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idyllic-ghost

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idyllic-ghost · 4 days

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title: What A Man (What A Mighty Good Man) pairing: idol!S.Coups x gn!reader genre: fluff, comedic, suggestive warnings: BSS drunk karaoke, second-hand embarrassment, pet names (pretty, babe, baby, etc.), alcohol mentions, mentions of explicit material, implied that reader is smaller than cheol (cheol can carry reader over his shoulder), reader has a bit of a lumberjack fantasy about cheol synopsis: Everyone knows you're down bad for Seungcheol, it's just extra obvious when you're drunk. wordcount: 2k taglist: @enhacolor, @shuabby1994, @junhui-recs, @dkakapizzaboy, @just-here-to-read-01, @loviehan, @userjunhuii, @novalpha, @bubblymoon, @aaniag, @d0nghyuck, @fantasy2wonderland, @seunghancore, @woozixo, @niktwazny303, @lllucere, @uniq-tastic, @wonwoospartyhat, @stariightjoyy, @hyneyedfiz, @cali-snow, @pearlygraysky, @crazywittysassy, @yeosayang

rating: 18+

a/n: idk why i wrote this, i was just listening to the song and then i got the idea- procrastinating on work is my biggest source of motivation for writing

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✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Seungcheol knew that tonight would end in chaos as soon as he saw the karaoke machine. Whoever thought it was a good idea to put in a karaoke machine in the living room area of the vacation home, was immensely wrong. He knew that at least a couple people in the group were going to start using it after a few drinks tonight, and luckily managed to get one of the bedrooms in the smaller cabins nearby instead of one in the main building. However, he didn't expect that one of the people who would hop on the karaoke machine would be you.

It was already getting late when Soonyoung, Seungkwan, and Seokmin had "discovered" the karaoke machine. One of the members, or maybe even one of their partners, had attempted to hide it under a blanket - to no avail, seeing as the three of them were able to sniff it out.

It all started with a solo from Seungkwan, which Soonyoung joined in on. Soon enough, the entirety of BSS was singing together once Seokmin had joined them. Once the song finished, everyone expected them to start singing again soon enough - but they didn't expect to hear your voice echo from the speakers.

Seungcheol sat in the corner of the room, talking to Joshua about how nice it was going to be to spend some quiet time alone with you, when he heard "Whatta Man" by Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue start playing over the systems. At first, he thought nothing of it - maybe he was a little surprised that Soonyoung knew all of the words to the first verse, but there was nothing in particular that got his attention from his conversation. That was, until you started on the second verse.

"My man is smooth like Barry and his voice got bass. A body like Arnold with a Denzel face-"

Your voice was giggly, but you surprisingly managed to sing all of the words quite clearly . Joshua snorted as he looked up to the mini-stage that Soonyoung, Seokmin, and Seungkwan had made out of a few tables. Seungcheol didn't dare look up at first, but it was impossible to ignore your loud voice over the speakers. As soon as he lifted his gaze to meet yours, your face lit up. From your face, Seungcheol could tell that you were drunk - he could tell that you were very drunk from the way you danced as if no one was watching... despite everyone definitely watching.

"Yeah, the ritual, highway to Heaven. From 7 to 7, he's got me open like 7-11," you shouted into the microphone while pointing to him.

Soonyoung was on the floor, dying from laughter, Seokmin was staring at the lyrics on the screen, and Seungkwan was singing back-up vocals while you kept going. Eventually, Seungcheol excused himself from his conversation with Joshua to walk to the front of the room. While he only thought this was cute, he knew that you would be embarrassed as all hell in the morning. It was time to put this to a stop. Seungkwan had since taken over, while you were holding your arms over your head and moving your hips in circles - completely unaware of the eyes on you, despite the many whoop's and wolf whistles. When you saw him approach, you stopped what you were doing and bounced over to him.

"Seungcheollie~," you slurred directly into the microphone. "You're a mighty-mighty good man!"

"Uh-huh." Seungcheol looked up at you, holding his hands out to catch you in case you fell off the table you were standing on. "I think you're ready for bed, pretty."

"Noooo," you whined as your boyfriend managed to take the microphone from you. "The song isn't done yet..."

Seungkwan and Soonyoung were still singing, while Seokmin was still looking at the lyrics and shouting out words at random, and not paying attention to you anymore. With a sigh, Seungcheol put the mic down on the ground - though he couldn't hide his big smile as he looked back up to see that you had started dancing again. He managed to take ahold of you, grabbing your legs and putting your body over his shoulder.

"Cheollie, nooo..."

Seungcheol excused himself to the room of people, and didn't wait for their response before going away to the bedroom the two of you had picked out. To get you more comfortable before he carried out in the chilly night, he maneuvered you to sit with your legs wrapped around his waist. Your face naturally found its way to the crook of his neck, and he heard you let out a delighted sigh as he hugged you a little tighter. He managed to put on his slippers without looking - or at least he thought it was his slippers - and decided to leave your shoes there to be picked up in the morning.

"Comfy?" he asked.

You hummed in response, and Seungcheol opened the door to step outside. The walk to the cabin wasn't far but it was getting pretty cold outside, and you shivered in his arms.

"We'll get you in bed soon, baby," he cooed at you.

"Seungcheol," you said in a very serious tone - you definitely hadn't heard what he had just said.

"Yeah?"

"Why aren't you a lumberjack man?" You lifted your upper body up to look at him.

"Why am I not a what now?" Seungcheol laughed, doing his best to give you his attention while still keeping you off the ground. "A lumberjack man?"

"You're so strong- you can definitely carry wood for a living." You gripped onto his biceps. "And you'd have, like, a husky or something... not that Kkuma isn't cute, she should come with us too... and we'd live in the woods- I think it'd be very hot of you."

"Are you fantasizing about me as a lumberjack man?" He opened the door to the cabin and stepped inside. "I thought I already was a mighty good man."

"Oh, you are." As he set you down on the bed, you refused to let him go - your arms wrapped around his neck to keep him close to you. "I just wanna watch you chop wood."

Despite you smelling of alcohol, Seungcheol pressed a kiss to your lips. His heart melted as he saw your big smile when he pulled away. As if his kiss was the password for you to unlock your arms, you let him go. Your eyes stayed on Seungcheol as he walked around the room, preparing for the night. He went into the bathroom to grab the painkillers you had brought and when he came back out, you were still looking at him. Your legs were crossed, leaning back on your arms, and your head was cocked to the side. As if he wasn't looking right at you, you looked him up and down - very obviously undressing him with your eyes.

"Babe," he said, interrupting your staring. "Get your pajamas."

"You're not going to undress me?" You pouted.

You were that kind of drunk. Seungcheol sighed and walked over to your bag, taking out your pajama pants and a t-shirt. While he was usually always intrigued whenever you tried to initiate something, tonight was not the case. You were almost too drunk to stand up straight, so no amount of complimenting his strong arms or fluttering your eyes at him was going to make Seungcheol give in. Still, he agreed to help undress you - and did so quickly, while you giggled as you tried to interrupt him.

Your hands never left his skin as he guided you around the room to get you ready for bed. After successfully getting you to brush your teeth, it was time for your skincare. He sat you down on the counter in the bathroom to help you, all the while you were feeling up his arms and shoulders. It was a little distracting, but Seungcheol put all of his energy to get your face clean. His hands were gentle as they traced the features of your face, and you closed your eyes in pure bliss.

"Maybe you shouldn't be a lumberjack man," you muttered.

"No? Why not?"

"Your hands are so gentle," you whispered, as if it was a secret.

You let go of his arms to start touching his hands instead. Seungcheol tried his best to keep your hands away from his own, but you were relentless. With your hands on top of his, you pressed them against your cheeks. They almost covered your entire face, but you didn't seem to mind.

"Soft hands," you muttered. "Wow, you're warm."

"Baby, just let me do the last step..." He sighed and removed his hands from you to pick up your face lotion. "You're a menace when you're drunk."

"Can you cuddle me when we go to bed?" you asked sweetly, ignoring what he had just said again. "I want to steal your warmth."

"Sure, babe." He looked up at you with a soft smile. "Now, close your eyes again."

Once you were tucked under the covers, he got you a glass of water. When you saw him, standing in front of you with a glass of water and looking tired, your eyes started tearing up. Seungcheol was quick to crouch down, putting the water on the bedside table, and reaching out to cup your face in his hands.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" he cooed.

"You really are a good man," you mumbled with a pout. "Like- not just in the hot way."

Seungcheol hung his head down to hide his laugh from you. If you had seen him laughing at you, he knew that you'd take it as a personal attack. He looked back at you, trying to keep a straight face.

"You deserve the best, alright?" He let you go and picked up the glass of water again. "Now, drink up. I'll get you another glass for you to drink in the morning."

You nodded, tears still in your eyes over his sweet act, and started drinking. After putting painkillers and another glass of water on the bedside table by your side of the bed, Seungcheol got ready for bed. When he crawled into bed, minutes later, you were already half asleep. He kept his promise, and cuddled up next to you. You snuggled your head against his chest, and put your cold feet against his legs. Seungcheol froze up, but was careful not to make a sound as you were about to fall asleep. He knew that you were going to hate yourself in the morning, that you were going to ask him a million questions about what you had done, but now you looked so peaceful and he hoped that you could stay like that for as long as possible.

✦ . B O N U S . ✦

Breakfast was set out in the living room of the main house, made by the few that weren't experiencing a hungover that morning. You walked in behind Seungcheol, wearing one of his hoodies with the hood pulled up and sunglasses sitting on the bridge of your nose to protect you from the strong sunlight. As soon as a few people saw the two of you, they started singing:

"Whatta man, whatta man, whatta mighty good man!"

You groaned and reluctantly sat down by the table, apologizing to everyone that was there about your drunken behavior the night before. People started joking around about it and while you were embarrassed, you couldn't help but to laugh at their jokes.

"Seriously, Seungcheol, you should be proud." Chan said from beside you. "No sane person would ever get up on a table and sing that song like that to a person, if they weren't down bad for them."

You slapped Chan's arm lightly, but you knew it was true. Choi Seungcheol was a mighty good man, and you were 100% down bad for him.

#svt #svthub #kvanity #seventeen #kpop fanfiction #kpop fanfic #kpop #kpop writer #svt fluff #fanfic #seungcheol smut #seventeen seungcheol #seungcheol #seungcheol x reader #choi seungcheol #seungcheol fluff #bee buzzed εїз✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

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idyllic-ghost · 6 days

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How about a Yeosang comforting fluff...When Y/N cannot sleep alone this time because of too many nightmares.

Or maybe...A nice Yeosang fluff when he will help you play your new favorite video game. (I am not good at playing RPG games you know haha)

title: Whispers in the Dark; Sweet Dreams of You pairing: yeosang x reader genre: comfort, fluff, slight angst warnings: nightmares, dreaming of death synopsis: You've been having nightmares for a few weeks now, and you refuse to bother your boyfriend with it - no matter how much he asks you to. wordcount: 1k taglist: @d0nghyuck, @fantasy2wonderland, @niktwazny303, @wonwoospartyhat, @stariightjoyy, @hyneyedfiz, @crazywittysassy, @yeosayang rating: PG 13

a/n: sorry for taking so long!

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✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Waking up in a cold sweat, yet again, you clutch your chest and frantically look around the room. It's dark; the only light coming from your alarm clock, that says 3:04 am. The creeping feeling that your nightmare followed you into the real world is still lingering under your skin. When the ringing in your ears come to a stop, you hear the soft snores of your boyfriend, who was sleeping peacefully beside you.

You're unsure of when the nightmares started, but it was somewhere around the time when Yeosang went on tour shortly after you had moved in together. Getting used to having him around was easy, which only makes it harder when he leaves. Back then, you'd call him and hope that he was available. Most of the time he was, the different time zones meant that you could call him in the middle of the night and not have to wake him up.

However, Yeosang is back now. You shouldn't have nightmares anymore, but they're sticking around - and now you can't call for him without feeling bad about waking him up. Sometimes, Yeosang would wake up from you moving but that just meant you had to adapt. Nowadays, you stay as still as possible whenever you wake up from another nightmare. You hate to be a bother, so you'd rather lay awake for a while than wake him up.

This time, your attempts fail. Yeosang stirs awake as you shift to lay on your side. He groans and shuts his eyes tight before they flutter open, and then you know you successfully woke him up.

"What time is it?" His voice is hoarse, yet somehow still sweet.

"Go back to sleep," you say.

He repeats his question, ignoring your statement because he knows your ways by now. You sigh and answer him, it's useless to try to hide. Yeosang hums and lazily wraps his strong arms around you to pull you in closer.

"Did you have another bad dream?" he asks with a slightly pampering tone.

You nod, and he hums again in approval. In slow motions, he rubs your back in circles. When you press your ear to his chest, you can hear his steady heart beat. Thump, thump, thump... his hand move to the same rhythm, practically forcing your own heart to slow down.

"I was having a weird dream," Yeosang whispers suddenly.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" you mumble, your eyes already drooping.

"I was in an empty swimming pool, but it was filled with clouds," he muttered, "and I couldn't find my way out... I know that you were there but I couldn't see you, you know? And I think Wooyoung was there, mocking me because I couldn't get out, but I couldn't see him because of the clouds..."

A fond smile found it's way on your lips as you listened to him ramble. The nightmare is long forgotten, Yeosang triumphantly banishes it from your thoughts. You took a deep breath, the scent of his laundry detergent and the lingering smell of his cologne filling your head.

"Are you falling asleep on me?" he asks, somewhat offended.

"No..." Your body betrayed you, as you were cut off by a yawn. "It's just nice listening to your voice."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah... it's soothing."

You snuggled closer into his chest, taking in his scent and the way his arms felt around you. While you knew that he'd have to leave sometime soon again, you didn't know when. Every moment until then counted, and you had to live like you wouldn't see him for month on end the very next day every day.

"Baby," Yeosang whispered and you hummed. "You're not trying to squeeze me to death, are you?"

"Sorry." You loosened your grip on him, and tried to shuffle away from him but his strong arms stopped you from moving further away.

"Y/N," he murmured. "Are you okay?"

He was looking directly at you now, and you couldn't bring yourself to look away. Yeosang's eyes were always easy to get lost in, but this wasn't the case right now. His gaze was stern, yet worried, and you couldn't help but to feel like you weren't allowed to look away.

"I know you usually don't want to talk about it..." He sighed. "But, please, let me in. Tell me about your nightmare."

"It's stupid," you muttered. "I was seeing you off at the airport, and everything was okay. But when your plane took off, I was watching from the windows, and I saw it... it went down, and you were gone."

Yeosang hugged you closer again, putting his hand on the back of your head to put it by the crook of his neck. You muttered out some more details about the dream that Yeosang couldn't hear, but he let you rant for as long as you wanted to without interrupting you. It was only when you had been quiet for a while that he started talking again.

"Are your nightmares all like that?" he asked.

"Not exactly... but similar, yes." You played with the hem of Yeosang's shirt. "I think I just don't like it when you leave, that's all."

"I don't like leaving you either... why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"It just felt stupid, I didn't want to bother you with it." You sighed and looked back up at him. "Not when you're sleeping, I don't want to take any rest away from you."

You put your hand on his cheek, brushing your thumb over his cheekbone right by his birthmark. Yeosang put his hand on top of yours, holding it still as he turned his head to kiss your palm.

"I'm not resting when I know you're hurting," he muttered before pressing another kiss to your hand. "Don't be scared to wake me up, Y/N, please. I want to take care of you too."

You nodded, and he made you promise out loud before the two of you got ready to sleep again. In his strong arms, you felt protected. You didn't have to worry about him all the time, he reminded you, you could let yourself be taken care of by him from time to time.

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idyllic-ghost · 6 days

Text

title: Trial and Error pairing: woozi x afab!reader genre: established relationship, smut, fluff warnings: afab!reader, face sitting, fingering, shower sex, slight hand and arm kink (it's my trademark now..), unprotected sec (wrap it before you tap it) synopsis: jihoon usually spends his days off in the studio, but something you said makes him change his plans for his day off

wordcount: 4k

taglist: @enhacolor, @shuabby1994, @junhui-recs, @dkakapizzaboy, @just-here-to-read-01, @loviehan, @userjunhuii, @novalpha, @bubblymoon, @aaniag, @d0nghyuck, @fantasy2wonderland, @seunghancore, @woozixo, @niktwazny303, @lllucere, @uniq-tastic, @wonwoospartyhat, @stariightjoyy, @hyneyedfiz, @cali-snow, @pearlygraysky, @crazywittysassy, @yeosayang

rating: 18+

request: heyyy I have a series I would love for you to write if your up for it! zodiac smut ✨✨ for each sign there’s a person and something smutty that they would be into (according to what the zodiacs would like) and yeah it’s going to be twelve parts with people from different groups :) for sagittarius we have woozi, yes ik he’s scorpio/sagittarius cusp but idc. he’s perfect for this so it doesn’t matter key-points: taking his time, it’s not the orgasm that’s important, you try out things that you have wanted to try and just see how they feel with each other, spending hours just exploring things together literally everything else is completely up to you and however you feel like it works best ;)

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✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

After many long and challenging hours, the album was finished, the comeback was released, and promotions were done. Seventeen had released their newest album, and in celebration, they threw an at-home party. It wasn't some big event, but simply a way to blow off steam after working so hard. Jihoon had invited you to come along. Though you protested that they should celebrate amongst themselves, and that you didn't want to disturb, he managed to convince you to go.

People were already drunk when you arrived. Jihoon kept you by his side, a hand around your waist to keep you as close as he could. He wasn't usually much for PDA, but tonight was special. However, his light grip on you couldn't keep you by his side forever. As soon as you walked into the kitchen, you were stolen away from your boyfriend by Soonyoung.

"Oh my god, I haven't seen you in ages!" He embraced you and moved you further away from the man you arrived with.

You and Soonyoung weren't that close, but considering what was in his glass his behavior didn't surprise you. The two of you had spoken a few times alone and a bit more with the company of other people. It was enough for you to call him a friend, and you absolutely had nothing against him... but hugging him felt strange.

"Well, you've been busy," you said and took the glass from his hand to prevent it from spilling all over the place. "Congratulations on the album, by the way!"

"Thank you, thank you..." he slurred. "Ah! I was going to say something!"

He held out his hands to you, so you humored him and put down the glass on a nearby table, then put your hands in his. You enjoyed this side of him. You had heard Jihoon talk about the way his friend would act when he got drunk, and at times the stories seemed unbelievable. It was definitely a sight to behold. Soonyoung was now giving you a serious look, holding both of your hands as if he was going to tell you some horrible news.

"I really tried to get Jihoon to get home as much as possible," he admitted. "And he wanted to, he told me that he wanted to, but he was very caught up in work all the time."

"I know that Soonyoung." You giggled but Soonyoung quickly shushed you.

"No, no, you don't know." He shook his head. "He would talk about you all the time- so I told him- I said you should just go home and say that to them instead of talking my ear off about it."

"Uh-huh." You nodded and looked around to see if you could find Jihoon anywhere. "I'm sorry he bothered you about it."

"Oh no, I don't mind! I just felt bad for you," he explained. "But now you have him all to yourself, so you enjoy that- because he really loves you, you know?"

"Hate to break it to you, bud, but Jihoon spends his time in the studio even when he doesn't have to." You sighed. "But don't tell him that I said that, he'll make a big deal about it when I really don't mind-"

"You don't mind at all?" Soonyoung questioned with one eyebrow raised in suspicion.

Drunk Soonyoung was surprisingly good at pulling secrets out of you, and you were surprised with yourself when you heard yourself start speaking about your very private life with your boyfriend.

"... maybe a little bit. It'd be nice to spend more time with him, I shouldn't lie." You hummed and thought about it a bit further before bringing yourself back to reality. "But it's fine. So don't worry him, okay?"

"Fine, fine..." He sighed. "You two really need to talk to each other more."

With that, he left you: confused and slightly surprised. You went back to your search for Jihoon, not knowing that he had been standing close behind you and hearing every word. As soon as your conversation had ended, he walked away to ensure that you wouldn't have caught him. Jihoon never meant for you to feel like you needed more from him, he didn't know it was something you needed - mostly because you never said anything. But as soon as he heard you say that, a plan started brewing in his head.

The next morning you woke up to a pair of strong arms wrapping around you, and pillowy soft lips against your shoulder and neck. You couldn't quite tell if you were still dreaming or not, but you really wished that you weren't. You stirred around in the bed, turning toward Jihoon and looking at him with tired and groggy eyes. His hair was a mess and his eyes were only half open. Jihoon was actually still in bed with you, it wasn't a dream - but he sure looked like one. His pale skin was flushed and warm. Once you had gotten comfortable in your new position, he began kissing your clavicle the same way he had kissed your shoulder.

"Good morning," he murmured against your skin.

"... good morning." Your voice was gravelly. "What are you up to there, babe?"

"Just loving you a bit," he said casually, although a soft blush started showing on his cheeks.

A smile made its way to your lips as you watched him try to pull you even closer. You leaned down and captured his lips in a kiss, gentle and warm. His hand caressed your waist and hips, drawing lazy patterns on the bare skin under your shirt. It had been a while since you found yourself in this situation. The honeymoon phase with Jihoon felt somewhat similar to this, but now it was more trusting. You felt completely safe in Jihoon's arms, and you didn't care if he saw your bedhead or could smell your morning breath. All that mattered was his touch on your skin. However, it felt a bit strange. You couldn't lie and say that you didn't love it because you did, but it was an unusual thing for Jihoon to initiate.

"What's up? Why are we doing this?" you asked after pulling away from him. "Wasn't our plan to have breakfast together?"

"I just want to try some new things with you," he admitted and you encouraged him to keep explaining with a look. "I want to have you for breakfast."

"... Jihoon, are you okay?" You put the back of your hand against his forehead. "Are you sick? Are you still drunk somehow?"

Jihoon sat back slightly, giving you an incredulous look. He had marks on his skin from the bedsheets, and his hair was standing up in all directions. Your bottom lip slipped in between your teeth to keep yourself from laughing, but you couldn't hide your smile from him.

"Is it weird for me to want to have sex with you?" His eyebrows furrowed.

"On a Thursday morning? Yes." You chuckled. "Seriously, what's gotten into you? I'm not complaining, but this isn't like you."

"I just don't see you much." He sighed. "And now I have you all to myself for an entire day... it's more than enough time to try out some new things we've been wanting to do..."

His fingers snuck dangerously close to the band of your sleep shorts. One of his fingers slipped under the fabric and gently stroked against your bare skin. He shuffled further down, and you immediately knew where he was going with it.

"You've given me head before," you said teasingly. "It's hardly new."

It was true. Whenever the two of you found time in your busy lives to actually have sex, usually late in the night, he would the most mind-blowing oral you've ever had. He was always persistent, and oh so attentive to your needs - which was an absolutely fantastic combination. So no, him giving you head was not new - but you definitely wouldn't complain if he wanted to do so right now. It was just unlike him to be so forward.

"Not in the morning," he argued.

"But we've had morning sex before too."

"And that's not morning head."

"Why are you being so persistent?" you questioned.

Jihoon's hand stayed by the hem of your pajama shorts, but his eyes looked away from yours. You sat up halfway to reach for his arm, giving him a supporting look.

"... because I heard you talking to Soonyoung last night." Jihoon sighed. "And I started feeling bad about not spending enough time with you... and then I just... I can't remember the last time we've had sex, honestly, and it's kind of-"

"I get it, I get it." You giggled. "It's nice of you, but you don't have to if you don't want to."

"But I want to.", he assured you, "And I want to do more than just this too. I want to take my time with you. Anything you want to do, I'm down."

You couldn't hold back your laughter anymore. Jihoon was incredibly cute: he looked at you with such eagerness and love, and every word he said was just so out of character for him - as evident by how red his face had gotten.

"Don't laugh at me," he huffed.

"I'm sorry, baby. I just wasn't expecting it." You took a deep breath to calm down. "I can't say I don't like the idea of that, though."

Jihoon took his chance to get on top of you, putting his arms on either side of your head. Yes, your boyfriend was cute - but he was also very hot, and right now you were thanking whatever made him always sleep half-naked.

"Do you still want me for breakfast?" you asked as you wrapped your arms around his neck.

He responded by pressing his lips on yours. You melted into the kiss, and as he ran his tongue along your bottom lips you immediately gave him entrance. While keeping you busy, one of his hands roamed your body. It caressed the swell of your breast from over your shirt, traveling down to the hem of the fabric to tug it up. For just a moment, you broke the kiss to pull your shirt off, Just as quickly as you pulled away, his lips crashed onto yours again. He was hungry, having been starved from touching you for a long time now. There was the occasional quickie in the studio, but they had grown scarce and it was nothing like what he could do with a little more time on his hands.

Jihoon trailed open-mouthed kisses along your jaw to your neck, to your chest. Wetness started pooling between your legs as he started sucking on one of your nipples, while his hand worked on massaging your other. When you whined out for him, Jihoon placed his knee between your legs and let you grind against his thigh. Finally getting some relief felt like absolute heaven. But far too soon, he pulled away. His hands made their way to your hips and he slowly dragged off your bottoms. As you were about to complain, he flipped you over and let you straddle his stomach. You were looking down on him now, his dark hair creating a gloria around his flushed face. The pinkish color had spread down to his chest, leaving splotchy flushed spots around his clavicle and chest. You loved seeing him like this - and getting to see it in daylight was always gratifying.

"I want you to ride my face," he said between pants.

"What? But I'll crush you," you said, despite the aching between your legs begging for just that.

"No, you won't." He chuckled and pulled your hips closer to his face. "Come on, I know you want to try it."

"Fine," you said.

It wasn't difficult to convince you. With a giddy feeling in your stomach, you straddled his face. As you gazed down at him you started getting nervous. What if you really did crush his face? Jihoon seemed to sense your fears. He locked eyes with you and wrapped his arms around your thighs to pull you down on his face. Your clit made immediate contact with his tongue, and a moan slipped out from your throat. Suddenly, you couldn't even think about crushing his head. All you could think of was how expertly Jihoon moved his tongue against your core.

"Oh my god, I almost forgot how good you were at that..." you breathed out as you started grinding against his tongue.

One of your hands gripped the headboard, while the other tangled itself in Jihoon's hair. A groan vibrated against you as you pulled on his hair. Jihoon took his time working you up. He swirled his tongue around your clit, and sucked on it. His tongue went down to your hole, letting his nose bump against your clit. He was eating you out like a man starved. You were made painfully aware of his fingers on your thighs, as he started squeezing and massaging your flesh to bring you in closer. When you glanced down at him you were met with his dilated pupils looking back at you. His eyebrows were pulled together and he looked like he was begging for more. A familiar sensation started building up in your stomach... but it just as quickly vanished when Jihoon pulled away from you, breathing heavily. The lower half of his face was already completely drenched, and, even though you were worried, it sent a wave of heat down to your core.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry- are you okay?" You were panting.

"I forgot to breathe..." he admitted sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I kind of ruined it."

"No, no, no... you're good." You chuckled and got off his face. "How about we try that again some other time? We can do something else to finish this..."

"... do you have anything else in mind?" he asked.

You glanced down at his hands and then back up at his face. It was no secret that your boyfriend had amazingly talented hands, and you had honestly been dreaming of feeling them again. Quite literally, you had dreams about him fingering you - where you'd wake up a flustered mess, and not dare disturb Jihoon's much disturbed sleep to fix it. You were definitely happy that you had agreed to this now. Jihoon sat up and motioned for you to sit between his legs. You couldn't help but glance at his cock bulging through his underwear, but it was a problem to solve for later. As you sat between his legs, his chest pressed against your back, Jihoon brought his hand to your jaw and gripped it tight but not enough to hurt. He guided you to look at yourself in the mirror, which was hanging on the wall by the wardrobe. You saw yourself completely exposed in the reflection and when you tried to close your legs, Jihoon pried them back open.

"How about this..." he murmured. "I'll give you my fingers as long as you keep your eyes open, okay?"

You nodded, which only made his grip tighten. You definitely liked this new side of Jihoon.

"Say it."

"Yes," you muttered.

Jihoon had a small smile on his face as he leaned his chin on your shoulder, looking at you through the reflection. His large hands spread your legs further to reveal your soaking wet pussy. After leaving a small peck on your shoulder, he reached his finger to collect some of your slick and started rubbing your clit. Whimper after whimper dripped from your lips like honey, as Jihoon continued at a slow pace. He was testing out the waters, looking to see what would affect you the most. You kept your eyes on the mirror, watching him watch your every reaction. But you wanted more.

"Could you... speed up a bit?" You gasped.

"I just want to take my time with you..." he said innocently. "But if you ask me really nicely, I'll consider going faster for you, baby."

Jihoon wasn't very vocal during bedroom activities, but you could tell that he was enjoying trying it out. Even though his dark curls covered most of his face now, you could see a glimmer in his eyes that you hadn't seen before. His other hand reached your breast, his finger circling your nipple before gently pinching it - eliciting a squeak from you. Jihoon chuckled at your reaction, you had only ever seen glimpses of this trait of his - experiencing it fully was something completely different.

"You're so mean..." you whined and tried to grind yourself fast against his fingers, making him take away his hand entirely.

