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tyvntime · 4 days ago

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Too Good to be Fake

Pairing: Jaemin x reader Description: If there was one thing Na Jaemin was known for, it was being a fuckboy with no interest in commitment. If there was one thing you knew him for, it was being your best friend…and long-time crush. When his group of guy friends gets tired of the roster Jaemin seems to be running through, they propose a deal - they’d each give him $100 if he could settle down with one girl for at least three months. But that was easy money to Jaemin. After all, he could just fake-date you. Content warnings: swearing, talk about sex, mentions/consumption of alcohol, a panic attack (not the reader), one punch gets thrown, reader has a somewhat bad relationship with her parents, their obliviousness to the other’s feelings makes you want to slam your head against a wall, some angst but it’s mainly through unaddressed fluff. Please let me know if I’ve missed anything. Word count: 31,947 A/n: I didn’t know I could write this much, but after making my smau, I was ITCHING for written work ahahahhahahahaha. Please enjoy, though who am I to tell you what to do…as always, feedback would be greatly appreciated. I love you :) also because I must tag @fullsunstrawberry in everything I do...here you go - I love you the mostest!

The semester was in full swing for just over a month, and Haechan was already tired of the amount of girls Jaemin had brought over to their apartment. The first two years of university cemented Jaemin’s image as resident fuckboy, but no one cared about the fact that they couldn’t keep him for more than a night because he was hot enough to make the one night worth it. Similarly, Jaemin couldn’t care less about being labeled a fuckboy - at the end of the day, all it meant was that he was able to get his dick wet with no added pressure from the expectation to ever commit; the concept seemed like heaven to him.

However, the start of junior year had his best friends thinking it was time for a change. As Jaemin sat down in one of their usual cafés for lunch, all eyes were on him. “Alright, Jaemin, we figure you’ve had your fun for the past two years now,” Chenle said with a gleam in his eyes.

“Too much fun…” Haechan adds under his breath.

Jaemin looked around at the group with furrowed brows. “Whatever is going on, can we stop it and just have our coffee and sandwiches like normal? Why am I being targeted for the amount of fun I’m having? You’ve all had your fair share of fun, too.”

Jeno let out a small laugh at Jaemin’s defense. “Yeah, but we aren’t nicknamed the campus fuckboy. Plus, we’ve all been in actual relationships during our time in college.”

Jaemin’s face drops, no longer interested at all in the conversation they were clearly wanting to have. “I could be in a relationship if I wanted to be, I just don’t want to,” he’s quick to mutter in reply.

“Why not?” Renjun asks, raising his eyebrows in wait.

Jaemin lets out a scoff. “All that love and commitment is stupid. You guys put so much effort into your previous relationships and yet, we’re all currently sitting at this table single. There’s no one who makes me want to even try being in a relationship. Why would I want to risk wasting all that effort on someone?”

His six best friends eyed each other around the table, either not buying it or not caring. “Look man,” Mark starts, getting Jaemin to turn his attention over to him. “Regardless of how you feel about love, Haechan is tired of listening to you and whatever girl you bring home that night…and he’s especially tired of it always being a different girl to walk in on him while he’s singing in the kitchen making breakfast. So, to maybe help him out, and also to test your ability because honestly, I don’t know if any of us think you’re capable…in the nicest way possible, of course. We wanna propose a bet- or a deal is probably the better word for it.” Jaemin shoots his gaze over to the rest of them, but no one bore a look of amusement, they were all curiously locked in. “If you can get a girlfriend and settle down for at least three months, we’ll give you $600.”

Well originally, Jaemin had no interest in any part of this, but if everything worked out the way his brain was planning it, that $600 could potentially be easy cash…not to mention a lot of it.

“I’m in,” he pipes up immediately, truthfully stunning his best friends at the table. Nevertheless, they all shake on it, and then Jaemin only has one thing to do…after finishing his coffee and sandwich, of course.

One day later, you get a text from Jaemin. Free to catch up today? Your cheeks blush warmly at the message. It wasn’t anything special, but after being glued to each other’s sides during high school, college saw you and Jaemin having considerably less time for each other; so it was always nice to see you were still a thought in his mind because truly, you missed your best friend like no other.

Free to catch up everyday :)) You respond, and Jaemin’s reply comes instantaneously.

Perfect ;) meet you at the café in two hours

You check the clock before mapping out how you would spend all your time in between now and then, quickly deciding most of it should be directed towards making yourself look presentable, seeing as you’ve done nothing but rot in bed all morning.

Fast forward two hours and you were already sitting at one of the café tables when the bell rang as Jaemin walked through the door. He scans the inside before his eyes find you and he lights up. “Hi, best friend!” He says overenthusiastically as he pulls out the chair across from you. You furrow your brows at his tone, not to mention his usage of ‘best friend,’ when you think you remember Jaemin calling you that only once before when you were both still in high school, and had since never labeled you like that again - not that it was an incorrect label, but one that he typically didn’t make a huge deal about unless…

“Oh, god,” you start sarcastically. “What mess did you get yourself into now?”

“Hey!” Jaemin shoots back in mock hurt, moving a hand over his heart as if you’ve just shot him. You let out a light laugh, rolling your eyes.

“Sorry, Jaem, please continue.”

He immediately ducks his head to face his lap, his tone bearing a fraction of the force it previously had. “Okay so, I got myself into a mess.” You can’t help the genuine laugh that escapes you as you shake your head. Jaemin whips his head up to face you in response, but as you manage to stop your laughter, all you can do is meet his gaze with a softness in your eyes that perfectly balanced the playful smirk on your lips.

“I’ve missed you a lot, you know,” you respond, and Jaemin rolls his lips inward to try and stop the smile as he directs his gaze somewhere off to the side.

“Yeah, hoping you’re still thinking that after I explain,” he replies hesitantly, and your face falls in an instant.

“You got me into a mess?!” You ask in disbelief, and Jaemin lets out a light sigh.

“Not yet, but that’s kind of the goal,” he answers, scrunching up his facial features as he waits for your reprimanding. Though it never comes, and instead, you speak plainly through a sigh.

“An explanation needs to come out of your mouth in three, two-”

Jaemin curls himself into a ball as best he can while sitting in the café chair, wanting some kind of physical defense before explaining himself in a rush. “I need us to fake date for three months so can you please please please be my fake girlfriend?” When he doesn’t get coffee thrown at him, he takes a moment to unfurl himself and look over at you again, his gaze met with your indifferent expression.

“Why?” You ask neutrally, and it seems to finally hit Jaemin that you were still the same sane, comforting presence you always had been, even if the two of you hadn’t properly hung out in over a year. He settles more decidedly into his chair, though he still frames his words through a lens of embarrassment, figuring that might be the best way to get you to agree - if you knew he knew he was stupid.

“$600 and to prove something to my friends,” he replies, his words light but his demeanor dead serious.

“And why me?” You toss back, causing Jaemin to roll his eyes as he throws his gaze off to the side again with a scoff.

“Cause every other girl I know has a crush on me and it’d make this very weird. I’m not trying to actually be in a relationship. That’s the last thing I want.” His words this time are firm enough to match his demeanor, and it has you taking a sip of your coffee to fight back the awkwardness you would’ve otherwise choked on.

“...Right,” you say in agreement, because out of all the times you could come clean about your huge crush on your best friend, right after he tells you that he doesn’t want a relationship is probably the worst time to do so.

“So?” Jaemin inquires hopefully, snapping you out of your thoughts. You flick your gaze up to him before immediately darting it back to your coffee on the table, one of your hands messing with the straw absentmindedly. Then you give in, because you suck at saying ‘no’ to your best friend.

“...Fine, but then we’re making a contract,” you say plainly, swirling the ice around in your americano. Jaemin lets out something like a laugh, shaking his head.

“Y/n, you’re taking this so seriously-” He starts, but you whip your head back up to him in an instant, cutting him off with sincerity.

“They’ll see right through it if we don’t,” you state, and you watch Jaemin’s adam's apple bob up and down in his throat as he swallows awkwardly.

He shakes out of it before putting his hands up in defeat. “Okay, whatever. Go ahead,” he replies, disinterested. You roll your eyes, grabbing a piece of paper and a pen from your backpack. Then you get to writing, because you were gonna need to set some intense boundaries if you were hoping to make it out of this alive.

“Alright, I think this should be good for right now,” you say after a few minutes, sliding the piece of paper his way. He takes one glance at it before letting out a laugh and directing his gaze back to you with raised brows.

“‘No kissing?’ I don’t mean to alarm you, but that’s actually the quickest way for them to see right through it,” he quips. You run your fingers through your hair awkwardly as you dodge his gaze, finally nodding your head with a sigh.

“Okay fine, we can change it. No kissing unless they bring it up or get suspicious. Good?” You ask, finally looking up at him again. He lets an amused smile paint its way across his lips as he stares at you across the table.

“Ha, we’ll keep it for now,” he agrees before turning his attention back to the paper and looking over the next thing you wrote. “‘No weird nicknames?’” He reads, popping his head back up to look at you for clarification. You roll your eyes, slightly embarrassed.

“Yeah, like sugar, pumpkin, honey, buttercup, sweetie, sweetheart, cutie pie, baby, babe, darling-” You’re cut off by a genuine laugh from Jaemin, helping you realize you’ve missed the sound of it a lot, and not at all helping the awkward situation you’ve gotten yourself into.

“Okay, you’re just naming every pet name imaginable,” he counters as though you were crazy.

You roll your lips inward, hesitating on how to respond before opting with a near-whisper. “I don’t like them,” you admit quietly, and Jaemin’s demeanor falls from playful to understanding. He opens his mouth to reply but closes it again before any words get out, instead taking another moment to think.

“They’re gonna expect me to call you something,” he finally says, speaking as though it were an apology.

You sigh, knowing he wasn’t lying. Idly messing with your hands, you reply quietly. “...are they gonna expect me to call you something, too?” You ask, and Jaemin contemplates with a sorry nod.

“Yeah, probably. Look, you can call me whatever you’re comfortable with, and if that’s just ‘Jaem,’ that’s fine.”

A more lenient answer than you were expecting, you shoot your head up to look back at him again, though your brows slightly furrow as you address the part he didn’t. “What about you?”

Jaemin lets out a soft sigh. “How about I just limit my usage of pet names, and I won’t call you anything food-related,” he suggests lightly, figuring those nicknames having made up your first seven examples meant you hated them the most. You roll your eyes but a smile crosses your face regardless because he was right, after all…and caring enough to actually realize that.

“I can live with that,” you relent, and a big grin comes back onto Jaemin’s face at the progress. He moves his attention back towards the contract, but immediately is whipping his gaze back to you in hurt.

“Why can’t I be the one to break it off?” He pouts, and you have half a mind to laugh, but you know he’s serious.

“If you date me for exactly three months and then break up with me, no matter how believable we make it, they’re either going to know it was set up or they’re going to assume you learned nothing and probably not give you the money,” you explain, and Jaemin’s pout turns into an impressed nod.

“You have a point…” He breathes out, causing you to smirk.

“I know.”

He bites on his bottom lip, deep in thought before turning back to you again. “We probably shouldn’t date for exactly three months then, either,” he adds, and you flash your eyebrows in recognition.

“That’s also true,” you say before putting together a calendar in your head. “Well, if today’s September 27th, three months is December 27th, so…we could have New Year’s Eve be our last night together?” You suggest awkwardly. Though, when you look back up towards Jaemin, he’s putting your timeline together with a nod.

“Works for me,” he cedes, scribbling your end date somewhere off to the side before continuing to scan down the list. His next question comes with the very last bullet point on the contract. “‘Come home with me for Christmas dinner?’” He reads before looking up at you in confusion. You shake your head with a laugh.

“Well, you didn’t think I’d do this for nothing in return, did you?”

Jaemin flashes his eyebrows in acknowledgement. “Okay…so why Christmas dinner?” He asks, and you drop your gaze back to your coffee.

“My family keeps riding my ass about not having a boyfriend. If you come back with me and pretend to be my boyfriend there, too, then even when we end things, they’ll at least be off my case for a while,” you admit, embarrassment tainting your voice before you rush to make the request sound more appealing. “And it’s not actual Christmas dinner! It’s that first weekend after finals week. You remember the big dinner we always had with other family friends and all that,” you drag off with an awkward laugh.

“Okay,” Jaemin agrees immediately, and you look back up at him in shock.

“Really? You’re agreeing to that?” You question, but he just shrugs his shoulders.

“Y/n, you’re getting me $600, the least I can do is one dinner with your family. Besides, they’re practically my second set of parents. I’m pretty sure I had at least a hundred dinners with them during high school,” he jokes, and the tension in your shoulders falls. You guys were really doing this…all of this. The two of you left the café and parted ways soon after agreeing to the terms of the contract, Jaemin feeling $600 richer already with how easy this was going to be.

Jaemin picked you up from class on the first day you would be meeting his friends, five days after the two of you signed your contract to fake-date. He greets you with an easy smile outside of your classroom door. “Hey, you ready?” He asks, and you send a nervous smile back up at him.

“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess,” you reply with a laugh. He flashes his eyebrows in acknowledgement, feeling much the same way seeing as this was probably the least conventional thing he’s ever done.

He leads you outside and towards the guys’ regular lunch spot at one of the tables set up in the campus commons. Jaemin had told his friends beforehand that he had gone and gotten himself a girlfriend and thus, to start the three month timer, and they were the ones who begged him to bring you to one of the lunches so they could meet you, and now here you were - walking casually towards the lunch table with Jaemin…too casually, Chenle noticed, because you weren’t even holding hands. He keeps quiet, but lets an easy smirk come across his face as you and Jaemin sit down next to each other.

“Alright, guys,” Jaemin starts as the rest of the friend group pins their full attention on you. “This is y/n. My girlfriend,” he says with a smile. The label sends ice through your veins. You could not believe Na Jaemin was introducing you as his girlfriend…it didn’t matter that the label was fake, the words sounded real coming out of his mouth. You turn your head to look at him, as if to get some kind of confirmation that it really was Jaemin next to you, calling you his girlfriend. By the time your gaze reaches him, he’s already looking over at you with a cheesy grin, nudging your side playfully with his arm and getting you to relax a little.

The guys go around introducing themselves, but as they make their full way around the table, Jeno immediately speaks up.

“So, how did the two of you get together?” He asks curiously. A valid question, which is why the guys all lean forward in interest, because of course they would be dying to know how their fuckboy best friend got an actual girlfriend rather than a hookup. It was a horrible question though, because it was one you forgot would ever come up, and you had no game plan to go about answering this. Though, it seemed all you had to worry about was keeping your eyes from going wide, because Jaemin did have a game plan for this, and he answered smoothly.

“I just asked her out,” he says with a shrug. “It’s always been so easy with y/n, I take it for granted most of the time. Every time I’m with her, I’m reminded that it takes no effort to breathe, that I’m standing on solid ground. We met up for coffee the other day and she said she missed me and I-” He falters for a moment, and you finally bring your gaze up from your lap to face Jaemin, just to see him shake his head as if he were breaking himself out of a nostalgia trip. “I wanted to hear that again and again,” he finally says seriously, and you can’t stop the smile from reaching your face. “So, though now it just sounds embarrassing saying it out loud, I straight up asked her to be my girlfriend right after that,” he adds through a laugh. “I had been waiting for the butterflies that everyone always talks about, but the fact that I’ve never really felt that with her just made me more sure I wanna be with her - there’s no discomfort or anxiety,” he says, and with your head ducked back in to face your lap, you miss it when he turns to look at you softly. “She’s just always felt like home.”

Jaemin’s answer seems to have done its job in convincing everyone, and it definitely did its job in reminding you that you were in deep trouble. Though, as the rest of the guys take in Jaemin’s words with an impressed nod, Mark tries to fill in his holes. “Wait, how long have you known each other?” He asks, which was another valid question seeing as Jaemin talked about you with history even though you had never met his friend group before.

“We’ve been friends since high school,” Jaemin says coolly, though this time, you’re the one to nudge him with a laugh.

“Best friends,” you add teasingly, and Jaemin chuckles as he looks over at your figure before nodding his head.

“Yeah, best friends,” he agrees fondly. “But, I’ve liked her for a while now,” he says, turning back towards the group as his face falls and he shifts uncomfortably in his seat. “I just- obviously have the image that I do and I never wanted to get her tied up in it. She deserves more than being labeled as some fuckboy’s latest infatuation,” he says, and as you furrow your brows at him, he just shakes his head, moving on with a light smile. “Though, obviously, I saw her last week and couldn’t help it anymore.”

Sorry smiles cross most of the guys’ faces - they were no help when it came to keeping labels away from Jaemin, and he was sure putting on a convincing show, making it almost seem like it was their fault the two of you hadn’t already gotten together.

Haechan swings his gaze over to you with raised eyebrows, shifting gears to try and not to let the dampened mood actually settle in. “And you? How long have you liked him?” He asks, and you have to stop the laugh from leaving your system. Instead, you just shake your head fondly.

“Forever,” you answer truthfully, turning to face Jaemin before immediately pulling your gaze back down to your lap in embarrassment. “Any girl will tell you, it’s impossible not to fall for Na Jaemin.” At this, all the guys roll their eyes, but Jaemin just turns to study you softly, biting on his bottom lip in contemplation as he tries to sort out whether any part of your statement was true or if you were just really good at acting.

However, with the rumbling of Jisung’s stomach, he quickly discards the topic of you and Jaemin, deciding that after all the intro questions were out of the way, food was much more interesting. The guys laugh along as Jisung rips through his paper bag lunch, but it does its job in getting them to focus on their own food in front of them, too.

Casual conversation occurred over lunch, and you were pleasantly surprised to find it wasn’t awkward at all. Not that you were expecting the guys to be awkward with each other, but you typically weren’t great at meeting new people; and now you were meeting six of them at once, somehow fitting right in, your occasional remarks causing the whole table to laugh - something you’d have to pat yourself on the back for later. The only disturbance comes from Chenle, who had begun leaning way back from the table, carefully balancing his weight on the bench as he seems to examine the ground by your feet.

The entire friend group eventually catches on to his antics, turning their attention towards him with raised eyebrows. “What are you doing?” Renjun finally asks, the question coming out as though he thought Chenle were crazy…which probably wasn’t too far from his actual stance on the matter.

Chenle shakes his head, pulling himself back into a normal sitting position as he locks his gaze onto you and Jaemin. “Don’t most couples have a hand placed on the other’s thigh or something while sitting? Why are you guys like- a foot away from each other?” He asks plainly. Your face drops and your eyes widen.

“We are not a foot away from each other,” you remark firmly, but then Jisung peaks beneath the table as well, pulling back up with a shrug.

“Uh, you kinda are,” he says, causing Jaemin to roll his eyes.

“Didn’t think you guys were big pda enthusiasts,” he says, trying to laugh it off, but Chenle is relentless.

“Have you kissed yet?” He asks immediately, and you almost choke.

“What?!” You return in shock, but Chenle looks between the two of you with uninterested brows.

“You’ve liked each other for forever and you’re this awkward?” He shoots back in a taunt. You sigh, collecting yourself because you knew what you were about to have to do.

“You’re right, Jaem,” you say, pulling his attention your way as you place a hand on his cheek and smile in disbelief. “Your friends are annoying,” you continue, and then you lean in and kiss your best friend and long time crush.

Admittedly, you’ve imagined this moment more times than you could count, but none of those fantasies could have prepared you for what it actually felt like to kiss Na Jaemin. His lips were perfect, he was perfect, and you knew that already but now you felt it. You remind yourself of where you’re at, why you’re kissing him in the first place, and bring yourself to pull back after the one soft kiss, trying your best to make it seem as though that alone didn’t cause you to lose your breath.

As the two of you pull away from each other, Jaemin’s gaze locks on you, running over every inch of your face with an unreadable look in his eyes to contrast the softest of smiles on his lips. “Yeah, angel, they are,” he says through an exhale, and as your face goes completely pink, his smile eases into a familiar smirk. “But if you kiss me every time they piss you off, I might have to have them stick around.”

You roll your eyes, nudging him in the side again as you focus on the playful banter and not on the fact that Jaemin just rewired your brain chemistry with one ‘angel.’ “Whatever, we both know I kiss you all the time anyways,” you tease, but as you try to shift away again, Jaemin catches your hand in his and looks at you as if you were crazy.

“No, I kiss you all the time,” he rushes to correct, and though you whip your head back to face him in offense, your eyes instantly soften upon contact, a tight smile playing at both of your features instead.

Your only thought was to kiss him again, and you’re thankful when Chenle cuts off any chance of that happening. “What is going on?” He asks in disgust, causing Renjun to laugh and shake his head.

“Hey, you were the one jumping their asses for their lack of public romance. This is your fault.”

With the conclusion of lunch, Jaemin kept you company on the walk back to your dorm. As soon as you’re out of sight from the rest of the guys, you let out a heavy sigh and accompanying drop of your shoulders. “Well, there goes rule number one…” You say in defeat. If you couldn’t even follow the first rule during your first outing as a ‘couple,’ the rest of these three months were not going to bode well for you.

Instead of matching your demeanor, Jaemin takes offense. “What, no! We changed rule number one to no kissing unless they brought it up or were suspicious, and they both, brought it up and were suspicious,” he claims firmly, but the playful tone underlying his words makes it so that all you can do is let out a small, wry laugh.

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” you say with a shake of your head, though the smile has made its reappearance on your face. Next to you, Jaemin stops walking, pausing for a moment as he stares at the pavement beneath your feet. As soon as you notice his absence at your side, you turn back around to face him and his small grimace.

“Thank you, by the way,” he says gently, and any remaining tension you were carrying falls away; because any time Jaemin fell softer, you were reminded of how you’d do anything for your best friend. “I don’t know if I really thanked you for letting me talk you into this. I know it’s stupid, but it’s nice to have them attacking me for whether or not I’ve kissed you rather than attacking me for my body count,” he finishes, and it feels as though all your joints had immediately locked up again.

Jaemin’s title as the campus fuckboy was not lost on you, but talking about anything close to relationships was never a strong suit for you guys; and with him quickly finding his place within a new friend group here at college, it meant you were even less in the know of his whereabouts on any given day. The last thing you were expecting was for Jaemin to keep you updated on who he just fucked, but the entire realm of conversation was always so unreachable for you two. You knew nothing of what the campus fuckboy was truly getting up to; there was sometimes talk in your class when a girl would come in beaming as she told her friends she managed to spend a night with Jaemin, but instances like that were all you got informed by, and you never dared pry deeper into those overheard conversations.

Sometimes your jealousy would damn near kill you - all these girls boasting about the fact that they had spent a night with Jaemin…you wanted to turn around half the time and tell them to forget about one night because you’ve spent countless days with him; that your entire high school career was covered in his handprints and bright smile which you were sure was laced with drugs - a smile you knew he wasn’t throwing around in the bedroom.

You never did snap, though, because it was easier to keep your ‘best friend’ label with Jaemin under the radar at college, unless you wished for tens upon hundreds of girls to line up in front of you and ask your advice on how to win his heart. Jokes on them, you were still figuring that out, yourself.

“What is your body count?” You ask with a hesitant swallow, your curiosity getting the better of you now that he’s finally brought it up.

Jaemin shoots his head up to face you but instantly dodges your eye contact again. For the first time since you’ve met him, he looks genuinely embarrassed. “Another time, y/n,” he says in soft dismissal.

You swallow harshly, in disbelief at what you were about to tell him, but as much as it would sting, it would keep your own feelings at a very needed bay. “If you still want to have sex, you can. I don’t mean to force you into celibacy. Just make sure it’s at the girl’s house so Haechan doesn’t find out,” you say lowly, and Jaemin immediately makes wide eye contact with you.

“Really?” He asks in something like shock. You act as though it’s no big thing, and you’re sure it probably shouldn’t be, anyways.

“Yeah,” you respond with a shrug.

Jaemin takes in your words with a contemplative head nod, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth before his eyes light up in alert, finding another caveat to address. “What do we do if the girl starts talking about the fact that she hooked up with me?” He asks seriously, but you’ve finally found humor in the situation, shaking your head as though there were hardly a need for the question.

“Jaem, just about every girl wants to sleep with you, or at least make it seem like she did…a random girl claiming to have hooked up with you one day is just going to sound like she’s desperate for attention. No one’s gonna take it seriously,” you say with a playful roll of your eyes. Absolutely nothing you said was wrong, and with a deep breath, Jaemin seems to accept that fact.

As he exhales, he resumes his continuation on the walk back to your dorm, a light nod of his head accompanying his next words. “Okay. Thank you-” His casual start is broken as he turns his head back over to you at his side in question. “Are you gonna be okay? Are you gonna like- hook up- uh…with other guys?” He asks curiously. All you can do is laugh at him.

“Casual hookups aren’t my thing and no way am I getting an actual boyfriend while we’re doing this, but of course I’ll be okay. I’m pretty sure your sex drive is at least ten times greater than mine. I can handle three months,” you reply lightly, and seemingly all of Jaemin’s worries about this new implementation fade away - it seemed perfectly doable without getting caught.

As you get to your dorm entrance, you and Jaemin turn to fully face each other. “Thanks again for today. I think we got them somewhat convinced,” he says through a small laugh, and you flash your eyebrows in acknowledgement.

“No reason to thank me for that - you did most of the talking,” you rebuttal playfully.

Jaemin’s laugh turns into a knowing smirk. “You were the one who kissed me,” he teases, and you shake your head, but a wide grin spreads across your lips, regardless.

“It's not my fault that they both, brought it up and were suspicious,” you remind him, putting your hands up in defense. Jaemin takes a moment to laugh again before settling into a more fond look that was reminiscent of your high school days.

“We’re gonna have to start hanging out more again since they think we’re dating, but even before all that, I think it’d make me happy if we started hanging out more again just cause I’ve missed you…and I know it’s my fault we haven’t talked as often! I got a friend group of guys and an- agenda…with girls, and as such, my entire college career up to now has unfolded in that way. But I miss you because you’ve always been my friend, not because of some agenda or fake-dating scheme.”

“Mmmmmm, best friend,” you correct with a sure smirk, making Jaemin drop his head with a laugh of defeat.

“Yeah, best friend,” he cedes, and your smirk turns into a soft smile.

“I never do anything, so just text me when you wanna hang. I’ll be there.”

He looks back up at you with a small grin and a nod. “Same goes for you,” he replies. Then, all that was left was saying ‘goodbye’ in a much more awkward way than usual, before you went back up to your room to decompress from whatever the hell just happened.

It was a week after that first lunch when you were alone and bored in your dorm. None of the guys mentioned anything about having plans for the weekend while at lunch, which you had begun to join in on every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. So, although you just saw him, you figured Jaemin wouldn’t have anything better to do than hang out with you some more today. You shoot your gaze over to the clock, agreeing there was more than enough time left in the day to make a hang out worth it, and then grabbing your phone to text Jaemin.

Hey, I’m bored. Wanna do something? You send, and Jaemin’s reply is instantaneous.

With a girl rn

For a text that’s letting you know he’s following your directions, it hurts more than you thought it would to read. You know it’s for the best that this be your reality. Jaemin had been your best friend for so long now, the last thing you wanted was to ruin that with your feelings; and while fake-dating wasn’t helping, this reality-check definitely did. He’s not just your best friend anymore, he’s the campus’ heartthrob…the campus’ fuckboy. It was the entire reason behind the bet his friends made in the first place - a circumstance like this was only expected. So, you’d have to forget about the hollow feeling in your stomach right now and instead support your best friend in a best friend way, cause no matter how many times in the next three months he’s destined to call you ‘angel’ or look over at you softly every time you talk in the group, ‘best friends’ is all you are to each other. Oh, look at you go! I figure I’m your alibi, so I guess I’ll stay in for the rest of the night so there’s no possibility of one of your friends seeing me

His reply this time took about thirty minutes to get to you, and even his last text didn’t prepare you for the brick wall that faced you with this one. Thanks

Jaemin isn’t selfish, Jaemin is busy. It’s the mantra you kept repeating to yourself, because you know he’s not selfish; and while you were expecting a reply more aligned with an apology for forcing your Friday night to be spent indoors and alone, taking the time to text that out probably was not something Jaemin could manage while another girl was surely sucking him off.

The next Thursday, it’s Jaemin’s idea to hang out after classes. The two of you decided to chill at your place so that you didn’t have to constantly pretend around Haechan, should he be in their apartment. As you swing the door open to Jaemin’s presence, he looks at you with a big grin on his face. “Hey, angel,” he says, patting the top of your head as he walks into your dorm. You track his figure deeper into the living area, looking at him quizzically because the whole purpose of him being here was that he didn’t have to call you ‘angel.’

You just shake your head with a smile as he plops down on your couch. “Hey, Jaem.”

He looks up at you with innocent eyes. “What did you want to do tonight?” He asks, and you shrug your shoulders with a laugh.

“You’re the one who wanted to come over; my plan was to do homework.” Your answer has Jaemin’s face falling, and you watch as he gets up from the couch and immediately walks out the door, leaving you completely dumbfounded. You didn’t think homework was that repulsive to him. Though, moments later, there’s another knock on your door, and you answer it to be met with Jaemin again, this time his own backpack slung across his shoulders. “Wha-?” You question with a laugh of disbelief.

Jaemin sends a smirk your way before once again walking past you and towards the couch, immediately unzipping his backpack and placing its contents on the coffee table. “Homework,” he says casually, looking up at you with raised brows and a smirk. “Best friend, fake girlfriend, study buddy…you get all the fun labels,” he teases, causing you to shake your head before relenting and joining him at the coffee table.

It was an incredibly normal night. After the two of you finished up the last of your assignments - though getting distracted every five or so minutes with stupid jokes, complaints of coursework, or a sudden remembering of a story that needed telling did not help push things along, the two of you watched a movie. You ended up making hot cocoa, because the privilege of thermostats meant that it wasn’t a crazy option, regardless of the outside temperature, and then sat on the recliner, Jaemin taking up considerably more space on the couch in response.

The two of you had always been good movie watchers with each other. You both liked to enjoy movies in the same way - the lights off, no talking, no distractions from phones…even if it was a movie you had seen a hundred times. The two of you took movie nights seriously, mainly because with each other, you could. At least, you had yet to find anyone else who would sit and watch Coraline with you and not take a break to say something about how they find it creepy or flatout don’t like the movie when it’s not even halfway over. Though, Jaemin always happily watched, saving his only comments (typically about how “they just don’t make movies like that anymore”) for the credits.

Just like that, it was like a night from high school, and it ended much the same way - a side hug with Jaemin and his promises of getting home safe, though it was you rather than your mother that he was making that promise to now.

Walking back into his apartment, Jaemin immediately catches the attention of Haechan, currently making late night ramen in the kitchen. “Did you just get back from y/n’s?” He asks, pulling his attention away from the stove to turn his head towards Jaemin.

“Yeah,” Jaemin answers casually as he makes his trek through the front space and towards his room, only getting distracted when Haechan speaks up again with a playful lilt and a matching smirk on his face.

“Good night?” He asks, causing Jaemin to furrow his brows before realizing what Haechan was actually getting at.

“What-? Oh, shut up,” he dismisses. Turning back around to face Haechan revealed him to be completely distracted from his ramen - his back now leaning against the countertop as his casual crossed arms added to the tease in his raised eyebrow. Jaemin rolls his eyes at the antics, especially considering Haechan was the main reason this whole deal was made in the first place - because he was tired of Jaemin having sex. “We didn’t have sex. We did normal couple things,” he states confidently before turning around again to actually make his way inside his room and behind his closed bedroom door.

This meant Jaemin missed the way Haechan’s playful brows furrowed in confusion, his face falling flatter as he spoke through a soft exhale. “What?” Any more time he could have had to actually question it was overridden with the need to tend to his now boiling over ramen; so Jaemin got off easy the rest of the night.

Haechan was not as forgiving the next time he saw the guys at Monday lunch, though. With you still nowhere to be seen and Jaemin in his line of sight ordering food, he addresses everything in a more serious tone than any of the guys were expecting.

“Does anyone else find it odd that they haven’t had sex yet?”

Eyes go wide at the rest of the table. “They haven’t?!” Jeno practically shouts before immediately getting embarrassed and making himself as small as possible. Haechan just shakes his head.

“They haven’t even spent the night at each other’s places yet. He always comes back home after hanging out with her and it’s always just him.”

“Maybe they’re taking it slow,” Mark replies with a shrug, but all eyes lock on him with ample skepticism.

“Does ‘slow’ seem like a Jaemin thing?” Haechan rebuttals. “I mean, come on. We’re talking about the guy who’s notorious for getting his dick wet at any available opportunity.”

“So, we think they don't really like each other? They’re faking it?” Renjun asks with pursed contemplative lips.

Haechan’s the one to shrug this time in mystery. “$600 is a hefty amount. He’d do anything he can for that, including but not limited to getting a fake girlfriend and lying to us,” he states more firmly, but that’s as Jaemin joins the table; his brows furrowed and mouth hanging slightly open as he looked around at the guys in something like disgust.

“What in the world did I just walk in on? Y/n is not my fake girlfriend. The deal money is nice but I’m at least honorable about these things,” he argues, and immediately all the guys whip their gazes towards him, varying expressions on their faces as Jisung speaks up in genuine question.

“Why haven’t you slept with her yet?” The seriousness of the question and the sheer interest in the rest of the guys’ faces gets Jaemin to roll his eyes.

“You guys are atrocious, you know that?” He says in place of an answer.

Chenle raises his brows. “The question remains,” he taunts with a smirk.

Jaemin looks him dead in the eyes as he responds. “She means more to me than that.”

“Means more to you than that?” Jeno reflects back with a laugh. “Jaemin, are you forgetting your love language?” This is the first thing you can pick up as you finally get to the table after questions from your classmates held you for more minutes than should be allowed. Regardless, you immediately jump right into conversation.

“Love language?” You echo with a smile. “There’s something I’m knowledgeable about. How��s my words of affirmation boy doing?” You continue, all your attention directed towards Jaemin as you shed your backpack from your body.

He looks up at you still standing by his side, eyes soft and speaking through a small smile. “Better now that you’re here,” he answers, and you don’t stop the bashful smile from coming across your face as you finally get situated sitting down next to him. The gentle moment is broken, though, with Jeno asking a question in total shock.

