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honeyhae-svt · 6 months ago

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On My Command

SEVENTEEN FANFICTION (SERIES)

AFAB!READER x SEVENTEEN - MNID!!!

GENRE: Mafia, Businesses, Dark Romance, Smut, Gangs, RomCom, Action, Fem!Reader x Mafia!Seventeen, Baddie!Reader x Businessmen!Seventeen

⚠️ WARNINGS ⚠️: (LOL for this chapter it doesn't have explicit scenes but overall, it does, so yeah, mdni) Gunshots, Blood, Language, Manipulation, Fighting, Action. -warnings for this chapter

♡-Mention of other groups like TXT, EXO, ENHA, G-IDLE, LE SSERA, NCT DREAM, RIIZE (THIS IS A SERIES SO IG I WILL BE ADDING MORE TO THAN THESE WARNINGS) - MDNI OR I WILL BLOCK THOSE WITHOUT AGE INDICATOR ON BIO.

READER IS NAMED LI MEI QIANG!!!

>>>> IMAGES ARE FROM PINTEREST so yeah, ctto. Also, there will be a 1st person POV 'cause I like starting from Y/N's POV at every story I make. Lmao. Enjoy babies. ♡

On My Command - Masterlist (Chapters)

CHAPTER 1

First Person POV: ☆

I was just persuading a customer to buy one of the newly released beauty products from the store I worked at—'Jayeonmi,' which meant 'Natural Beauty.' Seriously, who names their store like that?

As I expertly explained the benefits of our top-tier concealer, I didn’t even stutter, maintaining the calm, professional demeanor that made me the best salesperson they had.

But just as I was about to close the sale, a commotion at the counter grabbed my attention. Instinctively, I pulled the customer down, shielding her with my body. My eyes darted to the source of the noise—a masked man holding a gun, pointed directly at Yuqi, my co-worker and close friend, who was manning the cashier.

"Give me all the money you have and put it in this bag!" the man barked, tossing the bag at Yuqi.

Great. We didn’t even have any security today since the store is practically bankrupt. Honestly, this was bound to happen sooner or later.

I sighed, releasing the terrified customer from my hold and motioning for her to get out while she still could. Once she was safe, I rose from the floor and started toward the man, moving slowly. He noticed me almost immediately, his gun shifting to track my movement.

"You! Stop right there!" he commanded, his voice edged with panic.

I raised my hands, but kept walking. "Don't worry," I said with a calm, almost teasing smile. "I’m not going to hurt you."

He flinched at my words, clearly unnerved. His grip on the gun faltered as he locked eyes with me, momentarily distracted by my steady gaze. In that split second, I closed the distance between us, my smirk widening. I knew my calm demeanor might have unsettled him. His distraction gave me the chance to close the distance between us. Just then, the door flung open and my idiot friend, Beomgyu, burst in. Perfect timing, as always. The masked man’s attention shifted to Beomgyu, freezing him in place.

Without hesitation, I yanked the gun from his hand and delivered a swift punch to his face, sending him crashing to the floor. I stood over him, the gun now pointed down at his bleeding nose.

"You should've paid more attention to me, darling," I sneered, the smirk never leaving my face. The punch hadn’t even been that hard. Pathetic.

Yuqi immediately called the cops, and it wasn’t long before they arrived to haul the guy away. Turned out, he’d been pulling stunts like this all over the city. As they cuffed him, Yuqi ran over and hugged me from behind, nearly choking me with her enthusiasm.

"Oh my gosh, Unnie, you were so cool!" she squealed, clinging to me like I’d just saved her from certain death. I rolled my eyes, patting her head.

"I know, I know. I’m awesome," I replied, a smug grin plastered on my face. Yuqi was Chinese too, so we often slipped into our native language when we spoke, though her excitement made her Korean slip out.

And then Beomgyu—ever the idiot—decided to smack me upside the head. "What the hell were you thinking? You could’ve gotten yourself killed!" he scolded, crossing his arms as if he were my mother.

I shot him a death glare. "What’s the smack for, you bitch—" I caught myself as I noticed Yuqi still clinging to me, and I forced myself to calm down.

“I’m not a bitch, dumbass,” he replied, crossing his arms. I turned my attention to the chaotic aftermath of the incident. Products were scattered, and I suspected some customers might have taken advantage of the situation to steal.

