#this is a pretty dark drawing so do lmk if it needs an ID!! | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

headlinerkwan · 1 month ago

Text

dandelions - l.sm

pairing: lee seokmin x gn!reader

genre: nonidol!au, estranged friends, childhood best friends to lovers, fluff, pining, protective seokmin, flashbacks

summary: when you start your new job, an unexpected face reenters your life sending you down memory lane.

warnings: swearing, alcohol, etc.,

fic wc: 8.8k

a/n: icb i actually finished writing this, it was harddd. i love seokmin he's so kind and caring so i had to write him ᵕ̈ lmk what you think!! ִ ࣪𖤐

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The early autumn sun creeps in through your bedroom window casting a golden veil over you as you stay curled up under the sheets. It’s one of those mornings where the weight of sleep is too heavy to lift - not that you want to. You’re blissfully unaware of your alarm ringing repeatedly and your cat prancing all over the bed.

Thump

“Ow?” you groan, still half asleep.

Opening your eyes, your vision is blocked by a pillow, freshly resting above your head.

“What the fuck?” you continue, looking around to find your roommate, Mingyu, in the doorway.

“Get up, you’re gonna be late.” he nags.

Right, today is your first day at your dream job, the thing you’ve been working towards since you were fifteen.

“Ugh, why do you always have to be right?” you ask Mingyu as you quite literally roll out of bed.

“Can’t help it, sorry” he teases, “There’s coffee in the pot!” he says as he walks away, leaving you to get ready for the day.

Whilst your commute on the Subway is stuffy and dreary, the building of your new workplace is, to put it simply, breathtaking. It is light and open with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the entire city. The interior is no different, large open spaces with unique and colorful accents to break up the fresh white.

Across from the entrance, a man not too much older than you sits behind the receptionist desk. He has long, bleached hair, dark eyes and soft, angelic features - he’s pretty that’s for sure.

“Hi, um, I need to pick up my ID card?” you say, in a half question, half statement.

He puts down the pen that he had previously been spinning idly between his fingers.

“First day?”

You nod.

“I’m Jeonghan, welcome to hell.” he says with a childish giggle and innocent smile as if he didn’t just refer to your new job as the ninth circle.

“Y/N.” you reply. He spins around on his desk chair, hands wandering as searches for your ID.

“Aha!” he exclaims, waving the card in the air triumphantly.

With that, he stands up and makes his way over to you, “Without further ado, I shall show you the way.” he says theatrically, gesturing in the direction of the elevator,

Stepping out onto the fourth floor you are welcomed into a hopeful environment, an open office space, bright and refreshing but personal at the same time. There is a ping-pong table in one corner, a whiteboard of gag drawings and reminders, a darts board on the wall and the employees around you are chatting quietly amongst themselves, relaxed and smiling.

“Yoon Jeonghan!” someone yells from across the room, “Please tell me you weren’t playing receptionist again.”

Jeonghan maintains a playful smile but his eyes, like a deer caught in the headlights, give him away. The other man’s gaze is fixed only on Jeonghan as he walks over, “Your meeting starts in…” he checks his watch, “Now, go go go!”

“Thank you! My savior!” Jeonghan calls back to him as he scurries out of the office leaving you, standing next to a stranger, speechless.

“So he’s not the-”

“He works in PR, sometimes he just does shit like that, I don't know why.” the man clarifies.

“Ahh, okay” you respond, still puzzled.

“I’m Joshua.” he says after a beat, “You’re new…?”

“Yeah, I’m Y/N, nice to meet you.”

“Likewise, you’re joining the… graphics team?” He guesses.

“Bingo.”

“I say team, you’re more of a duo, we’re kind of understaffed right now but don’t worry, the other guy’s super talented. Just, y’know, try to get along. He’s kind of… the reason you’re only a duo.”

You laugh, “No worries, I like a challenge plus, I’m a people person.”

“For now, anyways,” Joshua mumbles light heartedly, “I’ll show you to your desk.

You follow Joshua towards the back of the office and into a cosy little corner. Your desk is right next to a large window providing you with great lighting and an even better view. This is it, exactly how you imagined during all those sleepless nights working hard. You think you’ll be happy here.

“Do you have your drawing pad and keyboard?” you nod eagerly, “Great, there’s a bunch of spare charges and cables by the front if you need any. Um, what’s next… Oh! Your ‘team’!”.

He turns to the desk next to you. In the chair sits a man with dark, soft hair which falls gently over his face as his eyes focus intently on the computer monitor in front of him. Joshua taps his shoulder, prompting him to remove his headphones and shift his attention onto you.

“This is Seokmin.” Joshua states.

Your breath hitches in your throat as his dark eyes settle on you in a fleeting moment that you never thought would happen again, especially not here.

Lee Seokmin.

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You’ve loved drawing and art since you were little. You would draw anywhere you could; at school, at the dinner table, in the car, at the playground, wherever.

You have a vivid memory of lying, stomach down, in the playground at seven years old. You were focused entirely on perfecting your drawing of the dandelion in front of you, crayons were splayed across your ‘work area’, your tongue poking slyly out of your mouth in concentration.

This moment, of course, was ruined by the thing you hated most at that age (more than eggplant), boys. A rugby ball charged unmercifully towards you, crushing flowers as it went before landing, bullseye, on your drawing. It brings an army of mud with it, splattering far and wide and knocking the majority of your crayon into the long grass,

When the owners of the ball approached you they didn’t say a word about the destruction they’ve caused instead, taking the ball and returning to the game, leaving you to stare with blurry eyes at your wasted hard work.

