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woniedarlin · 14 days ago

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My Muse

Pairing: Artist! Jungwon x Sleepyhead! Fem! reader

Synopsis: You had a habit of falling asleep everywhere. Buses, floors, even shops, you name it. So often, in fact, that people around you started to worry. Jungwon, a part-time worker at an art supply store, liked to sketch things he found pretty. One day, as he stepped onto a bus, he saw you fast asleep. Unaware of the world, yet still the most breathtaking person he’d ever seen. So, he drew you. After that, it seems the universe kept leading him back to you. But you were always asleep. You became a mystery he kept sketching, never knowing your name. Until one day, you woke up unexpectedly while he drew you.

Author's note: This one is special to me. I’ve always loved stories involving art, and I read a lot of them growing up. Somewhere along the way, something must’ve inspired this. I’m not an artist myself, so I’m not sure if everything’s technically accurate, but I wrote it with love. This one’s for @sol3chu, who’s an amazing artist and my wifey. Mwah.

Caution: This story features a character who sketches someone he finds beautiful without their knowledge. While this is portrayed romantically, please remember that in real life, it’s important to respect people’s privacy and boundaries. Always ask for consent before capturing someone, even in art.

Permanent taglist: @sol3chu @chlorinecake @13tter @jung1w0n @layzfy @firstclassjaylee @ijustwannareadstuff20

Another day, another bus ride. Jungwon sat near the back window with a sketchbook on his lap. He liked this time of day. Everyone was minding their own business. No one looked at anyone, except him. He wanted to look, not in a creepy way, but as an artist. He collected little moments that didn’t belong to him. Watching from the window, he saw a mother wiping dirt off her kid’s nose and an older man feeding birds.

As he looked away from the window and observed the people on the bus with him, he saw someone slouched a few seats ahead, cheek pressed to the window, lips parted the tiniest bit. Your bag rested loosely on your lap. You were so still, so unbothered, and so beautiful.

Jungwon slowly reached into his bag and pulled out his sketchbook. He flipped past the other pages of flowers, strangers, buildings, and pets until he found a blank one. He didn’t even think. His pencil moved before he could stop it. There was something about the way you looked asleep. It was peaceful. If the world shook, you’d still be dreaming about something sweet.

He didn’t know your name, where you came from, or where you were going, but he wanted to remember this: the little wrinkle in your forehead, the faint pink in your nose from the cold air, and the tiny pen mark below your jaw, which he only noticed when you moved your head to another position. He smiled to himself.

Sketch #37, he thought. Girl on the bus.

He wrote it in tiny letters in the bottom right corner. Then, as the bus began to slow to his stop, he looked up again. You were still asleep. His heart did something weird. He looked at you again, not to memorize you because he already had, but to make sure you were real.

He stood, hugging the sketchbook, and stepped off the bus. The door closed behind him. You never even woke up, yet you’d become the prettiest thing he’d ever drawn.

The bus continued to move. You woke up immediately. Your eyes flutter open, and your hair is a little stuck to your cheek. For a second, panic kicked in.

Wait. Did I miss my stop? Did the bus take me to another city? Is this even Earth?

You shot upright, heart racing, only to see the same donut shop with the weird waving bear mascot and traffic light that always took years to turn green. Nope. You were fine, right on track. You sank back into your seat with a sigh of relief. Honestly, this wasn’t new. Falling asleep in public was your weird little talent. People could scream next to you, blast music, or juggle chainsaws, and you’d still manage to doze off.

You were what your family called a nap enthusiast. The grass? Nap. The floor? Nap. Kitchen counter? Nap. Even on a rollercoaster once… for like three seconds. You were pretty proud of that. It came to a point where your mom brought you to a clinic to check if something was wrong.

The doctor had tilted his head and asked questions while the nurse handed him tools. You were only half-awake the whole time, but still remembered thinking, “Aww. The doctor and the nurse seem to be in a relationship.”

Eventually, the doctor smiled and said you were fine. You were the only one who found peace where most people didn’t. Honestly, you didn’t mind. The bus gave a soft lurch, pulling into your stop. You stood, still a little foggy from your unplanned nap. As you stepped off, you had no idea that someone had drawn you just minutes ago. You were just happy to have woken up in time for once.

The next day, you were at the laundromat. You leaned against the machine, earphones snug in your ears, swaying to the song playing. Your laundry had about twenty more minutes to go. Heh, enough time to rest your eyes. You weren’t planning to fall asleep. You were only meant to relax. You told yourself that all the time. Yet again, your body betrayed you.

Sleep: 1

You: 0

Meanwhile, Jungwon only wanted to stroll. He passed the shops, houses, and now the laundromat, and there you were again. He looked at the glass. Your head rested on the side of a dryer, eyes closed. You had your earphones in and one hand resting in your lap. Jungwon was confused. You again? He couldn’t believe it. You weren’t a one-time sketch now and a daydream on a bus. You were real. You existed more than once. Somehow, fate was giving him another glimpse.

Pretty, he thought. Without thinking, he slid his sketchbook from his bag, flipping to a blank page. Pencil to paper. Your eyelashes were less curled. Your hand had a light red mark where it must’ve been pressed against your cheek before falling. He smiled again to himself.

Sketch #38. Girl in the Laundromat

He didn’t add much else. The moment spoke for itself. Once he finished the lines, he looked at you one last time through the window. You were still asleep, so unbothered and so beautiful. He pressed his palm against the cool glass and whispered, “How are you everywhere?” Then, he walked home, sketchbook clutched tight to his chest.

✏️

It was starting to feel surreal. The universe seems to be playing a long-running joke, but only he was in on it because he kept seeing you everywhere. Not just once, not twice, but a lot of times now. The laundromat had been the second. Then, the train station. Then, the steps outside the post office. Then, weirdly, a bookstore floor where you were supposedly reading but were drooling on your sweater sleeve. The pattern was that you were always asleep.

At first, Jungwon thought you were tired that day on the bus, but after the fourth, fifth, and now sixth encounter, he was beginning to wonder again if you were even real or if he was stuck in some soft fever dream where he had a personal nap fairy started to appear randomly.

He hadn’t seen your eyes. He didn’t know their color, shape, or sparkle. Nothing. Only your sleeping face. Every. Single. Time. Still, he couldn’t stop sketching you. There was something weirdly comforting about it. His sketchbook had become filled with drawings of you in different sleeping positions and places. He started labeling them as if they were art pieces in a gallery:

• Sketch #37. Girl on the Bus

• Sketch #38. Girl in the Laundromat

• Sketch #39. Girl at the Train Station

• Sketch #40. Girl with Ice Cream (melted all over her hand… still sleeping)

• Sketch #41. Girl on the Stairs

It was getting out of hand. He knew that, but he couldn’t help it. He would spot you, entirely at peace, and his hand would itch for his pencil. Your sleep was a spell, and Jungwon was a willing victim. Yet, a part of him wondered: What would your voice sound like? Do you laugh easily? What does your smile look like?

He sighed, packing up his pencil one afternoon after drawing you slumped over a vending machine. As he stood, giving you one last look, he mumbled, “At this point, you’re going to open your eyes one day and I’m going to drop dead.” He left the scene, like always, sketchbook tucked under one arm. The girl he kept drawing. The girl he never talked to. The girl who might as well be a dream.

✏️

You stretched with a groggy yawn, arms flopping back onto the couch as your body melted for the fiftieth time that day. It was perfect nap weather, but then your phone rang. You answered- “(Name).” Oh no, the voice of doom. Your grandmother, on video call. You looked at her sweet, deeply annoyed face as she squinted at you through the camera. “Are you sleeping again?! Where are you?! You’re drooling again, I can see it!”

You wiped your mouth. “No, I- uh, I was thinking.”

“Thinking with your eyes closed? With your mouth open? Don’t lie to me, I birthed your mother!”

You grimaced. There was no winning with your grandma. “Grandma, I’m fine. Napping’s not a crime.”

“It’s not safe! What if someone steals your phone? You keep sleeping in public like it’s your job! Do me one favor. Stay awake for one day. A single day. Can you do that?” You gave her a tired salute. “Challenge accepted.”

Ugh, you regretted everything. Everything!

Three hours after refusing to sleep, you were already twitching. You tried walking around your house, dancing to loud music, and splashing your face with cold water. Drinking a whole iced coffee you absolutely didn’t need. By the time you left the house to run errands, you looked wrecked. People on the street gave you side glances as you stumbled around blinking way too fast, eyes wide as if you just witnessed the beginning of the apocalypse. “Hello…” You said to a cashier at the pharmacy, voice dry and dead.

They flinched. “…Hi?”

You walked away. You were too exhausted to explain.

Then, came the bus. You were going to die. This was your Roman Empire. Staying awake for one whole day was apparently too much to ask. Your spine was ramrod straight as you sat on the bus, clutching the seat handle. Your eyes were too wide. They stung from overuse. You hadn’t blinked in fifteen seconds. People were looking at you, probably wondering if you were okay. You weren’t. Your grandmother’s words were in your skull: “Stay awake for one day! One! Is that so hard?”

Yes, Grandma. It was very hard. You forced your eyes open wider. You stared at the back of the seat in front of you. You were not going to fail. Not here on public transport, when you were this close to winning. The bus slowed to a stop. You didn’t look. You couldn’t afford distractions. Focus. Breathe. Don’t blink too long.

While that was happening, Jungwon got on the bus as usual, one hand in his jacket pocket, the other holding his sketchbook. He wasn’t even trying to look for you this time. He figured the streak was over. You were probably a passing dream in a chaotic city. But he saw you again. Same person.

Same seat. Yet this time, you were awake?! Sitting upright with eyes open. Wide open. He froze in the middle of the aisle, almost missing a step. His mouth parted in shock.

She’s real. She has pupils. She’s not a hallucination.

You didn’t even notice him. You were clutching the bus seat, hanging on for dear life. You looked tense and haunted. Are you alright?!!!

He couldn’t stop staring. He sat a few rows away, carefully, not next to you. That would’ve been too much. He observed. It was funny. This girl he’d sketched asleep at least seven times now looked like she hadn’t slept in days. He took out his sketchbook slowly, heart pounding, flipped to a blank page, and wrote,

Sketch #42. Girl, Awake. (??)

He didn’t even draw yet. He watched, afraid that if he blinked, you’d vanish again. He smiled to himself. You are everywhere. But awake? That’s new. You were even prettier awake. He’d drawn your sleeping face a dozen times, but nothing prepared him for this. Your eyes…..oh, your eyes. Wide and glossy. They reminded him of those star-shaped stickers he collected as a kid. Glowing and completely otherworldly. And then he realized, you weren’t just awake, you were forcing yourself to be awake. Obviously, you wanted to close your eyes, but you were fighting that urge with every last ounce of willpower.

Jungwon was concerned. What happened? Did someone scold you? Tell you to stop napping? Make you feel bad about something so harmless? He looked down at his sketchbook. He was used to seeing you at peace. For the first time, he hesitated drawing you. Instead, he stared. “I hope you are okay,” he thought.

He decided not to draw you for the first time during the whole time on the bus.

✏️

The bell above the art store door jingled as a customer walked out. The store was peaceful again, just how Jungwon liked it. A few shelves needed restocking, but he had a few minutes to breathe. He sat behind the counter and knocked his bag off the stool. “Ugh,” he muttered, crouching to pick it up. Out spilled a few pens, a crumpled receipt, and his sketchbook. It flopped open on the floor, pages fluttering. He scrambled to grab it, but before he could-

“Oooohhh, what do we have here?” Sunoo, his friend, who works at the store on weekends. He leaned over, already flipping through the sketchbook with zero shame. “Sunoo! hey, don’t-” Jungwon reached to snatch it back, but it was too late. “Wait, who is this?” Sunoo asked, holding up a page. “Why is she asleep in literally every sketch?”

Jungwon stammered, “It’s- she’s some girl I keep seeing.”

Sunoo raised an eyebrow. “Some girl? Bro. You drew her, like, eight times.”

“Can you not touch my stuff?” Jungwon said, flustered, as he tugged the sketchbook back.

Sunoo wasn’t buying it. “You’re in love.”

“I’m not-”

“You are.”

“No!”

“You are. Look at this one!” Sunoo grinned, tapping a sketch of you napping on a bus. “It’s fully detailed.” Jungwon rolled his eyes but couldn’t stop the heat rising to his cheeks. He looked down at the drawing. You were peaceful and beautiful. He didn’t say anything. Only closed the sketchbook and slid it back into his bag. Sunoo leaned his elbows on the counter with a smirk. “So, are you ever gonna talk to her? Or keep collecting nap-portraits, hopeless romantic?”

“I don’t even know her name.”

“Wow.”

“Shut up.”

Sunoo laughed and made kissy sounds. “Chu chu~ falling asleep in love~” Jungwon groaned and returned to stock some watercolor palettes. He couldn’t help it, though. He felt his heart pumping so loud.

✏️

He wasn’t even supposed to be here. Wrong transfer, train, and time, but somehow, he saw you again. You were slouched against the wall of the platform bench, your cheek pressed to your palm, knees pulled up slightly, eyes closed. The coincidence was too much. Was the universe trying to hand you to him? He sat down on the far end of the bench. His fingers itch for his sketchbook.

As if muscle memory, he reached into his bag, flipped to a blank page, and let his pencil glide. He started with your hair. Then the soft part of your mouth, barely parted. His brows furrowed as he focused, eyes flitting back and forth from the paper to you. You didn’t move. He thought you were still asleep while concentrating on sketching.

Until…

“Excuse me?”

His pencil halted, and he looked up. That’s when it happened. Your eyes were open, but you were staring right at him this time. Jungwon froze and suddenly forgot to breathe. His heart slammed so hard against his chest, he swore you could hear it.

“Oh no. No no no no no! she’s awake! she caught me!”

“She has pretty eyes.”

“Why didn’t I realize her eyes would be that pretty?”

His brain was scrambling.

“Do I pretend I wasn’t drawing her? That I dropped my pencil, and the wind drew her? Who am I kidding, she saw it.”

“Okay okay, breathe. Say something! anything!”

And just as his panic peaked, you tilted your head with a soft smile and said, “…Are you drawing me?”

Pretty. He wondered if the universe would keep leading him to you, over and over, until he finally figured out what it was trying to tell him. You tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear, still peeking at the sketch in his hands. “May I see?”

Your voice snapped him out of his daze. “Of course,” he said, shyly.

“You draw well,” you said. “This is the nicest thing anyone’s done without even knowing me.”

Jungwon laughed softly. “I wasn’t trying to be creepy, I promise.”

“I know,” you said without hesitation, grinning. “I think it’s kind of sweet.”

Jungwon suddenly gained confidence and asked. “So,” he said, “do you always sleep everywhere? Or am I weirdly lucky?”

You gasped, a little embarrassed. “You’ve seen me more than once?”

Jungwon flushed. “Yeah…three or four times. Maybe more.”

You laughed so brightly that it made his shoulders relax. “It’s not a habit. Okay, it is a little. Okay- sleep feels safe.”

He nodded slowly. “You look peaceful when you sleep.”

“That’s nice,” you replied. Then, playfully, “How do I look when I’m awake?”

Jungwon pretended to inspect you. “You’re still pretty.”

You bit your lip to hold back a smile.

You tilted your head, eyes still on the sketch. “Do you work as an artist or something?”

Jungwon rubbed the back of his neck. “Not exactly. I work part-time at an art supply store. So I’m around pencils a lot.”

You let out a small laugh. “That makes sense. Your tools look fancy.”

He smiled. “Employee discount.”

You flipped to another page. “These are good.”

He glanced at the book, then at you. “Thanks. I only draw whatever catches my eye.”

You nodded, thoughtful. “So, I caught your eye?”

His heart skipped. “Well… you were asleep, but yeah,” he mumbled.

You grinned, warm and sleepy all over again. “Do I look that sketch-worthy when I’m passed out?”

Jungwon looked away for a second, trying not to smile too hard. “You’re nice to draw.”

You hummed. “So you go around sketching peaceful strangers asleep?”

He gave a slight, guilty shrug. “Only you.”

You gaped your mouth. “Wait- what?”

He panicked. “Not in a weird way! I swear, I kept running into you, and you were always asleep, and I had my sketchbook, and-” he stopped himself, biting back a groan. “I swear I’m not a stalker.”

You laughed, covering your mouth. “You’re okay. It’s cute, honestly.”

He looked at you then, and for a moment, Jungwon forgot you were even the same person who used to nap in sunbeams and bus corners. You met his eyes and asked gently, “What’s your name?”

“Jungwon.”

You smiled, holding out your hand. “I’m (Name). Nice to finally meet you while I’m conscious.”

He shook your hand, still a bit dazed. “Nice to meet you awake.”

You both stood, a little awkward in the best way. He looked at you, unsure what to say next, and you looked at him. You fished your phone out of your pocket. “Well, now that I’m awake,” you said, your voice playful, “perhaps next time you can sketch me while I’m conscious.”

Jungwon tilted his head. “Next time?”

You mimicked him and tilted your head as well. “Only if you want. I mean, you already have a collection of Sleeping Me. Might as well add an Awake Me to the gallery.”

He laughed and reached for his phone. “I’d like that.”

You handed him your phone, which was already open on the contact screen. He typed in his name, Jungwon 🖊️, then handed it back, and you did the same with his. “Now if I ever see a guy sketching me from afar again,” you teased, “I can just text and say hi.”

He grinned, looking at your name on his phone. “If I see you falling asleep somewhere, I’ll ensure the lighting’s good before I start sketching.”

You rolled your eyes playfully. “Wow, so considerate.”

He smiled. “Only for my favorite muse.”

Surprised, you looked up at him, and he just blushed because he didn’t mean to say that out loud. Still, you didn’t call him out. You tucked your phone back into your pocket and said, “Text me sometime, yeah?” Jungwon nodded, already typing something. A second later, your phone buzzed.

1 new message from Jungwon 🖊️: You looked pretty today, asleep or not. You stared at the screen, then looked up at him. His cheeks were red. You smiled. “You’re lucky I didn’t fall asleep mid-conversation.”

He laughed. “Honestly? I half expected it.”

You nudged him gently. “Next time, I’ll bring a pillow.”

✏️

Later that week, after a few texts and many butterflies, you and Jungwon agreed to meet up with the intention. The spot wasn’t busy. You were on the rooftop of an old student art building he had access to. The sun was starting to dip. It was a place that felt like a secret. You were already seated on a beat-up lounge chair when Jungwon arrived, sketchbook under his arm. “You made it,” he smiled, setting his bag beside you.

“I was tempted to sleep in,” you joked, stretching your arms above your head. “Though I forced myself to stay awake for you.”

He chuckled as he settled into the seat across from you and opened his sketchbook. “I’m honored.”

You leaned your head to the side, eyeing the pencil in his hand. “You’re always ready to sketch me, hm?”

“I bring it everywhere,” he admitted. “Just in case I run into you again. Which I do a lot.”

You smiled and let your eyes roam the rooftop. “It’s weird, huh? How the universe keeps throwing us together.”

“It’s almost like fate,” Jungwon said before he could stop himself. Then he laughed softly. “Too early to say that?”

You gave him a sleepy smirk. “Maybe or maybe not.” He started sketching, glancing between you and the paper. You decided to open up. “You know, I sleep a lot because I think it’s how I cope. The world moves so fast, and I never feel I can keep up. When I sleep, everything slows down. I don’t have to think, or feel, or try.” He looked up from his sketch. “That sounds lonely.” You shrugged. “Sometimes, but I’ve always been that way. My grandmother calls me Miss Nap Time in a scolding tone.”

Jungwon grinned. “She’s worried about you?”

“She always is,” you said, half-smiling. “I think she wants me to live a little more. Be awake and be present.” The wind tugged at your hair gently.

“Well,” Jungwon said, “you’re awake now.”

You looked at him. “Yeah,” you said softly. “I guess I am.”

You both sat in silence for a while after that. Jungwon kept sketching. You kept watching him. His brows furrowed when he concentrated, and he chewed the inside of his cheek when he wasn’t sure about a line. Eventually, he turned the sketchbook toward you again. You gasped. “Oh my.” It was you again, but this time, eyes wide open, your hands were mid-motion. You looked alive and pretty.“You’re too good at this,” you whispered.

“Like I said, I only draw what I love to see,” he said before he could catch himself. You looked at him.

He looked back. Neither of you looked away, and it didn’t feel too soon anymore.

✏️

You and Jungwon naturally started growing closer. Sometimes, you texted and arranged a day to meet.

Other times, you’d run into each other as if the universe weren’t finished playing matchmaker. He always carried that same sketchbook. You always carried your half-asleep eyes. And more often than not, the pattern continued. You’d doze off somewhere. He’d see you. And this time, you’d find a message on your phone when you woke up.

Jungwon 🖊️: You looked peaceful again. [image attached]

Each time, it was a picture of a new sketch of you. You’d wake up with a little gasp, check your phone, see his message, and smile. Sometimes you’d reply immediately:

“You need to stop being everywhere I am 😭”

“Why am I kinda cute in this one??”

“Please tell me I didn’t snore that time.”

✏️

The art supply store was a little busy. You stepped in, scanning the place with your usual sleepy eyes. It wasn’t hard to spot him. Jungwon, standing by a display of watercolor sets, organized paint tubes by shade, and was adorable while doing it. “Hi,” you greeted, voice a little shy.

He turned around and his eyes widened. “…You came.”

“I was curious.” You grinned. “I wanted to see where the mysterious sketchboy works.” Before he could say anything, someone else popped out from behind the cashier's counter. “Oh?” the new voice chimed in. “Is this the infamous nap girl?”

You tilted your head. “What.”

“Sunoo,” Jungwon groaned, already reaching to shove him. But Sunoo was thriving. “I knew it!” he gasped. “The one who’s on every other page of his sketchbook. Girl, do you even know how many versions of you I’ve seen with your mouth half-open while you sleep?”

You covered your mouth, scandalized. “He showed you??”

“No, but he never hides it well,” Sunoo smirked. “He draws it with love. It’s honestly embarrassing.”

Jungwon turned red fast. He reached over and pulled his hood over his head. “Ignore him. He wasn’t raised right.”

