark. He is not ready yet. Taeyong is a different story, I will share my thoughts about it later.

"Time machine" sounds like a song that will be covered a lot on Korean shows by other artists. It has that appeal. It seems relatively easy to sing (or, rather, it can be re-arranged to be simpler), and it is fit for a duet.

Chapter 4: A song for the Boyfriend.

I agree that "Serenade" seems to be the song for Jaehyun. The sound Jae likes, the placement on the album (after "friends"). It is the only positive love song on the album. For Doyoung singing is personal. It is his dream, his calling. Therefore, I wasn't expecting a lot of individual attention for Jae (opposite can be said about the upcoming Jae's album). The album is not for him. He is part of "my youth" and "the sea/warmth", and he knows it. One song is enough.

The song feels more like a gift than a dedication, though. There is no intensity or rawness (like the cover of Buzzi's "Mine" had, heh).

Chapter 5: Gems.

"Rewind" and "Warmth" are the type of songs that are popular in Korea. Do did covers of similar songs. This sound is expected from him. These two love stories are "for fans and general public" songs. Personally selected, but not too personal. Just beautiful songs to sing. Both songs reflect general experiences of youth (first love/first relationships that didn't mean to be and being alone/looking for meaningful connections). "Warmth" kind of repeats the first songs thematically.

Chapter 6: Doyoung the band vocalist.

"Lost in California" and "Rest" are band songs. Back to school. These are songs for Doyoung himself. Do's long-lasting dream of singing with a band, singing under open air on festivals, being a rock-star. The first one is Do's "28 reasons", a song where he can have fun and play with vocals. "Rest" is also an inspirational, supportive song. The was Do always cheered his fans on, talked about that it's OK to rest on the floor for a bit and start anew the next day.

Chapter 7: NCT 127

"Dallas love field" (a name for a small airport, apparently) is a song fully made by Kenzie, Do's noona. So it was for him, no doubt. Maybe we will hear the story behind one day. The lyrics about "pain being beautiful" made me think back to the trainee days. Although the lyrics alone could be read as JaeDo-coded, the sound, the upbeat melody, the chorus of male voices on ''chasing dreams so far" make it 127. Rookies and their dreams of debut, neos and their dreams for solo careers, NCT and Dreams.

Funny enough. This song sounds like anime Ending, heh. The main character's promise "to be continued". I liked how Do gave us a new tone to his voice in this song.

[127tyong]

White Night

Pairing: Jaehyun X Reader

Genre: Fluff

Word Count: 4k

You met Jaehyun on a rainy day in Seoul, in October. At the time, you were a broke university student, working 2 jobs after classes. You worked as a bartender and as a receptionist at a law firm. It was nearly midnight, and you fell asleep at your bartending job.

"Psst. Hey." A guy snapped his fingers at you. 

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry, I-"

“Hey… it's okay. I just want an Old Fashioned. Top shelf whiskey, please.” The guy soothed you.

"Can I see some ID, please?" You asked.

"Of course." He pulled his ID card out of his pocket.

You glanced at it, making a mental note of his height. "Here's that back."

When you finally came to after making his drink, you looked at the guy. His deep voice and tall stature, silky hair and perfect pink lips. The suit he was wearing fit him perfectly, and he looked so good. Despite his perfect outward appearance, the rain water trickled down his face and onto the floor. He was shivering like a little kid.

You handed him his drink. "One Old Fashioned." You smiled up at him.

"Thank you." He handed you a wad of money. "For you."

You bowed at him, and after drinking his Old Fashioned in one swig, he walked back into the rain.

~

The next day, you saw him at the law firm you worked at.

"Oh, hello Miss Bartender! Jeong Jaehyun." He handed you his ID.

"Oh… of course Mr. Jeong…" You blushed. You glanced at his ID, wondering how he could look so good in an ID picture.

"Psst!" Your coworker nudged you. 

“Oh yes! Here’s your ID back.

"You can enter right through security, Mr. Jeong." You smiled at him and handed back his ID.