One boy, though, doesn’t follow the rest of the group. Instead, he towers above you, observing for a minute, before getting onto his hands and knees to rescue your crayons from the lawn.

“They’re playing without you.” You mumble, suddenly overcome with shyness.

He continues, retrieving your crayons, now with an infectious grin on his face, “That’s okay, I don’t really like that game anyways.”

After a moment of quiet, his hand extends out in front of you, “I’m Seokmin. What’s your name?” He asks, still wearing a goofy grin.

Taken off guard, your hand meets his and you shake it, just like you had watched your Dad do with ‘important businessmen’. You give him your name and his smile shines on you like the sun, and for the first time in your seven-year-old life, you are blushing.

“Hmm…” he ponders for a second, “I like it.”

Even now, you remember how strange you had found that comment, how you thought about it for days after - I mean, who was he to decide if your name was good or not? He was the same age as you, what did he know that you didn’t?

That day, Seokmin came into your life just as quickly as he left, the teacher announcing the end of recess and suddenly you’re watching as he hops and skips to his classroom before you get the chance to thank him for helping you. You didn’t know it then but, you would come to think of that day as one of the best days of your life. The day you found your own ray of sunshine. The day you find your vitamin. Your best friend. Your soulmate. Your Seokmin.

⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹

Once Joshua leaves, the air is thick with tension and a decades worth of unspoken words. It is cold; solemn, almost. You exchange a few small words between you, mostly well-wishes for the other’s parents and siblings - polite catch-up at most before he, almost instantaneously, is sucked back into his work, fingers tapping away at the keyboard, eyes fixed on the monitor, headphones on.

You work comfortably deep into the afternoon, he remains glued in that position. Even as others bustle around him on their way to eat or attend meetings, he stays put. You don’t think you’ve seen him this still since he was scolded by your middle school Maths teacher for not doing his homework. (After that, you always let him copy yours if he forgot again.)

Suddenly, Jeonghan’s face pops up from behind your computer monitor. You smile inquisitively, genuinely charmed by the man.

“Did you eat?” he asks. You look down at the time to find that it’s already three p.m, that you had been subconsciously waiting for a cue from Seokmin to go and eat , the way that you used to.

You shake your head, “Come on, I’ll introduce you to some fabulous people.” Jeonghan offers before his head ducks away from your computer.

You laugh quietly, trying your best not to distract Seokmin as you run across the office to catch up with your new friend who is already prancing giddily towards the cafeteria.

“There’s my princess!” a voice rings from the canteen counter as you enter behind a giggling Jeonghan. You watch as he greets a group of four men, all of them immediately jumping into easy conversation.

“Oh! I have a new friend to introduce you to.” he says, ushering you over. “Okay,” he begins “this is Y/N , it’s their first day - be nice. Y/N, meet Minghao, Hoshi, Dino, and you’ve already met Shua.”

You nod politely and smile, feeling slightly overwhelmed by all the new things happening around you.

“C’mon, let's get you some food.” Dino says, letting you take his place in the queue,

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Whichever slop your school was serving that day, splatters onto your tray as you move along the counter absentmindedly, all your attention being funnelled into Seokmin and his retelling of his chaotic maths class. It’s your last week at middle school and you’ve been placing an emphasis on this summer being ‘the best summer of your life’, your fourteen year-old self begging for the fantasy of adulthood that you had crafted throughout your childhood.

Seokmin smiles smugly at you as the lunch lady loads extra fries onto his plate, she clearly has a soft spot for him - a sentiment that, apparently, does not carry over to you. You trail behind your bestfriend, with a pathetic serving of fries as you reach your regular table and prepare to spend your lunch talking and joking around (and sharing whatever gossip you’d overheard in the halls) , the way that you do everyday. And, just like every other day, Seokmin shares his fries with you, despite his teasing.

“Next year….” you begin, he catches your gaze with soft eyes that tell you he’s listening, “We’ll still be us right? I don’t want things to change because of highschool. We’ll still be friends?” you finish blurting out.

“Always, Dandelion.” he replies, with the sweet nickname reserved only for his use before nodding his gently and looking down at the table coyly, “We’ll always be us, I promise.”

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Over lunch, you learn a lot about your new workplace. Hoshi and Jeonghan are more than happy to catch you up on the office drama and share any new developments with the rest of the group. They also tell you about a work dinner at the end of the week, and thank god, the do’s and don’ts for any (common) situations that might occur at said event, (apparently Seungcheol is an excitable drunk.)

After finishing your meal, the six of you return to the office. As you're leaving, though, you spot some takeout containers and immediately think of Seokmin and his tendency to get grumpy when he’s hungry. You sigh, your heart and mind falling gladly into old patterns, “go ahead, I’ll be there in a bit.” you call out to the group as you turn back towards the cafeteria.

With an assortment of food in your hand, you walk confidently in the direction of yours and Seokmin’s desks and… he’s not there. Where did he go? He literally hasn’t moved all day and now he disappears, leaving you to stand around like a lost idiot?

“He’s in a meeting.” someone mutters ahead of you.

“Ah, ok.” you reply, offering Minghao an awkward smile.

“It’ll probably run late, I wouldn’t bother waiting around” he adds.

“Oh I wasn’t gonna… thank you.” you resign, to which he nods happily and returns to his own desk. You place the food on Seokmin’s desk, not knowing what else to do with it, and follow suit.