After we tidied up, I went straight to the CCTV room to confirm my suspicions. Sure enough, two girls who looked like students had swiped a bunch of products before bolting during the commotion.

“Those rats. If I ever see them in this store again, I’ll make sure they regret it,” I muttered to myself, fists clenched in anger. It wasn’t even about the store—it was the thought of those stolen items coming out of our paychecks. That greedy owner was already squeezing us dry. Damn greedy manager.

I’m Li Mei Qiang, a Chinese expatriate living in Korea since I was six. Raised by someone I consider a brother, Lee Heeseung, people often mistake us for real siblings because our surnames sound similar.

At 25, my life is a mix of the mundane and the peaceful. Despite knowing a lot about psychology—skills that make me an exceptional salesperson—here I am, working at a bankrupt store for a meager salary of 3,250,000 won (about 4,167 USD).

Events like today’s excite me, though I’m not sure why. I suppose it’s the thrill of disruption that keeps me on edge.

As I waited for my shift to end, Beomgyu tapped my shoulder and pointed to the entrance. I looked up to see Heeseung, who had come to pick me up. I nodded and signaled him to wait while I changed into my casual outfit.

“I’m heading out now. See you tomorrow,” I told Yuqi and Beomgyu before walking outside. Heeseung handed me a helmet, and I hopped onto his motorbike.

As we rode, I stared blankly into the distance until Heeseung broke the silence. “So, I heard you caused quite a ruckus today.”

I frowned at his words. “I didn’t cause it. I saved everyone’s lives,” I replied, my tone defensive. “You still risked your life. What if you’d been shot? The guy had a gun,” Heeseung countered.

I rolled my eyes. “Doubt my abilities if you want. That guy was so weak he went down with one punch. Why would he even attempt to steal when he’s that pathetic? He should’ve just—” I trailed off as Heeseung gave me a stern look. I fell silent, knowing I had gone too far.

When the light turned green, Heeseung drove off again, and the rest of the ride was spent in silence. He didn’t like it when I went on rants, especially when I didn’t hold back.

We reached our apartment complex, and Heeseung parked the bike. As we walked toward the elevator, Heeseung mentioned, “Mr. Ahn from next door has gone missing.”

I was taken aback. “Mr. Ahn? The kind old man who used to give us fruits and sweets?” I asked.

“Yeah, he was last seen near his workplace, and now he’s missing,” Heeseung confirmed.

I sighed, feeling a pang of sadness. It was cruel how the world could be so unjust. My frustration was palpable.

The elevator arrived, and a man in a black mask and cap exited. Heeseung and I exchanged a brief, uneasy glance as we entered the elevator. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about him.

Once we reached our floor, I unlocked the door and headed to the bathroom to freshen up before collapsing onto my bed.

Heeseung opened the door to check on me. “Aren’t you going to eat anything before bed? You haven’t eaten since this morning.”

I groaned, irritated. “Can’t you knock?”

“This is my apartment, in case you forgot,” he said.

“Whatever. I’m too tired to eat,” I replied, closing my eyes. Heeseung hummed in response and closed the door.

In truth, I didn’t want to eat because I wanted to maintain my slim ass figure. Besides, I was too lazy to get up. Beauty standards here are no joke, but I care more about my own perception of myself.

Authors POV: ☆ (the rest will be on a/pov)

A man sat casually atop a dying body, using it as a makeshift seat, savoring the torment of his victim. The dying man on the floor groaned in pain, clutching at the knife buried deep in his stomach, blood pooling around him. The man sitting above him leaned forward, a sadistic smirk playing on his lips as he watched his victim struggle.

"Now, tell me," the man said, his tone almost gentle, "who do you work for?" He stood up and sauntered over, gripping the knife’s handle. With a sickening twist, he drove the blade deeper, eliciting a scream from the man on the floor.

"Just kill him already, hyung," came a voice from behind, impatient and indifferent, making the seated man sigh in irritation. "This is the last one who might have information," he replied, his patience wearing thin. "I know, but this guy won’t even open his mouth," the second man retorted, pulling a gun from his side pocket and aiming it at the injured man. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger, and the gunshot rang out. The man on the floor went silent.

The first man's eyes shot toward the second man, piercing through him with frustration. "What the fuck, Seungkwan? We needed him alive."