"You should really watch what you say." Jihoon was still smiling. "Here, I'll help you."

The hand that was covered in your juices was brought up to your lips. Jihoon watched you through the reflection, and without breaking eye contact you opened your mouth for him and started sucking on his fingers. A quiet groan fell from his lips, and in the heat of the moment, you barely noticed how he started grinding his hard-on against you. You tasted yourself on his fingers as he pushed down the pads of his ring- and middle finger on your tongue. With his free hand, he reached down to your core again, getting his fingers wet before he pushed them inside of you. Two fingers easily went inside, and he started pumping them in and out at the fast pace you had asked for before. You moaned around his fingers as his other hand fucked your pussy, his palm rubbing against your clit.

"Do you want to cum?" he asked and you frantically nodded. "Cum all over my fingers, baby, come on..."

He whispered sweet promises and gentle urges into your ears as you came all over his hand, riding out your high by grinding yourself on his fingers. You leaned back your head on his shoulder and slumped back against his body.

"Shit, you're amazing." You panted. "I've missed this so much."

"I think you made me cum in my fucking pants..." he muttered against your skin.

You turned around in his arms to face him. If you thought he looked flustered before, you could probably compare him to a tomato right now. As you put your hands on his shoulders he fell with his back against the bed, keeping you steady with two hands on your waist. You couldn't help it, you glanced down at his underwear and noticed a wet patch on them.

"I totally did..." you said, surprised with yourself.

He glanced down where you were looking and immediately threw his head back in embarrassment, shutting his eyes closed. Between giggles you started cooing at him, saying that it was okay and honestly kind of hot that you had such an effect on him. Jihoon swung an arm over his eyes and huffed about you making laughing at him again.

"Would trying another thing cheer you up?" you asked.

He looked at you from under his arm, asking you silently to keep talking. You suppressed another excited giggle.

"We've never really tried shower sex," you started. "... and we both need to clean up before we get actual breakfast."

The two of you quickly got ready for a shower. You were lucky that it fit the two of you, while still leaving enough space to move around a bit. The warm water ran down your bodies as you pressed up against each other for a kiss. As your fingers tangled in his hair, you remembered the real reason why you were taking a shower and broke the kiss.

"Could I wash your hair?" you asked sweetly.

Jihoon hummed in response and you instantly grabbed the shampoo bottle. With a giddy feeling in your stomach, you started massaging the product into his scalp. His eyes closed and he leaned into your touch. After washing it out, he returned the favor by running his soapy hands across your body. You ended up with your back to him again, and you had completely forgotten about your promise of shower sex until his dick started pressing against your ass. His soapy hands fondled your tits as he placed soft kisses on your neck. You sighed with satisfaction. Then he turned you around and connected your lips yet again, this time seemingly more hungry than before. Your fingers caressed his arms and his prominent biceps. You wondered how strong he really was, and if you could put it to the test.

"I want you to fuck me against the wall," you muttered boldly against his lips.

"Are you sure?" He pulled away from you. "Like... me carrying you?"

"Mhm!" You nodded cheerily. "I want to put all the hours you've spent in the gym to the test."

That, he couldn't argue with. With one quick movement, you jumped to swing your legs around his waist. The two of you laughed nervously as he almost slipped on the wet floor, but as soon as he was stable you guided his cock inside of you. He stretched you out deliciously after not having had sex in so long, and at this angle, he almost hit that perfect spot inside you directly.

"How do we do this?" He grunted.

The water was still running, hitting his shoulder and running down his chest. You reached out and caressed his upper torso with nimble hands.

"I guess you lean me up against the wall..." you muttered, "I'm not sure, honestly... I've only seen it in movies."

You looked at each other, both of you confused over what to do next. The tension eventually broke when you started laughing, which you had to promptly stop when he almost slipped again.

"Okay, this is nice but it seems incredibly dangerous..." you whispered out. "... I could bend over against the wall instead."

"Yeah, that sounds good." He nodded with another chuckle.

He helped you get off of him and you quickly turned around and arched your back with your chest to the cold tiles of the wall. Jihoon gripped your hips, pulling your ass against his hard dick. The shower was still on, but you had gotten horny enough to stop worrying about the amount of water that was going to waste.

"Fucking Christ, you look so sexy," he muttered underneath his breath.

"You can admire it all you want later, can you please just fuck me now?" You giggled and wriggled your hips around to get his attention.

He let go of your hips with one of his hands, the other one still keeping you steady as he pushed inside of you again. A unanimous moan echoed through the bathroom. Jihoon settled in a steady rhythm of thrusting into you, while you clawed at the wall to try to keep yourself up. Moans and gasps were spilling from your lips every time he hit that one spot that drove you crazy. Every single time you started seeing stars, and every single time you only grew louder in volume. If you knew this was what having sex after such a long time getting no dick felt like, you would have done it sooner. So, of course, when he slowed down his pace you started whining. But Jihoon didn't bother with responding. His hands left your hips and locked themselves around your elbows, pulling you up to his chest.

"Sorry, sweetheart, you were about to fall over," he said through gritted teeth. "Is this okay?"

"Yes, please just get back to what you were doing before," you whined. "You're doing so good."

At your praise, his hips began snapping into yours again. Your orgasm was building up quicker than usual, which you assumed was because of your lack of action recently along with your last orgasm only being a few minutes ago.

"Please don't stop," you whined, "I think... I'm about to cum-"

Jihoon didn't respond, he was far too busy trying not to cum himself. The way you were squeezing around him made it incredibly difficult. But he kept up the same pace, letting you ride out your orgasm before he pulled out. When he abruptly let go of your arms you almost fell forward but managed to catch yourself on the wall. He pumped his cock in his hand and as he came all over your back a string of swearwords left his lips. Jihoon fell over you, resting his hands on either side of your head on the wall in front of you. His body caged in yours, and you relished in the warmth radiating off of him.

"Could you remind me of this every time I stay too late at work?" he panted out with a chuckle.

"I'll try." You giggled and leaned back against him. "Could you clean me up? I'm tired..."

Jihoon cleaned you up and got you the fluffiest towel you owned as you got out. As soon as he was out of his daze he started huffing about the water bill this month, and you only laughed.

"You should have turned the water off," you told him.

"I was a bit busy at the moment," he snapped back.

"Then just remember to do it next time." You shrugged. "It's alright."

"Next time?" Jihoon had completely forgotten about the water bill now, you could see it on his face as his eyes widened with, what you could only assume was, images of you in that very same position.

"I mean, yeah, if you want to," you said. "I liked it, and I'm still determined to get fucked against that wall so."

Jihoon's face went red, and he tried to hide it by pretending to dry his already dry face with his towel. You laughed and teased him, to which he tried to argue back but was stuttering over his words. You ended up embracing him, peppering kisses against his cheek as an apology until he eventually gave in.

The two of you got ready and dressed in your best leisure wear. Today was only meant to be spent at home, so there was no need to dress up. It was too late for breakfast but too early for lunch, so the two of you settled on the only logical thing: brunch. Brunch wasn't anything special, you just ate the leftover fried rice with a side of eggs. It was good enough for you. You just really needed to eat after this eventful morning.

All while preparing your food, Jihoon couldn't stop coddling you. His hands were always on you in some way and he kept placing small kisses on your nose and cheeks. It was unusual to see him this affectionate, but it felt great.

"What are you doing?" you asked him.

His arms were around your waist and his face was snuggled into the crook of your neck, placing quick kisses there. You were busy with the eggs in the pan, so he had opted to stand behind you. He said something, but it was mumbled against your skin. Paired with the sizzling of the eggs, you couldn't hear a single word.

"I can't hear you, baby," you said.

"I said..." He put his chin on your shoulder. "I'm just enjoying spending time with you... being with you, touching you. It feels nice."

"I'll remind you of that next time you're working late," you said, a bit snappy in tone.

"I'm going to try to be at home more," he admitted. "I just get so caught up in everything."

"I know, baby. You don't have to," you assured him. "Really, I don't mind."

"But I mind," he countered. "I want to spend more time with you, it means a lot to me."

You looked over your shoulder at the most wonderful man in the entire world. It was hard for him to tell you how he felt, and you knew that better than anyone, so his words meant the world to you. Jihoon gazed back at you with flushed cheeks and a small smile on his lips. Before you could get too caught up in everything about him, you turned back to your task at hand. His words lingered in the air, and you smiled to yourself as you continued to fry the eggs.

"Baby..." he murmured.

"Yeah?"

"Have we ever had sex in the kitchen before?"

#seventeen #svt #kpop #kpop fanfic #kpop fanfiction #kpop writer #fanfic #svt fluff #woozi x you #woozi scenarios #woozi #woozi x reader #lee jihoon x reader #jihoon scenarios #woozi seventeen #seventeen fluff #jihoon svt

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idyllic-ghost · 6 days

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title: To Choose A Mortal Life

pairing: Vernon x gn!reader

genre: fluff, comfort, established relationship

warnings: mentions of having a bad day

synopsis: you've just finished watching your favorite film trilogy, and Vernon has the nerve to insult your favorite character.

wordcount: 1k

rating: PG 13

a/n: yes, this is self-indulgent leave me alone. got this thought last night and had to write it out this morning, so this is for all of the nerds and vernon lovers who follow me

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Vernon looked over at you as soon as the credits rolled, a content smile on his lips. You, on the other hand, were gripping the edge of the blanket like your life depended on it - tears staining your cheeks as you sniffled. Although he didn't mean to, Vernon couldn't help but laugh. It was quick, barely noticeable really, but you heard him. You whipped your head towards him with a glare that could kill a man.

"I'm sorry-"

"Why are you laughing?" you whined. "That was beautiful!"

Vernon let out another laugh as the tears came rolling down your cheeks again. The two of you hadn't been sitting far apart, but for the sake of your well-being, Vernon moved a little closer and wrapped an arm around your shoulders.

"Babe," he whispered, "you've already seen this movie... a lot."

"Because it's good! You think so too, right? Why aren't you crying?" you whaled, and Vernon couldn't help but laugh again.

"I've also seen it-"

You buried your face in your chest, and Vernon grinned as he wrapped his arms around your frame. His unwillingness to cry only made you more upset. It was cute, really. Then he saw a name on the credits that he recognized and something he had been trying to figure out clicked.

"Oh. Now I remember where I've seen him before," he said, referring to earlier in the movie where he had tried to figure out one of the actor's filmography from memory. "He's that guy in the second season of Stranger Things."

Your sniffles stopped, your body stopped quivering, and Vernon knew he had said something wrong. He let you go as you tried to get out of his grip, and when you looked at him you were met with a cheesy smile that screamed "Please forgive me!"

"Sam did not carry Frodo up Mount Doom to be known as 'that guy from Stranger Things!'" you exclaimed.

Vernon threw his head back with laughter as you tried your best to argue with him - it was impossible, he was laughing so hard that he could barely catch his breath let alone answer you. He had spent the majority of your rewatch of the Lord of the Rings trilogy trying to figure out where he had seen Sam before. It wasn't anything he had thought of before, so of course he wanted to know. You had asked him to not go on his phone, watching the movies was very serious for you - even if you frequently talked over the movie to explain certain things. That was allowed, of course. Vernon didn't complain, he enjoyed watching you be so enamored with a movie. He was just happy that you had finally started to relax after your hard day at work.

"I'm sorry," he said in between snickering. "I just saw the actor's name on the credits, I didn't mean to offend Sam."

You looked at him with a pout, your eyes still glossy from crying and the skin around them slightly puffy. You looked like a mess, but Vernon still thought you were the most beautiful person he had ever laid eyes on. His grin never faltered; eventually, it got you to break into a smile. You cuddled up next to him again, and he wrapped his arms around you. The credits kept rolling, but neither of you felt like moving to turn them off.

"I still don't understand why Arwen was dying," Vernon mumbled.

"She chose a mortal life," you murmured, "And since she was opposed to Sauron, she would've died if he got the ring back. They all would have."

Vernon nodded at your explanation. You were tired; he could tell from the way you yawned and the fact that you didn't go into a full-blown explanation of why Arwen was dying towards the end of the trilogy. He placed one of his hands on the top of your head, letting you take the other in your hands and play with his fingers.

"Would you choose a mortal life for me?" he asked.

"Yeah." You intertwined your fingers with his, looking at them as if you were studying the way his hand fit in yours. Usually, you would've teased him for asking such a question - called him lame, and maybe flicked his forehead, but not tonight.

"Even if I called Sam 'that actor from Stranger Things?'"

"You're pushing it." You looked up at him with a teasing grin. "But yeah."

"Thanks," he said with a grin that matched yours.

You pursed your lips at him, silently asking him for a kiss, and he obliged. It was short and chaste, almost just a peck. His lips were slightly chapped and tasted like salty popcorn, but you didn't care. When you pulled back from him, his eyes were still closed as if he was trying to savor the moment. You put your head back on his chest without saying a word, even though you had plenty of ideas on ways to tease him floating around in your mind.

"Do you want to go to bed?" he asked after some time of silence.

"Could we just stay here for a moment?" you asked. "I'm comfortable here."

"Sure."

Even though one of Vernon's legs was falling asleep, even though he actually needed to go to the bathroom, and even though he was so tired from watching Lord of the Rings for nine hours straight, he wasn't going to move. Because you were comfortable because you were relaxed. If you felt this safe with him, that you could yell at him for not respecting your favorite film character enough and that you could fall asleep in his arms just a moment later, he was going to do everything in his power to let you keep sleeping. Maybe he wasn't as brave or as good with a sword as Aragorn, but he still wanted to protect you at all costs. He wrapped his arms around you tightly. As cheesy as it was, he really would choose one lifetime with you over facing forever alone.

#svt #seventeen #kpop fanfiction #kpop fanfic #kpop #kpop writer #fanfic #svt fluff #vernon imagines #vernon chwe #vernon #vernon x you #vernon x reader #vernon x y/n #vernon scenarios #vernon fluff #bee buzzed εїз✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

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idyllic-ghost · 6 days

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title: The Most Precious Thing pairing: nurse!jeonghan x surgeon!reader genre: hospital au, fluff, secret relationship warnings: medical talk (tumors, brain biopsy, potential cancer), mentions of food/not having time to eat, stress synopsis: you and jeondhan had been dating for a few months. since you worked at the same hospital, you decided to keep it a secret so as to not complicate things with your colleagues. however, during a moment of weakness, one of them figures you out. wordcount: 3.6k taglist: @enhacolor, @shuabby1994, @junhui-recs, @dkakapizzaboy, @just-here-to-read-01, @loviehan, @userjunhuii, @novalpha, @bubblymoon, @aaniag, @d0nghyuck, @fantasy2wonderland, @seunghancore, @woozixo, @niktwazny303, @lllucere, @uniq-tastic, @wonwoospartyhat, @stariightjoyy, @hyneyedfiz, @cali-snow, @pearlygraysky, @crazywittysassy, @yeosayang rating: PG 13

request: nurse!jeonghan x surgeon!reader with prompt 2 and 53 (requested by @tfmingyu) prompts: 2. "i like the way your hand fits in mine" 53. "do you believe in soulmates?"

a/n: after a very long time of keeping this request in my drafts, and after many major changes to the story - it's finally here! i'm sorry for taking so long!!

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"You have another appointment you need to look at, Doctor Y/L/N," Jeonghan said as you walked past, enunciating your title in a slightly mocking manner.

"Remind me of that later, nurse Yoon," you answered and doing the same to him. "I have a patient waiting for examination results."

Jeonghan took the file from your hands and looked at it while walking beside you. He let out a few hums and eventually gave it back to you. You looked at him with an arched brow, questioning if he really understood what it said.

"I understood about half of it." He nodded. "Checks out."

"The patient has a brain tumor." You sighed. "We need to do a brain biopsy... and I have to tell them, which is stressing me out."

The two of you walked into the elevator and you pressed the button for the third floor. Jeonghan wasn't sure why he had followed you, he technically had to be on the first floor at this moment. Today was luckily a slow day, a near impossible occurrence - but he was lucky. The doors closed, and the elevator quickly moved up.

"You're stressed about telling them and not doing the surgery?" He scoffed. "Every day you surprise me more."

The elevator dinged, signaling that you had arrived on the third floor. Before the doors could open, Jeonghan leaned down and placed a quick kiss on your cheek. You looked over at him with wide eyes, but you had no time to scold him for kissing you at work - the doors were already open.

"Good luck with that patient!" he said in a sing-song voice.

"You're not coming with me?" you asked as you walked outside the elevator, trying to act normal.

"Oh no, I have to be at reception." He gave you a Cheshire-cat grin as the doors closed.

Another sigh escaped your lips, but you couldn't help but smile. He was always risky, even if you tried to convince him to not be suspicious while at work. The two of you had started dating a few months ago. Meeting at a hospital doesn't seem very romantic, but Jeonghan was surprisingly good at making any situation into a sweet one. You had told him to keep things secret, while he didn't care either way. His carefree look on life did get on your nerves at times, but you looked past it for how good he was to you otherwise. Like now. He could see your stress from a mile away and went with you as far as he could go to try to cheer you up. It was cute. He was cute.

After telling your patient the news and explaining what you would need to do, they obviously freaked out a bit. They hadn't come in expecting a brain tumor, and now you were telling them that you had to make a small insition in their skull and take a sample of the said tumor to see if it was cancerous. Like any surgery, it didn't come without any risks, and you of course had to tell them that. After being a bit sympathetic you left, a tension headache already starting to affect you. As you walked through the corridor you started feeling a bit dizzy and stumbled to the wall to hold yourself up.

"Y/L/N?" a familiar voice said.

A pair of strong hands held you up. When you looked beside you a colleague of yours stood beside you. Choi Seungcheol, you were in the same undergrad class but ended up specializing in different areas. You in general surgery, and him in oncology. It was mere chance that you had ended up working at the same hospital. When you told your friends, they dreamily answered that it must be fate - to which you responded with that the cute doctor was involved with someone else, much to their dismay.

"Oh, Choi I actually need to speak with you..." You breathed out. "I just need to sit down for a bit..."

"Let's focus on you first. Have you had time to eat anything today?" he asked as he led you to the elevator.

"I'm fine... listen, I'm about to do a brain biopsy," you explained weakly as you watched him push the button for the first floor, "I'm pretty sure it's a cancerous tumor, it makes sense with the patient's other symptoms. I just want your opinion on something-"

"Y/L/N, did you eat today?" he asked again, ignoring what you were saying.

He was still holding you up, which you were incredibly thankful for because your legs felt like they were about to give out. With your right hand, you steadied yourself against the railing in the elevator which let him loosen his grip on you.

"I ate around ten AM.", you said, "I've been working since, I didn't have time to get lunch."

It was only a little bit of a lie since you wouldn't qualify the thing you ate as your meal. It wasn't enough to keep you satisfied for the rest of the day, and therefore, not sufficient. What dr. Choi didn't know, he couldn't criticize you for.

"Then we'll get you something to eat," Choi put simply, "After that, I'll give you my opinion on your case."

The elevator doors opened, and the two of you walked out. Dr. Choi sat you down on one of the waiting chairs and went over to the vending machine. You watched as he fed the machine some cash and pushed on some buttons, bending down to pick up the item as it fell down the machine. Soon enough, the doctor came back to you with a energy bar.

"Just to get your blood sugar up," he said and handed it to you.

"Y/N?" From a distance, you could see that Jeonghan was running up to you.

You cringed at his usage of your first name. It wasn't professional, which is why you wanted to avoid it. The man beside you raised his brows at the use of your first name. Clearly it surprised Doctor Choi a bit which only made you feel worse. Jeonghan finally arrived at your side, his eyes full of worry at the sight of your slumped form.

"Are you alright? You look sick," he crouched down in front of you.

"They just need to eat a bit," Choi chimed in. "Then they'll be just fine."

"You haven't been eating?" Jeonghan ignored the fact that your colleague just said you'll be fine.

"I didn't have the time, nurse Yoon," you said sternly. "I'll be fine, it's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal? You should give yourself time to eat." He sighed.

"Well, thank you for your medical advice," you said sarcastically. "But as I said, I didn't have the time. I have patients that need my help."

"I'm going to give you two some space..." Seungcheol interrupted. "Come over to my office when you can Y/N, I'll look over the case."

You were about to stop him from leaving, but Jeonghan grabbing your hands distracted you. You looked over at him, forgetting that you still had to consult dr. Choi on a myriad of things. Jeonghan had a serious look on his face as he sat down beside you.

"Why don't you have time to eat?" he asked. "You should at least be able to eat some sort of energy bar while in between places."

"I didn't have anything on me." You sighed and rested your head against your palm. "I'm sorry for being angry... you didn't do anything wrong."

"I know that, sweetheart." He chuckled and threw an arm around your shoulders. "When does your shift end? Do you think you can get off early if it's for health reasons?"

"I just need to eat a bit, Jeonghan, I'm not sick." You looked up at him with a thankful gaze.

"Oh, I know..." He smiled. "But nobody else does."

"I'm not going to lie to anyone!" You laughed, a sense of relief flooding your systems at how carefree you could be around him.

Usually, you would've told him to keep his hands to himself, but it felt so nice to have him take care of you. So damn it all, you thought as you leaned your head on his shoulder. For once you let your walls down at work, and you just hoped nobody would see.

"Come to me when you're done for the day," he said. "We can go get take out and I can stay the night at your place to make sure that you'll actually get to sleep."

"That sounds nice." You nodded and sat up. "Now I need to talk to Dr. Choi about my patient, though."

"Go get some better food at the cafeteria first." Jeonghan grabbed your hand before you could walk away. "Just a sandwich and some water, it doesn't have to be anything big."

You nodded and stayed there in front of him. He was smiling brightly up at you, and you just couldn't walk away - mostly because he was still holding your hand. You tried to discreetly signal for him to let go of your hand, but he didn't get it. He didn't get it, or he was pretending to be oblivious. As much as you loved him, he could be infuriating at times.

"Jeonghan," you whispered. "Why are you still holding my hand?"

"Because I like the way your hand fits in mine," he teased. "What? You want me to let go?"

All you did was let out yet another sigh, but Jeonghan gave in and let go of your hand anyway. He liked to tease you, but he wasn't about to start driving you insane when you're this stressed out. No, that would be saved for occasions where he would actually enjoy watching you get flustered. You said goodbye and were on your merry way to the cafeteria, unaware of how your boyfriend's gaze lingered on you until you were out of sight.

By the time your shift ended you felt like your legs were about to give out from under you. However, when you made your way to the reception all of the stress washed off your body, like taking a cold shower after a hot workout, as soon as you saw Jeonghan. He smiled at you, and you nodded to him.

You walked out alone and sat down in the passenger seat of Jeonghan's car. Luckily, you had taken the bus today, which meant that Jeonghan could drive you home. A few minutes passed, and he joined you in the driver's seat.

"What do you want to eat?" he asked as he put on his seat belt and started the car.

"I'll go for anything right now, just let me put some greasy food in my mouth." You groaned dramatically.

"Coming right up," Jeonghan chuckled.

The couch felt so unbelievably soft. Never had you considered your very own couch to be this great of a buy, but considering how comfortable you were right now it might be the best thing you had ever bought in your entire life. All of the credit couldn't go to the couch, of course, because some of it also had to go to Jeonghan. You were snuggled up on his chest, your legs laying in between his, and his arms wrapped around you. A warm blanket was laying over the two of you. On the coffee table stood two boxes of empty Chinese take-out, the closest thing you could find to the hospital.

"You're not falling asleep on me, are you?" Jeonghan muttered, despite him also being half asleep.

"I think I might be." You shifted so that you could meet his gaze. "Weren't you going to make sure I got a good night's sleep?"

"I don't think this is the optimal place for sleeping," he retorted with a smile.

"Well, I think it is." You put your forehead against his chest. "You're such a good pillow, baby, don't worry."

"Come on, angel, let's get you to bed." Jeonghan chuckled and helped you sit up.

He walked with you to the bathroom, where you brushed your teeth together. There were two toothbrushes in your restroom: one was yours, and the spare one was for Jeonghan whenever he would come over. It was always a nice reminder for you when he wasn't there because it was the story behind the toothbrush that made it so special.

It was about the fifth time that Jeonghan had stayed over, and he had forgotten his toothbrush, which was an honest mistake but still very annoying. You didn't have any extra toothbrushes at home, so the two of you had to go to the nearest store and buy some. Earlier that week, your car had broken down and it was raining heavily outside without any sign of stopping. Both of you were determined to get that toothbrush so, while holding the hoods of your jackets over your head, you ran through the rain all the way to the store. When you got home, with a toothbrush and some extra toothpaste in a plastic bag, you couldn't help but burst out laughing. With anyone else, this occurrence would infuriate you because how can someone forget a toothbrush? However, it wasn't just some person, it was Jeonghan, and it made you realize that you'd do anything with him.

"What are you looking at?", Jeonghan managed to get out, despite the toothpaste in his mouth.

You hadn't realized that you had been staring at him through the mirror. He wore a sly grin on his lips, as he always did when he caught you doing something that he could use to potentially fluster you. You just shook your head with a small smile and kept on brushing your teeth. When you turned your attention to your reflection in the mirror, Jeonghan spat out the toothpaste he had in the sink and washed his toothbrush. His arms snuck around your waist and he peppered a bunch of kisses on your cheek.

"You have toothpaste on your mouth! Stop!" you shrieked, followed by a laugh.

"Tell me why you were staring at me!" He grinned.

"It was nothing!" you whined, but he only started attacking your neck instead. "Stop it! You're getting toothpaste all over me..."

He stopped, leaning his temple against yours as he met your eyes through the mirror. You washed your toothbrush and wiped off the toothpaste he had gotten all over you, then wiped off the toothpaste from the corners of Jeonghan's mouth.

"I hate you," you grumbled.

"I love you too." He grinned.

The two of you waddled out of the bathroom, turning off the lights as you left, Jeonghan still holding onto you. It had started raining outside, like the day you had gotten drenched in search of a toothbrush. As you got into bed, Jeonghan crawling in beside you, you kept thinking about that day. It all crashed down upon you, a sort of enlightenment, as he looked lovingly at you.

"Do you believe in soulmates?" you asked softly.

"I don't know." He said as he brought you closer into his arms. "I guess I've never thought about it."

The rain kept on falling outside, creating a melodic sound against the rooftop and your windows. You put your head on his chest to avoid eye contact. It was all too embarrassing to act like this. Not that Jeonghan made you feel like you couldn't, he was an affectionate guy, but you just weren't the type to act like that. Never had you been the type to say it first, but there had to be a first time for everything.

"Because I kind of think..." you muttered, "I kind of think I might've found one."

"A soulmate?"

"Mhm..."

"Who?"

You went quiet. It was a hard thing to say. Now you wished you hadn't said anything, to begin with. If you hadn't, you would've been asleep by now.

"You," you finally whispered out, barely audible.

Now it was Jeonghan's turn to be quiet. Your entire body ached with anticipation, and you wish he would just say something to break the tension already. He didn't. He pulled you even closer to him, so impossibly close.

"A nurse and a surgeon being soulmates..." he muttered. "It definitely sounds like a cliché... I'm down for it."

It wasn't quite what you had meant, but Jeonghan knew that. He knew you wouldn't be able to say what you actually wanted to, that you would try to say it metaphorically just in case he didn't feel the same, and that you wanted him to play along. Of course, he wouldn't do that. He wanted to hear it from your lips, if you were comfortable enough around him you would.

"That's not...", you sighed because you knew that he knew, "I love you, Jeonghan."

His hands went to the back of your head, gently patting it. His lips met your forehead to place a kiss there, and you felt him smiling.

"I love you too, Y/N.", he said.

The next morning you woke up with no one beside you. Your alarm clock had woken you up, but the sunrise shining through the windows did the trick too. You were in a complete daze as you walked out to your kitchen to make your breakfast before you had to storm off to work.

"Good morning, pretty," a smooth voice echoed through your head, and you almost thought that you were still dreaming.

"You got out of bed before me?" you said as you rubbed your eyes.

"Yeah." He brought you a sandwich and forced it into your hands. "I made you breakfast, and I prepared you a lunch."

There was a box laying on the counter and a water bottle standing beside it. You looked between the lunchbox and your boyfriend, and you felt yourself start to tear up. Maybe it was because you were still tired, or maybe it was just because you didn't expect the sweet action. You wrapped your arms around Jeonghans middle and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you," you said.

"You can thank me by eating it later today. When is the biopsy scheduled for?" he asked.

"It's right before lunch." You pulled away from him and pretended to rub your eyes again to dry away any tears that might be there.

"Eat it right after the biopsy then," he said. "Now, let's hurry up. We have to go get ready."

Quick footsteps made their way through the corridor. You were in a hurry to see Doctor Choi. He had looked over your notes last week, but now you actually had results he could look over. You didn't want to screw this up, this month had already been hell and if you could just get one thing perfectly done you'd feel satisfied.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything," you said as you walked into his office and put your papers on his desk. "Could you take a look at these for me?"

Seungcheol picked up the papers and looked through them, reading them thoroughly. His eyebrows were furrowed in concentration, but his expression made you nervous. You had a bad habit of always biting your nails when you got nervous.

"It looks good, I think it's like you said before." He nodded and looked up to you with a comforting smile. "Biopsy went well?"