Despite your will to be productive, you find your attention drifting back to the lunchbox. You haven’t seen each other in almost ten years, is this weird? Does he still like the same food? What if he hates it? What if he hates you?

Okay. Calm down. It’s just Seokmin, your Minnie, the boy you caught bugs with when you were little.

You resolve to write a post-it note, at least then he’ll know it’s not poisoned. You write about four different notes before settling on a simple ‘Eat Me’, sticking it atop of the container and quieting your mind just enough.

The next day, you come into the office, hungry and sleep deprived, to find his desk empty again. You try not to think anything of it, that is until you find a sticky note on your desk. A simple ‘Thank you’ is written atop of a small box of cookies. The cookies you ate every morning in highschool. He remembers. He hardly even speaks to you but he remembers.

What the fuck does that mean?

It does mean something, right?

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If the best day of your life was the day you met Seokmin, the worst day of your life would be the day he left.

You’re fifteen, standing in the unusually quiet hallways of your highschool, waiting for your best friend to finish his class so that you can walk home together. Over the past few months, something has shifted between you, maybe it was just teenage hormones but suddenly, you couldn’t take your eyes off of him, dazed by his bright smile, his sharp features, his fluffy hair, lost in how pretty Seokmin was (the same Seokmin you ruthlessly wedgied throughout your childhood.) Suddenly, everytime he hugged you, your stomach filled with butterflies and your cheeks flushed and yet you didn’t want to let go. But it was probably just hormones… no big deal.

He’s off when you’re walking home, concerningly quiet and, despite your prying he insists he’s fine, that he’ll tell you later.

“So Seungmin’s having a party on Saturday and I’m begging you to come, please?” you ask.

“I can’t.” He states quietly.

“Pleaseee, you know I can’t live without you!” you reply, lacing your fingers with his and swinging playfully in an attempt to cheer him up.

“I won’t be here.”

“Huh?”

“I’m leaving, Dad’s job- fuck I was going to tell you its just…” he runs his hands through his hair as you look at each other with tear-filled eyes. “It’s just,” he continues “It’s you, It’s fucking you, I don’t want to leave you… ever.”

You offer a comforting smile, deciding he’s more important than the sadness running through you right now.

“It’s okay!” you reply with a joyous tone, hoping it will cover up your tears and the way that your voice falters everytime you meet his eyes. “We’ve still got time! When are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow night.”

“Tomorrow night?”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” he says through tears and you don’t think you’ve ever seen him go so long without smiling.

“Hey, hey,” you caress his cheek gently, wiping away his tears, “we’ll still see each other a lot, we can visit each other, right?”

He nods.

“Promise?” you ask.

“Promise.” he mumbles before pulling you into a bittersweet hug.

“I’ll come see you before we leave, okay?” he says.

“Please.” you reply, still finding sanctuary, nuzzled against his chest.

The next day you wake up early, checking your phone repeatedly for a text from him but nothing. You try to do homework but you don’t even want to focus. You try to watch a film but miss half of it as your mind overthinks and distracts you.

It’s 2PM, no texts.

At 4PM, you call him, no answer.

You sit in your room and wait for him, for a text, a call, a knock on the door, anything.

6PM, still nothing.

8:30PM, you’re still waiting.

9PM, you’ll give it another hour.

10:15PM, just a bit longer.

By midnight, you’ve fallen asleep at the foot of your bed, your hand still clutching your phone, just in case.

⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹

As the week continues, Seokmin remains cautious around you. He’s kind, as always, but not in his unique Seokmin way. There is almost an anxiety that emerges whenever you’re around each other. The air is thick with tension, with unspoken words and fading memories, broken promises and old patterns.

He only speaks to you about work. You tell yourself that it’s progress, at least he’s actually talking to you, even if you’re itching for more. It’s a strange feeling seeing him now, a mixing pot of conflicting emotions churning inside of you. Surely you should be upset with him but you’re not. Not when all the love you’ve held for your best friend is just as strong even after a decade.

You find it strange to watch him in a work environment; so mature and professional and yet, when you look at him you can still see the remnants of the giggling boy you know so well beneath the surface. Neither of you are teenagers anymore and you have to remind yourself that no matter how well he grew up, and he grew up very well, things had changed and there was nothing that you could do about it.

On Friday morning, he’s late to work, a rare occasion. He runs into the office breathlessly, visibly flustered.

“You okay?” you ask, when he arrives at your shared corner of the office, endeared by his red cheeks and bright eyes.

“Yeah, just overslept.”

You nod in response, letting him organise himself.

“Oh! Um,” he hands you a coffee from the cafe down the street, “to celebrate the end of your first week.”

You’re taken aback by the gesture, especially by the name written on the side of the cup: ‘Dandy’.

And that’s when you know you’re well and truly fucked, doomed to have Seokmin in your heart and on your mind for the rest of your life.

You wonder if he knows what he’s doing or if he’s just being a nice coworker, a friend. It’s the proud grin on his face that he attempts to hide from you as he saunters over to his desk that tells you that maybe he does know.

As time passes, you’ve begun to see more of the Seokmin you loved through your childhood. The passion returns to his eyes, shining like stardust, he says your name softly again, less hesitantly, like he’s remembered who you are but, most importantly he was smiling. The toothy grin that makes you melt and captivates you in an instant. And you think that maybe, even if the both of you refuse to say it, he knows.

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“Excited for tonight?” Jeonghan whispers as he mischievously skirts around your desk in an attempt to look busy without actually working.

You turn to face him, an eyebrow raised, “Tonight?”