Seungkwan shrugged. "He wasn’t saying anything useful. We can’t waste time on these lowlifes." he shrugged nonchalantly before walking out of the room.

Boo Seungkwan was a member of Seventeen, a powerful gang hidden beneath the surface of a thriving business empire. Known for his sharp wit and quicker trigger, Seungkwan often acted without waiting for permission—an attitude that earned him both respect and frustration from his peers. In the gang, he handled fieldwork with brutal efficiency, while in the legitimate world, he was a key player in marketing and production.

The first man also exited the room as they then took the stairs to head down. A car was already parked in front of the building and the two headed inside. Seungkwan took a sigh at the events that just occured, obviously, they failed to get the information they needed.

"Wonwoo hyung... Boss will really be mad at us. We killed a bunch of people and didn't even get any information," Seungkwan says while the other man just massaged his temples as he was still feeling annoyed and frustrated at the same time.

Jeon Wonwoo, another member of Seventeen, was known for his ruthless efficiency in punishment and torture. His poor eyesight required him to wear glasses or lenses during missions. Although he was typically exceptional at his job, today’s failure had left him exasperated. In their organization, he was responsible for planning and product releases.

The two men exited the building and climbed into a waiting car, joining their comrades. Wonwoo leaned back in his seat, frustration etched into his features. Seungkwan clicked his seatbelt and glanced at the driver, Mingyu, who was grinning as he watched the interaction through the rearview mirror.

"Wow, our genius Wonwoo failed to get information from a half-dead guy?" Mingyu teased, unable to hide his amusement.

"Shut up, Mingyu. You did nothing but drive this whole mission," Wonwoo snapped, pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation.

Wonwoo sank into the front seat of the car, still fuming. The voice of a team member came through their earpieces, "All four of you, return to headquarters immediately." The message ended abruptly.

Kim Mingyu, with his tall frame and undeniable charm, was often the face of Seventeen's business dealings. His easygoing nature masked a cunning mind, and his role as a driver during missions belied his true value—wooing investors and manipulating deals with a smile. Despite his flirtatious ways and playful demeanor, he was fiercely loyal to his gang, earning him the nickname "Seventeen's puppy."

The car ride continued in tense silence until the fourth member of the group, Hoshi, spoke up from the backseat. "Mingyu, can you drive any slower? At this rate, we’ll be old by the time we get back," he whined, not looking up from his laptop.

"Oh, shut up. I’m driving safely," Mingyu retorted, rolling his eyes. "Do you guys want to crash and die?"

"You did hack the building's security cameras, right?" Seungkwan asked, eyeing Hoshi’s laptop skeptically."Of course," Hoshi replied with a dismissive wave. "I hacked everything before we even got there. You guys seriously doubt me too much."

Kwon Soonyoung, better known as Hoshi, was Seventeen's resident tech genius. His hacking skills were legendary, both within the gang and their legitimate business operations. Whether it was disabling security systems or siphoning data from competitors, Hoshi's fingers on a keyboard were as deadly as Seungkwan’s on a trigger. Despite his cheerful persona, he had a sharp mind that always seemed three steps ahead.

Arriving at their headquarters, the team headed straight to the meeting room. Nine familiar figures were already seated, leaving only the four of them to arrive.

The leader, a commanding presence with an intimidating aura, addressed Wonwoo directly. "No information at all?"

The leader sighed, clearly disappointed. "This was our second attempt, and we’ve come up empty-handed again. Jeonghan, Joshua, Woozi, Seokmin—you’ll handle the next phase. We need results this time."

The mentioned four nodded in agreement. "I expect better results from you. Don’t let me down," the leader said before exiting the room, escorted by a guard.

"Let’s start planning immediately," one of the team members said as he stood up to leave, followed by the others.

The team knew they had to regroup and strategize quickly to meet their leader’s expectations and overcome their recent failures.

Yoon Jeonghan, seventeen’s second-in-command. A devil disguised as an angel. His soft voice and mesmerising beauty makes people feel drawn to him. was a master of strategy and manipulation. His angelic appearance belied a ruthless nature. He excelled in both business and planning, contributing significantly to their operations.

Hong Joshua, almost a mirror image of Jeonghan, handled meetings and strategic planning with equal prowess. His gentle demeanor masked a calculating mind capable of cruelty when necessary. Don't be fooled by his gentle-like voice and gestures, he can turn into the devil any time.