“Words of affirmation??” He begs for clarification, and the rest of the guys lean in at the table some more in apparent interest. You look at them all as though there was some joke you weren’t getting.

“Yes? What did you think it was?” You question back, and they respond in almost perfect unison.

“Physical touch.”

You can’t stop the small laugh from leaving your system as you look back at all of them seriously. “Jaemin’s good at showing love through physical touch, no doubt, but words of affirmation is by far his favorite way to receive love, it’s not even a question. And sure, part of that is how he smiles like an idiot whenever I tell him he’s the most handsome guy on the planet - which is stupid because ‘handsome’ honestly doesn’t even begin to describe it…” You trail off awkwardly before shooting your head back up to face everyone.

“But have you ever seen him receive a compliment that has nothing to do with his body or looks? The way his eyes light up like something just clicked for him? I mean, he’s so many more things before he’s physically attractive, and all he was waiting for was someone to recognize that. Every time we meet up after class and I say something like ‘I’ve been longing to be in your presence all day,’ or ‘thanks for bringing me more happiness than I’ve ever known,’ he’s practically on the verge of tears every time. It’s why when I told him I missed him that one day, all he could think to do was ask me to be his girlfriend. He’s been waiting to be missed on a level that had nothing to do with his body. He’s been waiting to be affirmed in a way that isn’t physical.”

That seemed to get everyone else at the table to shut up, swallowing awkwardly as they instead turned their attention to their food. You let out a small sigh of relief as you dig into your own sandwich, but Jaemin doesn’t think he can even take one bite anymore; a weird feeling in his stomach and his mind going a million miles an hour. When he does pick up his sandwich, it’s not because he’s finally convinced he can keep it down, but because not eating now would be incredibly suspicious to everyone…including you.

Jaemin walked you back to your dorm after lunch, something that became typical since it wasn’t always possible to pick you up from class for lunch. You were walking in comfortable silence; in fact, an element of awkwardness was only introduced once Jaemin spoke up with a strange sort of cough and hesitant words. “I didn’t know I was a words of affirmation guy,” he finally says after a couple of minutes.

With the two of you out of sightline and earshot of the others, you let your actions and reactions express more naturally. So, you paused completely, making him eventually stop and look over his shoulder at you in question. “Oh…really?!” You say in light shock before shaking your head and resuming your pace so you could catch back up to him and continue casually. “I mean, maybe you’re not then, but just from what I know-”

You’re cut off with a small laugh from Jaemin as he shakes his head softly, matching his contemplative tone. “No, I think you’re right. Everything you said I- I think you’re right.” He says it as though he were almost embarrassed by the fact, and you decide that’s the last thing you’re gonna allow him to feel in this situation.

“Oh, well, would you like me to affirm you more often then?” You ask seriously. “We aren’t exactly meeting up after class everyday and I’m not exactly telling you I’ve been waiting for that very moment, but I can.”

Jaemin is quick to dismiss the idea. “No, it’s okay. No use doing that when this whole thing is fake. I mean, rule number three or something is that everything is immediately dropped when we’re in private,” he tries to play off with a laugh, and as you finally reach the entrance to your dorm, you turn around to face him solemnly.

“Jaem, that’s not me putting on an act. You do know I love spending time with you, right? And-” You shake your head, frustrated with yourself that this is something you obviously didn’t do a good job of communicating earlier. “Take us out of this whole situation thing,” you command, finding your footing in what you’re wanting to say. “Just- as friends. I love spending time with you. I want you in my life forever, yeah?” You finish softly, and when you look back up at Jaemin, he’s quick to break eye contact.

“Yeah.”

The next few weeks saw to it that you and Jaemin were hanging out more than ever. What you saw as insane luck meant that every time you texted asking if he could hang out, he was never ‘with a girl’ at the time; and Jaemin was texting you and being the one to make plans at a far greater rate than you were, anyways. Instantly, your relationship reflected that during your time in high school - the only difference was that sometimes in the midst of trying to pretend you didn’t have the hugest crush on your best friend, you were also having to pretend you did have the hugest crush on your best friend.

Hang outs were still mainly at your place so that the two of you never had to worry about Haechan, though sometimes you’d purposely have a night in at Jaemin’s to keep Haechan convinced. This was not one of those times. Instead, you opened your door to Jaemin as you have for the past three Friday’s now, which the two of you decided would be ‘date night’ in everyone else’s eyes while really, you’d just keep a low profile and do whatever you wanted. Due to schedules, you always had an hour for homework before you’d be met with Jaemin’s presence, and he was right on time today. “Hey, Jaem!” You greet with a smile as you swing the door open and step back to allow him inside.

“Hey angel,” he replies casually, because calling you ‘angel’ was now a very typical occurrence, regardless of who was around to hear it. He flashes a smile in your direction, but instead of beelining for the couch like normal, he stops to stand kind of awkwardly in front of you before continuing hesitantly. “Mark is having a Halloween party if that’s something you’re interested in…we could go together. I know parties aren’t really your thing.” He speaks as though it were an apology, and all you can do is chuckle at his antics.

“Don’t worry about that. I am your fake girlfriend, aren’t I?” You tease in reply, and Jaemin raises his eyebrows as though he didn’t know where you were going with this.

“...Yes,” he draws out slowly, and you just shake your head at him fondly.

“So, if you’re going, then I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” you answer sincerely, and though you’d never be able to convince yourself of it, you made Jaemin blush - just the tiniest bit.

He lets out something like a sigh of relief before nodding his head in acknowledgement. “Okay, I’ll tell Mark we’re going, then,” he says happily, and then suddenly it’s right back to routine as he heads for the couch to chill before the two of you could decide what all you actually wanted to do that day.

The next time you saw Jaemin was two days later when he asked if you wanted to accompany him to the store. It was all light and casual conversation as you strolled through the aisles, most of the time pointing at random items and saying ‘you’ to try and see who could get the other to laugh more. The bit promptly ended when you pointed at a Scrub Daddy to relate Jaemin to, but he instead teased you endlessly for using an item with “daddy” in the name. The only thing to veer his topic of conversation away from that was when you passed the aisle that had been repurposed into Halloween decorations and costumes, making him stop in his tracks.

“Have you decided on a costume for the party yet?” He asks curiously, and you turn back around to face him and redirect your path to peruse the Halloween aisle, touching random bits of costumes before dropping them back to the rack with a shake of your head.

“Well, I was gonna go as an angel since that’s kind of what you call me now, but if we do it as a couple’s costume, then you’d end up as the devil or a demon or whatever, and I don’t love the idea of that. So…would you wanna go as Team Rocket instead?” You ask in return. Jaemin swallows awkwardly as he takes in everything you just said, but he can’t take too long to explore the slightly comforting feeling brought on by you saying the idea of him as a devil wasn’t your favorite…because that wouldn’t be very ‘I don’t care what anyone else thinks’ of him. Instead, he resorts back to a familiar tease, an eyebrow raised as a playful smirk crossed his lips.

“Who said I wanted to do a couple’s costume?” He shoots back and your face immediately goes red as you scramble for words.

“Oh! You don’t- I was just- it’s not-” You’re cut off with a warm laugh from Jaemin.

“Breathe, angel, I was just messing with you,” he reassures with a shake of his head.

“Maybe you would make a good demon,” you deadpan in return, and Jaemin’s eyes light with fire as his jaw drops.

“Hey!”

“Just messing with you, Jaem,” you banter back, and Jaemin bites on the inside of his cheek to stop a wide grin from making an appearance at your behavior.

“I’m fine going as Team Rocket, as long as I get to be James,” he says with a mock seriousness, effectively getting you to smile as you roll your eyes.

“Well, I wasn’t going to suggest you be Jessie,” you assure in the same manner, and Jaemin nods his head, seemingly content with the plan before another question comes to mind.

“Are we dying our hair?” He asks, and this time he’s actually serious. You think about it for a second before giving into the idea with a contemplative nod.

“We can get the spray that lasts up until you wash it,” you suggest, and with a nod from Jaemin, your Halloween costumes were set - all you had to do was make them.

Fast forward a week and the only thing left to do was iron on the ‘R’ decal on Jaemin’s top, which was exactly what you were doing in his apartment as he took the time to spray blue in his hair. You look up from the heat press as Jaemin walks out of the bathroom. “Huh,” you let out involuntarily, and if you were any less close with Jaemin, you would’ve been embarrassed beyond words. However, he just looks at you with furrowed brows and a curious grin.

“What?” He asks, and you shrug your shoulders as though it were nothing big.

“You look good with blue hair,” you answer, trying your best to be casual about it.

Jaemin’s curious grin had turned into a shiteating one. “Oh, yeah?” He digs, trying to get under your skin; though, you thwart the attempt immediately, instead responding with nonchalance - the exact opposite of what he was reaching for.

“Well, no more than normal,” you reply, and Jaemin’s brows raise impossibly.

“Now, what does that mean?” He asks playfully, but you just shake your head.

“You’re the fuckboy, Jaemin. You know what I’m getting at.” With that, your attention was back on the iron as it beeped and let you know his shirt was ready. You pull it out from under the heat and turn it around so Jaemin could see the final product, and with a nod of approval, he grabs it from your hands and heads back to the bathroom.

“Looks great, angel,” he finally says, studying his appearance in the mirror before walking back out to the living area. You just drop your head as you feel your face heat up at the compliment.

“I’ll uh- go get ready,” you say quietly, and then you grab your own costume and hair spray before trading places with him in the bathroom.

Jaemin doesn’t hide his small smile as he watches you walk back out to the living area in your matching costume with him, and you try your best to pin your focus anywhere other than his soft gaze. “Um- drinking at parties isn’t really my thing so- I can drive us back here afterwards. You can drink however much you want,” you get out awkwardly before moving to sit down next to him on the couch.

Jaemin chuckles lightly in response to your behavior. “Are you sure?”

You nod your head profusely. “Of course. You enjoy parties a lot. I don’t want you to change an aspect of it just because I’m there, too. So, however much you normally drink…go for it.”

Jaemin studies your figure with ample doubt covering his features. “I don’t know. Me drinking while knowing I have a ride home typically means I turn into too much to handle,” he jokes, but any form of negative self-talk from him always grounds you, and you’re quick to refute it.

“Not for me,” you say, turning your head to make eye contact with him. “Never for me.” Your soft reassurance has Jaemin simply staring at you, and you quickly turn your head back to face your lap as you overthink every little embarrassing thing you’ve already done tonight. On the other hand, Jaemin didn’t even think twice before leaning over to place a kiss on your cheek.

Your cheeks puff out with a smile in immediate response to the contact, but as you lift your gaze back up to face Jaemin, your attention is caught by Haechan, who had just walked out of his room in costume - a vampire costume that was already iconic and he hadn’t even done anything yet.

Your soft smile turns into a full-on grin as you address him. “Woah, Hyuck. You look great!” You say with a laugh, and Jaemin whips his head around to face his roommate just to fall into his own bout of laughter.

“Oh, fuck off,” Haechan replies with a playful roll of his eyes as he walks towards the door. “Are you two gonna head out soon?” He asks more seriously, and Jaemin gives a light nod.

“Yeah, we won’t be too far behind you. Y/n just isn’t a huge fan of parties, so we opted for fashionably late rather than fashionably early.”

Haechan flashes his eyebrows up in acknowledgement before turning back from the front door to face the two of you again. “Alright. Don’t violate the couch too much in the meantime. It’s my favorite couch,” he banters, and this time it’s you and Jaemin to roll your eyes.

“You fuck off,” you say through a grin, and Haechan drops his head with a loud laugh before bringing his gaze back to the two of you with a soft smile.

“I’ll see you guys soon,” he says happily, and with that, he’s out the door.

It was about thirty minutes later when you and Jaemin entered the party house hand-in-hand. As soon as you got in, you realized your friend group was a lot more popular than you ever thought, because seemingly everyone you went to school with was here. For parties already feeling overwhelming, parties where you could hardly move without bumping into someone were even more so. Though, in the midst of the blaring music, a hundred different conversations, and all the dancing, your attention is turned to your interlocked hand with Jaemin as he gently rubs his thumb across the back of your hand.

You shoot your gaze up at him just to see he’s already staring back down at you softly. Unlike you, he looked completely at home in the party scene, though you figure one can’t truly get labeled a fuckboy without being so. That’s also why you assume he was able to tell you were already uncomfortable from the second you stepped inside.

Hardly a few feet from the entrance, he leans down to you at his side, speaking slowly in your ear so you could make it out from the rest of the noise. “We’ll stay only as long as you want, okay? If you wanna turn back around right now, we can.”

You shake your head minimally, turning to face him and realizing that action placed your lips dangerously close together. You roll them inwards in hesitation before shifting your gaze to his own. “I’m not going to make you leave super early. You like parties.”

A smirk plays on Jaemin’s lips as he raises an eyebrow at you. “I like you more,” he replies playfully.

You dart your gaze off to the side, ripping your hand away from his in the process. “I’m fine. Let’s just go find our friends.” You take a step out from the entryway but quickly notice Jaemin isn’t following. You whip your head around to face him just to see his hand outstretched for you again.

“If we’re going to go find our friends, your hand better be in mine,” he quips, causing you to roll your eyes before obliging and lacing your fingers back together. He gives your hand a light squeeze as he flashes you a wide smile and drags you to where he already saw Haechan, Jeno, and Renjun.

“Hey, you guys look great!” Jeno says with a bright smile as the two of you join their circle. Jaemin finally slides his hand out of yours to instead place it on the small of your back. Despite yourself, a small smile comes onto your face, not at Jeno’s words, but at Jaemin’s touch, and you relax a bit more against his hand.

Jaemin is the one to actually respond as the other two guys turn their attention to the both of you as well. “Thanks! My incredible, beautiful girlfriend made the costumes,” he says, tossing his gaze over to you at his side. You roll your eyes at him, but your smile grows.

“Making it is not the same as making it look good. You did that all on your own,” you shoot back earnestly. The three guys in front of you throw on a look of disgust, as if they weren’t the ones telling Jaemin he needed a girlfriend. Jaemin just looks over at you with a soft gleam in his eyes, his mouth straining as he tries to conceal a smile. He opts to just kiss you on the cheek instead, then reaching for your far shoulder and pulling you his way. He snakes his arms around you to keep you there in a hug from behind, his thumb gently rubbing up and down your waist. The five of you stood in a circle just talking for at least an hour. Occasionally, one of them would leave to grab drinks for the group, though you were sure to just stick to water the entire night as everyone around you became a comfortable state of tipsy.

Eventually, Jaemin unwound his arms from your figure, causing you to turn your head and look up at him in question. He lets an easy smile paint his lips. “I’m just running to the bathroom real quick. I’ll come find you again in a few.”

You nod your head, and your eyes follow Jaemin for as long as they could before he became completely indistinguishable from the rest of the crowd. You turn your attention back to Renjun, Jeno, and Haechan. “I’m gonna go find Mark,” you start with an awkward laugh. “I don’t know if he even knows Jaemin and I are here.” The three of them nod at you, Renjun racking his foggy brain for where he thinks he last saw him. You nod, thanking them for their company so far, and then heading off towards the kitchen under the guidance of Renjun’s memory.

When Jaemin steps out of the bathroom, he almost immediately runs into the body of another guy. Opening his mouth to apologize, the guest beats him to words.

“Jaemin, nice costume,” he says, and Jaemin loses his tension at the compliment.

“Oh, thank you-” He starts, but is quickly cut off again by the stranger.

“You got another one of your hoes to match with tomorrow?” He slurs with a smile, throwing an arm around Jaemin’s shoulder.

Jaemin’s eyes widen as he snakes out under the touch, guiding their hand back down to their side. “Uh, no, y/n’s my girlfriend. It’s just her and we’re just out for tonight,” he replies, turning his gaze away from the man to instead scan the crowd and try to lay eyes back on you.

“Ha! Good one,” the guy laughs out, and Jaemin snaps his gaze back to him in confusion.

“Good one?” He echoes back in question, but with a hard slap on his back that Jaemin thinks was meant to be playful, his conversation partner quickly leaves. Jaemin stands there for a moment puzzled, but he tries to shake out of the uncomfortable feeling as he directs his gaze back to the big crowd, looking for where you may have wandered off to once he sees you’re no longer with the previous group.

He quickly realizes he wouldn’t be able to find you by standing in one place, so he picks up his feet and starts weaving through the crowd again. When he feels a hand on his back, he assumes it’s you, and he whips around towards the figure. His face quickly drops when he realizes it isn’t you, and suddenly he’s extremely conscious of how everyone’s been touching him tonight.

“Such a shame your costume shows so little skin,” the girl says with a small pout and a fake innocence in her eyes. Jaemin tries to take a step back, just to bump into more people dancing and forcing him back into close proximity. He swallows hard, accepting the fact that he was having to engage in this conversation now.

“My girlfriend picked it out,” he says firmly, and the girl in front of him just tilts her head to the side, now rubbing a hand up and down his arm.

“Well, she’s ruining the fun,” she replies, something like pity in her eyes as she looks at Jaemin. He furrows his brows, his breath getting heavier as the air seems to get thinner.

“Um, I- I think I’m still fun without showing skin,” Jaemin fumbles out, and the girl just laughs, finally letting her hand drop from his arm as her doe-eyed expression turns mean.

“You’d like to believe that,” she says, shaking her head and walking off.

Jaemin stared after her in a weird mix of hurt and confusion that he hadn’t ever felt before. “What?” He asks in defeat, but there was no one there to give him any clarification.

He desperately starts looking around for you again. If he could just get back to you, if he could just slip his hand into yours, he was sure the heavy weight that’s found its way onto his chest would disappear. He was shaking, he didn’t know when he had started shaking, but it seemed to take the place of his breathing, and now he was worried about whether or not he would even have time to find you before he suffocated. Almost all the effort he was placing into finding you was now being placed into holding back his tears. Everything was too loud, he couldn’t hear his own thoughts, couldn’t hear his voice if he spoke aloud, suddenly not sure if he was even getting any words out when he opened his mouth, which only worried him more because he was dying and he couldn’t tell anyone.

Holding your hand, it was the only positive thought he could seem to cling to, the only thing keeping him from collapsing to the floor in a ball - he had to find you, he wanted to hold your hand. He thinks it’s a miracle that his feet are able to start moving again, especially when someone definitely put 50 lb weights in his shoes without him knowing.

He finally lays eyes on you, now in the kitchen talking with Mark, Chenle, and Jisung. Though you were maybe ten feet away, it might as well have been miles, as another hand gets placed on his chest from a random girl in front of him. “James, let me know if you get bored of Jessie later. I can give you a good time,” she says with a smirk, and Jaemin feels like he’s going to throw up; though he can’t quite tell if that was because of her words or the whirlwind of the past three minutes. In fact, if he knew just how badly he was shaking, he would’ve questioned how she didn’t feel it when she placed her hand on his chest.

He shakes his head as quickly as he could without getting too dizzy to continue his trek towards you. “No, I quite like Jessie,” he says through hiccups, not sure when the first stray tear made its way down his cheek. He pushes past the girl without giving her time to respond and make him feel worse. All he wanted was you, and when he finally got close enough to place his shaky hand in yours, all he could manage were whispered words that he prayed would reach you, or at least leave his mouth at all.

“Please don’t leave me.”

Still in conversation with Mark, Chenle, and Jisung, you don’t turn too much attention to Jaemin slightly behind you as you settle your hand into his touch, but that’s when you feel how badly he’s shaking. “Jaem, are you okay?” You ask at your side, though your eyes remained trained on Chenle as he told the least dramatic story in the most dramatic way.

“There’s a lot of people here,” Jaemin whimpers out, the answer confusing enough to pull your focus away from Chenle.

“I know-” You start, your gaze following from your interlocked hands up his arm and to his face, but that’s when you actually see the state he’s in and your face instantly falls into worry. A steady stream of tears cascaded down his cheeks, his eyes tightly shut to block out the extra stimulation, only opening them to look at you before promptly getting embarrassed and turning away. You immediately squeeze his hand a little tighter in your hold, getting him to train his eyes back on you. You pick up your words as he does so, careful to hide your immense worry in your tone and instead speaking softly for him. “Hey…let’s get you to a quieter room, okay?”

Jaemin nods his head minimally, able to let out a choked response. “Okay.” You take no extra time in telling the others that you were going to have to get filled in on the story later. Instead, you just make sure your grip on Jaemin’s hand is enough to not lose him while navigating through the crowd as you immediately lead him upstairs and into an empty room.

“Talk to me, what’s going on?” You say, closing the door and turning on a soft lamp light before you whip back around to watch Jaemin pace the entire floor, his fingers running frantically through his hair.

“I don’t know. Everyone keeps talking to me and touching me and everything is so loud and my head hurts and it’s so hot I’m sweating and dizzy and freaking out-” He spoke all at once, and you knew the last thing he needed was to run out of breath while explaining. You jump to cut him off, still trying your best to make your voice as calming as possible for him.

“Hey…it’s gonna be okay. Can you sit down for me?” The second you said it, Jaemin was on the floor, his heavy breaths visibly not making it to his whole body. Your eyes soften some more as you look at him. It didn’t take a genius to tell you he’s never been in this situation before, and all he knew to do was trust you. You let out a soft sigh as you move closer to him. “I know you said you’re hot and sweaty and overwhelmed with touch, but is it okay if I hug you?”

“Please.” The word comes out weak, riddled with enough tears to make you break. You sit down behind him, placing your legs out along his own outstretched ones as you gently hug him from behind.

“You can close your eyes, just focus on my voice. You’re gonna be okay,” you state with confidence, rubbing a thumb gently up and down his side. Jaemin is quick to refute, shaking his head with an intensity you wish he wouldn’t right now.

“No, y/n, it feels like I’m dying,” he says, fear covering every aspect of his voice. You let out a soft sigh.

“You’re not dying, you’re panicking.” This, too, he refuses to accept. His response comes out as firm as it could through tears.

“I don’t panic. I’m the cool guy. I’m not panicking, I’m dying.”

Despite yourself, a small laugh escapes you through an exhale, and you hug Jaemin to you extra tight. “Baby, no matter how cool you are, there’s not a person in the world completely immune to panic attacks.”

Jaemin stills for a moment, the sudden switch confusing you before he speaks and confuses you even more. “I thought you didn’t like that word,” he says, wiping his face of tears and then placing his hands on your own arms around his torso.

You furrow your eyebrows, though with him in front of you, there was no point. “What word?” You ask. Surely he wasn’t talking about the word ‘panic attack’ but racking your brain, there was nothing else you said that wasn’t just a normal word.

“You don’t know you said it,” he says curiously, a small sniffle coming from his figure as he tries his own attempt at a light laugh.

“What are you talking about, Jaem?” You question again. At this point, you were sure one of you was going crazy, and you really were banking on it not being you. Though, Jaemin just dismisses the subject, and with you sitting behind him, you missed the small smile that now covered his features.

“Nothing, please just continue holding me like this,” he begs softly, and you nod your head, squeezing him tighter for a second.

“I’m not going anywhere,” you reply seriously, and there you and Jaemin sat for at least another ten minutes; the only noise to break the silence was his occasional cries as he still tried to rid himself of tears and calm down completely.

When you couldn’t remember his last sniffle, you start to rub your thumb up and down a portion of his waist, disrupting the physical stillness before you spoke and disrupted the silence.

“I wanna get you some water soon,” you say gently, but any attempt to move from your position was shot down as Jaemin quickly fumbled to grab your arms and press them firmly back down across his torso, his body beginning to shake again at the idea of you getting up.

“No! Don’t leave! Please,” he chokes out, and almost all of the progress you thought he made in the past few minutes was erased.

You sigh, and refusing to think about the fact that you were practically breaking your own rule, you lean forward to kiss him on the cheek. “I’m staying right next to you, Jaem,” you start, and you watch as he basically forces his breathing to get back to normal at your words…or at least tries to. “Do you want me to call Jeno and get him to bring up water for you, or do you want to follow me down to the kitchen, grab a water bottle, and leave?”

Jaemin thinks for a moment before dropping his head in what you assume was shame, which was the last thing he needed to be feeling. “I- can we leave?”

You squeeze your arms around his body once more in acknowledgement. “Yeah, come on,” you reply, and the two of you slowly make your way off the floor and into a standing position. As you let go of his waist, you immediately grab his hand in yours, looking up at Jaemin for confirmation that this was what he wanted to do. He stared back down at you with a teary smile and nod, and with that, you led him out of the bedroom and back downstairs.

Thankfully, Mark, Chenle, and Jisung were still in the kitchen, meaning you had to cover no extra ground to fill Mark in on your departure.

“Hey, I’m gonna take Jaemin home,” you say, turning to face Mark after grabbing a water bottle from the fridge he was standing next to.

Mark furrows his brows. “Everything okay?” He asks, knowing Jaemin wasn’t one to leave parties early, nor was he one to have tear streaks painted across his face.

You try to smile but it comes out more as a grimace. “Yeah, he’s just a little overwhelmed today. Thank you for inviting us, though. It was a blast.”

Mark nods his head in understanding. “Thanks for coming. Are you driving?”

“Yeah,” you reply, and Mark forces some sobriety back in his system.

“You haven’t had anything to drink, have you?” He asks in worry, and you let a grateful smile paint your face as you respond.

“No, I’m okay.”

Mark nods before taking another sip of his own drink. “Okay. Be safe. I’ll see you guys soon.” You reciprocate his nod in acknowledgement and then immediately lead Jaemin towards the front door and back to the car.

You make sure he’s all taken care of in the passenger seat before you start messing with the controls in the driver’s seat to move it to where you could actually drive. You make a mental note to apologize about changing the position of his seat and mirrors tomorrow after everything’s calmed down, but as you start driving, Jaemin is the one to beat you to an apology.

“I’m sorry,” he says weakly, and you risk a quick glance over at him with furrowed brows.

“Huh, why?”

Jaemin fiddles with his fingers in his lap, unable to look anywhere else because of his embarrassment. “For making you leave the party. You were having fun,” he answers softly, and despite your best efforts, a small laugh escapes you.

“Jaem, I was having fun because all we did was hang around with our group of friends. I don’t care for parties in and of themselves, you know that. Truthfully, I’d rather just be with you right now,” you say, and as you pull up to a stop sign, you look back over at him again. Defeat riddled his features as he spits out a response.

“But I’m just crying.” He speaks those words as though he were mad at himself for it, and you don’t understand how your best friend came to believe that he always had to be some perfectly presented guy.

You let out a sigh before turning your attention back to the road. “It doesn’t change the fact that I like spending time with you. Besides, you’d be crazy to think I’d rather be anywhere else right now when you’ve got me so worried about you.” When the only response from Jaemin is another sob he tries to cover up, you frown. “I’m not mad at you for making us leave the party early, and I’m not mad at you for crying,” you add on, and Jaemin finally lifts his head to look over at you in his driver’s seat. He seems to scan your figure up and down, processing your words and the fact that you were actually taking care of him right now. He sniffles once more before abruptly turning his focus back to his lap, and the car ride is silent the rest of the way to his apartment.

As soon as Jaemin gets into his own room, he already looks a thousand times better; the tension in his shoulders finally falls and his breathing gets more regular. You scavenge around his apartment for anything he may need during the night and next morning, because outside of his panic attack, he was still tipsy, too.

With a fresh water bottle and ibuprofen set on his night stand, you bid Jaemin goodnight, running a hand gently through his hair as he laid down in bed. However, before you can fully turn around and leave, Jaemin catches the hand you just had in his hair. In shock, you whip back around, just to be met with wide pleading eyes.

“Please stay,” he says softly, and your breath hitches for a moment before you resume your cool, or at least try to.

“Jaemin-” You start, your tone already giving way to your refusal. Though, Jaemin cuts you off in an instant, his grip on you getting slightly tighter.

“You said you wouldn’t leave me,” he shoots back, and his voice is already shaky again from the sudden raise in volume of his claim.

You sigh, trying to slowly snake your hand out of his grip as you reply. “Yeah, but I was kind of meaning that for while we were still at the party, not…now, when you’re going to sleep.”

He refuses to let you out of his hold, and he pulls you even closer to the end of the bed. “What if Haechan comes back?” He starts, trying his best to talk normally. “He’d be really confused as to why you didn’t stay over after the night I had.”

Despite yourself, you let out a small laugh. “There’s no shot Haechan makes it back tonight or is sober enough to think about anything but getting in bed himself. You’re just saying that to try and convince me.”

He finally lets his grip on you drop as he lets out a heavy breath bordering on the dividing line between defeat and hope. “Is it working?” He asks, and though you were finally free from his grasp, able to just say a final goodnight and leave to head back to your place, you don’t. Instead, you drop your head, speaking so softly you’re not sure Jaemin would even be able to hear.

“I want the side next to the wall.”

With your gaze facing the floor, you couldn’t see the sudden warm glow behind Jaemin’s eyes as he pulled back the comforter on that side and pulled his legs up so you could crawl over by the foot of the bed, neither of you saying another word as you do.

Jaemin didn’t know why he was so captivated by watching you fall asleep in his bed. The two of you must’ve been at least a full foot away from each other, as you immediately made sure to press up against the wall and make yourself as small as you could. That was fine by Jaemin. He wasn’t asking for the two of you to cuddle in the first place - this was still a fake relationship after all, and he was very much aware of that. In fact, that truth was probably more plaguing than ever at the front of his mind. Now instead of a reminder that he had to pretend to date you, it was a reminder that this was ending in two months. Jaemin’s tipsy brain couldn’t put together what the sinking feeling in his chest meant at the realization of that. So, he pushed it away, and just looked over at you sleeping peacefully right up against the wall. He didn’t need to have his arms around you - knowing you were next to him was enough, and for the first time that night since the party started, he was completely at peace.

When you wake up and realize you were more comfortable than usual in your bed, you open your eyes and figure out that it’s because you’re not in your bed. In fact, you’re hardly resting against a bed at all. Instead, one of your arms is lazily thrown over your best friend’s waist as your head rested comfortably, incredibly too comfortably, on his chest. The discovery that your legs were some kind of interlaced didn’t make things any better, and the full realization that you were practically on top of Jaemin had you jolt. This, of course, didn’t do anything but wake him up. With your head now propped up on his chest, you watch as he slowly peeks open one of his eyes, exhaustion still written over all his features. However, the second his gaze lands on you, he shoots open both eyes. Embarrassment quickly floods your being as you address everything. “Uh, sorry. I didn’t mean to-”

You’re cut off with a light chuckle and softly spoken words from Jaemin. “You’re okay.” Regardless of his response, you can’t shake the embarrassment. Jaemin’s arms fall from around your body as you try to get up, and that’s when you realize both of his arms were wrapped around you in the first place. You push the thought to the back of your head, turning to get off of his bed completely.

You’re stopped by his hand grabbing yours. You quickly turn your attention back to Jaemin, who still had yet to move any part of his body but his arms as he looks at you softly, pleading. “Can we go back to sleep?”

You swallow awkwardly, your throat now suddenly dry. You dart your eyes around his room before sighing and just landing your gaze back on him. “Um, do you still need me here for that?” You ask genuinely. Jaemin breaks eye contact this time, as he just looks down at your two hands still holding onto each other. He gives a slow nod of his head, humming a little.

You bite your lip to stop a smile from coming onto your face. It wasn’t often that you got to see your best friend looking as gentle and small as he did now. Jaemin, with the larger than life personality just wanting to stay in bed with you, it was hard to say ‘no.’ So, you don’t. “Okay.” Though when you move to resume your position back by the wall, he chuckles a bit and uses your still interlocked hands to pull you back onto him.

The next two days after you woke up on top of Jaemin (again) were filled with an awkward period of zero contact between the two of you. You couldn’t blame him for not responding to your text to hang out the day after. You were both really good at never crossing lines back in high school, but Halloween put a blur on every single one…and it didn’t help that he was tipsy that night, too. Outside of whatever rules in your contract were broken, you were sure Jaemin was also just embarrassed to no end.

There was a lot of pressure on him to be this man with no emotions; his label as a fuckboy meant people typically started and stopped all their thoughts about him at the sexual level, and he did his best to live up to their many expectations in that department, neglecting all the other parts of his being that needed tending to. Vulnerability was not a Jaemin specialty, largely because it’s never what anyone was looking for from him; and anything that lessened his sex appeal, and thus meant he couldn’t make a call and immediately have any girl he wanted, was a possibility he sought to avoid.

You didn’t necessarily mind the no-contact, though. Your heart was doing flips and spins in Jaemin’s presence on Halloween, and you had to give yourself a cool-down period before seeing him so that you could act normal around him again - whatever it was that ‘normal’ looked like when you were having to convince a group of friends that you liked your best friend while convincing your best friend you didn’t actually like him.

Jaemin made up an excuse for your absence at Monday’s lunch, but on Tuesday he finally messaged you again and asked you out for ice cream, which you of course said ‘yes’ to. He meets you at the entrance to your dorm and smiles at you with something like a sigh of relief when you smile back at him; though, with his messy hair, thick-framed glasses, and a hoodie adorning his figure, it was hard to do anything but smile - he looked criminally boyfriend.

“Hey, I’m- sorry…for it being weird these past few days,” he gets out somewhat awkwardly as you start on your walk towards the best ice cream parlor by campus.

You shake your head with a small laugh. “It’s okay. You’ve been going through it recently,” you joke, and Jaemin licks his lips before bringing himself to laugh as well.

“Thanks for uh- putting up with me on Halloween.” He speaks as though the words were bitter on his tongue. “I’m sorry about forcing you to spend the night.”

You let out a sigh. You wanted to stop and force him to see the sincerity in your eyes as you told him that you weren’t ‘putting up with him,’ but you knew you needed to keep this moment more casual so he wouldn’t find these vulnerable bits overwhelming and consequently shut down. So instead, you just keep walking with a small shake of your head.

“You don’t have to apologize for that. You just had a panic attack - if I didn’t spend the night, I wouldn’t have gotten any sleep. I would’ve stayed up all night worried about you. It was better that I was with you.”

Jaemin lets something like a grimace cross his features as he responds with a wry laugh. “You care about me a lot,” he points out, making you look up at him by your side with raised brows.

“Of course I do. You’re my best friend,” you say seriously, and Jaemin looks down to meet your gaze, giving away the distant look in his eyes.