"It was just fine..." You sighed.

"Do you want to have a seat?" he asked and motioned for the chair in front of his desk.

"Actually, yeah I would love that." You sat down and immediately slumped over ever so slightly. "I've been running around all over the place, my legs are tired."

Dr. Choi nodded as he looked through a few papers. He was very clearly just trying to find something to keep himself busy with, to stall something he actually wanted to bring up.

"So..." He suddenly had a curious smile on his lips. "You're dating a nurse?"

"What?" You almost jumped out of your seat.

"Yoon Jeonghan, no?" He grinned.

"Did he tell you? I swear to god, I will-"

"He didn't," Choi interrupted. "I just guessed. Thanks for confirming it."

Your eyes shut tight as you leaned your head back and groaned. The secret was bound to be revealed at some point, but you didn't want it to happen just yet. Being surrounded by a bunch of smart doctors wasn't optimal for keeping things hidden.

"You're cute together," he commented. "He clearly cares a lot for you... although you should definitely tell him to lay off while at work if you're trying to be inconspicuous."

"I've tried." A laugh escaped your lips.

There was a pause, a moment of complete silence between you. Seungcheol seemed to be inspecting you in some way, at least it seemed like it when it felt like his eyes were staring into your soul.

"Take care of him well, Dr. Y/L/N," he said and stood up. "I wouldn't be able to see him go through another heartbreak."

"You're friends?" Your eyebrows shot up. "And neither of you told me?"

"It wasn't neccessary, but now that I finally know you're together I think you should know," he said with a still friendly smile. "As I said, he clearly cares about you if he was willing to keep this from me. So please... don't hurt him."

There was something in his eyes that made you curious. He knew something about Jeonghan's past that you didn't. You weren't exactly planning on breaking Jeonghan's heart, so it didn't really matter - but seeing how deeply Seungcheol cared really made you want to know.

"I won't." You nodded.

"Thank you, I'm sure you won't... I just like to be safe, I guess." He motioned for the door to his office. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to do some work."

"Oh, of course." You got up and walked over to the door. "You won't... tell anyone, will you?"

"Of course not, Y/N." He gave you one last smile before you closed the door behind you.

Your brain raked with many ideas of what could have happened in the past. Clearly, it was a bad relationship but you were curious as to what exactly happened. As if on cue, Jeonghan walked around the corner.

"Doctor Y/N!" He smiled brightly before looking around himself.

"Nurse Yoon," you greeted with a small giggle as you watched him try to see if the coast was clear.

"I made you a lunch this morning." He handed you a brown paper bag. "You haven't already eaten, have you?"

"I haven't." You grinned and accepted his bag, "Thank you."

It had become a normal thing for him to make you lunches, and you weren't complaining. They were just simple sandwiches for the most part, but it was still special to you.

"Could I... get a kiss as a payment for being such a good boyfriend?" he asked with a sly smile.

"And here I was, thinking you were making me food out of the kindness in your heart." You jokingly put a hand over your chest to fake being offended.

He didn't have much time to respond, since you pressed a quick kiss to his lips. His eyes looked love-drunk when you pulled away. You were starting to understand why Doctor Choi was being careful. Jeonghan was probably the most precious person you had ever met. He may be a trickster, a mischievous little devil, but once you peeled away that layer there was nothing but tenderness in his actions. Everything he did, he did delicately and with a warm heart. Perhaps that's why he made such a good nurse. You smiled at the thought, and Jeonghan's eyebrows knitted together.

"You're staring at me like that again," he muttered. "I wish I could look inside your brain."

"Oh trust me, that's my job - you don't want to do that," you joked, successfully making Jeonghan chuckle.

"I'll see you tonight?" He smiled as he slowly started walking away, his back turned against the way he was walking.

"Of course," you said. "I wouldn't dream of missing it."

His smile widened, finally turning away and walking to wherever he needed to be. You watched him leave, not having the strength to look away.

#on an old posts touch up spree #don't mind me #svt #seventeen #kpop fanfiction #kpop fanfic #kpop writer #kpop #fanfic #svt fluff #jeonghan fluff #jeonghan #jeonghan fanfiction #yoon jeonghan #bee buzzed εїз✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

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idyllic-ghost · 7 days

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read through this again for shits and giggles and i forgot how sad it was and now i'm almost crying over my own fic😭

title: Pomegranates pairing: prince!Wonwoo x princess!reader genre: angst, star-crossed lovers au, royal au, suggestive warnings: nudity, implied smut, cheating, puking, eating, mentions of not eating, slut shaming (if you find any more, please let me know!!) synopsis: You, a princess from a doomed kingdom, have been arranged to be married to an heir of a much more prosperous kingdom. However, when you first visit them, you realize that you would much rather be with the heir's younger brother. wordcount: 13.8k taglist: @enhacolor, @shuabby1994, @junhui-recs, @dkakapizzaboy, @just-here-to-read-01, @loviehan, @userjunhuii, @novalpha, @bubblymoon, @aaniag, @d0nghyuck, @fantasy2wonderland, @seunghancore, @woozixo, @niktwazny303, @lllucere, @uniq-tastic, @wonwoospartyhat, @stariightjoyy, @hyneyedfiz, @cali-snow, @pearlygraysky, @crazywittysassy, @yeosayang rating: 18+

request: Really craving to read angsty. No ideas in mind but I want to see betrayal and kill my insides (and cry inside) Can you surprise me? My favorite member is Wonwoo :)

a/n: the ending was @strawberryya's idea, so you have to blame her for that pain... the rest is my fault

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The castle halls were empty, and the furniture that was left were covered with white sheets. Your heeled shoes echoed through the tall corridors as you walked across the marble floors. A kingdom once beautiful, once prosperous, now turned into dust in front of your very eyes. While growing up, your father always spoke of how his kingdom will one time be yours. But you no longer wanted this.

"Your Majesty, your carriage is here." Your chambermaid came up beside you.

"Do I have to go?" you said, only half sarcastically.

"I'm afraid so, my Lady." She nodded. "But I will be with you every step of the way."

Most of the servants in the castle had left because you simply did not have the means to keep them around. Nevertheless, you had insisted on keeping Eunji around. She was the closest thing you had to a best friend, after all.

"I wish my father could be here..." You sighed as you followed after Eunji.

"We all wish he could be here." She nodded solemnly. "I think he would be very proud of your decision."

The Prince of the neighboring kingdom had offered his hand in marriage, despite your empire being in ruins after your father's sudden death. Everyone was joyous over the occasion, except you. There had never been enough time for you to think of marriage or love in any capacity, but you knew that you didn't just want to do it for an advantage. However, Eunji was right - your father would have been proud. He had repeatedly told you that he trusted you to be a good ruler and to do what is right for the people. This was right for the people, so at least you had one reason you could justify the situation with.

The ride there was long and treacherous, nothing like you had ever experienced before. You frequently used to ride horseback with your father, much to your mother's dismay. To see you sitting pretty in one of your finest gowns in a carriage brought her the utmost delight. It wasn't like you hadn't ever dreamed of doing these things, but you never found yourself doing so.

"You really do look lovely, darling," she said.

She was a kind soul, your mother, but she never understood you much. It wasn't her fault, of course, and after your father's passing, she had tried to accommodate more to your needs, as had you to her.

"You've said that already, mother," you said whilst giving her a small smile.

"Oh, I know..." She sighed. "I'm just restless..."

Of course, she was restless. If she weren't restless it would provoke you even further. However, you knew she wasn't solely restless. She was excited. She was excited because you had picked your clothes yourself without her having to ask you to wear something nice. That only happened on extraordinarily special occasions, although you must admit it felt nice to look pretty.

"... thank you.", you looked out the window to avoid her sympathetic smile.

The moment you told her of your plans to marry, she cried tears of joy. Partly because she was so happy for you. Furthermore, because she knew the kingdom would be saved. Outside the window, autumn had begun to take its toll on the poor trees. No longer green, they had taken on an orange color. Although it was beautiful, you knew that in a few weeks the orange would turn brown and that the trees' destinies were to turn into lifeless husks of the beautiful bloom that spring had brought them. Nobody questions the cruel cycle of the seasons because we have grown attached to them, it is the natural way of things.

However, the seasons are purely a transaction. If it is true, as the ancients say, that every spring Persephone leaves Hades' side in the Underworld, then it is a trade between the King of the Underworld and the human race. We get to live with Persephone's beauty for half a year, and then we experience the same cold that Hades feels once his Queen leaves his side. The tale is tragic and has been adapted into many forms of storytelling. But, nobody ever asks how Persephone feels. Her body is used by both the people and the man she loves as pristine goods. She is torn: should she stay with the man she loves or should she help her people? This compromise between Hades and the people may seem like an acceptable prospect, however, every winter people are still hurting, and every spring Hades cries tears of sorrow and loneliness. The agreement brings equal pleasure for both parties, but it also brings equal pain. And let's not forget the Queen, who hurts no matter what she does.

"We're almost here, darling," your mother interrupts your thoughts, and you are forced to drag your attention away from the trees.

"Indeed we are," you hummed as you saw the castle, your new home, in the distance.

The castle had a homely look with many rounded corners. It gave you the impression that it wanted to look less intimidating than it was. Yet the towers still stood tall, and the large windows seemed to glare back at you - like the soul speaks through the eyes of a person. Your new family was inside, waiting for you in the King's throne room.

"Are you ready, my darling?" Your mother came up beside you.

"Certainly." You nodded, keeping your gaze fixated on the mesmerizing marble structure.

The large wooden doors opened for you as you walked up the steps, and, even inside, it seemed lovely. If you could, you would've taken a moment to appreciate the amount of art on the walls, not to mention the mural on the roof. There was no time. You could only walk past it. You came to a second large wooden door. You heard your name being presented on the other side. When the doors opened, you were almost blinded. Not only did the room have big ceiling windows decorated with golden arches, but the room was also almost entirely filled with mirrors on the walls. Instinctively, you straightened your back as soon as you saw your reflection. In front of you sat King Jeon, lonely on his golden throne. You thought of Hades again and that maybe this is just what he looked like. The man was huge, much bigger than you had ever imagined, and had a large grey beard. His crown sat perfectly on his head. From it, his grey hair was cascading down his shoulders. Once you were just a few feet away from him, you courtesied and bowed in respect. The King stood up from his throne and walked toward you. Never had you imagined that he would reach his hand out for you to try to shake it. Yet, he did, and you took his hand in yours. His hand was calloused and felt as if it was as large as your entire forearm.

"My condolences for your father´s passing, Princess," he said with a sincerity and kindness that you would never have expected from his appearance.

His voice was deep and burly, and it reminded you of thunder. As you peered up at him, you couldn't believe his size. You had never seen a person this tall before.

"Thank you, your Majesty," you said, trying to keep your voice strong.

"I am glad that such a strong woman such as yourself could take over his place," he said. "Your father spoke very highly of you whenever we met."

"He spoke highly of you as well, your Majesty." You smiled at him, politely yet genuinely.

"That's very kind of you to say." His smile was also surprisingly kind. "Now, I'm sure that you're hungry, I'll show you to the dining hall and then I'll have the servants show you to your rooms. We can talk of business tomorrow."

The King gave you another warm smile and nodded to your mother as a greeting. You had never gotten to experience what it was like to live as a ruler. Instead, you had always found yourself in the position your mother was in now - ignored until the last seconds of the meeting. Still, your mother's smile shined brightly at you when you turned to follow the King out of his throne room. As you left you caught a glimpse of yourself in one of the mirrors that surrounded you. Deep dark circles framed your eyes, you could hardly recognize yourself. Now you understood why the King wanted to take the business part of your first meeting in the morning.

You and your mother ate by yourselves. The rest of the Jeon family was already fast asleep, the King told you. As soon as you finished eating you were led to your room. When you tried asking for Eunji, they told you that she had taken her place in the servants' quarters already. They asked if they should wake her for you, but you declined and let another servant undress you for the night.

Your room was round, much like the architecture outside. It must be in one of the many towers, you took a mental note to ask for a guide of the castle's many rooms as soon as possible. The bed was in the middle of the room, and there was a small vanity table prepared for you, as well as a wardrobe and a partition wall for you to get dressed behind. The room's wallpaper gave the illusion of looking like velvet, and the dark red color accommodates nicely with the golden details. Most importantly, at one end of the room, there was a door leading to a balcony that overlooked the garden. Outside the glass doors, you saw the most peculiar thing: flowers in bloom during autumn. The servant took off your outer layers for you and was about to leave you to take care of the rest yourself, leaving your nightgown on the bed.

"Excuse me..." you said before they could leave. "How can there be flowers in bloom in the garden? It's late autumn already."

"These flowers last until the frost starts to come in. The Queen likes to keep as much color in her garden for as long as she can," one of the servant explained.

"Oh... thank you," you said. "You may leave now."

The servant bowed and left you alone. You approached the glass doors, more of the flowers appearing in front of you. They had a vibrant purple and magenta color. It was late, but you just had to take a closer look. You opened the doors to the balcony and stepped out. It was cold, and the wind flew right through the thin material of your dress. Without the extra layers, the cold was much more prominent. But you didn't mind, instead, you leaned a bit further over the edge of the balcony to look closer at the flowers.

"Maybe Persephone left a piece of herself in this garden..." You sighed.

"You should go back inside," you heard a voice say from below you.

You quickly backed away from the balcony with a small shriek. It had merely surprised you to hear a voice in the dark, you weren't necessarily scared. In fact, you were intrigued - so you approached the edge again. In the garden stood a tall man with dark black hair. He was wearing all black: black pants, a black nightshirt, and black shoes. Of course you hadn't seen him.

"Who are you?" you asked, "Why are you outside my window?"

"I didn't mean to be outside your window," he said, ignoring your first question. "I like to visit the garden when the moon is out."

You looked up, seeing a slither of a moon there. A new moon. It didn't bring much light, but it was enough to look over the garden - especially combined with the light coming from the candles in your room. Looking back at the man, you smiled.

"So you visit the garden every night?" you asked.

"Only when there is a moon," he answered.

"Then I will see you again soon," you said.

"You might." He spoke wearily. "Is that something you would like?"

"I would. You seem mysterious. I like mysteries."

He let out a laugh, and you thought that you could hear the bells ringing. Like a silver spoon softly striking a crystal glass, that's what his laugh made you feel. Elegant and light. You wanted oh so desperately to hear it again.

"I heard you speak of Persephone before. Are you interested in Greek mythology?" he asked.

"Only a little," you said truthfully. "I had a few books about it as a child. The story of Persephone stuck out to me."

"It's a bit romantic, I suppose."

"It's tragic," you corrected him.

"How is it tragic?" he asked with an amused smile. "Because of the kidnapping?"

"Well, even if we look past the kidnapping it is still tragic," you said. "She doesn't get to choose. Ever. The most she got to choose was when she ate the pomegranate. Other than that, it is decided for her that she has to travel between worlds. It is tragic because every autumn and spring she has to leave something important to her."

"Isn't it the best option? For both Hades and the people?"

"No." You shake your head. "I would've wanted to choose one of the two. Either having to give up my dearest, or to give up my people. Otherwise, I would have to go through the same pain every time I have to leave. While also, may I add, knowing that they are in pain as well."

"You would damn the world to an eternal winter to be with someone you love? Or break someone's heart to give the people eternal spring?" His eyebrows furrowed. "Isn't it selfish?"

"What isn't selfish?" You laughed, not because it was particularly funny but because it felt like such an obvious answer. "Every action we take is selfish, whether we realize it or not."

"How depressing of a thought," he said. "You don't think people can do selfless good?"

"I think people can try," you said. "Trying is wonderful, in fact, but I don't think anyone can ever succeed."

"You have a peculiar mind," the man muttered with a small smile playing on his lips.

"So I have been told," you said. "... do you know the name of these flowers?"

"It's Phlox." He leaned down and picked a flower from the bushes, "It's a Greek word, actually. It means flame."

You watched as he looked around, and then took a sprung up your balcony. It wasn't high up from the ground, so he easily climbed up just enough to hand you the flower he had picked. You leaned over the edge of the marble railing, looking down at him. Now that you could see him better, you took time to appreciate his sculpted features and piercing eyes.

"Thank you," you mumbled and accepted the flower.

"My Lady." He bowed his head slightly before jumping down. "I wish you a good night's sleep."

"Goodnight," you said and watched as the stranger walked away, back into the castle.

When you woke up the morning after it was because someone was pulling your blinds aside, allowing the sun to rudely startle you awake.

"Good morning, Princess," Eunji greeted as cheerily as ever.

"Good morning..." You sighed. "Did you sleep well?"

"I slept very well, my Lady." She smiled brightly at you. "They are all so nice here. We had a wonderful time at breakfast. Oh, and speaking of breakfast. The King has called you to come eat breakfast with them. The entire family will be there this time."

"Right..." You groaned and sat up. "Did I bring any good gowns for this occasion?"

"You certainly did, my Lady." Eunji happily walked over to your dresser and pulled out a light blue dress with poofy sleeves. "This is quite romantic, is it not? Perfect for your first time meeting the Prince."

The Prince. Prince Jeon Sungho. Your future husband. A sigh escaped your lips at the thought... and your mind couldn't help but drift to the man from the other night. What if it was Sungho? He never said his name, and with his beauty, he could definitely be a prince. You straightened your back and turned to Eunji with a polite expression on your face.

"I'll use that one then," you said and got out of bed.

Seeing the castle in the daylight further gave you the impression that it was built to look welcoming. The windows were big, now with the daylight they no longer looked hollow, and the walls were light in color. It was such a drastic difference from the man you had seen last night. If it truly was the Prince, then he was a walking contradiction.

Eunji only left your side once you made it to the door of the dining room. When the doors open your nose was flooded with an amazing smell. Fresh bread, vanilla, and all kinds of fruity smells - anything that would make your mouth water. You were starving.

"Ah, Princess Y/N, you made it," the King said from his place at the end of the table.

"I'm sorry for my late arrival," you said and made your way to an empty seat.

Before you could sit down, a man in front of you stood up. For a moment you thought it was the man from last night, but his eyes were different - they weren't as piercing - and he had a wider jaw. And unlike the man from last night, his hair was perfectly slicked back.

"I am Prince Sungho, my Princess," he said softly. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

"It is very good to meet you, Prince Sungho," you said and tried your best not to seem disappointed.

The two of you bowed your heads as you sat down. His eyes were constantly on you, you could feel them practically burning into your skin. You didn't return his gaze. It wasn't because he wasn't handsome enough, he was very handsome, but he wasn't the man from last night. It made you question who the stranger truly was.

"Sungho has suggested that we go out for a ride after breakfast," the Queen piped up. "Hopefully, my other son will be able to join us then."

"You have another son?" your mother, who was seated next to you, asked.

"Oh yes, we do," the King said with a proud smile. "He's a bit more bashful than his brother, so he didn't join us for breakfast. Although, if you ask him - he will say that he was feeling sick."

"Do you think that a ride would be agreeable, Lady Y/N?" Sungho asked you.

His eyes were still burning into you, and it was almost difficult to return his gaze. Yet you forced yourself to do so with a pleasant smile. Now wasn't the time to make enemies with sly remarks.

"Oh, yes. I think that sounds lovely." You nodded.

The second son of the Jeon family was nowhere to be seen when you got to the stables. You had changed into more appropriate clothing for riding, which Sungho took note of.

"So it's not just the clothes that make my Lady so beautiful," he said with a charming smile.

"I guess not." You looked down at your clothes and then back up at him. "Thank you, Prince Sungho."

The Prince was handsome, kind, and loved to hear your opinion on many different topics. You found yourself drawn to him because of this. During the ride he showed great gentlemanship, helping you on and off your horse, and he matched his riding pace to fit yours. He was all a woman could ever dream of... yet you found yourself thinking of the mystery man from last night. The way his piercing gaze seemed to look into your soul, or the way his fingertips touched your hand when he gave you that flower that was still on your bedside table. You had thoroughly enjoyed the banter the two of you made, and not in the same way you could appreciate the way the Prince spoke.

Once the evening came you were excited to see him again. However, during the day dark clouds had started coming in over the horizon. It was raining heavily and the moon was nowhere in sight. You remembered his words: "I like to visit the garden when the moon is out". A sigh escaped your lips as you sat down on your bed.

"Is everything alright, my Lady?" Eunji asked.

"Oh, I'm just fine..." You turned to her with a sudden need to tell someone about the handsome stranger. "Could you... perhaps keep a secret for me, Eunji?"

"Of course, my Lady."

She sat down on the bed beside you, as she had many nights before this. Eunji was as close as you had to a friend, and you always told her everything. You trusted her, and you had to tell someone of the man.

"Yesterday evening I was out on the balcony...", you paused and looked at her, "I saw this man there... dark hair, tall... handsome."

The rain started pouring outside as you told Eunji of the man. A constant smile was on Eunji's lips, clearly happy about you speaking of a potential love interest. It wasn't something you had done in the past, as you never bothered with it before. You thought you had your whole life ahead of you to deal with romance.

"I thought it might be the Prince," you said which only made Eunji's smile grow wider. "... but it wasn't. While they were similar, he just... it wasn't the same."

"Oh..." Her smile quickly faded. "I shouldn't advise you to have affections toward anyone but the Prince... but you seem very intrigued by this mysterious gentleman."

"I am, but it won't get in the way of my marriage. I promise." You let out a breath that you hadn't realized you had been holding in, "I have gone too far to screw this up for a man I met once."

Your eyes wandered to the window, where the rain was still falling heavily. Eunji put her hand on top of yours, showing her support silently.

"I just needed to tell someone of what had happened." You look back at her with a warm smile. "I cannot tell you how happy I am that you would listen."

"Of course, my Lady," she said.

"I probably just got excited to talk to someone," you reassured yourself. "There's not much else to it."

Eunji left your side to blow out all the candles in your room. You thanked her and bid her goodnight before she left. Laying in your bed, listening to the rainfall, and praying that you would never see the man again.

The doors to the dining room opened and you stepped inside. Unlike the day before, you were fairly early. Only the King, the Queen, and your mother were in the room.

"Good morning," you said as you walked insid. "If I may, I would like to start presenting ideas of what we could do for the kingdom's-"

The door opened yet again. You turned around expecting your arranged fiancé but were met with another familiar face. The stranger from the garden. He looked at you, and you could tell he recognized you, but he kept quiet.

"Ah, finally!" the Queen stood up and motioned for the man in front of you. "This is my second son, Prince Wonwoo. Wonwoo, darling, this is Princess Y/N - your brother's fiancé."

Your mouth fell into a small "o" shape as you looked between the two. Without hesitation, Wonwoo's face fell into a polite smile as he reached to shake your hand. Unlike just a second ago, there was no recognition for you in his eyes.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, my Lady," he said and kissed the back of your hand. "I'm sorry I wasn't here to greet you before, I wasn't feeling well. Although, I am in much better condition now."

You could hear the King chuckle behind you, supposedly at the fact that Wonwoo claimed that he was ill. His hand was warm in yours, and you wish he hadn't let go just yet.

"The pleasure's all mine, your Majesty," you said and hoped that you didn't look all too flustered, "You missed a very nice ride yesterday."

"So I have heard," he said. "My brother told me all about it."

As if on cue, the door opened again and Prince Sungho stepped in. Everyone greeted him a good morning, and you sadly had to watch Wonwoo walk away. He sat on the other side of the table, diagonally from you.

"So you wanted to speak of plans, Y/N," the King said suddenly. "Please, do enlighten me."

During breakfast you told the King of the plans you had to make your kingdom blossom once again, which would in turn help their kingdom after your marriage was set in stone. Wonwoo's eyes were on you at all times, and whenever you would glance over at him you would stumble over your words. You didn't mean to, there was just something about him that made your heart race.

As soon as breakfast ended, Wonwoo was out the door. You didn't even have time to say goodbye. Sungho was quick to step in front of you, hindering you from following the younger prince.

"I heard nobody's given you a tour of the castle yet." He held out his arm to you. "May I have the honor of doing so myself?"

You looked back at your mother, who was giving you a supportive smile, then back at Sungho. His eyes were much warmer than his brother's. At the thought of Wonwoo, you glanced over to the door he left through. Maybe you would see him again if you took this tour.

"You may." You nodded and met his eyes once again.

"You've seen the throne room," he said as you walked through the mirror-filled room.

"Why the mirrors, if I may ask?" you said.

"It makes the room look bigger." He looked around. "I suppose one could also always know who's behind one's back with these mirrors."

A hum echoed from your mouth as you looked around. Sungho had been showing you around the castle. A quick visit to the servant's quarters, a look into the kitchen, the garden, the King's study, the drawing room, and many many staircases. Now you were back where you had started your story in this castle.

"Would you like to see the ballroom?" he asked and placed his hand over yours, which was still hanging on his arm.

"I would love to." You gave him a polite smile.

The two of you walked across the King's throne room and through a grand door. In there was a big round room, the biggest room in the castle you were sure. The roof was tall and painted with beautiful images of angels and knights and other such things that one would paint on a ceiling. Surrounding the area were big pillars, on which leaned a smaller balcony of sorts. There was a small staircase to go up there.

"It's gorgeous," you said. "I can only imagine the festivities you could hold in here."

"Does my Lady like dancing?" Sungho asked.

"I do." You nodded. "Although I won't say I'm very good at it."

"Nonsense." Sungho chuckled. "I'm sure you're as good as you are beautiful."

You only smiled at him, for you had nothing to say back.

"This is the room furthest from the garden and your room in the West wing," he commented. "So if there is a ball you can be sure that you will get the least amount of disturbance."

"What else is in the West wing?" you asked.

"Well, there's the library." He pondered for a bit. "There's not much else in the West wing. We call it the quiet wing for a reason. That's why it's the best bedroom in the castle."

"You have a library in the West wing?" You almost gaped at him.

"Yes of course." He nodded. "Would you like me to show you?"

"I would like that very much, your Majesty."

As you walked through the corridors together you tried mapping all the rooms out in your head. On one end there was your room, and this supposed library you had only just heard about, and on the other end was the ballroom. Outside the ballroom seemed to be another garden, or a labyrinth of sorts, which you were told could lead you to the West wing's garden. How, you couldn't understand quite yet. The servants' hall was under the dining room area, which was accessed through a well-hidden door. The King's throne room was quite central to the castle, and in the North wing were most of the bedrooms.

When you reached the library, Sungho opened the door for you. You basically flew into the room. Books were filling all of the bookshelves, which were as tall as the entire walls.

"I take it that you like this room," he said with a chuckle.

"Oh, more than any other room," you said silently and walked up to one of the bookshelves to look at the books.

Rustling was heard from beside you, and you snapped your head in the direction of the noise. Wonwoo walked out from behind one of the bookshelves. He bowed his head at you.

"It's my favorite room too," he said quietly with a peculiar smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you, I was just looking for a book."

He held up a purple book. The young prince looked as handsome as ever. His hair was messy, but pushed away from his eyes, and his clothes weren't exactly smooth down either. Nevertheless, Prince Wonwoo looked like a dream - like a man from one of the fairytales you used to read as a child, or at least he looked like you had always imagined them to look. You could only stare at him with wide eyes, at a loss for all words. Surely he must find you absolutely idiotic.

"It's alright, brother," Sungho answered for you. "We are just looking around the castle."

"Ah... then you've been in the ballroom, I suppose." He looked back at you. "It's really beautiful."

"It certainly is," you managed to get out.

Wonwoo was smiling at you, but his eyes were still so piercing. You couldn't read him whatsoever. He excused himself and left the room. You had to force yourself to not look after him as he stepped away. Once you heard the door close, you turned to Sungho with a bright, plastered on smile and asked him to keep showing you around.

Later that evening, you got ready for bed. When Eunji had left, you practically leaped out on the balcony in nothing but your silky, pale pink nightgown. The moon was out, and you could hear someone whistling. You opened the glass doors, hearing it much clearer now. Your heart started racing as you stepped out onto the cold stone.

"The Lady returns," he said as you walked out. "I thought I had frightened you the other night."

"The moon wasn't out yesterday," you replied. "I thought you wouldn't be here."

"I left once the rain started pouring down," he said casually. "So you're the Princess, huh?"

"I would have told you, but you wouldn't tell me who you were," you said as you leaned against the marble. "Prince Wonwoo."

He finally looked at you, only to quickly look away again. There was a small smile playing on his lips, and his ears had turned an adorable shade of pink.

"You should put something else on." He took a deep breath. "It's not proper... and you're going to catch a cold."

"I'm not staying out here for long." You shrugged with a teasing smile.

"You're not?" He glanced at you, a slightly worried tone in his voice.

Oh. This isn't good. Your heart was pounding in your chest now. The little power of the conversation you felt like you had was now completely gone.

"I mean..." You sighed, "I shouldn't be out here so late at night. You should go inside too."

He looked at you and everything around you just seemed to disappear. Only he was still there, and as he started approaching the balcony, much like the other night, you didn't utter a word to stop him. As he neared you hoped that he could finally close the gap filled with meaningless air between you. His hands gripped the edge of the balcony, right in between where your hands were resting. When he pulled himself up you stood face to face. You had never been this close to him before. He smelled of lavender and something dark and woody. His eyes were still strictly looking into yours, piercing through your soul. He opened his mouth to speak, and you looked down at his lips.