Lee Jihoon a.k.a. Woozi, was their resident medical expert and a jack-of-all-trades. The hacker, producer and planner of the group. His skills spanned planning, marketing, production, and medicine, making him an invaluable member of Seventeen.

Deokyeom or Lee Seokmin, the sunshine that can be dim any time. He is known for his shooting skills as he never misses a shot, from bows and arrows to riffles. His shooting skills were unparalleled, and while he contributed to the marketing team, his primary role involved handling the more dangerous aspects of their operations.

~~~You've reached the end. Wait for Chap 2 ;)

On My Command - Masterlist

-AEYA HERE!: your likes, reblogs, follows are very much appreciated. it boosts my dopamine and makes me want to upload asap so yeah, interacting with me really helps ^^

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diaryujin · 1 year ago

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𝐀 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏? (𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄)

summary: You were at the nearby convenience store, searching for pads that Soyeon desperately needed. At last, when your ego couldn’t overpower your desperation any longer, you asked a worker there.

Little did you know that she’d make you feel in ways you’d never imagined.

includes: periods, late night outings, breakdowns, crying, stress, mentions of feeling empty, gxg, yeah that’s it ig

genre: fluff

pairing: non idol! store worker! yuqi x fem! reader

word count: 4.2k

a/n: bro i realized that i reserve fluff for gidle is that counted as favoritism orrrrr…why is this so long it was nawt meant to be this long you’d think yuqi was my bias HELP. anyway this was stuck in my drafts incompleted for a while it’s out of the dungeon yay?? this was inspired by escape + paradise (gidle) + off the record (ive) so tell me why i looped groove back (jaywhypee) while writing this

taglist: @kflixnet

You were standing in the middle of the store like a lost child. Your eyes scanned the aisle of sanitary items, but you just couldn’t find it.

The thing in question?

The brand of pads that your friend and roommate Soyeon wanted.

Her legs were too weak to walk for ten minutes, let alone thirty, and you knew how painful her cramps could be, considering how many times she ranted to you about them.

Every month for three days nonstop.

You had no other option but to swallow your pride and ask one of the store workers. You looked around the aisle, searching for a friendly face in uniform. You noticed an old man, but you passed on talking to him since he looked too grumpy for your liking.

Suddenly, your eyes fell on her.

She looked just like a dream, the prettiest girl you’d ever seen.

She was adorable and had this cheery attitude around her. She looked like she genuinely enjoyed her work and talking to customers.

You should definitely learn something from her.

You shuffled over to her, a bit more nervous than you’d like to admit.

“Excuse me?”

She was busy stocking items until you spoke to her. She turned her face to look at you, still holding a shampoo bottle. She flashed a bright smile at you, and it was contagious.

“Hello miss, how may I help you?”

She had a deep voice, which contrasted with her face and caught you a bit off guard.

“Yeah, uh- um- do you happen to know where the…XXX brand of pads is?”

“Right this way, miss!”

She quickly placed the shampoo bottle on its respective shelf before taking a few steps forward, waiting for you to follow.

You walked slightly behind her, admiring her side profile. You seemed to like this particular store worker more than normal.

“Do you not usually get that brand?”

“Nope, I buy another one.”

“This is for a friend, I assume?”

“Yeah.”

She hummed in response, looking straight ahead again. You both reached a shelf, and it was familiar- wait, you were here just now…

She pointed to one of the stacks of pads which was directly in your line of sight, and you stared in disbelief. Was it there this whole time?

“That makes sense. If you were using it, you’d recognize it and know that it was in the place you were standing earlier.”

She chuckled as your eyes widened in embarrassment.

“Oh. Yeah. Thanks…”

You looked at her nametag quickly, not wanting to seem like you were checking her out.

“...Yuqi. Thank you for your help.”

Her name rolled off your tongue so prettily that she couldn’t help but replay it in her head like a broken record.

“No problem, miss. It’s my job after all.”

She went away to continue her work, and you realized that she basically called you dumb and sorta blind for not seeing something in front of you.

Pause. Hold on.

How did she know that you were in front of that section?

This was your first time seeing her, and she was in another aisle.

Was she staring at you?

You shrugged it off before going to the cashier to pay. You didn’t want to keep Soyeon waiting more than she had to — she was already struggling.