But you only laughed brightly, and Jungwon, still red, still hiding behind the shelf, froze. In his head: Your laugh is pretty.

He would do anything. Draw the world upside down, run around the city blindfolded, hug Sunoo, if it meant he could hear that laugh again. He is serious.

Meanwhile, Sunoo was still chatting with you. “You hungry? You want to paint? I can sneak you free samples of stickers,” he whispered. “Also, blink twice if Jungwon’s being creepy.” You laughed again. And from behind the shelf, Jungwon’s soul ascended.

After an hour, the shop wasn’t as busy as earlier. You sat on a stool near the register, chin resting in your palm. Sleep tugged gently at your lashes, but you stayed awake. Jungwon, cleaning up behind the counter, kept glancing your way, heart doing those little jumps it always did when you were near. Then, he came over with a folded piece of thick sketch paper, corners decorated with stars and little doodles of bunnies (because Sunoo insisted it needed “cuter branding”).

He held it out shyly. “Hey… um.”

You looked up at him. “Hm?”

He coughed lightly. “It’s a voucher.”

You sat up straighter. “A voucher?”

He unfolded it, cheeks pink. On it, written in his neat handwriting:

Redeemable for: One personal sketch session.

With: A hopeless artist.

Includes: snacks, conversation, and optional blushing.

Terms: For the prettiest napper I’ve ever drawn.

You stared at the words. “This is adorable.”

“So,” he said, almost nervously, “do you wanna redeem it?”

You pretended to think. “Can I choose the place?”

“Anywhere you want.”

“Take me to where you think the stars fall best.” He looked confused. You looked up at him. “I want you to draw me under pretty lights.”

✏️

The place Jungwon led you to was a long, open rooftop space above an old building. It seems like he knows a lot of abandoned buildings. “Oh,” you breathed. “You weren’t kidding.”

He chuckled, slipping his sketchbook from his bag. “I said I’d take you to where the stars fall best.” You sat on one of the benches, the chill softened by a blanket he pulled from his bag. He always seemed ready for your comfort. “Do you do this with all your sleepy muses?” you teased, wrapping the blanket around your shoulders.

He shook his head. “You’re the only one.” You laughed. The laugh he swore he’d chase if he ever lost it. “You always draw me with my eyes closed,” you said after a while, watching him sketch. Jungwon grinned, not looking up from his sketchbook just yet. “Well, you were awake last week for ten minutes at the bus stop before you dozed off again.”

You gasped. “Hey!”

He looked at you. “You even drooled a little.”

You stared at him, then slowly narrowed your eyes. “You’re lying.”

“I am,” he admitted with a laugh. “You looked cute.”

You pouted, and he immediately wanted to sketch that expression too.

“You know,” you murmured, “I feel like you like me better when I’m asleep.”

He responded immediately. “I like you either way.”

A while later, he angled the sketchbook toward you. “Here,” he said. “It’s not finished, but…”

Your eyes dropped to the page. Awake and sitting just how you were now, wrapped in a blanket. He had drawn you how he saw you, not just pretty but luminous. You didn’t say anything, and the silence scared him. “Is it bad?” he asked. “I can- I can sketch it again. Or fix the eyes? Or-”

You turned to him, and then you kissed him. Your hand touched his jaw, guiding him, as your lips pressed to his. His eyes fluttered shut. When you pulled back, he was speechless. You smiled, that drowsy smile he’d seen a thousand times. “It’s beautiful,” you whispered. “Thank you for seeing me like that.” You leaned in again, nose brushing his. “Can I kiss you again?”

“Yeah,” he said, already leaning into you. So you did. And somewhere between kisses and laughter, he realized he wasn’t just sketching you because you were pretty. He was falling in love.

✏️

Somehow, without either of you noticing when it changed, you and Jungwon became something. You were together now.

The two of you were sitting on the bus. He was talking about something from work, something about a messed-up shipment of paints. You were barely keeping your eyes open. He glanced at you mid-sentence, and your head had already leaned back, mouth slightly parted, asleep again. He smiled to himself, and he opened his sketchbook. The pencil moved before he had to think. Your outline was already second nature.

He didn’t realize how much time had passed until the bus started to clear out and the stops no longer sounded familiar. His own had passed a while ago. It didn’t matter. He looked at you again, then down at his sketch. He’d drawn you too many times to count, but it never got old. When the driver called your stop, he touched your arm. “Hey. Time to get off.”

You stirred. “Mm?”

He handed you the sketch. You looked at it for a moment, then glanced at him. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Too much?”

You shook your head. “No. It’s different.”

“Different how?”

You thought for a second. “I don’t know.”

“Next time you pass out, I’m charging.”

“For what?”

He glanced sideways at you. “Another sketch.”

You rolled your eyes. “You’re lying.”

You both stepped off the bus. Walked side by side. You just kept walking until you suddenly slowed down, then stopped in the middle of the path. Jungwon halted beside you. “What?”

You turned to him. “I think we should break up.”

His face fell. “What?”

You kept a straight face. “Yeah. I don’t think I can be with someone who keeps drawing me with my mouth open while I’m sleeping.”

His eyes widened. “Wait, what? No, hold on-”

You took off running. “Wait!” he called after you, breaking into a jog. “You’re joking, right?! Come back!” You glanced over your shoulder and burst out laughing.

“I can change the sketches!” he shouted. “I’ll erase the mouth! I’ll draw your eyes open. What do you want from me?!” You laughed so hard you almost tripped. When he finally caught up, breathless, he grabbed your wrist and spun you to face him. “That wasn’t funny.”

“It was a little funny.”

He stared at you. “I was about to confess something embarrassing to win you back.”

You grinned. “Okay, I’ll fake-break up more often.”

He groaned and dropped his forehead to your shoulder, still catching his breath. “Please don’t.”

You didn’t move. You let him stay there, leaning into you. “Still wanna charge me for sketches?” you whispered. He lifted his head to look at you. “Yes,” he said. “I am also charging in kisses now.”

“Oh, so now you’re over the panic?”

He smirked. “Yeah.” And you kissed him.

✏️

It was late when he offered. “Wanna learn the actual way?” he asked, glancing at you from across the living room, sketchbook resting on his knee. You looked up from your sorry attempt at doodling. “You mean actual lessons?”

He nodded. “Basics, proportions, light, and shadow. I’ll go easy on you.”

You narrowed your eyes. “Is that a challenge?”

He grinned. “It was more of a warning.”

You rolled your eyes.

✏️

The table was cluttered with pencils, erasers, scratch papers, and little sheets of reference photos he printed just for you. You sat cross-legged on the floor while he stayed on his knees behind you, one hand lightly guiding your wrist, the other occasionally pointing at the paper. “See this?” he said, tracing a soft arc in the air. “Don’t force it. Let your hand move as if you’re breathing through it.”

You tried, but your hand was stiff, and the lines were too heavy. You huffed in frustration, slamming the pencil down. He chuckled, “You’re gripping that too hard.”

“I’m not built for this.”

He reached out and gently shook your shoulders. “Stop thinking and draw.”

You picked up the pencil again, grumbling. A few minutes passed in silence, broken only by the scratch of lead on paper. And then, unexpectedly, you felt his chin on your shoulder, peeking down at your progress. “You’re getting better,” he said, voice close. You scoffed. “Liar.”

“No. Look, see the line weight here? That’s control. It’s perfect.”

He reached forward and drew a tiny heart at the corner of your sketch. “I’m proud of you.”

You scrunched your nose. “That’s so embarrassing.”

He laughed. “Erase it, then.”

You glanced over your shoulder and asked, “You think if I keep trying, I’ll get as good as you someday?”

He leaned closer, his lips brushing your temple. “No.”

You turned, mock offended. “Wow.”

“Although I think,” he said, grinning, “you’ll get good in your way. Which is better.”

✏️

Most of the lights were off at the art supply shop, save for the desk lamp near the counter where Jungwon sat, finishing up the day’s last inventory sheet. Across from him, you were fast asleep, arms folded, head leaning against the cushions. He smiled the second he saw you. Still a nap enthusiast. You had said you’d wait for him to finish. Claimed you were “resting your eyes.”

He reached for his sketchbook, flipping past pages until he found a fresh one. It never got old sketching you, whether you were talking, teasing, laughing, or in moments like this. He began to draw for a while.

It wasn’t the most technically perfect drawing he’d ever done, but it was still lovely. His pencil slowed as he reached the last strokes. In the hush of the shop, he let the thought pass through his head. “You’re so pretty.”

He glanced back at the sketch. Then at you. You moved a little in your sleep, nose scrunching. He stood and walked over, crouching down to be at your eye level. He placed the sketch on the small table beside the couch. “Hey,” he whispered. “Time to go home.”

You stirred, eyes barely opening. “Hmm?”

He smiled. “I’ll carry your bag. Let’s walk.”

You sat up slowly, still groggy. “Did you draw me again?”

“Yeah,” he said while helping you up.

Just before you both stepped outside, you turned to him, barely awake, and pressed a soft, drowsy kiss to his lips. A whisper of affection without needing words. Then you yawned and leaned against his shoulder. Jungwon smiled. “Let’s go home.”

As you two walked, he silently thanked the universe for never giving up on bringing you to him until he finally understood why.

683 notes · View notes

woniedarlin · 14 days ago

Note

hey! i love when u format ur works. its cute! ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧

Ahhh thank you so much for saying that 🥺 it seriously means the world that you noticed the formatting! Just a heads-up, the little emoji dividers aren’t something I came up with. I was inspired when I read Coffee and Cream (I haven’t moved on and absolutely recommend this 😖) by @ham-st4r. I completely forgot to give proper credit when I started using the same style, and I apologize for that.

Thank you again for the compliment and huge, huge thanks to @ham-st4r for the emoji inspo 💗 I’ll be editing my pinned post to make sure they’re properly credited. Again, I’m really sorry for not doing it sooner!

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woniedarlin · 16 days ago

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HI HI HII ! I GENUINELY LOVED YOUR RECENT WORK SM?? You did amazing by the way, it actually gave me whiplash when you said you haven’t been feeling your write like what, there's no way??

I ALSO WANTED TO REQUEST A JUNGWON X READER STORY !!! it’s like.. a marriage of convenience / arranged marriage typa thing, but like reader wants divorce from Jungwon on the same day because she’s in love with someone else?? But then gradually stuff happens idk what but then they become best friends and you can take care of the rest, I'm not really that creative 😭

Oops, I Caught Feelings

Pairing: Husband! Jungwon x fem! reader ft. Sunghoon

Genre: Marriage of Convenience / Arranged Marriage

Synopsis: You love your parents. You do, but when they hand you a marriage contract and a husband you barely know, things get complicated, especially since you’re in love with someone else. So, what’s the first thing you do after the ceremony? Ask for a divorce. Jungwon somewhat agrees, and you strike a deal: three months, then it’s over. But as the weeks go by, you start to wonder…What happens when your temporary husband begins to feel permanent?

Author's Note: Oh myyy!! Thank you so much for your sweet words, anonie! This request was so fun to write. I had such a good time putting it together, and I also apologize because this request was sent 2 months ago. I tried my best with this, took a longg time to write. Happy reading, my darlings. Mwah mwah 💋

Caution: This story includes themes of arranged marriage, emotional conflict, and occasional cursing. Expect tension, stubborn hearts, and arguments. Let me know if there is more!

Permanent taglist: @sol3chu @chlorinecake @13tter @jung1w0n @layzfy @firstclassjaylee @ijustwannareadstuff20

“Let’s get a divorce soon.”

You say it as if you’re asking for salt. You were calm and unapologetic. Across the table, Jungwon pauses mid-sip of water. He didn’t choke or flinch at your words but only set the glass down and looked at you with a mild expression, trying to decide if he had misheard. “Well,” he says after a moment, “that was fast.”

You shrug, feeling the zipper of your wedding gown dig into your spine as you moved a little. “I might as well be honest. There’s no point in dragging this out.” It’s late, and the reception ended an hour ago. Your heels are off, and your lipstick has faded into a soft bruise. Jungwon’s tie is loosened and slanted, and his jacket has been discarded behind him. His elbow rests on the armrest and studies you. His eyes weren’t unfriendly but observant, more than anything. You wonder if he’s trying to read you or if he’s just tired like you are. “Did I do something wrong?” he asks, with an almost disarming softness.

“No,” you reply, “You’ve been decent.” The words sound bland, but they’re honest. What more could you even say? It’s not like you knew each other well before this arrangement. “That’s oddly formal,” he mutters, raising an eyebrow. You let out a quiet laugh and said. “That’s me being generous.”

He lets a small smile pull at the corner of his mouth for a second. You vaguely remember him from when you were kids. It was only a few scattered memories from family events or shared acquaintances. He was polite and always slipped away before the adults could rope him into small talk. It’s strange to be married to someone who once existed at the edge of your childhood vision. “I’m in love with someone else,” you say, suddenly. It was silent for a moment after that.

“Ah,” he says at last.

You wet your lips, unsure of what else to add. “That’s not why I said yes to this. I didn’t know we’d go through with it, but I think we should… call it.”

“Do they love you back?” he asks.

Your eyes look to the window before answering. “I don’t know. ”

“Huh.” He taps his fingers against the table, then gives a soft sigh. “That sucks.”

You were caught off guard. “That’s it?”

“What do you want me to say? Fight for your honor? Burn the marriage certificate?” There’s no heat in his words but dry sarcasm. It’s so casual that you don’t even know how to respond for a moment. “You’re surprisingly chill about all this,” you mutter.

“I just got into a marriage with someone I barely know, who’s already in love with someone else,” he says, standing and stretching a little. “I think I’ve earned the right to be chill.” He looks at you with a half-smile, as if to say, Welcome to the club. You glance at him, this time with curiosity. “I didn’t think you’d be this reasonable.”

Jungwon lets out a soft scoff. “Don’t let it fool you.” You walk beside each other in silence, footsteps against the soft carpet, and for a second, it almost feels like a dream where nothing makes sense but everything feels strangely okay. It’s bizarre: this night, this marriage, this shared nonchalance. You don’t hate him. You don’t like him either, but for some reason, there’s an ease to this you didn’t expect. At the elevator, Jungwon presses the button. “So how long do you want to pretend we’re not planning a divorce?”

“Three months?” you say. “It’s enough to let everyone settle down.” Your voice feels lighter now as the tension begins to thin.

He nods. “Room rules?”

“Don’t touch my coffee.”

“Don’t leave hair in the drain.”

“Don’t talk to me before ten.”

“Deal.”

The elevator doors open, and you both step inside. Two strangers , acquaintances, or perhaps two accidental allies. It’s strange how easily it all clicks and how little effort it takes to reach an understanding. The hotel suite is massive. You step in first, followed by the soft thud of Jungwon dragging both of your bags. For a second, you only stare. You’re unsure if it’s the room or the fact that it’s your honeymoon and no one is smiling. He walks over to the couch, drops the bags with a grunt, and rolls his shoulders back. “Pick your side,” he says, nodding toward the king-sized bed. “Or the couch is mine if you snore.”

You furrowed your eyebrows. “I don’t snore.”

“That’s what they all say,” he shrugs. You toss your bag onto the left side of the bed and start peeling off your earrings. Jungwon watches you before heading to the minibar. He opens it, reviews the contents, and pulls out a juice bottle. “So,” he says, unscrewing the cap, “what does someone in love do on their fake honeymoon?”

You glance at him. “To answer your question, I think about not being in love.”

He chuckles. “Deep.”

You flop onto the bed and ask. “Do you think they’ll notice?”

“The lack of Instagram posts? PDA? Matching robes?” He raises a brow. “Perhaps, or they won’t care. This isn’t really about us anyway.”

“No,” you murmur, “it never was.” You feel the bed dip as Jungwon sits down, keeping the right amount of space between you two. Not too close and not too far. Enough to remind each other you’re still strangers. Then Jungwon speaks, “You didn’t plan to marry me, hm?”

“No.” You turn your head slightly. “I didn’t plan to marry anyone.”

He nods. “I get that.”

The night moves on like that. Silent but not awkward. You take turns in the bathroom, fold away your clothes into designated drawers without speaking much. He doesn’t try to make conversation, nor do you, but you have a strange, unspoken understanding. Either respect or simple exhaustion. You’re both too tired to pretend to be in love, but not cold enough to be enemies. Later, you lie on opposite sides of the bed with backs turned. Jungwon speaks again. “I’m not gonna ask about him, but don’t break your own heart on my account, alright?”

And with those words, you appreciated what he said.

💍

The next morning is too bright for your mood. Jungwon’s in the living room now, watching some muted news report on the TV. You sit on the bed and think of him.

Sunghoon.

It still stings to say his name even in your head. You’d been in love with him for years. It wasn’t all-consuming, but a love built itself through shared playlists, and all the things left unsaid from you. You didn’t need to confess immediately because there was time, or so you thought. There were plans. You were going to tell him soon. You’d even picked the day at the cafe he always liked, with messy walls and big cakes. You were finally ready but the marriage happened. You never got to tell him.

Now you’re with Jungwon. You’re married and while your heart is somewhere else, your respect is here, in this man who didn’t choose you either, but still meets you halfway. You will choose to do things right, even if they’re not what you wanted.

💍

“You’re not gonna stay cooped up in the room the whole trip, are you?” Jungwon asks, slipping his sunglasses on as the sun peeks from behind the clouds. Your brow raised, and you replied. “You say that as if we’re here for vacation.”

He shrugs. “I don’t know. You seem the type who’d hate being stuck inside.”

You sighed. “Fine, but if this becomes a cheesy bonding experience, I’m leaving you at a bus stop.”

Jungwon smirks. “You think I’d wait for you?”

You end up wandering around the area. There weren’t quite tourists and strangers. A while later, you both settle on a beach mat watching the ocean waves. Out of nowhere, you said, “His name is Sunghoon.” Jungwon turns his head but says nothing right away. You add, “I just thought you should know.” He finally speaks. “You don’t have to-”

“It’s fine,” you cut in gently. “I want to.”

You take a breath. “I’ve known him for years. We weren’t a couple or anything, but we are close friends. I always thought that maybe… one day, I’d tell him how I felt. I even had this dumb plan. There’s this little cafe in town that we always went to. I thought that would be the place.” You paused. “But the moment never came because this marriage happened and now… It’s something I keep in the back of my head.” You glance at him, offering a tired smile. “Don’t worry. I’ve never entertained him, and I've never tried to reach out that way. I’m married now. I take that seriously.” You turned to look at the people passing by. “Anyway, that’s that.” Jungwon doesn’t say anything for a long time. Then he speaks, “I meant it, you know… what I said before. Don’t break your own heart on my account.”

“I’m not,” you say softly. “It’s already been agreed, hasn’t it? Three months. We go home, thank our parents for the opportunity, and then part ways. No drama at all.” He nods. You can feel him watching you, even if you’re both facing the sea. “But still,” you continue, “I take this seriously. You are my husband, Jungwon. I won’t pretend it means nothing just because there’s an end date. That’s not who I am.”

“I never told Sunghoon,” you murmur. “I never even hinted. It wasn’t his fault, and I didn’t want him to carry the weight of something that was never his to hold. I buried it the moment our parents showed us the marriage contract.” Jungwon is finally taking off his sunglasses. He sets them down beside him. His eyes meet yours, and they’re impossibly kind. “You didn’t have to do that,” he says.

“I know,” you answer. “But I did because you were standing beside me that day, because our parents were so proud and because… if I had screamed, begged, or run away, I wouldn’t have been me anymore.” Then Jungwon’s voice breaks it, “I think that’s what makes you strong, you know. Not how you hold everything together, but how you do it without making anyone else feel small.”

“I don’t want to make you feel like a placeholder, Jungwon,” you admit. “Even if we both know how this ends. These months, they’re not pretending to me.”

“I know,” he says, and there’s no mockery, no distance. “They’re not pretending to me either. Almost as if it needs to be said,”

you add, “I want us to leave this with respect. With good memories. So when we tell them it’s over… it won’t be because we hated it.”

Jungwon smiles faintly. “Then let’s make these three months count.”

You nodded at his response.

💍

The marriage, of course, was never about love. It was about two powerful families, two last names inked on contracts. Your parents, who are ambitious and strategic, saw opportunity. The wedding was just a ceremony, but the alliance? That was the real deal. Your parents told you it can be temporary if you want to, but they wanted you to try it and be with him for a while. A show of unity. A merging of two empires that could dissolve just as easily as it came together, once the timing was right.

If the divorce goes through on time, nothing collapses. No one loses face. Both families can say they tried. It will all be written off as a necessary step in building a stronger future, whatever that means.

But what no one accounted for was what might happen in between. What it means to live beside someone you barely know. To sleep next to someone. To hear their thoughts unfiltered. To witness their habits. Three months sounded easy. But living them? That’s something else entirely.

One Week Later

The honeymoon was alright. Jungwon, to his credit, made it easy. He was thoughtful, not pushy. He was laid-back, which balanced out your guarded nature. He didn’t try to force anything. No tension, no fake affection just for appearances, and in a strange way, that made you respect him more. But after a week, it has now come. A black car waited for you both outside the villa. The engine purring as you stepped out with your luggage, the staff politely bowing one last time. You went into the backseat beside Jungwon to look again at the familiar hotel.

The ride to the new house took hours.

The driver pulled up to the estate gates. It wasn’t just big. It was designed. It was too perfect to feel like home yet. Everything was pristine. You stood in the foyer, your luggage by your side, Jungwon beside you. “Well,” he murmured, looking at you, “we made it. Home sweet… investment.” You smiled and appreciated the dry humor. “Yeah.” He nodded. “Let’s mess it up a little.” He walked ahead, wheeling his luggage toward the upstairs hallway. “You get first pick. Main bedroom or the one with the balcony?”

“You’re not taking the master?” you said, confused.

He shrugged. “I don’t need the biggest room to prove anything. Go where you’ll feel more comfortable.” You ended up choosing the one with the pretty view, not the master. He took the other without comment.

💍

You were still technically married, but you had separate rooms and routines.

For days, mornings became alright. He cooked surprisingly well. You helped him clean. He asked you things, not out of obligation, but curiosity. Your favorite music. Whether you like rainy days, nights are more at peace. Sometimes, he came home from a work dinner or family obligation, and the two of you would sit on the floor in the living room, with leftovers in between.