"I can't believe you treated him like any other guy!" Your coworker grabbed a business card out of her purse.

J&J Law Firm was written on it, then you made the connection. Jaehyun’s family owns this place.

"I'm sure it's not even his firm! I bet it's his parent's!" You sighed.

~

"I think it's about time you told me your name, Miss Bartender." Seeing Jaehyun in the otherwise empty bar became a part of your daily routine. He was slouched in the bar chair, leaning forward, into you.

You stirred his drink haphazardly. "Why do you need to know?" You asked dryly. In your eyes, Jeong Jaehyun was another rich kid with too much time on his hands. Too much time to bother you while you worked, although the tips were nice.

"So I can give you a promotion, of course. It's a shame such a pretty girl has to work two jobs." Jaehyun dragged his hand down the wooden table, towards you. 

Of course the rich kid thinks he can buy my attention, you thought.

"Thank you, but I don't need a nepotism baby to get me ahead." You handed him the drink.

"Who said I was a nepo baby?" He snapped. "I'll have you know that I started that law firm myself with my best friend. I didn't complete law school so you can think I was born with a silver silver spoon."

"Oh! I'm sorry…" You bit your lip, wishing you held your tongue. After all, no more Jaehyun means no more money.

"I'll find out your name myself." He kissed his teeth. "But instead of promoting you, I promise I'll make your life hell."

~

The next few weeks were quiet. Too quiet. Without realizing it, you had gotten used to seeing Jaehyun's face everyday, the way he'd laugh at your stupid jokes and his dimples would pop out. But you suppressed those thoughts once you heard the news while walking into your usual midnight shift.

"What?! Fired?" You yelled at your boss, Kana. "But I'm your best worker! And I'm the only one who works at two!"

"You fell asleep! I thought it was fine but Jeong Jaehyun has been complaining! Look, I know business has been slow recently, but that isn’t any excuse.” Kana slid off her jacket, putting it in her work locker, while you cleaned the cups behind the bar.

You sighed. "Fucking Jeong Jaehyun."

"Do not talk about him like that! He's a paying customer, and I know he's your boss." She ran to sit across from you at the bar.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not sucking his dick because he’s rich.” You crossed your arms. "I’ll go clean out my locker."

“Listen, I don’t want to have to do this either.” She sighed. “Maybe you can try begging him? Roll your skirt up, pull your shirt down… there, now you look hot.”

"No, I totally don’t! This is useless!"

"Get on your hands and knees if you have to! As your boss and friend, I know you need the money. Please, put your pride aside."

You both heard the bell of the door ring. “Hi, Miss Bartender. An Old Fashioned, as per usual.”

“O-Of course, Jeong Jaehyun.” You ran to grab the whiskey. 

“Oh, and Miss Bartender?” Jaehyun’s words stopped you.

“Yes sir?”

“Unroll your skirt and I’ll give you a promotion.”

~

Month 1: September 12th

Jaehyun was driving you crazy. He promoted you to his "personal assistant." All of your coworkers began to gossip, saying you must've sucked his dick to work your way up. You decided to drop out of school to work for Jaehyun full time. After all, this is the job you probably would've gone for after college anyways. The contract you signed with Jaehyun was a one year contract, promising that you’d do anything he’d say without questioning him, that you would work days as long as he’d like, 24 hour shifts if he told you to, and that he’d pay you accordingly. 

The only real issue was… Jaehyun. Jaehyun made it his life mission to minorly inconvenience you everyday. Stuff like sending you out to get Americanos then saying it's too bitter, having you run all his errands at 6 pm, right before you're supposed to get off, anything. He constantly reminded you about your contract with him, everything.

But the worst part was the way he smirked at you, stared at you without even trying to hide it… He would be the death of you. No matter how much you tried to deny it, he was attractive.

~

Month 2: November 30th

"Don't wear that skirt again." Jaehyun looked you in the eyes after you handed him today's paperwork, standing next to his office chair.

"I… I like this skirt." You pulled at the hem of it.