“Dinner? Work dinner? Drinks?”

“Oh! Yep, excited, yes.”

…You weren’t exactly excited. In fact, up until thirty seconds ago, you had been drafting a text to your friends about an impromptu game night but, you guess that’s off the table.

“I’ll text you the address!” Jeonghan yells as he’s dragged back to work by Minghao.

His directions lead you to a cosy pub-restaurant hidden away in the suburbs. You stand across the road, watching from afar and hyping yourself up for the night. It’s weird honestly, usually you love being social but tonight the nerves running through you feel like a swarm of bees in your veins, your fingers bouncing back and forth as you shift from one foot to the other.

Okay, get your shit together, it's just a couple of beers with your work friends.

Slowly but surely, you walk towards the pub. That is until you lose your balance on the loose paving, your feet disappearing from underneath you and suddenly your body meets the sidewalk, great.

“Dandy! Dandy, are you okay?”

Of course he’s here, just your luck. You sit up as Seokmin jogs over to you, your face hot with embarrassment.

“Yeah.” you mumble, slightly disoriented, “I just wasn’t looking where I was walking. Where did you come from?”

You don’t dare to make eye contact with him, even as he crouches down next to you, clearly concerned.

“I just got here, just in time I guess.”

“Mhm, my hero.”

“C’mon, let's get you to the bench.”

With your weight resting against him, you hobble to a nearby bench where he sits you down before returning to crouch next to you. Your eyes remain firmly glued to your newest enemy (yes, the sidewalk.) You hear him tut as he examines your injuries and you have to take a deep breath to calm your growing embarrassment.

“Okay,” he hums as a plan seemingly forms in his head, “step one.”

You feel a tugging on your foot, looking down to watch the top of his head as he firmly ties your shoelace. He lifts his head, looking up at you, his eyes sparkling under the moonlight, soft and sweet, with a comforting smile. You find yourself smiling back and in those few silent seconds, it’s like time has stopped. It’s just you and him and it’s good, you’re good. In those few silent seconds, there’s no heartbreak, no anger, no guilt, no yearning. In the few silent seconds when your eyes meet it’s as if your past melts away, it’s just the two of you as you are and you don’t need to say anything. All of the times that you’ve wanted to scream at him, cry, and laugh have all faded away - your eyes meet and you understand, he understands.

“Oh shit, your hand.” he says, suddenly searching through his jacket pockets.

Your hand is grazed from the fall, bruised at worst, maybe it’ll scab a bit but, no big deal. You hear him rustling around with some packaging and draw your attention away from your palm to find him peeling open a bandaid.

“You just carry those around with you?”

“Habit. I’ve been doing it since I was 9.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because you’re the clumsiest person I’ve ever met.” he explains, flashing you another smile and a cheeky wink. You laugh quietly as the tension melts away.

Nothing lasts forever though, the tension returns soon after but this time, it’s different. Your giggles are cut short when he gently caresses your hand, moving it further under the street lights. He applies the band aid gently, his touch, although light, sends sparks through you. Flattening the bandage flush against your skin, you let out a quiet wince as he brushes against your graze,

“Sorry.” He says, guilt tainting his usually bright tone.

“It’s okay,” you smile, “Thank you, really.”

You take his hands and help him up and off of the floor. He smiles, timidly this time.

“I’ll buy you a pint, come on.” you say, finally reaching the pub entrance.

Any anxiety you had been feeling earlier had been swiftly knocked out of you by the pavement, it wasn’t as if you had much dignity left to lose anyway.

The pub is mesmerising, old beer bottles crafted into chandeliers, good music underlying happy chatter and dim lighting, providing a cosy and intimate atmosphere. It’s busy inside but not overwhelmingly so, just enough to keep the energy high.,

Dino waves you over to the table, a pint waiting for you in his hand. You skip over happily, your heart feeling light.

“I thought our Seokmin wasn’t going to come tonight?” Hoshi says to the man behind you, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.

“Oh…uh yeah changed my mind but I can leave if you want.” He stammers.

The table erupts in response, all of your coworkers welcoming Seokmin (somewhat aggressively). He looks over at you apprehensively, nervous eyes seeking confirmation.

You smile gently, “Stay, Min. I promised you a drink.”

He nods shyly, taking a seat across from you at the table. You chat openly with your new coworkers, as eager to learn more about them as they are to learn about you. You glance at him briefly every so often, only to find that he’s already looking at you. Even when he’s deep in conversation with someone else, his eyes float over to you, his finger drawing lazy circles on the rim of his glass, his dark eyes finding yours through his shelter of wavy hair.

When the food arrives he is quick to reach across to your plate and pick the eggplant out of your meal, remembering your dislike for it. You exchange awkward smiles as he piles the vegetable onto his own plate, a silent acknowledgment of your past.

At some point in the night, the conversation becomes nostalgic, reminiscing on your teen years - a dangerous path for you.

“No no no!” Jeonghan objects, “Karaoke is essential for Wednesday’s, it's literally the sole reason I finished High School.”

“You have to go on Fridays. That’s what we did,” Seokmin points to you, “It’s a celebration.”

Your eyes widen at his casual mention of your old pastimes. For some reason you had assumed that yours and Seokmin’s history was something that neither of you should discuss.

“We?” Joshua asks, “Did you two know each other?”

“Uh, we were friends…growing up” you explain, looking over at Seokmin for approval. He nods, his lips pressed together almost apologetically.

“What the fuck happened to make you act like strangers then?” Hoshi pipes up.