“Ha, fair,” he begins. “I care about you a lot, too.” As he continues, he drops his head to face his feet. “But I don’t think I’d know how to take care of you while you’re having a panic attack,” he admits regrettably, but all you can do is give a soft smile.

“I’m not expecting you to. All I ask is that you let me be there for you again if you have another one…and that you stop being so embarrassed about showing emotions,” you tack on, causing Jaemin to laugh a bit in defeat.

“Okay, angel, but only with you. I have a hot guy persona to keep up in the real world,” he says through a smile, but you shake your head.

“You’re hot, regardless,” you deadpan, and Jaemin’s face lights up as he nudges you in the side playfully.

“Well, look at that! You sweet talker. Maybe I’ll pay for your ice cream today,” he banters, and soon the two of you are in shared laughter as you elbow him back.

“Whatever. I’m 80% sure you were gonna pay for my ice cream even before that.”

“80%?” He echos, bringing a hand up to his chest as though he’s been shot. “Such little faith,” he tuts, shaking his head and making you roll your eyes playfully.

“Am I supposed to have more faith in a fuckboy than that?” You tease, and Jaemin’s face falls into a mock seriousness, holding open the door to the ice cream parlor for you as he looks at your figure with raised eyebrows.

“No, you’re supposed to have more faith in your best friend than that,” he says as you pass through the door, and you look back at him to share matching small smiles.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I have nothing but faith in you,” you reply as he, too, fully steps inside and lets the door swing closed behind him. The proximity has you looking almost directly up at him as he stares down at you in much the same manner; playful gleams in your eyes and fond smiles adorning your faces. At once, he nods his head towards the counter behind you.

“Go order, angel. It’s on me today.”

You scrunch your face up at him with a big grin. “Thanks, handsome.” Then you promptly turn around and head towards where the cashier was waiting to take your order, not even taking one chance to look back and see how red Jaemin’s face had gotten in response.

Jaemin knew it was coming, that was the funny thing. He just wasn’t expecting the disconnect between his head and his heart to be remedied all at once; but looking at you standing in line and pointing at what flavor you wanted, he had never wanted to do this with anyone else, but he really really wanted it with you, today and every day after that.

Sitting down and actually eating ice cream included the most normal of conversations between you and Jaemin. He wasn’t your best friend for nothing - the two of you could talk forever and never run out of things to say or comfort and joy to find in each other’s presence. As such, when you finished your ice cream cones and left the parlor, interaction flowed as it always had while he walked you back to your dorm…meaning the two of you looked like just best friends; close enough on the sidewalk to hear each other but far enough apart so that there was no possibility of accidentally grazing the back of each other’s hands or anything. You were hardly conscious of it, elated at the fact that you and Jaemin were so close and consistent again after the past few years, but Jaemin could practically only focus on the distance between the two of you.

You had basically just stepped foot back on actual campus when Jaemin abruptly stopped, grabbing your wrist and turning you towards him as he spoke in a rush.

“My friends are looking, kiss me,” he says in something close to a panic, and so you immediately oblige, pressing up on your tiptoes to kiss him firmly. You place your hands on his chest to steady yourself as you break away, catching your breath - something that Jaemin always seemed to make you lose - as you turn your head around to look at the surrounding area.

“Where are they?” You ask through a light pant, turning back to Jaemin once you checked and double checked but caught no sign of his friends.

Jaemin licks his lips hesitantly, shaking his head. “They must have left already,” he says through an exhale, and you take a deep breath, finally allowing yourself to step away from Jaemin’s body as you face the ground, trying to regain your footing from the whiplash it felt you just went through. Jaemin lets out an awkward cough before speaking up again. “We should probably hold hands all the time when we’re in public, though. I’m pretty sure Chenle’s the only suspicious one still out of the friend group, but it’d throw anyone off if we’re dating and not holding hands. And if there’s one thing I learned from the Halloween party, it’s that people don’t know we’re dating, and that should probably change so it doesn’t just look like an act put on for the friend group…or Chenle’s never gonna believe it.”

He wasn’t wrong, and you knew that - you knew that before all of this even started. Rule number three was that the act is immediately dropped in private, but that came with the other side of things being that you had to put on an act while in public, regardless of who was around to witness it.

You nod your head slowly. “Yeah, okay,” you cede, and Jaemin’s hand immediately finds yours, the warmth from the contact making you realize how chilled your bones currently were. There was no more hiding it from girls in your classes now - you were Jaemin’s girlfriend to the general public, not just to his six best friends. You needed these next two months to pass by quickly, because with the promise of Jaemin’s hand being in yours more than ever, you were sure your chances of survival just decreased dramatically.

That Friday, your date night was replaced with a night in at Jaemin’s apartment. As soon as he shot you a text saying he was home from class, you made your way over to his place. He opened the door with the bright smile he typically revealed just for you, stepping back to let you inside with a fond, “hey angel.”

You step inside with a smile and small greeting in reply. “What do you wanna do today?” You ask, turning around to face him once you realize you were aimlessly crossing the span of his apartment for no reason. Already preparing for the question, Jaemin moves his hand from behind his back to reveal a thick blu-ray case in his grip.

“Harry Potter movie marathon?” He asks with a smirk.

You look back at him with raised eyebrows and a small grin of your own. “You know I can’t say ‘no’ to Harry Potter at any point in the Fall or Winter seasons,” you reply, and Jaemin’s eyes find a new glow behind them.

“That and Gilmore Girls; though I’m much more in the mood for Harry Potter because if we started rewatching Gilmore Girls now, we’d have to get through all those episodes with that floppy-haired jerk and really, Jess is so much better,” he adds on seriously, and all you can do is laugh.

“Hey, Dean is at least better than Logan,” you respond, and Jaemin lets out an actual groan.

“Please don’t get me started on Logan…can we instead get started on Harry Potter?” He asks again, waving the disc case around invitingly and causing you to laugh some more as you walk towards the couch.

“Just waiting on you,” you answer as you plop down on the couch, making Jaemin roll his eyes playfully before turning around to set everything up on the TV. As the familiar soundtrack fills the room, Jaemin places himself next to you like normal, handing you a blanket to make the cozy night-in complete.

Two hours later, as Jaemin got up to switch out the discs from The Sorcerer’s Stone to The Chamber of Secrets, you got up for a bathroom break, and when the two of you sat back down, there was maybe an inch less space between you both than previously. Not much else changed. That is, until not even ten minutes into the second movie. You catch in your peripheral as Jaemin moves his hand up to scratch at the back of his neck. You don’t think anything of it until that arm doesn’t come back down to his side, but instead wraps around the back of your shoulders.

“Is Haechan here?” You ask lightly, trying to talk over the sound of your breath hitching. Haechan’s room was closest to the bathroom, and you don’t remember any sign of life coming from nearby while you were in there, but nothing else explained this, because this was not normal between the two of you.

“No,” Jaemin answers shortly, and all you can do is swallow hesitantly as you fight for words again.

“Then why is your arm around my shoulder?” You ask, trying to make it sound as though your words were a playful tease and not a desperate question.

Jaemin looks over at you with raised eyebrows and a playful smirk. “Because what if he comes back?” He replies casually, and you try to roll your eyes in much the same manner, as though his arm around your shoulder wasn’t single-handedly making your heart rate spike. He was right, anyway - if Haechan came back, it would be weird for the two of you to be sitting any other way.

It was during Prisoner of Azkaban when Haechan inevitably walked into the apartment. Busy with locking the door behind him, he was caught off guard when locking eyes with the two of you as he turned back around. Though, all at once, his gaze softened as he looked between you, Jaemin, and the television. “Hey guys,” he says warmly, and you mentally high-five yourself not only for the fact that you and Jaemin seemed to have truly won Haechan over, but also that you had won Haechan over; the main reason this bet was even made was because Haechan couldn’t stand whatever girl it was that Jaemin had over, but here he was, excited to see you cuddled into Jaemin on the couch, and that win was not lost on you.

“Hey,” Jaemin replied with a smile. “We’re watching Harry Potter if you want to join,” he continues, but Haechan shakes his head at the extended invite as he moves to grab something from the mess that was the kitchen counter.

“Tempting, but- I’m all good. I’m about to head back out, actually. Mark and I are gonna hit a few bars and try to unwind from this bullshit week,” he says with a weak laugh. You and Jaemin flash your eyebrows in acknowledgement.

“Let me know if you need a ride back home. We’ll swing by to grab you and Mark, or- I will, at least, depending on what time it ends up being. Regardless, be safe. I enjoy having you as a roommate,” Jaemin says, his tone turning more playful with every word.

Haechan rolls his eyes with a smile. “Yeah, yeah. I won’t drink and drive. We all know I’m smarter than that,” he says, but when he makes eye contact with you and Jaemin again, he meets your wide-eyed stares of doubt, causing him to shake his head with a more hearty laugh. “You guys suck,” he says with a smile. “I’ll keep you updated throughout the night. It was nice seeing you, y/n,” he continues seriously, beginning to fiddle with the front door lock on his exit.

“You, too,” you reply genuinely, and with one more nod and wave goodbye, he was out the door. It wasn’t even five seconds later when Jaemin’s arm detaches itself from your shoulder, instead finding comfort at his side again. He didn’t pay any mind to it, his attention pinned solely on the movie. You do your best to not show any physical reaction to the absence of his touch, especially when you were the one giving him a hard time for it in the first place. You’re almost shocked by how well Jaemin is able to turn it on and off, though you figure the real problem was how poorly you were able to do the same. Jaemin was just doing his part, exactly as he said he would.

Your heart had to stop looking for hidden meaning to every touch, every “angel,” because he was your best friend and crush, but you were his best friend and fake-girlfriend. Unbeknownst to you, Jaemin ran through the same spiel in reverse inside his own head, figuring if he kept his arm around you now with the promise of Haechan being gone, you would surely catch onto the fact that he craved your touch more than typical of best friends - which was exactly what you both were going back to at the start of the new year.

It was the first Tuesday after you and Jaemin agreed to ramp up your public dating facade, and you were already the center of attention as you walked into class at 11:00. You tell yourself no one’s gaze locked onto you as you opened the door for class - that you were making it up; but at least some percent of that story was false, because as you sit in your chair and start pulling out your notebook for class, your name gets called from the seat diagonal to you. “Y/n, rumor has it that you and Jaemin are actually dating,” this girl, Hana, says. You knew she was looking for a response, so you don’t give her one, instead focusing on your pen mindlessly rolling between your fingers.

“You? With a guy like him?” She continues, adding more bite and disbelief to each word. You keep your gaze focused in front of you, jaw tightening as you try to hide more robust reactions. That is, until she continues. “You can’t be that good in bed.” Your fist clenches as you whip your head towards her; furrowed, taunting eyebrows matching the fire in her eyes and the smirk on her lips, the rest of her friend group snickering behind her. You have the patience for none of it - you were not going to sit here and take this.

“Actually,” you begin, your kind tone dripping in sarcasm. “I know this is something you don’t have experience with, so bear with me, but Jaemin genuinely likes me as a person and so I didn’t have to win him over with just my skills in bed. Yeah! He actually wants to hold my hand and tell me pretty things and I’m just so sorry that he never had the desire to do any of that with the likes of you!” You give her one last look before shrugging a bit, even your fake smile completely ridden from your face. “Actually, I’m not sorry at all.”

Hana looks mortified, her friend group in the surrounding desks all watching the exchange now with wide eyes. You don’t even think any of them saw it coming when Hana got up from her seat and lunged towards you, swinging at your face. “You bitch!” She yells at you, her fist making contact with the area around your eye. You wince slightly but you refused to give her the satisfaction of a bigger reaction - you’d leave that for when you were alone. You move your hand up to touch the area, making sure none of her rings caught your skin and drew blood, but when your fingers came back clean, you just move your gaze back to her in disinterest.

“Are you done now?” You ask monotonously. You catch her fist clench again in your peripheral and prepare yourself for another hit because seemingly none of the other students were concerned with stopping the exchange. However, your professor finally walks in before Hana can even get another word out, and instead she’s told to take her seat as you swing back to face the front of the room in your own chair. The throbbing that half of your face was currently experiencing would have to wait an hour and twenty minutes to be addressed, you weren’t letting her win.

Thankfully, that was your last of two classes for the day, so you were able to head back to your dorm directly after. You throw your backpack down in the entryway and immediately head for your bathroom to assess the damages. “Fuck,” you whisper under your breath. The hour and a half was enough time for a proper bruise to start forming, and it wasn’t necessarily the prettiest of black eyes. You move a hand up to touch the area again, this time just the light pressure already putting you in horrid pain. With a defeated groan, you leave the bathroom and dig through your freezer for an ice pack to hold up to the area instead.

Settling yourself down on the couch, you decide the last thing you need is for Jaemin to see you like this. With a sigh, you open your phone and pull up your texts with him. Hey, just a heads up, I don’t have a lot of time to hang this week or make it to friend group lunches.

Jaemin’s reply is almost instantaneous. Is everything okay?

You frown at the message. You hated lying to your best friend, but explaining what was up would defeat the whole purpose of saying you couldn’t hang out anyways. Yep! You reply instead, thankful when Jaemin didn’t press any further. You’d give yourself a week to heal, and then you were sure makeup would be able to cover what little would be left of the bruising by then.

Those plans didn’t even last twenty-four hours. There was a knock on your door after classes on Wednesday and you figured it was your RA here to remind you not to leave your windows open while out at class with the chances of snow ever increasing. Though, when you lazily throw your door open, it’s your best friend on the other side. Your eyes go wide and you immediately move a hand up to cover the left half of your face where your black eye was still very much at its peak. “Jaemin, what are you doing here?!” You ask in a rush, but he doesn’t match your demeanor at all.

Instead, he shrugs, a light smile painting his lips. “I missed you, angel-” He answers as he brings a hand up to your wrist and gently guides your own hand down away from your face…and that’s when his energy completely flips, eyes going wide as he rushes to place a hand on your cheek and assess the damage himself. “Oh my god, what happened to you?!” He asks in a panic. You shake your head adamantly, trying to move his hand away from your face as you reply with a serious bite.

“Nothing, it’s fine,” you reply dismissively, and Jaemin’s eyebrows furrow as he scans your entire face.

“Is this why you said you couldn’t hang out?” He asks, almost mad if you had to put an emotion on it.

You shake your head, dropping your gaze to face the floor. “Jaem, don’t worry about it-” You start indifferently, but he cuts you off with enough emotion for the both of you.

“What happened?” He questions again, this time his tone much firmer than any of his previous questions. His gaze bore into you, and you knew there wasn’t any getting out of this. You let out an annoyed sigh, shrugging like it was nothing as you go to reply.

“This girl in my class found out we were dating, and apparently that pissed her off because she didn’t think I deserved you or I was taking her spot and all that. And I snapped back so she punched me,” you finally answer, and Jaemin’s body language immediately softens as he looks over you once more with a frown and wide eyes.

“Y/n…” You don’t want to deal with his sorry tone. Instead, you move to meet his gaze again as you shake your head, the frustrated tears in your eyes rather revealing themself in your fractured tone.

“Please just sleep with her, Jaem. Tell her we broke up or something and then sleep with her. Or pretend you’re cheating on me with her…she’d love that, and no one would believe her if she said so, so we keep our cover,” you suggest in a rush, and Jaemin looks at you as though you just committed murder.

“No. Absolutely not,” he replies instantly.

“Jaem-” You start through a defeated exhale, but hearing you out was currently the last thing on Jaemin’s mind.

“I’m not fucking sleeping with someone who hurt you,” he states with force, and you don’t know why this is such a big deal to him, not when the solution was this simple.

“I would just rather have her satisfied and dealt with,” you respond hollowly, and Jaemin actually lets out a laugh.

“Oh, I’ll be sure to deal with her, don’t worry.” His angry promise makes you sigh, and all you can do is respond in defeat.

“Jaem-” You begin, and you’re not given any time to decide how you want to continue as he cuts you off. Passion still courses through Jaemin’s body as he shakes his head, taking a break from clenching his jaw to speak again.

“She should know better than to lay a hand on my girl,” he argues, and now you absolutely know you need to get him to calm down.

“I’m not really your girl,” you state plainly, and if you weren’t already feeling deflated, you sure did now as you admitted that. Jaemin seems to react to your statement in much the same way, his features softening for a moment as he looked at you again, bringing a hand up to run through his hair in frustration; though this time, the frustration was aimed towards himself.

“I- I know. I’m sorry, I never should have asked you to do this for me. I was so selfish, goddammit,” he rambles under his breath absentmindedly as he begins to pace back and forth. You shake your head softly, reaching out to catch Jaemin’s wrist and force his movements to still.

“It’s fine, handsome,” you state firmly, and you watch as a million emotions run over Jaemin’s face, him just sucking on his bottom lip in hesitation. The hand that was previously caught in your grip comes up to cup your cheek again, his thumb lightly grazing your bruise as he studies you with a sad look on his face.

“No, angel,” he begins with a sigh. “It’s really not.”

You falter under his soft gaze and sure words, shaking your head as you fumble for words of your own. “It will be fine, then. Just let me lay low for a bit. I probably won’t be at lunch on Friday…I don’t necessarily need your friends seeing me beat up like this,” you try and laugh off.

Jaemin looks at you quizzically. “They wouldn’t-” He begins, but you cut him off with pleading eyes.

“Jaem, please,” you counter, and he just nods his head solemnly.

“Okay.” He lets out a breath before darting his gaze around from you to the rest of the living area, locking eyes with your backpack and giving him a reason to stay in your presence for a bit longer. “Can we do homework together?” He asks, and you lightly sigh as you nod your head, guiding his hand down from your cheek so you could instead head towards the couch and set everything up on the coffee table for the two of you.

Your main distraction from homework came in the form of whatever was on the television. Jaemin’s main distraction came in the form of you; he could hardly finish one part of an assignment without turning his head to look over at you, chewing on his bottom lip as he studied you softly, then whipping his gaze back to his laptop before you could ever feel his eyes on you. It was the least productive he's ever been.

Friday was the next time you saw Jaemin, when he came over as per usual for your ‘date nights.’ However, with you missing the friend group lunch for the second time this week, he immediately greeted you with a related request. “Hey, the guys miss you. They wanted to know if you were down for a movie night tomorrow,” he says casually as he closes the door behind him.

You turn to face him with a straight face. “Jaem, my black eye isn’t going to be-” You watch as Jaemin rolls his lips inward and dodges your eye contact, and all you can do is let out a heavy sigh. “You told them, didn’t you?” You ask instead, and Jaemin’s hidden lips reappear to form a weak don’t-be-mad grin. That is, until he meets your eyes again and lets out his own sigh, shrugging his shoulders as he resets his facial expression to something more casual again.

“They wanted to know where you were,” he says in defense. You watch as the memory of lunch replays behind his eyes and he tilts his head slightly as he looks at you with an anticipatory cringe in how you were going to respond as he continues. “…and now they’re all pissed and want to be there to make you feel better, too,” he finishes with a dorky smile, as though his full set of teeth would fix everything. Unfortunately, he was right about that, and all you can manage is a huff of laughter as you shake your head.

“Oh my. Sure, we can have a movie night,” you give in with a smile, and Jaemin lights up before pulling out his phone to text the group that the plans for tomorrow are a go. Then, your Friday night with Jaemin consisted of a large pizza, red wine, and board games.

That Saturday night, Jaemin came to pick you up and take you back to his apartment where the movie night was being held, insisting that Haechan could hold down fort as he came to pick you up…and that no boyfriend would let his girlfriend drive herself over to his place when he had a perfectly good truck and an excuse to kiss you under the porch light before joining all the guys; you told him he was an idiot, but he met that with a kiss on your cheek, claiming that you were the idiot for not taking a free kiss under the porch light with the Na Jaemin…a low blow considering the reason behind your bruising eye.

When you step inside his apartment, the rest of the guys silence mid-conversation, instead turning all of their attention to you. Their shoulders drop as your black eye comes into the light. Embarrassment flushes your cheeks as you turn into Jaemin’s chest, and he wraps his arms around you lightly with a warm laugh, kissing the top of your head before turning his attention to his friends. “I’m pretty sure you guys promised me you would be chill about this if she came over,” he states playfully, causing the rest of them to drop their heads with a small laugh of their own.

“Our fault for caring about her,” Jeno banters back, and all you can do is sigh and pull away from Jaemin’s chest, facing the rest of the group again. He was right, not about it being their fault, but for the fact that their frowns just meant they cared about you, and it wasn’t like you didn’t feel the same way towards them - you’d frown, too if one of them walked in battered and bruised.

You roll your eyes playfully with a mellow shake of your head. “It’s fine. I’m fine,” you assure, turning your gaze to Jaemin before tossing your head side to side with a small smirk. “Besides, I’d say Jaem’s worth a punch or two.” The guys in front of you laugh but Jaemin furrows his brows.

“Or two?” He echoes worriedly, making you turn to him again with a soft, sure gaze.

“One,” you promise him and watch as a bit of relief washes over his figure, nodding his head as he takes it in.

“Um, you guys wanna watch Transformers?” Jisung speaks up awkwardly, shattering whatever tension you and Jaemin just created and instead making everyone chuckle.

Mark whips his head over to Jisung. “I thought we were watching Spider-Man…?” He adds sulkily. Jisung’s jaw drops, because apparently he had been looking forward to a Transformers marathon nonstop since the plans were made; but Chenle cuts off any chance of a response from him, instead just shaking his head rapidly.

“It doesn’t matter. Just choose anything before they take the pause in activity to make out,” he says as though he were horrified by the possibility, and Renjun lets out a sure laugh as he places a hand on Chenle’s shoulder.

“Still traumatized by the pda you asked for at that first lunch?” He asks, and Chenle looks at him with wide eyes.

“Can you blame me? So, they’re in a relationship…that’s great. Slightly cringe, but whatever. You know what’s not cringe? Spider-Man.”

“The Transformers!” Jisung corrects adamantly, getting everyone to laugh again.

“Sure, the Transformers,” Chenle agrees automatically, and Haechan rolls his eyes with a soft smile as he moves to set up the TV.

The eight of you got situated before another beat could pass. Mark on the recliner, Chenle and Jisung on the small couch, and then you, Jaemin, Jeno, Haechan, and Renjun taking up the big couch in the middle of the room. You cuddled easily into Jaemin as he threw an arm around your shoulder, his fingers lightly tracing patterns on the side of your arm.

For the group of you typically being a mess of chaos when you were all together, the eight of you somehow all followed the same unspoken rules when it came to movie night. There was no talking and, surprisingly, no one distracted by their phone. However, the peace of the perfect movie night was broken maybe twenty minutes into the first movie, when a chill ran through your body and the resulting shiver didn’t go unnoticed. “Do you want a blanket, y/n?” Mark asks softly. All at once, the guys whipped their heads towards him, furrowed brows adding to their glares at his disruption. That is, until it registers for them what Mark just asked, and all their gazes soften as they draw their attention to you in wait for your answer, Haechan pausing the movie entirely.

You let out a laugh under your breath, shaking your head at Mark with a grateful smile. “No, I’m okay,” you say quickly, trying to get everyone’s focus back on the movie because one shiver was not enough reason for concern. The guys all flash their eyebrows at your answer, immediately accepting it as they turn their attention back to the movie.

It isn’t long though before you shiver again, and while your attempt to cover it up was stellar, it wasn’t enough to get past the man holding you in his arms. Jaemin leans down so his lips are by your ear. “Go put on one of my hoodies,” he whispers slowly.

You shake your head minimally in response, eyes still trained on the Transformers. “I’m okay-” Your whispered words are cut off when the movie pauses, and you whip your head over to face Jaemin now, remote in hand and raised brows as he stares back at you seriously. A chorus of complaints erupt from the rest of the guys but Jaemin is only focused on you, and you can’t do anything but let out a light sigh. “Are you sure?” You ask, and Jaemin’s brows go from raised to furrowed.

“Am I sure? Of course I’m sure. You’re my girlfriend. Please go dig through my closet and wear my clothes,” he replies firmly, nodding his head now in the direction of his bedroom. You dodge any further eye contact with him as you instead slip out of his arms and towards his room. You don’t spend too much time in there, more than aware that they were all still waiting on you before unpausing the movie. You throw on the first hoodie you see, trying to ignore how much it smelled like him - how comforting it was to be wrapped in that scent.

You put on a straight face as you walk back out to the living room, though you begin to think it was unnecessary considering their reactions, or- Jaemin’s, at least. He immediately broke from the idle chatter he was having with Jeno as he instead locked his gaze on you, eyes wide and lips slightly parted. You fall shy under his gaze, looking around at the rest of the guys to see if you missed something before accepting the fact that it was just Jaemin who had the answers. “What?” You ask hesitantly, and it forces Jaemin to snap back to reality and collect himself.

He lets out something of a defeated laugh, shaking his head as he concludes his look up and down your body. “You should’ve been swimming in my hoodies for the past two months already,” he answers seriously, and suddenly your cheeks are on fire. You hide your face in your hands and the rest of the guys let fond grins paint their face at the interaction between the two of you. That was the first time it truly hit all of them that they were each about to lose $100 soon. Though it was hard for them to even be mad about it, because in everyone’s eyes but your own, Jaemin was whipped, and that was all they ever wanted for their best friend.

The group got through three movies before everyone started fading, eyelids feeling heavier by the minute. Renjun was the one to turn the lamp on at the side table beside him, putting everyone on the same page as they all got up from their seats and started getting ready to leave. Chenle is the first to say his goodbyes and head for the door, but as he places his hand on the knob, he whips back around. “Oh, wait!” He starts, louder than any of you were prepared for as you stare back at him in question. He shakes his head, the volume of his voice apparently even getting to him, but then he looks back at you all seriously. “I’m having my big New Year’s Eve party again. You’re all invited, obviously. I don’t know anyone’s plans after finals week, so I figured I’d just tell you now before we’re all in different places - if you wind up back at NCIT by December 31st, I’d love to have you, and if you wind up back at NCIT even earlier than that, please please please please please-”

“Chenle,” you all cut him off in unison, and he gives an awkward laugh.

“Please consider helping set up,” he says flusteredly. You all let out fond chuckles as you nod your head at the boy, and he lets a wide smile grace his features before finally opening the door and leaving with a soft ‘thank you.’

Dropping you off at your dorm, Jaemin fumbles for words before you can even open the door back to your place, and you turn around to pin all your attention on him instead as he speaks up awkwardly. “Uh- about Chenle’s party…”

“Yes, I’ll go. We said that would be our last day together so we might as well be…together,” you say, and Jaemin nods his head slowly.

“Okay; and for next weekend…?” He leaves the question at that and that’s when you realize you truly hadn’t given him much to plan with yet. You shake your head with a small laugh.

“We’ll leave Saturday morning for my parents’ house. I have finals up until Friday anyways. The big dinner you have to be there for is Saturday night, so you can do whatever you would like with your break after that.”

Jaemin processes the information with a distant expression before pulling it into a smile. “Alright, angel. Good luck with finals next week. I’ll be ready to go Saturday morning,” he says happily, and all you can do is match his smile.

“Good luck on your finals, too-” You start, but as you move to wrap him in one last hug, you catch sight of the hoodie covering your arms and jump back. “Oh! I’m still wearing your hoodie. Sorry-” You speak in a rush as you work to try and slip out of it, but Jaemin shakes his head.

“Don’t worry. Keep it,” he responds seriously, making you whip your head up at him and causing him to laugh. “It would be really suspicious if I came back home with the hoodie that I just said you looked cute in, and I’m not taking any chances with us so close to the three month mark now. Just don’t lose it…it’s my favorite hoodie.”

You let out a flustered laugh. “Well, are you sure you don’t want it back, then? Haechan is probably asleep already-” You reason as you start pulling one arm out of the hoodie again.

“Just keep it,” he cuts you off with a warm chuckle before continuing more somberly. “Our three months are almost up. I’ll get it back in no time.” If the words were bitter on his tongue, you didn’t notice. You were too preoccupied trying to neutralize your own emotions at the notion of this all ending soon.

You’re scared your voice would betray you if you opened your mouth again to speak, so instead you just nod your head, finally wrapping him in that goodbye hug and then turning to let yourself into your dorm.

Finals week somehow went by in a flash, and you’re scared to add up how many hours of it you spent in Jaemin’s hoodie. Though, the atypical schedule meant that you didn’t really have to worry about that - you only ever ran into Jaemin on campus for friend group lunches, and those were canceled this week since half of you would be in the middle of finals during the usual span of time; so, Jaemin never had to find out that you were practically living in the very same hoodie you had tried so hard to give back originally.

Come Saturday morning, that hoodie was packed with all of your other clothes in your suitcase, currently in the trunk of your car as you drive over to pick Jaemin up before heading to your house. He places his luggage next to yours before opening the passenger door and sliding in. “Hey, angel! Ready to pull all this off for your parents, too?” He asks with a devious smirk. You roll your eyes, trying to buy into the playfulness to forget about the dread filling your system at the idea of heading back home right now.

“Ready as I’ll ever be. Thank you again for agreeing to this,” you say seriously, and Jaemin looks at you as though you were crazy.

“Of course I’d agree to do this. Do you realize how much you’re doing for me?” He banters back, effectively getting you to laugh a bit as the tension in your shoulders drops. “Besides,” he continues more thoughtfully. “It’ll be nice to see our hometown again.” His words are much more mellow this time, and you look over at him with a sad grimace before shifting into drive and actually getting out on the road.

As soon as Jaemin went to college, his family moved to Jeju Island, and for as often as the two of you talked about traveling there one day, it was much less exciting of an idea when it was already Jaemin’s home base and it’d just be you traveling to visit him. Even outside of that, you knew he missed the city - moving away from everything you know is only nice if it’s your choice, and moving to Jeju was definitely not his choice.

It’s not like his relationship with his parents was impacted, though. He understood, and was very appreciative of the fact that they held out on the move until he graduated high school. Truly, if they were wanting to move, this was the time to do it. He’d graduate college and get his own place wherever he wanted; it’s just that now his place to go back to was Jeju rather than Seoul.

On the other hand, your family stayed put in the same house from childhood, but your relationship had gone through rough waters since you started college; something not even Jaemin knew, and now you were wondering how oblivious you could keep him of your current home-situation.

The verdict was ‘not very long.’ As soon as the two of you walked in your front door, your parents seemed shocked to be laying eyes on Jaemin with you. You push past them and towards your bedroom to put your stuff down, sending just a meek ‘hi’ their way. Jaemin watched you disappear with ample confusion, but his face quickly straightened up into a smile as he greeted your parents with hugs and gratitude for having him over.

Your mom pulls back from the hug with a look of disbelief, shaking her head solemnly. “Jaemin, it’s wonderful to see you. I apologize for not having a space set up for you to stay. To be honest, when y/n said she was bringing a guest home, the last thing we were expecting was for it to be a guy,” she laughs off, and Jaemin’s eyebrows immediately furrow. Your own muscles tighten as you move to close your bedroom door, deciding that was already enough for you to hear.

“Why?” Jaemin asks in return, trying to match the laugh from your mom, though his was half-hearted at best.

Your mom shrugs it off like it’s nothing new. “Well, you know our y/n…doesn't exactly have a lot going for her-”

“Y/n’s gorgeous, actually,” Jaemin cuts off with force, now taking a full step back from your mom and causing her hand to drop from where it was still at his forearm. “And sure, she has her guard up most of the time but that doesn’t change the fact that once she’s comfortable enough to be herself, she’s incredibly easy to love,” he continues, brows furrowed as he makes sure to get his point across.

Your mom passes her gaze from Jaemin to her husband, taking a moment to exchange strange smiles with him before turning back to Jaemin. “Sorry, I seem to have offended you. I didn’t know you cared about my daughter that much.” She speaks every word as though she’s only half serious, and all it does is frustrate Jaemin even more.

“Of course I care about her but that’s not even the point. You shouldn’t be saying that about your child and you used to know that, cause you never said anything like that when we were growing up. So, I don’t know what changed but I can tell you it wasn’t the worth of your daughter.” Setting all your stuff down, you open your bedroom door enough to catch his last sentence and immediately let out a heavy sigh, knowing you had to go out there and do something.

“Jaem?” You start, walking back out from the hallway. His face instantly changes from disgust to warmth as he snaps his head in your direction.

“Yeah, angel?”

You nod your head back towards where you just came from. “My room is still the same one it’s always been. Since we’re apparently bunking together, if you want to go put your stuff in there so you’re not carrying it around throughout the house, you know where to go,” you say casually, trying to make it seem as though the sleeping arrangements were all you caught of his conversation with your mom.

Jaemin nods with a tight smile. “Alright, I’ll be back in a second,” he says, pressing a soft kiss to the top of your head as he passes you in his walk to your room and you take his place with your parents in the living room. You and your mom both watch as your dad looks between the two of you before immediately leaving to go outside, shaking his head as he does so and leaving just you, your mom, and the suffocating tension in the room.

You drop your head to face the floor and your mom is the first one to speak. “I didn’t know he liked you,” she says plainly, eyes darting towards the room Jaemin was currently in before landing on you again, your head now whipped up to face her with raised brows.

“Didn’t know he liked me or didn’t think I was capable of having him like me?” You ask in return, and your mom falters for a moment.

“Y/n…” She starts, but you shake your head.

“Am I good enough now? Is this enough for you? That I brought an attractive guy home who cares about me? Are you even the tiniest bit proud of me now?” The fire in your eyes soon matches that of your mother’s, her disproving gaze that you knew so well baring into you.

“Y/n, that’s not fair and you know that,” she counters, her voice raising with every word.

Your jaw drops as you look at her in disbelief. “What’s not fair is you judging me by the man I do or do not have to hold my hand at any given time.” You’re thankful when the words come out firm; you’ve never stood up to her like this, and when your mom studies you with intensity, it’s as though she doesn’t know the woman in front of her this time.

“Well,” she breathes out, bringing her gaze back to your own. “Being with him has apparently given you some confidence…or a voice, at least.” Her tone borders between indifference and slight disgust, and all you can do is shake your head, unsure of how your relationship with your mom ever turned into this.

“I refuse to believe that you find an issue in the fact that he makes me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world,” you say in almost a plea for her to tell you it’s not true, but she never does; instead, it’s just Jaemin’s breath hitching in the hallway that he tries to cover up so you wouldn’t know he was listening. When neither you nor your mom turn your heads towards him, he realizes he was still under the radar. So, he prepares himself to walk back into the living room as though he just got done putting everything away in yours.