"It's too short." His left hand rubbed your knee. "Dress code is all skirts must pass the knee. Your skirt barely covers your ass. It's the middle of fucking winter and you're dressed like this?" His fingers traveled up towards your thigh.

You stepped back. "I understand. I'll buy new skirts tonight." You sat back in your seat, getting ready to reply to emails.

"Now." Jaehyun didn't take his eyes off you for one second. "Use my credit card and take my card. If you go to the Dior Store on 5th Street they'll get you fitted."

"Mr. Jeong, I have to work, though. You have a meeting with-" You flipped through the calendar on his desk.

"Now." He extended his hand, his black card in between his fingers.

"But Johnny-" You slammed the calendar shut.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were supposed to be my assistant. Listen to me."

You let out a deep sigh, and walked over to Jaehyun and snatched the credit card out of his hand.

"You'd look good in red and black. Maybe navy blue or emerald green? Then a light pink and cream." Jaehyun let out an exasperated sigh. "Get those colors and come back to me before dinner."

“Johnny told me that he wanted me to remind you that it’s his wife’s birthday, so you’ll have to do everything yourself. That is all.” You stormed out of the office, not wanting to deal with him anymore.

~

By the time you came back, it was already past 4, and you immediately felt Jaehyun's gaze on you.

"When I told you to come back before 6, I assumed you knew that I meant sooner rather than later." Jaehyun clicked his pen rapidly. "You're staying here with me until we finish everything."

"But you-" He glared at you. You immediately put on a fake smile. "Of course, Mr. Jeong."

"Since our fiscal year is coming to an end…" Jaehyun started the meeting for you.

After you typed up the seven year plan, Jaehyun handed you a cup of coffee. 

"Oh, thank you, but I try not to drink coffee this late."

"Have it your way." Jaehyun sat at his desk. "Just know you're not leaving any time soon." His smile was still visible despite the fact his lips were on his mug.

~

You yawned, drinking the now cold coffee, staring out the window. "Oh my God! It's snowing!" You ran to look out the window. 

"Yes, snow." Jaehyun rolled his eyes. "Get back to work."

You looked at your watch. "It's already 2 am? So it's December now!" You ran through the empty halls and into the streets. 

Jaehyun grabbed your coat and scarf after putting his own out, and followed you. "Wait!" He wrapped the scarf around your neck and tied it.

You took your jacket and put it on. "Thank you."

"You don't even have pants on, why are we out here?" Jaehyun put his hands into his pocket and shivered.

"I always come out to celebrate the first snow of every year by catching snowflakes on my tongue." You stuck your tongue out.

"Are you a child?" Jaehyun raised his brow at you.

"Hey, you can go back inside if you want!"

Jaehyun rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out. "Oh, I caught one already." Jaehyun cringed. "Cold."

"Me too." You smiled. "Thanks for doing this with me."

Jaehyun brushed snowflakes out of your hair. "Can we go inside now?"

You laughed. "Fine."

Jaehyun led you back into his office and sat you onto his couch. "I hope you don't mind, but I only have one blanket." He sat next to you, and wrapped the thick woolen blanket over your lap. "I'll make some hot chocolate."

He came back, handing you the hot mug. "So, why do you even celebrate the first snow?" He sat next to you, pulling the blanket over his lap, leaning into your side.

"Well, it's just something I did when I was a kid and I still do it." You shrugged. "Almost like a tradition to make me feel like a child again. My life is so crazy, I've moved around a lot, had to work multiple jobs… but at least for a moment I can be a kid again, where the only thing that matters is the snow."

Jaehyun wrapped an arm around your shoulders, pressing his cheek against your head. 

He didn't have to say a word, and his warmth was enough to make you fall for him.

~

Month 3: December 23rd

"Jaehyun, should I clear our calendars for Christmas?" You sat next to him on the couch.

"No need. I'm not seeing anyone this year, so I'll continue working. You can leave, though." He scrolled through his phone.

You shook your head. "I was going to be alone this year too." You grabbed his arm, pressing it against your chest. "Let's celebrate together! I can cook and-"

"There's no need for that." Jaehyun avoided eye contact with you.