"I do not wish to cause you mental turmoil, but I must tell you that the moment I laid eyes on you that night I thought you were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen." He spoke quietly and sincerely, as if he was afraid to say it any louder. "And if the situation had been different I wouldn't hesitate to try to win your affection. I waited for you in the rain last night, wishing that I could get another glimpse of you, to hear your voice again."

You sucked in a sharp breath and looked back into his eyes. His beautiful brown eyes. There was something so thrilling about having him so near, about him confessing his undying attraction to you. Your head was completely fogged up, you didn't know what you were doing, but your hands cupped his face and kissed him. He tasted sweet and reinvigorated, it reminded you of a lemon pie - the tart energizing flavor that never seemed to leave your mouth. His lips were soft and moved against yours with a slow, burning passion. Your hands traveled down to his collar, just to try to bring him a bit closer. But Wonwoo pulled away, his face one of horror as if he had just found something so very wrong.

"We shouldn't be doing this..." he murmured. "I am so terribly sorry."

You tried to stop him, to grab him, and tell him that no one had to know; anything to get him close to you again. He didn't listen. With fleeting footsteps, he left the garden. You looked over at the flowers. The weather had started growing colder, and with it came the frost. Much like you, the purple flowers in the garden had started withering away.

The next morning you asked Eunji to get you breakfast in bed and to tell the household that you weren't feeling well. You couldn't bare to come across Wonwoo again. Even if you looked past your embarrassment, you didn't want to see him again knowing that you could never hold him as you had last night.

After breakfast, you put on a robe over your nightgown and made your way to the library. The weather was beautiful today, and you heard from Eunji that the family was going out for a walk in the nearby forest. That meant the castle was yours to wander in theory, but you only wanted to visit the library. As you walked in there, your eyes immediately landed on a singular book laying on a table. There was a couch near the table, and you took a seat and started reading. It wasn't anything interesting, only a book about some old war, but it was enough to distract you.

The door to the library opened and you locked eyes with Wonwoo. Your eyes widened as you quickly pulled your robe tighter around your chest. One of his hands was still on the door handle, the other one hanging by his side. You watched his hand grip around nothing before letting his fingers fall. Neither of you spoke, you only watched each other. Footsteps echoed outside the door, and you heard your name being called by someone. Wonwoo ran to you, pulling you aside and in between two bookshelves. You were shielded from the view from the door. Wonwoo's arms were tightly wrapped around your waist, your chest pressed against his. Still, neither of you spoke. You looked up at him with big, worried eyes. He swallowed and looked away from you. The library door opened.

"My Lady? Are you in there?" It was Sungho. "... strange. Brother? Are you in here?"

Wonwoo shut his eyes tightly in annoyance. Of course, his brother had seen him walk in here. He motioned for you to stay quiet, and left you alone to greet his brother.

"I'm right here." He cleared his throat. "But I haven't seen the Princess."

"Her chambermaid said she would be here..." Sungho trailed off. "Maybe she was mistaken. If you see her, please tell her that I'm looking for her."

"Of course."

The library door shut. You were left feeling breathless. For a moment, you didn't dare move - the thought of meeting Sungho's eyes after his brother had just lied for you was enough to make you shiver. After a deep breath, you stepped out from in between the bookcases. When you turned around Wonwoo was right in front of you again.

"Do you always parade yourself around in such indecent clothing?" he hissed at you.

"Excuse me? You forget yourself," you answered quickly.

"What? Did you think I would walk in here and take you on the couch? Is that what you wanted?" Wonwoo's eyes were fiery, but you couldn't tell if it was out of anger or lust. "Is that why you're in nothing but your nightgown yet again?"

"I was informed that everyone had left the castle," you said sternly. "I wouldn't go out of my room otherwise, especially not like this."

Wonwoo quieted down, clearly flustered by his earlier assumption. You were left feeling like your heart would beat out of your chest. Truly, you didn't know what had happened to you. Any logic left in you had flown out the window, now replaced with attraction for the man in front of you.

"... about last night-" you started but you were quickly cut off by Wonwoo.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." He grabbed your hand, and his touch sent magic running through your veins. "As I said if the situation was different..."

His eyes trailed down your face to your lips, then down your neck, to your collar bones, until they ended at your exposed chest when he reminded himself to look you back in the eye.

"My Lord-"

"I am not a Lord," he murmured and cradled your cheek in his palm.

"My Prince..." You leaned into his touch.

"Just call me Wonwoo," he said. "Let's stop with the formalities. I don't want to be a prince with you."

His hand was so warm and soft. You pressed your hand to the back of his, just to bring it even closer to your cheek. As you peered up at him through your lashes you saw how his breathing hitched. Sadly, you had to let go of him. Your hands removed the one that he held to your cheek, and you dropped your arms back to your sides.

"Prince Wonwoo..." you said despite his request. "I think you're right. This can't be. Besides, isn't it foolish to act on feelings toward a person you've only just met?"

"I suppose..." Wonwoo looked away from you to hide his disappointment. "But I do not feel like I have only just met you, Princess."

"It does not make it any less wrong," you murmured.

His gaze returned to meet yours. Fireworks set off in your stomach, and you wanted to touch him again. You wished you had never made him let go. This couldn't possibly be wrong if it felt so good.

"Let's be good friends," you managed to say.

"I think I can manage." He smiled.

Oh, his smile was so wonderful. It made you feel like you were taking in a fresh breath of air during a chilly summer morning. You wanted to reach up and touch his face, cup his cheek, and gently swipe your thumb over his cheekbone. Every fiber of your being told you to lean in and kiss him, everything except your principles.

"To good friends." You held out your hand for him to shake.

"Good friends." He took it.

Autumn passed, and in came winter. Most nights you would sit by a big fireplace in the drawing room. The only big problem with the Quiet wing was its lack of places to put fires. Whenever you would go to sleep, you would put on at least two layers of clothing and have extra blankets. The balcony was always closed now, though you had many times thought of visiting Wonwoo out there. He was acting normally around you, although you could feel him watching you when he thought you couldn't notice. Your method was working out just fine.

Snowy days pass and you grow closer to Prince Sungho. One evening you're sitting in the drawing room, in front of the fireplace, when he walks in. You watch as he approaches you. It's only the two of you in the room. He seems nervous.

"I really am embarrassed that your room doesn't have proper heating," he said for what must have been the hundredth time. "The offer of changing rooms still stands, whenever you want to."

"You're too kind, Prince Sungho." You smile at him before turning back to the fire. "But I quite like my room, and it's not all that horrible... I also have a reason to come in here every evening, where I may see you."

The Prince was surprised by your flirtatious advances, as he always was. You patted on the couch right next to you, asking him to sit down. At this point, you know just what to say and do to make him weak in the knees. Which you had been using to your advantage. With the attention of a man such as Prince Sungho, you cannot possibly begin to think about Wonwoo. Even if it didn't feel real, even if it all felt like you were playing pretend with your fiancé.

"I have loved to have you here," the Prince said as he sat down. "Truly, it has been a gift."

"I have loved to be here," you responded.

"... but I have yet to do the thing that I promised." He pulled out a small box from his pocket. "I know that I've offered my hand in marriage to you already, but I want it to be official. I want everyone to know."

He opens the box and reveals a diamond ring. With his slim fingers, he picks it up. You smile widely and put your hand in his. His eyes ask you for your permission, and you nod. Slowly, he pushes the ring onto your left ring finger.

"It's beautiful," you hum and watch the diamond sparkle in the light of the fire.

"It's one of a kind," he muses. "Just like you."

You can't help but think of Wonwoo. How his eyes sparkled just like this diamond the night he had kissed you. But when you look up at the man in front of you, it's not Wonwoo, and you have to face reality.

"We should start planning for the wedding," you muttered.

"Soon, my love." He holds your face in his hands. "I want to celebrate you first. We shall throw a ball in your honor."

"My honor?"

"In honor of our official engagement, then." He gave you a toothy smile, the kind of boyish smile that would make any girl swoon. "After that, I will give you all the resources to plan a wedding... I'll find the best people in the land."

You wondered what Sungho truly knew about you. How could he be so infatuated with a person whom he's only spoken to in person for a few months? How can he promise you everything when you still see a stranger when you look at him? You thanked him and stood up from your place by the fireplace. He looked up at you with admiration, something that you cannot give back to him.

"I think I will go to my chambers, it's late," you said.

"Sleep well, my Lady." Sungho watched you as you left the room.

After a few weeks, an entire ball had been planned and executed. It was the day of the big night. The evening would start with the King announcing your official engagement, and let the guests celebrate with a night full of wine and dancing. A group of maids had brought you a dress, a present from the Queen. The corset top sat tightly on your torso. The sweetheart neckline accentuated your collarbone area and the puffy, short sleeves gave it a romantic look. Flower prints in lace covered the top elegantly and subtly, which contrasted the many chiffon layers of the skirt. At first glance, the dress looked white, but it was in fact a light lilac color. As the maids helped you put it on, one of them gave you a note from the Queen herself.

I heard you liked the purple flowers in my garden, so this will suit you well.

Your body froze. Only two people knew of your fondness of the garden: Eunji and Wonwoo. If Eunji had told her, she would've asked you first. Maybe the Queen had asked her not to tell, to make it a surprise... but if Wonwoo had said something it would be suspicious. Either way, you couldn't be worrying about this now.

"Everything is done, Princess," one of the maids said in a soft-spoken tone.

"Thank you." You did your best to smile at her.

When you looked at yourself in the mirror, you felt like crying. You should be jumping with glee at this moment in your life, but you couldn't bring yourself to do it. A night which was supposed to be about your engagement to the Prince, and so far you had spent most of it worrying about another man. You knew he would be there, and your mind had immediately wandered to what he would think of you - if he would find you beautiful. This was all so wrong.

They announced your name before you entered the ballroom. Whispers and gasps echoed through the large room as you walked towards the King and his oldest son. The King offered you his hand, which you took, and let him guide you to hold Sungho's hand. You looked out over the crowd, meeting star-struck and emotional faces. More importantly, you met Wonwoo's piercing gaze. As the King held a short speech in the engagement's honor, you never looked away from Wonwoo. Unlike his brother, he was wearing all black. His suit was lined with golden details, and a few golden rings adorned his fingers. He had a cape hanging over one shoulder, and he wore a pair of well-polished boots. In a crowd full of white-clad people, he stood out like a sore thumb. You wanted to tease him about dressing wrong for the occasion, but that would be too close to flirting.

"That is why I am happy to announce the engagement of my oldest son, Prince Sungho, and the lovely Princess Y/N. You have my blessing, and I know that this union will be a wonderful one." The King brought you back to your senses as he mentioned your name. "To the happy couple! Let's celebrate!"

"Would you like to dance, my Lady?" Sungho whispered in your ear as the two of you walked out on the dancefloor.

You're already leading me there, it would just be awkward to say no now...

"I would love to." You put on your best smile and got into position.

The crowd watched as you danced. After a minute, others joined in but you saw Wonwoo still leaning against one of the pillars. You locked eyes, and you couldn't look away.

"You seem distracted, my Lady," Sungho said.

"Oh, I'm just... as I've told you, I'm not very good at dancing. I guess I'm just nervous." You looked back at him.

"Don't worry, when you're in my hands you're safe."

"I'm sure." You nodded and looked past him again, but now Wonwoo was gone.

The song ended, and Sungho eventually left your side to talk to some of his friends. You were left standing alone in a corner. Now that the announcement had been made and people had paraded you around, nobody seemed to care where you went. A sigh escaped your lips as you relaxed against the cold wall.

"Tired already?" Someone appeared beside you.

When you saw him your eyes widened, and you felt your cheeks grow warm. Wonwoo had looked good from afar, but this close he was truly a sight to behold.

"It's alright, I also usually keep to myself at these kinds of things," he added.

"My fiancé just left me to talk to other people, and there's no one for me to speak with," you explained.

"You can talk to me." He gave you a delicate smile.

"... it's not weird for you?" you murmured.

"Of course it is. But not a day goes by where my life is normal or goes my way. You get used to it." He held out his hand to you. "Am I worthy enough to dance with you, Princess?"

"People will see." you looked out over the ballroom, nobody had seen you just yet.

"Then they will see two people dancing, two friends, nothing more." He took your hand and put it on his shoulder. "You just think they will talk because you want there to be more to it."

Wonwoo's put his hand on your waist, and with his other hand, he grabbed yours. The two of you swayed in the shadows, out of view from anyone else. Being in his arms made you feel safe, like you could truly rest. When the song ended he let go of you but kept holding your hand. He bent down and placed a gentle kiss on the back of your hand.

"Thank you, Princess," he said and took a step away from you.

"You're a wonderful dancer." You let out a giggle, a genuine laugh bubbling up from your stomach for the first time in a while. "You must be a favorite amongst the ladies."

"Oh, definitely..." he said sarcastically. "Especially the married ones."

If it weren't for the fact that your fiancé was approaching, you would've landed a soft smack on his arm. Wonwoo took another step back and greeted his brother.

"I'm glad you two get along so well." Sungho placed an arm around your waist.

"Oh, he's a swell conversationalist," you said and internally cringed at your words of choice.

"Really?" Sungho's eyebrows shot up. "I've never thought of you as the chatty type, brother."

"I have my moments," Wonwoo replied, keeping his eyes on you. "But I should go. I hope you have a good rest of your night."

The rest of the night went rather smoothly. You were introduced to many people and danced with even more. From time to time you would catch a glimpse of Wonwoo, but not nearly enough for your liking. When the clock struck midnight, you realized that people weren't leaving yet. You asked Sungho when it was time to end, and he responded that it usually goes on until dawn. When you heard that you excused yourself and said that you would be leaving for your chambers early. Sungho bid you goodnight, and reassured you that leaving early was no issue at all. If it weren't for the many distractions you faced, you might have actually been able to fall in love with him.

You took the shortcut through the King's throne room, knowing that everyone else would be trying to leave through the ballroom's main entrance. In the mirror-filled room, you caught your reflection. Your hair was in complete disarray, and your face had taken on a flustered color. Slowly, you approached one of the many mirrors. The dress was still beautiful, and you reminded yourself to thank the Queen for the gift as soon as you could. The door behind you opened, startling you, and when you looked through the mirror's reflection you saw Wonwoo.

"It's only me," he said, as if that made it any better, and closed the door.

His footsteps were slow, almost cautious. It was as if he was giving you time to tell him to stop. You didn't say a word, you couldn't as your throat had dried up within a matter of seconds as you laid eyes on him. Wonwoo approached you. He had the same flustered look on his face as you did. It must have been the wine. It must have also been the wine that made you want him so. And, yes, it must have been the wine that made Wonwoo wrap his arms around your waist from behind. His large figure easily engulfed you, and you leaned into his embrace. Wonwoo put his head on your shoulder and looked into your eyes through the mirror.

"I have been watching you all night, my love," he whispered, his speech slightly slurred.

One of his hands pushed away the hair from the shoulder his chin was leaning on. His fingertips grazed your neck, making you shudder. It was difficult to keep your eyes open when everything Wonwoo did felt so wonderful.

"I have seen you watching," you mumbled. "I was looking for you as well."

In a moment of pure bliss, his lips met your neck. A peck, that turned into two and then three. They were leading up from the crook of your neck to your jaw.

"You must be the most intoxicating goddess I have ever had the honor of being in the presence of," he mumbled against your skin, "Have you seduced me, my Princess?"

His Princess.

"What if I have?" You smile at him through the mirror.

He looked back at you with a smile, and a gaze that you couldn't read. Wonwoo's words lingered in the air as he pressed a final kiss right behind your ear.

"I would have to tell your husband." He took his lips away from your skin, much to your dismay.

"He's not my husband yet." You sighed. "Let me take part in my freedom for a while longer."

He guided your face, with his pointer finger and thumb on your chin, to look at him. Wonwoo held the galaxy in his eyes, and the only reason you could ever look away was to glance at his lips - and it was only for a short moment, as seeing his eyes on you, and only you, was the most euphoric feeling you had ever felt.

"I wish to have a taste of you, my love," he murmured, his eyes filled with lust. "Will you allow me the delight of feeling your lips against mine again?"

You didn't respond, instead, you pressed your lips to his greedily. Your body turned around to fully face him, and you pressed your chest against his. He pulled away to look around the room, and a paranoid feeling entered your chest.

"Someone could see us," he said.

"My chambers are far away from the ballroom." You took his face in your hands and place another kiss on his lips.

"I have heard that your chambers are freezing during this time of year," he muttered against your lips.

"Don't worry, I will warm you up." You smiled and grabbed his hand.

The two of you ran as fast as you could through the castle halls. His hand never left yours. You were lucky that nobody seemed to be around because you had a hard time keeping quiet. Laughs spilled out of your lips every other second. From time to time, you would stop and slip into a dark corner to embrace him and feel his lips on yours again.

When you reached your chambers, you locked the door behind you. Wonwoo's hands stayed on you every second and you adored the attention. With every step toward your bed, he placed another kiss on your skin. You were utterly drunk off of his contact with your body. Which is why a whine escaped your lips when he let you go. You sat down on the bed, both sleeves of your dress having had slipped down.

"Tell me to leave now if you truly do not want me, my love." He was panting, his hands trembling ever so slightly. "I will not hold myself back if we go any further."

"Please..." You grabbed his hand. "Have your way with me."

The very next morning you woke up to a sharp knock on your door. You stirred in your sleep, your hand touching a naked body beside you. Wonwoo was fast asleep beside you. A gasp escaped your lips as you pulled the covers up to cover your bare chest.

"Your Majesty!" Another sharp knock echoed through the wooden door as Eunji's shrill voice shocked you awake. "I have to get you ready for breakfast!"

"Just give me a second, Eunji!" you shouted back.

Your voice woke up Wonwoo, who grabbed your waist to hold you closer. He was completely unaware of the situation you were in. If it hadn't been for the situation you found yourself in, you would've loved to stay tangled in Wonwoo's web for the entire morning. However, now was sadly not the time. In a hushed voice, you whispered to him that he had to get out of bed. With a grumpy look, he got up and gathered his clothes off the floor. Another knock scared you, and you ended up pushing him behind the partition wall. You put on your nightgown and walked over to the door, hoping that you didn't look like a flustered mess.

"My apologies, Eunji." You smiled at her when you opened the door. "I was very tired from the ball last night..."

"I understand that my Lady, but you shouldn't lock your door when you know I don't have a key," she explained with a worried look.

"I know, I know... I just wanted to be safe, you know with so many people around," you lied right through your teeth.

"Well, we don't have time to chat. Let's get you ready!" Eunji pushed inside your room and walked over to the wardrobe.

You could see Wonwoo's feet under the small gap in the partition wall. Panic set in as you realized what a catastrophe this could end in. Eunji handed you your slip dress and told you to put it on. In a state of panic, you went behind the partition wall and stood in front of Wonwoo so that his feet wouldn't be visible anymore. A sleepy smile was painted on his lips, and it was hard to surpress your own smile at the sight. He had only managed to put on his pants, his shirt still hanging from his hands. With an annoyed sigh, you took it from him and started pushing it over his head.

"Are you okay back there, my Lady?" Eunji asked as Wonwoo put his arms through the sleeves.

"Oh, I'm just... feeling a bit sick from the wine," you stammered out.

Wonwoo's arms wrapped around you as soon as he had put on his shirt, and your heart almost leapt out of your throat as you heard him lovingly sigh in your ear.

"Well, if you need help I can-"

"No!" you yelled. "No, thank you. I don't need help."

The young Prince let out a soft chuckle, only loud enough for you to hear. You only grew more flustered at his teasing.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm just feeling... self-conscious." You shut your eyes tight. "Could you please put the dress on the bed for me? I'll do the rest by myself."

"Oh, my Lady, you have nothing to be embarrassed about," Eunji assured you. "But if you wish for me to leave, then I shall. I'll be outside the door in case you do end up needing my services."

"Thank you, Eunji." Your breath hitched as you felt Wonwoo's hands grab at your hips.

The door opened and closed, and as soon as it was shut Wonwoo pressed his lips to yours. You put your hands on his chest and smiled against the kiss, pulling away slightly to look at him.

"You're impossible," you murmured softly.

He leaned his forehead against yours and looked deep into your eyes. A chill sent down your spine as Wonwoo started caressing your back. The warm glow of the morning sun filled the room and you found yourself feeling so unbelievably lucky.

"Last night..." he whispered, "Do you regret it?"

"I wish I would have done it sooner," you admitted. "But now I must force you to leave, I'm sure people are looking for you."

"They can keep searching forever..." he muttered and kissed you again.

"People will grow suspicious." You pulled away with a chuckle. "And as much as I'd love to keep kissing you forever, I have enough common sense to know it won't last."

"Let me at least help you get dressed." His hands went to the hem of your short nightgown. "We don't want to keep your maid waiting."

"I'll let you help with the dress she picked out for me," you said and pushed him out of the partition wall.

Your hands worked quickly to take off the nightgown and put on the slip dress. When you walked out you caught Wonwoo feeling the blue velvet material of your dress between his fingers, as if he was studying it carefully. When he noticed you, he handed you the dress. The buttons in the back had already been undone, so all you had to do was step into it and pull the long sleeves over your arms. He motioned for you to turn around. Once your back faced him, Wonwoo slowly worked on buttoning the back of your dress. His lips pressed to the still bare skin where your neck met your back. The dress' collar was high, hiding whatever blemishes that were left from last night's activities.

"Leave the last few unbuttoned..." you whispered, "It'll be more believable that I couldn't reach."

Wonwoo hummed and took his hands away from you. Turning around, you stood face to face with the most lovestruck man you have ever seen. His smile was warm and inviting, creating small lines by his nose, and despite how wonderful this smile was you wanted to kiss it off his lips so badly. And in the beautiful morning glow, his eyes resembled portals of light that you would gladly dive into without questioning what could be on the other side.

"I'll miss you every second you aren't by my side," he said.

"Can we see each other tonight again?" you asked.

"Of course."

Another harsh knock on the door, followed by a kind yet alarming voice that told you to please hurry up.

"Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts," you responded to Eunji, but didn't look away from Wonwoo.

He walked over to the balcony door and opened it. You followed closer, leaning over the railing of the balcony as he climbed down. Before he could leave, he pulled himself up just enough to kiss you again.

"Goodbye, my love," he whispered.

"I'll see you soon," you said and watched him disappear behind the castle walls.

Yet another knock on your door. It made you laugh this time. You hurried inside and closed the door to the balcony. As you straightened out your dress, the door was impatiently pushed open.

"I'm terribly sorry, Eunji," you said. "I couldn't get the last few buttons done."

"You should've called for my help." She sighed. "The Queen has asked for your presence at breakfast to discuss wedding plans."

The wedding. You felt your heart sink. How could you have forgotten about the wedding? One of your hands steadied you against your bed frame, while you held the other one to your stomach.

"Are you alright, my Lady?" Eunji asked as she finished buttoning you up.

"Just nervous..." You took a deep breath.

The wedding had a date. A month after the first day of spring, just to give enough time for preparations. You wished for winter to never end. Persephone could gladly stay by Hades' side, you didn't care. Even though the wedding was all anyone talked about, you hadn't accepted fate just yet. That's why, every night, you would drown your sorrows with the kisses of your lover. Every morning you woke up at dawn to spend more time with him before he had to leave. And when he eventually did have to leave, you could feel your heart getting ripped apart inside your chest.

The constant ache only worsened when you were around Prince Sungho, as guilt had started plaguing you whenever you saw him. The Prince would take you out on rides in the forest, on promenades in the gardens, and he even took you on a boat ride once or twice. All of these exceptional experiences, and yet your favorite moments in the castle were those in your bed laying next to Wonwoo.

As spring approached, you grew more reckless. The constant need of being near Wonwoo only grew stronger, and you did everything you could to keep him by your side.

One evening, when you knew that Wonwoo would be going out for a ride, you walked all alone to the stables to meet him. The snow had started melting away, but you tried not to think about it. Nevertheless, it was still very cold outside and not warm enough for anything to have grown. The warmth of the stables welcomed you quickly, as you walked across the floors to where Wonwoo's favorite horse stood. Just as you were about to turn the corner, Wonwoo peeked out from the small room. A smile spread across his lips as soon as he laid his eyes on you.

"Is anyone else here?" you whispered and looked around.

"Only me," he said and put his arms around your waist. "You must be freezing. Why would you walk outside without a coat?"

"I didn't think to get it." Your arms wrapped around his neck. "And I was in a hurry to see you before you left."

"I was going to go see you tonight, after my ride," he explained with a grin.

"It would be too long of a wait."

"You're so impatient."

One of his hands cupped your cheek and brought you in for a loving kiss. He was so warm, it spread through you as if you were drinking a hot cup of tea. You wanted to melt into him and nest in his chest, to always keep his warmth around you.

"We could run away, you know," he murmured against your lips. "Spring is approaching, there's not much time left..."

"I don't want to think about it..." You put your hands on his chest to create some distance between him and you.

"Y/N, this is the first time we've ever been alone outside of your chambers." He sighed. "When you share your chambers with... someone else, we won't be able to see each other like that."

"We can find a way," you argued.

"We could run away, my love," he said. "We would only bring what was necessary, and we could take two horses. Then we wouldn't have to worry about hiding anymore."

You took a deep breath, leaning your forehead against Wonwoo's chest. While part of you wanted to run away, there was still a big part of you that knew that you had a duty to your people. And that part needed to stay.

"No." You shook your head. "I can't just abandon my kingdom."

Tears pricked the corners of your eyes. You grabbed at his shirt, partly because you were trying to make him stay close to you, but you also didn't want him to see you cry. As your first sob rocked through your body he didn't try to pull you away, he only held you closer. One of his hands soothingly caressed your back, while the other held onto the back of your head.

"I hate it," you sobbed. "I hate it so much."

Wonwoo kept quiet but held you even closer. The stables were so unbelievably quiet, that you had forgotten you were even there. But the door opened, making the two of you quickly separate. Tears were still streaming down your face, and there was nothing Wonwoo could do to comfort you. You whispered goodbye and quickly made your way out of the stables.

After that encounter, you didn't stop meeting in public. Whenever no one else was around, you would take the chance to embrace each other. On this particular day, it was the library. This wretched, cursed day.

"Your chambers are just around the corner," Wonwoo mumbled against your lips. "We could go there."

The two of you were laying on the couch, you on top of him. Your heart felt so full, that you didn't want to move. So, you shook your head at his suggestion and kissed him again. His strong arms held you tightly against his body. Your hands were in his hair, trying to pull him closer to you. It was dark outside, so a few candles were lit around you.

"I love you," you murmured. "I truly do."

"I love you too." He smiled at your confession.

"I wish spring never comes..." You sighed and put your head on his chest.

Wonwoo put his hand along your jawline and brought you back up to face him. His eyes were serious, almost stern - instead of intimidating you, it only made you melt further into him.

"Don't mention spring," he said. "Just forget about it for a moment. For me, my love."

"For you? I'll do anything." You grinned and pressed your lips to his again.

The door swung open and your heart sank to the floor at the sound. When you looked up, you met the eyes of your fiancé. His first worried look turned into sadness, which transformed into anger. Eunji came up behind him with a horrified look on her face, somehow it was both disappointed and apologetic. You got off Wonwoo and fell off the couch in the process, Wonwoo sat up and helped you to your feet.

"What is this?" Sungho asked angrily. "Your chambermaid was worried sick about you, and here you are whoring yourself out for my brother!"

"It's not what it looks like, please-" you tried to plea but he interrupted you.

"I invite you into my home, I promise you all the riches in the land, and this is what you do to me?" He gasped.

"Brother, it's not her fault-"

"Oh, so this is your doing?" Sungho scoffed. "You can't have the throne so you decide to steal my future wife?"

"Please, forgive me, my Prince." You got down on your knees in front of him, "I promise you, this will never happen again. I will marry you when spring comes, we can just forget about all of this."

Sungho only looked down at you, with so much hatred in his eyes. He looked between you and Wonwoo, studying the situation. Suddenly, you felt him grab your hair and pull you up to your feet. You could hear Wonwoo's protests behind you, but you tried not to think of it.

"Don't beg for me," he hissed. "I want you to beg him to never come near you again. Show me that you're only loyal to me."

He turned you around to face Wonwoo. His eyes were full of tears and he seemed to be completely speechless. Your bottom lip quivered. What if you had just run away with him? Everything would've been okay now. You could've lived your life out with him in a small cottage in the middle of nowhere, where no one knew who you were.

"Please, never come near me again," you sobbed out, "I don't ever want to see you again."

"Do you hear that brother?" Sungho taunted. "She doesn't want to see you again. So I suggest you pack up and go on a little trip. If you don't want this... mistake to go public, you will leave the castle until the wedding. You will not see her again until we are wed."

Wonwoo didn't break eye contact with you. It felt like his eyes were telling you that it was all okay. That, despite having said a most horrible thing to him, he still loved you and that he understood your situation. He stood up and walked out of the room, bumping into his older brother's shoulder as he did so. Sungho let go of the grip on your hair and you fell to your knees once again.

"Get her to her chambers, maid," he said to Eunji. "I have other business to attend to."