When he gets back by your side, he lightly kisses your temple, turning to face your mom as he sneaks a hand to rest on the small of your back; your mom stares at the physical contact and you think her eye actually twitches. Jaemin opens his mouth to start casual conversation back up but your mom cuts him off before he can even begin. “Your father and I are going out for the day. We will be back to cook dinner,” she states, and your eyebrows furrow immediately.

“You haven’t seen Jaemin in years and you’re just gonna leave right when he gets here?” You ask in shock, and your mom glares back at you.

“Dinner,” she replies sharply, and then she’s out the door.

Jaemin’s hand on your back begins to rub lightly up and down, and as you turn to bury your face in his chest, he wraps you in a full hug. “I’m sorry,” you mumble out, and Jaemin shakes his head. With one hand, he lightly guides your chin up so that you make eye contact with him, a soft smile on his face as he looks down at you.

“Nothing to be sorry for, angel. It’s all okay. How about we just watch TV or something, go outside maybe…what’s gonna destress you?” He asks, his hand that was underneath your chin maneuvering to instead caress your cheek.

You shrug, doing your best to dodge eye contact as you reply. “Anything in your presence,” you say seriously, missing the way warmth just reached every corner of Jaemin’s being at your words.

“Okay,” he responds surely, and that’s how you found yourself walking the streets of your hometown, hand-in-hand with Na Jaemin. You visited his old house, the old playground, anywhere you could before the cold air finally caught up to you and you had to retreat back inside for some hot chocolate and more Harry Potter from your last unfinished rewatch session.

Jaemin never brought up the obvious tension between you and your mom, something you were thankful for, but it also left you feeling guilty because you knew it was on his mind - the equation of where things went wrong between you and your mom after he left Seoul was continuously being worked out behind his eyes. When you explained this part of the fake-dating contract, he wasn’t expecting for your parents to actually be on your ass about not dating anyone, but stepping into this house was like a minefield, and any conversation around the topic turned into an explosion.

He wasn’t gonna make you talk about it though, you obviously weren’t ready to. Instead, he just wrapped his arms around you as best he could, making sure you and your cocoa were always kept warm throughout the duration of your latest movie marathon.

Surprising you, when it was finally dinnertime, the atmosphere was lighter by the tiniest bit. Your parents were engaging with Jaemin, at least, and the presence of other long-time family friends put you at ease, too, because you knew a big fiasco is the last thing your parents would allow to happen in front of others.

“Are you staying with us all of break?” Your mom asks as she puts her fork down and places all of her attention on Jaemin. He gives a sorry grin in return as he shakes his head.

“No,” he begins, and your face immediately drops, forcing you to take another bite so it’s less noticeable. “I was thinking I would surprise my parents. I haven’t seen them since the summer, and I figure that means it’s time to fly out and see them again,” he continues with a light laugh. “Though, when y/n asked me to come back with her for this dinner, I- well,” he drags off, taking a moment to turn and face you at his side, a fond smirk on his lips before he turns his head back to face his lap before you can notice. “I realize I’ve gotten incredibly bad at saying ‘no’ to her,” he finishes, his own light chuckle following his words.

Gazes soften all around the table as they listen to Jaemin, but you can’t bring your head up to look at him, sure the look in your eyes would give away how desperately you were wishing for those words to be real.

Your dad is the one to pick up the conversation again. “Well, we’ll be sad to see you go so soon, but it’s sure been a pleasure having you fill our house again,” he says with a tight nod that Jaemin reflects back to him, slightly softer in his perfect Jaemin way.

That night, you and Jaemin went to bed before the rest of the adults did, but they had the advantage of alcohol to keep them occupied, and while that option was technically open to you and Jaemin, you both decided it would probably be best to stay under the label of ‘innocent youth’ with your parents and family friends.

You walk back into your bedroom after washing your face and putting on pajamas to see Jaemin already laying down. You trace his outline underneath the covers and sigh when you realize how little room was left in your full size bed. You slip under the covers and begin to turn on your side so you could take up the smallest space possible, but Jaemin evidently has other plans as he reaches over and pulls you so that you’re laying against his chest. “What are you doing?” You ask, propping your head up on his chest as you stare at him in confusion.

He looks back at you as though there were no need for the question, his smirk playing lazily against his lips. “If you’re going to end up on top of me anyways, I’d rather just hold you there,” he replies, and all at once you’re vividly reminded of Halloween night. You don’t argue back, instead just rolling your eyes and resting your head back against his chest as you try to hide most of the blush on your cheeks.

Jaemin idly draws shapes on your back as he watches you fall asleep on him. He swallows awkwardly, remembering what your mother said about you…what you said to your mother, and a kind of frustration fills his chest. He listens for any signal that you were still awake, and when he finds none, he presses the lightest kiss to the top of your head. “You’re so beautiful, y/n,” he whispers. His mortification comes when he feels you tense under his hold.

“You don’t have to pretend when it’s just us, you know,” you whisper back, and his heart breaks in his chest. His tone is firm as he replies, because if you were going to be awake to hear him say that, he might as well get his point across.

“Some stuff I never had to pretend for. Some stuff is just a fact.”

You let out a heavy sigh, flipping which way your head was facing on his chest before speaking softly. “Go to bed, Jaemin,” you say, and he doesn’t quite know what to do with the feeling of defeat that arose knowing you don’t believe him. He thinks about saying more but he figures now is not the time for it…that in your friendship, it may not ever be the time for it. So, he lets out his own light sigh, his grip around you going slightly tighter as he gets to work on actually falling asleep.

The next day, all you really had time for was breakfast before you had to drive Jaemin to the airport. As you pull up to the curb for departures, Jaemin doesn’t even think twice before leaning over the center console to press a soft kiss to your cheek. “Thank you for dropping me off,” he says sincerely amidst the rustling of him gathering his bags from various spaces of your car. You laugh as you open your own door, sliding around to the back of your car to pop the trunk and grab his suitcase.

“I’m coming inside with you, you know?” You tease lightly, missing the way Jaemin’s eyes soften at the care before he quickly vetoes your carrying of his luggage and rips his suitcase from your grip, causing you to laugh some more as you turn to face him now at your side. “But, of course, it was no problem,” you say genuinely, stepping inside the airport with him and too quickly facing the security checkpoint where you’d finally have to split. “Have a safe flight,” you continue, and with each word he’s now taking a step further than you dare to. “Tell your family I said ‘hi.’”

Jaemin looks over his shoulder to smile back at you. “I will,” he promises firmly with a matching nod, and you throw a grin and final wave his way as he turns back to actually face where he was walking towards the entrance for security. As soon as you’re out of his line of sight, you allow your face to drop slightly alongside your gaze, letting out a light sigh at the feeling of him walking away from you. However, your attention is caught by the increasingly loud sound of heavy footsteps. You shift your gaze back in front of you to see Jaemin had changed his path and was instead heading straight for you again.

“Jaemin-?” You question, but you’re cut off the second he gets close to you because he wastes no time in dropping his bags, cupping your cheek with his hand, and pressing a sure kiss to your lips. You melted right into it, something you would have to kick yourself for later, but at the present moment, all you could think about was his soft lips still lingering against yours.

“I’ll see you in a week, okay?” He says in a near-whisper. His words weren’t so much a statement as they were a reassurance, like he needed you to know that all you had to bear without him was a single week, like he intended to never leave you again once he came back. All you can do is swallow awkwardly, nodding as you look up at him through your lashes.

“Yeah.”

Jaemin’s gaze roamed over your entire figure as best it could with the two of you still in close proximity. You wanted to press up on your tiptoes and kiss him again for the hell of it, or maybe for the comfort of it, but Jaemin is the one to take action first, simply running his thumb gently across your cheek with a small smile before immediately turning to grab his bags and actually make his way through the security checkpoint. All you can do is stand and watch helplessly as he walks away from you. You’d see him in a week, sure, but then it’d be New Years before you knew it and all of this would slip right out of your hands…it practically already had.

You were back at NCIT before Christmas, trading in family-time for time with Chenle, who was the only other one of your friends on campus for most of that duration. He tried to pretend that he needed to meet up with you to talk about plans for his New Year’s Eve party, but most of it was just excuses to hang out when he got lonely. One by one, the guys all made their way back to NCIT, Jaemin being the last to do so, coming in on the evening flight December 26th.

You had brought Chenle with you to go pick him up, mainly because Chenle begged you to let him tag along. The two of you stood at the baggage claim for maybe fifteen minutes, Jaemin’s hoodie adorning your figure and providing you with comfort amidst Chenle’s constant nagging that you guys should have brought a sign saying that Jaemin was coming back from prison or something else more embarrassing.

The baggage claim carousel had already begun spinning for Jaemin’s flight, and eventually even Chenle stops talking to instead join you in a frown as the two of you search for Jaemin. The verdict was that he must have just been the last person off the plane, because around five minutes later, you catch sight of his figure. “There he is- what’s he doing?” You ask confused as you look at Jaemin speed in your direction.

“Running towards you,” Chenle answers as if it were the most casual occurrence ever. He tosses his gaze over to you with raised eyebrows before continuing. “And I think you should probably start running towards him unless you’re prepared to catch his weight, cause I’m pretty sure he’s ready to jump on you.”

Your eyes go wide at his words as you shake your head. “God, having a lunatic boyfriend is a lot of work,” you respond, feigning exhaustion. Chenle throws his arms up in defense.

“Hey, you chose him, not me,” he quips, making you smile before realizing you really had to start on your run towards him, because of all the things you were prepared for, catching Jaemin’s weight was not one of them.

You take off from where you and Chenle were standing, running up and meeting Jaemin somewhere in the middle as he lets go of his carry-on and puts his arms out for you. “Jaem!” You exclaim, jumping into his arms and wrapping around him like a koala.

“Angel!” He replies just as enthusiastically; hugging you tightly and spinning around once with the momentum.

“Chenle’s here so you have to kiss me,” you whisper in a rush, cupping his cheek with your hand as Jaemin steadies himself again.

He lets out a genuine laugh, catching your gaze with the brightest of smiles in his eyes. “Well, I wasn’t gonna run all this way towards you for nothing,” he says surely. Then he presses his lips to yours, and the resulting warmth in your body should’ve made the snow outside impossible.

Jaemin breaks away from you when he feels a tug on his shirt sleeve, and the two of you turn to make eye contact with Chenle. “You’re being cringe now, can you please take me home?” He asks plainly, making you and Jaemin laugh as he puts you down on the solid ground again, slipping his hand in yours as the next best option. Then, after making sure Jaemin had all of his things, the three of you were on the road back to NCIT.

The next day, Jaemin and the guys went out for lunch, one you weren’t invited to because it was one you “couldn’t know about.” Sitting around the table in a perfect reflection of the start of the semester, the guys around Jaemin all wore a mixture of looks on their faces, ranging from impressed to sulky…though that last one was only Chenle, who despite having the most money in the group, hated giving it out.

Mark is the one to finally address the reason they were all there. “Well, you did it. I’m sure we don’t need to be the ones to tell you that you’ve been dating y/n for three whole months now,” he says with a light laugh. Jaemin can’t bring himself to join in on the smiles and playfulness around the table.

“I can’t believe it’s been three months already,” he says hollowly, but both his tone and the distant look in his eyes go unnoticed by his friends, their tunnel vision on their childish bet covering over Jaemin’s anguish at winning.

“Here’s your $600,” Haechan says after having collected everyone’s shares from around the table. “Can't wait to have a new PS5 in our apartment,” he quips, but Jaemin whips his head up at him, grabbing the $600 from his hands defensively.

“I’m not spending it on a PS5…” He begins, dragging off as the fire dies from his tone and he returns to a contemplative state of being. “I’m gonna buy y/n something nice.”

Gasps are heard from quite literally everyone else at the table, all of them looking at Jaemin with wide eyes. “Really?” Jeno asks in disbelief, and Jaemin makes passing eye contact with all of his friends, giving them all odd looks for being so caught off guard.

“Yes, really. She’s the best thing to ever happen to me, and I don’t know how to give her the world, but I can at least get her the best that $600 will buy,” he explains surely, and the rest of the guys all exchange glances with each other before turning back to him, Renjun being the one to take a jab this time through a hesitant laugh.

“Are we still talking to Na Jaemin?” He asks, making the rest of the guys laugh as well. Jaemin just lets out a sigh, finally able to find a bit of humor as well as he shakes his head, tucking the money away and turning the afternoon into a regular lunch hang out.

Two days later, you get a call from Jaemin sometime after dinner.

“Angel?” He says softly once you pick up, his tone making you smile on the other end.

“Yeah, handsome?” You respond warmly.

“Wanna go on a drive?” Jaemin asks, giving away no hints as to his current state of emotions, and your eyebrows furrow as you pry more.

“No destination?” You ask, and Jaemin shakes his head, not that you were able to see it anyways. His response is sharp.

“No.”

“Everything okay?” You question, the warmth in your tone turning into concern.

“Yeah,” Jaemin responds immediately. You let a beat pass in silence and it’s enough for Jaemin to want to fill it again on his own. “Just want some more time with you,” he explains shyly, and you let out a small breath of laughter as you oblige.

“Let me get my shoes on.”

“I’ll be there to pick you up in five,” he replies firmly before immediately hanging up.

True to his word, it only took five minutes before you’re opening the door to Jaemin. “Hey,” he says as soon as you make eye contact, leaning down to press a quick kiss to your cheek.

“Hey,” you reply, your face hurting as you try not to smile too widely at his actions. Jaemin wouldn’t have noticed if you did, though, because he immediately turns to face the floor sheepishly.

“Sorry if you were in the middle of something,” he finally says, making you furrow your brows at him - this wasn’t a Jaemin you were used to.

“Nothing that couldn’t wait,” you assure him before prying some more. “What’s up?”

Jaemin pulls his bottom lip between his teeth as he shakes his head hesitantly. “Nothing. It’s just our last few days together. Figured we could hang out before you go off and get an actual boyfriend and I-” You watch as he fumbles for words, eventually giving up with a shrug as he finally makes eye contact with you again. “Go back to doing whatever it is I do.”

His answer doesn’t relieve you of any worry, and you move a hand up to cup his cheek as you tilt your head in study of him. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Jaemin nods his head slightly against your hand, a fond smile at your touch replacing the distant expression he previously held. “There’s just a lot on my mind. Nothing for you to worry about. Just wanted to hang out with you and kind of escape it all for a bit,” he explains casually, eventually bringing both hands up to guide your own back down from his face, idly playing with your fingers as he asks his next question. “Do you still like cloud watching?”

“You know I do,” you reply with a laugh, and Jaemin finally bares his teeth as he smiles back at you. He checks to make sure you actually did put your shoes on already before switching his grip so that he was just holding your hand as he walked the two of you to his truck.

You ended up at one of those nature parks, where the fields are preserved for fields-sake rather than playgrounds. The two of you got out and made your way around to the tailgate of his truck and you register that he already had blankets and pillows in the back, completely reminiscent of high school.

You both sat in silence for a while, staring up at the sky and giving yourselves a chance to be at peace, at least somewhere away from the false sense of urgency that always seemed to be around. Eventually, you move your gaze from the clouds above to where your arms were wrapped around your knees, debating with yourself before finally breaking the silence.

“Jaem?” You call softly, and he turns all of his attention towards you.

“Yeah, angel?” He replies in much the same manner. You dart your tongue out to lick your lips, anything you could do to prolong your question - which you were currently thinking should’ve lost in your inner debate.

You finally let out a sigh, still focused in front of you as you talk. “You know you’re much more than the image you’ve picked up around campus, right?”

Jaemin’s face immediately whips back to the front so there would be no chance of making eye contact with you. “Um…” He begins, but that was the only word he could come up with before forfeiting with an awkward swallow. You know that means it’s up to you to continue.

“I know that day I first met your friend group, you had to make up a ton of stuff on how we got together and everything, but I don’t know if you were necessarily lying when you were talking about how I deserve better than getting tied into your fuckboy image. I just- wanna make sure you know, in case that has ever been your thought process for anyone you’ve had a crush on, that there’s so many more sides to you than that. An image is an image, okay? Don’t let it get to you.” Your courage is built with every word and you finally turn to face Jaemin as you continue softly, surely. “They don’t know you like I do.”

Jaemin’s lips part with a heavy exhale before he rolls them inwards in hesitation. “Do you mean it?” He finally asks, and there’s just a trace of sadness riddling his voice.

“Of course I do,” you say firmly, and Jaemin takes in your answer with a slow nod.

“It’s been hard. I-” He grimaces before letting out an awkward laugh. “Oh, this is kind of weird to talk about with you,” he continues, making you laugh, too as the atmosphere lightens.

“Whatever,” you say, rolling your eyes playfully. “It’s me.”

Surprisingly, that seemed to do it, because the tension in Jaemin’s shoulders falls as he lets out a light sigh and finally finds his words for what seemed to be the first time that night. “I used to not care. If they wanted to label me as a fuckboy, that was fine. Truthfully, if I was getting my dick wet, I was good-” He cuts himself off at the sound of a slightly louder exhale than normal from you, and he whips his head your way with a pout. “Don’t laugh, I’m being vulnerable.”

You stare back at him with a fond smile on your face and raised brows. “I’m not laughing,” you assure, and Jaemin turns to face his knees again as he accepts your denial of the claim without a fight. Then he starts back up with his explanation, his tone heavy and contemplative.

“Lately though, I’ve just been thinking I want so much more out of life. But, I spent so long under the fuckboy label I didn’t know if I would ever be able to break free from it, if I could ever be more.”

Your gaze on him softens but your eyebrows furrow; there was something so weird about knowing he’s never viewed himself in the way you do. “Na Jaemin, you’ve always been more,” you respond firmly. The lightest of exhales escapes as laughter from Jaemin, and he lets a weak smile play at his lips before responding.

“And you’ve always felt like home…” He says, matching your tone as he finally turns to look at you again. “That’s another thing I wasn’t lying about that day.”

You immediately dodge eye contact, knowing it’d reveal to him in milliseconds your real emotions towards all of this…towards him. Probably against your better judgement as well, you lean into him at your side, resting your head against his shoulder. “For what it’s worth, I’ve had a nice three months with you,” you say, your own weak grin making an appearance.

“Yeah,” he agrees, wrapping his arm around you casually. “It hasn’t been too bad, has it?”

There it was, the reason you needed to snap out of it, because for Jaemin, it just wasn’t ‘too bad,’ and meanwhile you’ve been over the moon these past three months. You’d come to your senses eventually - remember that ‘breaking up’ was the plan all along, that the last thing Jaemin wanted was to be in an actual relationship, and that you were going to have to be as okay with that as ever. However, for now, you figured you’d just lean into him a bit more while you still can.

The next day saw all eight of you at Chenle’s place, helping him decorate and prepare for the big party, and then it was New Year’s Eve. Only you and Jaemin knew that it was your last night together before the ‘break up;’ and neither of you knew that the other didn’t want it to ever end, meaning when you placed Jaemin’s hoodie in his backseat as a way to return it before the party, you didn’t know the idea of giving it back nauseated him possibly more than it did you. As such, the air was tense and awkward between the two of you, trying to keep hidden how devastated you knew you were going to be at the end of the night, and too dumb to realize the best thing you could do is talk about it.

Hand-in-hand with Jaemin, the two of you join the rest of your friend group, already standing around in a circle somewhere on the outskirts of the set up dance floor. They greet the two of you with bright smiles, none of them plagued with the knowledge that their favorite relationship was ending tonight. However, with the eight of you chatting about anything imaginable, the night became incredibly casual, despite the overwhelming amount of people flooding in around you all.

Eventually, the group divides up, deciding a range of different activities sounded best for the time being. You ended up with Chenle and Jisung, the three of you indulging in the indoor s’mores kit that was set up. Jaemin never moved from where the big group of you originally were. Instead, he let the crowd all pass around him as he stayed focused on you, gaze aimed in your direction with a fond smile as he watched you interact with his friends.

The only thing to break him from his staring is when Mark taps him on the shoulder and hands him a cup of water. “Man, I hope you know you’ve turned into a completely different person,” he says as he does so, making Jaemin furrow his brows in question; though Mark shakes his head as though it were no big thing. “You got this glow about you that scares me, and the look in your eyes when you’re staring at her…I didn’t think I’d ever see that from you - you know, being so against relationships and everything,” he ends with a light laugh.

Jaemin drops his head, his own laugh escaping his lips. “It’s just what happens when you’ve found your person, I guess,” he replies seriously. “I mean, to me?” He begins, finally looking up at Mark in sincerity before throwing his gaze your way. “For her?” He shakes his head, his smile turning into a dumb grin on his face as he finally admits to what’s been on his mind for three months. “Everything’s worth it. All the risk, all the effort, I’d do anything for her.” He looks your way once more before his gaze turns distant and he lets a grimace slip across his features. “It just took being with her to make me realize…I want to believe in love,” he finally says, meeting Mark’s eyes once again.

Mark’s smile was painted widely across his face, though he stared at his best friend in something like disbelief. “Want to believe it? Jaemin, you’re in it,” he says firmly, and Jaemin immediately lets his gaze fall to his feet as he lets out a heavy sigh.

“It’s less scary than I thought it’d be,” he finally says, and Mark’s smile turns fond as he gets a glimpse at how his best friend operates. He puts on his best voice of comfort as he replies.

“You said it yourself, it’s what happens when you’ve found your person. You should tell her,” he says, tossing his head in your direction casually, but Jaemin’s muscles tense up.

“No, I can’t,” he says in a rush, and Mark lets out a laugh.

“From the one who says he isn’t scared,” he teases, but Jaemin shakes his head - it wasn’t that.

“I- it’s a weird situation,” he says, letting out a huff with his bad explanation. “I can’t tell her. Not tonight, anyways…she won’t want to hear that from me,” he concludes, dragging off miserably. Mark’s face completely flips as he stares at Jaemin quizzically.

“But- she looks at you the same way, you know?” He says surely, but Jaemin shakes his head again.

“No, that’s just how she looks at me. Even when we were in high school.” He takes a moment to pause, tongue darting out to wet his suddenly dry lips before continuing with conviction. “No, she doesn’t love me. Not like this,” he says, and then he’s walking away, leaving a very confused Mark standing there with parted lips.

“...I thought she’s liked you since high school,” he says under his breath now that he knew there was no way Jaemin would hear anyways. He looks between you and Jaemin before shaking his head - the last thing he needed on New Year’s Eve was to engage in overthinking.

You had just broken away from where you were talking with Chenle and Jisung to instead make your way over to the punch table. Grabbing yourself a glass, when arms wrap around you in a hug from behind, you know the only person it could be. “Hey, handsome,” you say with a smile, turning your head to the side to try and lay eyes on him.

“Hi, angel,” Jaemin replies, taking the opportunity to place a small kiss on your cheek before continuing. “Are we kissing at midnight or are we ending things before then? I’m not sure if you want to start the new year with me or not.” His tone borders on defeat, and you turn around in his arms to stare at him with raised eyebrows and a playful smirk.

“I’ll be your new year's kiss if you’ll be mine,” you reply, and Jaemin lets out a small chuckle. “Besides,” you continue more seriously. “Ending this doesn’t mean you aren’t still my best friend. You’ll be a part of my new year no matter what. We can kiss and just pretend that was our way to say ‘bye’ to dating, cause you know, I guess it will be.” For a moment that you always knew was coming, admitting its near occurrence now felt like you just had the wind knocked out of you. Jaemin just stares down at you with a wide grin, nodding his head along to your words in approval.

“Alright best friend, then I’ll make sure to find you again before midnight,” he replies, the entire thing making you swallow awkwardly as you nod your head back at him slightly.

“Yeah…” You respond in something like a whisper, and with one light kiss on your forehead, Jaemin vanishes again into the crowd.

The rest of the New Years party was a blast, no doubt, but the knowledge of what was coming, or more so ending, plagued your thoughts and eventually you just needed to slip away from the rest of the noise. You ended up on the balcony attached to some random bedroom, the cool air something of a relief for your current state.

The only pull back into reality was when the ever-present loudness turned into synchronized cheers, and you catch as the entire party starts counting down from fifteen seconds. You whip around to start on your rushed journey back inside, realizing you never told Jaemin where you would be; but as you turn, you make eye contact with him, just stepping onto the balcony himself, an easy smile crossing his features. “No need to rush. I told you I’d find you before midnight,” he says with a light laugh, and you drop your head with a small exhale as your own form of laughter. “Ready to say ‘bye’ to all this pretending?” He asks, stepping up to where he was directly in front of you.

No. “Yep,” you respond with the best fake smile you could. You already made it this far with no problems, you refused to let it slip that your heart was fully in this right when it was about to end.

Jaemin matched your smile, and as the crowd’s counting reached the ‘3, 2, 1,’ his hand came up to find its favorite spot at your cheek again. Then he leaned in and kissed you right as the party erupted with cheers of ‘Happy New Year.’

Your hands gripped tightly at his shirt, keeping you steady and keeping him close to you; though he wasn’t necessarily going anywhere with one hand cupping your cheek and the other placed firmly on your waist. Unlike any of your other kisses, this one…lingered. The two of you kept steady pace with each other, you gently sucking on his bottom lip and figuring for as long as he’d let this go on, you would take it for all it was worth, trying to pretend you could ever kiss him enough for a lifetime.

When you think he’s breaking away, you’re instead met with the feeling of his tongue running across your top lip, asking for permission - permission all too easily granted by you as you open your mouth to let him explore. Your New Year's kiss turned into a greedy make out session, which was probably the last thing you were expecting, but you couldn’t take the time to question it because you were too busy drowning in his taste. You loved the taste of Jaemin on your tongue, and his own soft moan - which he tried so desperately to cover up but that you still very much heard, let you know he was currently feeling the same way; and you’d mark that down as a tiny win in the midst of the huge loss you were about to incur.

Against your better judgement, you finally break away when you truly couldn’t breathe anymore, and Jaemin rests his forehead against yours. The air was just filled with the sound of panting as the two of you tried to catch your breaths. You swallow awkwardly once you do, taking a small step back as you process what just happened, Jaemin’s hand running down your body until you were no longer in reach. “You’re awfully good at ‘goodbye,’” you say in between breaths.

Jaemin immediately dodges your gaze, facing somewhere off to the side as his adam's apple bobs up and down. “I’ve had a lot of practice,” he responds quietly, to the point where you were practically just reading his lips, and then he’s gone, leaving you alone on the balcony to deal with your flooding emotions on your own…not that you could do so in his presence anyways.

You hated that it hurt this much - that a goodbye you knew was coming still seemed to blindside you. You had allowed your heart to indulge in his every romantic gesture, and while on the surface you knew they meant nothing, you held onto hope in some deep dark corner of your heart that maybe it wasn’t all just pretend; and yet here you were, grouped in with the vast category of girls he’s said ‘goodbye’ to in the way he knew all too well. You were his best friend but you were no one special, and you didn’t expect the resurgence of a fact that you already knew to affect you as much as it did - to make it feel as though you had been hollowed out, bones chilled from the empty space your soul used to occupy.

You and Jaemin weren’t in contact the entire first day of the new year, though you couldn’t complain because talking to him right away was not something you figured your heart could handle. Instead, you went to work out at the gym and run errands and all those other things people do when they’re single and making a point to say they’re okay with that. To be fair, it kind of worked. Not that you were okay with whatever you and Jaemin had gotten yourselves into coming to an end, but that day of productivity and endorphin-inducing activity helped you ground yourself - these past three months were you helping out your best friend, that was all it was ever supposed to be.

The next day was far less productive, but you were still functioning like normal. The only disruption from your typical daily routine came with a phone call from Haechan. As soon as you pick up, he starts speaking.

“Why did you go and break Jaemin’s heart all of the sudden?” He asks angrily.

You furrow your brows, though it wasn’t like he could see it anyways. “What do you mean? The breakup was mutual,” you counter in confusion, and Haechan lets out an actual ‘HA’ in disbelief before he replies with animosity.

“I need to know what the hell your definition of ‘mutual’ is because Jaemin hasn’t stopped crying for the past twenty-four hours.”

You think he’s kidding, like this is one last stupid test of whether your relationship ever added up - but you shake the idea away, he already got the money, it was a week past three months, there wasn’t anything for you to mess up now, the story you’ve been telling would work as it always had. “Crying? What? We both agreed we worked better as friends,” you reply instantly, confusion adequately painting your voice.

Haechan cannot believe his ears, and he makes sure to let you know so. For as much as you were confused, he didn’t understand why you were acting this way, ten fold. “No, I don’t believe you at all now. He wouldn’t agree on that. I don’t know how Jaemin talked to you, but he talked about you as though he’s never held anyone’s hand before until he held yours. Y/n, it was like you were the one to put every star in his night sky, I swear there’s no way this breakup was mutual.” Your whole world stops and you go speechless on the other end. Haechan was being dead serious, or else he wouldn’t be angry, he wouldn’t be pushing the subject. His words turn over and over again in your head. Jaemin talked about you, evidently when you weren’t around. You were fake-dating and yet Jaemin went out of his way to speak of you fondly to his friends. Jaemin, who never saw the point of getting romantically attached like that, doing more than what was needed in expressing his feelings about you. You push down the feeling of nausea and instead let out a deep sigh.

“I’ll be over in five minutes,” you say quietly, and then you hang up the phone before ever getting a reply from Haechan.

You race over to their apartment, and before you could even knock, Haechan is swinging the door open for you. The two of you make eye contact and about a million emotions pass between you, but it was easiest to pick up on the uncertainty. Haechan opens his mouth as if he’s about to bombard you with questions, or maybe yell at you again…you weren’t sure, but instead he just lets out a breath, nodding his head back in the direction of Jaemin’s room with a soft, “in there.”

You throw a thankful smile his way, not that you were necessarily guessing at where Jaemin could be, but you were very grateful he was letting you off so easily. Even by looking at Haechan, you could tell Jaemin had truly been crying for the past twenty-four hours…Haechan looked exhausted.

You lightly tap on the door of Jaemin’s room before entering, breath hitching as you lay eyes on his figure, curled up in a ball and clad in his favorite hoodie that you had given back - the hoodie he now knew you had lived in for the past few weeks because he already caught your own scent on it. Tears raced down his face, and he immediately turned away from you to hide them as he squeaked out choked words.

“Please go away,” he says, and reality hits you all at once. It wasn’t like you thought Haechan was lying, but now you truly had to face the fact that you were the cause of Jaemin’s tears; he wanted you to go away.

“Jaemin, I’m not going anywhere,” you say softly, shaking your head to emphasize the point. Though, as you do so, your gaze catches onto a gift bag on his dresser, a label with your name written on it in his stupid perfect handwriting.

You walk up to it, swallowing hesitantly as you turn your attention from the bag to Jaemin and back again. “What is this?” You finally ask. Jaemin shoots his gaze your way, not having previously realized what had caught your intrigue.

“Please don’t-” He rushes to say, but in the pause, you had already pulled out a diamond necklace, holding it gently between your shaking hands. You shake your head, eyes wide and jaw dropped as you’re unable to form a coherent thought. You turn back around to face him, your gaze darting every which way because you’re not sure you can confidently hold eye contact with him.

“Jaemin, what-? Why is this in a gift bag labeled for me-? When did you-?”

He cuts you off, visibly annoyed. “It’s what I used the bet money on. Now please go away,” he demands more firmly, but you wouldn’t be able to follow through on it even if you wanted to, because as you process his words, you lose the ability to move.

“You spent the $600 on this?” You ask in disbelief, turning your attention fully towards him to try and find any cue that he was lying. “On me?”

Jaemin turns his head to the side, and you watch as his adam’s apple bobs up and down with an awkward swallow. When he finally answers, his voice has lost its tension, his words instead coming out as though he were ashamed. “$700,” he corrects. “I didn’t want it to feel like I was just gifting you something from the guys.”

You think you’ve gone crazy, or maybe Jaemin has, but all you can do is stare at him in disbelief. “I-”

He quickly finds his fire again, apparently having had enough embarrassment for a lifetime in those few seconds. “Please leave,” he spits out. He dares look up to make eye contact with you before immediately regretting his decision and staring back down at his bed again, wiping more stray tears from his eyes as he fumbles out his next words. “You can take the necklace if you want but just- please leave.”

“Jaem-” You say softly before he can cut you off.

“What?!” He quips, though when he shoots his gaze back to you in irritation, he realizes you’re no longer standing at his dresser, but sitting at the edge of his bed with him. Your fingers barren of the necklace, you instead occupy one hand by placing it on top of his own.

“You could’ve told me you fell for me, too,” you say seriously, and Jaemin stops breathing for a moment as he looks up at you with wide teary eyes.

“Too?” He echoes weakly, and all you can do is give a tight smile, moving a hand up to wipe under his eyes as you try to hold back your own tears.

“I refuse to believe I played off my huge crush on you since high school that well.” You reply with a hoarse laugh.

Jaemin finally recovers his ability to breathe as he lets out a heavy exhale. “You like me?” He asks through tears, and you finally break, having to wipe your own stupid tears off your face before nodding at him with an embarrassed smile.

“I always have. Why do you think I made all those stupid rules to try and make sure we acted like a couple as little as possible?” A bittersweet laugh gets caught in your throat as you think back on it. “If I had to listen to you call me cute names all the time, I wouldn’t have survived knowing it was eventually going to end,” you continue seriously.

Jaemin’s finally able to let out a bashful smile and sorry laugh. “...I called you cute names all the time anyways.”

You nod your head with a fond smile. “I know.”

“I couldn’t help it,” he explains as more tears rush down his face, though this time, they’re at least sliding down next to an embarrassed grin.

You look at him with playful raised eyebrows. “Just like how you couldn’t help it when you kissed me every time you saw me? Or looked over at me super fondly?”

Jaemin softens as his eyes trace over your figure, the distant look in his gaze letting you know his mind was rather preoccupied with reliving the past three months. “Exactly like that,” he says lowly, and you let out a breath, forcing your gaze away from Jaemin as you instead focus on the way your fingers were idly fidgeting with each other.

“God, Jaem. I’m sorry. I should’ve realized-” You speak apologetically but Jaemin cuts you off again.