"I'm staying here, and that's that. I can make you some drinks if that's what you'd prefer, but I don't-" You shook his arm harder.

"I have a bottle of Ace waiting for me. You're not needed. Go home." He gently pushed you off him.

"No, I'm staying." You glared at him.

He glared back. "I'll lock the door tomorrow."

"I'll sleep here." You wrapped the blanket around yourself.

Jaehyun sighed, then stroked your hair. "If you feel that strongly about it… You can stay. But I don't promise to entertain you."

You gave Jaehyun a tight hug. "Thanks, Mr. Jeong!"

~

Month 3: December 24th

"We always stay here past midnight, so I just decided to cook for us today." You walked into the office around 10 am and placed the bags of food you cooked on the meeting table.

"Is that a new dress?" Jaehyun peeled his eyes away from the window and onto you, his eyes focused on your body.

You walked over to Jaehyun. "Yeah! Feel it, the velvet is so soft."

One of Jaehyun's large hands wrapped around your waist, his fingers dragging along your back. "It is quite nice."

"On, it's snowing so hard!" You turned your eyes away from Jaehyun's, and looked outside. "Mr. Jeong, we should go outside later and build a snowman."

"You can call me Jaehyun today. I doubt we'll be working that hard today, anyways." 

"Jae-Jae… No, I don't think I can do it. It feels too weird to call you by your first name." You cringed.

"Aw, do it for me." Jaehyun exaggerated a pout.

"Never do that again." You cringed more.

"Say Jaehyun then." Jaehyun's hands returned to your waist and his lips smiled, giggling. He gently pressed you against the window.

"Jeong Jaehyun!" You squealed.

"Tsk. Just Jaehyun." His head tilted to the side, his eyes still staring deep into you.

"J-Jaehyun!" You moaned out, embarrassed you let Jaehyun's teasing get to you.

"Good girl." Jaehyun pet your head. "See, that wasn't so hard."

"Please let go of me…" You whimpered out.

Jaehyun let out a low laugh. "Why should I?"

"Um… So we can… work?"

Jaehyun laughed and let go of you. "Fine then."

~

After you both ate dinner, you both drank tea and sat on the couch. 

"Here." Jaehyun pulled a box out of his desk. "I know it's not Christmas yet, but here."

You grabbed Jaehyun's present out of your purse. "Here, let's open them at the same time."

Jaehyun got you a necklace with a snowflake pendant and a letter. 

"Since you love the first snow because it’s as lovely as your past, I hope this necklace will also shine with you through the future."

"Aw, even you have a cute side too, Jaehyun." You looked up at him.

"Did you get me a heart phone charm?" Jaehyun looked at the box you gave him.

"Yeah, give me your phone." You took his phone and plugged in the charm into the headphones jack. "There." You grabbed your phone. "Now, whenever we're close, they'll light up." The tiny hearts glowed together.

"You know that this is the type of thing you get for your boyfriend, right?" Jaehyun looked at you with a raised brow.

"I spend too much time with you, so I can't get a boyfriend, so now you're basically my boyfriend."

"Well, I guess you wanna take being "married to your job" seriously." Jaehyun did air quotes.

You rolled your eyes. "Just say thank you." 

"Thank you." Jaehyun said, without any sign of actual gratitude. "Let me put the necklace on for you." He stood behind you and put the necklace on you.

"Thank you." The cold metal pressed against your chest. "I hope you didn't pay too much for it."

Jaehyun sat back down and shrugged. "I paid how much I thought you deserved."

You scoffed. "That's not a real answer."

"Maybe you don’t need one."

~

Month 4: January 27th

"So, Mr. Jeong, it's almost your birthday." You said, eating lunch with Jaehyun.

"Mhm, I guess it is." He nodded.

"So how much did you spend on my Christmas gift?" You leaned into him.

He sighed. "You don't have to buy me anything special. A simple "happy birthday" will suffice."