“Nothing, he just uh, moved away.” you attempt to make it sound as positive as possible, to hide the way it left you heartbroken because, he wasn’t just your friend, he was your soulmate.

“Huh, weird, okay.”

“Why is that weird?” you ask, slightly defensive.

“No, no I just thought there was gonna be more than that, some young love shit or something.”

You laugh off his comment, “You’re too dramatic for your own good.”

As midnight nears, the group begins to split off, most heading home, some continuing the party elsewhere. Your coworkers leave one by one until you’re left at the table with Minghao, Jeonghan and Seokmin. Whilst you nurse your last drink quietly, you listen to Seokmin charm the other two about a new project and find yourself smiling to yourself. You’re still amazed by his sweet talking and comforted to find that maybe he hasn’t changed as much as you had thought.

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One month later, you can confidently say that you and Seokmin are friends again. Even if you both steer clear of your past, at least you have him in your life to laugh with again.

It’s a boring Wednesday when Joshua calls the both of you into a meeting room. You’re confused, did you miss a memo? Were you meant to be having a meeting right now? Did you do something wrong?

“Okay so,” Joshua begins, “We have a slight issue and I’m gonna need you two to help fix it?”

You and Seokmin turn to each other, equally puzzled.

“We need someone to represent us for the expo in Jeju. It’s just two days, one night, you’ll leave tomorrow morning.”

Seokmin lets out a frustrated sigh, “We don’t work in marketing though?”

“Marketing is uh… tied down right now so, it's you.”

“Does it have to be us?”

Ouch.

“You two are the best option, you know what you’re doing plus, you’ll look good in pictures.” Joshua says, buttering you up. “Please, I’ll owe you.”

You look at Seokmin, nodding at him once. You’re happy to go, it's Jeju for God’s sake. You’re slightly offended that he doesn’t seem excited, it’s hard to feel like you’re not the reason behind his hesitation even after all the progress you’ve made.

“Fine. Yeah okay, we’ll go.”

“Thank you! Thank you, I owe you big time!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

You practically run out of the office that night, eager to get home and pack. Once you open your front door, you speed past a now baffled Mingyu and head to your room.

With your suitcase open on your bed, you begin to pick out outfits for the trip, carefully folding your formal clothes and carelessly throwing in the rest.

“Are you… going somewhere?” Mingyu asks, standing in your doorway.

“Work trip. I’m going to Jeju with Seokmin for a couple days, it’s last minute but-”

“Seokmin? Seokmin, childhood best friend turned coworker? Seokmin who ghosted you? Seokmin, the one that got away, Seokmin?”

“I mean, I wouldn’t say ‘the one that got away’ but yes, that Seokmin.”

“Oh you have to keep me updated on everything” Your roommate says excitedly.

“You’re weird.” You joke, attempting to brush him off.

“Pleaseee.” He replies, grinning giddily, his hands clasped together.

“Okay” you say with a sigh, how can he be so excited about a trip he’s not even going on?

“Yippee!” Mingyu squeals, leaving your room with a hop in his step whilst you watch, laughing loudly.

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The next morning, you arrive at the airport to find Seokmin waiting for you outside. He is leant against a pillar, earphones in and clearly captivated by something on his phone. You walk up to him smiling, standing in front of him and bending down to bring your face into his line of sight, separating him from his phone.

“Hi” you say softly, he only hums back, looking up from his phone briefly to check the flight board.

“Are you okay…?” you ask hesitantly, concerned by the return of his cold behavior.

“Yeah, sorry, just didn’t sleep well.”

You nod, offering a sympathetic smile, “Should we go?”

“Right, yeah.” He slips his phone into his pocket and grabs his suitcase.

Just as you begin your walk towards your gate, his hand brushes yours, sending butterflies to your stomach. You look up at him to confirm that it was probably an accident. But, that’s not what you find. Instead, he’s already looking at you with a small awkward smile. You raise an eyebrow at him, silently asking what he wants.

“Your suitcase.”

“Oh.”

You take your hand off of the handle slowly. The bar is swiftly covered by his hand, wrapping around the handle wordlessly. He returns his gaze to the path ahead of you, walking confidently ahead and leaving you to trail behind, speechless. Every signal he sends confuses you more, all of them so different from the last you wish you had the balls to just grab him by the collar and ask him what he’s thinking.

When you arrive at the hotel, you’re in awe. You don’t think you’ve ever seen a hotel so fancy, let alone had the chance to stay in one. The building is surrounded by flowers and orange trees like a canopy to protect you from reality. The sun shines down on you gently as the sound of waves hitting the rocks from afar fills your ears. You take a deep breath and smile to yourself, suddenly at peace in this quiet moment. That is until, Seokmin enters your line of view, strolling towards the entrance with both of your suitcases in hand and you remember why you’re here.

“Hi, can we check in? The booking should be under the name ‘Hong’”

“No worries! Let me grab your information, are you here for the expo?”

Seokmin hums in response, watching as your eyes scan the lobby, taking in its grandeur.

“Alright! There’ll be a mixer for representatives at 8pm, just pop back down here to collect your free drink tickets.” The clerk says, handing Seokmin a room key with a smile.

“Thanks” Seokmin says, turning to leave before pausing, “Sorry, is there… only one room?”

“Um, let me double check.” the clerk returns to the computer, “Only one room booked under Hong.” She clarifies.

“Alright, no worries, thank you!” The two of you head towards the elevator in a comfortable silence.