Eunji rushed to your side and held your trembling body in your arms the best she could. She kept on whispering apologies between her cursing about how you could have been so reckless.

"Princess Y/N," Sungho said from the doorway. "I am doing you a favor. Do not forget this, as I will not forget what you have done."

He walked out of the library and slammed the door behind him. As his footsteps faded, you felt your body lose its strength. You could no longer sit, let alone stand. Eunji had to bring in more maids to help carry you to your bed.

Heartbreak comes in many forms, sometimes physical. You were sick in bed for days, not daring to eating a thing. People grew worried, asking how the wedding would take place if the Princess wasn't well. They only thought you had an illness, not that your heart had been broken into a million pieces. So they treated it like any other illness. Only Eunji was allowed to visit you, that is what you had requested. Although you heard voices outside of your room many times. Most of the time it was your mother, and she was usually crying. Eunji tried to reassure everyone that you just needed to rest and that the sickness would leave your body eventually. One night, she was sitting by your bedside and washing your body with a cloth. You hadn't been able to move, which meant you couldn't bathe.

"I'm hungry," you breathed out between chapped lips.

Eunji went into a frenzy as soon as she heard the words. You had pushed away any food that she had brought you, so your hunger was very welcomed. She put you back down against the pillows and put away her rag and bucket.

"What would you like to eat, my Lady?" she asked with happy tears prickling in her eyes.

"Pomegranates," you whispered and looked over to the balcony. "I want pomegranates."

"Oh... then I shall get you pomegranates, my Lady." She hurried out the room and shouted down the corridor about the news.

The people were static, and people from all over brought you pomegranates. It was hard to get ahold of at this time of year, but people managed. If anyone knew what you had done, you wondered if they would be so keen on trying to please you. It didn't matter now. Soon enough, Eunji brought you a platter of pomegranates. They were displayed nicely, why you didn't know. There were a few sliced pomegranates, as well as a few whole ones, but most importantly there was a bowl of only pomegranate seeds.

"Here you go, my Lady." Eunji sat the platter down in front of you.

"Leave," you whispered.

Eunji nodded and quickly gathered herself and left. You stared at the red fruit in front of you. Persephone ate six of the twelve pomegranate seeds she was given and it gave her six months in the Underworld. With a trembling hand, you took the wooden spoon in the bowl and pushed many pomegranate seeds past your lips. It wasn't enough. You put the spoon away and grabbed a handful of pomegranate seeds from the bowl and shoved them into your mouth. The fruit's juices poured down from the corners of your lips, but you did nothing to stop it. You took more of the seeds and kept shoving them down your throat. The noises that came out of you were disgusting. Gasps and gulps and gargles, but it was drowned out by your thoughts. If you ate enough it would give you an eternity with Wonwoo.

The bowl was empty and, with desperate hands, you clawed at the sliced pomegranates. You ate the white meat around it if you couldn't get the seeds out, and when you finished those you tried to open the whole fruits. You were too weak to even try. He had to be by the balcony now, he had to. You pushed the platter away from you and ripped off the bed sheets. Delirious and quivering, you walked over to the balcony and pulled aside the blinds that were covering the glass door. It was day, but he had to be there already. You opened the door and felt the cold wind against your sweaty body. After finally getting out, you leaned over the railing. He was nowhere to be seen. You desperately looked around, feeling warm tears stream down your face. Eventually, your eyes fell on the tree beside the balcony. Small little green buds had started growing on the otherwise brows twigs. Spring is here.

"No..." Your voice was hoarse "No, no, no..."

You walked over to the tree, it's branches hanging over the balcony, and tried to pull all of the buds off, getting your hand cut open on the sharp branches in the process. A sob came out of your throat as you kept repeating that one word. No. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't be spring already. You stumbled back and looked down at your scathing hand. Blood poured out of all the cuts and you felt sick. You hurled forward, blood-red vomit spewing out of you. All of the pomegranates escaped your stomach. They were rejecting you. There was no savior who could help you now. Everything around you went dark as you fell to the stone floors.

When you woke up you were in bed again, and your body felt much lighter. A man you had never seen before was sitting beside you. Eunji, who was sitting on your other side, explained that he was a physician and was treating you for your illness. He had been feeding you liquids to get your strength back, which was why you felt so much better.

"You are allergic to pomegranates," he explained in an emotionless tone. "I'm guessing you've had one before, but because of the large intake you had a much bigger reaction. If you eat just a little it wouldn't be very noticeable, maybe a slight itch."

"How..." You cleared your throat. "How long was I out?"

"A few days." Eunji said. "Since you've been rapidly getting better, preparations for the wedding have started. They want your opinion on a lot of things... but if you would rather not see anyone, you can tell me and I'll deliver the message."

All hope was out. You had given up.

"No... I'll meet them..."

In a matter of weeks, the wedding was upon you. It was the night before, and you were in your bed. Preparing for your wedding had kept you so preoccupied that you hadn't thought of anything else. Therefore, the knock on your balcony door surprised you. When you looked over you met the eyes of Wonwoo, and your heart broke all over again. You pushed aside your blanket and walked over to the door. Wonwoo embraced you as soon as he could, but you didn't reciprocate.

"I've missed you," he whispered.

"When did you get back?" you asked.

"About an hour ago," he replied. "Listen, I know that last time I asked this of you, you declined... but this time I have a plan."

"Are you asking me to run away with you?" you murmured as he pulled away from you.

"Tomorrow night," he said. "There's a boat by the docks, I'm supposed to go alone. We'll be on a different continent."

"You're leaving? Why now?" you cupped his face in his hands.

"My brother convinced my father that I should try being on my own for a while." He sighed. "He gave me a chance to visit another kingdom we have a treaty with. Once we're there, we can go wherever we want - and nobody will know until it's too late."

"... I don't know if I can choose," you admit softly.

You blamed everyone in the story of Persephone and Hades for giving her such a horrible fate, but maybe it wasn't so bad after all. Oh, how you wished for a compromise now.

"The boat leaves tomorrow night." Wonwoo cupped your cheek in his palm. "I won't force you to do anything, and I'm not trying to convince you to go with me... I'm just giving you another chance."

With that, he leaned down and kissed you. It was soft and sweet. You had longed to kiss him again, but still you felt so heartbroken. He whispered goodbye before disappearing into the night, you knew you wouldn't get another chance to see him before the ceremony.

On the day of the wedding, you could help but cry. Out of anger, sadness, and out of uncertainty. Anger because your father left you to take care of his mess all by yourself. Sadness because you didn't love the man you were about to marry. And uncertainty because you had no idea what choices you would make tonight.

People around you comforted you by saying that it was normal to feel nervous on the big day. You asked to be left alone with Eunji, and for her to do the rest of the preparations for you. She was silent as she was dressing you, and she only spoke up when she had started taking care of your hair.

"I feel guilty, my Lady," she said.

"About what?" you said between sniffles.

"About that day in the library." She frowned at you in the mirror. "I truly just thought you had gone missing."

"It's my fault as well," you assured her. "I guess I should have told you."

She laughed and put a comforting hand on your shoulder, you put your hand on top of hers. The two of you looked at each other with warm smiles, like old friends do.

"I would have liked to know," she eventually said.

"And I was dying to tell someone," you admitted. "I'm sorry for not telling you."

"No, no... you did what you thought was best," she argued and after some time added, "... was he good to you, my Lady?"

You turned around in your chair and gave her a mischievous smile. Eunji raised her eyebrows and you nodded. Without speaking a single word, the two of you had told so much. Both of you busted out laughing. Despite the sorrow you felt over everything you had done, there was something so delightful in telling Eunji of your escapades.

"How did you do it?" she asked between giggles.

"He snuck in through the balcony most nights," you admitted. "Oh, and he was so nice... I've never met anyone like him. He's quiet and reserved, but when he does speak he always knows what to say."

"Not to mention, he's very handsome," Eunji added, and the two of you broke out into fits of giggles again.

This is what you wanted your wedding to be. You wanted to be able to giggle about what a handsome and charming man your future husband was. In the midst of your laughter, you broke out crying again.

"Oh, my Lady-" Eunji quickly grabbed tissues from the table. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have spoken about it."

"He asked me to run away with him," you whispered. "Tonight. By boat. We'd go to another country, he said."

"But the wedding-"

"I know, I know!" you whaled. "I don't know what to do!"

"My Lady, I don't know much about love." Eunji crouched down in front of you. "But I can see it on your face, you truly love that man. That is something that no one can take away from you. If you decide to go or not... I won't judge you for it. I just hope you follow your heart. Do what you think is right."

You nodded and took the tissue she offered to wipe away your tears.

The ceremony went fairly quickly. You were lucky you had a veil because you couldn't help but cry once again, even if Eunji had given you a good speech beforehand. Wonwoo was in the crowd, you knew that, but you had no idea where since you didn't dare look. You had made up your mind, or so you thought.

You weren't going to leave with him, not at first at least. During the festivities held afterward, you watched as your now husband held speeches and talked to his peers. He wasn't your person. You knew that, and you were sure that the entire world could see that as well. So, when no one was looking you snuck out into the night. It was already late, and Wonwoo had left an hour earlier. But you just had to take this chance. You couldn't stay with Sungho for the rest of your life.

The white dress turned green and brown from you running through the mud. You had fallen down many times, and you were sure your legs were entirely scratched up. It didn't matter now, you would be with your love forever.

When you reached the docks there was no boat. If you squinted enough, you could see a ship in the distance - it was sailing away from you. You screamed, shouted, yelled, and ran as far as the coast would let you. But to no avail. The boat was gone. Wonwoo was gone. For how long, you didn't know. It was time to accept fate. Betrayed and tired, you made your way back to the castle. You had to ask Eunji for another dress.

Years flew by, and you got along rather well with your husband. You didn't love him, and you never learned to, but you did love the children he gave you. Three children: two boys and the youngest was a girl. They lived in ignorance, along with everyone else in the castle. Only you, Eunji, and Sungho knew of what happened in the past. You tried to forget. But when the King died one night while in his bed, you knew that you had to face your history.

He came by boat, just like he had left. The years had taken a toll on him, but he wasn't any less beautiful. You wanted to embrace him but held yourself back by holding your arms so hard that your nails dug into your flesh. Wonwoo was only there for the funeral, then he would leave again. You tried not to think about it, or to see him as a stranger, but it was much too difficult.

The children loved him. Wonwoo was great with kids, reminding you that there was so much that you hadn't had the chance to find out about him.

After dinner, you excused yourself to go to the garden. The Queen had let you have it, knowing how much you loved to spend your free time there. Even if you hadn't expected it, you were very pleased when Wonwoo had come after you. Without a word, the two of you embraced, hidden by a large tree and the many purple Phlox. It was the middle of summer, so the green leaves obscured you well.

"I've missed you, so much," he breathed out.

"Wonwoo..." You pulled away from him. "I want you to know that I tried to go with you that night. The... the boat had left before I got to it. I was prepared to leave my life here for you... but I can't do that anymore."

"I know... I know, my love." He cupped your cheek in his palm. "It's okay. I'm happy for you. You've done so well."

You put your hand on top of his and leaned into his touch. In the distance, you heard a child shouting for you. Another sigh escaped your lips, and you did your best to hold back the tears that threatened to spill out of the corner of your eye.

"I have to go," you whispered out with a sob stuck in your throat. "But you should know that a day never passes where I don't think of you."

You walked away from him, stopping mid-step when he called your name. You shut your eyes tight, as if it would help you shield yourself from him, and you didn't dare turn around.

"I never married," he admitted. "I haven't been able to move on from you."

His words broke you, and a cry escaped your lips. You didn't turn around, you couldn't turn around now. Instead, you wiped away your tears and followed the voice of your child calling your name.

#seventeen x y/n #seventeen x you #seventeen imagines #seventeen x reader #wonwoo #jeon wonwoo #jeon wonwoo angst #jeon wonu #wonwoo svt #wonwoo scenarios #wonwoo oneshot #seventeen oneshot #wonwoo x reader #wonwoo x y/n #wonu #wonwoo fluff

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idyllic-ghost · 7 days

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title: Make Me pairing: sangyeon x afab!reader genre: smut, fluff, established relationship warnings: sadism/masochism, sir kink, spanking, candle(??) kink, oral (f receiving), brat taming, praise, edging, name calling, unprotected sex (... i forgot to write it in again - but still, be safe), also slight pregnancy scare at the end but not really, also a bit of aftercare talk bc it's important synopsis: you keep thinking back to that one night when sangyeon had been a bit rough with you, and you desperately try to make it happen again wordcount: 5.1k rating: 18+

request: for scorpio we have sangyeon bc uhm yeah :D key-points: scary hot, carnal, hiding their true desire, but you see moments of it, brat taming, dancing/stripping, last time he almost let loose, you want to see it again, you tease him and he gives in and you don’t regret it one bit

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It had been in the back of your mind for days now. Ever since it happened, you couldn't think of anything else whenever you looked at him. Something in you had changed since that day; you desperately needed to see that side of Sangyeon again. You had teased him for an entire day, truly without knowing it. There was something about your legs in that pretty dress of yours that drove him insane. That and the constant touching, sweet kisses, and whenever you had leaned in by his ear and whispered something, lead him to ravage you that night. It had started out as a cute museum date, to an exhibit you had been very excited to see, but you couldn't remember a thing about it because of what happened afterward.

Sangyeon had his moments in the bedroom when he would do or say something completely out of character with his usually kind demeanor. It was never anything big. Sometimes it'd just be dirty talk, other times he would slap your ass if he was taking you from behind before gently massaging the burning skin. Over time you got pretty aware of his domineering attitude, it shined through even during moments outside the bedroom. For example, if you were ever annoying him, usually on purpose, he would give you a stern look that made you stop immediately. It was becoming painfully obvious that the sweet man you had started dating, had a domineering side to him.

But the time that changed the way you looked at him was completely different. After getting back from the museum, he dragged you to the bedroom. He had muttered out a safeword in your ear, "cherry", before ripping off your clothes. With a smile on his face, he watched you squirm under him as he edged you until you were begging to cum.

The next day you asked about it. He was in the kitchen making breakfast, only wearing pajama pants. When his back was turned to you, you could see the scratch marks you had left with your nails. Sangyeon seemed pleased with himself. He was even humming a happy little tune as he made his coffee. But as soon as you asked him about the night before, his face turned red and he could only mumble some bullshit excuse. Because of this, you didn't even dare ask him to try it again. To you, it seemed like a mistake on his part - something he didn't want to repeat. But you wanted, no needed, to experience that again.

A plan was set in place. The day you were at the museum you had riled him up somehow, now you just had to figure out why. He was pretty secretive, and you clearly couldn't just ask him, you had to do some research. For a few days, you would dress up nicer than usual and see what his reaction was to what you were wearing. You were basically having a little fashion show for him each morning, asking what he thought of your outfit. Sangyeon only seemed amused, and never question your intentions. He enjoyed seeing you come out of the bathroom each morning, with a pretty outfit on and a shy smile, asking what he thought. He'd ask you to twirl around, give you his answer, and you mentally noted his reaction.

You found out what you needed to know after a few days. So, one day, when neither of you had anything to do, you asked if he would want to go out for a drive.

"Sure, I'm just going to finish this episode," he said without looking away from the screen.

You were kind of disappointed when he hadn't looked up. The cute floral-print dress you were wearing was new, and something that was seemingly just his taste. It was simple - white with small red roses, and some lace at the edges - but it was just perfect. You had noticed the love-struck look in his eyes whenever you'd put on a sundress, and the way he would ask you to come back to bed if it was on the shorter side.

In the bedroom you had put many candles, ready for you to light to set the mood as soon as you got home. While in there, you grabbed one of his zip-up hoodies to bring with you, Sangyeon always seemed to be particularly delighted when you would wear his clothes. As you walked past him on the couch, the episode he was on was about to roll the credits. You told him you were going out to the car, and when you got there you put the hoodie in the backseat of his car before he could see.

"Why are you so dressed up?" Sangyeon asked with a warm smile.

He embraced you as soon as he saw you standing by the car. You gave him an innocent smile, saying something about just wanting to look pretty for the date, before getting into the car.

When in the car, you cranked up the AC immediately. It was hot outside, so it wasn't weird for you to want it on, but soon after you started getting goosebumps. Sangyeon was focused on driving, but his attention shifted when you started reaching for the shirt in the backseat. Your bare legs rubbed together, and he got the urge to put his hand on your thigh but decided against it. At his lack of action, you pushed forward a bit more. Your chest was pressed up against his bicep, and your hardened nipples were rubbing against his skin. He was suddenly made painfully aware of the fact that you weren't wearing a bra under the dress. Before he could do or say anything about it, you pulled back. Sangyeon was about to put his hand on your thigh when you put his hoodie over your legs, covering up the view he had been ogling at before.

"Are you cold?" he asked as he anxiously thrummed his fingers against the steering wheel.

"Just a little bit." You shrugged, pretending like you had no idea what you were doing to him. "It's alright, though. We can keep the AC on."

Sangyeon pursed his lips and took a deep breath, bringing his attention back to the road. The city was bustling with people, but you couldn't bring yourself to stop looking at his furrowed brow. You were already getting on his nerves. People usually didn't like being annoying, but there was something so thrilling about provoking him.

The rest of the early afternoon was spent driving around the city. You stopped by a café, where you insisted that you should pay for the coffee since he had paid for the date before. While ordering, Sangyeon sat down at one of the tables, and you were being a bit too friendly with the barista. It was only because he was watching. So you giggled and brushed your hair behind your ear, putting on a show for Sangyeon. When you got to the table his ears were as red as tomatoes and he had a sour look on his face. You sat down in front of him and leaned forward, exposing your cleavage to him with an innocent smile.

"Is everything okay, baby?" you asked and leaned your chin in your palm.

He opened his mouth to say something but shut it immediately. While still looking like a pure angel, your foot was brushing up against his leg. Sangyeon gave you a look that you could only assume was a combination of flustered and confused. It looked like he was about to comment on it, but the barista came with your drinks and interrupted him. You thanked the worker sweetly and then turned back to Sangyeon to start a new conversation about the good coffee they have at the café.

The date continued, and you asked Sangyeon to go shopping. Of course, he pointed out that you had already recently bought clothes. But you brushed it off saying that you just needed new underwear. You made him follow you around the store while you picked up the sexiest lingerie you could find to show him. He was trying to be supportive, he really was, but it was impossible when you kept holding up the pieces and asking him if it'd look good on you - basically inviting him to picture you half naked.

"You can't do this online?" He cleared his throat.

"I like to look at them in person first, just to see if they're what I actually want." You turned to him with a mischievous smile. "They need to be perfect, I'm going to wear them for you after all."

His eyes widened and you continued to look through the clothing items. There was a sheer and lacy slip dress hanging beside you. As soon as you saw it you picked it up.

"Would you like me to wear this for you, sir?" you asked, recalling what he had asked you to call him by that night.

"Y/N, what do you think you're doing?" he asked sternly.

Your bottom lip slipped between your teeth as you looked around. The store was already pretty empty, but the section you were in was even more secluded. You got closer to him, pretending to brush something off his shirt before you looked up at him with doe eyes - keeping your hand on his chest.

"I'm just trying to be nice." You smiled. "What? Don't you like the dress? Or would you just prefer me being completely naked, sir?"

Before you could even process what was happening, he had grabbed your wrist and pulled it away from him. There was a new look in his eyes, and you absolutely loved it.

"If you're going to act like a brat, I'll treat you like a fucking brat," he muttered. "Go get in the car, I'll buy this for you."

"Even when you're trying to be intimidating you're still treating me so well." You giggled, handing the dress to him to purchase for you.

"Don't push it." He took the dress from you, still holding your gaze with a fiery passion.

"Thank you, sir," you hummed and pressed a kiss to his cheek before walking out of the store.

The drive home was quick and short. Neither of you bothered with small talk. Your hands were gripping the bag with your dress tightly, trying to conceal your excitement. When you reached the apartment, Sangyeon didn't get out.

"I'll give you five minutes to go up, put that thing on, and get on the bed." He looked over at you. "If I come up there and you haven't done what I ask, I'll just have to punish you even more."

You nodded and stepped out of the car, bag still in hand. Before you could close the car door, Sangyeon stopped you with a suddenly much sweeter look in his eye.

"Safeword is still cherry, okay baby?" he said.

"Got it." You grinned and closed the door.

As soon as you got into the apartment you basically ripped your clothes off and put on the sheer slip. The lace accentuated your bust, as well as lining the bottom of the dress which ended right below your ass. The pink lacy underwear you had on fit perfectly with the white fabric of the dress. You didn't waste much time in front of the mirror and instead got to light the candles in the room. A part of you thought it was a bit silly, but you had committed to it so it was happening. The candles were lit and the lights were turned off. Just then, you heard the front door click open, then shut and lock. With a squeal of delight, you climbed onto the fluffy sheets of the bed and made yourself comfortable.

"I'm ready for you baby," you spoke as you heard him approach the door.

"I thought we agreed it was sir from now on." Sangyeon walked through the door as he was pulling his belt out of the belt loops on his pants. "Sit against the headboard for me, love."

Without hesitation, you got up and leaned your back against the headboard. Sangyeon sat down on the side of the bed, gently caressing your calf. His eyes never met yours, but a small smile played on his lips. You could tell he was thinking about what to do next. But thinking wasn't enough for you. He needed to do something and he needed to do it now.

"I'm basically half naked in bed for you and all you do is touch my leg?" You huffed and crossed your arms over your chest.

He paused, his hand stopping any movements. The look he gave you made you shiver. Eyes as dark as coal and glimmering with, what you could only assume, images of the many different things he could do to you. He licked his lips and looked back at your leg, his hand began to move again - up, up, up.

"You just keep surprising me..." He sighed. "I was going to go easy on you, you know. Maybe you need a stronger punishment if you're going to keep talking like that."

You didn't respond, only scoffed and looked away from him. Sangyeon put his hand on your thigh, grabbing it tight as he pulled you toward him.

"You're going to get on my lap, and I'm going to spank you," he said plainly. "I think fifteen should be enough for you to learn your lesson."

He manhandled you to lay across his lap, giving you little to say about the matter. A quick and hard slap landed on your ass, and you gasped in surprise. Sangyeon's hand carefully rubbed over the blossoming skin.

"Baby, I need you to count each one. Can you do that for me?" he asked. "Or are you still going to act like a brat?"

"I can count," you spat out.

"Good girl," he praised but then grabbed your jaw tightly to turn your face to him. "But you forgot something."

"I can count, sir," you muttered.

"Since you're being so good for me now, I'll count the first slap into your punishment." He grinned and let go of your jaw.

"Thank you, sir.", you muttered.

A hard slap, as quick as lightning, fell down on you again. A whimper escaped your lips, followed by a slurred "two". He hit you again and again on the same spot until you were drooling. And as you counted to eleven, his fingers started trailing down to your already soaked cunt. Your panties had been thrown to the side by slap seven, leaving nothing between his fingers and where you needed them most. Sangyeon cooed as he spread your slick around with his middle and ring finger, prodding at your entrance. You whined out, wriggling your hips in the air to try to make him do something.

"Do you want my fingers inside you?" he asked with faux sympathy laced in his voice. "Are you feeling a bit needy, baby?"

"Yes, sir." You sighed as his fingers slowly started pushing inside of you. "... want your fingers so bad, sir."

"We still have four spanks left, honey," he said as he started pumping his fingers in and out of you. "Can you keep track of them even when I'm fucking you?"

"Yes, please, I need it..." you whimpered.

He didn't answer, he only kept pumping his finger inside of you. The room was filling up with the sloppy sounds of your wet pussy and your whimpering. And then, with his other hand, he slapped you again.

"Twelve...", you stammered out.

He sped up the pace of his fingers and slapped you again.

"Thir... teen.", you gritted out between moans, "Oh my god, that feels so good- please don't stop!"

Sangyeon heard your plea and continued, curling his fingers inside you to hit your g-spot. Then another spank.

"Fourteen!", you gasped, "Fuck! I think I'm gonna cum..."

Yet another slap. You were drooling. You barely knew that he had just slapped you - you said nothing. Sangyeon pulled his fingers out of you. A string of curses and whines fell from your lips until Sangyeon grabbed your jaw again.

"Open your fucking mouth.", he spat.

You opened your mouth and he shoved the fingers that had been inside you before beyond your lips. A few muffled moans poured from your tongue as you tasted yourself.

"You forgot this was a punishment, hm?" he said. "You were so close, baby... you just got too greedy. Now we're going to have to do this all over again, do you hear me?"

You hummed and nodded the best you could, still sucking on his fingers. He pulled his hand away from you, and your lips let go of his digits with a pop.

"Count again," he said and landed another slap on your reddened ass.

The belt that Sangyeon had worn all day was tied around your wrists and stuck on the headboard. You couldn't move your arms at all. Sangyeon's head was between your thighs, eating you out like he had been starved for days. You didn't know for how long you had been there, but you were painfully aware that he hadn't made you cum once. As you approached your orgasm for the fifth time your legs started to shake and your thighs tried to close around your boyfriend's head. He immediately pulled away from you and slapped the inside of your thigh.

"I told you to tell me if you were about to cum," he said.

His face was wet and shiny from your juices, his pupils blown out completely. There was something fiery in his eyes, something that told you that you would be here for much longer.

"I'm sorry..." you whined and wriggled your hips. "Please... need to cum..."

"You should have thought about that before teasing me all day," he said and started rubbing your clit with his fingers. "Or flirt with that barista - do you think he could make you feel this way? Do you think he could make you beg like this?"

"No sir..." You moaned as his pace increased. "I'm sorry."

"Are you sorry for being a brat or because you can't cum?" he hummed and brought his lips down to your pussy again.

"Ah! I'm sorry for being a brat!" You gasped from the overstimulation as he sucked your clit between his lips. "I'll be a good girl- I'll be your good girl, please I need to cum..."

"How many times do you want to cum, princess?" he stopped touching you completely, taking away whatever remnant of an orgasm that was in you.

"As many as you want! Please just touch me!" you sobbed and tried to grind your hips up.

Tears rolled down your cheeks out of frustration. He reached up and wiped one of them away with the fingers he had used to rub your clit. He brought them to your mouth and pushed his fingers past your lips again.

"Don't cry, baby," he cooed as you sucked on his digits. "You'll get what you want."

"Thank you, sir..." you mumbled as he bent down to your core again.

But then his eyes flickered to something beside you. The bedside table. You looked over at whatever could be taking his attention away from you. A candle. Your eyes widened as he reached for it and blew out the light. You started whining again, trying to get his attention by restraining against your handmade cuffs.

"Stop squirming," he said and smiled. "You'll get what you want... I'm just going to try something new first."

You watched as he inspected the melted wax, and you knew what he was about to do. To your own surprise, it sent a wave of heat down to your core. A moan escaped your lips as he started tipping the jar, anticipating what would happen next.

"Do you want this?" he asked and you nodded.

The jar tipped over, just enough for a few drops to spill on your stomach. A burning sensation hit your skin and you let out a whimper.

"More," you breathed out.

"More?" he asked with a big grin.

"Please, sir." You nodded.

He dripped more wax onto your body. Strings of red wax coated your stomach and chest. Each hit of the wax made you whimper and squirm. It was only a light pain, tickling something within you that you didn't realize was there. It only burnt you for a moment, then it settled into a hardened form over your skin - leaving a slightly stinging but warm sensation. But it didn't make you forget about the ache between your legs.

"I want to cum," you said as he pulled back the jar again.

His big hands grazed your stomach, where the wax had now dried up. Some of it peeled off as he brushed his fingers against it. A mesmerizing look was sparkling in his eyes. The sound of you straining against your handcuffs brought him back to now.

"Do you deserve it?" he asked, his voice laced with admiration.

"I've been good." You nodded.

Sangyeon hummed, seemingly out of it since he had poured the wax on you. His eyes were big, and he was trying to hold back his smile by biting his bottom lip. A giggle fell from your lips, gaining his attention again. The cute smile on your lips contrasted with the mascara running down your cheeks and the completely fucked-out look in your eyes. Sangyeon put back the candle, and you watched as the muscles stretched with his movements. He stifled a laugh before he bent down in front of your core again.

"Yeah, you've been so good," he said and pressed a few reassuring kisses to your thighs.

The warm feeling of his tongue on you blessed you once again. You took a deep breath and relaxed, letting him do whatever he wanted to you. As you looked down at him, you met his eyes. The same wicked look from before was back, and it made you tense up in anticipation. His strong arms were wrapped around your legs, holding you in place no matter how hard you tried to move. You could nothing but accept the pleasure he was giving you. And as you came, you almost screamed out his name. Even with his arms wrapped around you, you couldn't stop shaking. Your eyes rolled back into your head and you saw stars. He kept his tongue on you, letting you ride out your high. With a clouded mind, all you could think of was the pleasure, and you didn't even realize you were repeating "thank you's" over and over again.

"Come back down for me, love." Sangyeon's hand rubbed your stomach gently, bringing you back to reality.

A laugh bubbled up from the pit of your stomach. You threw your head back and sighed, barely noticing when Sangyeon took your still cuffed hands off the headboard.

"Can you take another one?" he asked as he flipped you to sit on top of him.