As you rushed to the exit, you saw her out of the corner of your eye. You waved at her quickly. She reciprocated the gesture and smiled at you, and you swore you heard birds chirping and flowers growing. You managed a half-assed grin back at her before rushing off, feeling heat rush to your cheeks.

Why were you so flustered?

You reached your shared apartment with your friend, holding the bags of groceries in both hands. Soyeon was sitting in the living room watching TV.

“What took you so long?”

“Your pads.”

“What, you had a walk with them or something?”

You rolled your eyes at her.

“I was about to give up and buy you another brand, be grateful to that one cashier?”

“Name? I’ll send them a bottle of juice, a thank you, and an apology for helping my idiot friend.”

She grinned at you as you closed the door and locked it.

“Might as well. Her name was Yuqi.”

She suddenly paused the movie she was matching before she turned to you.

“Yuqi? Song Yuqi?”

“I think-?”

“Oh, you went to the store she works in?”

“I gue- wait, you know her?”

“She’s one of my friends.’

“Really? You should introduce her to me sometime soon, then.”

“I will.”

It had been three months since that day. You visited the store she worked in four times a week with the pretense of shopping, but the outcome was you buying one or two small trinkets and spending three hours chatting away with Yuqi. You both connected instantly, her sense of humor pulling you in as soon as you talked with her more. Her smile brightened your day, and her laugh commanded your stomach to do somersaults.

Yuqi being in your life felt so natural that you couldn’t believe you once existed without her as your friend.

You had been going to that store late at night a lot recently to satisfy your midnight cravings. The place had everything you wanted, including your new best friend.

There was a problem, though, and it was the fact that she was almost always there.

Not for you (if you thought selfishly, then maybe), but for herself.

She was having both day and night shifts, which was obviously unhealthy. When you asked her about it as tactfully as you could, she brushed it off as ‘earning more’.

More money was good, but not at the cost of her health.

One night, you entered the convenience store, wanting some instant ramyeon. There was no one there, and you appreciated the quiet.

You searched the shelves before finding the specific flavor you wanted. You went to the little stand near the counter for hot water to cook the noodles. You sat down on the stool before it, drumming your fingers against the table's surface as you waited. As the water finished pouring, the store went silent save for the low buzz of the A/C and coolers.

Suddenly you heard a few muffled sniffles behind you. Your head whipped in the direction of the sound as you realized that you didn’t pay attention to the girl behind the cash register until now.

It was Yuqi.

Her elbows were propped on the part of the conveyor belt where items would be stuffed into plastic bags. Her face was buried in her hands, trying to hide her tears. Without thinking twice, you went through the small door barring non-employees from entering. You stood behind her and bent your knees a bit so that you could reach her height while she sat on the chair. One of your arms was around her waist, the other hand in her hair, running through it. Her breath caught in her throat and she moved her hands away from her face to look at who was being so affectionate all of a sudden at this hour.

“Y…Y/N?”

“Yuqi, when does the store close?”

“In…five minutes?”

Her voice was still hoarse from crying as she spoke, so you turned her around fully to face you and hugged her properly.

“Let’s go outside?”

She was confused, but she was also too tired to fight you, so she nodded. You let go of her before giving her money for the ramyeon you bought. It was way more than the actual price. When she pointed that out, you shook your head and smiled at her as you told her to keep the change. She sighed before inserting the price into the cash register and then putting the extra money in her purse. She then entered the employee-only room, and you picked up your chopsticks to eat your ramyeon. She came out of the room after a short while with her bag and her normal clothes. She wore a pair of light blue jeans, a simple black hoodie, and a grey beanie. Her hair was in a bun. Yuqi smiled tiredly at you, and you smiled back, although you were hiding your concern.

You both exited the shop. She then locked it with the keys that she had. She put them in her jeans pocket before turning to look at you.

“Where are we going?”

“Just follow me.”

She tilted her head in confusion, but then she simply shrugged and followed you as you started walking. The night was serene, and the moon and stars were bright in the dark. There was a cool breeze blowing which messed up your and Yuqi’s hair. She smiled as she noticed you struggling to fix your messy strands, this one more broad than the one she gave you earlier in the store.