"Oh come on!" You dropped your spoon into your bowl. "Just tell me!"

Jaehyun rolled his eyes. "I had it custom made, so it was 17 grand."

You touched the snowflake around your neck. "So, you're telling me I've been wearing 9 months of rent around my neck? Mr Jeong, you pay me 127,000 every year!"

"Do you want a raise?" Jaehyun stared into his salad.

"No! I wanna know why you thought buying me a 17,000 dollar necklace was a good idea!"

Jaehyun swallowed. "I haven't celebrated Christmas with someone in maybe 3 years. Johnny has a wife and I don't have a life outside of work. Is that a good enough answer for you?"

"Ouch, too real." You cringed. "Well, I haven't had a boyfriend since I was in high school, so even though I won't spend 10k on you, I guess I'll treat you like my boyfriend."

Jaehyun laughed. "Well, I guess it makes sense that my birthday is on Valentine's Day."

You smiled. "Should I get Johnny something as well?"

"You're not his, he'll survive. I'm sure his assistant isn't going to get me anything for my birthday." Jaehyun wiped his mouth. "Come on, I need you to clear my schedule for my birthday."

"Oh, are we not working that day? I just assumed since we usually work holidays-"

"Let's spend the day together, but I'd rather take you out than work on my birthday."

You nodded. "Of course. I'll do it right now."

~

Month 5: February 14th

"Happy birthday, Jaehyun!" You threw the confetti at him when he opened your apartment door.

He laughed, brushing the pieces of colored paper off him. "Thank you, Miss Snowflake."

"Of course, Mr. Valentine." You gave Jaehyun a hug. "So, where to?"

"Wherever you want." Jaehyun fixed your necklace for you, sending the clasp to the back of your neck.

"But it's your birthday! You choose." You touched the snowflake.

"Exactly." Jaehyun smirked. "I wanna see how well you know me."

"But you always choose everything!" You pouted.

"So you should know what I like very well." Jaehyun spun on his heel. "Where are we getting lunch?"

"Um, maybe that ramen shop you like?" You stuffed Jaehyun's present into your purse then ran after him.

“Sounds good. What else?” Jaehyun walked into the elevator.

“We can go to the Han River and walk around?” You pressed the 1st floor button.

Jaehyun gave you a back hug while you two waited, his cheek against your shoulder, his arms around your waist. “Do you think we look like a real couple?” 

You looked at your reflection through the mirror in the elevator. “I think I look like your sugar baby.” You looked at the form fitting dress and heels you had on, and then the suit Jaehyun was wearing. “Yeah, you look like you pay me.”

“I guess I do pay you to be around me?” Jaehyun laughed.

You smacked his ribs. “Jeong Jaehyun!”

“Jeong Jaehyun!” Jaehyun repeated, mockingly. 

The elevator doors opened, and you pulled Jaehyun outside. “You’re so annoying, you know that?” “You shouldn’t be saying that, considering the fact I’m paying you to take me out.” Jaehyun’s voice got louder.

“Shut up!” You hissed.

~ “So, what’s my present?” Jaehyun slurped his ramen.

“Me.” You snorted. “You don’t deserve one.”

Jaehyun pulled his phone out. "So, I'll deduct 17k from your next paycheck…"

"Ugh! Fine fine…" You noticed the little red heart glowing through your dark bag and looked at Jaehyun's phone. "You still have the charm on?"

Jaehyun nodded, and pulled out his phone. "It's cute."

You pulled the box out of your purse. "Here."

Jaehyun opened it. "Couple's rings?"

"Isn't this the type of thing I'd give a boyfriend?"

Jaehyun slid the ring onto your ring finger. "Yeah, sure." He slid the ring onto his own finger. "How'd you know my ring size?"

"You forget I'm your assistant." You giggled.

"Is my ring size on file?"

You nodded. "As well as your measurements."

"Well, that's awkward." 

"Mine are too, you just haven't looked." 

Jaehyun looked at the ring. "Really?"

"It's not like you'd even know where to look!" You laughed.

"I guess I'll have to start looking."