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Opening the hotel room door, the two of you share a sigh of relief at the sight of two beds. Whilst it was true the two of you had grown closer over the past two months, you weren’t exactly ready to recreate your middle school sleepovers.

You claim the bed by the window quickly, flopping down onto it excitedly as he watches from afar. You turn your head, grinning at him as you sink into the mattress.

He laughs at your childishness quietly, “I’m gonna jump in the shower, if that’s okay?”

“Go ahead!” you reply, reaching for your phone, ready to scroll mindlessly.

Out of the corner of your eye, you watch as he runs his hand slowly through his hair, gaze fixed on his open suitcase. You’ve forgotten, after all of these years, just how gorgeous he is. How majestic he looks without even trying.

You return to your phone, slightly embarrassed by just how intently you had been watching him. Upon reflection, your eyes should’ve stayed on your screen but of course, you have zero self-control. Time seems to slow when your gaze shifts back to Seokmin who is in the midst of lifting his t-shirt up over his head.

Okay, Yeah. These feelings definitely aren’t just platonic.

He clears his throat, his t-shirt now bunched up in his hands and his eyes on you. You’ve been caught, shit. You can feel your face heat up instantly as you mutter an embarrassed apology and turn onto your side, away from him. You hear him chuckle under his breath whilst he continues to rummage through his suitcase. Any attempts to distract yourself fail completely, feeling your heart beat rapidly as you stare widely at the blank wall in front of you in pure disbelief.

An exhale of relief escapes you once you hear the shower turn on and his ethereal vocals leak through the bathroom door.

“Dandy, wake up”

You groan and roll over to find Seokmin sitting on the edge of your bed, a hand gently stroking your hair. He looks heavenly in a white button up and a loose tie, hair curly and still slightly damp.

“What time is it?” you hum, still in a sleepy daze.

“Um… 7:58?” he responds, guiltily.

“PM? Why didn’t you wake me up? You say, shooting up from the bed immediately and scrambling to find an outfit and fix your bedhead.

“You looked like you needed it.”

“Thanks for the compliment” you laugh.

“Not like that ugh.” he groans, bickering playfully.

Hurriedly trying to fasten your bracelet, you swear incoherently as it drops to the floor again. Picking it back up and wrapping it around your wrist again, his warm hands cover yours as he appears in front of you and begins to fiddle with the clasp.

“Hold still.”

You look up at him, his eyebrows scrunched up in concentration as his hand moves down to gently angle your wrist towards him.

“There.” He says, satisfied, looking back up to meet your eyes.

You thank him with bated breath, your hands still resting in his, electricity humming between you. “We’re gonna be late.”

“Right, yes. Lets- lets go.” he replies, hiding his hands abruptly in his trouser pockets and heading to the door.

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The hotel bar is dimly lit and filled with a crowd of people dressed in near identical outfits. You both head towards the bar, sensing already that you’ll need a couple of drinks to get through the evening.

His attention is drawn away from you as soon as the cold of the pint glass meets your palm.

“Leo!” He calls to a man across the room, “Old friend, be right back, don’t do anything I wouldn’t.” he whispers to you with a reassuring grin.

His space next to you is filled almost immediately by a guy you’ve never seen before who introduces himself as Haru. He offers to buy you a drink to which you decline, showing him your still full beer glass. He initiates small talk that leaves your focus wandering around the room. He’s clearly trying to flirt and you’re clearly not interested.

After a gruelling half an hour, you shoot Seokmin a desperate ‘save me’ look and thank God that he’s played enough mafia games to connect the dots.

It sends shivers through you when he appears behind you, his arm gently slipping around your waist, “Who’s this?” Seokmin asks, looking down at you with loving eyes. Your heart beats rapidly as you speak, flustered by his affection.

“This is uh…Haru.”

“Ah nice to meet you Haru.” He says, offering out his hand.

The man looks visibly frustrated by Seokmin’s interruption, denying his handshake, “And who are you?” he asks.

“Their boyfriend.” Seokmin replies, moving his hand from your waist to hold your hand and squeezing it gently, hoping you’ll play along even through your shock.

You look down at your intertwined fingers and smile, even if he’s just rescuing you, even if it’s all pretend, you feel your heart grow happier and your stomach fluttering.

Haru walks away, setting his sights on a new target and finally leaving you alone.

You thank Seokmin coyly, slightly embarrassed that you needed his help just to shut down a conversation.

“Should we get some fresh air?” he asks.

“Mm,” you hum, “Let me get a refill first.”

The both of you trail back to the bar, empty glasses in hand, his hand in yours slowly becoming the most natural thing in the world.

You hardly notice that you’re still interlinked when you reach the hotel garden, staking your claim on a patch of grass that overlooks the sea. You close your eyes and envelope yourself in the ocean breeze and sounds of the rolling waves and distant seagulls, revelling in the fresh air and calmness that washes over you now that you’ve escaped the crowded hotel bar.

“Dandy?”

You open your eyes to find Seokmin sat close by your side holding out a napkin and pen. His eyes are sparkling in the moonlight, swirls of passion and kindness drawing you in. He calls you quietly, softly, as if you’d fade away if he’s too loud. He must be utterly unaware of the way he makes you feel, the way he’s made you feel since you were teenagers.

You raise a questioning eyebrow at him, unsure of what he wants from you.

“ Here.”

“Huh?”

“You never finished your drawing.” he pauses, “The dandelions. When we were, what? Seven or eight?”

“Seven.”

“You should finish it… if you want to.” He hands you the napkin and points to your left where you find two lone dandelions standing strong, persistent against the wind.