Suddenly she pulled you a little closer before undoing the ponytail you had and running her hands through your hair. Your eyes widened at the action and you could feel heat creeping up to the back of your neck. She carefully redid your ponytail, her fingers occasionally touching your face as she did. She didn’t notice how she was affecting you, and her face was adorable with how focused she was. Her cheeks were puffed out slightly and her eyes were narrowed at you, making her look more squishy than intimidating.

Once she was done, she moved back a bit, now looking nervous.

“Um- sorry about that- it’s just…like I just felt like fixing your hair when I- when I saw you struggle, so uh-”

You chuckled as you patted her shoulder.

“Thanks.”

She grinned, and you understood why Soyeon called her ‘giant puppy’.

She looked at you so fondly that you felt your stomach twist and turn. In order to distract yourself, you looked away and fiddled with your fingers.

“Let’s go then.”

“Sure.”

You started walking again, staring straight ahead, Yuqi a little behind. After around five minutes of walking, you looked back only to see her trying to warm her hands. It wasn’t very cold according to you, but you went over to you.

“Yuqi, Yuqi, are your hands cold?” She looked at you sheepishly.

“Yeah, kinda…it’s fine though, really.

She pulled her beanie more over her head so that she could cover her ears.

“My hands are warm…”

Her eyes widened.

“You don’t have to if it makes you uncomfortable-”

“I’m fine with it.”

Without warning, you reached out for one of her hands. It was ice compared to yours, but it felt nice for some reason. Her hand fit perfectly in yours, fingers intertwined so gently, leaving no small gaps in between. You were too busy looking down at the pavement in an attempt to hide your blush to notice her warm cheeks — a stark contrast to her hands.

“Thank you Y/N, even though you didn’t have to-”

“Shush. I wanted to.”

You realized that what you said sounded less platonic than how much you’d prefer it to be.

She nudged you playfully with the shoulder closer to you, and you nudged her back. You started walking again, taking her with you. Silence fell upon you both, but it was a comfortable one. Your brain’s cogs were on overdrive, and your thoughts drifted off to Yuqi.

Why were you suddenly so nervous and extremely flustered around her? You always had skinship with her before, so why were you so awkward now?

You then started going through your memories of your interactions with her in the past three weeks, remembering how you’d blush at her usual actions of affection, how you’d make more jokes and embarrass yourself — in front of only her — just to see her smile and laugh more, how you wanted to take a picture every time you met, how you wanted to treasure everything positive she said about you even if it was dumb, how you’d stare at the pictures you had of her - some with you, some without, and how-

No.

It wasn’t what you thought it was, right?

Right?

This wasn’t love, you weren’t-

Did you seriously fall in love with Yuqi?

Holy shit, no, fuck, fuck, fuck-

You couldn’t accept it, you both were just best friends. There was nothing more to it, right?

“Y/N, are you okay? You seem a bit distressed…”

And you were caught.

Your heart couldn’t help but just melt at the tone of soft concern in her voice, and when looked at her face, she had a tiny yet playful pout on it contrasting the serious and questioning gaze she held.

It hit you like a shot in that already mushy organ of yours.

Maybe you were in love.

“I’m okay, Yuqi. I just zoned out.”

You gripped her hand tighter, head swimming in this new thought. Unaware of your internal dilemma, she walked on peacefully. There seemed to be a calm glow in her aura, even though you weren’t a psychic of any kind.

‘Y/N, where are we going?”

Her query made you snap out of your reverie. You scanned your surroundings, and your pace picked up.

“You didn’t answer my question!”

Her voice was all whiny this time, making you grin.

“We’re almost there.”

“My legs are going to die!”

“...we’ve been walking for ten minutes?”

She was about to say something in protest, but you stopped walking and pointed to your left. He turned her head in that direction and her jaw dropped.

You had led her to an empty beach that was known by barely anyone. It had been a safe space for you, and you’d come here when you had to get away from life’s difficulties.

“We’re here.”

“Y/N, this…it’s so pretty.”

“I know.”

She ran to the beach and she dragged you with her, your feet leaving the bricked sidewalk and landing on the sand illuminated by the moonlight. You both reached a pair of swings fixed a little distance away from the shoreline. She let go of your hand, and although you felt a little twinge of disappointment at the loss of warmth, it was replaced instantly by excitement as you saw Yuqi giggling while on the swing. You sat down on the one beside it and started swinging as well. For a while, the only sounds in the dark night were the creaking of the chains holding up the swings, sand flying up as either of your feet accidentally hit the ground and the waves gently crashing against the shore, and it felt like a dream date.