“No, I should’ve communicated. Well…” He lets another soft laugh leave his system, the tears finally drying on his face as he works towards fully collecting himself. “I should’ve communicated when you knew I was serious.”

You smile at his words, shaking your head again as you relive every moment of the fake relationship. “I didn’t even know you had time to catch feelings for me,” you begin with something like wonder in your tone. “I mean- weren’t you still hooking up with-”

When Jaemin cuts you off this time, it’s with the most flustered of cheeks and the weakest of laughs. “Um, about that…the very first girl I hooked up with after we added that rule-” He shakes his head with a small smile as he corrects himself. “Well, I say that…she was also the last girl I hooked up with.” Your eyebrows furrow slightly as you process the information, but Jaemin doesn’t give you much time to do so before throwing in another wrench. “I uh- accidentally moaned your name.”

Your head whips in his direction, your wide eyes straining against your dropped jaw. “Jaemin! You did not!”

“Why would I make that up?!” He quips back with a hearty laugh. You move a hand over your gaping mouth, unsure at what exactly you were supposed to do with this news. You shake your head in disbelief.

“Oh my god, what did she do?” You ask, curiosity dripping from your voice. Jaemin bites on the inside of his cheek before giving in again with a light sigh.

“Well, we immediately stopped because we were both mortified, I think. She said something about how I obviously had to go figure some things out, to which I agreed, but for different reasons than she thought…” He drags off a bit but instead just shakes his head and goes in a different direction. “I practically begged her not to say anything about it, but she laughed and said I was crazy if I thought she was going to tell that story and humiliate herself,” he finishes with a small chuckle, and you just stare at him with no less shock than before.

“I can’t believe this,” you manage to get out playfully.

Jaemin flashes his eyebrows in acknowledgement before his eyes light up and he rushes through more words. “Oh! The best part is, a week or so later, she saw us holding hands in public and texted me saying that she’s rooting for us,” he recalls with a shiteating grin.

“Stop!” You get out, the idea of it damn near killing you. Though, before you can end up dying of laughter with Jaemin, another piece of information fits itself into the puzzle and you come back to your senses in seriousness.

“Wait wait wait,” you begin, focusing your gaze fully on Jaemin again. “So, you’ve been celibate for like…three months now?” You ask in shock. Jaemin isn’t even the tiniest bit regretful as he responds with a shrug, his sincere gaze meeting your own.

“I only wanted you. Wasn’t going to waste mine or anyone else’s time pretending any different.”

Your gaze softens immediately as a fond smile plays against your features. “Jaem…” You aren’t necessarily sure where you were going from there, but Jaemin picks it up anyways with a small shake of his head; his own weak smile making an appearance again as he recounts those first few moments.

“You kissed me that first day and I assumed I was fucked,” he explains casually. “Everything felt like it changed, and not because it was affection but because it was you.” His cheeks puff out again with a bigger grin as he continues. “Then I had that slip up and I knew I was fucked. Couldn’t get you out of my head for even a moment. It was starting to drive me crazy how much I wanted to make you happy.”

His eyes meet yours again as he finishes, and you search them for answers you knew you would have to ask for. “A good crazy?” You question hesitantly, but Jaemin is quick to shut down any worries.

“The best,” he assures, moving his hands so that he could interlace them with yours. He moves his gaze from your physical contact back up to your face before continuing seriously. “I love you, y/n.”

You swallow hard, trying to not let any more tears run down your face, albeit happy tears weren’t so bad. You squeeze his hands in yours as you nod your head. “I love you, too.”

“Can we date for real?” He immediately asks, his wide pleading eyes making you chuckle.

“It’s been ‘for real’ for a while now,” you say warmly, but Jaemin shakes his head, not having it.

“Yeah, but we’re currently broken up if you don’t remember. The entire reason you’re over here is because I couldn’t stop bawling my eyes out…which was the worst feeling in the world, by the way,” he banters back with a weak laugh. You let a grimace cross your face before pulling it into a fond smile.

“Yeah, don’t worry. I’ll never break up with you again,” you assure him softly. Jaemin doesn’t hide his wide smile as he shifts himself so he can easily lean in and kiss you softly, resting his forehead against your own as he pulls back to smile against your lips.

“I’m holding you to it, angel.”

#jaemin x reader #nct dream #kpop fic recs

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tyvntime · 4 days ago

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Where’s your good-natured Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry?

request: (anon): hi!! can u please do an enemies-to-lovers with mark lee? i live for your aus, you really are an amazing writer💜 if you don’t want to it’s completely fine😅 anyways hope you have a great day/night💜💜

genre: kind of friends-to-enemies-to-lovers??, Hogwarts!au (fluff, mild angst, kind of slow burn, mutual secret pining??)

pairing/s: Mark / Reader (ft some of 127) (side yuwin and johnil!)

word count: 23k+ rip

tw: mark and the reader are both like not pureblood wizards in this so there’s sort of like mentions about ppl hating on them lol bc of like blood purity and stuff so yeah thats abt it

a/n: this is something a little diff from what ive put out!! bc ive always loved Hogwarts aus so I kind of wanted to try something a little different for this trope? and I decided to show their relationship a little differently from how I would typically imagine enemies-to-lovers to be but nonetheless I hope you guys enjoy it!! also anon if you’re seeing it here first thank u for being patient!! had alot of fun with this one n I hope u like it!! (also plsss im devastated at the thought of baby mark in a Hogwarts uniform) also I tried to be as like explanatory(?) as I could so i hope even if u’ve never watched Harry Potter before the terminology won’t be hard to understand! (PPS gif creds to op this gif is so cute) read this on ao3

The first time you met Mark, you met the wide-eyed first-year who was still trying to get over the shock of running through a pillar at a train platform, the one who was simply looking for a friend.

“Hey, can I sit here?”

Your head snapped around when the train cabin doors had opened roughly, slamming against the wall. You spotted a young boy who didn’t look any older than you, standing there with his eyebrows raised, wincing slightly as he yanked his luggage into the carriage, struggling to maintain his balance while the train moved bumpily over the tracks.

Albeit confused (since you were about halfway through the train ride already, finding it strange for him to only be finding a seat now), you dismissed your suspicions, nodding at him.

“Oh…yeah sure,” you murmured, watching curiously as the boy gave you an appreciative smile, shoving his bags in the overhead compartment before taking a seat in front of you, heaving a tired sigh.

“What’s your name?” he asked you, “I’m Mark.”

Keep reading

#mark lee fluff #hogwarts au #nct

1K notes · View notes

tyvntime · 10 months ago

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Sweetheart | Haechan

summary: fluff, bad boy!haechan au, your plans for this semester were straight forward, focus on your studies and don't get distracted. Your plan was failproof, until you met haechan, the very person you were told to stay away from. w/c: 4,460

As someone who relishes in being an academic, there was nowhere you wanted to be more than around the hundred year old buildings that surround your college campus. The start of a new school semester is a much needed fresh start for you, a time to forget about the person you were last semester and put all your focus onto your studies.

That was fully the plan you had for yourself. You had everything all mapped out and ready to go, until you inevitably got distracted.

⟡⋆.˚❀⋆.˚⟡

The day of your first class, you carved out extra time in your morning so you could enjoy your walk through the great halls of the historic campus. This was something you took for granted last semester and you weren’t going to let that happen again.

Strolling by the portraits of the college’s long-departed founders, you’re enveloped by the sounds of professors in mid-lecture, their voices carrying throughout the hall.

When you finally arrive to class, you surprisingly weren’t the first one there. There were two other students, one sitting in the very front and one in the back. Last semester you would have chosen to sit as far from the professor as possible, but you were determined to change, so you picked the perfect seat right in the middle.

As you get out all your supplies and place them onto your desk, more and more students fill the seats around you. As it neared the start of the class, you wondered if anyone was going to take the seat right next to you. You secretly hoped not, knowing the likelihood of that leading to distraction.

Almost all the seats fill up except for a few in the row above you, in the very front, and the seat next to you. You were relieved when the professor walked in because you assumed that meant all of the students had arrived. Of course, you were wrong. A few moments later, a group of five guys arrived, conversing loudly to one another. You assumed they were all friends and you hoped that they would take the five seats in the row behind you. You watched as they passed by your row and you mentally smiled to yourself, until you saw the face of the guy who was clearly the loudest in the group.

He doesn’t see you looking at him, and it wouldn’t matter even if he did. Haechan didn’t know you and you didn’t really know him either. You just knew his name and the various stories you’ve heard about him from last semester. You had only seen his face in passing before, but now under the bright fluorescent lights of the lecture hall, you were taken aback by how handsome he actually is. He goes out of view from your eyesight and sits down in a seat behind you. As the professor begins teaching, your mind forgets all about Haechan and his bad reputation.

You really assumed that you could go through the whole semester without Haechan crossing your mind again. How silly and naive you were. You did have to give yourself a little credit though. At first, you truly didn’t want anything to do with him. Everyday in class you assumed that you were practically invisible to him, like you were to everyone else. However, when you don’t want someone to take notice of you, it's almost like you become a magnet to them.

⟡⋆.˚❀⋆.˚⟡

Throughout the first weeks of class, everyone seemed to have remained in the seats they occupied during the first day, save for the few students that dropped the class. You were very content and happy with that fact because you hated change, even a change that mattered so little.

The beginning of class went by like normal, your professor passionately teaching as you took the best notes you could. However, you didn’t expect your professor to finish her lecture early and announce that there is an assignment that she wants everybody to complete by the end of class with a partner.

Making friends was actually the last thing on your mind this semester, so you look around the classroom as everyone pairs up, hoping to find someone who also has no one. You scan the room and as you look back to the left, you notice that someone has sat down in the seat next to you. A jolt shoots through you - a flurry of unexpected butterflies erupting in your stomach at Haechan sudden proximity.

The expression you wore on your face must have been that of complete shock and confusion, but all he does is smirk back at you and turn his attention to the professor at the front of the class. “Alright, it seems that everyone has their partners. I want you to take the next twenty minutes to ask each other the questions on the sheet that I have provided and evaluate each other's answers.”

You barely heard the words she was saying, not understanding why Haechan of all people would leave his friends to be partners with you. However, you did need someone to do the assignment with, so you decided not to complain too much.

“You gotta put yourself out there a bit more, sweetheart.” Haechan says, pulling you out of your thoughts.

“Huh?” Was all you could say, staring back at him.

He tilts his head at you and smiles, “You were looking around the classroom like a lost puppy.”

You feel blood rush to your cheeks, “Oh. I just haven’t really made any friends yet in class and-”

“Hmh, well you’re lucky I was here to save you.” You were about to correct him and say that you didn’t need him to do anything for you, when he interrupted again. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

It was the second time he used that pet name, and you weren’t sure what was more bothersome, the fact that he persisted in calling you by it, or the part of you that secretly enjoys it. “Y/n.” You responded evenly, trying to hide your inner conflict.

He mirrored your tone, a hint of challenge in his eyes, “Haechan.”

His presence confirmed everything you’ve heard about him. Yet, there was something so intriguing about him, the way he didn’t think twice about leaving his friends to help you, someone he doesn’t know. It was too much to think about so you put all your attention onto the assignment, hoping it would distract you.

⟡⋆.˚❀⋆.˚⟡

You had class again with Haechan two days later. The assignment was finished and already turned in, so you thought that you wouldn’t have to worry about him anymore. Of course, you were wrong. You watch as his friends go to the row behind you, but he doesn’t follow them. Instead, he sits right next to you again. “Morning, sweetheart.” He says, flashing a smile at you.

There was that pet name again, even though he now knew your real name. You give him a small smile back to be polite and then pull out your notebook, deciding not to let him distract you.

You can feel his eyes on your notebook as you open it up to the most recent page of notes. Lately you have been fixated on drawing little sunflowers, so there were a few doodles scattered around your past notes. Just as you are about to write down the title of today's lecture, your notebook is taken from you.

“You draw?” Haechan asks, inspecting your drawings closely.

“Not really.” You say, which was the truth. You used to draw, all the time actually, but as you got older you stopped.

“Hm, cute.” He says, straight faced and looking right at you. You have no idea if he’s trying to compliment you or if it was a belittling ‘cute’, but you ignore him all the same, taking your notebook back.

He leaves you alone until the very end of class as everyone starts packing up to leave. “You know, you’re in college. You’re supposed to have fun.” Haechan says, his elbow resting on your notebook stopping you from putting it in your bookbag.

“I do have fun.” You say, genuinely shocked at his words. He knew nothing about you besides your name, which he doesn’t even bother to use.

“Yeah? I haven’t seen you out.”

“We just go to different places then.”

He gives you that same smile that could make any girl fall in love within seconds, “You don’t have to lie to me, sweetheart.”

“I wasn’t-”

“How about,” He says, leaning in so close to you that you can count all the pretty little moles on his face. “You get all dolled up for me and I’ll take you out tonight.”

⟡⋆.˚❀⋆.˚⟡

Alarm bells started ringing in your mind the moment you left class. Everything you’ve ever been taught urges you to stay away from him. Yet, here you are, putting on the finishing touches of your makeup in your prettiest little outfit, waiting for him.

You’ve talked yourself out of going about ten different times, but part of you found truth in his words. You don’t go out much, not anymore. It was hard trying to find time for fun while balancing all your classes, not to mention that you didn’t want to revert back to the person you were last semester.

Last semester you prioritized your social life over your classes, and you promised yourself that it wouldn’t happen again. However, you also promised yourself that you would try and enjoy everyday life. You didn’t think that would mean spending time with Haechan of all people, but you’ve never been good at predicting what decisions you would make anyway.

You’re taken away from all your thoughts by a knock on your door and literally nothing could have prepared you for the whiplash you experienced when you opened that door. Haechan stands there, flowers in hand, and all dressed up. Your face contorts into an expression of confusion that probably looks more unkind than what you intended.

“These were the type of flowers in your little drawings right?” He says, completely unfazed by your confusion.

Nothing in his tone from earlier had suggested that he was taking you out on a date. If you had known that, you definitely would have made an excuse not to go out with him. “I thought you were just taking me out tonight, not going on a date with me.”

“I am taking you out, exactly what I told you. I would never lie.” He says, making his way inside even though you didn’t invite him in.

You close the door behind him. “Actually I feel like you would.”

He leans on your kitchen counter, “Look, if you don’t want to go, then that’s completely fine. I can find some other girl to give these flowers to, but I'd really rather not.”

With his ever irritating and irresistible smile, he gestures the flowers towards you, wanting you to accept them. Against your better judgment, you do accept the sunflowers and he waits patiently as you put them in a vase, observing every aspect of your apartment.

Once you finish, you grab your wallet to put in your purse, but Haechan stops you. “Leave it.” He says, gesturing towards your wallet. “Do you really think I’m gonna let you pay for anything?”

“Do you even have a job?” You ask, suspiciously setting your wallet down.

He shrugs his shoulders, “I get paid.”

You don’t really care to know what that means, both for your safety and the fact that you don’t want to be an accomplice to any crimes he may or may not be committing. You do leave your wallet though, because the last thing you were going to do was turn down free dinner.

⟡⋆.˚❀⋆.˚⟡

Maybe it was the fact that your brain hasn’t fully registered that he’s taking you out on a ‘date’, but you were shocked when he ended up taking you to a pretty nice restaurant. It was right outside of campus, but there weren’t many people your age around, mainly older adults.

“I feel like you would like the salmon, it’s really good here.” Haechan says, as you look over the menu.

“You don’t even know me, how could you possibly know if I would like the salmon. I could be allergic for all you know.”

“No. That's why friends hang out, to get to know more about each other.”

“Friends don’t buy each other flowers though.”

As usual, Haechan is unfazed by your remarks. “Maybe not, but pretty girls deserve pretty things.”

You roll your eyes at him, “That’s such a line.”

“It is a line, but that doesn’t mean I don’t mean it.” He leans forwards towards you, like he’s trying to get a better look at you under the dim lighting. “And you look even prettier when I make you blush.”

You hide behind your menu to hide the fact that you actually were blushing. Luckily, the waitress comes to take your orders quickly. “I’ll have the salmon please.” You say, ignoring Haechan’s smirk because you ordered excatly what he recommended.

“Can I ask you something?” You say, as the waitress leaves the table.

Haechans nods, taking a sip of his water. “Why did you choose to be partners with me? All your friends are in that class.”

He sets his water down and looks up at the ceiling, thinking. You can tell in his expression that he has an answer for you, but doesn’t want to say, so he shrugs at you instead.

You weren’t about to accept no answer from him, this has been bugging you since the day it happened. “No really. I want to know why.”

Unexpectedly, a shy smile crosses his face. “...I just thought you were cute. You get this really adorable concentrated look when you take notes. Plus, my friends are idiots so when I saw you without a partner, I saw it as my chance to finally talk to you.”

You find yourself torn at his answer. Part of you can feel yourself starting to actually like him, while the other knows the kind of guy that he is. However, you can’t ignore the fact that everything you’ve actually experienced with him is completely unlike all the things you’ve heard about him in the past.

“What are you thinking about?”

“I just have heard some things about you.” You say and you can tell that he immediately knows all the things you’re referring to. “But, now I'm starting to think that my perception of you was wrong.”

“Do you want it to be wrong?”

“Huh?”

“Or do you like the idea of a good girl being with the kind of guy everyone says I am?”

“I…” The food comes, cutting your sentence off, which you were grateful for because you weren’t sure what you were going to say. You hoped that the distraction was enough that Haechan didn’t notice your cheeks heat up again, because if you thought you were blushing before, it’s nothing compared to now. However, if you thought he was going to let go of this conversation, you were wrong. “You didn’t answer me.” Haechan says, taking a bite out of his food.

“I don’t even know how to answer your question.”

“Ok just let me know when you figure it out, sweetheart.”

⟡⋆.˚❀⋆.˚⟡

The rest of dinner went great. You were surprised at how easy it was to talk to Haechan, and how well he listens. You even found yourself not wanting to say goodnight to him, so when he took you back to your place, you were secretly happy when he invited himself inside again.

You were about to set your purse down when he grabbed your hand and pulled you towards him. “I had a good time tonight.” He says, his eye contact giving you butterflies.

“Me too, actually.”

He playfully rolls his eyes at your response, “Actually? Like you were expecting to have a horrible time.”

“Well actually, I couldn’t expect anything because you didn’t tell me what we were going to do tonight.”

He smiles at you and tucks a strand of hair behind your ear, getting closer to you. “So pretty.” He backs you up so that your back is against the front door and he slowly brings his face closer to you, nudging your noses together. He doesn’t have a tight grip on you at all, you could move if you wanted to, but that was genuinely the last thing you wanted to do.

You realized that he was waiting for your ‘ok’ before he did anything, so you grab him by his belt loop and pull him even closer to you, your lips meeting. The kiss was a whirlwind, a collision of rough passion and surprising tenderness that left you completely breathless. You clung to him, intoxicated by the feel of his honey lips on yours, wanting this moment to last forever. His hands wandered to all the right places, sending shivers down your spine.

He pulls back for a moment, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “I guess that answers my question for earlier then, huh?”

You roll your eyes at him before he takes you in again, kissing you like you’ve never been kissed before. Your knees grow weaker as he moves onto your neck. “Haechan…” You say, not even able to finish your sentence.

Unfortunately, he breaks apart from you again. “Yeah?”

You could kick yourself for what you were about to say, but you knew that the ‘new you’ was trying to improve. “I don’t ever do this.”

“I figured as much, sweetheart.” He tries to pull you in again, but you stop him. “So… you should probably go.”

He nods his head, but stares into your eyes. “I can tell you didn’t want to say that.”

“I don’t. I want you to stay, but I promised myself I would listen to my head over my heart so you have to go.”

He smiles at you, giving you one last kiss goodnight. “I’ll see you in class, y/n.” You nod your head at him, smoothing down your hair that he messed up, as you watch him show himself out.

The door shuts and you take a deep breath in, feeling like it's the first time you’ve breathed since he stepped foot into your apartment. You take a couple more breaths before you realize how hard you are smiling, wishing you didn’t let him leave, but proud of yourself that you did.

⟡⋆.˚❀⋆.˚⟡

You had forgotten how nice it felt to be wanted by someone. You were content to be completely single this whole semester, but you had always loved love. It was something you daydreamed about constantly, even wrote a few short stories here and there in your free time. You didn’t want a one time hookup, if you were going to put your heart on the line, it was going to be with someone who deserved it. The problem was, you weren’t sure if Haechan did deserve your heart or if he even wanted it.

The attraction was there and it was so easy to talk to him, but how many girls did he take out like this? For all you know, he could be out with another girl right now, making her feel the same emotions he made you feel last night. The thought of that made you sick with jealousy, so you decided to distract yourself so you didn’t have to think about it. Haechan would make his true feelings known to you in time, you knew that much, so all you could do now was try not to go crazy thinking about him.

You started on your classwork first thing the next morning and finished around noon. Realizing that the only thing you had to eat today was a smoothie for breakfast, you decided to get out of the apartment and go to the cute cafe that was on campus.

There were few things you loved more than walking around campus on a beautiful day like today. The hills of grass were finally green again after the harsh winter, and the spring flowers were starting to bloom. You were about halfway there when a gust of wind blew, blowing flower petals all over you. You smiled as the soft petals graced your face and you shook your hair out, even though you had a feeling you probably didn’t get them all out.

You arrive at the cafe, greeted with the warm smell of coffee being brewed and pastries being baked. You were walking to the counter to order, when you saw him. Haechan was sitting at one of the few tables in the cafe, facing a woman whose back was turned towards you. Your heart dropped at the sight of him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, the same thing he did to you last night right before he kissed you.

You knew it. You knew that everything you’ve been told about him was true. You should have seen through his charming act and listened to your head instead of your heart. You didn’t want to look at him any longer, so you turned around to leave. You thought that you could disappear before his eyes found you, but you were wrong. You heard him call out your name, not once but twice, but you kept going, refusing to look back.

“Y/n! Hey.” Haechan says, gently grabbing your arm right as you walk out the cafe. You stop walking which gives him enough time to get in front of you, “Hey.” He says, grinning at you like he has no idea all the emotions going through your mind. When you didn’t return your smile, his smile faded away. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” You mimic his question while crossing your arms. “I let some guy take me out last night, let him kiss me and make me feel pretty, all while he was going to do the same thing to another girl the very next day.” You try to walk away from him, but he stops you again.

“Y/n, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I promise you I wouldn’t do something like that to you.” He says with pleading eyes.

“I saw you!” You say, a little too loud that other students start to look over, but you don't care. Haechan was about to deny your allegations again, until the realization dawned on him. His face changes from confused to cocky in a split second. “Sweetheart,” He says, giving you the same addicting smirk. “If I had known jealousy made you look this hot I would have done something sooner.”

You fume in anger at his words. “Are you serious?” He gets closer to you, causing your back to hit the wall of the cafe. “So this is what you like to do, huh? You like to pick out girls in your classes that look loney, make them think that someone like you would give someone like them a chance, and then what? Make them jealous for your own sick pleasure?”

“Y/n.” His calming voice a stark contrast to your angry one. “Do you really think I would do that to you?” He got even closer, the feeling of his soft breath on your neck. “Do you really think I could kiss you like I did last night if I felt absolutely nothing towards you?”

You couldn’t explain it, but his words washed all your anger away. No, you didn’t really think that he would do that to you. And no, you didn’t think that he was capable of kissing you like that if he didn’t have feelings for you, but that still didn’t explain what you just saw in the cafe.

Before you could question him again, Haechan answers all the questions swimming in your mind. “The girl I was with just now is Julia.” He backs up a bit and you look into the cafe window and see Julia scrolling on her phone. “We volunteer at the animal shelter that’s just off campus. That's the only reason why I know her. I bumped into her today and I could tell that she had been crying, so I thought that I would buy her a coffee to cheer her up. She’s going through some family stuff and she just needed someone to talk to.”

“Oh.” was all you could say as you process his explanation. Haechan tilts his head at you and gently brings his hand up to your hair, removing a flower petal that was still stuck from the wind earlier. “You probably think I’m crazy now.”

“I don’t think you’re crazy, y/n. I’m actually flattered that I have this effect on you.” You laugh at his words because they were true, he did have such an effect on you.

“I’m sorry I made such quick assumptions about you, Haechan.”

“It’s not really your fault. We haven’t known each other for very long and I know what people say about me.”

“Does it bother you?”

He thinks for a minute before responding. “Sometimes, but it’s not like I go out of my way to show people the real me.”

“Why not?”

“Sometimes it’s easier to just play a character in front of other people.”

You didn’t know what to say so you nod your head at him because you knew from experience that he was right. Sometimes you had to play a character that everybody expected from you out of fear of revealing your vulnerable side.

It hit you then, that that was what Haechan was doing. He wasn’t playing a character right now, he was being so vulnerable with you. Your heart constricted at the thought of him feeling that safe around you. You wanted to grab his face and kiss him right now, but you’re still in a very public place so you settled for a sweet kiss on his cheek. “Don’t ever feel like you have to play a character in front of me, Haechan. I like this you better.” You say giving him yet another kiss on the cheek because you couldn’t resist. “But if you still want to call me sweetheart occasionally, I would like that very much.”

Haechan breaks out into the sweetest smile you’ve ever seen in your life, and you were just grateful to have been the cause of such a beautiful expression. He cups your cheeks into the palm of his hands and you lean into his left palm. “I like you a lot, y/n.”

“I like you too, Haechan.”

514 notes · View notes

tyvntime · 10 months ago

Text

this is so adorable 😭

chewing gum

genre fluff ! no warnings

pairings jisung x gn!reader

{1:23pm}˚ʚ ᗢ₊˚✧

you’d had your eye on this cute boy in your class for a while now.

park jisung was the boy that everyone had an eye for. he was good looking, smart, funny, sweet, and he always shared his gum.

“jisung, can i have some gum” somebody asked, then another, and another.

you didn’t really see the appeal of jisung’s gum, but you were curious to understand. you approached the crowd of people surrounding the popular boy’s desk, and your heart skipped a beat at the sight of the class celebrity. after a minute of staring, you built up the courage to say something. “can…” you stuttered. “i have a piece of gum?”

your sudden interruption took the attention away from jisung and heads turned to face you.

jisung raised his eyebrows at your request. “sorry. im all out.” he regretted to tell you.

your face was pink with embarrassment and you slowly backed yourself away from the table, so the group just went back to talking. “so jisung. do you like anybody?”

“yeah, i do, actually.” he responded.

hearing that, you figured you should just give up on him now before you try too hard and get hurt.

the next morning you walked into class and you couldn’t believe what was sitting on your desk. it was a stick of jisung’s gum. you gently lifted it up and unfolded it, and there was something written on it.

the inside of the wrapper read:

yn, sorry i didnt have any gum for you yesterday… i hope this makes up for it.

- jisung

you couldn’t stop smiling. you looked around the room to spot jisung, and you found him already smiling at you from his desk.

for the rest of the day, you couldn’t look at jisung without feeling shy.

the next morning you walked into class to see yet another shiny wrapper on top of your desk.

you immediately went to open it up, and you found another message inside:

will you go out with me?

no = ignore this

yes = blow a bubble

- jisung ♡

as much as your heart was fluttering, you started to panic. you’ve never been able to blow bubbles with your gum, and it seems like jisung was expecting a response soon. he was eying you from his desk on the other side of the room, you even made eye contact with him. you just smiled awkwardly, tucked the wrapper into your bag and popped the gum into your mouth.

the gum was flavorless at this point, but you still had to blow that bubble. at the end of the day, you hadn’t figured it out yet, but jisung approached you.

“hi yn.”

“hi.”

“sorry if I made you uncomf-”

“jisung.”

“—yeah?”

“how do i blow a bubble?”

he smiled.

thank you for reading 🫧

- 🍉

#jisung x reader #nct jisung #kpop imagines

551 notes · View notes

tyvntime · 10 months ago

Text

currently going insane

bless your soul to whoever made this fancam

#nct dream #haechan #fancam #he’s so fine #omg

902 notes · View notes

tyvntime · 10 months ago

Text

yeah like maybe some moments in their for real relationship?? (only if u want to ofc)

Linkedin Love | ZB1 Kim Taerae

PAIRING: stranger + engineer!Kim Taerae x gn!reader (au)

SYNOPSIS: Sick and tired of blind dates, you accidentally lie to your mom about having a boyfriend named Kim Taerae, an engineer and a Seoul University graduate. Luckily, you’re able to find a man who perfectly fits the description on Linkedin. You reach out to him, proposing a coffee chat under the guise of a professional career change to automotive engineering.

The initial meeting does not go as plan, but in a surprising turn, he agrees to be in a fake relationship with you you; afterall, nobody likes blind dates! Unfortunately, as you spend more time together, the “fake” in fake relationship becomes real instead.

GENRE: fluff, attempt at comedy (might be considered crack)

TAGS: strangers to lovers, fake dating, taerae and y/n are implied to be in their mid to late 20's

WARNINGS: around five swear words, brief hag shaming (as a joke), mentions of food throughout and gets descriptive in part six, slight miscommunication/misunderstanding but gets resolved in <1k words cuz i cant stand drama

WORD COUNT: ~18.1k

part one

You’re not sure why your mom keeps sending you on blind dates after over a 100 unsuccessful attempts. After the 24th one, you’ve officially decided that you will adopt a puppy, or a duck if you’re feeling ambitious, as your lifelong companion. You’ve said some ridiculous things before, but this one probably takes the cake.

"I have a boyfriend."

Your mom attempts to clear her throat discreetly, but the sound is audible through the phone despite her efforts. “It’s okay, dear,” she reassures. “You don’t have to lie to us, or at least me, and just so you know Jihyo’s son is a —”

“I’m not lying,” you interrupt, your voice louder this time.

“Okaaaay,” she drawls, her tone laced with disbelief. “So what’s his name?”

Fuck. Out of all times, why did you have to forget all names that a man might have? Then, inspiration strikes as you glance at a poster of Tempest’s Kim Taerae in your room.

“His name is Kim Taerae,” you assert, trying to sound confident.

“The guy from Tempest?” she questions. Even if you can't see her, you know her eyebrows are furrowing.

“No,” you clarify. “He’s an engineer and he went to Seoul University.”

“Oh, wow!” she exclaims. “He’s quite the catch.”

“Yeah, I know,” you utter proudly, as if the man you made up in your head was actually your boyfriend.

“That’s so wonderful, dear,” your mom remarks, genuinely pleased. “I’m so happy to know you’ve found someone special. When can your dad and I meet him?”

You hesitate for a moment, caught off guard by her question. "Actually, he's quite busy with work. I’m not sure when he’ll be free for a visit.”

"Ah, I see," she replies understandingly. "Well, let me know soon!”

“Of course,” you reply, trying to mask the unease in your voice. “It’s getting late now, so I’m going to get ready for bed.”

“Alright, dear. Take care and get some rest.”

“Will do,” you acknowledge, feeling a mix of relief and guilt before you were about to hang up the phone. “Good night. Love you.”

The call immediately ends and you find yourself lying on your bed, staring at the ceiling. Wow, if you knew that would get you off the hook for blind dates with mediocre men, you would have told your mom you had a boyfriend a long time ago.

Now the only issue was finding one named Kim Taerae who happens to be an engineer and an alumni of Seoul University.

Grabbing your phone, your fingers nervously type “Kim Taerae Engineer Seoul University” on the search bar. With each keystroke, your anticipation grew, mixed with a tinge of apprehension. While the probability that this imaginary man exists is almost impossible, at least it isn’t zero.

Faster than a bullet train, you tap on the link, hoping that he graduated from Seoul University. Though it took forever, the page eventually loads and a piercing scream bursts forth from you the words “Seoul National University” appear in the introduction section.

And to put the cherry on top, just like you, he lives in Seoul.

And he’s not a hag (not that you have anything against them).

And he’s kind of cute too.

Luck was really on your side tonight. Either that, or you secretly have the power to create the ideal man in your head and have him come to life. You’re super happy regardless.

Swiftly, you log into your LinkedIn account, brainstorming ideas on how to reach out to him. You definitely don’t want to tell him that you’re looking for a fake boyfriend because you lied to your mom about having an actual one. One of your colleagues, Park Hanbin, happens to be a mutual connection, but you quickly reject the idea because he’s almost as “curious” as your mom when it comes to your love life (minus the constant blind date set-up’s).

Eventually, you settle on a more viable approach. You craft a message inviting him to meet for coffee chat under the guise of professional interest:

Hi Taerae, I hope this message finds you well. My name is [y/n] and I recently came across your profile while exploring professionals in the field of automotive engineering. I am currently contemplating a career transition and have developed a keen interest in designing cars. Your impressive background and experience in this field have caught my eye. I saw that you have two patents under MotorOne and are part of a team that’s working on the development of self-driving cars. It would be a wonderful opportunity to be able to connect and learn with someone as knowledgeable and talented as yourself. If possible, would you like to meet for a 30-minute coffee chat this week? I completely understand if this timing doesn't align with your schedule, and I'm more than willing to find a time that suits you better. Whether it's an in-person meeting or a virtual discussion, I'm flexible and open to accommodating your availability and preferred mode of communication. I’m aware that you’re busy but any assistance or guidance you could provide would be tremendously appreciated. I am looking forward to getting to know you better. Best regards, [l/n] [y/n]

You feel a mixture of hope and worry just before sending the message, and then regret once you sent it. After a quick review, it seems too scripted or automated. Unfortunately, there isn’t an “undo” button and you aren’t sure if you have the power to go back in time.

Well, you suppose it’s time to start executing Plan B: find a fake boyfriend service and hope someone is willing to play the role of Kim Taerae, an engineer from Seoul, that you are heads over heels for.

part two

The blaring sound of your morning alarm coming from your phone jolted you awake the next morning. With a quick tap, you silence the persistent noise and as usual, begin looking through your missed notifications. Amidst the mix, there were two that caught your eye.

Kim Taerae sent you a connection invite.

Kim Taerae replied to your message.

With a mix of excitement and nervousness, you eagerly tap on the notification to see his response.

It’s the best possible one you could have gotten.

Well, almost.