It was… nice

You saw him brushing his teeth. His hair is a little messy. You saw him tired. You saw him annoyed. You saw him with his tie undone, complaining about a phone call. And you realized…This is what it means to live with someone, not just in the same space but in the same life.

Besides that, you never knew if Sunghoon loved you back. That was the part that stung the most. You had loved him for so long, and now, married, the timing was gone. You weren’t sure what you would be waiting for if the three-month agreement expired. Some invisible green light? A chance to pick up where you left off? But even that thought made you feel sick. Was it still respectful? Would it be too soon? Would it be cruel? You didn’t know what Sunghoon felt. Perhaps he had someone else by now. Maybe the version of him you were in love with was just a perfect memory built from the safety of what never was. You had no right to be angry, but you were hurting anyway.

So you made a promise to yourself: You wouldn’t confess. Not unless it still felt right. Not unless your heart didn’t feel like it was cheating on someone who had only ever been kind to you. Jungwon.

But while married, you didn’t let yourself spiral into daydreams anymore. Not about Paris with Sunghoon. Not about mornings, surprise confessions, or the slow realization that he had been in love with you all along. That story belonged to another version of you. One who didn’t get arranged into someone else’s life.

💍

You didn’t plan on getting this comfortable with Jungwon. It started with the afternoons when he knocked twice on your door before walking in as if he lived there. “Your room gets the better light,” he said one day, already settling on your carpet with his laptop and a bowl of cereal. You gave him a look of judgment. “There’s a whole house, Jungwon.”

“But your room smells of human life,” he grinned while gesturing to your candle. “Mine smells like wet paint and depression.” You should’ve kicked him out. You didn’t, sigh. Eventually, your schedules tangled. He worked where you worked. He started leaving socks under your coffee table. You started stealing his oversized hoodies on rainy mornings. One Wednesday, you both called in sick, though neither was ill. You both didn’t feel like facing the world. Instead, you lie in the living room, side by side with snacks between you, watching bad movies and trading horror stories about your high school years. “I had a bad perm in ninth grade,” Jungwon confessed and winced. You turned your head slowly, already grinning. “No way.”

“It’s true,” he groaned. “It was a nightmare.”

You nearly choked on your popcorn. “Please. I need photos for blackmail.”

“That’s classified information,” he said, snatching the bowl away but laughing too.

It wasn’t love, it was nice, whatever this was. This warm, lazy comfort. He started learning your habits. You hated how the faucet dripped at night, so he twisted it tight, and you couldn’t stand shoes on the carpet. You never talked about the divorce again. One night, the power cut out while you were halfway through a shower. You screamed. From outside, Jungwon yelled, “Are you dead?”

“No, but you better light candles before I leave here in the dark.” You found him in the kitchen later with a flashlight under his chin. “I’m the ghost of arranged marriages,” he said spookily. You nearly slipped again from laughing so hard. Later, the two of you sat on the counter eating leftover rice, candlelight between you. “Do you ever think about after?” you asked, picking at your food. “Like… what happens when we divorce?”

He looked at you for a long moment, then looked down. “Sometimes,” he said quietly. “But I try not to. It feels like ruining something that’s not broken yet.”

You agreed.

By week four, Jungwon insisted on making the other room into a “cringe cinema room.” You let him. “You’re annoying, you know,” you said one evening, watching him struggle to mount a projector on the ceiling. “And you’re bossy, but I put up with you anyway,” he said, dangling from a step ladder. He jumped down with a grin, brushing his hands on his pants. “I’m your husband, after all.”

You rolled your eyes. “Temporary.”

“It still counts,” he smirked, lightly bumping your shoulder. You bumped him back harder. This feels more like friends hanging out with each other than a marriage.

💍

It was around 11 p.m. You were drying the plates. Jungwon was wiping the table. “You didn’t show up to lunch.”

You kept your eyes on the dish in your hand. “I told you I might not make it.”

“You said you’d try.”

“I did try,” you said. “My meeting ran late.”

He muttered. “It felt like I was waiting for nothing.”

You finally looked at him. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to leave you hanging.”

His arms crossed. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m the only one putting effort into this.”

You set the plate down. “What?”

“Isn’t it?” he asked. “I make time, I show up. You’re always somewhere else.”

“That’s not true.”

“It feels true.”

You stared at him. “You think I want that? You think I always choose between what matters and what also matters?”

He didn’t answer right away. “I wish I didn’t always come second.”

You scoffed. “Then maybe you shouldn’t have married someone like me.”

“Well, I didn’t have a choice, did I?” He didn’t meet your eyes. “I’m going to bed. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” So this is what it feels like to argue as a married couple? You swear it was much worse whenever your parents fight. It was terrifying lol.

💍

You weren’t exactly mad at Jungwon. Not anymore, at least, and you were pretty sure he wasn’t angry at you either, but something about the air between you both felt compressed. It was the day after your first proper argument, and it left a weird taste in your mouth. Neither of you had yelled, but you’d both walked away a little bruised.

Now, at the grocery store, he pushed the cart ahead of you. He was focused and was scanning the list with his brows furrowed, checking items off as he placed them neatly into the cart. You, on the other hand, were walking behind while munching on a tiny food sample. You weren’t helping at all, and you knew it.

You even ducked into the seafood aisle to grab another round of free crackers and cheese. Yes, you were being passive-aggressive and maybe a little mean, but when Jungwon glanced behind and didn’t find you, he sighed slightly but loud enough for you to hear from two shelves away. You didn’t say anything when you rejoined him, though you did place a pack of overpriced chocolate cereal into the cart without asking. He glanced at it, then at you. You met his eyes, chewing. “What?” you asked with your mouth full. He shook. “Nothing.”

You strolled on. The whole trip went like that with minimal words, plenty of sighs, and a few eye rolls (from you). It was a sort of stubbornness between two people still figuring out what their closeness was supposed to look like. At checkout, you stood beside him silently as he paid.

The drive back was more of the same. You sat with your legs crossed and head leaned against the window, but then he pulled the car over to a spot by the curb. You looked over, confused. He put the car in park and turned to you. “Look at me.” You hesitated, but then you did. “I’m not good at this,” he admitted softly. “And I’m sorry,” he continued. “I didn’t want to make you feel unheard last night. I didn’t mean to be cold.”

Your heart is pinching a little. “You weren’t cold. I think I took it that way because I was scared of where the conversation might go.” His expression softened. “Yeah?” You nodded. “Yeah.” He leaned back in his seat. “Marriage is weird.” Which made you laugh a little. “Tell me about it.”

He reached into one of the grocery bags in the back seat and pulled something out. He handed you the chocolate cereal. Oh, you thought he put it back on the shelf because it was overpriced. You stared at it. “Really?”

“You’re annoying when you don’t help,” he said. “But you looked like you needed it.” You smiled, holding the box close to your chest. “Thanks,” you muttered. “Also… sorry for disappearing and going on the samples instead.”

He smiled. “You didn’t even get the good ones.”

“I panicked,” you replied. “It’s a very high-pressure situation.”

He shook his head while chuckling, then he looked at you again. “So… are we okay?”

You nodded slowly. “Yeah”

“That’s good.”

With that, he pulled the car back onto the road.

💍

It was past midnight when you knocked on Jungwon’s door. You stood outside his room awkwardly, hugging your arms, your phone clutched tightly in one hand. Jungwon opened the door a second later, obviously having just woken up. “Are you okay?” he asked, voice husky.

You hesitated. “Um. Yeah. I accidentally watched a video.”

“A video,” he repeated, and a smirk appeared on his lips. “Was it a ghost video? Did you get scared?” You were embarrassed to answer, shifting on your feet.

“haha…’’

He raised a brow. You groaned softly, whispering, “Yes.” He chuckled. “You’re such a baby.”

“I didn’t mean to watch it! It popped up, and the thumbnail was like a little cartoon, so I clicked it and then boom! Screaming, a floating girl, creepy stairs! Now I think I’m cursed or something, and every time I close my eyes, I feel like she’s there…..”

He said. “It’s not that big of a deal. You’re overreacting.”

“She was floating, Jungwon.”

He sighed, stepping aside. “Come in, you big baby.” You hurried inside, brushing past him and making a beeline for his bed. “I can’t believe this,” he muttered, closing the door. “You can’t sleep unless you’re two inches from me, big baby?”

You were already crawling under his blanket. “Two inches is generous.”

He rolled his eyes as he walked over. “I don’t know why I keep letting you in here.”

You looked up at him from under the blanket, eyes wide. “Because you secretly care.” He snorted but didn’t deny it. Instead, he turned off the light and went under the covers, settling beside you. You flopped right next to him, practically burrowed into his side. “Seriously?” he said, voice muffled by the pillow. “This close?” You didn’t respond. “You’re pressing into my ribs.” Still nothing. He looked down. “Hey. Are you… scared?” You nodded once, not meeting his eyes.

He stared at you for a second, without another word, lifted his arm, and opened the blanket wider. You didn’t hesitate. You snuggled even closer, your head resting near his chest. “…You’re so warm,” you murmured.

“You’re trembling,” he muttered, a little worried now. He let his arm rest around you, hesitantly at first, then fully wrapping you up. “Geez. How bad was that video?”

“Bad,” you whispered. “I hate mirrors now.”

He couldn’t help it, so he laughed. “Hey,” you said, voice muffled against his shirt. “Stop laughing. You’re supposed to protect me.”

“Right, right,” he said, still smiling. “I forgot that’s in my marriage vows.”

“You didn’t say vows.”

“Okay, then I’m freelancing them.”

You pulled the blanket tighter, eyes fluttering shut. He said softly. “You can sleep here whenever, you know that, right?”

You replied. “Yeah. Thanks.” Then you added, “Don’t float above me when I sleep, okay?”

“Not unless I’m cursed too.”

You cracked a smile. “Deal.” And soon enough, the scary images faded, replaced by warmth and comfort.

💍

You didn’t mean to fall asleep like that. In fact, last night, you had planned to stay on your side of Jungwon’s bed quietly, but sometime between murmured jokes and your hundredth check of the bedroom mirror, you must’ve fully passed out, and now, well…

The sunlight was starting to peek in when Jungwon woke up slowly. He squinted at the light, yawned, then frowned, realizing his arm had gone numb. That was because your entire body was sprawled across him. One leg was tossed over his. Your arm was flung across his chest, your face smushed unflatteringly near his collarbone, and you snored. He stared down at you. “…Seriously?” You didn’t move.

He moved a little to relieve the weight on his arm, but you grunted and pressed your face into his shoulder. He looked at the ceiling in disbelief. “I let you stay one night,” he muttered, deadpan. “One night.” You snored louder. He sighed, but there was no real irritation behind it. In fact, after a few seconds, his lips turned into a tired little smile. Carefully, he reached up with his free hand and lightly poked your cheek. Nothing. He poked again. “Wake up, big baby.”

“Mmmgh,” you groaned into his shirt.

He raised an eyebrow. “You’re snoring directly into my soul.”

“Stop…” you were still half-asleep. “You’re so loud…”

“I’m not the one drooling on someone else’s chest right now.”

At that, your eyes finally fluttered open, mortified. You slowly looked up, realizing just how close you were. He looked back at you, face neutral. You smiled sheepishly. “…Good morning?” A tiny, amused smile returned from him. “Morning. You want to get off of me, or are you planning to rent this space monthly?” You made a face, immediately rolling away with a groan, face burning. “I swear I didn’t mean to-”

He sat up, rubbing his arm. “I can’t feel my bicep anymore.”

“I get it! I’m sorry, okay?!” You buried yourself in the blanket, completely humiliated. He chuckled as he stood and stretched. “You’re lucky I like sleepovers,” he added over his shoulder as he walked to the bathroom. You peeked out from under the covers, watching him go. “I still hate mirrors, though,” you muttered. You heard him call back from the bathroom, “Then stop snoring at them.”

After a while,

You were still on Jungwon’s bed while you were on your phone. The embarrassment from waking up on top of him had faded, replaced by your usual comfort. It was one of those unbothered days where nothing was urgent. You giggled softly at your phone. Jungwon, sitting by the desk, checking emails, turned his gaze to you. “What’s got you smiling?”

You didn’t look up. “I’m texting my friend group.” He hummed, going back to tapping his keyboard. Then, you got another message. Your phone buzzed with a new image. You opened it, and your eyes lit up. “Aww!”

Jungwon peeked again. “Wifey?” he called you casually. “Who’s making you giggle now?” You turned your screen toward him without thinking. “Sunghoon sent me a picture of him and his dog. Look, isn’t his dog so- wait…”You stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing something.

Jungwon asked. “Sunghoon?”

You sat up. “I just realized, I never showed you what he looks like, right?” He raised an eyebrow, slowly walking over. You handed him your phone and watched his face. His face was neutral, though something was a little unreadable in his eyes as he studied the photo: Sunghoon smiling beside a fluffy, seemingly French poodle.

Jungwon nodded once. “So that’s Sunghoon.”

“Mhm,” you said, still not noticing the weird subtle behavior. “He always sends random dog pictures. Honestly, he’s so in love with his dog, it’s insane.” Jungwon handed your phone back with face unchanged. “Cute dog.”

You smiled. “Right?” He nodded and returned to his desk, sliding into his chair smoothly. You were still smiling at the picture, busy typing a reply, when he glanced over again.

💍

You didn’t expect much from the dinner. It was only a formal family gathering with you and Jungwon’s parents. The marriage had always been meant to be temporary, something your parents knew. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement that allowed both families to settle business matters and give you “a companion” in the meantime. Your parents had reassured you: “If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t have to last.” You were never pushed to fall in love.

After a long while in the marriage, their perspective seemed to change after closeness was shown. “You’re glowing these days,” his mom said to you with a knowing smile. I remember how hesitant you were initially, but look at you now.”

You tried not to stiffen. “Oh- really?”

“She’s right,” your mom joined in, nodding. “We were saying how natural you two seem. It’s so lovely to see.”

Natural? Your dad chuckled. “We always believed that with time, you’d both give this marriage a fair chance, and now look! It looks like it’s going to last forever.” Jungwon gave a polite smile. “We’re… figuring things out.” You nodded, matching his energy. “It’s still early, but we’re doing okay.”

“More than okay,” your mom said cheerily. “You’re so in sync! Honestly, I think you’ve found the one.”You took a sip of your drink, to avoid answering and partly to recover from the statement. You saw Jungwon do the same. Then came the kicker. “Well,” his dad said, pouring himself another drink, “If you’re not planning to end things anytime soon… maybe we’ll meet a grandchild sooner than we thought?”

You choked. Jungwon choked. Everyone else laughed. You leaned toward him, whispering behind your glass, “Tell me you heard that too.”

“I wish I didn’t,” he muttered.

His mom waved her hand. “Don’t look so startled! We’re just happy. The two of you seem so in love these days. It’s not like how it started.”

Your mom nodded in agreement. “It’s like fate, honestly.” You and Jungwon exchanged a glance. You weren’t sure if it was panic or confusion. You plastered on a smile. “That’s very sweet, mom.”Jungwon added, “We’re grateful for everything.” They seemed satisfied with that. The conversation continued, but you could feel Jungwon’s foot bump lightly against yours under the table, like a “what just happened?”. Later, in the kitchen, you were washing dishes beside him, still stunned. “Did they just rewrite our whole backstory?” you asked, handing him a plate.

“Apparently, we’re in love,” he said, drying it. “Didn’t you get the memo?”

“I missed it. It must’ve been in the fine print.”

He chuckled. “Well… we didn’t exactly deny it.”

You smirked. “Yeah. You sold it with your half-nod and existential panic.”

He bumped your shoulder with his. “Hey- you’re the one who turned pink.”

You groaned. “I can’t believe we almost got baby-trapped.”

“We survived,” he said.

“Barely.”

💍

It had been a long day because of an accidental detour into a sketchy back alley thanks to Jungwon’s “shortcut,” and a tragically wrong drive-thru order. You were both tired, delirious, and running on caffeine and sarcasm. You were crouched near the car while Jungwon struggled to fit the last bag into the trunk. “Do you think if I die here, the coroner will be like, ‘Cause of death: rice bag to the face’?” he said.

You looked up at him. “I think they’d say natural causes because you’ve always been naturally stupid.”

He turned slowly. “Oh?”

You grinned. He pointed at you. “This from the same person who waved at a mannequin today.”

“IT WAS WEARING A HAT AND HAD POSTURE.”

Jungwon crouched beside you now. “You were like, ‘Hi- oh.’ And then you bowed to it. You bowed.”You smacked his arm. “I was being polite!” That set you both off. You were clutching your stomach, while he wheezed beside you. “I can’t breathe-” you gasped. He wiped his eye. “I heard you say ‘excuse me’ to the clothing rack after bumping into it.”

“I have MANNERS!” You both dissolved into uncontrollable laughter again, collapsing against the car. People passed by, giving you strange looks, but you were too far gone to care.

“HIHAHAHA snortt BWAHA’’

‘’NYAHAHAHAHIHIHI’’

“It’s been a long day,” he said solemnly.

You nodded, then whispered between laughs, “I hate you.”

“I hate you more.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Okay, but did you hear how ugly your laugh is?”

“BITCH, YOU SOUND LIKE A COUGHING BROOM.”

That was it again. Jungwon collapsed forward, wheezing, as you completely gave up and rolled back onto the pavement. A passing old couple stared at the two of you and walked away scared. Neither of you noticed. You were gripping each other’s arms with bodies shaking with laughter, faces red and aching. “I’m gonna throw up,” you managed.

“Same,” Jungwon said, wiping a tear. “This is how we die.”

ya’ll are weird as fuck.

💍

It had been a week. Nothing big had happened, but it hit you. You hadn’t thought about Sunghoon in a while. Not that you were trying not to. He used to cross your mind so naturally. It was a familiar habit of yours before the marriage began. Before, you would wonder what he’d think of your new shoes, or remember an old joke and smile alone, but this past week? You were laughing too hard with Jungwon, arguing over who left the fridge slightly open and other silly things. You were in this strange, growing space you two had built. And when your phone lit up with a message from Sunghoon that night, which he sent a funny joke, you smiled, but not the one before. Not the smile that stayed. Not the one that used to warm you all over.

You only tapped the screen and locked it again. Jungwon came out of the bathroom, hair damp and in his comfy clothes. “You good?” You nodded. “Yeah.” He sat next to you on the couch, reaching for the chips between you. “What’s with that face?” You tilted your head. “What face?”

“That one,” he pointed, smirking. “You seem like you just had a life crisis.” You snorted. “Maybe I did.”

“Want to talk about it?”

You shook your head. “Not really.”

“Okay.” He popped a chip in his mouth and stared at the screen. “Wanna watch something stupid?”

“Absolutely.”

💍

It was one of those usual afternoons when everything felt alright as always. You and Jungwon were walking side by side and sipping iced drinks. You two were bumping shoulders every few steps. You had just come out of the bookstore; instead, he dragged you out before you bought another copy of a book you already owned. “You’re insane,” he said, pointing at the bag in your hand. “You already have that book.”

“This one has a different cover,” you argued, “and you wouldn’t get it. It’s for the vibe.” Jungwon groaned mockingly. “You know what? Next time I see that book in your room, I’m stealing it.” You laughed. “Joke’s on you. I’ll buy another.” He rolled his eyes but smiled. It was easy with him: the teasing and the walking. You were halfway through telling him that your teacher mistakenly called you a different name when someone behind you suddenly shouted your name.

“(Name)? OH MY GO-,” came a familiar voice. You barely had time to react before arms wrapped around you and your feet lifted off the ground. “Sunghoon?” you gasped, still mid-air. He twirled you once, laughing, before setting you down. “I knew that was you! You haven’t changed one bit!”

You looked at him, surprised. “It’s not that long-”

“No, it’s too long,” he said, holding onto your shoulders. “Goodness, it’s so good to see you.” His eyes scanned your face. “You look good…suspiciously good. Your happily ever after been smooth so far?” You laughed awkwardly and respond. “I guess so.” He smirked. “I’m still mad I never got to see you in a white dress, by the way. I had tissues ready to cry in the front row and everything.”

You playfully pushed his arm. “Shut up.” Then he glanced to the side, finally noticing the figure standing a few steps back. “Oh,” Sunghoon said. “You’re- Jungwon, right?” Jungwon gave a slight nod, stepping forward. “Yeah. You’re Sunghoon, right?” They hadn’t met before, but they knew of each other well, because of you.

Sunghoon stuck his hand out with a bright smile. “It’s good to meet you finally, man. I’ve heard a lot.” Jungwon shook it. “Same here.” There was something calm and nice with how Jungwon said it, but if you were paying attention, it was kinda odd.

Sunghoon looked between the two of you again. “You two look good together,” he said happily. “Better than I imagined.” You smiled and couldn’t tell if your heart was beating from the compliment or the pressure. Jungwon nodded once, his face unreadable. “Thanks, man.”

“Anyway,” Sunghoon said, stepping back, “it’s crazy bumping into you like this. Are you two heading somewhere?”

“We were just walking,” you said.

“Right, well- guess I’ll let you go,” Sunghoon said, slowly. “It was nice seeing you again, seriously.” He didn’t hug you again this time, but only gave you that soft, warm smile he always had. “Take care, alright? Both of you.”

“You too,” you said.

Then you and Jungwon turned and walked away. You didn’t speak for the first few seconds. Something felt weird with Jungwon. Then Jungwon reached over, grabbed your drink, and took a sip. “Hey!” you said, laughing.

“I needed sugar,” he muttered. “Besides, yours tastes better.” You scoffed at him. “That’s your excuse for everything.”

Though, back at the car, it felt kinda awkward. You glanced at Jungwon. You could see his jaw was tight. He hadn’t said much since you both returned from running into Sunghoon. You turned the music down even more. “What’s up with you?” you asked. Jungwon muttered, “Nothing.” You raised a brow. “Really? You’ve been acting weird since we left.”

“I’m just tired.”

You scoffed. “Tired?” Your entire body turned to him. “Seriously? What is your deal?”

“I don’t have a deal,” he said quickly.

“Okay, then why are you being so quiet?”

“I’m always quiet.”

you shot back. “This isn’t quiet, this is- I don’t know, sulking.” That got a reaction. Jungwon let out a humorless laugh. “So now I’m sulking?”