You smile. A smile so wide your jaw starts to hurt. A smile so strong that you can’t quell it - not that you want to. It’s true that this moment, sat beside your best friend, after all these years, drawing under the moonlight is the moment when you feel happiness, the most content.

This is your ‘this is it’ moment.

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You're delicately cross-hatching the stem when he breaks the silence.

“I- uh, I’m…”

You break your focus to turn to him, he’s looking down at his hands which are busy carefully dissecting a fallen leaf.

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry. I was a bad friend to you. That day. I shouldn’t have left. Especially not without saying goodbye. It was the stupidest thing that I’ve ever done. I just couldn’t bring myself to let you go. I was a selfish idiot and I’m sorry. There was so much I wanted to tell you but I was a coward and I hurt you… it hurt me too. Fuck.”

You listen intently, nodding along and slipping your hand into his as his breath grows shaky. His words are full of heart-breaking guilt and, as he speaks, you want nothing more than to take all of his pain away,

“Minnie.” you begin, “You were never a bad friend, you weren’t a coward. You were sixteen. We were kids, of course we’re going to do dumb things and be scared because that’s what kids do. But it’s okay because now, we’re here and we can make up for lost time and be us again.”

“Us?”

“Do you have a problem with that?” you ask, jokingly.

He laughs, “No I quite like it, actually.”

It’s then that it hits you. Just how much you’ve missed this, him. His laugh is bright, the kind that colors your world, makes the birds sing louder, the sun shine brighter. Hearing it again, you feel a warmth run through you, relief and happiness, you’re back.

“What’s the gossip then?” you ask, nudging him playfully.

“The gossip?”

“The things you were going to tell me all those years ago..”

“Oh. Uh. Later maybe. Get on with your drawing.”

“Oh, real.” You reply, turning back to your napkin, his eyes following you gently.

“Oh shit. My beer!” you exclaim as you watch the pint glass topple over onto the grass.You lie back, exasperated.

Seokmin laughs again, watching as your hair meets the lawn, “Clumsy as ever.”

You look at him with an aggressive look, one that says you’ll kill him if he keeps laughing at your misfortune.

“I’ll get you another.”

You smile and thank him sweetly as he stands up and walks back towards the hotel, leaving you staring up at the night sky, memorising each glowing star that hangs above you with a smile that you think might never leave.

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“C’mon Dandelion, let's get you to bed.” He says gently, offering you his hand to pull you up off of the grass.

It’s been a few hours since you wandered outside and you’ve had a bit too much to drink. You make grabby hands at Seokmin, willing him to sit back down beside you, not wanting your evening to end just yet,

“Noooo please, it’s so pretty out here! Look at the stars, they’re so pretty!”

He looks down at you, soft eyes, biting down on his lip in order to stifle any laughter that might emerge because of your drunken state

“Pretty, yes. But, you’ll catch a cold if you stay here any longer!”

He threads his arm around your waist, helping you to stand up and making sure you’ll stay that way.

“You too.” you slur, “Pretty,”

He laughs at your drunken vulnerability, fully aware of just how much tonight is going to haunt you once you sober up.

“Thanks, you too.”

You hum happily, “What did you want to say before you left?”

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll tell you when you’re a bit more…awake.”

“Hey! I’m fucking awake right now!”

He laughs quietly and you fall into a comfortable quiet as you trudge through the garden and into the hotel.

“You know I was going to tell you something too.”

“Is that so?” He asks as you lean into him, his hand combing through your hair as you adorn a smitten smile.

“Mhm! You were always so unaware though,” Your smile becomes a grumpy frown that’s more fitting for a sulky toddler.

He watches as you continue blabbering.

“You only ever saw me as your friend, do you know how frustrating that was? You were so clueless, I guess I was too but still! I just had to watch you everyday be all pretty and when I finally think I have any courage you just leave? Kind of rude, I say.”

He laughs quietly to himself, endeared.

“Ok, let's get you to sleep, now.” He says, opening the door to your hotel room.

Once inside you clumsily flop down onto your bed, kicking off your shoes and melting into the mattress. Seokmin follows behind, careful to stop you from injuring yourself or the furniture.

“Sleepy?”

You give a peaceful hum in response as he lifts the blanket up and lets it fall gently over you. He smiles again fondly, watching your eyelids flutter as you fight the urge to sleep.

“Alright, goodnight.” Seokin says gently as he turns off the lamp.

“Min.” you call suddenly, watching him move towards the bathroom.

“Dandy.”

“Don’t leave.” you plead, a quiver in your voice that you’re unaware of, “Please.”

“We’re literally sharing this room, don’t worry.”

“Stay with me… please?” you repeat.

He walks back over to your bedside, stroking your hair affectionately, “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”

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The next morning, you’re awoken by the sun beating down on you through the window and the alarm sounding from across the room that makes your ears ache.

“Mingyu…” you mumble to yourself in a hungover daze, “turn it off.”

When the alarm continues to sound, you force yourself to open your eyes, the sunlight making your head throb to no end. You groan and familiarise yourself with your surroundings.

Right. Not in your apartment. You’re in a hotel on a work trip.

Christ, you’re this hungover on a work trip?

A heaviness on your left hand prevents you from sitting up. Rolling over to investigate, you find a sleeping Seokmin on the floor with only a pillow and thin blanket. His hand is in yours, stretched up into the air to meet you as he grumbles in his dreams.

A smile spreads uncontrollably across your face, your heart melting at the sight and, for a moment, your hangover dissolves away, leaving only love in your eyes.