A whine escaped your lips as his hard cock brushed against your sensitive clit when he sat you down on his lap. You leaned your head into the crook of his neck, nodding against his skin.

"I need words, baby." He patted your back.

"I can take more, sir." You breathed out.

"So good for me." He pressed a kiss to your lips. "Are you gonna ride me, hm?"

You hummed and put your cuffed hands on his chest. With your puppy-dog eyes gazing oh so lovingly at him, he couldn't deny you anything. Sangyeon reached for your wrists and loosened the belt enough for you to slip your hands out. The skin was slightly bruised around your wrists, and Sangyeon immediately pressed a few kisses to your wrists and hands. A sigh of relief left your lips, catching his attention.

"Are you ready?" he asked as he put your hands on his shoulder.

"Yeah." You moaned when he dragged his head along your folds.

The room filled with groans as you sank down onto his hard length. Sangyeons hands were on your hips, guiding them to grind down on him. There was no way you could move by yourself, not after what you had just done. As your nails dug into his shoulders, he built up a rhythm of thrusting up into you. It was slow and intimate.

"I'll take care of you, just relax for me, honey," he hummed in your ear. "Let go for me."

Whatever control you had left in you was lost as you slumped against him. Sangyeon put your back down on the bed carefully, so that he could thrust into you easily. Sweat was coating his forehead as he leaned over you, his arms on either side of your head. With a weak hand, you brushed out the hair from his eyes and let your fingers run through his locks. Feeling his skin against your hands again felt like drinking a cold glass of water on a hot summer day. You couldn't say a word. Gasps and whimpers poured out of you as Sangyeon continued his slow pace. It was torturous.

"You feel so good around me..." He sighed and leaned his head into the crook of your neck, kissing the sweaty skin there.

This wasn't enough. You needed more. But as soon as you started grinding your hips up to meet his, just to speed things up a little bit, he stopped completely.

"Already getting greedy again?" he huffed and rested his forehead on yours. "You were being so good to me before, but now you can't even wait a few seconds? Here I thought you had learned your lesson."

The corners of your mouth lifted up into a toothy grin, which you could only assume looked absolutely insane. You were really starting to enjoy teasing him.

"I need more," you whispered, your voice hoarse from how loud you had been just a few moments ago.

"Yeah? Want me to fuck you until you can't walk?" he asked and you nodded. "Then you better shut your mouth and take my cock like a good girl."

His thrusts became erratic, hitting just the right spots with each quick and hard move. Your moans grew louder, and his head fell down right by your ear where he let out the lewdest whines and groans you had ever heard from him. With each jab, you felt like your body was on fire. As you neared your second orgasm, your nails dug into his back.

"I'm... about to cum," you panted out.

"Cum all over my cock like the good little slut you are," he murmured in your ear.

At his taunting command, you reached your climax. With you clenching around him, he couldn't hold it for much longer. In the heat of the moment, he came inside of you and fell down on the bed. His chest heaved as he threw his head back beside you, coming down from his own high. You felt like you were flying, a lazy smile painted on your lips as you turned to him.

"Was that okay?" he asked and wrapped his arms around you "I wasn't too rough?"

"It was great..." You sighed and cupped his face in your palm. "I didn't even know I could feel like that... I'm glad I started teasing you."

"I am too, to be honest with you." He smiled. "But we should still talk about what happened."

"Soon..." you hushed him. "I just want to lay here for a while..."

"Whatever you want, princess," he said, back to his normal sweet self.

Sangyeon closed his eyes. You studied his face closely as you started to calm down. As you came to, you realized that he hadn't pulled out in time - or at all.

"Sangyeon..." you whispered, "Did you not pull out?"

His previously closed eyes shot open, fear painted all over his face. He looked down at you and started swearing. You put your hand on his, surprised to see that he seemed even more worried than you.

"It's okay, I can go get plan B," you said.

"No, I'll go get it for you... shit, I'm so sorry." He groaned. "You know what? I'll go draw you a bath and then I'll uh... I'll go get one of those pills for you..."

"Thank you," you said.

Sangyeon carried you to the bathroom and drew you a bath to just the right temperature. As soon as he had made sure you were comfortable and had all you needed, he kissed you goodbye and practically ran out of the apartment to go get your pill.

When he got back you had already gotten out of the tub and wrapped up in a towel. When his eyes landed on you, he felt instantly calmer. He looked like a mess, his clothes hastily put on and his hair standing in all kinds of ways. You smiled at him as he rushed toward you.

"Hi." He breathed out. "I got you the pill... and a pregnancy test just in case."

"Thank you..." You chuckled and accepted the plastic bag.

He paused to look at you, his smile growing at the sight of you. Just like the first time you kissed, you felt butterflies swarm your stomach. You loved him. You really really loved him.

"Did the uh... did the wax leave a mark or anything?" he asked.

"It's a bit red at some places..." You shrugged. "I think it's a bit nice, actually."

He let out a breathy laugh, surprised that you had managed to hide this side of you from him for so long. You looked into the bag and took out the pill.

"I just want you to know" He grabbed your hand. "I didn't freak out because I don't want to have a baby with you, alright?"

"Well, yeah... I didn't think that. It was just a pregnancy scare."

"Right, right..." He nodded. "I just didn't want you to worry about it because I really love you... a lot. And I'm not opposed to a baby, in the future at least."

"Do you want to have this conversation right now?" you asked with a playful smile.

"Not really, no..." he admitted.

The way his personality just switched from domineering to sweet made your heart flutter. He was nervous and it showed - he was just a mess. But he was your mess.

"Well, thank you for assuring me," you said and leaned toward him to kiss his cheek. "I'm going to go take this now."

When you came back to the bedroom Sangyeon was already under the duvet. A pile of clothes was on the end of the bed, waiting for you. Your boyfriend gave you a soft smile and pulled aside the covers for you to get in. After thanking him and putting on your clothes, you crawled into bed beside him. The sheets were new, and you relished in the feeling against your skin.

"Should we talk about what happened now?" He turned to you.

"I guess we should." You nodded. "... I really liked it."

"That's it?" He chuckled.

"Well... what else do you want to know?"

"Maybe why you did it?" he asked and pulled you a bit closer. "I wasn't expecting you to act like that."

"I was curious.", you admitted, "Ever since after our museum date... I just didn't know that you could act like that and I wanted to see it again."

"And you liked the outcome?" he asked and you nodded. "And the candle thing wasn't too much?"

"Honestly? I think there could have been more of that." You giggled. "It was really nice."

"I was a bit worried you'd be freaked out about it," he said. "... I really liked it too."

"I could tell." You pressed a kiss to his lips. "If you're interested... I saw an ad for candles that turn into a lotion when you rub it into the skin."

His eyebrows raised slightly and his eyes shifted away from you, picturing it in front of him. When his eyes met yours again he pulled you in even closer, your chests touching. He placed a few chaste kisses on your cheek.

"So you want to do this again?" he muttered against your skin, his lips trailing down your neck.

"Of course." You breathed out. "Can we?"

Sangyeon pulled away from you to look you in your eyes, the familiar look from before hidden deep in his gaze.

"Only if you can be a good girl for me," he whispered.

"I can't make any promises," you taunted, pressing another kiss on his lips.

#the boyz x reader #kpop #kpop fanfiction #kpop fanfic #kpop writer #fanfic #the boyz #tbz #the boyz drabbles #sangyeon scenarios #the boyz imagines #sangyeon #the boyz fluff #tbz sangyeon #sangyeon x reader #sangyeon the boyz #the boyz smut #the boyz x you #sangyeon smut

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idyllic-ghost · 10 days

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title: First Time pairing: dino x inexperienced!afab!reader genre: established relationship, smut, fluff warnings: smut (MDNI), readers first time having sex, p in v sex, fingering, oral (f receiving), nicknames (sweetheart, baby, princess), mentions of feeling inadequate bc of inexperience synopsis: You have never been in a serious relationship before, and Chan has been treading lightly around the topic of sex because of it. The only problem is, you're desperate to have your first time with him already. wordcount: 3.6k taglist: @enhacolor, @shuabby1994, @junhui-recs, @dkakapizzaboy, @just-here-to-read-01, @loviehan, @userjunhuii, @novalpha, @bubblymoon, @aaniag, @d0nghyuck, @fantasy2wonderland, @seunghancore, @woozixo, @niktwazny303, @lllucere, @uniq-tastic, @wonwoospartyhat, @stariightjoyy, @hyneyedfiz, @cali-snow, @pearlygraysky, @crazywittysassy, @yeosayang rating: 18+

request: back at it again with a horny request.. Losing your virginity to Chan..?

a/n: i said it would be a short blurb but i got carried away...

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You were on the couch with your boyfriend, Chan, watching a movie. The apartment was quiet, except for the noises from the TV screen... and, of course, your thoughts. For almost a year you had been together with Chan. He was your first serious boyfriend, and the first person that you had ever considered having sex with... and right now you were definitely considering it. He was sitting beside you in a white, loose, tank top, and black sweatpants - successfully showing off his toned arms and not leaving much else to the imagination. Your legs were swung over his lap, and he was drawing small circles on your thighs with his fingers. His eyes were on the movie, and from time to time he would lick his lips or run his fingers through his hair. All of these small details drove you insane. The skin where Chan had his hand over was burning, the feeling spreading to your lower stomach. Your boyfriend was unaware of your struggles, until you started squirming in his lap. After feeling you moving, Chan noticed you staring and slowly turned his head towards you - and eventually pulled his eyes away from the screen again.

"Are you okay, Y/N?" he asked softly, his voice barely over a whisper. "Do you want to switch the movie?"

"No, no... the movie's fine," you said, still looking at him.

"... but you're not even watching it." He chuckled.

"Ah... Sorry..." You forced yourself to turn your attention towards the screen. "I was just getting a bit distracted."

"You have nothing to apologize for, we can watch another movie if you don't like this one." He shrugged and paused the movie, forcing you to look at him again.

Even though it felt like it was on purpose, you knew that it wasn't. One very annoying thing about Chan is that he couldn't take a hint. For the past few weeks, you had been trying to talk to him about having sex by dropping hints everywhere. He wouldn't take any of it - he couldn't see it. Now that the movie was turned off, the only sound was your thoughts buzzing around in your head. You thought of how good his arms looked, what he would look like without his shirt on, how it would feel to kiss him right now... or more importantly, what his lips would feel like on other parts of your body.

"Y/N?" Chan waved his hand in your face and snapped you out of your thoughts. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" you squeaked as Chan put his hand back on your thigh.

"Are you sure?" He chuckled again, apparently finding your torture amusing. "Your face is red."

"I'm fine, Chan." You huffed and pulled your knees up to your chest, secretly squeezing your legs together for some friction.

"Noo, not my blanket." He laughed and tried to pull your legs back over his lap, still unaware of your predicament.

"Just get your own blanket, stop using my legs," you said and turned your face away from him.

At this, his demeanor changed. You weren't trying to make him feel bad, but you desperately needed to get away from him. Otherwise, you would give yourself away.

"Y/N... are you mad at me?"

"I don't know... maybe a little."

"Why?"

"Because you won't see all of the hints I'm dropping!" you exclaimed.

"... hints?"

You stared at Chan again, now in horror of what you had said. Were you really that horny that you just yelled at your very lovely boyfriend? And how were you going to get out of this very awkward position that you put yourself in?

"Y/N, what hints?" Chan pressed on.

"I just..." You looked down at your hands. "... I wanted to know if you would ever... do stuff with me..."

"Do stuff with you?" Chan was confused, although slightly amused, at your sudden shy approach.

"Yeah... like... we've kissed a lot but..."

"Oh. That." Chan's cheeks started getting red. "You haven't done it before, have you?"

You shook your head. Chan breathed in sharply, his ears started turning red now too. The two of you had never talked about it, but you had, of course, mentioned to him that he was your first serious boyfriend.

"And you want me to be your first?" he asked softly, almost adoringly.

You could only nod, you were too embarrassed to say anything - you couldn't even look at him. However, you could feel his eyes on you - burning into your skin.

"... and you want to do that now?" His question made you finally look back up at him.

"... yes." You nodded.

"Okay... okay." Chan took a deep breath. "Are you sure you don't want to wait? You won't regret it if we do it now?"

"I have waited already," you assured him with a slight whine in your voice. "Please, just show me how..."

Chan wanted to applaud himself for keeping his composure because he was just about bursting at the seams. He couldn't lie and say that he hadn't been waiting for this, he just didn't think that it'd be now. He had wanted you to initiate it, to take the first step when you felt comfortable... it was like his dreams were coming true. He looked at you, with your pleading eyes, and the only thing he could think of was how much he loved you.

"Let's take it slow, okay?" he said. "... do you want to start sitting in my lap?"

You did as he said, and straddled his lap. This you had done before - the two of you had frequent make-out sessions, but it would never lead to more. It was one of the reasons for your sudden need for more of his affection. Whenever the two of you would kiss like that, he'd always have to go away to the bathroom afterwards - and although you'd never admit it, you had heard him from the other side of the door before. You felt the butterflies in your stomach as you thought that this time it would actually lead to more, and that he'd let you pleasure him.

"Just relax... and do as we normally do, okay?" he said and you nodded.

His hands were on your hips, and yours were cupping his face. He gave you a chaste kiss, and smiled before diving into your lips again. Your hands moved from his face to rest on his shoulders. As you adjusted yourself, you accidentally graced his crotch and he let out a soft moan against your lips. You quickly pulled away from him, scared that you had done something wrong.

"Sorry!" you squeaked.

"No, no... it's okay." He smiled kindly. "It's fine if you do that... maybe we should go to bed though."

His words made your stomach stir again, and you eagerly nodded. You stood up, trying your best to stable yourself as your head was spinning. After getting up from the couch, Chan quickly led you to the bedroom - there he sat down on the edge of the bed and told you to sit down on his lap again. As soon as you did, his lips were back on yours. Your fingers tangled themselves in his hair, and you could feel Chan smile against your lips. Despite your protests, he pulled away from you. He had an unsure look in his eyes, that immediately made you want to take away all of his worries.

"Have you ever masturbated before?" he asked carefully.

Your face started burning, and you hoped that Chan couldn't feel the warmth that had flooded to your face. With widened eyes, you opened your mouth to say something but quickly closed it again.

"I just need to know what you know, baby, I don't judge." He chuckled and pecked your lips.

"I have... but not a lot," you muttered.

"Alright... can I try something then?" he asked.

You were lying down with your back against his bed and your head among his soft pillows. Chan had helped you take off your shirt and your pants, so you were now only in your underwear in front of him. Your hands covered as much of your exposed skin as you could, and he didn't try to pry them away.

"You look really pretty, you know..." Chan was on top of you, with his arms on either side of your head. "I understand that it can be uncomfortable, but I promise you that I find every inch of you beautiful."

Your muscles relaxed a little at his word. Although you didn't completely expose yourself to him, you were a little less stressed about it. Besides, it wasn't like you were the only one naked. His shirt was off, and you had an inkling that his pants would be stripped of his body at any second now.

"I'm just going to touch you with my hand, okay?" he said and pressed a soft kiss to your cheek.

You nodded and watched as his fingers traveled down your abdomen and to where you needed him most. Chan's hand cupped over your pussy, his palm gently rubbing small circles over the thin material of your panties. It had been so long since you had felt any relief, and this small act alone had you sighing and whining. His other hand was comfortingly stroking your side.

"Feels good?" Chan asked, as if it wasn't obvious.

"Yes." You breathed out as Chan's hand inched closer to your bra.

"Can I take this off?" He played with the hem of your bra, and you nodded.

Chan lifted your upper body up, and you leaned on your elbows to give him easier access. He took off your bra, and you suddenly felt the need to cover yourself again.

"Is it okay if I touch you here?" he asked.

You hummed and watched as he started to gently caress your breasts. Your breath hitched in your throat, and you saw Chan break into a small smile when you did. His hands were calloused and rough, but they moved gently against your delicate skin.

"Can I take these off too?" he asked and felt the fabric of your underwear.

"I just..." You paused, your mind may be clouded but there was still a feeling of worry lingering in you.

"We don't have to keep going, we can wait," he assured you.

"No, it's not that... I just... how do I know if I'm good at this?" Saying your worry out loud felt stupid, although Chan's expression stayed kind.

"You don't until you try," he said with a warm smile. "And don't worry, I'll teach you everything you need to know."

His promise was sent right down to your core - excitement filled your veins at the thought of everything he might do to you. You nodded, and gently lifted your hips for him to take your underwear off. The cold air surprised you, and when you gasped you quickly put your hand over your mouth.

"You don't need to cover up your noises, sweetheart," he said softly and took away your hand.

Chan started gently playing with your folds, and you couldn't help but whimper. You saw how he started smiling at your little noises, how he enjoyed them, and you made a silent promise to never try to cover up your noises again. His fingers spread your slick over your pussy, never touching your clit or pushing past your walls.

"You're wet..." he commented with a proud smile. "Y/N, have you fingered yourself before?"

His lewd question, asked so casually, made you squirm. Chan firmly pressed down on your hips to stop them from moving. His gaze stayed serious, yet somewhat playful, forcing your answer to come out from behind your lips.

"No..." you answered quietly.

"Right..." Chan nodded. "Just tell me if you want to stop, okay? It doesn't matter when, I'll stop whenever you want to."

You nodded, and he slowly inserted his middle finger into you. You gasped out at the thickness of his finger, the feeling of having something inside you was strange - but it filled you up so nicely, making your head spin. If you couldn't handle his finger, how were you supposed to handle his dick? You gripped onto his bicep, making Chan look over at you with worry.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine... it just feels weird."

"That's okay, baby. Can I move?" he asked, and you nodded.

Chan started to move his finger in and out of you, curling it upwards inside of you. You kept letting out soft whimpers until he started pressing his thumb against your clit - you let out a quiet moan. Chan looked like he was proud, and kept going at a slow pace.

"Chan..." you mewled out. "... could you... add... another finger?"

"Of course, baby," he murmured.

Chan added his ring finger and gently pushed the two fingers inside of you. This time, you let out a big moan - making you slap a hand over your mouth again out of pure surprise.

"Don't," Chan said, making you pull away your hand from your face.

His sudden dominant demeanor was unlike anything you had ever seen from Chan before, and it made you clench around his fingers. With slow and secure movements, Chan pushed in and out of you - curling his fingers to hit the gummy spot inside you that made you see stars.

"Chan..." You panted. "Faster."

He obliged and started a faster pace. Chan leaned down to your face and kissed your lips softly. You gently grabbed his face to bring him in for another one.

"It feels really good," you muttered against his lips.

Chan responded by starting to kiss down your jawline, to your neck, down your breasts, leaving a few fleeting kisses on your stomach - before finally reaching the heat between your thighs. Without stopping the fast pace of his fingers, he started lapping at your clit. You felt like you would explode, but it was nothing compared to when he started sucking on it.

"Chan!", you exclaimed, "I think I'm gonna-"

"Cum for me, princess..." he muttered against your core, the vibrations sending you over the edge.

As you came down from your high, Chan kept his fingers inside you and his palm pressed against your clit to let you ride out your orgasm. You felt like you were losing your mind, the thought of Chan consuming your mind and leaving nothing else. When you finally came to, you looked at him with amazement in your eyes.

"I've never felt like that before." You panted. "You're amazing."

You took his face in your hands, bringing him in for a chaste kiss. You could taste yourself on his lips, and Chan smiled as you whined at the sensation. He pulled away, only an inch, and kept his eyes closed.

"Are you alright? It wasn't too much?" he murmured against your lips.

"Not at all."

It was the opposite - you hadn't gotten enough, your body buzzing for more. Chan pulled away from you fully, leaving you feeling cold. You couldn't complain, though, as you got a wonderful view when he stepped away.

"Good." He got up from the bed, licking off your orgasm from his fingers as he opened the drawer to the bedside table.

"What are you getting?" you asked with a curious smile.

"A condom..." he said and pulled out the tiny plastic square, "If you still wanna do this, it's best if we use one of these."

He paused and looked over at you. You were sitting at the edge of the bed now, hair a mess, and your face glowing. Chan thought that you had never looked more beautiful - had you always looked this angelic? He got closer to you, sitting down on the bed again and cupped your cheek in his palm.

"You do still want to do this, right?" he asked.

"Only if you want-"

"Y/N, there isn't a fiber in my being that doesn't want to fuck you right now. I'm asking what you want, okay?" he said sternly.

"... I want to." you said. "I want you to be my first."

You didn't have to say another word before his lips were on yours again. Without breaking the kiss, you helped him get his pants off and he helped you move into the middle of the bed. When he took off his underwear you watched as his dick slapped against his abdomen. He was rock hard... and very large. Considering how you had reacted to only his fingers, you were now a little nervous. Was it going to fit? The rustling of the plastic took your attention away from his cock. You looked up at his face. His hair was a little messy, and his pupils were blown wide. Maybe you were horny enough to forget your nerves... You watched as he tore open the condom packet with his teeth. After putting the condom on he looked back at you.

"Are you nervous?" he asked.

It confused you as to how he was so comfortable and confident in his own body, that he could get completely undressed in front of you without a second thought. You started thinking about the other people he had already been with, and if they were much better than you.

"I'm just worried that I won't be good at it..." you said and then quickly glanced at his dick again. "... and that you're gonna be too big."

Chan started laughing at your comment, as he positioned himself above you again. You whined at his laughter, hiding your face behind your hands. The man on top of you tried to stop his laughter, and pried your hands away from your face.

"Sorry, sweetheart... it's okay to be worried." He stifled his laugh the best he could. "I'll go super slow, get you used to it, okay? And as for you not being good at it... well, that's a matter of how good I teach you, yeah?"

You nodded and watched as he positioned his dick in front of your entrance. Your breath hitched in your throat as he gently pushed against it, not pushing past your entrance just yet.

"And you're still sure, Y/N?" he asked.

"Yes..."

"Don't do this because I want to, okay?"

"I'm not," you promised him.

He took one of your hands and held it tightly. With his other hand, he carefully guided himself inside of you. There was a slight sting, but it was overwhelmed with the amount of pleasure you felt. A soft sigh came out of Chan's mouth as he bottomed out. It slid inside of you rather easily, and it made you feel so full. His fingers were good, but you couldn't compare them to the feeling of his cock.

"You okay?" Chan asked.

"Yes..." you moaned out. "... you're just... big."

"Ah... you're gonna give me hubris, Y/N..." He chuckled. "Tell me when you want me to move, okay?"

You nodded and kept on breathing. You took note that Chan's hand was still in yours, squeezing it from time to time. You looked up at him, and he was staring back down at you with loving eyes.

"Can I kiss you again?" you mumbled.

Chan didn't answer, he only leaned down and connected his lips with yours. Your lips moved against each other in a steady rhythm, and it calmed your nerves - enough for you to fully relax and for the stinging feeling to go away completely.

"You can move now..." you muttered against his lips.

Slowly but surely, Chan started moving. Your breath hitched in your throat again. All of your moans were muffled by Chan's lips still being against yours. He kept this slow pace for a while, and it felt like heaven... but you started to want more.

"Chan..." you whispered.

"Mhm? Are you doing okay?" He was panting.

"I want more..." You moaned as he suddenly hit a spot in you that made you feel so, so good.

Chan increased in his pacing, and your moans grew louder. Your hands traveled up his chest and to his back. He kept hitting that same spot over and over again, and you were losing your mind in pleasure. You didn't even realize that you were clawing at his back.

"Chan, please don't stop...", you managed to get out.

"Are you gonna cum, baby?" he asked, and you nodded frantically. "Then cum for me..."

You felt the pressure in your lower stomach that you had felt before, and it snapped. Many different kinds of swear words poured out of your mouth - this was even better than the orgasm you had before. It made your body numb, your limbs desperately clinging onto your boyfriend's body - you needed him to stay close to you. Chan kept going, letting you ride out your orgasm as he approached his own. Soon enough, you heard Chan moan in your ear and his movements abruptly stopped. As he pulled out, you whimpered at the loss of his cock inside you. Chan pressed a kiss on your cheek, and you hummed in approval.

"Are you alright?" he asked while heavy breathing.

"I'm more than alright," you said with a satisfied smile.

There was little you could do as he pulled away from you, your muscles basically useless. Chan got up and threw away the condom, but quickly got back into the bed to wrap his arms around you. You relaxed in his embrace, nuzzling your face closer to his chest. He was warm, and his skin was soft. Never had you felt so comfortable - you thought that cuddling in your pajamas before going to bed was nice, but feeling his skin directly against yours was incomparable.

"We need to get you cleaned up." He sighed.

"Just wait a bit longer..." you said, as you were trying to relish in the moment of having his bare skin so wonderfully close to yours.

"My pleasure," he hummed.

497 notes · View notes

idyllic-ghost · 11 days

Text

title: The Other Woman (REWORKED) pairing: CEO!Mingyu x fem!reader genre: romance, found family, angst, fluff, smut warnings: mentions of not being able to have children, mentions of death (mingyu is widowed), smut (MDNI), oral (f and m receiving), p in v sex, unprotected sex, dirty talk concerning being better in bed than someone else, mentions of being sick (mingyu gets a cold), slight miscommunication angst synopsis: You’re married to Wonwoo, but his father desperately wants him to have a child - which you cannot have. He gives into his parents wishes and meets the other woman, whom he eventually agrees to marry as well. You’re left heartbroken for a few years, seeing the man you love build a family that you had always wanted, but happiness is on the horizon as you meet someone new. wordcount: 31k taglist: @enhacolor, @shuabby1994, @junhui-recs, @dkakapizzaboy, @just-here-to-read-01, @loviehan, @userjunhuii, @novalpha, @bubblymoon, @aaniag

a/n: the other woman is probably my most popular fic series, but i've always hated it. i felt like it was rushed, and not well thought out - so i've remade it (same plot, just a few minor changes)! thank you so much for 3k followers! consider this my thanks for sticking around <3

thank you @wongyuseokie for beta reading this!

join my taglist - masterlists read the original mini-series: part one, part two, part three

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

PART ONE.

The sun managed to peek into the bedroom through the blinds, stirring you awake. As you moved around slightly, trying to stretch the sleep out of the limbs, you felt the man beside you grip onto your waist. “Stay,” Wonwoo murmured in his raspy morning voice.

You turn to Wonwoo, putting your hands in his hair, and look down at him. His head was by your chest, resting his forehead against your bare skin. He got home late last night, staying at work until the sun was far down behind the horizon. You had dressed up for him last evening, wearing a new slip dress that he had gotten for you, but you managed to fall asleep before he got home. Mornings like these were unusual and always welcomed.

“I wasn’t planning on leaving,” you said. “I took the day off too.”

“Lucky me.” He looked up at you with a grin. “I feel bad for the kids, though… they don’t get to see their favorite teacher.”

“I’m not their favorite,” you correct him. “And they’ll be fine if I’m gone for just one day… it’s worth it for this.”

Wonwoo leaned up to your face and placed a kiss on your lips, then mumbled something about you being perfect. You watched him sit up and reach for his glasses, enjoying the view of his naked form. You had lucked out - your husband was the most handsome man you’ve ever laid eyes on. He turned to you again, giving you a soft smile.

“You look beautiful,” he said and reached over to touch your silky nightdress. “Is it the one I got for you?”

“Of course,” you murmured. “I put it on for you last night, but you got home later than usual.”

“I know.” Wonwoo sighed. “I’m sorry, baby.”

“It’s okay… make it up for me?” With a big grin, he got on top of you and gave you another kiss. Your arms wrapped around his neck as his lips traveled down your jaw to your neck. It’s been a while since you got to have this kind of morning, and it was just what you needed.

After you got out of the shower, you patted yourself dry with a towel before you changed into one of Wonwoo’s shirts. Wonwoo, who was already one step ahead of you, was making coffee in the kitchen. You had done this hundreds of times before; Wonwoo handed you a cup of coffee which you accepted and watched as he took out a few leftover side dishes from the fridge.

“Have you heard from your father yet?” you asked.

“Last night…” Wonwoo sighed. “We’ll meet him at the restaurant.”

“And you don’t know what he wants?”

“Not really.” He walks over to you after putting the side dishes on the counter. “Let’s not think about it- we took a day off so that we could spend a calm day before having to meet with him.”

“I know I just…” You took a deep breath. “I know how he feels about me. It feels weird that he asked to see us both.”

“Hey, don’t do that.” Wonwoo put his hands on your upper arms. “I don’t care what he says. You’re my wife. You come first.”

Despite his kind words, you can’t help the feeling of anxiety growing in your chest. Later that day, after hours of cuddling up on the couch and doing nothing together, you were getting ready for dinner. You had dolled yourself up - your makeup and hair were done, but your dress was still lying on the bed. Wonwoo always liked it when you walked around in his clothes, and you enjoyed his eyes on you.

“Do you think he’s just doing it as a formality? It is our anniversary soon…” you thought out loud. “It’s not like him, but maybe,” he hummed.

“Could you help me with my tie, honey?” He never actually needed help with his tie, but he knew it put your mind off of things if you did something with your hands. You walked up to him and took hold of the two ends of his tie.

“You look pretty,” Wonwoo said. “I’m not even dressed up yet,” you huffed. “Still pretty.”