“I’m saying- if something’s wrong, you can say it. I’m not gonna bite.”

He turned down a side street. “What do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know! Did seeing someone from my past make you uncomfortable? Or did you not like how close we used to be? Or that you hated how he hugged me or talked about the marriage?-anything.”

“It’s not my place to hate anything,” Jungwon said.

You frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He glanced at you. “It means I don’t have the right to say anything. We’re not- this isn’t like that.”

You stared at him. “Wow. Okay.”

“No, I didn’t mean it like-”

You shook your head, cutting him off. “No, it’s fine. We’re not anything. Got it.”

“That’s not what I meant,” he said again, but there was more frustration. “I meant that whatever I’m feeling shouldn’t even matter.”

“It does matter! You’ve been acting off since that run-in. Don’t act like you’re fine.”

Jungwon pulled over near the side of the road and parked the car. “Look,” he started, “it’s not about Sunghoon. When he showed up, it felt as if I was watching someone walk into a memory I wasn’t part of, and it hit me how little time I’ve had to get to know you, even though we’ve been stuck together for a while now.”

you said, “You think I know everything about you?”

“That’s not what I’m saying-”

“You don’t know a thing about me either,” you snapped. “And you’re the one who barely talks about yourself.”

“Well, I’m trying not to cross a line!”

“What line is that, Jungwon?” your voice rising. “I feel like we’ve already crossed a few, haven’t we?”

“This whole thing is confusing,” he said finally. “I didn’t ask for any of it, and neither did you, and I’m trying, but today, it messed with my head.”

“Well, don’t take that out on me.”

“I’m not-”

“Yes, you are,” you said. “I’m tired of tiptoeing around you. Every time something important comes up, you shut down.”

“Every time I try to say something honest, you twist it!”

You stared at him. “You know what? Just drive.”

He clenched his jaw. “Fine.”

The rest of the ride was quiet again.

When you got home, you didn’t even take off your shoes. Jungwon was already behind you, just as silent as he’d been in the car. You tossed your bag onto the couch, then turned on your heel. “Are you gonna tell me what that was back there?” you snapped. “Or are we just gonna sit silently until it eats us alive?”

Jungwon replied. “What what was?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” you said sarcastically. “You're going quiet the second Sunghoon showed up. You’re acting like I committed a crime by talking to an old friend.”

His eyes narrowed. “You think I was mad about him?”

“Weren’t you?”

“No,” he snapped. “I was mad because you acted as if I wasn’t even there.” to which, you scoffed. Jungwon said. “You laughed, you twirled, you hugged.”

“You’re not my real husband, Jungwon!” you blurted. “We both know this is fake!”

And everything stopped. You regretted them the second they left your mouth, but it was too late. Jungwon’s face became more unreadable. “Right,” he said slowly. “I forgot. Three months, right?”

You stuttered. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“No, it’s fine,” he said bitterly. “You’re just saying what we both agreed on.”

You hated the way your chest ached. “It didn’t have to be like this.”

He looked away. “Perhaps it shouldn’t have been anything at all,” he added, “Sometimes I wonder why I even said yes.”

You furrowed your eyebrows. “Excuse me?”

“I mean it,” he said. “I should’ve just said no. I should’ve told my mom I wasn’t interested in playing house with a stranger.”

“Wow,” you whispered, holding back the tears. “You know what’s funny? I thought we were starting to get along.”

He shook his head. “That’s the problem. We let it be genuine for a second, and now we’re here.”

You were stunned, hurt, furious, all at once. “Well, maybe you should start packing,” you said coldly. “There’s no point waiting three months if you regret it.” You walked away after. This time, you shut your bedroom door gently, because slamming it would’ve made it too final, where you meant every word you said. Deep down, you didn’t, but none of that mattered tonight.

💍

He was gone. There was no goodbye. His closet emptied. You were in the doorway for longer than you should’ve, waiting for something to tell you this wasn’t real. Perhaps a leftover jacket, a single shoe, or his scent, but nothing. You walked into the living room, feeling as if it were a foreign ground. The couch sat untouched. The blanket you always fought over is still folded neatly where you left it. You sat down, staring at the wall, wishing it might give you an answer. You didn’t realize you were crying until the first tear fell onto your shirt.

He wasn’t supposed to mean anything. That was the deal. Three months. After that, a handshake, a thank you, and you both go back to the lives you were meant to live. This marriage was never real, but somehow, he’d slipped into the cracks of your routine. You loved it when he left his mug near the sink instead of inside it. You loved it when he dried your umbrella, even when you forgot to. You loved it when he waited for you to unlock the door first, even when he had the spare key.

You’d picked up things about him without meaning to, and now you kept walking into rooms, expecting to find him there. You told yourself over and over that this wasn’t love. It was only comfort, but you felt the truth crawling to you in the emptiness.

He was never just a guest in your life. He became part of it. You missed hearing his footsteps. You missed his voice through the bathroom door. You missed the stupid way he argued about where the cereal belonged. You didn’t love him from the start. You weren’t even sure when it began, but he started making your world feel softer one day. He made silence feel safe. He made loneliness feel full. He made you feel seen, even on the days you didn’t want to be.

But he was gone. It wasn’t supposed to end like this, not with him leaving before you figured out how much he meant. Not before you could say, “Don’t go,” because you would’ve said it if only he had stayed long enough to hear.

💍

You weren’t expecting her, but she came. It was always what mothers did when everything was already broken beyond repair. You heard the knock on the door, and it felt like she was a stranger asking to be let into your ruin. You should’ve kept it locked, but you opened it anyway. She stepped in without waiting for an invitation. Her eyes scanned the place, and she knew. Jungwon wasn’t there. “I’ve been calling,” she said gently.

You didn’t look at her. “I know.”

“I thought I’d come by to check on you.”

You let out a bitter laugh. “Check if the house you married me into is still standing?”

She winced. “Honey, please.”

“No,” you said, turning to her now, voice rising, “You never meant anything, right? You didn’t mean to marry me off as if I were a pawn. You didn’t mean for it to feel like I was auctioned off to someone you thought could keep me in line. You didn’t mean for me to end up in a house where he’s gone and I’m here swallowing the silence.” She flinched, but you were already spiraling. “You made me believe this would be fine, that I’d grow into it. That I’d learn to like him. That love could come after.” Then you said it with full force,

“But I did love him.”

You kept speaking, “I loved how he brushed his teeth with the door open, how he’d mumble when he was tired. I even loved how he took up too much space in his bed. We agreed to have separate rooms, but despite that, I would end up sleeping beside him. I loved it when it made the house feel less lonely.”

Your voice cracked. “I waited for him to come home every night, even when we were fighting. I kept counting the days to the end of the three months as if it were a joke.” You looked up now, at your mother. “But I wasn’t laughing.” You swallowed hard. “I hate you for putting me in this, but more than that… I hate myself because I walked into this marriage ready to leave, but somewhere along the way, I fell. Slowly and pathetically. I fell.”

Her face had crumpled, but you didn’t stop. “Now he’s gone, just like we had agreed on, and I don’t know if I’ll ever get to tell him that I didn’t want it to end.” Tears blurred your eyes. “I didn’t want to be free. Please, not from him.” You collapsed into the heartbreak and loving someone too late. Your mother, who started it all, couldn’t do anything but stand there and watch her daughter mourn a man who was never supposed to matter but did.

Then, her shoulders started to shake. You’d never seen your mother cry before, but now, she was trembling in your living room, hands covering her face, lips quivering around the words she couldn’t seem to find fast enough. “I’m so sorry…” she whispered. “I’m so- so sorry.” She moved closer, unsure, until she gently wrapped her arms around you. She was holding her daughter for the first time in years.

You let yourself lean into her, into the familiarity of her perfume. Letting into the embrace you didn’t realize you still needed. “I didn’t know,” she whispered into your hair. “I thought I was doing what was best. I thought- I didn’t know it would hurt you. I thought you’d walk away untouched.”

You pulled back slightly to look at her tear-stained face. Your voice was hollow. “I don’t know what to do anymore.” She brushed your hair back gently. “Then don’t decide today,” she murmured. “You don’t have to have it all figured out. You don’t have to be okay right now.”

You said. “I miss him and I don’t even know if he wants to return.”

Your mother held your face with both hands. “Then you wait.”

You bit your lip while the tears threatened to spill again. “I don’t want it to be over.”

She nodded. “Don’t let it be.” You let yourself cry into someone’s arms for the first time in days, not because it fixed anything, but because it meant you weren’t alone in it anymore. If only there were still time to rewrite the ending.

💍

You hadn’t meant to go out with hair messy and sweater sleeves stretched from pulling at them. The cafe bell jingled above your head, and you barely looked up as you stepped inside, hoping for something warm. When suddenly- “Hey!” You turned your head slowly. Sunghoon stood a few steps away and was holding his drink. His smile faded the moment his eyes saw you. “Whoa- hey…” he stepped forward instantly. “What’s wrong?” Before you could respond, before you could even lie, he pulled you into a hug. He felt you tremble, but he said nothing. He only held you tighter and murmured, “Let’s go somewhere quiet, yeah?”

You ended up at a place no one looked twice at. It was a lonely time between day and night.

“I don’t know where to start,” you said.

“Anywhere,” Sunghoon replied. “I’ll listen.”

“It was an arranged marriage.”

He widened his eyes. “Wait… what?”

“Me and Jungwon,” you said. “It was never ours. Well, not in the beginning. Our families put it together for status and legacy.” You swallowed. “We agreed to divorce. I was the one who wanted to divorce immediately after we got married. He agreed. Three months of marriage and then divorce.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked.

“I didn’t know how to,” you continued. “Before the marriage even happened… I was going to confess something else.”

His brows furrowed. “Confess?”

“I was in love with you.” The words came out before you could stop them. You felt Sunghoon freeze beside you. “What?” he said softly.

“I was in love with you,” you repeated. “It was back then before everything got so… twisted.” You laughed, but it wasn’t happy. “I wanted to tell you. I planned to, but before I could… the marriage happened.” You hugged yourself tighter, your tears threatening to return. “I didn’t know how to act around you after that. I didn’t want to disrespect him or you. So, I backed away. I started texting you less and more casually than before. I thought it was the right thing.”

Sunghoon nodded slowly. “I noticed.”

“I’m sorry.” You sniffled. “Something else happened, too,” you whispered. “Somewhere in all of this, I fell for him.” You closed your eyes. “He has this way of making everything feel like it matters…Like I matter. I don’t even know when it happened. I woke up one day and realized I was different. I’d been slowly filled up with someone else’s presence, and suddenly, it hurt to imagine being without him.”Tears stung again, but you didn’t fight them this time. “It wasn’t supposed to happen. We agreed to divorce after three months. That was the deal. That’s all it ever was supposed to be, but now… I don’t know what to do.”

You looked up at Sunghoon then, finally. “I’m sorry. For dragging you into this, being silent, and not telling you sooner.”

Sunghoon slowly reached out and pulled you into his arms. It wasn’t romantic, but it was full of warmth from him. “I’m sorry too for not knowing,” he murmured. You pressed your face into his shoulder. He pulled back to look at you. “You’ve been through a lot, but you’re still here,” he said.

You gave a broken laugh. “It doesn’t feel like I’m here.”

“You are.” His eyes were kind. “Even if this isn’t how you imagined things… you’re stronger than you think.”

You nodded. “Thank you.”

He gave a smile. “Always here for you, as your friend.”

💍

You told yourself you were ready. You had rehearsed what you would say if he ever walked through that door again a hundred times, how you’d stay composed. How you’d look him in the eye and not flinch, but when he came back, you didn't know what to do when Jungwon appeared past the front door threshold. You had just placed the divorce papers on the console table. Your hand was still resting on top of them. “I didn’t think I’d still be able to open the door,” he said.

Seeing him again, your heart stuttered. For a second, everything you had planned to say disappeared. You were left staring at him, scared that this was it and this would be the last time. What if everything you told them now wouldn’t fix it? What if no matter how much you poured out, he had already closed the door, without slamming it, and you never noticed?

Finally, you took the courage to say what you needed to say. “I’m sorry,” you blurted. “I know that’s too late, but I’m still saying it. I’m sorry for what I said that night and what I didn’t say after. I’m sorry I acted like you didn’t matter to me when all I ever did was care. You’ve been my person for so long that I didn’t know how to be mad at you without breaking my heart.”

“I’m sorry for making you feel alone,” you continued. “I’m sorry for shutting you out when I should’ve let you in, and I’m sorry I ever made you doubt how much I love you.” But you are confused… He was smiling. Your brow furrowed. “Why are you smiling? Are you taking this seriously? Are you… happy that we’re done?” Because you weren’t. You were still in the middle of loving him. Was this too late?

“I’m not smiling because I’m happy,” he replied. “I’m smiling because you’re still here and I still have a chance to see you speak to me instead of walking away.”

You couldn’t speak. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. “I saw them,” he finally said, eyes toward the papers. “You left them in the mail pile with your signature already there.” You didn’t respond. “I know what that means,” he said. “You were ready to let me go.”

“I read it three times,” he murmured. “I was supposed to sign and send it back.” You turned away. You weren’t ready to hear his voice again, not when you had just begun to believe that maybe you could live without it, until- I couldn’t,” he said, a little more broken this time. “I couldn’t pick up a pen and say goodbye to you. I couldn’t erase you from my life.”

“I thought staying away would help and hurt less for both of us, but it didn’t,” he said. “It made everything worse. It made me realize that I wasn’t waking up missing you. I was waking up and forgetting how to function without you. My mind still expected your voice from the next room. My hands still reached for yours in the dark.”

“I didn’t come here to convince you of anything,” he said softly. “I came here because there’s not a day that’s passed where I haven’t thought about you, about the sound of your voice when you’re talking about something you love, your laugh when you’re half-asleep, how you look at me when you’re proud, or angry, or hurt. I remember all of it.”

The tears welled up again. You turned your head, embarrassed, but he was already there. He crossed the last steps between you and gently touched your face. His thumb wiped at the tear before it fell entirely. “No, don’t,” he whispered. “Please don’t cry.” You couldn’t help it because he still remembered how to be gentle with you even after everything. “You’re the strongest person I’ve ever known, but you shouldn’t have to be strong with me. Not anymore,” he whispered.

He cradled your face in both hands now. “I want everything,” he said. “I want your silence, shouting, worst days, and best. I want your sleepy mornings and your furious nights. I want the parts of you that love without asking, and the parts that get scared and push away. I want to return to every room we left cold and make it warm again.”

Then his eyes looked downward. He reached for something sitting on the table. The ring…your ring. The one you had taken off and left behind without a second thought, thinking it meant something final. He picked it up delicately. “I don’t just love you,” he said. “I need you every day.” And without asking, without waiting, he slid the ring back onto your finger. Then-

He kissed you for the first time since the wedding. This time, it was genuine. This kiss that didn’t chase your lips but waited. It stayed. His hands cupped your jaw. His lips were sure. Everything he had wanted to say, swallowed down, and couldn’t survive without.

You kissed him back. Your hands found his shoulders, his neck, then tangled in his hair. You held him because he was yours, and you’re his, as you always had been. He leaned in again, again, again, not letting go. Letting the silence speak for him and the closeness say everything words couldn’t. His kisses moved down to your cheek and jaw and back to your lips. When you finally broke apart, both of you out of breath and still holding each other, and then he said it,

“You are everything I didn’t know I needed and everything I never stopped wanting.” You let yourself cry into his chest. He wrapped his arms tighter around you. He never wanted to let go again, and he wouldn’t.

💍

A New Chapter Began. After that night, after the tears, the confessions, and the kiss. You and Jungwon began again. The marriage had become something else entirely. Something you both chose now, willingly and earnestly. You didn’t tear everything down to start over. You kept going, together, but this time with your hearts in it.

Out of guilt, your parents began doing everything they could to make amends after everything that had happened: lavish dinners and many more apologies. Strangely, you were thankful. Not for the way it had all happened but for the fact that fate, circumstance, or even your parents’ meddling, had brought him into your life because now, you couldn’t imagine it without him.

You and Jungwon eventually moved into the same room. One day, you both stopped closing your doors to each other. His things naturally began appearing beside yours. Everything had changed, and yet… everything was the same. He became your comfort and home.

💍

It was 9 p.m. and Jungwon had just finished a meeting. You finished binge-watching an entire show in one sitting. The living room was a mess of snacks and one sock (his, obviously). When he walked in, you were wrapped in a giant fuzzy blanket, dragging it behind you like a royal cape. He said, surprised. “Your Majesty.”

You looked at him. “You dare speak without kneeling?”

He dropped to one knee without hesitation, bowing deeply with a juice bottle in hand. “Forgive me, my queen. I have brought peace offerings from the sacred land of the refrigerator.”

You snatched the bottle. “You may rise.”

He stood. “Do I get a reward?”

You turned on your heel. “You get my presence.”

He followed you around the apartment as you continued parading. “What kingdom even is this?” he asked, amused.

You stopped by the dining table and pointed at the dishes he hadn’t washed earlier. “A kingdom of betrayal.”

He gasped. “That was not in my royal contract.”

“You swore vows!”

“I thought we skipped that part!”

Then both of you burst out laughing. He walked up to you, grabbed your blanket, and wrapped both of you in it. “Fine. I’ll wash them.”

You raised an eyebrow. “What changed your mind?”

He kissed your forehead. “The queen is scary.”

“And never forget it.”

You high-fived him, both still tangled in the same blanket, heads pressed together, swaying slightly because you two are weirdos who somehow made it through an arranged marriage.

💍

When someone called your name, you and Jungwon walked back to the car, arms full of pastries. You turned- “Sunghoon,” you said, surprised but not startled.

He seems a little more at ease. “Hey. I didn’t expect to run into you two.”

Jungwon nodded, then grinned a little. “What’s up, man?” Sunghoon stepped forward, and they did a quick fist bump without hesitation or awkwardness.

You smiled. “You look like you’re doing good.”

“I am,” he said easily. “My girlfriend’s waiting at the cafe somewhere near, so I’m trying not to get in trouble.”

Jungwon chuckled. “Smart move.”

“She doesn’t like it when I ‘accidentally’ start small talk for thirty minutes,” Sunghoon said, air-quoting with a grin. “Though, it’s nice seeing you both.”

“You too,” you said, smiling.

Sunghoon looked between you and Jungwon. “You guys look solid.”

You glanced at Jungwon. “Yeah,” you said. “We’re good.”

You could see it. Jungwon was ok with all this. He’d moved on from whatever uneasiness he once had about Sunghoon because he trusted you and himself now. Sunghoon nodded, satisfied. “Cool. Well, I’ll head back before she leaves me here.”

“Tell her we said hi,” Jungwon joked.

Sunghoon laughed as he turned. “She’d love that.” Then walked off.

Jungwon opened the car door for you like always. “You’re okay?” he asked.

You looked down the street once more, then back at him. “I’m happy.” Back in the car, Jungwon tossed the pastry bag into the backseat. He buckled in, glanced your way, and smirked. “You know I kinda had a crush on you when we were kids, right?”

You turned to him, brows raised. “What?”

“Don’t act surprised,” he said, starting the engine. “You were the popular one. You always showed up at those family events with that shiny hair and your nose in the air.”

You laughed. “Okay, first of all, what family events? I barely even remember you back then.”

He gave you a playful, offended look. “Tragic. I remember you. You were the girl everyone talked about. I was the only kid in the corner, avoiding the adults’ small talk.”

That part was genuine. You vaguely remembered him from those days. Scattered memories at weddings or someone’s birthday, when kids were shoved into the same room and expected to get along. He was polite and always slipping away before the adults could rope him into conversations. Kinda a blur in the background. It was strange, now that you thought about it. “I had no clue,” you said, glancing at him.

He smirked. “Exactly. Nine years old and hopeless.”

You snorted. “I was ten.”

“Which made you older and cooler.”

You rolled your eyes. “Stop being so silly.”

“Look at where that got me,” he said. “Married and bag secured.”

You tried to play it off, but were smiling the whole way home.

Funny how things turn out

💍

Years Later…

You were rushing again. A bag slung over your shoulder and a sandal clutched in one hand as you tried to get out the door. “Yah,” came Jungwon’s voice from behind you. “Slow down.”

You turned, still walking backward toward the front. “We’re gonna be late!”

He was already walking over with a frown. “Be late then. I’d rather that than see you slip and fall.”

You raised an eyebrow. “It’s only a quick check-up.”

“You’re pregnant,” he reminded gently, reaching for your free hand. “You can’t dash out the door as if you’re not carrying half our future.”

You rolled your eyes, though the smile was already spreading. “I know, Jungwon.”

“Then act like it,” he said, his voice too tender for a simple warning. He bent slightly to press a kiss to your lips. “I want both of you safe.”

“Is it possible you’re even more extra now than when we first got married?” you asked, grinning up at him.

“It’s possible,” he replied, rubbing a thumb over your knuckles. “My love for you grows daily, so I’ve earned it.”

Before you could answer, a small voice was heard.

“Mummy!”

You turned your head just in time to see your little boy sprinting toward you, barefoot in pajamas, hair sticking up. His voice was full of urgency. “Can I have waffles instead of cereal? Please? Daddy burned them last time.”

You bit back a laugh as Jungwon scoffed in defense behind you.

“You burned waffles?” you asked, teasing.

“It was slightly golden.”

“It was black!”

The little boy tugged on your hand. “Mummy, please make them. You don’t burn things.”

You crouched down slowly and pressed a kiss to your son’s forehead. “Waffles it is.”

Jungwon bent beside you, wrapping his arms around you, his palm resting protectively over your stomach again.

💍

You sat back on the crinkly paper of the exam bed, your fingers holding Jungwon’s. The gel on your belly was cold. The doctor was staring at the screen, angling the probe. Jungwon leaned in. “Why is she not saying anything?” he whispered.

You gave him a flat look. “She’s literally right there.”

The doctor suddenly let out an amused breath through her nose. “Well,” she said, looking between you both. “You two are in for a surprise.”

Jungwon straightened. “Surprise?”

You tilt your head. “Surprise what?”

The doctor tilted the monitor toward you and gently pointed. “There’s not just one baby in there. There are two.”