Except, it wasn’t a date, just a hangout with your best friend.

So why were you wishing that it was one?

After a few minutes, you both got tired, and the swings came to a stop. You both just sat there, you staring at the bright moon and twinkling stars, while Yuqi saw them through your eyes, preferring to watch them that way.

“Yuqi, if it’s okay for me to ask…why were you crying earlier?”

You turned to look at her, and she shifted her eyesight to the sand beneath her feet.

“Well- I was just stressed and broke down, I guess.”

“Why do you have so many shifts?”

She froze, her hand gripping the chains tightly.

“If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine, I’m sorry for prod-”

“No, no, it’s okay.”

She let out a shaky breath, before glancing back at you as she blinked rapidly. You grabbed her hand again, squeezing it a little as if to console her.

“Yuqi, it’s alright to cry. I won’t judge.”

“I do all this work so that I don’t have to go home.”

Your facial features rearranged into an expression mixed between confusion and worry.

“What…what do you mean?”

She held your gaze again, her eyes filled with tears.

“I-I always feel so empty when I’m not at work. I don’t know how else to explain it. Being at the store helps me feel…feel alive. Otherwise, I just go back to my small studio apartment with no one else there, back to a place with nothing interesting to do, back to a place void of life.”

You were stunned by this revelation. You always thought that she enjoyed staying home and that she’d rather be cooped up on her sofa, watching TV or whatnot. You had been to her apartment before, and it was a cozy and sweet place to live in, according to you.

“Really?”

“Seriously. Sometimes I feel like I’m being suffocated in the four walls of my own house.”

“Why do you never call it a home? I always noticed that.”

“According to me…a home is a place where love and comfort can be found, not just a place to live in.”

You squeezed her hand, sighing quietly.

“Frankly speaking, Y/N, you’ve brightened my life so much in the past 3 months and it’s crazy.”

Your eyes widened, and you took a good look at her face. She wore a tiny smile, and her own eyes had gratefulness and peace swimming in them, but there was something else you didn’t recognize. It was a mixture of fondness, almost, mixed with affection, yet more intense than any way she had looked at you before, and you actually liked it. It made you feel all warm and fuzzy inside — cliché, but still — and you, for some reason, wanted her to stare at you the same way for the rest of your life.

“Yuqi, I- that’s so sweet. I feel the same. Meeting and talking with you is always the highlight of my day.”

You got off the swing, still holding her hand. The sudden movement made her jerk before falling face flat into the sand. Her shriek was cut off by sounds of disgust and gags. Her hand was out of yours at that moment, and watching the whole scene as well as seeing her struggle to recover from the shock and get up was too much for you to handle, and you broke into laughter. She managed to get her face out of the sand and looked up at you, a few grains of sand still in her hair and near the corners of her mouth. She pouted at you, but you couldn’t stop. You squatted down in front of her, laughter reducing into chuckles as you helped her up.

“Y/N, stop laughing at me!”

She whined as she was on her two feet again, trying to get the sand out of her hair and off her face.

“You looked like a clown! Yuqi, Yuqi, I should have recorded that! I’d send it to Soyeon, and then-”

You erupted into fits of giggles again and she held your shoulders in order to shake you violently.

“Stop it, stop it! You’re so mean! You’re lucky we’re best friends!”

“Oh- really, am- I?”

You were laughing so hard you lost your breath, and at this point, you could do nothing but wheeze.

“Y/N…”

She stomped the ground like a five-year-old throwing a tantrum.

“Fine, fine, you big baby.”

She pouted again, but you turned your face to look at the sea.

“Let’s go to the shoreline?”

Her eyes lit up instantly.

“Can we?”

“Of course we can, idiot.”

Your fingers laced with hers again as you glanced at her questioningly. She nodded, and you both started running towards the shore, kicking up sand behind your heels and leaving footprints in the sand. You reached a little away from the water, and you both removed your shoes. She led you nearer to the shore, your feet sinking into the soft, damp sand.

“This night is so beautiful. Thank you for getting me out of there, Y/N.”

“Of course. How long could you stay cooped up in there?”

She suddenly lifted your hand to her mouth before placing a gentle kiss on it, her lips lingering there for a few seconds before letting it return back to your side.

Your body froze, but your brain had never worked faster.