But nothing lasts forever. Soon enough your headache evolves into a strong thump like there’s a rock rattling around in your brain and you begin to piece together everything that happened the night before.

Jesus..

You flop yourself back down onto the mattress with a frustrated groan. If there’s one thing you’re good at, it’s embarrassing yourself. Why the fuck did you say all that? God, he probably thinks you’re insane or a loser or just plain dumb to ramble on the way that you did.

At this moment, there’s only one thing you’re completely sure of, you need to get out of this hotel room before Seokmin wakes up.

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As the door shuts, you lean back against the wall and sink down to the floor, your head in your hands.

For fucks sake.

At least one positive thing has come out of your stupidity, you’ve discovered your hidden talent for sneaking out of a tiny hotel room.

Walking down to the hotel lobby, you’re greeted by the same smiley clerk from the morning before.

“Rough night?” she asks as you pass by on your way to breakfast.

You smile politely and nod whilst she continues, “Where’s your boyfriend?”

“Oh he’s not- he’s still asleep.” you reply, flushed cheeks as you fail to escape the previous night.

She nods and returns her focus to her work, letting you seek the cup of coffee you so badly desire,

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To your relief, you don’t see Seokmin until later in the day once you’ve been stuffed in a crowded room. Everyone around you is preparing to pitch a product they’re clearly tired of seeing on a daily basis. As soon as he walks through the door, his eyes search the room for you. You are trapped in a laborious conversation about investment when you feel his hand on your arm, tugging your attention away.

Looking up at him, his eyes search yours for answers about your disappearance and it's then that you realize that when you’d ran away without explanation, you’d done the one thing that, last night, you’d sworn you would never do.

“Fuck, Seokmin I-”

Your apology is cut short as he pulls you into a tight embrace, your cheeks burning as his arms wrap around you in the midst of the crowded room.

“It’s okay.” He says under his breath, lifting a hand up to gently stroke your hair before pulling away from you. You exchange solemn, knowing smiles.

“We’ll talk later?”

You nod shyly, nerves rising inside of you at the prospect.

“Right,” he continues, “should we… get to work?”

You both look around the room and observe the bustling displays of capitalism around you.

“Good idea.” you smile.

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“So, last night…” Seokmin begins, pushing food around his plate.

You smile with embarrassment as your eyes fall to your own plate. Here we go.

‘What you said about… you know-”

“I’m sorry, I was drunk and I didn’t know what I was saying, and I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” Your attempt at damage control has turned you into nothing less than a rambling mess.

“No, please don’t apologise I just-”

“Here’s your bill sir.” The waiter seems to appear out of nowhere and you both immediately fall silent.

Seokmin pays the bill quickly, despite your opposition that he buys you dinner after all of the chaos you’ve caused.

You can see his mind racing a mile a minute as you walk lazily back to the hotel. The silence stays with you, a shadow clinging to you under the moonlight.

The air is thick with tension as everything unsaid hangs around you, your half finished conversation replaying over and over again in torturous thought. And yet, you still can’t manage to tear your eyes away from him, his presence alone sending you into a pining spiral.

The elevator hums as you stand shoulder to shoulder and finally, after half an hour, he breaks the silence.

“Do you believe in that thing?” he mumbles.

“Hm?”

“Y’know, drunk words are sober thoughts?”

A small laugh leaves your mouth and you thank god that the elevator reaches your floor, giving you a bit more time to contemplate how to answer him.

Once you enter the hotel room, Seokmin turns to you, taking your bag and placing it on the chair in the corner.

“Well?” he asks, “Are drunk words sober thoughts?”

Your face grows hot as he smiles sweetly and steps closer.

“I- I guess, yeah.” You whisper, your heart feels like it's about to burst out of your chest.

“Good. So do I.”

Oh.

He nears even closer until you’re sandwiched between him and the wall.

“Min…” you mumble, breathless.

“Tell me to stop and I will.”

But you don’t move a muscle. Of course you don’t. It’s him for god’s sake. Your Seokmin, finally yours again.

His breathing is heavy as he inches closer, his hands now resting on your waist until you’re forced to move your neck to look at him, smiling. His lips brush hesitantly against yours, you are both so aware of how much weight the next action will have on your relationship, with every touch there’s a shaking sense of nerves and longing.

His kiss is gentle and sweet, cautious. His hand cups your face sweetly, as if he’s scared that he'll break you. Electricity surges through the air, sparking between you as you lean into him

Being wrapped up in his arms as you are right now, his lips on yours, the world melts away. All the anxiety and fear you’ve ever felt is gone, your past is forgotten - its just you and him. Everything has changed and yet, with him it’s the same, you’re a teenager again and nothing could take you away from one another.

You come to a slow, breathless and dazed. He traps you in a warm embrace, his heart beat pushing against your shirt.

“You haven’t left my mind since that first day. I’ve loved you everyday, even when we were apart. I’m sorry for making you wait, I just- I just need you now,” he nuzzles his face into the crook of your neck, mumbling soft kisses as he talks, “If you’ll have me.”

“Min.” You say softly, lifting his head up so you can see him in all of his ethereal beauty, “It’s you and me always, don’t forget that.”

A smile of relief appears on his face as he looks down at you through sparkling eyes. He spins you around excitedly, smiling wide and laughing loud, like a puppy chasing its tail.

“Finally, my Dandy!!”

You giggle as you spin, completely enamoured by the man before you.

His face is bright and happy. He is Seokmin again, your Seokmin.

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