Your mouth gaped.

Jungwon froze.

“…Two?” you repeated.

The doctor nodded, almost laughing. “Twins.”

For a moment, it was silent. You looked at Jungwon. He looked at you. His mouth opened a little. Then closed. Then opened again. “…Like two actual babies?” he said slowly.

You covered your mouth, half-laughing, half-shocked. “No, Jungwon, she meant like metaphorical twins.”

“I’m serious!” he said, grabbing the side of the bed. “That’s double the diapers. Double the- do we even have double the space?”

“Our home is large enough,” you deadpanned.

“Oh my-,” he stared at the monitor again. “They’re going to gang up on us.”

“They’re not even born yet!”

“They’re already plotting,” he whispered, eyes wide.

You let out a helpless laugh. “You’re overreacting.”

He turned to you, softening all over again. “I… I already love them so much. Both of them. All three of you.”

You rolled your eyes, tears welling up as he leaned down to kiss your forehead, nose, and lips. And just like that, once arranged, once full of confusion, your story had turned into something brighter and far messier than you ever expected, but that was the beauty of it. This wasn’t just the end.

It was a beginning again.

535 notes · View notes

woniedarlin · 19 days ago

Note

1k+ notes!! mwah mwah thank you guyss ❤️❤️

hiiiii... can u write something like, doctor jungwon with nurse reader... and the reader suffers an accident...

Dr. Yang, Can You Not?

Pairing: Surgeon! Jungwon x Nurse! Fem! reader

Synopsis: Being a nurse means long hours, short breaks, and trying not to stare too long at Jungwon, or so we call, Dr. Yang Jungwon, during rounds. No one said falling for a surgeon would be part of the job description, but here we are.

Author's Note: This was honestly the hardest thing I’ve ever written 😭 It took so much time and research because I wanted to reflect the reality of hospital life. Writing a story where the characters are both grounded was a challenge, but I learned a lot from it. Huge thank you to the anon who requested this. I’m so sorry it took forever to finish. I poured my heart into it. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I struggled writing it 😭💉 Happy reading! 💗

Content Warning: Please note that this is a fictional story. While I did a lot of research to make the hospital setting feel real, this does not accurately represent actual medical procedures or protocols. This was written for entertainment purposes only. This story mentions blood, injuries, fainting, medical emergencies, and heavy emotional moments. Also includes cursing and unfiltered language at times. Please read with care!

Permanent tag list: @sol3chu @chlorinecake @13tter @jung1w0n @layzfy @firstclassjaylee @ijustwannareadstuff20

Being a nurse isn’t easy. It’s not like the shows, and it’s not like what people outside the hospital think it is. There’s no time to breathe when you’re responsible for lives. You learn to control your emotions, move fast, and think faster. And even then, mistakes happen.

You knew something was off the moment the shift slowed down. The patient was fine, but the chart wasn’t. There’d been an update, a new dosage written in right after you made the rounds. Jungwon, or so everyone calls, Dr. Yang, had caught it. He said nothing then, only glanced at the chart and walked off. He asked to speak to you in the staff lounge an hour later. He didn’t sit. He didn’t lecture. “Walk me through what happened,” he said, arms crossed. He seemed calm but unreadable.

You shifted your weight. “It was bed 14. The chart was updated, but I didn’t double-check. I was covering trauma for Jina, running back and forth. I saw the old dosage and went with it. I didn’t mean to cut corners. I…I missed it.” He didn’t interrupt. You continued, “The update must’ve come through after I’d already prepped, and I know that doesn’t excuse anything. I was responsible for checking again, but I didn’t, Dr. Yang.”

For a few seconds, he said nothing. Then he exhaled lightly. “Patient’s fine. No harm done. I logged it as a near miss.” You nodded, but it didn’t feel like relief. Only a confirmation of what you already feared, that it had been close. Too close. “You’re not careless,” he added. “You’ve been consistent. One mistake doesn’t change that. But next time, don’t rush. Even if you’re covering, you say something.”

“I will,” you said. You meant it. He looked at you for a moment longer and asked. “Are you alright?” You hesitated, “I’m just mad at myself.”

That seemed to land with him. Not sympathy, he wasn’t the type, but understanding. “Good. You should be. Means you won’t let it happen again.” He turned toward the door, paused with his hand on the knob. “If it starts feeling too much, don’t wait until it breaks you. Say something sooner.”

And that was the thing with Jungwon. He wasn’t that warm, but when it mattered, he was present. And in a place where lives hang by a thread daily, that meant everything.

🚑

You were slumped on the break room couch with your wrinkled scrubs and hair clipped up with zero effort. Jina had her feet on the table, unbothered by hospital etiquette, while Ara tried to get the vending machine to accept her crumpled bill for the fourth time. “Just accept your fate. No snacks for you,” Jina mumbled while eyes half-shut. “I just want a chocolate bar,” Ara said, pressing the buttons with the desperation of someone clinging to hope. “This hospital is cursed.”

“I could’ve told you that,” you muttered. “I almost gave the wrong dosage to bed 14 today.” That woke Jina up. “Wait, what?”

You shrugged. “Dr. Yang caught it. He asked me to walk him through it. No yelling, though. It’s only that terrifying calm voice.”

“Oh no,” Ara groaned, flopping onto the chair beside you. “The ‘walk me through it’ is worse than yelling. It’s like guilt, shame, and a midlife crisis all in one sentence.”

“I kept waiting for the part where he tells me I’m off the schedule next week,” you said.

“And did he?” Jina raised an eyebrow.

“No. He said I’m not careless. Which somehow made me feel worse.”

“Because now you have a reputation to protect,” Ara said, poking your leg with her foot. “Welcome to hell.” She added. “Nurses from the third floor were hanging around the corridor again.” You didn’t look up from your notes. “What for?”

“Dr. Yang was in OR 3. Apparently, the supply room suddenly became the most visited place in the hospital.” Jina gave a tired laugh as she unwrapped her sandwich. “It’s funny. The way they pretend to be casual with clipboards in hand.” You shook your head. “They’ll be disappointed. He barely even looks up unless it’s patient-related.”

“That’s what makes him kind of intimidating,” Ara said. “Not in a mean way. He’s just strict and focused.” Jina nodded. “Still better than the others. He won’t call you out in front of a patient. He corrects you once, and that’s it. But you remember.”

You responded, “It’s the way he talks. He never raises his voice, but you know when he means business.”

Ara smirked. “The ‘walk me through it’ line?”

You smiled faintly. “Exactly.”

“I swear, we’re running on caffeine and instinct at this point,” Jina muttered. “Mostly instinct,” you said. “Barely any caffeine left.” Ara sighed. “Two more hours. Let’s make it.” You all stood up slowly, the weariness showing in the way your bodies moved. No complaints, though.

Someone mentioned a patient needing to be checked on in the ICU, but no one asked who would go.

You were already moving.

🚑

Everyone looked like shit but the thing was, no one complained too much. Because this was real work. Messy, exhausting, nonstop and honestly, no one had time to be pretty at 4 AM. Jina was slouched in the nurse’s station chair. “If I die, make sure they clean my brows before the funeral.”

“You’re not dying,” Ara said. “You’re just decaying slowly.”

You leaned your head against the counter. “Why does this shift feel like three years?”

“Because it is,” Ara answered. “Time bends here.”

Someone was wheeling a portable vitals cart down the hallway with one squeaky wheel screaming for help. Another nurse was trying to untangle IV tubing. Then, Jungwon walked past.

Everyone straightened, not because he was scary in a mean way, but because, somehow, he made you want to be on your A-game. He wasn’t the type to raise his voice or humiliate anyone. He only had that stare. You weren’t feeling any fear. It was only respect… and fine, a lot more fear. Jina whispered, “I swear I saw four nurses almost break their necks earlier just watching him.” Then, you sighed, grabbed your tablet, stood up, and headed down the hall to follow up on a urine output. Another hour in the hospital.

🚑

You were replacing the ECG leads on Mr. Choi, the elderly patient in room 305, again, for the third time this week. He’d somehow peeled them halfway off while adjusting his pillow and now acted like the whole thing was a crime against his freedom. “They itch,” he grumbled, crossing his arms as you prepped new stickers. “They always itch, Mr. Choi,” you said, not looking up. “But you don’t pull them off unless you want a lecture and a delay in meds.”

“I wasn’t pulling, I was just adjusting.”

“Mmhmm,” you muttered, pressing the last lead down. “Try adjusting your expectations next time.” The monitor beeped back to normal. You were currently logging the change when footsteps approached. You didn’t have to look up. Jungwon stepped in, making a quick scan of the room. “What happened?”

“Monitor alarm. Leads were off,” you answered. “I reattached and checked his rhythm. Stable, Dr. Yang.”

Jungwon nodded once. “Noted. Thank you.” Then to Mr. Choi, “Please avoid touching anything connected to your heart.”

“I was itchy,” Mr. Choi replied while unfazed. Jungwon raised a brow but said nothing. Mr. Choi snorted and asked you something, acting as if Jungwon wasn’t still in the room. “He always like that?”

“Like what?”

Mr. Choi said, “Serious and stern. He looks like he hasn’t slept since med school.”

You shrugged while double-checking your chart. “He works harder than anyone here.”

“Still,” Mr. Choi leaned in slightly. “You two close?”

You gave him a confused look. “Close?”

Jungwon was already turning to leave when Mr. Choi piped up,

“Is he your boyfriend?”

Jungwon stopped walking for half a second, then glanced over his shoulder. “She has standards, Mr. Choi.” And with that, he walked out. You rolled your eyes, more at Mr. Choi than anyone else, as you adjusted the blanket over him. Mr. Choi chuckled. “I didn’t say he was a bad pick.”

You grabbed the used gauze wrappers off the tray. “You need sleep, not gossip.”

🚑

You walked alongside Jungwon. Both of you were fresh off the emergency. Then, “You didn’t hesitate,” Jungwon said after a while, eyes ahead, hands tucked into his coat pockets. “Your hands were steady.”

You responded. “Only because I wasn’t thinking. If I did, I’d probably pass out.”

“Still, you didn’t.” His voice wasn’t praising, though, and you could tell he was honest.

You glanced sideways at him. “I thought you were gonna snap when the interns froze.”

“I was too busy watching you fix it,” he replied, catching you off guard. You didn’t respond to that. Instead, you pushed the med room door open with your shoulder. Inside, a couple of nurses were slumped in chairs. You sank into the chair near the sink and muttered, “We all look like expired yogurt.” Someone snorted. “Speak for yourself. I’m aged cheese.”

Laughter broke out softly among the tired group. Mr. Choi, poked his head out from his door down the hall, despite clearly being told to stay inside and rest. His voice carried just enough. “Is he your boyfriend?” he asked, pointing a bony finger toward Jungwon, who was still standing and looking like he was re-running the code blue in his head. You rolled your eyes before anyone else could speak. “Mr. Choi, that’s Dr. Yang.”

But before you could add anything else, Jungwon glanced straight-faced and said, “That’d be inappropriate, Mr. Choi. She hasn’t even bought me dinner.” A few of the nurses choked on their drinks. You were more surprised than anything, but he was already walking off, as if he hadn’t just dropped a line like that mid-shift.

Mr. Choi gave you a smug little grin. “He’s funny. Keep that one.”

You pinched the bridge of your nose and muttered again, louder this time, “That’s Dr. Yang, Mr. Choi.”

You didn’t like to admit it, but fine. Dr. Yang was handsome. Everyone knew it. He had that put-together look that didn’t fade even after sixteen-hour shifts. Smart, obviously. Strict, but not in a way that made nurses cry in the break room. He never raised his voice. He never embarrassed anyone. He just had this way of watching, of waiting for you to catch your mistake, and that alone was enough to make your palms sweat. People either avoided eye contact or found excuses to hang around him. Neither was a good look. Not here, especially not when you were trying to survive the night without mislabeling another patient chart. Besides, it’s not like you saw him in any new light. You’d always known what he was like.

That didn’t mean you weren’t hyper-aware of how he had just made a joke… wait, was it really a joke? ugh, Dr. Yang is so unreadable.

You shook it off, reaching for the clipboard again.

🚑

You had been rushing. Everyone was. It was one of those nights where the ER felt like a war zone, and every second counted. You didn’t double-check the medication. You trusted the label and moved on, but it wasn’t the correct dose. And now, Mrs. Han was in respiratory distress.

The room was already tense. Monitors blared, voices raised, and people rushed around. Jungwon stepped in, glanced at the scene, and didn’t hesitate. Orders flew from his mouth. You followed them silently, your hands moving even as your stomach twisted. It wasn’t until after Mrs. Han had stabilized, wheeled off to the ICU, that it hit. The error. Your error.

You were the last one left in the trauma room, standing beside the cart, staring down at the vial.

“(Name).”

You turned. Jungwon was standing by the door.

“Walk me through it.”

You swallowed. “I-I grabbed the vial from the backup tray. I didn’t recheck the dosage. I thought it was-“ You shook your head. “I was wrong.” He didn’t interrupt. “I know I should’ve rechecked,” you finished. “I didn’t. That’s on me.” There was a long silence.

His eyes were unreadable. “Do you know what could’ve happened if we hadn’t caught it?”

You nodded.

“You’re lucky we were in a room full of capable staff,” he said. His voice wasn’t cold, though disappointment was obvious. “But next time, we might not be.” You looked down. “I don’t expect perfection,” he continued. “But I do expect care. And tonight, you were careless.” It stung. Not because he was yelling; he wasn’t. That would’ve been easier. But because he sounded like he meant every word, like he’d expected better from you and trusted better.

“I’m sorry,” you said.

“I know,” he replied. “But don’t make me say this twice.” Then he turned and left, not slamming the door, not throwing a glance back. Gone because he had patients to check and didn’t have time to carry your guilt for you. You stood there longer, trying not to let it show on your face: frustration and shame. Then you squared your shoulders.

There was still a shift to finish.

🚑

You didn’t mean to cry. You told yourself you’d hold it together until the end of the shift. But after the adrenaline wore off, it hit you all at once. The weight of what happened and what could’ve happened. You found an empty supply room. No one ever checked here unless they were restocking. You slid down against the wall, hidden behind metal shelves stacked with gauze and tubing. Your shoulders shook before you realized you were crying.

You weren’t afraid of being scolded again. That already happened. You were worried that you’d become a nurse people didn’t want to work with. That Jungwon wouldn’t trust you again. The door creaked. You wiped your face quickly, seeing Jungwon, but it was useless. Your eyes were red. Your breath gave you away. He didn’t speak right away. Just stood at the entrance, silent, before gently closing the door behind him. “I figured I’d find you here,” Jungwon said.

You didn’t look up.

“I’m not hiding, Dr. Yang,” you muttered.

“I didn’t say you were.” He walked closer.

“I’m fine,” you added, quietly. He crouched down, not too close, enough so you wouldn’t have to raise your head to see him. “You made a mistake,” he said calmly. “And it scared you. That’s normal.” You didn’t reply. “I was hard on you,” he continued. “Because I know you’re better than that.” That made you look up at him, surprised. “If I thought you weren’t capable,” he said, “I wouldn’t have wasted my time.”

The tears started again silently, not because of the mistake, but because he still believed in you. He noticed. You could tell, but he didn’t mention it. Instead, he stood up and reached for a box of gauze on the shelf. Pulled a piece from the sterile pack and handed it to you as if it were a tissue. You laughed barely as you took it and dabbed at your face. He didn’t smile, but his voice was gentler now.

“Come on. They’ll start thinking you passed out in here.”

You stood. As you opened the door, he paused beside you.

“(Name).”

You glanced up.

“I’m not giving up on you. Don’t give up on yourself.” Then, he walked away. You followed him out of the supply room minutes later, face wiped clean but eyes still swollen. You thought he’d already disappeared into his rounds, but when you turned the corner by the nurses’ station, he leaned slightly against the counter. He looked up the moment he heard your steps. He said, “Drink some water and eat something, if you can.” You gave a slight nod, ready to keep walking, but then he added, “If you’re not steady, I don’t trust you next to my patients.”

It was teasing, almost.

Was he…?

But before you could respond, he reached behind the desk and placed something on top. A granola bar. You stared at it. Then at him. “You carry snacks now?” you asked cautiously.

His lips curved upwards a little bit. “I carry them for nurses who forget to eat.” That wasn’t in the manual. That wasn’t part of any protocol. And suddenly, despite your pounding head and sore feet, you felt something, not from shame or pressure, but something else entirely. “Thank you,” you murmured. He gave a slight nod. And as you walked away, that granola bar in hand, you couldn’t help but think that perhaps you didn’t see him in the same light anymore.

Maybe… he didn’t see you the same, either.

🚑

It’s your day off. Yey!

You were halfway through reheating leftovers when your phone buzzed. An unknown number. You almost declined it, assuming the hospital admin asked if you could cover another shift because, of course, something told you to pick it up. “Hello?”

“It’s Jungwon.”

Your back straightened. You stared at your microwave as if it had betrayed you. “I got your number from admin,” he said, not even bothering with a greeting. “You left your ID. I figured you’d need it before your next shift.”

“Oh. Right,” you said. “Thanks, Dr. Yang. I didn’t notice.”

“You’re off today, aren’t you?”

“Yeah… I barely got out of bed.”

You could hear a street in the background. He wasn’t at the hospital.

“I’m passing near your neighborhood. You want me to drop it off?”

That was embarrassing. You almost said no. Almost. But you didn’t.

Ten minutes later, you opened your gate, and there was Jungwon in jeans and a jacket. Of course, his hair is still neat because even off-duty, the man probably came with auto-pressed laundry. You, on the other hand, looked like a glitch in the system. He handed the ID over. “Here. Try not to leave it next time. You’ll get locked out of med storage again.”

You took it, trying not to cringe too hard at how you probably smelled like instant noodle seasoning. “Thank you, Dr. Yang.”

He looked at you with a tinsy tiny bit of amusement. “You look like you lost a fight with sleep.”

You snorted. “Sleep won.”

He chuckled softly, then nodded toward the small garden beside your gate. “Nice plants.”

You did a sheepish smile. “They’re mostly dying.”

“Well, it’s still nice.” Then he stepped back. “See you on Monday.” Then he left.

🚑

You clocked in early. After last week, you weren’t about to give anyone a reason to question you again, especially not him. “Early,” came a voice behind you. You turned to see Jungwon standing a few steps away, watching you with that unreadable expression he always seemed to wear in the mornings.

You didn’t falter. “I had things to double-check.”

He nodded, stepping closer to glance at the tablet in your hand. “That’s good.”

You turned your attention to the patient notes again. And it’s as if he could read your mind. “We all make mistakes, but most people don’t take responsibility the way you did,” he continued. “That matters more than pretending to be perfect.”

Your throat felt tight, but you managed, “I don’t like being anyone’s disappointment.”

“You’re not,” he said. “Not to me.”

You didn’t respond. Well, you couldn’t, but something inside you loosened. You didn’t need to smile. He didn’t need to stay. He turned to go, but as he passed, he said. “I’ll see you on rounds.” And just like that, he was gone.

Mid-Morning Break.

You walked down the hallway with two other nurses, Suho and Mei, equally sleep-deprived. “My feet are about to give up,” Mei groaned, adjusting her ponytail. “I swear one more emergency, and I’m just gonna roll myself into a supply closet and nap.”

“You already did that last week,” Suho pointed out, bumping her with a shoulder.

“I wasn’t caught, was I?”

You smiled faintly, their banter pulling you out of your head. The conversation changed between patient updates and who had the worst shift this week. It was a tie between Suho nearly getting puked on and Mei assisting during a dislocated shoulder pop-in. Then Mei slowed her steps, nudging you lightly. “So,” she said, dragging out the word like a tease. “You and Dr. Yang?”

You look at her confused. “What?”

“Don’t play innocent,” Suho added. “He doesn’t talk to anyone like that. I’ve seen him reduce interns to dust with just a stare. But with you? I mean, that voice of his went down an octave.”

“Probably because he was giving feedback,” you muttered.

“Yeah, feedback with undertones,” Mei said, raising a brow. “Come on, don’t tell me you don’t notice how he looks at you.”

You exhaled. “He’s strict. He’s focused. He’s not the type to flirt in the middle of a hospital.”

Mei laughed. “Maybe not the type to flirt but the type to admire.”

“Guys, it’s Dr. Yang,” you reminded them, emphasizing his title. “And we’re all professionals.”

“Sure,” Mei said, smug. “But don’t act surprised when he offers to ‘professionally walk you to the vending machine’ again.” You rolled your eyes but didn’t answer because no matter how much you told yourself not to think about it… You were.

🚑

You were reviewing the chart for Mr. Yoon’s post-op medication when Dr. Kim stormed in. He was loud, always had been, but today, he seemed on edge. “Nurse,” he barked, slapping a clipboard on the desk. “Why wasn’t Mrs. Han’s dressing changed on time? It’s written here that it was scheduled two hours ago.”

You momentarily were thrown off. “I- I was assisting Dr. Nam with Mr. Yoon’s complication. I had already prepped the materials for Mrs. Han, but I asked Jeongmin to-”

“Don’t pass the blame,” Dr. Kim snapped. “If you can’t keep up, maybe you shouldn’t be here. Patients don’t wait on excuses.” You clenched your jaw and swallowed your pride. You knew you worked hard, but it felt like your chest shrank right there in front of everyone. And then, like timing written into the day itself, a new voice cut in. More calm and instantly commanding. “Dr. Kim,” Jungwon said as he stepped into view. “I asked her to stay with Mr. Yoon.”

Dr. Kim stiffened. “That’s not relevant to-”

“It is,” Jungwon interrupted. “He was crashing. She stabilized him. I’m the one who pulled her from the schedule. If you have a problem, bring it up with me.” The whole station went quiet. Damn. Dr. Kim mumbled something about “communication” before turning and walking off, still grumbling under his breath. You stayed frozen for a second. Then you turned to look at Jungwon.

“Thanks,” you said. You could feel the heat crawling up your neck.

“I told you,” he said. “You care. You make the right calls. That matters.” You gave a weak nod. He looked at you for another second. Then: “Don’t skip water just because you’re busy.”

“Huh?”