Hi [y/n], Thank you for reaching out to me and for your kind words. I’d be more than happy to assist you and answer any questions. I’m a bit busy this week, but I’m available this Friday evening. Could we meet at a restaurant instead? I can’t have caffeinated drinks at night. I’m really sorry about that. Otherwise, I can check my morning and afternoon availability in the following weeks. All the best, Kim Taerae

A restaurant is a bit out of your budget for an initial meeting, but you quickly decide it was worth it as he was pretty much your only option outside of the boyfriend service you found last night – and according to the email you received this morning, they weren't sure if they had someone who could accommodate your request, at least not without selling your family heirloom and your kidney. Buying dinner (or dinners) for this man was a much cheaper option. Hopefully.

Hi Taerae, Thank you so much for your quick response. I am more than happy to accommodate your schedule and preference. Please let me know the time of the meeting as well as the name and address of the restaurant. I’m looking forward to meeting you this Friday evening. Thank you again! Best regards, [l/n] [y/n]

To your surprise, you get a reply as soon as you put your phone back on your nightstand.

I’m thinking of Umani Heights at 6PM on 123 Teheran Road, but let me know if you prefer another time.

A quick search on the Internet reveals that the restaurant is a whooping four won sign and is conveniently located a 10-minute walk from your workplace. You can usually get off no later than 5:30PM on Fridays, so it’ll give you a bit of time to freshen up before work.

6PM is perfect! Let me know if anything changes. Thank you again and I'm really looking forward to meeting you!

----

In exactly 10 minutes and 18 seconds, you are about to meet your potential fake boyfriend. As soon as the meeting was set, you brainstormed a list of good questions to ask and tried to learn more about MotorOne and automotive engineering as well as practiced potential topics to transition the conversation from professional to casual.

You got a much-needed haircut, made sure your nails were trimmed and cleaned, and even got a facial. Hours were spent curating the perfect outfit: you needed something that was professional but looked still good for a “date.” After work, you made sure to freshen yourself, fixing your hair and doing a quick touch-up, before the meeting, and just to be on the safe side, you even had a mint.

Standing in front of the restaurant, you are about to open the camera app on your phone to double-check your appearance, but before you have the opportunity to, a voice calls for your name. You turn to the direction of the sound and you see the man you invented standing in front of you.

And somehow he’s even more gorgeous in person.

His honey brown hair is impeccably styled, almost as if he's meeting someone for a date, not a chat about transiting a career to automotive engineering. He’s wearing a bright blue sweater layered over a pristine white collar shirt, paired elegantly with black trousers and clean white sneakers. A sleek black leather backpack and smart watch completes his ensemble.

When he makes eye contact with you, his shoulders relax slightly, and a dimpled smile forms on his lips, causing you to almost fall in love with him instantly.

“I’m Taerae,” he greets you warmly, extending his hand for a handshake.

You don’t respond immediately, causing a flicker of concern to cross his face.

“Sorry, maybe I got –”

“No, you have the right person,” you quickly interject, accepting his handshake. “You’re looking for [y/n], right?”

A small smile returns to his face. “Yes, that’s right. Thank you so much for coming and I hope I didn’t keep you waiting. I was about to message you that I just arrived.”

“Oh, no, I just arrived too,” you assure.

He gives you a nod and the two of you head to the host stand.

“Hi there, I have a reservation for two under Kim Taerae at around 6PM,” he says.

The hostess swiftly checks for the reservation list on her tablet. “Ah, yes, Mr. Kim. Follow me right this way, please.”

As you step into the restaurant, a serene ambiance instantly envelops you. The decor is a seamless fusion of modern elegance and traditional Japanese aesthetics: dark wooden accents, carefully crafted screens, and bamboo motifs. Delicate art pieces, thoughtfully placed, enhance the overall elegance.

You pass by a mesmerizing sushi bar with fresh seafood on display and chefs crafting delectable dishes with elegance, their nimble hands expertly creating masterpieces. The sounds of conversation and occasional clink of porcelain diminishes as soon as you arrive at a small private room.

The two of you take your seats and the hostess hands you your menus before returning with two cups of hot Gyokuro green tea. She lets you know to press the button on the side of the table when you are ready to order or if you need anything else.

“Oh, wow, I didn’t know that restaurants have private rooms for two – and this one has buttons to request service,” you remark with a hint of amazement after the hostess leaves the room. “I thought you’d need a party of six at least.”

“Unami Heights doesn't usually offer private rooms for two,” he explains, “but the company I work for frequently hosts client meetings here and because of the money spent, the restaurant graciously allows us to use the private rooms, even for just two people.”

“Ah, right, you work at MotorOne,” you acknowledge. “Makes sense since they’re number one in the automotive industry in Asia. Why’d you choose them? Is it fun working for such a prestigious company?”

He chuckles softly, raising an eyebrow playfully. “Already asking me questions and I haven’t even taken a sip of my tea?”

His comment causes a brief panic, thinking you might have been too eager, but he quickly flashes a reassuring smile.

“I was just teasing. Ask away. That’s why you came to meet me, right?”

“Um, yeah,” you stammer nervously, “but, I'd like to know to get you more personally. Building genuine relationships is important to me.” Thank goodness he can't see your legs shaking.

"You're right," he replies, a subtle smile on now his lips. He takes a sip of his tea before answering your questions.

“Well, I got a few job offers abroad, but wanted to stay in the country to be close to my family. Of all local options, I thought MotorOne would be the best one since they’re pretty much known everywhere in the automotive industry. The management kind of sucks and they have a tendency to overwork you, but the compensation, bonuses, and benefits are good. Does that answer your questions personally and professionally?”

“Yeah, it does,” you respond, stifling a soft snicker, “and I appreciate your honesty.”

He grins. “What about you?” he then asks. “Why’d you move to Seoul?”

“It was the furthest city I could be away from my parents,” you reply, half-joking. “I mean I love them for sure, but sometimes they’re – uh – a little much.”

“Yeah?”

“I guess it could be worse, but my mom loves arranging blind dates for me,” you admit. There’s a bit of weariness in your voice.

“Blind dates set up by parents are the worst,” he comments.

“Well, she stopped doing that approximately 4 days, 19 hours, and 50 minutes ago,” you smile, your tone is now more lively.

He does his best to suppress a laugh, but fails miserably. “It’s so bad that you kept track of the minute?”

“I've been going on one blind date every week ever since I settled into my full-time job,” you sigh loudly. “If I miss a week and wasn’t seen anybody, I have to make it up later.” Your shoulders slump. “And I paid at least a quarter of them to lie to my mom that we went for the full hour.”

“Oh, wow,” he sympathizes, “and I thought I had it bad. I have to go to one every month. How’d you get her to stop?”

“Easy, I told her I have a boyfriend.”

“You have a boyfriend?” His tone is filled with surprise.

“Yeah, his name is Taerae.”

“Taerae?”

“Yes, Tae –”

You abruptly stop as the realization of what you just said sinks in. It’s quiet for a few moments before you make a horrible effort to salvage the conversation.

“Okay, so I might have lie to her,” you reveal, “but it’s not a lie if it becomes the truth.” Your fist gently slams the table. “I will have a boyfriend! Or at least a fake one!”

The last bit slips out by accident. His eyebrows furrow, growing confused. He opens his mouth for a second, but no words come out.

With all the courage you had left in your lifetime, you get up from your seat and walk towards him. You let out a loud exhale before lowering your knees to the ground and clasping your hands.

“Kim Taerae. A brilliant engineer from Seoul University, you are my only hope in escaping thy hell my mother calls blind dates. Can you please please play along and pretend to be my boyfriend for a bit?” you beg. Your voice is laced with desperation and you put on your best puppy eyes.

Unfortunately, you only hear lingering silence. He blinks a few times, making sure he isn’t hallucinating or misunderstanding the situation. Just when you’re about to speak, he quickly interjects.

“Was this meeting a guise to ask me to be your...fake..boyfriend? You’re not really interested in becoming an automotive engineer?”

You shake your head, feeling a pang of guilt for misleading him.

“Well, I didn’t plan to be this direct and bring this up so early on in our conversation,” you confess as you scratch your head, gaze on the ground. “But you’re right. It was awful of me to do and I’m sorry for deceiving you. Really.”

The despair in your voice becomes increasingly evident. “Honestly, I wasn’t thinking at all. Actually, my brain doesn’t even really work half the time so if you could just forget everything I did and give me five minutes to crawl out of this room –”

“How long do you need a boyfriend for?” he interrupts. “...fake boyfriend.”

“Wait? You’re going to do it?”

He nods, accepting your request as if you just offered him a cup of coffee or tea. “I’m not a fan of blind dates either.”

“Oh, um, okay,” you say, feeling surprised, as you get up. “That..that was easier than I thought.”

“So, how’d you want to go on about this?”

“Um, I think the typical protocol of fake dating is setting some ground rules,” you state. “At least that’s what I’ve seen in movies.”

“Do you have a paper and a pen on hand?” he then asks.

"Right, let me grab my notebook and pen first." You walk back to your seat and reach into your bag to retrieve the said items, ready to jot down the rules you were about to discuss as Taerae brings his chair next to you. “Uh, I think in the movies, there’s always a rule to not fall in love with each other.”

“But don’t they always end up dating for real?”

“Should I not write that down then?”

“Let’s just put it in for fun. I think it’s just a fiction thing.”

“Okay, noted,” you say as you write the goal and the first rule with an asterisk at the end. “Anything else?”

“We probably should set some time and go on dates to get to know each other so it’s more believable,” he suggests.

“What days work best for you?”

“I prefer Fridays or weekends, but I’m flexible.”

“I think that works for me too,” you nod. “Should we exchange numbers to coordinate?”

Taerae’s eyes widen, not speaking for at least full 20 seconds.

“Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean to cross the line, we can just use Linkedin to communicate,” you apologize, panic seizing your words.

His gaze averts away, a faint blush dusting his cheeks, as he hands you his phone. “It’d kind of weird if we’re supposedly dating and not have each other’s number.”

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

You nod as your fingers gently brush against his to take his phone. His hands are quite warm and soft. Quickly, you enter your number before returning his device. A notification pops up on your phone no more than a minute later.

+02-XXX-XXXX: It’s Taerae :)

“Got it,” you announce with a hint of a smile. “And sorry again for earlier. If I ever overstep your boundaries, please let me know.”

He mirrors your expression. “Likewise. And speaking of boundaries, is there anything you’re uncomfortable with?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, some people don’t like some petnames or might be uncomfortable with certain types of PDA," he answers.

Half a minute passes before you respond. “Nothing comes to mind for petnames, but as for PDA…”

You trail off, fingers fidgeting nervously as you hesitate to continue. Your voice lowers as you feel your palms begin to swear. “I’m not sure what I’m uncomfortable with for PDA because, um..”

“It’s okay,” he assures. “Take you time.”

“...I’ve only held hands and hugged someone at the end of a date,” you manage to utter, “but..but I’ve never kissed someone like..romantically?”

The room suddenly feels hot. You brace yourself for at least a slight judgment response, or at least look, from him, but he appears nonchalant.

“Let’s just stick to hand-holding for now.”

Your fist meets the table once more. “No! No’s one going to take us dating seriously if we don’t kiss!” you protest.

He gives you the same look he did a couple minutes ago. At this rate, he’s going to ask to break up with you before you even start fake dating.

“..but, uh, if you don’t want to kiss me…” you begin to mutter, eyes looking away.

“I don't mind,” he interrupts. How is he saying that so casually? “But if you’re ever uncomfortable, just let me know.”

“Thanks,” you express quietly. “When do you want this to end? My mom said she wants to meet you whenever you’re free, so I don’t have a specific date yet.”

“I don’t have a particular date on my end either."

“Do you want me to meet your family too?” you then ask.

“Oh, uh, sure, if you’re comfortable?” He shifts slightly, his eyes briefly dart away.

“Well, it’s only fair. Plus, I’m more than happy to get you out of blind dates," you casually say as you write the last “rule” in your notebook. You then hand it to him to make sure you’re on the same page.

[y/n] and Taerae’s Fake Dating Contract Goal: No more blind dates for [y/n] and Taerae!!! WE WANT FREEDOM!!!! End Date: TBD Rules: - Don’t fall in love.* - Spend time together when possible. - Go on dates. - Hold hands. - Call each other cute petnames. - Practice PDA. - Meet each other’s family at some point.

Almost immediately, he covers his mouth, attempting to muffle a laugh, when he reads the goal. As he reads through the rules, he tries to maintain a calm facade, but the brightness of his eyes fail him and he struggles to stifle his growing smile.

“Did you have a particular petname in mind?” he inquires, his eyes now softly meeting yours.

“Um, I actually don’t know,” you answer, scratching your head. “Maybe not ‘dear’ or 'kiddo' because that’s what my parents call me.”

“What about ‘darling’ or ‘love’?” he suggests. The way he says those words alone sparks a gentle tug in your heart.

“I like both.”

“I’ll call you both then. What do you want to call me?”

Your mind draws a blank at his question,. “Um, I’m not sure...," you stammer. "Sorry."

“It’s okay, we only started dating,” he responds in a lighthearted manner, a playful glint in his eye. “We’ll figure something out as we spend more time together.”

He goes back to reading the rest of the page.

“Thanks again for writing the last rule.”

“No worries,” you reply. “When we ‘break’ up, we’d be off the hook for blind dates..at least for a bit.”

He bites his cheek, a subtle wince crossing his face, before quickly forcing a smile. Worried that you said something wrong again, you hastily interject, "Is there anything else you’d like to add?”

“Just a couple more things,” he states as he scribbles down two more rules. “Are these okay?” he queries as he shows it to you.

- Matching outfits on planned dates. - If both parties agree, rules can be added, removed, or changed :)

“Yeah, I’m okay with that,” you agree as you sign below the rules before handing the notebook and pen, allowing him to finalize the contract.

The moment he hands your notebook back, you hear a light knock on the door before the server enters the room. “Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to check if you were ready to order or had any questions.”

“Ah, sorry about that,” he apologizes. “We were just finalizing the details of our contract. We’ll be taking a look at the menu now.”

----

The two of you easily engage in conversation while relishing on some delectable dishes. He feels more like an old friend, rather than a stranger you deceived on Linkedin.

“What are your favorite foods?” you ask.

“Mm, probably meat. I like steak the best personally,” he answers as he picks up a piece of bluefin tuna sashimi from his plate. The way he holds his chopsticks catches your attention momentarily – it’s as endearing as a puppy struggling to hold a new toy. It should be illegal for a man his age to be this cute.

Eventually, the conversation transits to your backgrounds and upbringings. He grew up in Cheonan and developed an interest in cars when he was young, which is why he decided to become an automotive engineer. Though at some point, he was contemplating on becoming an idol since he really enjoyed being part of the band and won a lot of singing competitions when he was in high school. He stills sings, mostly when he goes karoking with his friends, and plays the guitar from time to time.

“Oh, that’s why your voice is so nice,” you comment.

A genuine smile forms on his face before he lets out a soft snicker. “Thank you.”

He then gives you a warm look.

“I could see you picking the last name ‘Kim’ for your, um, “boyfriend” since it’s so common, but why Taerae?” he asks. “It’s such a rare name.”

“My mind blanked out when my mom asked for my boyfriend’s name,” you answer with a sheepish smile, “and for some reason the poster of TEMPEST’s Kim Taerae in my room was the first thing I saw when I was trying to think of names.”

He covers his mouth, trying to suppress his laughter, but the heartwarming sound still reaches your ear.

Minus the initial mishap and having to give him a more in-depth explanation of how you got into this situation, a fantastic first date so far. Correction: a fantastic fake first date so far.

----

“Thank you for tonight..and for paying for both of us,” you express as the two of you make your way to the subway station. “Though I think I should have paid for dinner tonight. I’m the one who initiated the meeting and coerced you into being my fake boyfriend.”

“I was the one who picked the restaurant, so I thought it made more sense that I paid,” he replies, “and I wouldn’t say that you coerced me to be your fake boyfriend. I’m pretty sure I was a willing participant.”

“…And you don’t have to walk me to the station. It’s late and isn’t the MotorOne headquarters parking lot the other direction?”

“It’s part of my boyfriend's duties to make sure you get home safely. Plus, it makes it more convincing, no?”

He does have a point.

“Okay, well, at least let me pay for our next date,” you declare loudly as you feel your cheeks getting warm, betraying your attempt at nonchalance.

“Whatever you want,” he readily agrees. “Does next Friday at 6PM work for you as well?”

You turn to face him, about to confirm verbally, but as you do, the sight of a Lego man wearing a shark suit dangling from his backpack distracts you.

“You alright?” he inquires, a bit concern by your sudden silence.

“Oh, yeah,” you respond. “I was just staring at your keychain a little too intently. It's cute. Might have seen someone else have on their backpack a few years ago.”

A slight smirk forms on his face. “Well, looks like we’ve arrived at the station. Text me when you get home safely.”

You nod. “I will. Thank you again. I had a really good time tonight.”

“Me too," he says, looking at you softly for a few seconds. There's a certain depth in his look, an affectionate warmth that leaves you wondering if there might be something more behind it. “Have a good night, darling.”

Despite the endearment term being discussed earlier, you found yourself momentarily speechless.

“Good night.” you manage to stammer back, waving at him before you enter the station.

When you’re inside, you can’t help but let out the largest grin on your face. A few confused and concerned looks pass by your way. Though your dignity has taken a huge hit (not that you had much), at least you got a fake boyfriend so you’ll be off the hook for blind dates for a while.

Overall, mission failed successfully.

part three

A bouquet of pink roses and baby’s breath, elegantly wrapped in light pink wrapping and a white silk ribbon, sits at your desk this Friday morning. There’s a small note that catches your eye:

Can’t wait for our date tonight at six. A vase should be delivered this afternoon :)

Reading those words, a flutter of excitement bubbles within you. You wonder what kind of a date you’ll have tonight, but a sudden familiar voice interrupts you before you even had a chance to think.

“Are they cute?”

You turn to see Hanbin, who happens to be your desk mate, cheekily grinning at you as he reads the note over your shoulder. He’s a little nosy, but still somehow lovable.

“Who?” you ask, pretending to be clueless.

“The one who gave you flowers.”

“I think he’s pretty cute.”

His grin grows larger. “Oh? You got a boyfriend? How long have you been dating?”

“Just recently.”

“Cool. How is he?”

You take a moment to think as you login to your desktop. “He’s nice.”

“Just nice?” he presses further. “What can he work on?”

“Are you my boyfriend’s wingman or something?”

“I can be. What’s his name?”

You dodge his question. “It’s 9:04 – shouldn’t you be at a meeting now?”

“Ah shit, you’re right,” he says a little too loud as he hastily grabs his laptop.

Before pulling out your phone to message Taerae, your eyes quickly scan your surroundings to ensure your noisy colleague was out of sight.

you: [image attachment of bouquet] you: thank u for the flowers. they’re so pretty 🥰 you: baby’s breath’s are my favourite 😊 you: really excited for our date btw i wish he was real 💔: no problem i wish he was real 💔: u said ur grandpa used to give u baby’s breath on ur birthday every year since u were 5 i wish he was real 💔: it started when the two of u walked by a shop selling flowers in a subway station and u mention it caught ur eye because it looked like clouds. you: aww, u remembered 🥹 i wish he was real 💔: ofc i do 😚 i wish he was real 💔: i need to head to a meeting now 😢 i wish he was real 💔: ill see u soon 💕

“Aww, you guys are adorable,” an unexpected voice coos in from behind.

Instinctively, you shut off your phone and turn your right to see Hanbin reaching for his laptop charger.

“My laptop’s battery was low,” he smirks. “Talk to you soon.”

Luckily, your colleague wasn’t able to get more information about your love life. There was barely a minute or two where the two of you would be at your desks at the same time (and you’d ignored his questions unless they were work-related) and you ran off during lunch. When it was close to the end of the work day, your manager was at his desk, asking him some questions which granted an opportunity for you to escape.

You gear up to head to your designated meeting spot: the front of Serendipity Sips, a quaint cafe conveniently nestled between your workplace and his. Occasionally, during your coffee break, you'd go there with your work best friend, Dayeon, who often accompanied you to get a drink or a treat, sometimes both.

As you step out of the Jelly Insurances building, also known as your personal hell where you exchange your services for currency, a wave of surprise washes over at the sight of your fake boyfriend standing there. Just as planned from before, the two of you are wearing an argyle brown cardigan, a white t-shirt (though Taerae’s had some red graphic design on his), black bottoms, and black shoes.

He flashes the exact same charming smile he gave you the first time you met and waves with both hands in your direction, calling for your name a little more sweetly this time. You quickly make your way towards him, waving back at him.

“Hey,” you smile. “You’re quite early – it’s still around an hour before we’re supposed to meet up.”

“I could do the same thing for you,” he grins, checking his watch briefly. “Work wrapped up a lot earlier than expected so I figured I might as well pick you up.”

“I appreciate your thoughtfulness,” you chuckle. “Shall we head out now?”

He nods as the two of you begin walking to your destination.

“So, where are we going today, Mr. Kim?” you ask in a teasing manner. “Another restaurant that might make my wallet cry?”

He softly snickers. “It’s a pojangmacha I frequently ate when I was in university and first started working. Though I still come there at least once a week.”

“It must be really good then,” you comment. “And thank you for being considerate to my wallet.”

He lets out a nervous laugh. “Sorry about that.”

“I’m just kidding,” you tease. “What’s your favorite thing to get there?”

“Everything there is good,” he answers, “but you definitely need to get the holy trinity: tteokbokki, gimbap, and fishcakes!”

His enthusiasm is infectious, and your smile transforms into a grin. The two of you continue to converse, and before you knew it, the two of you arrived at your destination. Immediately, you're greeted by a friendly old lady.

“Oh, hi Taerae! It’s so nice to see you again!” she exclaims with an enthusiastic tone.

He nods and smiles. “It’s lovely to see you too, Mrs. Sung.”

Turning to you, she then asks, “I don’t think I’ve seen you before. What’s your name, dear?”

“My name’s [y/n],” you reply, offering a polite smile. “Nice to meet –”

“Ah [y/n]!” she interjects abruptly. “Is it that same [y/n] that our Taerae –?”

He clears his throat, which draws both your attention. There’s a faint reddish tint on his cheeks, but you’re not sure if it’s because of the warm, amber-hued lighting coming from the tent. The elderly lady seems to grasp an unspoken thought. “Sorry, I'm getting old. Getting mixed up with too many things.”

“Don’t be sorry – everyone forgets from time to time,” you reassure.

She smiles. “Anyways, what can I get for both of you?”

----

As soon as you finish placing your orders, you find a vacant spot to sit. Though it doesn’t take long before your plates of steaming tteokbokki, neatly rolled kimbap, and skewered fish cakes as well as your drinks arrive. The fragment aroma easily fills the air around, making your stomach growl.

“This looks amazing!” you exclaim, your eyes lighting up at the sight of the delicious spread.

He grins as he hands you a pair of disposable chopsticks and napkins. “It’s better than it looks. Help yourself.”

You happily grab some tteokbokki onto your plate and just when you were about to do the same for Taerae’s plate, you saw him effortlessly flicking the tab of his soda can in a swift, clean motion with one hand. Your jaw drops in astonishment at his skilled maneuver, which makes him chuckle.

“Want me to do yours?” he offers, noticing your amazed expression.

You nod, still somewhat impressed by his dexterity. “Sure, if you don’t mind.”

He leans over slightly and takes your unopened soda can. With the same deftness as before, he smoothly flips the tab open and gives it back to you with a smile. “Opened by yours truly.”

“Thank you,” you stifle a laugh. “You should show me how to do that sometime.”

“Maybe next date?”

----

After a satisfying meal, the two of you venture to a nearby coin karaoke place. Taerae’s eyes light up when he comes across a familiar song as you look through the song selection on the screen.

“Oh, this is one of my favorite songs!” he exclaims, pointing to the words ‘10 Reasons to Love You’ by Lee Seok Hoon. “May I sing it to you?” he then asks, his smile carrying an irresistible charm.

You smile and nod, unable to decline. A couple moments after he selects the song on the screen, instrumental music begins to play and he quickly settles into the moment. He starts to sing and his voice easily fills the booth, perhaps the entire establishment.

Each note carries a warmth that lingers in the air, his tone soft yet resonant. Each word seems to be sung from his heart, filled with sincerity. Each time he looks at you, his eyes are filled with adoration as if you were the only one in his eyes.

The song finishes too soon for your liking but you still cheer loudly and burst into applause, clapping and shouting a little too loudly and enthusiastically that anyone within a 100-meter distance can hear you. Taerae’s expression morphs into a bashful yet pleased one. A soft pink tinge paints his cheeks, visible by the light coming from the screen. His gaze lowers to the ground and his hand instinctively moves to the back of his head.

“Taerae..that was seriously amazing!” you compliment, hands covering your mouth from shock. “I can listen to you all day! If you were a singer, I’d buy all your albums and collect all all your photocards, seriously!”

The blush on his cheeks turns a deeper hue of pink when he hears your words. “Would you like me to sing more for you?” His words come out shyly.

“It’d be an honor,” you reply just before looking at the list of songs once more.

–--

It was quite fun singing with your fake boyfriend. Correction: it was fun admiring and listening to your fake boyfriend sing. You did join him for duets and tried to sing a solo, which you almost didn’t finish, but the sheer happiness on Taerae’s face was worth having your dignity reached the negatives. The evening breeze fails to cool your hot cheeks as the two make your way out.

“I really like your voice and smile,” he compliments.

“Haha, you're so fun–” you begin to snicker, embarrassment going away, but an object from a nearby crane machine captures your attention. Inside, there was a yellow duck stuffed toy with a small beak and large pink cheeks adorned with a white ribbon around its neck that reminds you of the person standing next to you. Just like him, you’re unable to resist its adorable charm.

“Did something from the machine catch your eye?” he inquires with a casual grin. “Is it the duck?”

“Yeah, but maybe another time.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get it in one try,” he states with confidence. Maybe a little too much.

One try becomes two and two tries easily becomes four. You try not to laugh as he repeatedly tries and fails, occasionally swearing between each attempt. He sighs exasperatedly.

Seeing him mope, you can’t help but reach out and gently take his hand in yours. You begin to rub his hand to try to comfort him. The touch easily brightens his mood, causing him to flash a dimpled smile and to squeeze your hand.

“Can I try one more time?” he softly asks.

“Of course,” you reply.

Taerae reluctantly lets go of your hand and he turns his attention back to the crane machine. Once again, he inserts three 1,000 won bills into the machine. His back straightens up a bit and his gaze fixates on the toy. Using his fingers, he carefully moves the joystick to hover over the toy and scans the side and front of the glass enclosure, adjusting the position of the claw. When he feels satisfied with the alignment, he presses the red button.

Watching the claw descend, you feel a pang of nervousness, knowing that your fake boyfriend always managed to grab the toy but it always fell within a few seconds. The claw manages to keep its grip and you let out a loud cheer when the duck drops to the chute.

Your eyes light up as you turn to look at him, and caught up in the exhilaration, your arms envelope around him in celebration of success. Though you quickly realize your action and let go of him.

“Sorry about that!” you immediately apologize, taking a few steps back. Your eyes fall to the ground. “Just got a little too excited for you,” you admit, nervously laughing.

“It’s okay,” he reassures with a warm smile. “I would have done the same.”

He retrieves the prize from the machine and hands it to you with a gentle expression. “From yours truly.”

A grin forms on your lips as you gratefully accept the toy. You take a few moments to look at it and then him before raising the stuffie so they’re both in the same sight vision. Anyone can see they’re identical.

“Duckie,” you let out, finding the perfect nickname for your fake boyfriend. “Can I call you duckie?”

He nods, letting out a billion-dollar smile.

part four

The midweek fatigue settles in, and with a giant pile of work to be done before the end of the week, you need a quick pick-me up. As usual, Dayeon accompanies you during your coffee breaks and the two of you find yourselves waiting in line at Serendipity Sips. You take a quick peek at the display case, but a familiar figure catches your eye.

It’s your fake boyfriend.

Unlike the two previous times you’ve met up, he’s wearing glasses. Today, his attire consists of a white collar shirt adorned and a sleek black tie with gray trousers. He has a cream-color cable-knit vest with a distinctive black and blue striped neckline over the shirt and sneakers that matched the same shade of blue as the detailing on his vest, pulling the outfit together nicely.

At the moment, he’s engrossed in his phone, vigorously replying to some messages. His brows are furrowed and his lips are slightly pursed. You should call the police: a man his age cannot be this adorable and endearing, at least not while being productive.

“Excuse me, sir,” your friend says as she pokes him on the shoulder. He turns and looks at your friend briefly before his gaze effortlessly finds you. A warm smile forms on his lips as soon as your eyes meet. “Oh, I guess you like my friend too. I was about to set the two of you up on a date.”

He softly snickers. “That’s good to hear,” he remarks as he looks at Dayeon. “We’re dating.” He then puts his hand out for a handshake. “My name’s Taerae by the way.”

Her jaw drops slightly, and her eyes widen in surprise. For a minute, she stands there speechless before returning the handshake. She then turns to you with a confused look. “He’s your boyfriend? Why didn’t you say ‘hi’ to him? Did you not recognize him?”

It takes a few moments before you to think of a mediocre response. “I, uh, it’s work hours and I need to remain professional,” you stammer, “a..and he looked busy!”

“Never too busy for you, love,” he quips.

“Yeah, [y/n], he’s never too busy for you,” she says in a mock tone as the three of you move to the front of the line.

“Hi there, what can I get for you today?” the employee asks.

“Just a large iced latte to go and whatever the two of them want,” he states, motioning towards you and your friend.

You’re about to politely decline, but before you can, Dayeon eagerly responds, “I’ll have a regular iced americano to go.”

A disapproving glance is directed at your friend, but she ignores you. Taerae then looks to you, awaiting for your order. “Just regular green tea to go,” you hesitantly reply.

“Did you want a pastry as well?” he asks you. “I saw you were eyeing some as well.”

“No, it’s –”

“Could we get a slice of strawberry shortcake as well in a box?” he requests.

The cafe worker nods. “So, one large iced latte, one regular iced americano, one regular green tea, and a slice of strawberry shortcake to go,” they repeat the order. “Is that everything?”

He nods to confirm as he pulls his card to pay for the items. The orders were made quickly, and soon, you found yourself outside the cafe with Taerae while waiting for Dayeon who went to the washroom.

“Thanks again for treating us, Taerae,” you express with gratitude. “I’ll make sure to treat you next time.”

He shrugs casually. “It’s okay, don’t worry about it.”

“And thanks for picking out the strawberry shortcake,” you add. “It’s usually what I get when I come here.”

“I know.”

“You know?” you reply, slightly puzzled.

“I know that…” he begins, pausing for a moment before continuing. “I know that strawberries are your favorite – you mentioned it on the first date,” he explains, a touch of nervousness lacing his words. “So I thought you’d like it.”

“Well, I’m sure I’ll even enjoy it even more since it’s from you.” Your eyes soften and a smile graces your lips. A subtle warmth tingles on your skin.

Taerae mirrors your expression, matching the sincerity of your smile, but it then transforms to more of a bashful grin when he momentarily looks away.

Unfortunately, your intimate moment does not last long. Dayeon’s voice cuts through the atmosphere. “Sorry to interrupt, but [y/n] and I need to head back to work!”

You groan quietly at the interruption, exchanging a quick apologetic look with your fake boyfriend.

“I’ll take my leave then,” he says, still smiling warmly. “I’ll see you on Friday night then, darling.”

“Bye, duckie!” you playfully call out as you wave at him.

He can’t help but let out a wide, pleased grin once more. His eyes crinkle at the corner as he raises his free hand, waving in response to your call before you and Dayeon make your way back to your office.

“So much for remaining ‘professional,’” she remarks, a mischievous glint in her eye. “And duckie?” A soft snicker escapes her lips.

Feeling heat rush to your cheeks, your eyes instinctively drop to the ground. “Sorry, I, uh –” you stammer.

“It’s okay,” she immediately reassures. “You two are so cute together. I’ll give it a pass.”

Happiness wells up in your chest, prompting you to meet your friend’s eyes with a hopeful expression. “You really think so?”

part five

As your relationship continues to evolve in the following weeks, the amount of time you spent with Taerae surged. You went on at least one planned date per week and would often meet up after work or on the weekends. Visiting cafes or restaurants and strolls in different neighborhoods are your go-to’s especially on the weekdays though sometimes you like to go to the movies in the cinema. From time to time, you’d even bring the duckie stuffie your “boyfriend” won for you on your cafe dates.

On the weekends, you often explore areas a bit outside of the city to places like Suwon, Nami Island, and Everland, spending most of the day together. Admittedly, your favorite part of your weekend dates are car rides with Taerae. He always makes sure that your journey is enjoyable. There’s always a stash of snacks and drinks in his car and he always lets you play your music, often singing along to the lyrics.

At the end of each date, the two of you would share a hug and as soon as you felt comfortable, he started giving you kisses on the forehead or the cheek (sometimes both) before saying goodbye for the night. It was crazy to think you dreaded going on weekly dates before. Now, they were the highlight of your week.

While you cherish the dates, it was the small things that brought you the most joy. Your little duckie always sends you good morning and good night texts, accompanied by sweet voice recordings that never fail to make your heart flutter. In addition, he regularly shares glimpses of his day through pictures. Your favorite one so far was a selfie of him shoving Pringles in his mouth in the middle of the work day.

Occasionally, when you couldn’t meet up outside of your weekly date, you’d video-call each other for an hour or two at some point in the day, often multi-tasking. Though there was a time a call lasted almost five hours and another where you found yourselves unintentionally staying up till two thirty in the morning.

It was in these moments you’d forget that you were in a fake relationship.

Saturday, which became your dedicated weekend date day with Taerae, took a different turn this week. Instead of your usual outing, you were having a movie night with Dayeon at your place. Though unfortunately, while shopping at Lotte Mart for some snacks and drinks., you get a text from your friend that a last-minute family emergency came up and she wouldn’t be able to go.

the best person in jelly insurances: IM SOOO SORRY but my parents just called and said my grandma had to be rushed to the hospital and im literally running there the best person in jelly insurances: ok not running. just booked a train back home last minute and am trying to pack you: hey dont apologize :( family always comes 1st you: hope ur grandma will be ok. take as much time as u need you: we just can reschedule another time if u want 😀 the best person in jelly insurances: ask ur boyfie to join u instead!!!