~

Month 12: October 5th

"Hey, it's been a year since we met at this point." You and Jaehyun walked down the street, going to the bar you used to work at.

You nodded. "What was your first impression of me?"

"You were… hot." Jaehyun fidgeted with his ring.

"Wow, a sudden confession. Wasn't expecting that."

"No! I mean, yes, but no. Not in that way…" Jaehyun blushed.

"Come on! I'm just teasing you." You hit Jaehyun's arm.

Jaehyun took a deep breath. "I meant that you were warm. Your hands were always warm. I wanted to keep you close to keep me warm."

"Am I warm?" You held his hand.

"Very."

You opened the bar door for Jaehyun. "Hi Kana!" You waved at your old friend.

"Hey girl! An Old Fashioned for your man, right?"

"Oh he's-"

"Of course." Jaehyun pulled you onto a bar stool. "Just tell her we're dating."

She set the drink in front of Jaehyun. "I'm so glad you found love with him! Let me see that ring."

“Oh you noticed?” You showed her.

“They’re just couple’s rings, I promise I’ll buy her a nicer ring when I propose.”

“Propose?!” You squeaked.

"Why are you so surprised?" Jaehyun rubbed your back. "We are getting kind of serious."

You bit your lip then forced a smile. "I guess we are."

Kana placed a cocktail in front of you. "So cute."

"Kana, you should help me find a ring for her." Jaehyun smiled at her, his fingers leaving your back and onto your thigh, as he mindlessly played with the hem of your skirt.

You placed your hand on top of his. "Kana, I suppose you do know me best."

"I guess I'll have to get you the prettiest ring you've ever seen! Let me go help these other people, yeah?" She ran to the other end of the bar.

"Gosh, Jaehyun, stop fucking around." You smacked his arm.

He giggled. "It's fun, though."

"Well, you and Kana can go buy me a ring then."

"I will."

~

Year 1: December 7th

“Jaehyun! It’s snowing!” You squealed, looking out of the full length window, pressing your hands against the glass. “Come look! It’s the first snow!”

Jaehyun sipped his coffee. “Yes, it’s December, it always snows around this time.” He deadpanned, giving you a thousand yard stare. “I hope you’re cleaning that window.” “You’re no fun.” You pouted, slumping back into your desk. “Snow is so pretty though!”

Jaehyun bit his lip, reminiscing on the day of the first snow last year. You dragged him out of the office and forced him to catch snowflakes on his tongue with you. At least that’s how he remembers it, you remember running out by yourself, and Jaehyun followed you because it was freezing. “You gonna catch snowflakes again?” He asked, glancing at you over his glasses.

You giggled. “No, you got mad at me last year.” He stood up and put on his long coat and gloves, then extended his hand to you. “Come on. Let’s think of it as a yearly tradition.”

You smiled, putting your coat on. “Sure!”

You both ran outside, hand in hand, up the stairs onto the rooftop. When you got outside, you stuck your tongue out and caught a snowflake quickly. “Jaehyun, I caught one!” You watched him, as he stuck his tongue out and looked up at the sky. 

“Hey, don’t stare at me, it’s embarrassing!” His face turned red, but you couldn’t tell if he was cold or embarrassed. He wandered off.

“Fine, fine!” You closed your eyes tightly. 

“Stick your tongue out again, catch one with your eyes closed.” He instructed you.

“Wow! So even Mr. Jeong Jaehyun knows how to have fun!” You giggled, still doing what he told you.

“I caught one.” He told you.

“Oh so-” When you opened your eyes again, you saw Jaehyun holding a bouquet of roses. 

“I love you how I love the first snow. I hate snow. It’s cold, and makes life harder… But you still take my breath away, and I want the warm feeling you give me to never go away. So, I guess what I’m saying is that I want to date you.” He pressed the flowers into your hands. “So, what’s it going to be?” “I hate you more.” You held the roses in one hand, then wrapped your arms around his neck and kissed him.

He held onto your waist, and kissed you until your hair was full of snowflakes.