He held out a paper cup. “Coffee machine’s still broken.” You took it without protest. Then he turned, walking off without another word. And though people surrounded you, somehow, the only thing you noticed was that paper cup in your hand.

🚑

You’d finally clocked out, hands still smelling faintly of alcohol swabs, and your back sore from standing too long. You opened your locker slowly, half-asleep, when a soft knock at the door made you turn. It was Jungwon. He didn’t walk in fully. His hair looked a little messy; clearly, he hadn’t gotten a chance to rest. “I figured you were still here,” he said. How was he able to know where you are every time?

You tried not to look too startled. “Yeah… decompressing.”

He nodded once. “Me too.” Then he stepped forward, holding out something in a napkin.

You squinted. “What’s that?”

“A red bean bun. They were giving them out in Pediatrics. I grabbed one. Then grabbed another one. I don’t know why.” He shrugged, setting it down near your things. “Thought maybe you’d want one. He continued, “You were good today.”

You let out a half-scoff. “I almost got chewed out again, Dr. Yang.”

“And you still stood your ground,” he replied. “That’s why I said good.” His voice wasn’t teasing. It wasn’t overly kind, either. It was sure like he believed it completely.

You didn’t mean to, but your eyes watched him a little longer this time. You always thought of him as composed, brilliant, slightly intimidating but right now… he only looked human. Tired, real. “Thank you,” you said quietly.

He gave a faint smile. “Eat then go home.” And as he turned, he added without looking back, “You always forget to take care of yourself. Don’t make me keep reminding you.”

The door swung shut behind him.

🚑

The breakroom felt alive for once. Eyebags and half-buttoned uniforms didn’t stop the nurses laughing like it was payday. You sat slouched between Jina and Ara, poking at a plastic-wrapped sandwich you weren’t planning to eat. The three of you had just finished a rough rotation. “Okay, but tell me the truth,” Ara whispered loudly. “Would you say yes if Dr. Yang ever asked you out?”

You groaned, “Don’t. Ask. Don’t start.”

Jina snorted into her mug. “You didn’t even deny it.”

“I’m tired,” you deadpanned, dragging your hand down your face. “This is harassment.” You continued, “He’s literally right there,” you added through clenched teeth, glancing toward the corner where Dr. Yang was washing his hands post-surgery, sleeves rolled. He looked like a health campaign poster. Unfortunately, Jina smirked. “Watch this.”

“Dr. Yang!” Ara called sweetly across the room.

You nearly slammed your forehead on the table. “I swear if you say-”

“If someone like her asked you out,” Jina said, jerking her thumb at you, “would you say yes?”

The room went silent. Jungwon dried his hands calmly. “I don’t date coworkers.”

You exhaled through your nose. “Exactly. See?” you muttered.

He turned, tossed the towel aside, and added coolly, “But I never said I wouldn’t make an exception.”

The breakroom erupted.

“OH MY GO-”

“Okay, but WHAT-”

“I need air-”

Ara threw a pillow across the table. Jina screamed. You stared blankly ahead. “Unprofessional,” you muttered, cheeks burning, but the smile tugging at your lips said otherwise.

🚑

You were eating out with Dr. Yang.

Yeah. You read that right.

You were sitting across from Dr. Yang Jungwon, chopsticks in hand, in some little restaurant that he, of all people, apparently knew about. He was the same man everyone in the hospital either feared, admired, or had an embarrassing crush on. Now here he was, casually dipping grilled meat into sauce like he hadn’t just invited you out.

Okay, don’t look at me like that. I know what this looks like. But you don’t get to judge me. It’s Dr. Yang, hello?

You cleared your throat, forcing your eyes to stay on your plate. “I still think this is kind of… inappropriate.”

He didn’t even stutter. “Inappropriate?”

You nodded. “We work together.”

He shrugged. “We’re not in work right now. We’re off-duty. Technically, we’re just two people eating lunch.”

You tried not to roll your eyes. “Do you always say stuff that conveniently works in your favor, Dr. Yang?”

Jungwon smiled, a little smug. “Only when I want to make a point.”

You tried to hide the way your heart was beating so fast. This man. This frustrating, composed, dangerously intelligent man. You poked at your rice. “Just to be clear, this is lunch. Not a date.”

He met your eyes. “Sure.” And then, right as you sipped your drink, he added, “Unless you want it to be.”

You nearly choked.

“Dr. Yang-.”

“It’s Dr. Yang on duty,” he said. “But right now? It’s Jungwon.”

SHITTT. You hated how warm your face felt, but couldn’t even deny it anymore. This man was dangerous. You leaned back in your seat. “You know…” You began, “You’re always so hard to read.”

Jungwon raised an eyebrow, sipping his water. “Am I?”

“Mmhmm,” you nodded, tapping your chopsticks against your bowl. “So tell me then. What were your thoughts on me?”

“The first time we met?”

“Yeah.”

He set his glass down slowly. “You were…fast.”

“Fast?”

“Quick on your feet. Quicker with your mouth,” he said with his lips twitching. “I thought you were a bit arrogant.”

You gave him a look. “That’s rich coming from you.” Which, to your surprise, he laughed. Woah. That was the first time you’ve seen him laugh like this. “But,” he added, “I also saw how you handled that mess on the third floor. I remember thinking, ‘Okay… she’s not just talk.’”

You raised a brow. “So you didn’t like me.”

“I didn’t know you,” he replied. “But I was curious.”

You paused for a moment. “And now?”

He didn’t answer right away. He properly looked at you. Not in the way people do when thinking of the correct answer, but he already knew it and was deciding if he should say it aloud. “Now I think I want to know more.”

You stirred your iced drink lazily.

“I used to think you were married,” you said out of nowhere.

Jungwon looked up from his plate. “Really?”

You nodded. “Yeah. When I first met you years ago.”

He tilted his head. “Why?”

You shrugged. “You walked around like someone with a ring on his finger. You look like you have a family waiting at home.” Jungwon let out a low chuckle and answered. “That’s one way to describe me.”

“Well,” you added, smirking slightly, “I was wrong. Obviously.”

He leaned back in his seat. “So what else did you assume about me back then?”

You took a sip of your drink. “I thought you were distant. The type who wouldn’t remember anyone’s name unless they were on your level.”

He was amused. “That bad, hm?”

“But,” you said, letting the words slow down, “then I watched you work. The way you talk to patients’ families. The way you don’t raise your voice when you’re mad… And you always back up the people, even when no one’s around to see it.”

His eyes were on you. “So what do you think of me now?”

You matched his tone. “I think you’re nothing like I assumed.”

He smiled. “And you? I assumed you were all walls. Smart, yes. Efficient but distant.”

You looked at him.

“And now?”

He shrugged gently. “Now I know better.” He picked up his drink again, eyes not leaving yours. “You know,” he said, “you surprised me too.”

You tilted your head. “How so?”

“At first, I thought you hated me,” he admitted. “You never smiled when I passed by. You were always busy avoiding eye contact.”

“That’s called being professional,” you shot back with a small laugh.

“Mm,” he hummed. “That, or you were trying really hard not to fall for me.”

You choked. “Excuse me?”

He leaned in just slightly, wearing that maddeningly calm expression of his. “It’s only a theory. No judgment.”

You were trying to play it cool. “Your ego’s showing, Jungwon.”

He smiled. “Perhaps or probably I’m finally saying what we’ve both been thinking.” You opened your mouth to argue, maybe to deny it, maybe not, but the waitress arrived with dessert, breaking the moment. He picked up his spoon, but his eyes didn’t leave you, and just before digging in, he said, “But if I’m wrong… you’re free to prove me wrong next time. Over dinner again.”

You stared at him, unsure whether to laugh, blush, or throw your spoon at him. All three, probably.

Dr. Yang, your foot. This man was trouble.

It has been a few, maybe longer, minutes. You were halfway through your dessert, still mentally reeling from Jungwon’s earlier comment, when a hacking cough cracked. You looked up, and just a few tables away, a woman clutched at her throat, her face already beginning to swell. Her husband jumped from his seat, panic in his eyes. “Help! Someone, please! My wife- she’s having an allergic reaction!” he shouted, knocking his chair over.

Your spoon clattered onto your plate. Jungwon was already standing. Without a word, you followed. The moment snapped both of you into motion. You weren’t just a nurse, and he wasn’t just a surgeon. You were trained professionals. This was instinct. “Do you have an EpiPen?” Jungwon asked immediately, crouching beside the woman.

“N-No,” the man stammered. “She didn’t know-this hasn’t happened before-”

“Call an ambulance,” you told him. “Now.” Her breathing was wheezing now, hands clawing at her throat. You gently eased her back against the booth seat while Jungwon checked her pulse, his voice calm. “We need antihistamines,” he muttered. “Fast. See if the staff has a first-aid kit.”

You ran to the counter, flashed your ID, and barked quick instructions. By the time you returned with the kit and a rushed dose of diphenhydramine, Jungwon had her stabilized as best he could, loosening her collar, elevating her legs slightly, keeping her from collapsing into unconsciousness.

You administered the antihistamine carefully. She was still gasping, but the panic in her eyes had softened. The ambulance sirens wailed in the distance. Jungwon kept speaking softly to her, assuring her she would be okay. And when the EMTs finally arrived and loaded her into the stretcher, the husband turned to both of you, breathless and shaking. “Thank you. Oh god, thank you so much.”

You nodded, brushing your hair back, heart still pounding from the adrenaline. When the commotion cleared, Jungwon looked over at you. “You were quick,” he said.

You exhaled. “You were calmer than I thought you’d be outside the OR.”

He smiled faintly. “We’re not just good in scrubs, apparently.”

The restaurant had returned to calm after the chaos. You sat back down at the table across from Jungwon, now half-empty, the plates barely touched. He was quiet, and so were you. “Are you alright?” he asked, pulling you back from your thoughts.

You nodded. “Yeah…a little surreal.”

“That’s the thing about emergencies,” he murmured, looking out toward the restaurant doors where the paramedics had wheeled the woman out. “They don’t care if you’re on a day off.”

You gave a soft laugh. “Guess we never really clock out.”

He folded his arms. “Seems like fate has a cruel sense of humor. Just when I thought I might get through dinner without someone collapsing.”

“Dinner,” you repeated. The dessert was melting into the plate now. “Right. This was supposed to be… normal.” Before he could reply, a paramedic re-entered the restaurant, scanning the tables until their eyes landed on him. “Dr. Yang?” they said, half-breathless.

Jungwon stood. “Is she stable?”

“She’s responding to treatment now. We’re monitoring her vitals en route. Allergic to shellfish. First time reaction. You saved her life, sir.”

“And the nurse,” Jungwon added, glancing at you. “She helped just as much.”

You nodded politely, still seated, feeling your ears grow warm under their praise. The paramedic smiled. “I didn’t expect to see you outside the hospital. I’ll, uh… let admin know you intervened. They’ll probably want to document it.”

“Of course,” Jungwon said with a light sigh. “No such thing as off-duty, I guess.”

With one last salute of gratitude, they left. Then it was just the two of you again, in the now strangely quiet restaurant corner. You broke it. “Sorry,” you said, half-laughing. “I think I cursed this night.”

“Don’t apologize,” he replied smoothly. “You handled that better than most would. You didn’t hesitate.”

You shrugged. “It just kicked in. Probably out of habit.”

He tilted his head. “Instinct. That’s not something you teach. That’s something you are.” He added. “And for the record… it was still a nice dinner.”

You glanced at him. “Even if it ended with chaos?”

He smirked faintly. “Of course. It proves I picked the right person to spend it with.”

“You didn’t pick,” you teased a little. “You cornered me in the hallway and guilted me into eating on our day off.”

“And yet,” he countered, “you didn’t say no.”

You gave him a look. “That’s not fair.”

He smiled at you. “It’s not untrue, either.” You glanced around the restaurant again. Everything had settled into normal again, but your heart hadn’t. You looked back at Jungwon, sitting across from you, his usual professionalism softened enough that it unsettled you in the best way. He didn’t look away. “You know, you’re too pretty for your own good.”

That shut you up.

You stared at him.

He was already smiling, already reaching for the check. “You still want coffee?” he asked. “Or should we call it a night and let the world surprise us again tomorrow?”

You said, “Let’s see if the next emergency lets us finish a cup first.” And with that, the two of you stood and left.

🚑

The rain hadn’t let up all morning; strangely, neither had your luck. It was supposed to be a quick errand. A quick stop, and then home, but fate never warned you before it turned cruel. The screech of tires. And then-

Nothing.

A blur of sirens and panic. Then suddenly, darkness.

…

Back at the hospital, the very one you called your second home, the emergency doors slammed open. “She’s one of ours!” a nurse cried, rushing alongside the gurney. “It’s her- it’s (Name)!” Chaos was everywhere in the ER. A resident dropped her clipboard. A tech gasped. The head nurse’s hands flew to her mouth.

“She was hit near the corner by the pharmacy. Driver ran a red light,” the paramedic reported quickly as they wheeled you in, blood already staining the sheet beneath you. Then someone whispered, “Has Dr. Yang been told?” They didn’t have to wait long.

Because Jungwon came running.

His coat wasn’t even fully on. His tie was loose, his ID still dangling from his collar. The moment he saw your face. Bruised, unconscious, and barely breathing, his expression collapsed. “No- what happened?!” he demanded, eyes scanning every inch of you.

“Dr. Yang, you need to stand back,” one of the surgeons said, placing a hand on his chest.

“She’s going into surgery,” another voice called. “Internal bleeding. We need the OR now.”

“I’ll go in,” Jungwon said instinctively, reaching for gloves, but a hand gripped his arm. “You can’t,” said Dr. Nam, one of the senior staff.

“What?” Jungwon snapped, not even trying to hide the shake in his voice.

“You’re too involved.”

“She’s a nurse!” he shot back. “She’s my nurse-”

“Exactly,” Nam said quietly. “You care too much. You know the protocol. You know what it risks- your judgment, her outcome.” Jungwon’s jaw clenched, his eyes never leaving you as your unconscious body was wheeled toward the OR. “She needs me.”

“She needs a surgeon with a clear head,” Nam said gently but firmly, and it broke him. He didn’t argue again. He was rooted in place, his hands curled into fists, watching the doors close. All he could do was watch.

🚑

In the hallway, time didn’t pass. Jungwon sat slumped against the wall. His hands wouldn’t stop shaking. Every time someone walked by, he looked up, hoping. And all he could hear was the last thing you’d said to him, two days ago over dinner:

“Let’s see if the next emergency lets us finish a cup first.”

Now here you were unconscious. On the other side, he couldn’t cross, and for the first time in his life, Jungwon felt utterly powerless. And completely terrified of losing you.

The clock ticked. Hours bled into each other. Jungwon sat just outside the operating wing. His elbows were resting on his knees, fingers tangled in his hair. His white coat was discarded somewhere, forgotten. He wasn’t wearing his pager. He wasn’t in rounds. He wasn’t answering calls. The nurses knew better than to ask.

Dr. Yang, poised and always on time, was now the man who hadn’t moved in three hours. He hadn’t eaten. He hadn’t spoken. He hadn’t blinked when your bloodied ID badge slipped from a nurse’s tray and landed near his feet.

He picked it up, his fingers closing around it as if it were made of glass. Your picture was still perfect. “You should rest, Dr. Yang,” someone whispered. He didn’t look up. “Do you want something warm? You haven’t moved-”

“I’m fine.”

He wasn’t.

A clipboard fell behind the station; he flinched. One of the interns passed by and muttered, “Isn’t that Dr. Yang? Why’s he just-”

“Shut up,” A nurse hissed. “That’s her. The nurse he-”

Everyone knew. Jungwon stared ahead, eyes bloodshot, skin pale from stress and cold. The man who held steady during surgeries and cardiac arrests was now coming apart at the seams, silently. Every second he waited, he replayed everything. The way your smile looked over coffee. Your voice teasing him. And now… Now you were behind a door he couldn’t open.

Please wake up.

Please stay with me.

Please don’t let this be the end before we even began.

🚑

“Dr. Yang,” came the voice he barely registered. Jungwon didn’t look up at first. He was still sitting in the same spot. His leg had bounced unconsciously for the last half hour. “Jungwon.”

He finally glanced up. It was Dr. Nam, his colleague, and more importantly, someone who knew him well enough to speak past the professional wall he always wore. Nam’s face softened when he saw the state Jungwon was in. “They stabilized her. Surgery was a success.”

“She’s okay?”

“She’s not awake yet. But she made it,” Nam said. “She’s in recovery. I thought you’d want to-” Jungwon stood up so fast before he could even finish. His hand trembled slightly as he pushed the hair out of his eyes. The color returned to his face in waves. “You can go in,” Nam said gently. “Only one visitor. The nurses know.”

He didn’t say thank you. He couldn’t.

Jungwon was already walking.

The heart monitor beeped steadily. You were there, pale against the hospital sheets, an IV in your arm, your breathing soft and even. The oxygen mask fogged slightly with each exhale. Jungwon stopped at the door. He wasn’t prepared. He swallowed hard and stepped inside. Then, his knees gave in. He bent beside your bed, one hand grabbing the rail for support, the other reaching finally to hold yours. His forehead dropped to your hand, his shoulders shaking as the tears came. “You scared me,” he whispered, voice breaking. “You stupid, reckless…-you.” He pressed his lips to the back of your hand and held it there. “Don’t do that again. Don’t ever make me feel like that again.”

He laughed bitterly, brushing away a tear with the heel of his palm. “You haven’t even woken up, and I’m already lecturing you.” He stayed there, crouched beside you, refusing to let go. The strong, untouchable Dr. Yang is now just a man breaking beside the person he was so close to losing.

🚑

You woke up slowly, blinking against the lights. The scent of antiseptic and the distant sound of chatter told you exactly where you were, but you didn’t remember how you got here. Then you turned your head. Jungwon was there.

Slumped in the hospital chair. His hair was pushed back messily, seemingly where he’d run his hands through it too many times. His coat was folded over the armrest, and an untouched paper cup of coffee was sitting on the small table near him. He hadn’t noticed you were awake yet. He looked… tired. No, worn out. So you spoke first, voice scratchy.

“Shouldn’t you be working?”

His head shot up immediately. His eyes met yours and just for a moment, they widened. Then came a breath of relief. An almost whispered-

“You’re awake.”

He stood.

“…you’re truly awake.”

You tried to smile, though your face barely moved. “I was out that long?”

He didn’t answer right away. He just sat beside you and shook his head slowly. “You scared the hell out of me.” You glanced at him, his dark circles, the crease between his brows, the exhausted worry in his eyes, and mustered a dry joke. “You look terrible.”

He huffed a laugh. “Yeah. Everyone’s said that.” Then he leaned forward. “But I’m not the one who almost…” He didn’t finish the sentence.

You swallowed softly. You could see it now, all the weight he’d been carrying while you were unconscious. “I thought you’d be the type to keep calm under pressure,” you teased.

He smiled faintly. “I am unless it’s you.” Your breath caught, but he carefully reached out and took your hand before you could say anything. His thumb brushed over your knuckles. “Don’t do that again,” he whispered. “Don’t make me wait like that again.”

🚑

You’d been back to your shifts, back to the same elevator dings. People still gave you longer glances than usual. It’s not every day a nurse almost dies in the middle of her day off and ends up back in her hospital bed. But things were starting to feel normal again or something like it. It was late. Most of the lights on the floor had dimmed, save for the nurse’s station and the glow from a few patient monitors. Finally, you were done with your rounds and just about to log out when Jungwon showed up by the lockers. It looks like he’d been waiting. “Shift ended?” he asked.

“Ten minutes ago,” you replied, tugging your ID off. “You?”

He nodded. “Technically, but I stayed.”

You gave him a look. “Why?”

He hesitated, then said, “Thought I’d walk you out.”

“Seriously?” You furrowed your eyebrows.

“Yeah.” He shrugged a little. “Hospitals look different at night.” So you walked past the pharmacy, through the hallway with the vending machines, and then out the staff exit where the breeze was gentle and the parking lot half-empty. “Are you alright?” he asked as the two of you stood by the bike rack, neither in a rush to leave.

“Yeah,” you said softly. “I’m back.”

He looked over at you. “Back, but you’ve been different.”

You raised a brow. “How?”

Jungwon hesitated. “You’re more careful with your words.”

You looked away. Maybe you were.

“You, too,” you said.

He smiled. “I have something I’ve been holding back. Protocol says I probably shouldn’t say it,” he added. “But I’ve been thinking about you before the accident and after.” You turned to him slowly. “I don’t want to make things weird,” he continued. “And I know we’re not supposed to… cross lines, but whatever happened that day, when I thought I might lose you, it made it pretty clear I’d regret not saying anything.”

“…You’re not making things weird,” you said.

He looked up at you. “No?”

You shook your head. “Scary.”

“Yeah,” he whispered. “Terrifying.” Then he spoke again. “You know, Nam’s been asking if we’re seeing each other.”

You raised a brow. “And what did you say?”

“That if we are, we’re both incredibly good at pretending we’re not, and if we’re not, maybe we should stop pretending we don’t want to.”

You sighed. “This place has a lot of rules.”

“I know,” he said quietly. “That’s why I’m not asking for anything messy. Only clarity.”

“You’re doing this here?” you said while looking around.

He shrugged. “Would’ve done it over dinner, but someone already agreed to that and didn’t seem to regret it.”

🚑

It didn’t happen in a moment with fireworks, or a sudden realization under a rainy sky. No. It happened calmly and quietly, like most things between you and Jungwon did. You were both sitting in the lounge during a lull, not technically on break, but not in a rush to move. Your legs were folded on the couch, a tablet in your lap. Jungwon sat across from you, reviewing a report, hair slightly messy from hours in the OR. You glanced at him. “You know you could sit here, right?”

He looked up. “You mean next to you?”

“Unless you’re afraid of proximity.”

He chuckled, stood, and made his way over. “Is this one of those times,” he murmured, “where we pretend we’re not already something?”

You tilted your head toward him. “Depends. What are we?”

He glanced at you with a slight smile on his lips. “I think I’d like to stop pretending we’re not together.”

You look at him a little surprised. “That simple?” you asked.

“It doesn’t have to be complicated,” he replied. “Unless you want it to be.”