You tried and failed to stop yourself from smiling. Wonwoo always knew how to make you feel better, even if it was just temporary. As soon as you had finished his tie, you went to put on your dress. As you pulled the straps over your shoulder, Wonwoo came up behind you to pull up the zipper. He pressed a kiss on your shoulder and slowly pulled the zipper up, and the feeling of his fingers against your skin sent a shiver down your spine.

“Let’s get this dinner over with,” he muttered in your ear, “I already want to have you for myself.”

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ The restaurant was scarce of customers, but it still felt like you were taking up too much space. Wonwoo sat next to you at the table. His father was late, but when he finally approached the table, Wonwoo grabbed your hand and squeezed it. As you ate, the atmosphere was thick. Except for the usual small talk, none of you said much. While you were waiting for the second course, the topic of children was brought up by Wonwoo’s father.

“Father…” your husband sighed. “I’m allowed to ask about the company’s heir, aren’t I?”

“Of course you are, sir.” You put a hand on Wonwoo’s knee. “We’ve been talking about adoption, right?” Before Wonwoo could answer you, his father interrupted him.

“Adoption?” He scoffed. “Then it’s not your real child, though, is it?”

“We’ve talked about this,” Wonwoo said. “The doctor said-”

“That she can’t have children, I know.” His father interrupted him again. “I just think there are other ways.” You looked at Wonwoo with a big clump in your throat, but he refused to meet your gaze.

“What do you mean? Surrogacy?” Wonwoo asked. “No, I just mean that… if this relationship with Y/N isn’t working out, then maybe you should find someone else- a mistress.” Wonwoo’s father spoke as if you weren’t in the room with them.

“Dad, I’m not cheating on my wife-”

“Don’t call it a mistress then.” He shrugged. “Call it a new wife. You can always remarry.”

“Father-”

“You need an heir.”

“I’ve heard enough.” You stood up. “If you’re going to talk like I’m not even here, then I don’t want to be here. You’ll just find any reason to hate me, won’t you? We’re going through with surrogacy if we’re going to have children. I don’t care what you think about it.”

As you stormed out, you noticed that Wonwoo didn’t immediately follow after you. His absence worried you, but you still went through with getting your coat checked out and walking out of the restaurant to hail a cab. Finally, Wonwoo came out after you and grabbed your hand.

“Y/N-” “Why didn’t you defend me in there?” you questioned him. “You just let him degrade me like that in front of you!”

“Let’s just talk about this, he-”

“You know how hard I’ve been trying.” Tears were welling up in your eyes. “I want to have a family with you, Wonwoo, you know that. It’s hard for me, and hearing him say that hurts. His ‘suggestion’ is off the table if you’re even thinking about staying married to me. It’s so fucking obvious he just wants you to leave me, he won’t even accept surrogacy- if you try to reason with him, I don’t know you anymore.” A cab stopped in front of you, and you opened up the door.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m staying at my mother’s place. I need to be alone,” you said. “But we need to talk about this-” He reached for you, and you pulled back.

“Don’t touch me!” You yelled and got in the cab.

When you got to your mother’s apartment, she was waiting for you with open arms. You had told her what had happened through text while you were in the cab. She was just about ready to go to the restaurant and curse out Wonwoo’s father herself.

“What a heartless man!” she exclaimed as she held you in her arms.

“It’s alright, Mom.” You sighed. “I’m going to go back home tomorrow and talk about it with Wonwoo.”

“You know he’s to blame here, too, right?”

“Mom… Wonwoo didn’t do anything.”

“Exactly.” She pulled back from the hug. “He should’ve stood up for you, honey.”

“Can we not talk about this, please?”

“Alright, just come inside.” You walked into her apartment and slept on her couch for the night.

The text you wake up to the next morning isn’t what you wanted. It was a short “We need to talk” text from Wonwoo. You answered by saying that you’d be home when he was home from work, and all you received back was “good”. Good. That’s all he had to say after what his father had said to you last night. Nevertheless, you went back home and waited for your husband.

“My father introduced me to someone else,” were words you never expected to hear from Wonwoo’s mouth. You were already sobbing, sitting on the couch in your living room. He was cold, not rubbing your back or bringing you in for a hug. You’ve never wanted his comfort more than right now.

“Listen, Y/N,” he said. “I’ll marry her- she’ll have my children-” Your loud sob interrupted him, and he finally touched you for the first time since last night. His hand on your back left a burning mark. “I’ll come back to you.”

“What?” You looked at him, your vision blurry from tears.

“After I get an heir, which is the only thing that my father wants, I’ll come back to you,” he explained.

“Wonwoo, that’s insane-”

“Don’t you understand? After I get an heir, my father will be out of our lives- it’s all he wants from me.”

He took your hands in his, holding them gently and bringing them up to his lips to kiss your knuckles. Your eyebrows furrowed, and you had trouble understanding what he was truly thinking. How was this easier than just cutting off his dad? You assumed he had talked with him about it, but you were left in the dark.

“And you think this will work?”

“Yes- I believe in us.”

“Fine… I trust you.”

Once the divorce was finalized, and Wonwoo had moved out, you realized just how big your apartment was. He had left you the place to not burden you with the troubles of moving. The woman Wonwoo married, Gyeong Hui, was one of the most beautiful women you’ve ever seen. She was gracious and poised, and she was everything that Wonwoo’s father expected from his son’s wife. For the first few months, you keep close contact with your ex-husband. But as time passes, your relationship fades. His final call to you was a normal Thursday afternoon. There was no warning, and it somehow made it worse.

“Gyeong Hui is pregnant…” Wonwoo said. “I don’t think I can… I just realized how fragile the situation is- I can’t leave the mother of my child. I’m sorry, Y/N.”

All you could manage to say was, “It’s okay”, and even then, your voice was breaking. You hang up before he can say anything else and pack up a few things to go live with your mother. Social media was a hellhole, seeing them move to the suburbs together- Wonwoo always said he hated the suburbs. Your dream together was to have a small family in the apartment that you had together… all of it, your wishes and your dreams, was gone. Your mom tried her best to cheer you up. She offered to have girls’ night, to go get your nails done, or spend the evening drinking wine and watching rom-coms. None of it sounded appealing to you, and you instead opted to stay in bed most of the time. You only went up to eat or use the bathroom, sometimes going for a walk or trying to get some other form of movement in. She gave up eventually, or so you thought. A year and a half had passed since you broke it off when your mom approached you at the breakfast table.

“Here, look at this,” she shoved her phone in front of your face.

“A cabin?”

“Cottage,” she corrected you. “It’s your aunt’s, and it’s absolutely dreamlike. It’s in the middle of nowhere, in a beautiful forest, and close to a lake.”

“It does look beautiful.” You looked through the photos.

“I’ve been asking her to borrow it forever,” she explained. “And she finally said it’ll be empty for a couple of weeks.”

“Oh? Are you gonna go?” You gave her back her phone. “I was thinking it’d be nice for you to get out into nature… you can borrow my car and go out there right now. Get off your phone and get to spend some time with yourself.”

“Mom-”

“And if you don’t want to be alone, she has a lot of neighbors!”

“Mom-”

“I just think it’s perfect for you, darling,” she said. “It’ll be good, I promise.”

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ You decide to take your mom’s advice. The drive there was beautiful, but when you arrived you realized it wouldn’t be all that therapeutic - for you, it was mostly bug bites and muddy shoes. The houses were beautiful, especially your aunt’s cottage. The red brick contrasted nicely with the dark roof - and there was ivy growing on the side of the building. No house looked the same. It was your favorite thing about this place. Your neighbor had a cute yellow house, and the one next to that one was blue. It continued for a few more cottages, and they all looked adorable. The outside was gorgeous, but the inside was like nothing you had ever seen before. It felt like walking into a Ghibli movie. The wooden floors creaked under your feet, the walls had a beautiful green wallpaper with flowers, and everything was decorated in a cohesive maximalist style. It wasn’t as big as the other houses, but still had two levels - the second floor only being a bedroom and bathroom - and it was more than enough for you. So, you spent your time indoors, and you realized that you did want to be alone… but, of course, your neighbors couldn’t know that. Most of them were retired, but a few of them were only a little older than you. They told you that they just wanted to come check on who the new person could be. There couldn’t be a lot happening there if you were the biggest piece of gossip to talk about. As more neighbors decided to stop by, you grew more tired of their visits - even if they were short-lived. So when there was another knock at your door, you didn’t open it with a smile.

“Hello?”

In front of you stood a gorgeous, tall man. Black short hair, golden tan skin, and a body that was practically built by the gods. He was wearing sweatpants and a white t-shirt with paint splatter on it. Not wanting to seem like a creep, you looked up at his face again. However, when meeting his eyes, you were filled with a sense of calm. They were kind and well-meaning, which made your sour welcome all the more embarrassing.

“I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Kim Mingyu.” He took his hand off a plastic box and reached it out to you. His handshake was strong, but not in the way that men usually tried to display their dominance. You didn’t know if it was in your head, but it felt safe - protective. Maybe it was just the lack of men in your life at the moment, but you were tingling at his touch.

“I’m Jeo…. Y/L/N Y/N.” You took your hand back from his hold. “My aunt let me stay here for a bit.” Almost saying your ex’s last name, instead of your own, in front of this handsome stranger felt horrifying. But Mingyu didn’t seem to notice, or he pretended not to for your sake.

“Well, I’m your next-door neighbor- so if there’s anything you need, you can let me know.” Friendly and hot. This might have been the luckiest you’ve felt in over a year.

“Oh, is it your cottage?”

“No, no- it’s my parents’ place. I’m just fixing it up for them so that they can enjoy it during the summer months,” he explained and looked down at his box. “Oh, right. I got you a little welcome gift- I don’t know if you like muffins, but…”

He held it out to you, and you finally got a proper look at it. The bottom of it was read, but the top was see-through. Dark red muffins, about six of them, were lined up perfectly inside the box. Red velvet. You wondered if he had made them himself or if he had bought them from some expensive bakery.

“I love muffins,” you assured him and accepted the box. “Thank you, Mingyu.”

“No problem,” he said, “And, if you’re into barbecue, our other neighbor is having one later this evening.”

“Oh, I don’t know… I don’t really know them. I feel like I’d be intruding.”

“You can come over with me. I’ll keep you company all night if you don’t like them,” he joked.

“Well, that’s certainly a tempting offer…” You thought about your mom and how much she’d want you to try to move on. “Alright, when is it?”

“I’ll come by around six and pick you up,” he recommended.

“Sounds good,” you said. “See you then.” “Can’t wait.” He sent you a flirtatious smile before leaving.

You watched Mingyu leave, not so subtly checking him out, before closing the door. Walking into the kitchen, you opened up the box of muffins and were immediately hit with a velvety aroma. After putting the box on the kitchen island, you picked one of them up and tasted it. The muffin practically melted in your mouth. It was perfectly fluffy and not too sweet.

“Holy fuck.” You put your hand over your mouth. Was this man good at everything?

Not wanting to look like you’ve been in bed all day, despite definitely having done just that, you put on a blue linen dress and try to look a little put together. You don’t want to tarnish your aunt’s good name by being a messy niece. Mingyu knocked on your door at six o’clock sharp, and when you opened the door, you were met with a surprise. He had changed into white linen pants and a light blue dress shirt. You were matching.

“Hi again,” he said with a smile. “Ready to go?”

“Oh, um…” You looked back into the cottage and grabbed your bag. “Sure… should I bring something?”

“If you have something to bring.” You went into the kitchen and picked up a bottle of rosé you had brought with you. It was one of your favorite bottles. It had been chilled in the fridge, now at the perfect drinking temperature. When you walked back outside, you held up the bottle of wine for him to see. Mingyu whistled when he saw the label, and you handed it over to him to let him get a closer look.

“Nice stuff.” He held the bottle gently so that he didn’t heat it with his hands.

“You can thank-” Wonwoo. Wonwoo showed you this wine first. He said that it’d be just your taste. He wasn’t wrong, which was nice at the time, but now it made you want to scream.

“Who can I thank?” Mingyu’s question brought you out of your thoughts.

“The woman in the store,” you lied. “Let’s go.”

Your neighbor’s backyard was full of laughter. You could hear it from outside your cottage. Walking up to the blue house, you felt your heart start pounding. Mingyu opened the door for you, and you were met with a scenery that you swore you had dreamed of. Large families - grandparents, parents, children - were all gathered. They were drinking, eating, playing - and it made you want to vomit. You pressed the bottle of wine into Mingyu’s chest, and he quickly took hold of it.

“I’m sorry, I’m not feeling that well… I think I need to go home.” You backed away from the house. “Tell the host my best wishes… and that I’m sorry." Mingyu probably tried to stop you, but you wouldn’t know since you quickly turned on your heel and briskly walked away. It wasn’t safe at all. Staying here wasn’t the paradise that your mom had made it out to be.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ You packed up your things the very next day and put them in your car. It was early in the morning, the sun had barely just started rising, and yet Mingyu was out for a run. He ran past your car as you were putting the second bag in.

“Hey there, neighbor.” Even his voice was hot. You looked over at him. He was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, which was sticking to his chest from sweat. A cap was placed on his head, but you could still see his face - shiny from sweat but pretty nonetheless. Could he just look bad for one moment? Just so that it could be easier for you to resist the urge to jump him…

“You run this early in the morning?” You asked.

“Only when I’m out here,” he said. “Are you leaving?”

“Yeah, I just… I don’t think nature’s for me.” You crossed your arms over your chest.

“How would you know?” He asked.

“Excuse me?”

“You’ve been here two days, and you’ve only been indoors.” You were stumped. He was right, of course, but you desperately wanted him to be wrong. He approached you, still breathing hard. God, you wanted to climb him like a tree.

“Listen, I can see that you’ve got something going on,” he said, “And I promise you, this is the best place to be when you’re wound up. If this was meant to be therapeutic for you, then I think you need to try a little harder than what you have.”

If it weren’t for the fact that he made you weak in the knees, you would’ve just walked away from him. You stayed, and you listened… and he wasn’t wrong.

“So then, what do you suggest I do?” You secretly hoped he’d suggest that you go home with him, but life wasn’t a porno…

“Well, I don’t know your struggles.” He shrugged. “But I can show you around, make you appreciate nature.”

“... I’d like that.” “Good.” He grinned. “Do you want to meet up later? Maybe after lunch? I was thinking of going out to the lake if you want to tag along.”

“Sure.” You took out the bags from the car and carried them back inside. Mingyu’s presence beside you made you heat up. He picked up the last of the bags and helped you carry them to the door. You thanked him with a small smile, and he gave you a wink before jogging over to his cottage.

Later that day, you change into a swimsuit and put on an oversized shirt to cover up while you walk over to the lake. With a towel under your arm, you went to look for Mingyu. Footsteps quickly approached from behind you, and when you turned around, you were met with a wonderful sight. Your next-door neighbor was running towards you, wearing black swimming shorts and an open button-up with lazily rolled-up sleeves.

“Hey there, neighbor!” he said with a grin.

He reminded you of a puppy - happy and always eager. When he had jogged up to you, you noticed the silver chain around his neck. You hadn’t seen it before, but now your eyes were fixed on the delicate chain. Maybe it was because you didn’t know where else to look, or the juxtaposition of such a delicate thing on such a brawny man was appealing to you.

“Eyes up here, sweetheart,” Mingyu joked, pulling you out of your thoughts.

“Sorry, I just…” You felt heat rise to your face. “It’s a nice chain.”

“Thanks.” He didn’t look like he believed you. “Ready to go for a swim?”

Mingyu took you to a small dock, where he left his towel and his shirt before he started wading through the water. You watched his back as he walked, his muscles moving under his skin hypnotizing you. When he looked back, he sent you a wink, making your heart skip a beat. You pulled off your shirt and started treading through the cold water yourself.

“How are you not freezing?” you asked.

“I am.” He laughed. “But if I started shivering, you wouldn’t come in!”

“Touché.” You smiled and approached him. The water was up to your hips now, but your legs were slowly getting used to the cold water. You heard him gasp and looked up to see him covering his agape mouth with his hands - as if he was pleasantly surprised.

“What is it?”

“You’re smiling,” he teased. “Are you enjoying nature yet?”

“It’s growing on me,” you admitted.

“Good,” he hummed. “Try closing your eyes.” You give him a strange look but still follow his instructions. After closing your eyes, you take a deep breath. The sound of a lonely bird echoed through the forest. The rippling water murmured secrets in a language you couldn’t understand, but you listened intently anyway. Your hands were hanging by your sides, the water weaving between your fingers. The stream wasn’t strong enough to move you, but you still felt it. After another deep breath, you opened your eyes again to see Mingyu proudly looking back at you.

“It’s nice, right?”

“Very nice,” you said.

“Come on, let’s go.” He started moving up the stream. “I want to show you something.” It didn’t take long to swim to the place Mingyu wanted to show you. A waterfall, not very tall but remarkable nevertheless, was flowing in front of you. Right by the top of the waterfall hung a swing on a tough-looking branch. It looked like something out of a paradise resort.

“I built that swing when I was a teenager,” he said. “And if we’re lucky, it’s not too old to use.”

“Wait, how old are you?”

“Just turned twenty-eight,” he said. “Don’t I look like it?”

“I thought you’d be younger- we’re the same age.” You looked back at the swing. “So, how young of a teenager are we talking?”

“I was seventeen.” He sighed. “It’ll hold… probably.” Mingyu helped you up the rocks, and the two of you got to the top of the waterfall rather quickly. You sat down next to each other, your legs dangling off the edge of the waterfall. Sticking your foot into the running water, you watched it bend around your body. After resting for a bit, Mingyu stood back up.

“Want to try the swing?” he asked.

“Only if you try it first.” You chuckled as you watched the man take a shaky breath. Mingyu took hold of the old rope. When he pulled on it, the old tree let out a croak - as if it was stretching after a long nap. With furrowed brows, Mingyu carefully climbed onto the swing - and it held his weight! You laughed and clapped his hands as Mingyu let out a victorious shout. The creaking continued as Mingyu began swinging, eventually flinging himself off into the pool of water beside the bottom of the waterfall. His head went underwater, and you held your breath until he popped back up to the surface.

“It’s safe!” He shouted, and you wolf-whistled as he got up to the more shallow part of the lake. “Your turn!”

“Oh no, I’m not doing that!” “You said you would!” Mingyu pouted.

“It’s part of your nature therapy, Y/N!” You loved it when he said your name… Mingyu would be the death of you. After finally managing to get onto the swing, with Mingyu cheering you on from the side of the lake, you began swinging. You let go of the ropes and jumped, shutting your eyes tight. Water encapsulated you before you got back up to the surface. Mingyu cheered and clapped for you, to which you responded with a shy smile.

“Fun, right?”

“Maybe a little…” you admitted as you walked back up to the shallow part of the lake.

You and Mingyu swam back to the dock where you left your things, and the two of you sat down on it. Your feet were still in the water, the stream tickling the lower half of your calves. When you had dried off and the weather got a little colder, you put your shirt from before back on.

“I had a really good time today,” you said.

“You don’t feel like going home anymore?”

“Not as much.” You looked over at Mingyu, who was already looking at you. “Thank you. I needed this.”

“Let me take you out tomorrow, too, then,” he said.

“Sure.” You nodded. “But I don’t know how you’re going to top this.”

“We can go on a morning hike,” he suggested.

“Mingyu-” You chuckled. “I’m not a morning person- I don’t think it’d be better than this.”

“You say that now,” he said. “But just wait until we’re standing up on the hill watching the sunrise.”

“Sunrise? How early do I have to get up?”

“I’ll pick you up at five.”

Despite not wanting to wake up so early, you did it anyway. After a day of swimming, you fell asleep early and woke up fifteen minutes before Mingyu was to pick you up. You dragged yourself out of bed, putting on your most comfortable workout gear. For whatever reason, you trusted Mingyu enough to let him take you out on this horrible morning walk. Trying to stretch the sleep out of your body, you moved around your living room in front of the big windows. When you got up from stretching out your hamstrings, you heard a knock coming from one of the windows. You looked over with big eyes, meeting the gaze of a smiling Mingyu. He was wearing the same jogging gear he had yesterday and a backpack slung over one of his shoulders. He waved to you, and you hurried over to the door. With a flushed face, you opened the door and welcomed Mingyu inside while you put on your shoes.

“Good morning.” Mingyu stayed on your porch, giving you space.

“Morning.” You stood back up and gave him a quizzical look. “Were you watching me stretch?”

“Just for a second, I didn’t want to scare you mid-stretch,” he defended himself hurriedly. “I’m not a creep, I swear.”

You stepped outside and patted his slumped shoulders. He reminded you of a puppy again, the way he was looking at you with big eyes and a slight pout. You were beginning to enjoy teasing him. “

I know,” you said. “Ready to go?”

“Of course.”

The two of you watched the forest wake up as you walked along the path Mingyu had picked for you. It was an uphill walk, which wasn’t what you needed this early in the morning. But Mingyu promised you that it would be rewarding, so you continued walking. The two of you were mostly silent, other than when one of you pointed out something you had seen. However, the silence was welcomed. It was, as Mingyu had said, very therapeutic. Despite feeling like it took forever, you were up on the hill before you knew it. Mingyu pointed out a small bench by the edge of a cliff, and the two of you sat down. He took out the backpack and gave you a neatly wrapped sandwich, along with a thermos of coffee. As the two of you ate breakfast, the sky started turning pink, and the sun started rising from behind the horizon.

“Wow,” you hummed.

“It’s good, isn’t it?” Mingyu nudged you with his elbow.

“It’s amazing…”

The both of you sat in silence for a bit more, but something started itching to come out from the back of your throat. Mingyu was playing with the paper wrapping from his now-eaten sandwich.

“So… why did you come out here in the first place?” Mingyu asked.

“It’s a long story…” You said, thinking he would put it to rest - even though a part of you wanted to tell someone about it.

“You can tell me, you know?” he said. “I won’t judge.”

So you did. You told him about Wonwoo, how suddenly the relationship had ended, and why it had turned out the way he did. You told him about Gyeong Hui and how you couldn’t even bring yourself to hate her despite what had happened. After that, you sat in silence. You thought he wouldn’t want to talk to you after this, but instead, he put a comforting arm around your shoulder.

“You’re strong.” His words made you scoff. “I’m serious. That’s more than enough for any other person just to give up, but you’re here. You’re trying.”

“Just because you made me.”

“I can’t make you do anything that you don’t want to do,” he said. “You could’ve left.�� His words linger in the air. You could have left, why didn’t you? Was it just because you thought your neighbor was hot, or did his words reach you? Did it even matter? You were here now, feeling better than you had since the incident. You took a deep breath and closed your eyes, leaning your head in the palms of your hands. Mingyu took his arm off you and let you be. You missed the warmth of his arm but appreciated the space he gave you.

“Well, thanks for bringing me out here,” you said.

“You’re helping me too. Now I have a reason to get out more.” He leaned back.

There was more to his story. You could tell by the tone of his voice, but you decided not to pry. If he wanted to tell you, he would. You looked out over the forest again. The sun had risen far above the trees now. When you leaned back on the bench, you noticed that Mingyu’s arm was leaning on the back of the bench. In a moment of hope and rashness, you leaned your head on his shoulder. You glanced up at Mingyu, seeing him smile before he wrapped his arm around your shoulders again.

“I don’t think I’ve ever watched the sunrise like this before,” you said.

“Really?”

“I’m not a morning person,” you reminded him. Mingyu chuckled, his chest rumbling as he did. You closed your eyes, taking another deep breath. This time it didn’t just smell like fresh air and dewy grass. You could smell his cologne as well. It was faint, but you could sense the woody smell of men’s perfume. You could probably fall asleep right there in his arms.

“We still have to walk back.” Mingyu made you open your eyes again. “Don’t fall asleep on me.”

“It's not my fault that you’re comfortable…” You sighed. Mingyu moved around, forcing you to get up despite your many protests. He helped you up, and the two of you began making your way home.

You kept seeing Mingyu for the first week of your stay, and towards the end of it, he offered to make you dinner. The two of you spent your time outdoors, hiking or going to the lake, so spending the evening making dinner in your small kitchen was more intimate than you were used to. However, you gladly accepted his offer - you hadn’t exactly been eating like royalty during your stay here. Cooking took effort, which you didn’t have the energy for. Seeing as the muffins Mingyu had given you the first time you met were delicious, it wouldn’t surprise you if his cooking was delicious as well. Mingyu came over with a bag of groceries that he immediately put in the kitchen. You were placed on watch duty - which was Mingyu’s way of saying, “Sit on the counter and don’t touch anything while I work,” and you couldn’t complain. You watched as he expertly cut up the vegetables and the meat, enjoying the view of his hands getting to work. His t-shirt sleeves were rolled up, showing off his biceps as he reached for plates and glasses. From time to time, he’d look over at you to see if you were watching - smiling when he caught you ogling at him. He took pride in his good looks, as he should.

“Is there anything you can’t do?” You said. “I mean this- and the muffins?”

“Oh, I didn’t bake those-” He chuckled. “I can’t bake, that’s for sure… I bought them from this little café that’s not too far from here. I’ll take you some time.”

“Sounds good.” You smiled at the implication that he wanted to keep seeing you, even though he had asked you to do things with him countless times before.

“Still, you’re still a natural talent at most things.”

“I can’t paint either,” he argued. “Paint?”

“I’m supposed to paint the living room in the cottage- my parents wanted it to be a lighter color,” he explained. “I’ve been putting it off for so long, but now all the furniture I’ve put away has started to bug me.”

“Tell you what…” You hopped off the counter you were sitting on and walked up next to him. “If this meal is as delicious as it smells, I’ll help you paint tomorrow. As a thank you for the meal.”

“Deal.” He grinned. “I’ll take it as a challenge.” He moved you aside so that he could get to the spices. His hands were only on your waist for a millisecond, but your skin was burning at his touch. While trying to contain your smile, you took your place on the counter once again.

The dinner was perfect, as expected. The food, the wine, the company… everything was to your liking. And when everything was over, you got to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Mingyu by the sink. He was washing the dishes, and you were drying them.

“I hate that this place doesn’t have a dishwasher,” you groaned.

“Doing dishes can be nice…” Mingyu said. “Given that you’re in good company.” Mingyu handed you a plate, and your fingers brushed against each other. Every time he touched you it sent sparks flying in your chest. You took the plate and started drying it. There were no other dishes in the sink, and Mingyu put his hands on it while he was waiting for you to finish.

“Well, I’m glad I can be good company,” you replied.

“You’ve been good company this entire week,” Mingyu admitted. “Although you have distracted me from what I was supposed to be doing.”

“I think that’s fair,” you argued. “You’re the one who convinced me to say, after all.” You put away the last plate and dried off your hands, giving Mingyu a fresh towel for his own hands.

Shamelessly, you stared at his hands while he dried them off with the towel. When you looked back up at his eyes, you knew that he had caught you. You didn’t mind - maybe it was the amount of wine you had consumed, or you had grown comfortable around your neighbor - and took the towel off his hands when he didn’t need it anymore, putting it on the counter beside you.

“I guess you’re right.” Mingyu watched you carefully as you walked past him to wipe off the other side of the counter. “I’m glad I did.”

“I’m glad you did too.” Mingyu encaged you against the counter, putting his hands on the wood on either side of you. His chest was pressed up against your back. His head leaned down by your ear - you could feel his breath fanning against you. You turned around, locking eyes with him again. The air was thick, and you needed to do something to stop the pounding in your chest. Your hands moved on their own when they moved across his chest, traveling up his neck and settling in his short hair. Mingyu glanced down at your lips and leaned in until your noses were touching.

“Mingyu…” you breathed out. “Kiss me.” At your command, he finally put his lips on yours. They were soft but slightly chapped, and they moved in harmony with yours. His hands went from the counter to your hips and to your hips to hoist you up. The kiss broke for a moment so that Mingyu could put you on the counter. Standing between your legs, Mingyu connected his lips with yours again. You cupped his face in your hands, trying to pull him impossibly close as the kiss got heated. The two of you only stopped to catch your breath, leaning your foreheads against each other.

“I’m not dreaming, am I?” Mingyu asked breathlessly.

“I hope not…” You connected your lips again. Mingyu took his time with you, lips moving slowly and passionately. You hadn’t felt like this in what felt like forever. To be intimate with someone again… it made you feel alive. Despite your head spinning, you couldn’t help but think about Wonwoo. You pulled away, Mingyu trying to chase after your lips before noticing something was wrong.

“I’m sorry…” you whispered as soon as you saw his worried eyes.

“No, no- it’s okay, Y/N,” he assured you. “It was too fast, I understand.”

“It’s just been so long-”

“I get it, sweetheart. Trust me.” The nickname, even in this situation, made your heart skip a beat. You caressed his cheek, brushing your thumb over his cheekbone. He sent you a warm smile, unlike the charming and flirtatious ones you had seen before.

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

“I don’t want to kiss someone who doesn’t want to be kissed,” he said. “There’s always next time, hm?”

“Next time,” you promised. Mingyu helped you off the counter, and you walked him to the front door. As he put on his shoes, you felt your chest grow empty. You knew that you didn’t want to go further right now, not when your mind was racing, but you wanted him so badly. Mingyu stood back up and took your hand.