“Yu-Yuqi-”

“Shh.”

“Why did you-?” “Why not?

She grinned at you, although there was a bit of shyness behind it.

“You’re weird. I like it.”

“Of course you do. You should.”

“Oh shut up. Your ego level is higher than your IQ.”

“You love me all the same.”

You did, you truly did.

Looking back up at the sky, you admired the stars and the moon. It seemed to be brighter now, but honestly, you didn’t want the moonlight to shine on you both as if you were the main characters of some romance movie. You wished that it was possible to turn it off and just let the darkness hide you two as you basked in the silent yet sweet moment.

Yuqi’s eyes were focused on you. She took in the sight of your eyes glittering more than the stars, the sight of your lips slightly parted in awe- and all of a sudden, she could look at nothing else. It was just you and her in this world, and she wanted nothing more than that. She was content with being able to be able to hold your hand and stare at you like this, the night enveloping you two as the water lapped at your feet. Her heart was beating faster than it ever did before.

Sure, she had felt like this around you before, but right now? It was at its peak.

The fluttery, dreamy feeling flooding her entire body from head to toe was something she enjoyed. This euphoria, this high- fuck, she wanted to feel it over and over again.

And then it hit her like a lightning bolt.

She was falling for you.

It was like falling but then landing on soft and fluffy clouds.

The excitement of finally figuring it out got to her, and a small lovesick smile formed on her face as she unconsciously squeezed your hand. This didn’t go unnoticed by you, and you reciprocated her gesture.

When she said the night was beautiful, in hindsight, she meant you.

Suddenly, a small ‘ding’ was heard, and Yuqi pursed her lips together, slightly annoyed that this special moment was interrupted. She fished out her phone from her jeans pocket, and her eyes widened as she checked it.

“We should get going. It’s already 12:15.”

“That early?”

“Early?”

“Oh uh- usually when I come here, I stay until 2 a.m…”

You looked at her sheepishly and she shook her head.

“Well, I can’t afford to do that.”

“What, you get paid for sleeping early? Tell me who’s doing it so that I can join in. Free money.”

“I have a morning shift dumbass.”

“Anyway. Our shoes are nearby right?”

She glanced behind before sighing.

“We’ll get sand stuck on our feet.”

You groaned in frustration.

“My nightmare.”

The two of you started running across the sand, trying to get to your shoes as quickly as you could and to touch as little sand as you could. Unfortunately, both of your feet were covered in sand sticking to them. Yuqi seemed to have it worse though.

“How am I going to put these feet in my sexy sneakers?”

“I will beat you up with them if you don’t shut up.”

“But-”

“Take them in your hand. We’ll kick and rub off the clumps on the pavement.”

She rolled her eyes but went along with it. Upon reaching the pavement, you started to stomp your feet against the bricks, creating friction so that the sand stuck would fall off. She copied you, giggling a little.

‘We probably look like maniacs.”

“Of course we do, Yuqi. Especially you.”

“You’re my best friend- that says something.”

“Yeah…best friend.”

Your words were simple, but there were many things left unspoken behind them. You didn’t know whether you wanted her to catch on or not, but it seemed like she didn’t. Shaking your head a bit, you continued stomping.

Once you both were done, you slipped your feet into your shoes. Your head faced hers again, staring silently at her side profile for a few moments.

“So…I guess this is goodbye, Y/N.”

“Just for now.”

“Obviously.”

You felt a surge of confidence flowing through your veins at that very moment, and you knew it’d disappear quickly if you didn’t do anything.

That’s why you did something.

You pressed a small peck on her cheek, before dashing off in the direction of your house.

You did it, and you’d wake up the next morning without knowing her reaction.

She froze on the spot until she could feel her cheeks burn. She smiled a dreamy smile after a few seconds, seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

She had seen you before on Soyeon’s Instagram posts and story, and you were just gorgeous. She had to meet you, somehow, without seeming like a stalker. She asked Soyeon about you, and the girl gave her a few basic facts about you, and then she decided that when you and her friend went out together, she’d ‘accidentally’ come to the same place too.

Fate had other plans, however.

She was staring at you that day in the store, yes. The shock of seeing you, the person she thought about so much was so strong that she couldn’t help it. You were prettier in real life, and she was pretty sure that she saw stars.

She loved whatever she had with you, but was it a crime to want more?

Yuqi could only hope.

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