You looked down at your hands for a second. “You’re not worried? About the hospital. About how it’ll look?”

“I’ve thought about all of that,” he said. And I still want you.” It’s been years of tension, glances, late-night shifts, near misses, and unspoken feelings. So you nodded, which made him smile. Jungwon put his hand on top of yours. “So, you’re my girlfriend now, right?” he said.

You scoffed, but your smile betrayed you. “If you’re going to act like that, I might change my mind.”

He leaned back on the couch with one arm lazily draped behind you. “It’s too late. I already mentally updated your name in my phone.” You nudged him gently with your shoulder. You were his and he was yours. Simple as that. Even in a hospital full of rules, something between you had finally gotten its own space.

🚑

You were both jotting notes outside patient rooms. The hall was full of chatter, but it was clear that no one interrupted when it was you and Dr. Yang. He glanced sideways at you, but you caught it. You always did. “You missed lunch,” he said while his eyes never left the file in his hand.

“So did you,” you muttered back.

“I’ll ask the cafeteria to send something up,” he replied as if he hadn’t done it for you three days in a row.

“I’m fine.”

“I didn’t ask.”

You allowed yourself the faintest smile. Behind you, two new residents whispered in awe.

“They’re so-like-is that even allowed?”

“They don’t even act like a couple, but also? You feel it.” Someone else chimed in, “That’s the Dr. Yang. You think anyone’s gonna tell him who he can or can’t date?”

And no, no one ever did. You stood beside him in the conference room later that day as he presented a case to the department heads. His voice didn’t change when he quoted your observation. There was no favoritism and no tells, but when the meeting ended, as everyone went out, Jungwon stayed. “You handled that case well,” he said softly, packing his laptop.

You raised a brow. “Professional compliment?”

He glanced up. “Strictly professional.”

Then, he added: “Come over later.”

“To your place?” you asked.

“Where else would my pretty girlfriend go?”

You whispered, “We have early rounds tomorrow.”

“Then come early.”

After that, he walked off.

Why does he always get to walk off after ending a conversation with smooth lines?

🚑

Later that evening, you stood in his apartment. He walked over and set a glass of water beside you, then stood before you, hands bracing the counter on either side of your hips. “You look tired,” he murmured.

“I am.”

“You should lie down.”

You looked up at him. “So should you.”

Jungwon gave a dry laugh. “Are you suggesting we both rest?” In which you leaned forward, and he met you halfway. His lips pressed to yours. A few slow kisses here and there. He pulled back, “I missed this,” he said quietly. “Even when you’re right next to me at work… It’s not the same.”

Your voice was soft. “I know, but we can’t afford to slip. Not there.”

“No,” he agreed, “but here? I can love you as much as I want.” You closed your eyes and kissed again, deeper this time. The closeness contrasts with how far you kept apart during the day. No one else got this version of him, and you had it.

🚑

You were the only one left at the nurses’ station. Your fingers moved slower with every letter you typed into the patient charting system. Most of the night shift hadn’t made it in and was short-staffed again. You didn’t even bother complaining. What was the point?

You tried to focus, but your eyelids felt like sandbags. “Why are you still here?” a familiar voice asked gently behind you. You didn’t even turn; you knew it was him. You shook your head. “Don’t start. We’re two nurses down. I couldn’t just walk out.” You felt him step closer, then saw a hand reach around you to press the ‘Save’ button on your screen. The screen dimmed.

“Charting can wait.”

You finally looked up. Jungwon was there with his clean coat. He looked at you like you were the only thing in this building that mattered. “I don’t want you pushing yourself to burnout.”

“You’re one to talk.”

“Touché,” he said with a smirk.

You let your head fall against his body as he moved behind your chair, gently wrapping his arms around your shoulders. You exhaled, closing your eyes for just a second. “I didn’t even realize I was this tired,” you whispered.

“I did.” He kissed the top of your head.

You smiled weakly. “This is inappropriate.”

“Then fire me.”

You let out a tired breath. “You’re lucky I’m in love with you.”

He squeezed your shoulders gently. “That makes two of us.”

🚑

You and Jungwon walked side by side, hands intertwined, his thumb caressing over your knuckles occasionally. It was one of the rare nights you both got off early, and you made a promise not to talk about the hospital. For tonight, you were just two people in love. “I still can’t believe we’ve made it this far without anyone forcing us to do another 48-hour shift,” you joked softly.

Jungwon chuckled. “Don’t jinx it. Someone from scheduling might be hiding behind that hotdog cart.” You laughed. Then-

“Help! Please! Someone help!”

Your head turned at the same time. A small crowd had started to form near a bench just across the street. A woman was kneeling beside someone collapsed on the ground, panic rising in her voice.

You looked at Jungwon. He was already looking at you. There was no hesitation and no words. The two of you took off in sync, cutting through the street. Your heels hit pavement hard, your heart already in nurse mode. Someone stepped back to give space as you and Jungwon moved in. You slid down to your knees beside him, checking for vitals while Jungwon crouched opposite you. “Mid-50s,” he murmured quickly. “Breathing?”

“Yeah. Weak pulse. His skin’s clammy, might’ve triggered a vasovagal response,” you said, lifting his legs to restore blood flow. “Could’ve been pain or standing too long.”

“He’s coming to,” Jungwon said after a few moments. “Eyes fluttering.” The man stirred, groaning lowly. You leaned in. “You fainted, sir. Don’t sit up yet.”

When it was clear the man was stable and help was on the way, you and Jungwon stood. He looked at you, chest rising and falling. His hand reached instinctively for yours again. You took it. “Didn’t we say no work talk tonight?” you said with a tired smile.

“I didn’t say anything,” he replied. “You’re the one who ran first.” You rolled your eyes, your fingers tightened around his. Then, he looked at you as he always did.

You were the one thing in this world he never wanted to lose.

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woniedarlin · 22 days ago

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soo sooo good i need a dr yang in my clinic too

THANK YOUU!! We all need a dr. Yang 🥹😭💕

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woniedarlin · 24 days ago

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LOL is anyone else shy… even online?? like why am i nervous to comment on someone’s post. why do i rehearse DMs? it’s literally a screen. they can’t even see me and yet i’m sweating just trying to reply to “hey.” i’ll write something casual then delete it because “hmm maybe that’s weird??” and suddenly i’ve rewritten a 3-word sentence ten times and still ended up saying nothing. i’m not dry, i’m just scared 😭 anyway if i’ve ever replied to you just know it took courage LMAO. SORRY FOR THE RANDOM RANT HDJSBD

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woniedarlin · 26 days ago

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my recent work was soo hard. I was so nervous posting it

I’m still making another request that was sent like a month ago. Or a few months ago (sorry anonie). And this request that I’m still doing is one I really really like hihi

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woniedarlin · 26 days ago

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hiiiii... can u write something like, doctor jungwon with nurse reader... and the reader suffers an accident...

Dr. Yang, Can You Not?

Pairing: Surgeon! Jungwon x Nurse! Fem! reader

Permanent tag list: @sol3chu @chlorinecake @13tter @jung1w0n @layzfy @firstclassjaylee @ijustwannareadstuff20

“I will,” you said. You meant it. He looked at you for a moment longer and asked. “Are you alright?” You hesitated, “I’m just mad at myself.”

And that was the thing with Jungwon. He wasn’t that warm, but when it mattered, he was present. And in a place where lives hang by a thread daily, that meant everything.

🚑

“I could’ve told you that,” you muttered. “I almost gave the wrong dosage to bed 14 today.” That woke Jina up. “Wait, what?”

You shrugged. “Dr. Yang caught it. He asked me to walk him through it. No yelling, though. It’s only that terrifying calm voice.”

“Oh no,” Ara groaned, flopping onto the chair beside you. “The ‘walk me through it’ is worse than yelling. It’s like guilt, shame, and a midlife crisis all in one sentence.”

“I kept waiting for the part where he tells me I’m off the schedule next week,” you said.

“And did he?” Jina raised an eyebrow.

“No. He said I’m not careless. Which somehow made me feel worse.”

You responded, “It’s the way he talks. He never raises his voice, but you know when he means business.”

Ara smirked. “The ‘walk me through it’ line?”

You smiled faintly. “Exactly.”

Someone mentioned a patient needing to be checked on in the ICU, but no one asked who would go.

You were already moving.

🚑

“You’re not dying,” Ara said. “You’re just decaying slowly.”

You leaned your head against the counter. “Why does this shift feel like three years?”

“Because it is,” Ara answered. “Time bends here.”

Someone was wheeling a portable vitals cart down the hallway with one squeaky wheel screaming for help. Another nurse was trying to untangle IV tubing. Then, Jungwon walked past.

🚑

“I wasn’t pulling, I was just adjusting.”

“Monitor alarm. Leads were off,” you answered. “I reattached and checked his rhythm. Stable, Dr. Yang.”

Jungwon nodded once. “Noted. Thank you.” Then to Mr. Choi, “Please avoid touching anything connected to your heart.”

“Like what?”

Mr. Choi said, “Serious and stern. He looks like he hasn’t slept since med school.”

You shrugged while double-checking your chart. “He works harder than anyone here.”

“Still,” Mr. Choi leaned in slightly. “You two close?”

You gave him a confused look. “Close?”

Jungwon was already turning to leave when Mr. Choi piped up,

“Is he your boyfriend?”

You grabbed the used gauze wrappers off the tray. “You need sleep, not gossip.”

🚑

You responded. “Only because I wasn’t thinking. If I did, I’d probably pass out.”

“Still, you didn’t.” His voice wasn’t praising, though, and you could tell he was honest.

You glanced sideways at him. “I thought you were gonna snap when the interns froze.”

Mr. Choi gave you a smug little grin. “He’s funny. Keep that one.”

You pinched the bridge of your nose and muttered again, louder this time, “That’s Dr. Yang, Mr. Choi.”

That didn’t mean you weren’t hyper-aware of how he had just made a joke… wait, was it really a joke? ugh, Dr. Yang is so unreadable.

You shook it off, reaching for the clipboard again.

🚑

You were the last one left in the trauma room, standing beside the cart, staring down at the vial.

“(Name).”

You turned. Jungwon was standing by the door.

“Walk me through it.”

His eyes were unreadable. “Do you know what could’ve happened if we hadn’t caught it?”

You nodded.

“I’m sorry,” you said.

There was still a shift to finish.

🚑

You didn’t look up.

“I’m not hiding, Dr. Yang,” you muttered.

“I didn’t say you were.” He walked closer.

“Come on. They’ll start thinking you passed out in here.”

You stood. As you opened the door, he paused beside you.

“(Name).”

You glanced up.

It was teasing, almost.

Was he…?

But before you could respond, he reached behind the desk and placed something on top. A granola bar. You stared at it. Then at him. “You carry snacks now?” you asked cautiously.

Maybe… he didn’t see you the same, either.

🚑

It’s your day off. Yey!

“It’s Jungwon.”

“Oh. Right,” you said. “Thanks, Dr. Yang. I didn’t notice.”

“You’re off today, aren’t you?”

“Yeah… I barely got out of bed.”

You could hear a street in the background. He wasn’t at the hospital.

“I’m passing near your neighborhood. You want me to drop it off?”

That was embarrassing. You almost said no. Almost. But you didn’t.

You took it, trying not to cringe too hard at how you probably smelled like instant noodle seasoning. “Thank you, Dr. Yang.”

He looked at you with a tinsy tiny bit of amusement. “You look like you lost a fight with sleep.”

You snorted. “Sleep won.”

He chuckled softly, then nodded toward the small garden beside your gate. “Nice plants.”

You did a sheepish smile. “They’re mostly dying.”

“Well, it’s still nice.” Then he stepped back. “See you on Monday.” Then he left.

🚑

You didn’t falter. “I had things to double-check.”

He nodded, stepping closer to glance at the tablet in your hand. “That’s good.”

Your throat felt tight, but you managed, “I don’t like being anyone’s disappointment.”

“You’re not,” he said. “Not to me.”

Mid-Morning Break.

“You already did that last week,” Suho pointed out, bumping her with a shoulder.

“I wasn’t caught, was I?”

You look at her confused. “What?”

“Probably because he was giving feedback,” you muttered.

“Yeah, feedback with undertones,” Mei said, raising a brow. “Come on, don’t tell me you don’t notice how he looks at you.”

You exhaled. “He’s strict. He’s focused. He’s not the type to flirt in the middle of a hospital.”

Mei laughed. “Maybe not the type to flirt but the type to admire.”

“Guys, it’s Dr. Yang,” you reminded them, emphasizing his title. “And we’re all professionals.”

🚑

You momentarily were thrown off. “I- I was assisting Dr. Nam with Mr. Yoon’s complication. I had already prepped the materials for Mrs. Han, but I asked Jeongmin to-”

Dr. Kim stiffened. “That’s not relevant to-”

“Thanks,” you said. You could feel the heat crawling up your neck.

“I told you,” he said. “You care. You make the right calls. That matters.” You gave a weak nod. He looked at you for another second. Then: “Don’t skip water just because you’re busy.”

“Huh?”

🚑

You tried not to look too startled. “Yeah… decompressing.”

He nodded once. “Me too.” Then he stepped forward, holding out something in a napkin.

You squinted. “What’s that?”

You let out a half-scoff. “I almost got chewed out again, Dr. Yang.”

“And you still stood your ground,” he replied. “That’s why I said good.” His voice wasn’t teasing. It wasn’t overly kind, either. It was sure like he believed it completely.

He gave a faint smile. “Eat then go home.” And as he turned, he added without looking back, “You always forget to take care of yourself. Don’t make me keep reminding you.”

The door swung shut behind him.

🚑

You groaned, “Don’t. Ask. Don’t start.”

Jina snorted into her mug. “You didn’t even deny it.”

“Dr. Yang!” Ara called sweetly across the room.

You nearly slammed your forehead on the table. “I swear if you say-”

“If someone like her asked you out,” Jina said, jerking her thumb at you, “would you say yes?”

The room went silent. Jungwon dried his hands calmly. “I don’t date coworkers.”

You exhaled through your nose. “Exactly. See?” you muttered.

He turned, tossed the towel aside, and added coolly, “But I never said I wouldn’t make an exception.”

The breakroom erupted.

“OH MY GO-”

“Okay, but WHAT-”

“I need air-”

Ara threw a pillow across the table. Jina screamed. You stared blankly ahead. “Unprofessional,” you muttered, cheeks burning, but the smile tugging at your lips said otherwise.

🚑

You were eating out with Dr. Yang.

Yeah. You read that right.

Okay, don’t look at me like that. I know what this looks like. But you don’t get to judge me. It’s Dr. Yang, hello?

You cleared your throat, forcing your eyes to stay on your plate. “I still think this is kind of… inappropriate.”

He didn’t even stutter. “Inappropriate?”

You nodded. “We work together.”

He shrugged. “We’re not in work right now. We’re off-duty. Technically, we’re just two people eating lunch.”

You tried not to roll your eyes. “Do you always say stuff that conveniently works in your favor, Dr. Yang?”

Jungwon smiled, a little smug. “Only when I want to make a point.”

You tried to hide the way your heart was beating so fast. This man. This frustrating, composed, dangerously intelligent man. You poked at your rice. “Just to be clear, this is friendly dinner. Not a date.”

He met your eyes. “Sure.” And then, right as you sipped your drink, he added, “Unless you want it to be.”

You nearly choked.

“Dr. Yang-.”

“It’s Dr. Yang on duty,” he said. “But right now? It’s Jungwon.”

Jungwon raised an eyebrow, sipping his water. “Am I?”

“Mmhmm,” you nodded, tapping your chopsticks against your bowl. “So tell me then. What were your thoughts on me?”

“The first time we met?”

“Yeah.”

He set his glass down slowly. “You were…fast.”

“Fast?”

“Quick on your feet. Quicker with your mouth,” he said with his lips twitching. “I thought you were a bit arrogant.”

You raised a brow. “So you didn’t like me.”

“I didn’t know you,” he replied. “But I was curious.”

You paused for a moment. “And now?”

You stirred your iced drink lazily.

“I used to think you were married,” you said out of nowhere.

Jungwon looked up from his plate. “Really?”

You nodded. “Yeah. When I first met you years ago.”

He tilted his head. “Why?”

“Well,” you added, smirking slightly, “I was wrong. Obviously.”

He leaned back in his seat. “So what else did you assume about me back then?”

You took a sip of your drink. “I thought you were distant. The type who wouldn’t remember anyone’s name unless they were on your level.”

He was amused. “That bad, hm?”

His eyes were on you. “So what do you think of me now?”

You matched his tone. “I think you’re nothing like I assumed.”

He smiled. “And you? I assumed you were all walls. Smart, yes. Efficient but distant.”

You looked at him.

“And now?”

He shrugged gently. “Now I know better.” He picked up his drink again, eyes not leaving yours. “You know,” he said, “you surprised me too.”

You tilted your head. “How so?”

“At first, I thought you hated me,” he admitted. “You never smiled when I passed by. You were always busy avoiding eye contact.”

“That’s called being professional,” you shot back with a small laugh.

“Mm,” he hummed. “That, or you were trying really hard not to fall for me.”

You choked. “Excuse me?”

He leaned in just slightly, wearing that maddeningly calm expression of his. “It’s only a theory. No judgment.”

You were trying to play it cool. “Your ego’s showing, Jungwon.”

You stared at him, unsure whether to laugh, blush, or throw your spoon at him. All three, probably.

Dr. Yang, your foot. This man was trouble.

“N-No,” the man stammered. “She didn’t know-this hasn’t happened before-”

You nodded, brushing your hair back, heart still pounding from the adrenaline. When the commotion cleared, Jungwon looked over at you. “You were quick,” he said.

You exhaled. “You were calmer than I thought you’d be outside the OR.”

He smiled faintly. “We’re not just good in scrubs, apparently.”

You nodded. “Yeah…a little surreal.”

“That’s the thing about emergencies,” he murmured, looking out toward the restaurant doors where the paramedics had wheeled the woman out. “They don’t care if you’re on a day off.”

You gave a soft laugh. “Guess we never really clock out.”

He folded his arms. “Seems like fate has a cruel sense of humor. Just when I thought I might get through dinner without someone collapsing.”

Jungwon stood. “Is she stable?”

“She’s responding to treatment now. We’re monitoring her vitals en route. Allergic to shellfish. First time reaction. You saved her life, sir.”

“And the nurse,” Jungwon added, glancing at you. “She helped just as much.”

“Of course,” Jungwon said with a light sigh. “No such thing as off-duty, I guess.”

“Don’t apologize,” he replied smoothly. “You handled that better than most would. You didn’t hesitate.”

You shrugged. “It just kicked in. Probably out of habit.”

He tilted his head. “Instinct. That’s not something you teach. That’s something you are.” He added. “And for the record… it was still a nice dinner.”

You glanced at him. “Even if it ended with chaos?”

He smirked faintly. “Of course. It proves I picked the right person to spend it with.”

“You didn’t pick,” you teased a little. “You cornered me in the hallway and guilted me into eating on our day off.”

“And yet,” he countered, “you didn’t say no.”

You gave him a look. “That’s not fair.”

That shut you up.

You stared at him.

He was already smiling, already reaching for the check. “You still want coffee?” he asked. “Or should we call it a night and let the world surprise us again tomorrow?”

You said, “Let’s see if the next emergency lets us finish a cup first.” And with that, the two of you stood and left.

🚑

Nothing.

A blur of sirens and panic. Then suddenly, darkness.

…

Because Jungwon came running.

“Dr. Yang, you need to stand back,” one of the surgeons said, placing a hand on his chest.

“She’s going into surgery,” another voice called. “Internal bleeding. We need the OR now.”

“I’ll go in,” Jungwon said instinctively, reaching for gloves, but a hand gripped his arm. “You can’t,” said Dr. Nam, one of the senior staff.

“What?” Jungwon snapped, not even trying to hide the shake in his voice.

“You’re too involved.”

“She’s a nurse!” he shot back. “She’s my nurse-”

🚑

“Let’s see if the next emergency lets us finish a cup first.”

Now here you were unconscious. On the other side, he couldn’t cross, and for the first time in his life, Jungwon felt utterly powerless. And completely terrified of losing you.

“I’m fine.”

He wasn’t.

A clipboard fell behind the station; he flinched. One of the interns passed by and muttered, “Isn’t that Dr. Yang? Why’s he just-”

“Shut up,” A nurse hissed. “That’s her. The nurse he-”

Please wake up.

Please stay with me.

Please don’t let this be the end before we even began.

🚑

“Dr. Yang,” came the voice he barely registered. Jungwon didn’t look up at first. He was still sitting in the same spot. His leg had bounced unconsciously for the last half hour. “Jungwon.”

“She’s okay?”

He didn’t say thank you. He couldn’t.

Jungwon was already walking.

🚑

“Shouldn’t you be working?”

His head shot up immediately. His eyes met yours and just for a moment, they widened. Then came a breath of relief. An almost whispered-

“You’re awake.”

He stood.

“…you’re truly awake.”

You tried to smile, though your face barely moved. “I was out that long?”

He huffed a laugh. “Yeah. Everyone’s said that.” Then he leaned forward. “But I’m not the one who almost…” He didn’t finish the sentence.

You swallowed softly. You could see it now, all the weight he’d been carrying while you were unconscious. “I thought you’d be the type to keep calm under pressure,” you teased.

🚑

“Ten minutes ago,” you replied, tugging your ID off. “You?”

He nodded. “Technically, but I stayed.”

You gave him a look. “Why?”

He hesitated, then said, “Thought I’d walk you out.”

“Seriously?” You furrowed your eyebrows.

“Yeah,” you said softly. “I’m back.”

He looked over at you. “Back, but you’ve been different.”

You raised a brow. “How?”

Jungwon hesitated. “You’re more careful with your words.”

You looked away. Maybe you were.

“You, too,” you said.

“…You’re not making things weird,” you said.

He looked up at you. “No?”

You shook your head. “Scary.”

“Yeah,” he whispered. “Terrifying.” Then he spoke again. “You know, Nam’s been asking if we’re seeing each other.”

You raised a brow. “And what did you say?”

“That if we are, we’re both incredibly good at pretending we’re not, and if we’re not, maybe we should stop pretending we don’t want to.”

You sighed. “This place has a lot of rules.”