You start typing your reply with one hand, about to text her not to worry about you, but accidentally bump into someone while in the midst of doing so.

“Oh my god, I’m so sor–” you begin to apologize, but stop when you realize who it was.

“Oh, hello darling,” Taerae greets. He looks away from you, scratching his head with a touch of embarrassment. “I didn’t expect to see you here. Otherwise, I would.. — never mind.”

“You look cute,” you blurt out as your eyes scan his outfit. He’s wearing his glasses today along with a pink cap, a cozy gray hoodie, white and black two-toned sweats, and the most vibrant red sneakers your eyes ever laid on. For a moment, you ponder how you did not see him considering how eye catching his outfit is.

“And we’re kind of matching today too,” you then add, pointing to the almost identical shade of gray hoodie you're wearing. “I should get matching sweatpants with you soon.”

Your "boyfriend," no longer feeling embarrassed, looks at you warmly. “When’s your movie night with Dayeon supposed to start?” he gently asks.

“Oh, uh,” you falter. “Dayeon had to attend a last family minute emergency, so I think I’ll be alone tonight.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he responds, genuine concern in his eyes and voice. “I hope everything will be okay.”

“I’m sure it will be,” you nod. “Anyways, do you have any plans tonight?”

“Going to play video games by myself at home after I stock up on ramen — it’s on sale,” he states. Besides a large bottle of diet coke, the red shopping basket he’s holding is filled with packets of Shin Ramyun. “D-did you want some? I think I just got the last packs.”

You laugh. “It’s okay, they’re yours – but thank you for the offer.”

A brief silence hangs in the air, and then, sensing Taerae's hesitation, you wait for him to speak. His expression now shifts to a shy smile. “Um, would it be okay if I keep you company while you shop?”

“Of course, duckie,” you reply affectionately, “and if you want, you can join me for movie night too.” The invitation slips out without much thought.

“I’d love to!” he beams, his eyes reflecting a spark of excitement at the unexpected offer. “Let me get a shopping cart first, then. I won't be long.”

Before you get a chance to say anything, he’s already making his way, his eagerness evident in his swift and purposeful movements. Witnessing the sight of his enthusiasm and thought of doing domestic tasks with him stirs a unique sensation within you.

----

“Thanks so much for helping with the groceries,” you express as you both enter your place, “and for paying as well. You know, you didn’t have to.”

“I know, I wanted to,” he replies with a gentle smile.

You mirror his expression. How does he always know the right thing to say? But then your smile disappears when you unlock your door. Your apartment doesn’t look like a tornado ran over it twice, but it’s not exactly guest-ready either.

“I’m so sorry for the mess – I was going to clean it after I went shopping,” you immediately apologize.

“It’s alright,” he reassures as he removes his cap and slips on the extra pair of slippers you reserve for guests. “Do you want me to help you?”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to.”

“I know. I want to.”

“But –”

“Please?” he pleads, pouting in a way that’s cuter than any puppy in the world. This is even more powerful than the time he asked if he could sing to you.

“Okay,” you concede, unable to resist, “but you can change your mind anytime.”

He nods before the two of you begin to work together to put away groceries. Following that, Taerae takes charge in the kitchen, boiling the water for ramen and frying some dumplings and marinated bulgogi. On the other hand, you focus on tidying up the living room, rearranging a few things to create a cozy space for your impromptu dinner and movie night at home before joining him in the kitchen.

While washing your hands, you realize how perfectly Taerae fits in your space. It’s as if he belongs here and you get the same sensation you felt while shopping. Except this time, it’s a little stronger.

At this point, there isn’t much left to do since the dumplings and meat are almost cooked and the water is boiling. Deciding to at least contribute, you wash and cut the spring onions.

“Spring onions are ready,” you say.

“Thank you,” he expresses. “You’re just in time to see something cool.”

“Oh?”

“Watch this,” he says with a mischievous glint. He proceeds to grab two eggs from the carton and somehow cracks both eggs simultaneously with one hand, and to add to your amazement, not a single shell found its way into the pot.

“Woah, where’d you learn that?” you inquire, surprise your voice.

“I learned it on TikTok,” he replies, playfully winking at you. “I can show you later if you want.”

“Sure,” you nod, trying to ignore the heat in your cheeks and the increased pace of your heart. “Let me get the side dishes then,” you add trying to steady your nerves.

After finishing cooking and plating, the two of you work together to set up the food on the coffee table.

“It’s not half as good as the theaters we've been to, but it’ll make do,” you comment when both of you are sitting on the floor.

“What do you mean?” he counters just before you press play on your laptop. “It’s with you, so it’s perfect.”

----

Around halfway through the first movie, after the two of you finished eating, you notice that Taerae keeps glancing at your shoulder. Knowing what he wanted, you lightly pat your shoulder twice, silently inviting him. He’s hesitant at first, but then slowly leans in and gently rests his head on your shoulder before a content sigh escapes his lips. The warmth of the moment envelops you into a delightful sensation that you don’t want to end.

Time seems to pass by in the blur as the two of you find yourselves seamlessly transitioning to a cozy cuddling session on the couch during the second movie. Your back comfortably rests against his chest, feeling the rhythmic rise and fall as he breathes, while your head finds a soft spot on one of his arms. His free arm gently wraps your waist and one of his legs carefully drapes over yours. The delight you've been feeling throughout the night in your chest continues to grow.

Soon, the ending credits roll, and you turn your head to face him, about to ask him if he’d like to watch another movie. Perhaps another romantic one, maybe a fake dating story where the two leads end up together. They always do, no?

However, your words catch in your throat when you realize just how close your face is to his. It's a moment of revelation as you notice the fullness of his lips, a detail you hadn't properly appreciated before. Now, you can't help but wonder what they feel like pressed against yours.

The two of you exchange a lingering gaze, a silent yearning reflecting in your eyes. You decide to take initiative.

“D..did you…want to ki-” you begin, but before you could finish your sentence, the sound of the doorbell interrupts you. Startled, you push yourself away from Taerae, causing you to fall off the couch.

His eyes are filled with panic and worry and he immediately asks if you’re okay, to which you nod. Begrudgingly, you answer the door, only to find out that the delivery driver confused your place with one of your neighbors as your “boyfriend” gets a gel ice pack from your freezer.

You slam the door and make your way to the kitchen. A caring boyfriend stands there, holding a gel ice pack wrapped in a clean towel for you. Taking the ice pack from him, you make an effort not to let your frustration show and instead quietly appreciate his actions as you place the ice pack on your head.

“Thanks,” you manage to mutter after a few minutes of silence.

“Does it hurt anywhere?” he asks, concern in his face.

“My head just hurts a bit,” you reply. “Nothing too serious.”

He takes a moment, his expression wavering between hesitation and a gentle smile. After a brief pause, he walks towards you. “May I kiss it better?” There’s a hint of playfulness in his voice.

“Can you?” you quip, placing the ice pack on the counter.

He nods before leaning in to press a tender kiss on your forehead. You swear a bit of happiness surges in your body each time he kisses you.

“Anywhere else?” he asks.

“My lips,” you slip out without thinking.

He looks at you for a few seconds. “I can do that. Only if you want me to.”

“Please?” There’s a hint of desperation in your voice. You lock your eyes into his, silently begging for the touch of his lips on yours. It was impossible for Taerae to refuse, not that he didn’t want to kiss you. He does. He does very much want to kiss you. For a while now.

He stops moving closer when his lips just hover yours, silently asks for your consent again. You decide to grant permission by closing your eyes and lightly pressing your lips against him. Just like his smiles, his lips are warm and soft. A tingling sensation runs through you, making you fuzzy inside.

The kiss feels nice, amazing in fact, but it’s obvious that both of you are holding back, as if you’re afraid to cross an invisible line.

But it’s too late for you: you’ve fallen in love with Kim Taerae.

part six

Four days, 15 hours, and 41 minutes have passed since the unexpected kiss with your “fake” boyfriend. And that's all you've been thinking ever since.

Most of your time was spent analyzing the gigabytes of messages from him on your phone as well as every word he’s spoken and every action he’s done. Some of it had to be real, no?

Unfortunately, the consequences of your fixation included accidentally leaving him on read multiple times and rejecting his video calls three times.

At this point, there's an entire PhD thesis dedicated to your interactions with Kim Taerae. You’ve concluded that the man, at the very least, must find you attractive; otherwise, there wasn’t a reason he’d kiss you privately. But then again, your contract technically states that you should be practicing PDA.

No, he definitely likes you -- nobody under the age of 21 kisses someone they think they're ugly, probably. Now, the only issue for you was finding the right time, place, and most importantly, the confidence to do so.

You’re giving your five brain cells a break today, hoping that an idea might come to you out of the blue. However, as you enter a Korean barbeque restaurant near your work with Dayeon and Hanbin, it seems like the world is saying Taerae must stay in your mind at all times. Your eyes immediately spot a man with million-dollar dimples. You open your mouth, about to ask your colleagues if you could eat somewhere else, but you’re too slow.

“Ah, Taeraevision!” Hanbin exclaims, his voice cutting through the conversations of other patrons, somehow reducing them to mere whispers. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” He is already on his way to the table where your fake boyfriend is sitting, with Dayeon closely behind. You hesitantly follow suit.

Taerae casually waves to the three of you, looking too adorable in his pink collar shirt. Seeing him makes you feel guilty for avoiding him and regretful for declining previous opportunities to see pixels of his beautiful face.

“Hi Hanbin!” a blonde-haired man who looks like a walking vitamin greets as the two of them proceed to fist bump each other. “Haven’t seen you in a while, man.”

“Hey Matthew, long no see,” Hanbin enthusiastically greets back.

“These are my colleagues Dayeon and [y/n],” he introduces, gesturing to Dayeon and you as he says your respective names.

“Oh, yeah, we know Taerae,” Dayeon casually remarks. “Well, I just met him once. [y/n] knows him pretty well.”

A mischievous glint lights up Hanbin's eyes. "Oh, you two are acquainted?" he asks, referring to you and Taerae.

“We’re dating, actually,” you clarify. The words just slip out.

“Ah, I see,” he smirks before looking at the other two men sitting on the table. “Did you guys order yet? We’d like to join if that’s okay.”

“Of course!” Matthew answers with enthusiasm. “This is great. I really wanted to get Combination C, but it’s meant for four to six people.”

“Wonderful!” Hanbin cheers as he takes a seat next to the human vitamin. “It’s like it was meant to be.”

Dayeon slides in next to your other colleague, leaving your only option to sit next to your fake boyfriend. You feel a mix of conflicting emotions. Part of you is genuinely happy to see him; in fact, you feel a bit of relief being in his presence already. On the other hand, the guilt felt earlier heightens and it’s even worse that he’s not showing a hint of anger towads you.

Sensing your unease, he subtly reaches under the table to hold your hand, offering a reassuring squeeze. You immediately feel much better, but there’s a lingering feeling of shame that comes with it.

After the server takes your order, your heart begins to beat faster every minute and the only reason you’re not shaking is because your “boyfriend” is still holding your hand. The two of you have spent a lot of time together and even practiced some potential questions you might be asked about your relationship, but you’re scared you’re going to mess up so bad that the time you begged him to pretend to date you would pale in comparison.

“What are you planning to do for Taerae’s birthday next week?” Hanbin casually asks.

It’s Taerae’s birthday next week? You remember that he mentioned that his birthday was in July, but he never specified the exact day.

“You don’t know Taerae’s birthday?” your deskmate gasps, surprise evident in his voice.

Oh shit. Did you accidently say that thought aloud?

You’re curious about the other two’s reactions, but before you could take a look, your “fake” boyfriend steps in.

“I didn’t mention it before,” he responds, “...and there must have been a lot in my darling’s mind recently.” His voice falters slightly, a hint of worry in his tone.

“Aww, you two are cute,” Hanbin coos, a wide grin on his face. “If you need help with anything, [y/n], just let me know.” He gives a friendly wink to you before steering the conversation to another topic.

Luckily, everything after the initial hiccup goes smoothly. The five of you just finish settling the bill and the other three excuse themselves to the washrooms, leaving you and Taerae alone for a bit.

“Thank you for earlier,” you say quietly, your voice laced with genuine gratitude, “and I’m sorry for avoiding you the past few days. I know it’s not an excuse, but there’s just been a lot of things on my mind.”

“It’s okay,” he immediately reassures. “People in relationships do forget important dates sometimes.” There’s a brief pause. “Would you like to skip our date this week? I’ll give you some space too.”

You nod. “That would be nice. Thank you.” The conversation pauses for a bit. “Let me make it up to you on your birthday then. What’s a good day for you next week to celebrate?”

“Well, I’m leaving on Thursday afternoon to see my parents, but I'm probably coming back to Seoul around Sunday afternoon.”

“Does Sunday evening work or do you prefer something earlier in the week?” you begin to ask. “Did you want to invite everyone today and a few of your other friends as well to celebrate?”

“Sunday evening works for me,” he replies. His gaze momentarily drops before he nervously clears his throat. There’s a faint blush that tinges his cheeks before he leans to your ear. “I don’t mind celebrating with others as long as you’re there, but I’d much prefer it if it was just the two of us.”

A brilliant idea suddenly pops in your head. Perhaps, you could not only celebrate his birthday, but make him your real boyfriend as well. You try to contain your excitement.

“Just the two of us sounds perfect.”

----

Later that evening, you find yourself laying on your couch, wishing your potential real boyfriend was cuddling you. You’re scrolling through Pinterest, trying to gather ideas for a cute date that would make him want to be with you for real. It takes a while, but eventually you come up with an idea using inspiration you found online and from the conversations of future dates the two of you talked about before.

It was perfect. Except, it would probably require a car and two people. Looking through your contacts, you try to find someone that was (1) not your fake boyfriend, (2) owns a car, and (3) would likely be willing to help you.

Unfortunately, there was only one person in Seoul you knew that met these requirements.

Friday, 9:00PM

you: hey hanbin, r you free next Sunday evening? barely tolerable ig: OFC! ANyTHING FOR OUR TAERAEVISION!!! barely tolerable ig: wat r u planning? who’s coming? you: oh…ummm… you: it’s just going to two of us, but maybe we can all do something together later :) you: im planning to confess to taerae and i kinda need ur help barely tolerable ig: okiee ;( u guys have fun w/o me barely tolerable ig: confess? u aren’t together?? you: like confess that I LOVE HIM! you: THAT I WANT TO BE SERIOUSLY BE WITH HIM

Shit. That was a close call.

barely tolerable ig: OHHH I SEE NOW barely tolerable ig: i can help then :) barely tolerable ig: wats ur plan and wat do u need? you: ok, so i was thinking [a bunch of redacted statements to prevent spoilers]....so i’ll need ur car and ur strength. you: do u think taerae would like it? barely tolerable ig: R U KIDDING??!!! barely tolerable ig: THAT’S SO FREAKING ADORABLE !!! 🥰 barely tolerable ig: can i be ur ring boy when u get married ??? PLZZ???

Saturday, 2:00AM

barely tolerable ig: actually, i think i wanna be the flower girl.

----

Taerae’s birthday comes too quickly. After finalizing your plans with Hanbin’s help, you sent your “boyfriend” a text a few days before the surprise, inviting him to Eurwangni Beach at 7:00PM, just around an hour and a half before the sunset.

This particular beach, typically serene and secluded, is transformed into the perfect place for your confession. The weather, cooperating beautifully, set the stage for a hopefully enchanting evening.

Now, with only around 25 minutes before the agreed-upon time, you and Hanbin took a couple minutes to admire the picturesque setup you had crafted for the special occasion.

A few large rugs in various shades of brown and white are arranged to create a canvas for the perfect set-up. On the side, there’s a sheer teepee tent adorned with fairy lights and pictures of you and Taerae or just him. Inside the tent, there’s various pillows in different light neutral colors and textures, along with a snug throw – an ideal space for comfort and relaxation.

However, the highlight is the cozy dining space you’ve created. Near the tent is a small, low birch picnic table with two pillows for seating. The table has a charming little setup that would hold two types of fondue: cheese and chocolate. Accompanying the cheese fondue are cubes of artisan breads, pretzels, apples, pears, and blanched cauliflower and broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and a few different types of sliced meat. As for the chocolate fondue, there are fresh strawberries, bananas, pineapple chunks, mini heart-shaped waffles, soft marshmallows, and cubes of moist vanilla pound cake. For drinks, you opted for apple juice and herbal tea.

Amidst the delight spread, plates, napkins, fondue forks, and other utensils are carefully arranged for easy indulgence. And to add a touch of romance, pink dried roses are scattered throughout.

“Taerae’s going to love this – though I think he’d like anything you plan,” Hanbin comments, his tone carrying a surprising level of seriousness.

Your eyes betray a subtle gleam. “You really think so?”

“I know so,” he affirms. “I’ve never seen his eyes so bright even when he won a year supply of ramen when he was in university.”

“Don’t they always sparkle?”

“Maybe just when he’s with you.”

“How do you know?”

“Just trust me,” he declares, a smirk on his face. “And depending on your rizz level tonight, he might even get on one knee when he sees this..and you, of course.”

You laugh, trying not to imagine the idea of Taerae proposing to you. “Well, thank you for your kind words and enthusiasm...and also for helping me out.”

“Of course, anything for our Taeraevision.”

You laugh. “I’ll go get ready now and then let you go.”

“Aww, I can’t watch you two tonight?” he pouts slightly.

“I’d rather not,” you tease, “but I’ll let you know how it goes.”

----

Your heart’s pounding like crazy as you wait for who you hope to be your boyfriend before the end of the night. Nervously, your fingers trace around the edges of your present. Would he like your surprise? Is it too much? Will he think you’re madly in love with him (you’re pretty sure you are) and run away?

However, these doubts disappear when you hear his voice calling for your name. You turn to the direction of the sound and see Taerae wearing all white, just like the two of you agreed upon earlier, walking towards you. For a color of pop, he has an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt in various shades of blue. His hair is styled nicely, almost like when the two of you first met, adding an extra touch of charm to this moment.

The wind gently tousles his hair and the soft light from the sun casts a warm, flattering glow on him, enhancing his already captivating presence. Even though there’s a bit of distance between the two of you, his smile alone outshines the sun itself.

“Who’s this for?” he teasingly asks upon arrival, grinning so widely that both his dimples are prominently on display.

“It’s for you, silly,” you laugh. “Is it alright?”

“More than alright,” he murmurs. “It’s perfect.”

He takes a step closer and gently envelops you. The only space between you is the gift in your hand. “I’ve missed you so much,” he whispers softly.

The unexpected gesture and words catches you off guard, causing your heart to beat faster and for you to involuntary step back. A hint of worry flashes on Taerae’s face, but it swiftly fades as soon as you wrap your arms, his present on one hand, around him.

“Sorry, I was just surprised,” you utter quietly. “You usually ask me if you could hug me beforehand.”

“Sorry, I was just too excited to see you,” he apologizes. “I’ll be more mindful next time.”

“It’s okay,” you reassure. “I don’t mind.” You can’t see his face, but you’re pretty sure he’s grinning widely.

After a few moments that felt too short, you slowly let go and take a few steps back. Now, switching to a playful tone and expression, you suggest, “Speaking of surprises, would you like to open this first?”

He nods before he happily takes your present and opens the box. “You know, you didn’t have to – just being with you is more than enough.”

“I hope it doesn’t look like a squashed chicken nugget,” you softly snicker.

“It doesn’t. Even if it did, it’s the cutest nugget I’ve seen,” he beams as he takes a closer look at it. “Where’d you get this?”

“Oh, I, uh, made it,” you reply, scratching your neck. “I know it’s not –”

“Thank you,” he gently interjects. “I love it.”

Taerae looks at you with a soft gaze, a bright sparkle that puts even the brightest stars to shame. His smile, accompanied by the crinkle of his eyes is even more radiant and infectious than the one he gave you earlier, or ever. This snapshot of him, set against the backdrop of the stunning scene, looks like one of the final scenes of a billion-dollar romance movie, sending an intense flutter to your heart.

Trying to keep your mind focused, you suggest moving on to the next activity. “Let's eat. You must be hungry from your trip.”

"Sure, sounds good."

“So, how was your trip back home?” you ask as you warm up the fondue.

"It was good. I got to see a few relatives I haven’t seen in a while and met up with some old friends and high school classmates," he replies warmly. "I wish you were there.”

“I’ll come next time then," you smile warmly.

There’s a hint of longing in his eyes. "I’m really looking forward to it."

There's a pause, as if he wants to say something more, but he stops for now. Sensing his hesitation, you redirect the conversation.

“I think everything's ready now,” you announce. “Did you want to watch a movie while we eat?”

He nods before you grab your phone. A particular movie called “Instant Love” catches both your eyes. According to the synopsis on Netflix, the plot revolves around a person who lies about a fake boyfriend to deceive their mother. Luckily, despite the statistical odds, they find someone who fits the exact description on Instagram. The man surprisingly agrees, a little too easy, and now the two must navigate the journey of fake dating and not catching feelings.

Well, that sounds a little too familiar. You just hope it ends well.

Hesitantly, you press play.

As the movie plays on screen, you and Taerae find yourself engrossed even though the movie wasn’t great, sharing bites of the food you prepared before. You pick up a strawberry and dip in chocolate before extending it playfully towards him. He meets your gaze with a sly smile, slowly leaning in to take the offer. Wanting to reciprocate your action, he grabs a piece of pineapple and extends it towards you to which you happily accept. The sweet exchange continues for a bit.

Between the shared bites, he notices a bit of chocolate lingering on the corner of your lips. A mischievous glint forms in his eye as he leans towards you and wipes away the smidge of chocolate. Your heart skips a beat or two.

“T..thanks,” you mutter shyly.

His eyes transform into a more affectionate gaze, taking a few seconds to savor the moment. A subtle smile graces his lips before he returns his focus to the movie, his fingers eventually intertwining with yours.

As the night grows colder, you decide to settle under the blanket underneath the tent, pausing the movie just before the two leads likely get together. The gentle glow from the stars above combined with the soft radiance of fairy lights, creates an intimate atmosphere. Carefully, you place your head on his arm while he puts his other arm around your waist.

Except for your to-be-boyfriend rizzing you a little too much tonight, your plan is going a little too well so far.

“Thank you for tonight, darling,” he whispers. “This is probably the best date anyone’s ever planned.”

You turn around to face him. “Of course, it’s your birthday after all.” A brief pause lingers in the air. “There’s been something on my mind, something I’ve been wanting to share with you for a bit…after the movie though.”

He nods eagerly, a spark of excitement lighting up his eyes and a wide, genuine smile spreading across his face.

The two of you once again find yourselves absorbed in the movie and it's now likely the final scene based on how much time was left. The leads were having the most luscious picnic at a beautiful garden by themselves. Maybe you can plan something half as grand as that for Taerae if he agrees to be your boyfriend for real.

When both characters finish their meal, the main lead approaches the male lead with a bouquet of his favorite flowers. Their gaze looks at him with a mixture of sincerity and affection.

“I know our relationship was supposed to be pretend, but somewhere along, I’ve developed actual feelings for you. All the moments we’ve shared, the up’s and down’s, the laughter and even the quiet moments – it just feels undeniably real.”

For a moment, they look down and take a deep breath, clearly about to express something profound. When their gaze meets the male lead’s, even a blind person could see the intensity of unspoken thoughts and emotions.

They take a pause, words slightly quivering with vulnerability. “Would…would you like to be together…for real?”

Oh wow, you were going to say the exact same line at the end of your confession.

As expected, his eyes widen and his jaw drops slightly. There’s a variety of emotions in his eyes and it looks like he’s about to confess, admitting that he feels the same and wants to be with them for real; however, to your surprise, he utters something else.

“I’m sorry, but I cannot return your feelings,” he answers, a hint of guilt in his eyes. “You’re a nice person, but fake dating you made me realize I’m actually in love with my best friend.”

Shock paints over the main lead’s face, followed by a whirlwind of emotions: disappointment, hurt, and embarrassment. Somber music plays as the male leads walk away.

Is..is this some type of cruel joke? He and his best friend were only seen on screen together for seven minutes and 32 seconds, eating lunch and playing Go. There’s still eleven minutes left! Maybe, it’s just a prank or a stunt to shock viewers.

Unfortunately, the ending credits begin rolling.

…

Someone, please call the international police because whoever directed the movie should go to jail. Confusion is a mild way of describing how you’re feeling now. Your eyes stare blankly at the screen and your jaws drop in synchronized disbelief. The final scene delivered a horrible plot twist to the story that makes any one star movie look good.

“Well, that was…quite..something,” Taerae comments, breaking the silence after a few minutes.

“Yeah,” you mumble, barely audible.

Internally, you’re frantically replaying as many interactions between the leads. The male lead typically paid for their dates, followed the sidewalk rule, remembered every detail about the other main lead, and kissed them – multiple times. He even performed the typical Kdrama male lead duties: saving the person from a burning building, paying their mother’s hospital bills, and donating one of his kidneys to the father.

Plus, it was supposed to be a romantic movie: they should always get together at the end. The unexpected ending in the movie shatters your confidence in confessing your feelings tonight and makes you rethink your interactions with Taerae. Was there a chance you might have misunderstood his intention?

“Darling, are you okay?” he calls out, a note of worry in his voice.

It takes you a few moments to respond as your mind is distracted by the million thoughts running through your head. “Sorry? Did you say something?”

“Are you okay?” he repeats.

“..Yeah, I’m okay,” you try to force a smile.

Taerae, sensing your unease, frowns slightly, but doesn’t want to pressure you if you aren't comfortable sharing. Instead, he gently pulls you closer, his chest pressed against your back, and places a soft kiss on the top of your head.

part seven

“That sucks,” Hanbin says, picking up a piece of salmon sushi, after you shared the unsuccessful outcome the night before.

“I know,” you groan, frustration evident in your voice. “Now, I don’t know if I can say it again.”

“Why not?”

You release a heavy sigh. “Well, now I have to think of another cute romantic date, no?”

He takes a thoughtful pause. “As Taerae’s self-appointed best friend, even if you told him that you love him wearing the rattiest red sweatpants you own in front of the dumpster of MotorOne building while it’s burning, I’m sure he’d think it was the most romantic thing ever,” he states confidently. “Though I wouldn’t personally recommend the dumpster as a place to confess unless you have the strong urge to, but I’m sure our Taeraevision will be happy with whatever you plan – so don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”

A comforting silence settles between the two of you before you express your gratitude for his encouragement and assistance.

“Thank you, Hanbin,” you state. “I’ll give it a shot again this week.”

----

Due to the lack of time, you weren’t able to plan something as grand as before; however, you hope it’s still sentimental enough. For tonight’s date, which happens to fall on a Friday, you decide to go to Unami Heights, where the two of you first met.

You’re not sure how tonight will exactly go, but at some point, you’ll try to naturally bring up your dating contract and say you want to make some changes. Before you hand him the contract, you’ll scratch the word “Fake” off at the top and ask him to sign it if he agrees. Hopefully, he does.

Just like the first time, Taerae calls for you. It’s a little different this time though: his voice is a lot warmer, more honey-like. You’re not strangers anymore, you’re his “darling” and he’s your “duckie.”

Immediately, you turn, ready to greet him back, but words catch your throat. He stands before you, looking more handsome than you’ve seen him before. His hair is somehow styled even better than the unsuccessful beach confession date last week. Unlike his usual self, he’s dressed entirely in black – a neat collar shirt with the first two buttons unbuttoned, sleek black trousers, and polished dress shoes. This is beyond a hot date look: he should be on the front cover of Daze Magazine.

“You, uh, look really handsome today, Tae – duckie,” you stammer. The words don’t come out smooth and you’re barely able to hold eye contact with him. A chuckle escapes your not-yet boyfriend’s lips. Let’s hope he thinks you’re at least cute (he does!).

“Just today?” he teases.

“Mmm..okay, you look handsome everyday,” you say affectionately, looking at him with adoration in your eyes, “but today, you’re extra handsome.”

Your eyes might be deceiving you, but the tips of his ears turn slightly red. Taerae looks away, biting his cheek in an attempt to suppress a broad grin, and takes a moment to compose himself.

“Shall we head in?” he then suggests.

“Oh, yes,” you nod. “I made a reservation under my name. No private room though, but it’s one of the seats where there’s a divider so there’s a bit of privacy between each table.”

He laughs, understanding your intention of recreating the first date. “Thank you, darling. I appreciate it.”

After checking in at the host stand, the two of you are guided inside. Sadly, after waiting for a bit, you are informed that the restaurant accidentally overbooked the tables with private screens between.

“I am so sorry about this,” the host profusely apologizes. “If it’s alright with you, we still have other seats available.

You feel a bit disappointed, but reluctantly agree. Maybe the two of you can go for a walk somewhere nice after dinner, like the Han River, and find a private place to talk. That’s not a bad last-minute idea – he did walk with you to the subway station so it’s still like your first date.

Hopefully, this would only be the hiccup of your night. The two of you are seated next to an older couple who seem to be on a date as well. That’s kind of cute.

Until you recognize it was your parents.

You pray that they wouldn’t notice you, but it seems it was too late as your dad makes brief eye contact with you.

“I didn’t expect to see you here, kiddo,” he chuckles. You’re pretty sure you hear a gulp coming from Taerae.

“That’s my line,” you reply, trying to sound casual. “What are you and mom doing here?”

“We’re visiting some friends in the city for the weekend, dear,” your mom explains. She then turns to look at your “boyfriend” with a smile. The top two buttons on his shirt are now secured. “Is your name Taerae by chance?”

He nods. “Yes, I’m [y/n]’s boyfriend. Pleasure to meet both of you.”

“Oh, wow, he’s even more handsome in-person!” your mom exclaims, putting a hand on her mouth. “Your Linkedin picture doesn’t do justice.”

“Thank you,” he responds, trying not to laugh. “I’m sorry I didn’t bring a gift. I didn’t know I was going to meet the two of you today.”

She chuckles. “Oh, don’t worry about that! Your presence is already a gift. Just come over when you’re free. I found a really good kimbap recipe.”

“I’d love that,” he agrees with a smile worth more than the restaurant itself.

“So, Taerae, what do you do for a living and where’d you go to school?” your dad chimes in.

“I’m working as an automobile engineer at MotorOnes and I graduated from Seoul University – top 10% of my class,” he states. It sounds rehearsed, yet it still comes across naturally.

“An automobile engineer, huh?” your dad comments. “One of my friends is a professor at Seoul university, and he once told me that he really wanted a student name Taerae as one of his master students, but that said student turned down the offer, much to the his disappointment.”

“Oh, is it Dr. Park?” Taerae clarifies. “I was in his ‘Automotive Design and Manufacturing’ class in my third year.”

“Ah, yes,” your dad nods happily for a moment before your mom scolds him.

“Tch, you knew about him and you didn’t tell me?” she scowls at her husband. “Do you know the amount of work I need to do to get these blind dates?”

Sensing the playful tension in the room, your boyfriend smiles. “Well, we’re together now, so everything worked out in the end.”

“You’re right,” your mom nods happily. “So, what made you what to ask our [y/n] out?” she inquires, looking genuinely interested.

A subtle nervousness creeps in. The two of you only discussed vaguely about your back story: you bumped into Taerae multiple times at Serendipity Sips before deciding to talk to him and eventually asking for his number. While the detailed narrative of how you both met and got together would be barely believable if told by you, it’s better than having him feel pressured.

“[y/n] actually asked me out,” he answers, and as the words leave his lips, his eyes sparkle a bit.

Your mom’s eyes widen. “Oh, really?”

“Yes, and I’m quite lucky,” he continues. “I’m not sure if [y/n] remembers, but we actually stumbled upon each other briefly before meeting again at Serendipity Sips — it’s a cafe between our workplaces.”

Oh, you suppose he’s going off-script a bit.

“I was really happy when we met again, but I felt too nervous to start a conversation. In fact, I’ve tried a few times, but always fumbled. At some point, I figured someone amazing like my darling was definitely with someone else so I was pleasantly surprised when I got asked out. I’m just happy that we’re together now.”

Almost instinctively, you look around the restaurant, expecting a camera crew to suddenly appear in front of you. Taerae’s “impromptu” story of how you met seems too authentic that you find yourself believing it momentarily. You’re not sure how the Oscars nominations work, but you’d definitely nominate his performance for one.

“Aw, that’s so cute,” your mom coos. “It reminds me of those cute-meet’s that young people talk about these days.” She softly snickers, “Maybe they’re actually real and not just on Tumblr.”

“Mom, you have a Tumblr?!”

----

The rest of the time with your parents goes smoothly. Conversation flows seamlessly and the table is filled with genuine smiles and laughter. The four of you engage in various topics, delving into discussions about work, hobbies, and even sharing a few personal stories. Anyone would be convinced your relationship was real.

Well, everything except the embellished story of how you met and that you were technically in a “fake dating contact” is true and genuine. But hopefully, things can change tonight.

“Would you like a ride home?” Taerae asks after the two of you exchanged goodbyes to your parents. “I drove to work today.”

Oh, does he not want to spend more time with you tonight? Usually, he’d ask if you wanted to do anything else before the night ended. He’s probably just feeling tired after meeting your parents – that must be it. Considering the situation, you’ll have to save your confession for another day…

“That’d be nice,” you comment before the two of you begin to walk to the MotorOne Parking Lot. “Thank you..for today and everything. I promise I didn't set up a meeting with my parents without telling you beforehand. It must have been a lot of pressure, but you were…incredible and my parents love you for sure.”

Taerae’s cheeks begin to warm up as his gaze falls on the ground. “It’s no problem,” he mutters quietly, scratching the back of his neck. “Though I think I could have made a better impression.”

“Oh, duckie, you don’t have to worry about it,” you assure with a warm smile. “Like I said before, they love you and I honestly couldn’t ask for a better boyfriend.” The last little bit accidentally slips out of your mind: it's the first time you refer to him to his supposed title in private.

He abruptly stops walking with you following suit and uneasiness creeps up. This was kind of an indirect confession: a horrible one might you add. Well, at least it didn't take place in front of a dumpster -- just the front of the MotorOne Building (and it’s not on fire). You turn to face him, about to say that you forgot to add the “fake” part, though you find yourself surprised by his reaction.

You’re pleasantly surprised, actually.

His eyes crinkle at the corner, his gaze filled with warmth that melts your heart. A wide, bright smile adorns his face. Though admittedly his smiles were always pretty, this was probably the most radiant. Knowing that you're the reason fills your body with a warmth that you can’t quite explain.

He gently reaches to pull you a bit closer, just enough space to allow him to place a reassuring kiss on your forehead.

“Thank you.”

part eight

For your third attempt at confessing your feelings, you decide to do a romantic dinner at home with all Taerae’s favorite foods and just like what you planned before, you’d try to naturally bring up the fake dating contract, saying you want some changes and scratch off the word “fake” before handing it to him to sign if he agrees.

The only hard thing was trying to get him to come over, much to your surprise. It might have been a coincidence, but the day after meeting your parents, he has been taking a lot longer to reply and you haven’t videocalled all week. You hate to admit it, but it hurt a lot more than expected. He mentioned that he’s been busy with a big project, that must be it.

Luckily, your worries disappear when you get the text at lunch today from Taerae asking if you could come over.

boyfie 💕: im finishing the big project i've been working on today. boyfie 💕: i should be home at 7PM by the latest. i was thinking we can have a little dinner and movie night at my place. wanna come over?

An idea suddenly pops up in your mind: you can cook dinner at his place instead. You’ve never been to Taerae’s place before and you already struggle to cook in your kitchen. Maybe you can ask him for his passcode? No, that’s pushing boundaries. Maybe you can make it beforehand? It won’t be as good, but it’ll have to make do.

you: i can bring over dinner 🙂 boyfie 💕: thank u, darling ☺️ boyfie 💕: here’s my address: 1400-70 Nohyeondong boyfie 💕: passcode is 0317 if you do happen to come a little earlier

If you could, you would kiss your “boyfriend” on the lips right now, but you probably will tonight. This was perfect: you could come an hour earlier to familiarize yourself with the kitchen. With this newfound excitement, you decide to leave work earlier so you can head home to grab your fake dating contract, make yourself look hot, and stop by the grocery store.

Hands filled with bags of groceries, you make your way to your future boyfriend’s place. It’s around 6PM when you punch in the passcode, and with a soft beep, the door unlocks. Silently entering, you remove your shoes and place your bag on a nearby hook; however, before you’re about to step further into the apartment, two familiar figures catch your eye.

Taerae and Hanbin are sitting on a white blanket surrounded by pink throw pillows, rose petals, little candle lights, and heart balloons, talking to each other. For a moment, you debate on turning back, feeling like you’re interrupting a romantic moment between them.

You wish you did.

Your “boyfriend” lets out a loud sigh. “I can’t wait to get out of this fake relationship. It’s been really hard lately.”

“Isn’t it pretty much your fault for agreeing to it?” Hanbin chuckles. “You should have known better.”

Taerae shrugs. “Let’s just hope it ends today.”

“I hope so too — for you and for me.”

As the words reach your ear, a heavy weight settles in your chest. The air in the room suddenly feels suffocating and it takes you a few seconds to realize you’ve dropped your bags. You think you hear footsteps, but your body already decides to make its way out.

----

Sitting on a swing at an unfamiliar park, you take some time to collect your thoughts. Part of you wants to be angry at your fake (ex?-)boyfriend at the words he said; however, after some time, you realize that there must have been a reason. From the time you spent with him and all the things he's done for you, you knew he was a patient and kind person and even the most compassionate people have their breaking points.

Perhaps, the unexpected meeting with your parents pushed him to the edge and he was trying to figure out a way to gently let you down and needed Hanbin’s help in doing so. He’s a good actor on top of it too.

And, though you’ve never experienced it personally, it’s probably challenging to pretend to have romantic feelings for someone when your heart is somewhere else. Specifically, your best friend.

Was the movie trying to tell you something?

An audible groan escapes your lips. Thankfully, it was Saturday tomorrow, so you can take some time on how to tackle the situation. Your hand instinctively reaches for your phone, only to realize you likely left it your bag, which was still at his place. In fact, besides yourself, you have nothing on you.

No phone. No wallet. No keys. It’s dark out and you’re not 100% sure where you are. You might be hallucinating, but you think you feel a raindrop fall on your skin.

Wonderful.

You decide to seek shelter as it begins to drizzle. When you get up from the swing, you spot a familiar dimpled man walking towards you, an umbrella in one hand and your bag in the other. His hair is slightly disheveled and his white collar shirt isn’t as neatly tucked when you briefly looked at him earlier. How long was he looking for you? And why?

“Hey,” Taerae greets, a hint of awkwardness in his voice. “You forgot this,” he adds, extending his bag towards you, “and thank you for remembering that steak is my favorite.”

You politely take the bag from him. “Thanks,” you quietly mutter, your gaze looking down. A heavy silence settles between the two of you.

“Do you have a minute to spare?” he asks after hesitating for a bit.

“I owe you at least five considering you bought back my stuff," you respond.

“Thanks,” he says with a small smile before clearing his throat. “I made a mistake.”

“Yeah, I wish you told me you had feelings for Hanbin.”

“I should have confessed to you when we kissed,” he reveals at the same time.

You look at him with shock written all over your face. “What? I overheard you saying you wanted to get out of this fake relationship and that it’s been hard for you.”

"You're right," he nods. "...because I want to be a real one with you, and it's been hard to hide my feelings for you even though I miserably fail every time.”

There’s only sincerity in his eyes and voice.

“B-but what did Hanbin mean when he said it was your fault for getting into this relationship in the first place?” you clarify, confusion still clouding your mind.

“Well, uh, he knew about my crush on you before you even messaged me on Linkedin, and urm, I accidently revealed we were pretending to date when I asked him to help me with my ‘big’ project last week,” Taerae admits as he looks down for a moment and scratches his head. “I’m eight months late, but congratulations on your promotion by the way.”

He then lets out a nervous smile as he looks at you again. “..And, umm, I knew by agreeing to the fake relationship despite having feelings for you would put me in a difficult position, but I wanted to help you.”

You blink several times, not sure what to say. “Why?”

“It’s a long story,” he confesses with a sheepish smile. The drizzle quickly intensifies into a downpour. He opens the umbrella in his hand, ensuring that you are protected. You pull him slightly closer so that you are both covered.

“Thanks,” he utters, just loud enough that you could hear.

The two of you exchange lingering looks, the audible sound is the pattering of the rain.

“I’m sorry,” you apologize, breaking the silence. “I should have not assumed…and I should have at least texted you that I was coming to your place.”

“It’s okay,” he replies, his voice calm and warm. “I should have thought about that possibility while planning when I gave you my passcode. I would have kicked Hanbin out earlier.”

He shifts slightly, cheeks tinted with a pink hue. “The big project I was working on…was figuring how to confess to you,” he admits. “I was hoping to surprise you when you walked in and it was supposed to be a cute indoor picnic with all your favorite foods and drinks. At the end, I was going to sing to you while playing the guitar and ask if we could end the contract..and date for real.”

You laugh softly at the coincidence. “I was planning to try to confess to you again tonight too,” you reveal. “I came an hour earlier to familiarize myself with your kitchen so I can make you dinner and I was planning to ask the same thing: if we could remove the “fake” part of our dating contract.”

A soft sigh escapes his lips.

“But now that I think about it,” you whisper. “No contract is better, duckie.”

“That sounds perfect, darling,” he replies, a subtle smile on his face. “Fake dating contract ends today.”

You feel a wave of relief and happiness wash over you. Taerae’s eyes are sparkling with joy as his smile grows wider. He feels like the happiest person in this world, at least at this very moment.

“How long did you like me for?” you murmur.

“Um, probably at least six months at this point?” he admits, his blush becoming more prominent.

Your jaw drops slightly.

“The story I told your parents…it’s true. We actually bumped into each other before meeting again at the cafe again,” he continues, his gaze softens slightly. “Do you remember returning a bag with the lego shark keychain to a nerdy loser at a subway station three years ago?”

“Oh, that’s why it was familiar,” you express, a sudden realization hitting you. A slight frown tugs at the corners of your mouth. “And you’re not a nerdy loser.”

Taerae softly snickers before speaking again. “I was running late for work because I was up all night trying to finish a presentation for an important project. I nearly missed my stop and left my bag behind. Luckily, you were my miracle of the year.” His eyes light up. “I can still remember the soft smile on your face and the warmth I felt that day when you gave me back my bag. I’m not sure if I remember correctly, but I think I did manage to say a thank you before walking away.”

“You did say thank you,” you confirm.

“I’m glad that you at least remember that,” he grins. “Anyways, besides forgetting my bag and having to chug two and a half redbulls to survive that day, everything else went well. The project was a huge success and actually earned my first patent. I really owe you one and was hoping to bump into you one day again so I can thank you properly.”

He then frowns slightly for moment. “I lost a bit of hope after not finding you for nearly two years, but then I saw you at Serendipity Sips with Dayeon. Unfortunately, I blanked out though I managed to catch your name when the barista called it out. So that same night I searched your name on Linkedin, hoping it was your real one, and to my pleasant surprise, you shared a mutual connection with me.”

“Our lovely Hanbin,” you comment in a teasing manner.

He nods, trying not to giggle.

“I thought about asking him to set up a meeting with you, not a date, just to return the favor and maybe become friends,” he continues, “but then I remembered you were complaining about your sucky blind dates to Dayeon that day and didn't want to risk a misunderstanding. So, instead, I brainstormed scenarios on how we might naturally talk and practiced what to say when you were alone without coming off the wrong way.”

He then lets out a heavy sigh. “Though six months ago, I saw you happily holding hands with someone else, and for whatever reason, my heart sank. That’s when I realized maybe I did have a mild crush on you and thought it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to approach you.”

A smile begins to form and a sparkle lights up his eyes once more. “Then, four months ago, you messaged me on Linkedin and I saw it as an opportunity to pay you back, but treating you just to coffee and a few words of advice didn’t feel like enough for me. That’s why I suggested sushi..and if I felt brave enough, I was going to ask you at the end if you wanted to get to know each other..as friends, of course.”

“We’re more than friends now,” you cheekily respond. “We’re officially dating, right?”

“We are,” he smirks, mirroring your tone. There's a brief pause. “That means I can kiss you, right?”

Your gaze falls to the ground for a moment before you nod, granting him permission.

Already, you feel your heart fluttering as he slowly leans in and lightly presses his lips on yours, placing his free hand just above your hips. Your bag hits the ground with a soft thud as one of your arms instinctively wraps around his waist while the other rests on the back of his neck before gently pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. A warm, tight knot forms on your stomach as you close your eyes. This kiss, unlike the first one, feels more satisfying. You’re not sure why.

Maybe it’s the magic of the Pikachu chapstick he recently bought – his lips now noticeably smoother and softer. Or maybe, the absence of his glasses makes it easier to kiss you. Or maybe, it’s clear where both of you stand.

You are heads over heels in love with Kim Taerae, and Kim Taerae is heads over heels in love with you.

special credits:

@partiallyderived for the idea of putting an asterisk for the fake dating contract (lol)

@happypanda01 for betareading

permanent taglist: @starrzhao @dimplewonie @keiwook @partiallyderived @leejeongz @happypanda01, @enhadazed

fic taglist: @haesunflower

want to read more? main masterlist | zb1 masterlist

last zb1 works (group): cuddles with hyung line

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tyvntime · 11 months ago

Text

did i binge this in one night instead of sleeping?

SCORE THAT GOAL! — smau

after your college had announced that all the students were required to join a club and attend it twice a week, you were planning on either a) dropping out, or b) join the art club and pretend to be sick most of the times. that was before you discovered that park jisung is a long time member of the football team. change in plans: you LOVE football.

or in which you mindlessly join the football club in hopes of catching your crush’s attention (and to maybe secretly check him out too) who cares if you can’t even kick a ball up in the air?

football-player!jisung x fem!reader

genre ; rlly just humour, football / sports au, fluff, some angst, pining and eventually mutual pining, probably slow-burn, college au, strangers to lovers.

extras ; teasing and profanity | sexual and death jokes | reader is down bad | jisung kinda dislikes reader and closed off at the start | my knowledge on football isn’t the BEST but i know above basics and enough for this fic | idrc if some of these subject clubs don’t exist this is for entertainment 😸

notes ; 😭 mostly posting this for myself cos i’ve wanted to try a smau for a while now but i hope anyone else enjoys too.

PLAYLIST ; Rising , TripleS — Hype Boy , newjeans — Awkward , SZA — Gasoline , ROSY (FT. LILMONEY) — Attracted To You , Pinkpantheress — Cognac Queen , Megan Thee Stallion — Goodie Bag , Still Woozy — Eyedress , Something About You .

STATUS ; completed! (24.02.24)

profiles (1) | profiles (2)

1 ) donghyuck’s fault

2 ) 20% more insane

3 ) it’s the voices again

4 ) yes captain!

5 ) invest in a priv account

6 ) peach lipton ice tea

7 ) no suicide EVER

8 ) always believe women

9 ) grape & lemon drink

10 ) favourite teammate

11 ) wingman

12 ) jeno’s food provider

13 ) no lunch

14 ) awkward tension

15 ) a simple conversation

16 ) an even more normal conversation

17 ) under my umbrella

18 ) a canon event (ft. Renjun's Black Friday offer)

19 ) feeling submissive and fragile

20 ) woman hobbies & failed courseworks

21 ) man up and break it

22 ) make-up brush vs subway sandwich

23 ) OFFICIAL FRIENDSHIP!!!

24 ) a nice gesture

25 ) NOT my boyfriend

26 ) business exchange

27 ) what about mark?

28 ) winter wonders with you

29 ) JISUNG vs MARK

30 ) my princess (very lame)

31 ) riddle me this

32 ) do you like her? (probably)

33 ) wtf does QUORA know?

34 ) JISUNGxY/N: plan A

35 ) evil out the way, GOOD RIDDANCE

36 ) basketball incidents.

37 ) JISUNGxY/N: plan B (the jisung quiz)

38 ) E-DATING 🔛🔝🔥

39 ) wise words from renjun

40 ) that one sign

41 ) guess it’s a date

42 ) (unofficial) couple goals

43 ) the y/nle argument

44 ) professional over-thinker

45 ) executing major girlboss energy

46 ) the confession prep

47 ) knock some sense into them

48 ) war is over

49 ) knock some sense into JISUNG

50 ) an overdue confession

51 ) be your boyfriend?

52 ) scored that goal!

BONUS:

jisung the blonde

JISUNG vs MARK pt.2

jaemin’s hit tweets

the jeno quiz

TBA . . .

thank you for reading!

#yes i did #I LOVED THIS AHH #nct jisung #kpop fic recs #jisung x reader

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tyvntime · 11 months ago

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spidermark AND dead pool haechan IM GONNA GO INSANE KEKEKEOLEORJEB

Omfg just saw ur dad spiderman mark au AND ITS SOOO GOOD CLD WE PERHAPS GET ANOTHER ONE WHEN his daughter has a bf in kindergarten and mark got super jealous and protective????

EEEEE stop i love spiderdad mark so much 🥹🥹 im so sorry uts been so long anon 😭 but here u go i hope u enjoy <3

spider mark × g!n reader

warnings : fluff, just pure fluff, jealous/overprotective spiderdad mark, spiders, webs, puppy love, kindergarten sweethearts TT, kisses <33, mark is a simp for you !!!!, they’re so in love i might just kms

read pt1 of the spider-dad chronicles. (optional!)

mark wasn’t one to be jealous, he really wasn’t. so why was he glaring daggers at the little boy sitting next to his daughter on-top of the slide. now, don’t get mark wrong, he trusted his daughter with his whole heart. but knowing that everyone but him knew she had a boyfriend at the ripe age of four and a half was baffling.

“babe.. why didn’t you tell me?” mark whined for the nth time, tugging at your shirt as he kept his eyes on the way the little slightly tannedboy treated jinni. you sighed, hugging him and pecking his lips softly.

“she told me she didn’t want me to tell you, plus, i thought donghyuck would’ve told you..”

“dONGHYUCK..?!? shes dating his son?! nope. im not having it.” mark scoffs, shaking his head and standing up straight to walk over to the toddlers.

you place a hand on his chest and softly push him to sit back down on the bench, cupping his face to make him look at you. “mark, just let the kids be.. its only a puppy love, they’ll forget about it eventually when they get older.” you reassure him, leaning in to get a taste of his pouting lips.

“yeah, but… we were also a puppy love, and look at us now!” he softly whines, pouting even more as he squints his eyes at the little boy helping his daughter up the steep steps of the playground.

“babe, we were both in first grade when we met.” you playfully roll your eyes, leaning your head against your husband’s chest.

“so?” he furrows his brows, leaving a kiss on the back of your hand before playing with it.

your heart flutters, a soft blush growing on your cheeks at his random acts of affection that have you falling in love and wanting to get married again. “they’re in kindergarten.” you say, looking up at him from your place on his chest.

he looks down at you, the words in the back of his throat ready to leave when he suddenly forgets everything but the way your pretty eyes look up at him. mark slightly clears his throat, neck and face burning up. “..and? that’s basically the same thing.”

you giggle at the fact that his words don’t really make sense. “we were both either six or seven years old when we were in first grade, mark, the kids are barely four.”

“two years isn’t that much of a difference, they’re basically already in high schoo—” you cut him off by sweetly kissing him, hands cupping his face as he sighs and melts into the kiss. he leans his forehead on yours, arms wrapping around your waist.

your kisses were his favorite thing to destress with. he would go hours and hours just kissing you if he could. the canadian would constantly kiss you, be it anywhere. your husband just couldn’t keep his lips off you, but you loved it.

you loved the way he would melt into your hold when you kissed him, the way he would throw away anything for just a kiss from you, the way he always made sure to kiss you softly and sweetly, not to mention the fact that he always asks before doing so like a proper gentleman.

“so.. why didn’t you tell me about the fact that your son had been hitting on my daughter..?!” the canadian male asks the tanned male, eyes glaring at the younger male. donghyuck chuckles, having pulled off his mask to drink his cup of.. banana milk?

“listen, milk-”

“mark.”

“milk. as i was saying.. it’s not that much of a big deal, it’s just a silly lil’ puppy love.” donghyuck says, shrugging as he chugs the rest of his banana milk. his black and red deadpool suit blending in well with the night as he stands up on the side of the parking lot edge.

mark looks up at the male, softly swinging his legs back and forth as he looks at the night sky instead. “.. my little girl is growing up..” he mumbled, memories of when jinni was first born, when she took her first step, when she finally learned she could shoot webs, when she spoke his name, all flooded his mind as his eyes slightly glossed over.

“i love my family,”

“okay, we get it mister ‘friendly neighborhood spider-dad-man’.”

“oh shut up, donghyuck!”

“make me~ … wAIT. NO. NOT THE WEB- MFPH!”

“you had it coming, lee.”

the ending was slightly rushed bcz i just wanted to publish it before i end up forgetting 😥

but i hope you enjoyed <3

#im obsessed #AHHHHHHHHH #mark lee #spidermark #mark x reader #if u couldn’t tell im obsessed with spidermark

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tyvntime · 11 months ago

Text

spidey boy ; 이민형

pairing spiderman!mark x female!reader

synopsis mark has tried to hide his secret identity from you for as long as possible, to keep you safe, of course. little does he know that you’ve untangled his web of lies long ago and will do anything in your power to get him to admit it. just when you've had enough of him lying to you, he ends up getting caught in the act trying to save your life.

genre established relationship, fighting (if you squint), lots of fluff, slight violence and cat-calling, slightly suggestive, mark calls reader “my girl” and “pretty girl”.

wc 2.9k

“do you think that spiderman guy is actually as good as everyone says he is?” you ask mark, who lay peacefully in your lap as your fingers ran through his hair.

you two had been hanging out after school, as you usually do, watching random channels while you both indulged in each other's day. however, you had articulated this hangout the night prior.

a few days ago, you had aimlessly been searching through mark’s backpack in hopes of finding your calculus notes, which you had so graciously let him borrow, only to stumble upon a very familiar red and black mask balled up in the bottom.

at first, you thought mark had hit peak fangirl. he was obsessed with the superhero after all, completely drawn to the tv or newspaper whenever spiderman was mentioned, but so was every other human being in your city.

so when you began noticing how mark’s late-night appearances and “fashionably late” activities began lining up with the famous building-swinging superhero, your mind put the pieces together.

you tried to understand his point of view and why he wouldn’t reveal this very key detail about himself. it hurt you, though, feeling as though there was something in you that made him not feel comfortable enough to expose himself to you.

so, you compiled a plan to get the truth out of him organically, or as organically as this could be.

“wha… what do you mean?” your boyfriend’s head quickly snapped up, turning on his palm to face you with a questionable look knitted into his features.

a smile teasingly pulled on your lips, knowing you had hit a sore spot in his ego. how couldn’t he be proud of himself? after all, he was known as the hero of your city.

“i don’t know,” you continued, leaning back against the couch, watching your boyfriend swing from building to building on the screen in front of your bodies. “he just seems too full of himself, like cool you can swing from buildings and hang upside down, but we have police and firefighters for a reason!”

it took everything in you to not break character, slowly watching mark’s face grow red at your painful statements. he just looked at you, eyes blown wide and brows pulled so close together that you were certain he could get stuck like that.

with a small giggle, you reached out, brushing your thumb between the crease in his brows and bringing it down to caress his cheek.

“what’s with the face, baby? don’t tell me you're obsessed with him too.” his face slowly relaxed as your soft hand held his face, but his brain was still scrambling with your previous statements.

how could you find him not absolutely amazing? he could swing from buildings and hang upside down!

“you don’t think he’s cool? not even a little bit?” mark’s eyes followed yours to the screen. spiderman now being shown saving an older woman from getting mugged.

“i think he’s cool, i guess.” you looked back at your boyfriend only to find his eyes already on your face, his previous expression appearing again. “babe, you can’t be serious.” mark leaned back, feeling completely bewildered by your nonchalant attitude towards his heroic duties.

“it’s not that big of a deal."it’s not like you’re spiderman, so why should it matter if i like him or not?” you titled your head away from the screen to watch his eyes grow wide, and you could audibly hear his breath hitch.

“but…” he quickly let out before catching himself, looking at the tv to see his segment disappear. “but what?” you teased, beginning to feel bad for your ministrations.

he looked back at your face, sighing heavily. “nothing, just like the guy a bit," he said before lying back in your lap to hide his face from you.

this was going to be a lot harder than you thought.

“hey baby~” mark cooed as he stepped into your apartment, takeout bags in hand. you quickly sprung up from your spot at the counter, running to hug your boyfriend after not seeing him for awhile.

after your first attempt to disclose his true identity was unsuccessful, you held off from bringing up the topic for awhile.

but you had finally decided to take a different approach this time.

“i missed you, pretty girl.” the nickname made your cheeks heat up as his cold hands held your face in front of his. he inspected you lovingly, relishing in the fact that he could finally hold you without school being in the way.

“missed you too," you replied before kissing him softly. mark dropped the plastic bag on the counter beside him, pulling you firmly against him. his lips were almost enough to make you forget about your plan.

almost.

“god, i’m hungry.” you pulled away, making him laugh at your cute antics, and he joined you on your couch to eat. as you sat, you pulled off your (mark’s) sweatshirt to reveal the key details of your plan.

mark quickly noticed the black spiderman logo displayed across your chest, at a loss for how quickly your opinion of him changed. “you like?” you asked, flaunting the red baby tee you had bought earlier that day.

“i- i thought you thought spiderman was stupid." he nearly choked on his food, trying not to blush at the image of his girl repping him like this.

“i never said he was stupid, mark. i just thought he was overhyped, but i now understand where all the love is coming from.” you looked down, ogling at your new shirt, sure of its effect on your boyfriend.

“oh…” he tried to fight the grin, trying to cover his lips, but couldn’t contain his relief. “glad you finally came around, baby.” he smiled before shoving his face with more food.

“you’re not jealous?” you asked, beginning to take on step two of your plan. “he is a guy, after all.”

this made mark actually choke on his food. “what? why would i be jealous about that?"

“i mean, your girlfriend wearing a shirt for some muscular superhero who is most definitely sickly hot under that skin tight suit he wears while saving lives." you went on swirling your fork in your food, looking up every so often to see mark’s cheeks darken at the compliments.

he held his head down, but not enough for his flushed ears and cheeks to go unoticed. “why are you so red, baby? i still like you more, you know; spiderman can’t take you away from me.” you reached over and combed your fingers through his hair to feign worry.

“that is, unless he happens to swing by and sweep me up with his insane muscles.” you winked, making your boyfriend turn into a tomato.

“yeah, you wish he would do that.” mark joked, trying to deflate his growing pride, which you continued to boost.

“what? are you saying i’m not worthy of spiderman’s fantastic biceps picking me up and swinging me through the night sky?” mark looked at you quizzically.

you couldn’t be serious, could you?

mark discarded his food, crawling over to trap you beneath his body. "fantastic, you say... and what are these?” he made reference to his own muscular arms peeking through his fitted white tee.

"marvelous," you replied, sliding your fingers softly over your boyfriend's muscles. how lovely it was that you didn’t have to dream of spiderman’s biceps as they sat right in front of you.

“better than fantastic in my book.” mark smiled before catching your lips in his.

your spiderman shirt was soon discarded in that moment but continued to linger in mark’s head days later.

“i’m just gonna go grab a few things. i promise i won’t be long.” you stood in your doorway, attempting to run to the store to get a few things before it got too late.

mark hated this.

“why cant i just go get it or go with you?” mark wrapped his arms around you from behind, making it increasingly difficult to slide on your shoes. he kissed you all over your neck and face, held your hand, pulled at your jacket sleeves, and even attempted to block the door entirely to try and get you to stay, but you were as determined as you ever were.

“i’m a grown woman, mark. i can run down the block by myself.” you turned around in his arms, reaching for your keychain next to his head on the wall, hanging by a hook.

“it’s dangerous out there. wouldn’t want my pretty girl getting hurt.” he slouched against the wall, still holding onto your hand as your whole body nearly made it out the door.

“good thing spiderman will be there to save me from any danger.” you teased him before slamming the door in his face, preventing him from getting anymore words out. not that he could form any from your statement anyway.

as you made your way through the isles of the tiny convenience store down the block from your place, you began to notice a dark figure popping into your vision.

a man decked out in all black and wearing a dark baseball cap pulled down just enough to hide his eyes followed your trail through the store.

he just coincidentally needs the same things, plus it’s freezing outside. that’s why he’s covered up so much, you thought. you can't say much about covering up with your giant black puffer jacket nearly swallowing you whole.

as your shopping trip continued, you couldn’t help but notice the figure not picking up a single item they inspected.

how weird, you thought.

“have a nice night!” the sweet cashier bid you goodbye before you quickly made your way out of the store.

as you exited the glass doors, the figure from earlier greeted you outside. your steps increased in speed as you noticed the figure continuing to follow your path.

you: mark could you meet me outside

you: creepy dude won’t stop following me

you: dude answer the phone

you: mark come on this is serious

you huffed, knowing the figure was still following you from a distance and aggravated by mark ignoring your texts.

“what’s a pretty girl like you doing out here alone at night?” the figure spoke from your side, somehow managing to come up beside you without you noticing.

you stayed silent, pretending to be interested in the cement beneath your feet.

“hey! i’m talking to you!” the voice barked, noticeably irritated by your lack of interest. “i asked you a question, bitch!” a hand grabbed your wrist tightly, stopping you in your tracks.

thinking it was the figure, your body froze seeing spiderman right in front of you. stumbling back, you watched your hero step in and fight off the creepy man, knocking him over before webbing him to the alley wall ahead.

“try and speak to her again, and you’ll get much worse than a few webs on you.” the familiar voice of your boyfriend came out deep and threatening, making your breath hitch. you had never heard him speak like that.

while the bum continued to try and yell through the webs plastered over his mouth, spiderman turned to check on you.

“everything all right? he didn’t touch you or hurt you, babe- i mean, mam?” the fumbling of words made you laugh slightly, knowing the dork under the mask.

“i’m all right, thanks to you, spiderman.” you swooned, so caught up with the fact that your own boyfriend was spiderman and that he had practically beaten and webbed a man to a wall for you.

“what could i ever do to repay you?” you asked, trying not to trip over your own feet at the way the suit hugged mark’s muscle so well. more than any t-shirt ever could.

“just doing my job, as always.” spiderman leaned his body against the wall smoothly, resting his head against his fist. you two stood there in a few seconds of silence, both not knowing what to do.

“you better get headed home; it’s getting late.” he coughed, finally breaking out of his daze.

“no swinging around the city for me?” you asked, pretty disappointed that your boyfriend was about to make you walk home alone. “no can do, web swinging with lovely ladies is a daytime activity only; i wouldn’t want anyone to miss it.” he pulled his body from the wall, shooting up a web to hang from a sign above your heads.

“what a shame. guess you’ll just have to give me a show of the city another day," you replied, watching as mark swung his legs over the sign to hang upside down effortlessly.

definitely trying to impress me, you thought.

“i can see what i can do.” he crossed his arms over his chest before you stepped forward on your tiptoes, placing your hand on his cheek, making him short circuit.

“thanks again, spiderman.” you spoke, leaning into him to place a quick kiss on his mask-covered cheek.

“of-of course. any day, mam,” his voice cracked at your actions, making you laugh as you turned away to walk home.

mark hung in bliss before realizing he was supposed to be at your place, not saving your life in a spidey suit.

you rushed through the door, dropping your bag on the ground and making a beeline to your room. the only place with a window mark could slide through without getting caught.

you swung open your door to reveal a maskless spiderman half way through your bedroom window, eyes wide, body frozen.

you froze in shock, almost surprised that your plan had finally worked. "gotcha," you smiled, leaning against your door frame satisfied.

“uh…” mark scrambled, attempting to put his mask back on as if it would make you forget seeing his face entirely. as he tripped and tumbled around your room, you slowly made you way behind him.

“mark,” you began, attempting to get him to calm down. “baby,” you turned him slowly as he finally got his mask back on. “mark? who’s mark? that your boyfriend or something?” he attempted to deepen his voice to throw you off.

he realized this was unsurprisingly unsuccessful, noticing the smirk that continued to show on your face. “you know him, don’t you, spiderman? he’s the boy who just kicked ass and saved my life less than ten minutes ago.” you said, gently pulling off his mask to reveal your boyfriend’s face.

he stared at you, not knowing how you felt. “look, i can explain this all,” he nervously let out as he looked anywhere but your eyes.

before he could explain, you kissed him softly, wanting to ease his worry and express your gratitude. he saved your life after all, and not just by being spiderman.

“i’m not mad, not at all.” you looked into his eyes, noticing how at ease he seemed to be at the relief of your words.

“i’m so sorry i didn’t tell you sooner. i was so scared you wouldn’t want to be with me or be scared of me,” he ranted, trying to make you see his side in case you had lied and were even the littlest bit mad at him. he hated when you were mad at him more than anything.

“why would i not want to be with you? i love you, mark, so much, it’s crazy.” you pulled his face into your hands in disbelief at his words. “and plus, how could i be scared of such a handsome, strong, crime-fighting superhero who so happens to double as my boyfriend. if anything, people should fear me,” you joked, ripping a laugh from his lips.

“how long have you known?” he asked, pulling you closer by your waist. biting your lip, you looked down, trying to hold back your laugh. “remember when you borrowed my notes for class and forgot to give them back?"

you didn’t even have to finish, seeing the realization wash over his face as the words fell from your lips.

“yeah, maybe putting your suit in your backpack wasn’t the best place.” you both laughed at the situation at hand; mark was completely dumbfounded.

“so that’s why you talked such shit about me and bought that stupid shirt!” he continued to put together the pieces, gripping your waist tighter as he laughed at his own stupidity.

"ding, ding, ding!” you replied, pulling away slightly to take in his whole look, still not being used to see him like this up close. “yeah, definitely need to see you in this more often now."

mark flushed, turning into putty in your presence. your eyes traveled all over the intricate details and meshing of the suit. how it hugged his body and made him look completely unreal.

“do a little spin for me, doll.” you teased, wanting to ease up all the pent-up emotions still hanging in the air. mark giggled at your stupid comment but did as you asked nonetheless, turning slowly for you.

turning completely to the back, not a second went by before mark felt a harsh slap on his skin. “fuck baby! what was that for?” he whined, reaching down to rub the irritated spot.

"sorry, i couldn’t help myself when you have an ass like that, mark lee.” you smiled at his pained expression, putting your arms back to lean against your vanity, still ogling at your boyfriend’s physique.

“guess i really do need to wear this more around you.” he placed his hands on either side of you, trapping you beneath him.

“maybe the story time can wait till later.” you breathed before his lips pressed themselves to yours.

“i love you so much, my girl."

“i love you too, spidey boy.”

now you had mark completely to yourself, spiderman and all with no secrets left to hide.

note | more spider!mark WHAT CAN I SAYYY WHAT CAN I SAYYY. he’s literally my fav mark to write ever like pleaseee get him as the korean peter parker asap!!! anyways, hope you loved this and my request box is always open <333

#spidermark #mark lee #mark lee x reader #kpop fic recs

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tyvntime · 11 months ago

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I AM SO HYPED FOR THISS OMGOMG

"you're spiderman?!" "NO! no... who's that??"

@ hero4hire being spiderman has always come naturally to mark lee. he'd even go as far as saying it's easy—no bragging intended. well... it was easy until his identity is revealed to the one person from whom it must be kept at all costs: you. nyu's most renowned, promising, and adjudicating law student. a law student who seems to hate mark lee just as much as she hates spiderman.

@ information [🕷️] spiderman! lee mark & law student! afab! reader genre fluff, comedy, smau, uni au, spiderman au, one sided enemies to lovers, mark is down atrociously bad, billion and one new york references (native new yorker warning) warnings cursing, au typical violence & gore status wip! ⤷ taglist always open!

@ masterlist @ ♡♡♡♡ @ soundtrack

follow others like this! playlists. yn 🕸️ mark profiles. law & order 🕸️ the amazing spidermark

user hero4hire's posts i. your friendly neighborhood spider--mark??!! ii. coming soon!

#spidermark is the best thing ever #AHHHH I CANT WAIT

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tyvntime · 11 months ago

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i am actually so invested i need a part two or smt