“I know,” he said quietly. “That’s why I’m not asking for anything messy. Only clarity.”

“You’re doing this here?” you said while looking around.

He shrugged. “Would’ve done it over dinner, but someone already agreed to that and didn’t seem to regret it.”

🚑

He looked up. “You mean next to you?”

“Unless you’re afraid of proximity.”

He chuckled, stood, and made his way over. “Is this one of those times,” he murmured, “where we pretend we’re not already something?”

You tilted your head toward him. “Depends. What are we?”

He glanced at you with a slight smile on his lips. “I think I’d like to stop pretending we’re not together.”

You look at him a little surprised. “That simple?” you asked.

“It doesn’t have to be complicated,” he replied. “Unless you want it to be.”

You looked down at your hands for a second. “You’re not worried? About the hospital. About how it’ll look?”

“I’ve thought about all of that,” he said. “And I still want you.” It’s been years of tension, glances, late-night shifts, near misses, and unspoken feelings. So you nodded, which made him smile. Jungwon put his hand on top of yours. “So, you’re my girlfriend now, right?” he said.

You scoffed, but your smile betrayed you. “If you’re going to act like that, I might change my mind.”

🚑

“So did you,” you muttered back.

“I’ll ask the cafeteria to send something up,” he replied as if he hadn’t done it for you three days in a row.

“I’m fine.”

“I didn’t ask.”

You allowed yourself the faintest smile. Behind you, two new residents whispered in awe.

“They’re so-like-is that even allowed?”

“They don’t even act like a couple, but also? You feel it.” Someone else chimed in, “That’s the Dr. Yang. You think anyone’s gonna tell him who he can or can’t date?”

You raised a brow. “Professional compliment?”

He glanced up. “Strictly professional.”

Then, he added: “Come over later.”

“To your place?” you asked.

“Where else would my pretty girlfriend go?”

You whispered, “We have early rounds tomorrow.”

“Then come early.”

After that, he walked off.

Why does he always get to walk off after ending a conversation with smooth lines?

🚑

“I am.”

“You should lie down.”

You looked up at him. “So should you.”

Your voice was soft. “I know, but we can’t afford to slip. Not there.”

🚑

“Charting can wait.”

You finally looked up. Jungwon was there with his clean coat. He looked at you like you were the only thing in this building that mattered. “I don’t want you pushing yourself to burnout.”

“You’re one to talk.”

“Touché,” he said with a smirk.

“I did.” He kissed the top of your head.

You smiled weakly. “This is inappropriate.”

“Then fire me.”

You let out a tired breath. “You’re lucky I’m in love with you.”

He squeezed your shoulders gently. “That makes two of us.”

🚑

Jungwon chuckled. “Don’t jinx it. Someone from scheduling might be hiding behind that hotdog cart.” You laughed. Then-

“Help! Please! Someone help!”

Your head turned at the same time. A small crowd had started to form near a bench just across the street. A woman was kneeling beside someone collapsed on the ground, panic rising in her voice.

“Yeah. Weak pulse. His skin’s clammy, might’ve triggered a vasovagal response,” you said, lifting his legs to restore blood flow. “Could’ve been pain or standing too long.”

“He’s coming to,” Jungwon said after a few moments. “Eyes fluttering.” The man stirred, groaning lowly. You leaned in. “You fainted, sir. Don’t sit up yet.”

“I didn’t say anything,” he replied. “You’re the one who ran first.” You rolled your eyes, your fingers tightened around his. Then, he looked at you as he always did.

You were the one thing in this world he never wanted to lose.

1K notes · View notes

woniedarlin · 26 days ago

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Thank you for the 1k notes!! MWAH

Shared Custody

Pairing: Ex! Jungwon x reader

Synopsis: Breaking up with Jungwon was one thing. But agreeing to co-parent a dog afterward? That was how you ended up in the weirdest post-breakup situation ever. Because what kind of exes still see each other at precisely 10 a.m?

You broke up. You’re sure of it. So why does it feel like your relationship never ended? Just… got a schedule and a leash?

Author's note: Another fic has been sitting in the drafts for too long. I finally decided to share it with you all. Hope you enjoy it! Happy reading!

Warnings: This story contains equal parts fluff and angst, with a dash of unresolved feelings, awkward ex moments, and a dog that might steal the spotlight. Reader discretion is advised! 🐾

Permanent tag list: @sol3chu @chlorinecake @13tter @jung1w0n @layzfy @firstclassjaylee @ijustwannareadstuff20

Here’s the thing no one tells you about breakups:

When you two bought a dog together while you were still dating, breaking up isn’t just about parting ways with a person. You get partial custody of an emotional support furball with no idea why mom and dad stopped living together. The breakup was mutual. There was no shouting, no ugly crying, no one storming out at 2 a.m. with a suitcase and a dramatic one-liner.

It was a quiet and tired conversation on the couch. Some nods. A few long silences. And Maeumi, curled up between you, unaware that his life was about to get complicated.

You probably should’ve fought over him. Or at least discussed like rational adults. Instead, you both just… didn’t let go. Now, you set schedules like divorced parents. Only with more awkward small talk and a lot of pretending it’s totally normal to see your ex every other day at exactly 10:00 a.m.

It started with meetups. Hand off the leash, say a polite hello, smile as if it doesn’t sting anymore. Then it became coffee afterwards. Then breakfast “because he looks hungry and I’m already here anyway.”

Then, last weekend, Maeumi ate an entire bag of chips and got sick all over Jungwon’s living room, which somehow led to you arguing about brand-name kibble.

“You were the one who said he needed variety!”

“Variety doesn’t mean junk food!”

“They were organic!”

“He threw up on my socks, (name).”

And you’re not proud of it, but you laughed. A little too hard. Then Jungwon laughed, and it felt like nothing had changed for a moment.

But everything had.

Now, you’re waiting for Jungwon in the usual meeting spot, Maeumi’s leash wrapped loosely around your wrist as he trots in excited little circles. Jungwon’s late. Not by much, just five minutes. Enough to make you wonder if he’s okay. Enough to make you check your phone. He shows up a minute later, hair a bit messy, holding two coffees. “Sorry,” he says. “I stopped by that place you like. The one with the stupid tiny straws.”

You take the cup without a word.

Maeumi barks, happy as ever, tail wagging because it was the best part of his week. Seeing his divorced parents together! ૮ ˶ˆ ﻌ ˆ˶ ა

“Did he eat?” Jungwon asks.

You replied. “Yeah. But he thinks spinning in a circle gets him more food now.”

Jungwon sighs. “You didn’t.”

You shrug. “It was funny. He almost knocked over my lamp trying it this morning.”

There was a slight pause before, “He seemed to miss you a lot when he was with me last week. A good thing he has spent with you these past few days.” Jungwon says, nudging Maeumi’s head.

You nod, eyes on your coffee cup. “I missed him too.”

You’re not sure which of them you’re talking about.

🍎

Maeumi planted his butt on the floor and refused to move. You tugged the leash gently. “Come on, it’s Dad’s turn.” Maeumi looked at you. Then looked at Jungwon. Then flopped onto his side. You sighed. “He’s being a brat again.”

Jungwon crouched beside you, holding out a treat from his pocket. “Maeumi, let’s not do this today.”

Maeumi sniffed the treat, stood up halfway, then turned around and pressed himself against your leg.

You and Jungwon exchanged a look.

“I think he’s made his choice,” you said.

“It’s not even a choice. It’s supposed to be my weekend.”

“You tell him that.”

Jungwon sighed and looked down at Maeumi, who was now rolling over, belly up, smug as ever. “You’re a traitor. You know that?”

Maeumi sneezed in response.

Eventually, after five minutes of bargaining and light bribery, Jungwon stepped inside your apartment to get him moving. One minute turned into five. Then ten. Now you were both sitting on the couch, a lukewarm mug of tea in his hands, Maeumi curled between you like a peace treaty in dog form. “You know,” you said, watching as Maeumi kicked his leg in his sleep, “he wasn’t like this when we first got him.”

“Nope,” Jungwon muttered. “He used to listen to me. Now he acts like he pays rent.”

“That’s your influence.”

He shot you a look. “My influence? You’re the one who started giving him tiny portions of your dinner because he’s a spoiled prince.”

You shrugged and grinned. “He deserves nice things.”

“He eats better than me.”

Jungwon glanced at you for too long, then looked away and sipped his tea.

You didn’t notice.

Well, yeah, you did, but you were pretending not to.

Jungwon leaned back a little. Then he looked toward the kitchen. And then he saw it. The mug. The one he bought for your birthday two years ago. You loved it to the point that you used it daily while you two were still dating. He nodded toward the cupboard. “Didn’t think you still had that.”

You glanced over. “Huh? Oh. Yeah.”

He didn’t say anything else, but his eyes stayed on it. That dumb, ceramic memory sitting there as if it had every right to exist in a post-breakup world.

You added, “It’s a good mug.”

Jungwon barely smiled. “Yeah. Real high quality.”

You didn’t reply.

He looked back at Maeumi, who was still fast asleep between you, snoring lightly. “I keep one of your spoons in my drawer,” Jungwon said suddenly.

Your head turned. “What?”

“You left it after that one trip. The one where we bought those instant noodles that tasted like cardboard.”

“Oh. Right.” You stared ahead. “That was a good weekend.”

“It rained.”

“I like rain.”

You both nodded and pretended the conversation didn’t sting a little.

Maeumi snored louder as if he were trying to cover the silence.

🍎

Your phone buzzed at 11:42 p.m.

You were half-asleep. Maeumi had gone home with Jungwon hours ago, but the apartment still felt…full.

You grabbed your phone.

Jungwon [11:42 PM]

Thanks for taking care of him this week. He seemed extra happy. When he saw you, his tail wagged about ten times per second.

You smiled without meaning to, your thumb hovering over the keyboard to send a quick "anytime" or maybe a "he missed you too."

But another message came in before you could type.

Jungwon [11:43 PM]

You’re still the easiest person to talk to.

You stared at the screen.

You didn’t know what to say. Or perhaps you did, and that was the problem.

So you… didn’t reply.

🍎

Jungwon sat on the curb's edge, nursing a canned coffee. Sunghoon was sipping from his drink, watching him spiral in silence. “I’m losing it,” Jungwon finally said. “She still knows how I take my coffee. Didn’t even ask.”

Sunghoon glanced over. “She made it the same way she used to? Back when you two were together?”

Jungwon nodded slowly. “Exactly like that.”

“And you’re upset because…?”

“I don’t know,” Jungwon shaked his head. “She laughs at my jokes the same way. She still says ‘bless you’ when I fake sneeze for attention. And today, I saw the mug I got for her birthday two years ago, sitting in her cupboard like it never left.”

“Maybe it’s just a good mug?” Sunghoon offered.

Jungwon stared at him. “That mug has a whale on it saying ‘whale you be mine.’ It wasn’t just a mug.”

Sunghoon choked on his drink and wiped his mouth. “Okay, yeah, that’s tragic.”

“And she still wears my hoodie,” Jungwon added. “She likes that hoodie.”

Sunghoon crossed his arms. “So, what’s the plan? Gonna ask for the hoodie back and confess your undying love in the same breath?”

“I don’t know what I’m doing. I thought I was over her. I thought we were fine being exes who raise a dog together.” Jungwon let out a long sigh and tilted his head back. “I don’t know when it started feeling like this again.”

Sunghoon crumpled his empty drink can and tossed it into the bin beside them. “You mean the part where you show up with her favorite foods, sit on her couch like you never left, and keep pretending Maeumi’s the only reason you’re still hanging around?”

Jungwon looked at Sunghoon. “…Okay, rude. But not wrong.”

“Exactly. Look, man.” Sunghoon turned to face him fully now. “You two broke up. Sure. But you’re still texting her late at night, still wearing the cologne she once said smelled nice, and still looking at her like she’s the only person in the room.”

Jungwon groaned. “She’s just being nice. She always was.”

Sunghoon scoffed. “No one’s that nice, bro. She has your hoodie. She made you pancakes last week. You said she cut the strawberries the way you like them.”

“She always cuts the ends-”

“Exactly.” Sunghoon gave him a look. “At this point, you’re not just co-parenting a dog. You’re toeing the line of a romcom reboot.” He added, “Seriously, who even does this? Shared custody over a dog? With your ex? This is the weirdest post-breakup dynamic I’ve ever seen.”

Jungwon didn’t even deny it. He muttered, “…Yeah, but it’s kind of working.”

Sunghoon nodded solemnly. “You’re doomed.”

Jungwon groaned. “I think I’m accidentally falling in love with her again.”

“No such thing as accidental. You just never stopped.”

🍎

Maeumi wasn’t himself. You noticed it the moment he refused his dinner. He moved slowly, dragging his paws across the floor, and his eyes looked distant. Something was off. He usually had a healthy appetite, but tonight, nothing. You knelt beside him, gently rubbing his back. “Hey, Maeumi, what’s going on?”

He let out a weak whimper. Panic rose in your chest. You didn’t know what was wrong but knew you needed help. You grabbed your phone without thinking.

Jungwon picked up almost immediately. “What’s wrong?” His voice was concerned, even though he wasn’t sure what was happening.

“Maeumi’s sick. He won’t eat, he’s not moving much… I don’t know what’s happening.”

“Don’t worry. I’m coming over.”

It didn’t take long for him to arrive, his face tense as he crouched down to Maeumi’s level. The dog barely acknowledged him, enough to make you both nervous. “We should take him to the vet,” Jungwon said after a moment.

You nodded, already on the phone, setting up an appointment. The drive was tense, your hand gripping the door handle while Jungwon kept one hand on the wheel, his eyes between you and Maeumi.

When you finally arrived at the clinic, it was quiet. You and Jungwon waited in the sterile, cold waiting room. Maeumi was lying on your lap, his eyes closed and his breathing shallow. You rubbed his head absentmindedly, trying to calm yourself. “He’s going to be okay,” Jungwon said quietly, glancing over at you.

You nodded but didn’t answer. He touched his hand lightly near yours as he reached for the water cup beside you, and for a fleeting second, you felt his warmth. You looked at him, but his gaze was somewhere else, not meeting yours.

For a brief moment, you wondered if he missed this. If he missed you. But before you could even entertain the thought, the door to the exam room opened, and the vet emerged, pulling your focus back to Maeumi. Jungwon stood up. “He’ll be fine,” he said.

And you weren’t sure what to make of it, but for the first time since your breakup, you couldn’t ignore how much it stung to see him so close yet still so distant.

🍎

By the time you and Jungwon returned from the vet, Maeumi was already dozing off on the couch, wrapped in an old blanket and looking much more himself. The panic had eased. You stood by the kitchen, hands on the counter, watching Jungwon kneel to check Maeumi. You glanced at the time. “It’s late. You should eat before you head back.”

Jungwon looked up. “You sure?”

“Yeah. I was gonna cook anyway,” you said, opening the fridge. “Don’t expect a five-course meal, though.”

“I never did,” he said, smiling as he joined you in the kitchen. “You still burn rice, don’t you?”

You gave him a light shove with your elbow. “That happened once. And the pot betrayed me.”

Then, he washed the vegetables while you stirred the soup. It was annoyingly comfortable.

By the time dinner was done, the table was set. Jungwon set down the last dish and glanced over at you. “This… feels like we never broke up,”

You froze. Then, you replied, “We never used to have this much garlic.”

He huffed a small laugh but didn’t push it. And for the rest of dinner, neither of you brought it up again.

🍎

The dishes were washed. The leftovers are packed. Maeumi, finally feeling a bit better, had claimed his usual spot at the foot of your couch, tail thumping gently as he dozed. You stood near the sink, drying your hands on a dish towel, when Jungwon spoke from behind you. “I didn’t just miss Maeumi, you know.”

“I miss…” He let out a soft breath. “I miss all of it.”

“Do you still think about us?” he asked.

The silence was deafening. You felt him watching your back, waiting. And if the room had stayed that quiet a second longer, you would’ve said something honest. But Maeumi barked as if he’d sensed the tension rising and decided to cut it clean. You both jumped slightly. You turned with a light laugh, avoiding his gaze. “I think someone needs his water refilled.”

Jungwon didn’t press. He nodded before crouching to check Maeumi’s bowl.

Neither of you said anything else.

But the question stayed.

🍎

It happens on a night that should’ve been uneventful. A regular handoff. Maeumi is snoozing on your carpet, belly full. Jungwon’s quiet tonight. You notice it right away, but you pretend not to. You handed over Maeumi’s leash, but he didn’t take it. “You still have my hoodie,” he says.

You glance up. “What?”

He gestures vaguely toward the coat rack. “The gray one. I saw it last week. You used to sleep in it.”

You shrug. “It’s comfortable.”

His jaw tightens, but he laughs a little. “Everything I gave you is ‘comfortable,’ huh?”

You don’t answer.

“I saw your story the other day,” he adds. “Looked like a date.”

Now, you furrow your eyebrows. “Seriously?”

Jungwon runs a hand through his hair. “Forget it.”

“No,” you say. “You brought it up. So say it.”

“It’s confusing. For one moment, we laughed as if nothing had changed. Then, in the next instant, I remember how you used to fall asleep on my chest or steal all the blankets.” His voice wavers for a moment, but he pushes on. “I just can’t tell if I’m the only one stuck in the past or you’re better at pretending.”

You hesitate, then quietly. “I wish I could say I moved on, but I haven't.”

Jungwon’s shoulders drop a little. “Then why didn’t you say anything?”

“Why didn’t you?”

He looks down. “Because you looked like you were doing okay. And I didn’t want to make it harder if you were healing.”

“I wasn’t okay,” you say softly. “I’m still not.”

Jungwon lifts his head, his eyes locking with yours. “Neither am I.”

“I miss you,” he says. “Not just Maeumi. Not just Saturday mornings. I miss… talking to you. I miss knowing how you’re doing without having to ask.”

You look away. “Then why are we doing this?” you whisper. “Why are we acting like we’re fine?”

He lets out a breath. “Because maybe we don’t know how to be anything else.”

You nod slowly. “Yeah.”

He says, more gently this time, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to start an argument.”

You shake your head. “You didn’t.”

He bends down and clips the leash onto Maeumi’s collar. The dog wags his tail, clueless, happy just to be loved by both of you. Jungwon straightens up but doesn’t turn to leave right away. He looks around your apartment. His eyes land briefly on the hoodie by the coat rack, then the familiar mug on your kitchen shelf.

“I still love you,” he says suddenly.

You freeze.

“I didn’t think I should say it. I didn’t want to make this harder. I thought… maybe it’d get easier if I stopped talking about it. But it didn’t.”

He’s not asking for anything. Not a hug. Not a kiss. Not to come back. He was standing there with his hand gently resting on Maeumi’s back because it kept him from breaking. “You laughed at one of my jokes last week,” he says softly. “And for a second, I forgot we weren’t together anymore. That’s how easy it is to fall back into you.”

You swallow hard. But he keeps going.

“I didn’t want to make you feel guilty. Or corner you. I just needed you to know. It wasn’t because I stopped feeling everything when we broke up. I was scared. And tired. And maybe I thought it’d hurt less if we ended it on our terms.”

He finally looks at you. “But it still hurts.”

Maeumi lets out a soft bark. Jungwon reaches down and scratches behind his ears; for a second, it’s just the sound of his hand brushing fur. Then he straightens again, but now you notice his eyes are a bit glassy. “I’ll take him tonight. I’ll text you tomorrow. If you need anything, or if… you want to talk more, I’m one call away.”

You nod. Slowly. You can’t get your voice to work. But your eyes say enough.

Jungwon opens the door and glances back just once. “Goodnight,” he says.

And then they’re gone.

🍎

Jungwon sits on the edge of his bed, hair slightly damp from a rushed shower. Maeumi is curled beside him, his head resting on his paw, and his eyes blinking up at him as if he understands more than a dog ever should. Jungwon takes a small breath and runs a hand through Maeumi’s fur. “You don’t have to look at me like that,” he mutters. “I didn’t yell.”

Maeumi blinks again.

“Okay,” Jungwon sighed, leaning back a little, “I maybe said too much.” He sighed. “I don’t know, Maeumi,” he murmurs, voice softer now. “She just looked at me like I was someone from a different life. That sucked.’’ Jungwon glances down and smiles sadly. “Don’t worry,” he says quietly. “Mommy and Daddy were just having a little disagreement.”

He lays back on the bed. “I’ll bring her back,” he whispers. “I swear, Maeumi. I’ll bring your mom back to me.”

Maeumi lets out a soft woof.

🍎

The rain had been pouring since morning. You didn’t expect anyone when the doorbell rang, especially not Jungwon. But there he was. Standing at your doorway, drenched from head to toe, Maeumi dripped beside him and looked more like a soggy mop than a dog. “Uh,” Jungwon offered sheepishly. “He refused to walk anywhere else.”

You said in disbelief. “You could’ve called.”

“I did. You didn’t answer.”

You step aside. “Come in before Maeumi gets mistaken for a wet sock.”

Towels came out. You wrapped one around Maeumi, rubbing his fur as he wagged his tail. Jungwon was quieter. You handed him a dry hoodie from your closet, which was his, actually. It still smelled like him, though it had sat folded for months.

He changed. You made tea. He sat across you on the couch, rubbing Maeumi’s ears absently. “I’ve been thinking,” Jungwon started, voice gentle. “We weren’t ready back then. But maybe now…”

You looked at him, guarded. “I’ve changed,” he continued. “You have too. And I don’t just mean getting better at feeding Maeumi actual food.” You smiled a little. He took it as permission. “I guess I want to say I’m sorry. For everything I didn’t say before. For not knowing how to stay when things got hard.”

You met his gaze. “I’m sorry, too. For pushing you away when I didn’t know what I needed.”

“Do you think Maeumi would be okay if we lived together again?” Jungwon asked suddenly, eyes hopeful.

You raised an eyebrow. “Are you asking for the dog or for you?”

A sheepish smile curved his lips. “Both.”

You didn’t answer right away. Instead, you leaned into his shoulder, your head resting there like it used to. “Maybe we could try again,” you said quietly. “For real this time.”

Jungwon’s hand found yours.

Maeumi snored at your feet.

And outside, the rain kept falling, washing everything clean.

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