“Don’t feel bad, okay?” He squeezed your hand. “I liked it while it lasted.” You looked down at your shoes, unable to keep his gaze.

“Are you still helping me paint tomorrow?” he asked and squeezed your hand again.

“Of course.” You looked back up at him for a second to give him a secure smile. “Goodnight, Mingyu.”

“Goodnight, sweetheart.” He let go of your hand and opened the door.

As soon as he closed the door behind him, you crumbled to the floor. There was a part of you that believed that you had ruined this now. A black hole was growing in your chest. You liked Mingyu, but you still couldn’t get the image of Wonwoo out of your brain. Maybe this was your life now, finding new people but being cock-blocked by someone who wasn’t even in the room… someone who didn’t care about you anymore. If he had been able to move on, why couldn’t you? It had been a year since you took off your wedding ring and signed the divorce papers. It had been half a year since Wonwoo last called. You had deleted his contact from your phone, afraid that you would give in and call him on a whim. You couldn’t sink so low. There was nothing more to do than accept that you had been the other woman. If alternate dimensions existed, you wished that at least one of them let you stay with Wonwoo - or that the plan could’ve gone through. you wished that you never got to know that Gyeong Hui was a kind and gentle woman. You wished that she would’ve been a bitch… but she wasn’t. You had no reason to hate her - she didn’t drag your husband away from you. She was just a pawn in a game. You got up from the floor and made your way to your bedroom.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ The next day, you went over to Mingyu’s cottage in clothes that you weren’t afraid to get paint on. You couldn’t let what happened yesterday ruin what you had going on with Mingyu. So, despite your legs wanting to run the other way, you walked in through the open door to the cottage.

“Hello?” You called from the hallway.

“In here!” Mingyu shouted, and you followed his voice.

The inside of the house was similar to your aunt’s, although it was more classically decorated. When you found Mingyu, he was standing in the middle of a large room with no furniture. The furniture stood outside the room, cramped in a large portion of the corner of another room. The otherwise big brawny man looked tiny in the empty room. Mingyu had already started painting, as evident by the paint stains on his clothes.

“The paint is supposed to go on the walls, you know.” You leaned against the doorframe.

“Very funny…” He turned around to face you to show you a big splotch of paint on his face, trying to hide his smile by biting his lower lip. “I got paint on my face when opening the can… the rest is just brush accidents…”

You approached him and cooed as he pouted, cupping his cheeks in your palms. With your thumb, you tried to wipe off some of the paint on his face, but it was already dry.

“Help?” he murmured.

“Hand me a paint roller, Picasso,” you joked, and Mingyu grimaced.

The work got done quicker than expected. It was hard, and the room was warm despite the many open windows and doors, and it had you sweating buckets. The fact that you kept thinking about last night - his lips on yours - didn’t help. You desperately needed an ice bath.

“Do you think we’re done?” You asked as the two of you looked around the freshly painted room.

“I think so. Now we just have to clean up,” Mingyu said. He was looking at the many newspapers on the floor, protecting them from white paint, but you were still only staring at him. Any sentimental thought you had the day before had flown through the window. You were too hot, too tired, and too turned on to think about anything other than Mingyu. His shirt was sticking to his toned chest, leaving little to the imagination - not that you hadn’t already seen him half-naked.

“Y/N, are you okay? Do you need a glass of water?” he asked out of innocent concern.

“I’m just tired,” you lied.

“Are you sure? You look flushed.” He approached you, and you had to stop yourself from backing up against the wet wall. Mingyu managed to walk up right next to you and put the back of his hand against your forehead. It was colder than your skin, and you leaned into his touch. Your eyes closed, a soft sigh escaping your lips. It wasn’t the heat- it was Mingyu making you melt. Much to your dismay, he took his hand away from your face.

“Are you sure you’re okay there, sweetheart?” he asked with a small smile.

“You know what… I was going to act like nothing happened yesterday, but I need us to resume whatever we were doing back then right now.” You looked him dead in the eye.

“But I don’t want to push you-”

“You’re not pushing me…” You took a deep breath. “Please?”

You didn’t have to say another word before his lips were on yours again. The messy room was left to its own devices as Mingyu led you through the house - only breaking from the kiss to make sure he wasn’t running into anything. Clothes were flying off of you and onto any nearby surface. He picked you up, your legs swinging around his waist, and carried you upstairs to his bed. Falling against the plush bed, you let out a happy shout before Mingyu crawled towards you again. When your lips connected again, your head was buzzing. You were both only in your underwear by now, your sweaty bodies rubbing up against each other. Mingyu pulled away from you with a soft groan, his eyes still shut as he began grinding against you. You wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Mingyu nuzzled his face into your neck, leaving chaste kisses on the sensitive skin. When you finally broke out in laughter, Mingyu came back up to look at you. You covered your face with your hands to hide from him - suddenly feeling shy.

“Hey, pretty,” he said and tried to remove your hands. “I want to look at you… come on…”

“I haven’t… the last time I did this was with him,” you said, knowing that he would understand who you were talking about. “I know it’s silly, but it feels strange.”

“It’s not silly.” He chuckled and finally managed to remove your hands. “It’s normal, but I want you to forget all that and just focus on us.”

The light coming in from the window gave away that the sun had started to set - its golden glow coloring Mingyu’s skin with a beautiful shine. Your hand caressed his cheek, and he leaned into your touch.

“Just us,” you repeated. “... could you get a condom?”

Suddenly, Mingyu’s peaceful expression turned into an annoyed one. He scrunched up his face and let out a groan, his head leaning back into the crook of your neck.

“I don’t have condoms,” he mumbled. The entire situation made you laugh, and it only made Mingyu whine louder. If it weren’t for how hard you could feel that he was, you would’ve kept laughing - but instead, you cooed at him. Your fingers ran through his hair as he buried his face in your chest. While accidental pregnancy was unlikely for you, you didn’t want to have unprotected sex with a man that you had only met a week ago.

“It’s alright, we can…” You sighed. “We can do that next time and fix your issue another way this time.”

“So there’ll be a next time?” Mingyu raised his head to meet your gaze. Your face grew hot as your smile widened. His eyes were big and hopeful, and you let out a laugh in disbelief at how he could be so adorable.

“Maybe…” you hummed.

“And you don’t want to stop now?”

“Just the opposite, please.”

Mingyu pressed a sweet peck to your lips before he went back in to devour you. You wrapped one of your legs around his waist, using it to flip the two of you around. He let out a grunt when his back hit the bed. Your lips parted, only for you to kiss down his neck to his chest. Mingyu’s chest was heaving, but you could feel his breath hitch when your lips ghosted over his skin. You settled between his legs, playing with the hem of his underwear.

“Is this okay?” You asked.

“Please.” Mingyu’s voice was hoarse as he begged for you. Pulling down the band of his underwear, you watched in awe as his thick cock slapped onto his abdomen. It shouldn’t be surprising that he was as big as he was, considering his height, but it still left your jaw slack. After ripping off his underwear, you put your hand over his cock - gently stroking it before you wrapped your hand around it and put it in your mouth. Bobbing your head up and down his length, you tried to take more and more of him.

“Fuck…” He gasped and reached his hand up to your head. “... can I?”

You let out a delighted hum and moaned around him when he grabbed your hair to push you further down. Gagging around his cock made Mingyu get louder - his moans echoing around the room. Your nails clawed at his thighs as your eyes welled up with tears. Peering up at him through your lashes, you saw Mingyu throwing his head back with his eyes shut tight. His hips moved on their own, shallowly thrusting his cock up your throat. You put your hands on his hips, holding them down, and got your mouth off of him, gasping for air.

“Shit- are you okay?” he asked with heavy breaths. “Did I hurt you?”

Seeing him all fucked out, his pupils blown out of proportion, and his lips slightly parted made you clench around nothing. You kept stroking his cock, forcing more heavenly noises to come out from behind Mingyu’s lips.

“I’m okay, baby,” you said. “Are you getting close?”

“Yeah- fuck, yes,” he whined. “Don’t stop, baby-”

You replaced your hand with your mouth, keeping the same speed and rhythm as you had before. He warned you that he was about to cum, but you didn’t stop. You watched his hands grip the sheets of the bed, throwing his head back against the pillow again. With a guttural moan, Mingyu came down your throat. You took your mouth off him, letting him ride out his high with your hand around his cock.

“Thank you, sweetheart…” Mingyu’s hips stuttered before his body went completely limp. A big grin was painted on your face as you crawled up his body. Mingyu’s eyes were full of lust as he reached for you. His strong arms wrapped around you, keeping you locked by his side. You pressed a few kisses on his jaw, making him whine.

“You keep surprising me, Mingyu,” you murmured against his skin.

“Good surprises, right?”

“All good,” you assured him. Mingyu’s grip around you tightened, and he flipped the two of you around again. Laying under him again, you finally noticed the small silver chain around his neck again. It was dangling right in front of you, and you couldn’t resist the urge to reach up and pull on it. Pulling on the chain brought him down so that his forehead was leaning against yours again. He smiled, pressing a sweet peck to the tip of your nose. Your face crinkled at the feeling, making Mingyu giggle. He giggled.

“You’re a big softie, aren’t you?” You grinned.

“Only on special occasions,” he said. Copying your actions from before, Mingyu pressed kisses down your neck to your chest. As you arched your back, he helped you take off your bra.

“You’re fucking gorgeous.” Mingyu kissed the delicate skin before moving down to your panties. “Want me to repay the favor?”

“Please?” At your quiet plea, he ripped off your panties. A yelp escaped your lips as he lifted your legs to rest on top of his shoulders. His lips ghosted over the inside of your thigh, sending a shiver down your spine as he got closer to your core. As he laid his tongue flat against your cunt, you let out a loud moan that you had tried to bite back. You could feel him smile against you before he went into lap at your clit. Sinful noises bounced off the walls of Mingyu’s bedroom. Your hands were in his hair, pulling at it whenever he found a spot that made you see stars. Mingyu was the kind of person who was always up for a challenge - and when he had gotten the first taste of victory, he couldn’t get enough.

“Don’t stop!” You practically shouted, forgetting that you still had neighbors even if you were in the middle of nowhere. Mingyu’s grip on your thighs tightened, making sure that you couldn’t help his relentless attack on your pussy. His tongue was inside you now, his nose bumping against your clit. You were practically riding his face with the way you were grinding against him. And when you felt your orgasm approaching, your hips stuttered. Mingyu, hearing the sound of your voice changing, picked up on the fact that you were close. With a steady pace, he guided you through your orgasm, letting you rock against him for as long as you needed.

Your body was spent afterward. You were almost completely unable to move. Mingyu crawled up next to you, maneuvering both of you to lay comfortably under the covers. He was lying beside you, and you had your head on his chest - you could hear that his heartbeat was finally starting to calm down.

“So…” He trailed off. “Yeah.”

You breathed out. The two of you lay there in silence. Despite just having shared a very intimate moment, there wasn’t anything to say. You listened to his breathing, finding the rhythm calming enough to fall asleep to. Your eyes were closed, and you were almost about to drift away to sleep when Mingyu’s soft voice brought you back to reality.

“Do you need anything?” he muttered.

“… maybe I should go to the bathroom.” You nodded and sat up. “You… it was… nice.” You stared at each other for a while before breaking out into awkward laughter. Even though you had been so confident with him earlier, you couldn’t bring yourself to do it again now. Something had changed between you - it was neither bad nor good, just natural. You pulled the sheets up to cover your chest - suddenly feeling vulnerable, despite already having shown him everything.

“Do you want me to get you a shirt or something?” He asked, noticing your change in demeanor. You hummed in response. Mingyu got up and walked over to his closer, and you tried not to stare at his naked figure. When he found a shirt for you to wear and clothes for himself, he walked back over to the bed and handed it to you. You pulled the shirt over your head, his scent surrounding you. His laundry detergent smelled fancy, and there was the slightest hint of the cologne that you had sensed during your hike.

“Thanks.” You got up and went to his bathroom.

“Y/N,” he said before you could go inside. “Do you want to stay over for dinner?” You turned around to face him, again trying your hardest to look only at his eyes. His hair was a mess, thanks to you, and he looked genuinely happy - a gentle smile playing on his lips and eyes that conveyed the same emotion. How could you say no to him? Especially since you had already tried his cooking once, you wouldn’t give up that opportunity.

“… sure.” You nodded and went into the bathroom.

After that evening, you continued this relationship - sleeping with each other, making food for one another, and spending as much time together as possible. You felt safe in Mingyu’s arms. Whenever he touched you, even if it was just a hand on your knee or cuddling while watching TV on the couch, you’d melt into it - trying to get as much out of it as possible. Slowly, you began recharging. It was as if you had been in hibernation this entire time, and spring had finally come to welcome you back to the world. Mingyu was your spring: warm, bright, and sweet. Between the two of you, something blossomed over the last week of your stay in the cottage.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ It was the last day of your stay at your aunt's cottage. Your things were neatly packed up, except for one dress, the dress that you had worn to the barbecue that you hadn’t gotten to enjoy. To reclaim the ruined evening, you and Mingyu had decided to dress up the way you had that day and hold your barbecue in Mingyu’s backyard. When you approached his gate that evening, you could already hear people laughing and talking in the backyard. An invisible wall stopped you from going any further. You stood completely still and fidgeted with your dress. Despite it being different from the first time, it still felt the same. However, you had promised Mingyu to come - and all of his hard work would go to waste if you didn’t walk through that gate. It was just a small metallic gate, painted in black and surrounded by a hedge. You swallowed whatever nerves were keeping you from going inside and opened the gate. Walking around the corner of the house, you were met with your neighbors in Mingyu’s backyard. As soon as you saw him, your worries melted away. Seeing that he had followed your plan to match outfits made you smile. Mingyu was standing by the grill with his back towards you but turned around as soon as he heard the gate close. You waved to him, and he motioned for you to come over. Standing next to him made it easier for him to wrap his arm around your waist.

“Welcome, sweetheart,” he said quietly, as if he wanted to make sure that no one else heard. “How are you doing?”

“I’m doing good,” you hummed. “Do I look okay?”

Mingyu looked at you up and down, drinking in your appearance, and pulled a grimace that screamed.

“Are you kidding?” He pulled you in a little closer and leaned down to whisper in your ear. “Trust me; if it weren’t for the amount of people here, I’d take you right on-” You playfully smacked his arm before he could finish his sentence. Seeing your shy smile, Mingyu puffed out his chest with pride - biting back his smile.

“You look perfect,” he said.

“So do you,” you replied, making the man’s ear turn red.

At the end of the evening, you were the last guest in Mingyu’s cottage. Just like you had every other night, you were standing beside Mingyu doing the dishes. Lucky for him, he had a dishwasher, but the two of you still had to wash the things that couldn’t go in there. You were drying and putting dishes away while Mingyu was washing them. The both of you worked in comfortable silence, but you were itching to say something.

“Tonight was great,” you expressed.

“I’m glad you thought so, sweetheart.” Mingyu dried off his hands on a towel after he had handed you the last of the dishes. “You’re leaving tomorrow morning, aren’t you?”

“I am.” You sighed. “And you’re staying?”

“Just a few more days… I still haven’t finished moving all the furniture, thanks to you.” He nudged your side. “You should take responsibility for your actions.”

You scoffed and put away the dry dishes. Mingyu was silent for a while, which garnered your attention. You turned around to see him leaning against the kitchen island, looking at you wistfully. A strong urge to walk over to him, hold him, and tell him everything would be okay, rushed over you, but you stood still in your place by the kitchen counter.

“I’ll be lonely without you,” Mingyu admitted. You didn’t answer - you didn’t know what to say to that. Instead, you approached him and wrapped your arms around his neck. Mingyu moved on autopilot, wrapping his arms around your waist and nuzzling his face in the crook of your neck. You relaxed against his touch, letting out a breath that you didn’t know you had been holding in. Breaking the soft moment, Mingyu started leaving kisses along your neck and clavicle.

“What are you doing?” You let out a giggle at the ticklish feeling of his lips.

“Giving you a final going-away-present,” he muttered. His ticklish kisses turned into something that’d most definitely leave marks the next day. You let out a gasp as he found a sensitive spot right by your ear. With one of your hands, you moved Mingyu’s face so that you could look him in the eye. There was still a sad look in his eyes, but they were slowly being replaced by something more lustful.

“Bedroom?” You asked. Without another word, Mingyu picked you up and carried you to his bedroom.

You found yourself lost in him again. Mingyu was everywhere: his taste, his smell, his touch surrounding you and infecting your brain. Your bodies moved against each other slowly, letting out low grunts and subdued moans. He was leaning above you, and your legs were wrapped around his waist. The slow pace would have usually been almost painful, but now you never wanted it to stop. You needed it to be slow, take as long as it needed to, so you didn’t ask him to go any faster. Mingyu reached out for your hand, intertwining his fingers with yours, shutting his eyes tight as his lips parted to let out a string of curses.

“You okay?” You asked with a chuckle.

“I’m okay.” He took a shaky breath. “Just hold my hand…”

“I’m not letting go, baby,” you promised. His head fell into the crook of your neck, and Mingyu let out another moan. You laughed at his reaction, finding it sweet how much you affected him. Your laugh got cut off by a moan when Mingyu began thrusting harsher into you - still not faster, just harder. He left wet kisses along your clavicle, whining against your skin. The two of you had been doing this for what felt like forever, and the stimulation was taking over him.

“You feel so fucking good,” he moaned.

One thing about Mingyu, when you got him going it was hard to stop him. You knew that he had been close to cumming several times already, and each time he had found a reason to pause. He had been edging himself for possibly an hour or more, and by now, his brain was fried. You took his face in your hands, bringing him up to look you in the eye and cooing at his clouded expression. It wasn’t like you weren’t drunk on lust too, but Mingyu was way further gone than you. Now that you had him like this, mindlessly thrusting into you, you knew he wouldn’t stop until you were cumming all over his cock. You almost felt bad for him. He needed someone to take care of him- he needed you to take care of him.

“Do you want to cum with me, baby?” You asked quietly between moans. Mingyu nodded, putting his head back in the crook of your neck. With the hand that wasn’t holding yours, Mingyu brought his hand between your bodies to rub your swollen clit. Your jaw went slack, wanton moans escaping you without a single care for who heard. Mingyu’s thrusts grew quicker, chasing both his own and your high. As your orgasm came rippling over you, dissolving you into pleasure, Mingyu came as well. He chased his breath between every other moan. His voice strained from how much he had been using it. Your hands played with his hair as he continued subtly grinding against you until his body fell limp against you.

You fell asleep holding Mingyu but woke up with his back turned against you. Without realizing that you were doing it, you had reached out to touch the skin where his neck met his shoulders. Your fingertips followed the crevices and curves of his form, your eyes following them - studying him. No matter how many times you looked at him, you always found new things. A mole here, a wrinkle there - everything felt sacred to you like you had discovered something important each time just because they were a part of him. You could look at him like this all day. A feeling started blooming in your chest, a feeling that you didn’t want to acknowledge or ever think of again. Mingyu stirred in his sleep, making you pull away your hand from him. The truth was that you were falling for him. Every time you kissed him, it just felt right, but you still felt the need to try it over and over again - just to see if it was real. He made you nervous in the best of ways. He made you laugh until you cried. More importantly, he made you feel loved. This feeling reminded you too much of Wonwoo, and you had to leave. Your things were already packed in the back of your car, you had never given him your phone number, and there was no way he could ever meet you again. Despite ignoring it for as long as you could, you knew that this was how it had to end. You recognized this path all too well, and you couldn’t be the other woman for a second time. As you kissed Mingyu's shoulder, you whispered out

“Goodbye” - and you left without a trace. When you got home to your mom’s apartment that afternoon, it was empty. Your mother’s absence didn’t stop you. There was no going back now. You had to build yourself up again. The traveling bags stayed in your car, and you started looking for apartments right away.

You had money saved up already, but after you had managed to sell your old apartment, you had enough money to move overseas if you wanted to. Nevertheless, you settled for a small apartment in a good neighborhood. It was smaller than your last apartment but had beautiful, big windows. There was one bedroom, a kitchen attached to a smaller living room, and a gorgeous bathroom. It was more than you could ask for. The money you had gotten from selling the apartment wouldn’t last forever, of course - you had to get a job. Despite wanting to escape your old life, you didn’t want to give up every aspect of it. You managed to find a job at a prestigious primary school situated near your apartment. You had contacts there through charities that you had helped Wonwoo set up - he proved to be of help for something, after all. It wouldn’t be like teaching kindergarten, but you were up for the challenge. Everything was going your way; you had your apartment, you had a pretty good job, and you had made it all on your own. Maybe it was destiny. What if the whole thing with your ex-husband was meant to be? So that you could be independent so that you could be happy. However, there was no way you could deny the fact that you missed Mingyu. You felt bad for what you did, and you’d never really forget him, but you couldn’t get the possibility of heartbreak out of your brain around him.

You spend a year like this, living each day without thinking about what might happen in the future. Every morning you wake up around six am. you got up, made a quick breakfast, got in the shower for a few minutes before getting dressed, and finally left for work. The primary school you worked at was close enough for you to walk to, and you had grown to enjoy your daily stroll - especially on a sunny spring day like this. However, it all was ruined when you heard someone call your name. Turning around to see who it was, you were met with Wonwoo walking out of a café. He was with other people in suits, but they let him be as he excused himself. You were frozen in your place. You could only watch as he walked towards you. He looked tired, new-parent-tired, but otherwise, he looked the same.

“Y/N?”

“Hi, Wonwoo.” You sent him a tight-lipped smile.

“I haven’t seen you in so long- how have you been?” He looked apologetic but smiled nevertheless.

“I’m good,” you replied. “I got a job at a primary school near here… Everglade Primary School.”

“Oh really?” He gave you an impressed nod. “It’s quite prestigious, isn’t it?”

“A little. The kids are great.” You nodded. “... how have you been? Is everything alright with Gyeong Hui?” You were secretly hoping that everything was horrible for him, and as the thought struck you, you got a dreadful feeling in your stomach.

“Oh, uhm… she’s great. We’re actually… we’re expecting again,” he said quietly as if the words would break you if they were too loud. “It’s been difficult… our daughter just started walking, and we’re trying to handle her while simultaneously handling the pregnancy… It's a lot.”

“I could imagine.” You nodded. “Do you… do you have any pictures?” Wonwoo pulled out his phone and showed you his lock screen. A small babe in pink overalls. She was adorable. Her large eyes looked just like Wonwoo’s.

“She has your eyes.” You said as he put his phone back in his pocket.

“A lot of people say that.” He tried to hold back his proud smile. He was happy. You should be happy for him, but all you felt was a pit growing in your stomach. “I wanted to apologize, Y/N.”

“Apologize?”

“For how everything turned out, I mean…” He looked down at his shoes. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright-” The embarrassment heating your face made you speak without thinking first. “I’m seeing someone new.”

“Really?” Wonwoo raised his eyebrows as he looked back at you. “Good. I’m happy for you. So, who’s the lucky guy?” Did he have to be so perfect? Here he was, feeling happy for you when you couldn’t bring yourself to do the same. The lies came bubbling up your throat again before you could stop them.

“His name is Mingyu,” you said. “We met last year.”

“Well, I hope it works out for you.” He smiled. “And that I get to meet this Mingyu sometime.”

“Of course.” You nodded. “Listen… I have to get to my students… but it was good to see you again!”

The two of you said goodbye and went your separate ways. You had no idea why you had decided to lie. Maybe it was because he was doing so well- you just wanted to make sure that he didn’t think you were alone and sad… although you were alone and sad. There was a very big chance that you would never meet him again, which would mean that you wouldn’t have to show him your “new boyfriend”. It was a harmless lie… hopefully. The lie had made you think of Mingyu again and how it would’ve been if you had waited for him to wake up that morning. Maybe he would’ve turned around and hugged you close, making some comment about how he forgot to close the blinds the night before. Then you would’ve had breakfast together, and before you left to go home, he would’ve asked for your number. Maybe you’d be living with him in an apartment now, just the two of you in a cozy condo. You couldn’t keep thinking like this. It’d just ruin you. So you shook off the lonely feeling and put on a smile for your morning class.

The rest of your day went on normally, teaching your second-grade class and also starting to teach the third-grade class. Their old teacher had fallen ill, taking an indefinite break, and you had offered to take over. It meant that you had more work to do, but you didn’t mind. You spent the day helping them with spelling and reading, and towards the end of the day, you let them do arts and crafts while they waited for their caretakers to pick them up. The school had a system where you needed to check off the caretakers who came and picked the kids up, which allowed you to talk with all of the kids’ grown-ups. Usually, you would chat with the caretakers of each kid while they got ready to leave. For some reason, it had become your favorite part of the day - except when the parents were rude, of course. There were only two kids left in your classroom now; the twins Kim Jiu and Ari. They were sweet kids, Jiu slightly shyer than her sister. There were three names on the list beside theirs; their grandparents and their father. From the history, you could see that their grandparents were usually the ones to pick them up. However, they always seemed to be on time. You sat down next to the girls, the two of them still drawing and unbothered by the time they had spent there.

“Hey, girls,” you said, getting their attention for a second before they returned to their drawings. “Do you remember if your grandparents told you that they’d be late today?”

“Our dad is picking us up,” Ari said.

“Is he always a bit late?” you asked, and Ari nodded.

“He works a lot,” Jiu said. She was focused on her drawing. It was a yellow house with green vines growing on it. You looked over her shoulder, finding the house oddly familiar. She mumbled that it was her grandparents' house in the woods. Before you could ask her more questions, the doors to your classroom opened. You recognized his voice before you even had to look at him.

“Sorry, I’m late, girls!” Frozen in fear, you wondered how your past might have snuck up on you twice today. When you finally turned your head to look at the girls’ dad, you saw Mingyu. He was wearing a suit, his hair slightly longer than the last time you had seen him, and his eyes were big with shock.

“Daddy!” Jiu shouted as she ran up to hug her dad’s leg. Mingyu looked away from you to crouch down to hug his daughters, both Ari and Jiu engulfing him. You watched as the girls rambled on about their day. Glancing back at your list, you looked at the father’s name: Kim Mingyu. Maybe you should have known. With a deep breath, you mustered up the courage to walk up to them. Mingyu stood up to greet you.

“They’ve behaved well, I hope,” he said. You knew he recognized you, you could see it in his eyes, but you understood why he couldn’t say anything in front of the twins.

“Oh, they’ve been wonderful. They’ve been welcoming,” you said. “It’s my first day teaching their class.”

“I saw the email.” He nodded and looked down at the girls. “I told them to be on their best behavior.”

“Well, thank you.” You clasped your hands in front of you.

“Are you busy right now?”

“Uhm… no.”

“Could you… follow me out to the car? I have to talk to you.”

Of course, you usually don't follow people out to their cars… but this wasn’t any other parent. You nodded and followed them outside. You recognized his car as the one you had seen standing outside his cottage. Mingyu got his girls into their car seats and closed the doors, making sure they couldn’t hear anything. He turned to you, unable to look you in the eyes at first. Your heart was already beating a mile per minute, but it only quickened when Mingyu met your gaze.

“You left to become a primary school teacher?” He asked, somewhat jokingly.

“I was already a teacher before I met you,” you explained. “And I left because I knew I couldn’t commit to you- which was maybe for the best, seeing as you have kids. Were you married all this time?”

“I’m widowed,” he said calmly. “Their mother died in childbirth.” Your worries melted away. You hadn’t been the other woman again. The worry was replaced with embarrassment and sorrow for both the man in front of you and his kids. How could this day keep getting worse?

“I’m sorry-”

“It’s fine,” he interrupted. “You didn’t know… and I should’ve told you about Jiu and Ari- I was going to eventually.” There was a pause. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife. Mingyu reached for your hand, but you quickly stepped away.

“Your kids are in the car,” you said. “We shouldn’t be discussing this here.”

Mingyu reached for his pocket, pulling out a silver rectangle box. It was thin, and when he opened it you could see it was filled with a few cards. He picked one of them up and handed it to you. Kim Mingyu, CEO. His number and the name of his company stood under it in the same black font.

“I want to talk to you again.” He put the box back in his pocket. “Please, call me.”

You accepted the card, studying the letters before looking back at the man in front of you. He wore the same wistful smile he had that last evening in his kitchen. You had never wanted to kiss someone this badly.

“You should go,” you whispered.

“I know,” he murmured. “For what it’s worth… I’m glad I got to see you again.” Unable to say anything, afraid that the tears would come pouring out if you did, you simply nodded. You watched him get in the car before leaving to go back to your classroom.

When you got home that evening, you didn’t know whether you should cry or shout out of happiness. All of these random occurrences made you believe in destiny. To celebrate, you took a hot shower and made yourself a gourmet dinner in the form of your favorite instant ramen, only to sit down on the couch to watch some bad show on Netflix. The card Mingyu gave you sat on the coffee table, distracting you from the movie you had picked. You picked it up and turned it around - fiddling and playing around with it. A sigh escaped your lips, and, with a lot of effort, you sat up and paused the movie. Dialing the number on the card, your thumb rested over the call button. If you didn’t call, he’d just show up to pick up his kids the next day - and that’d be more awkward than a simple phone call. You pressed the green button and put the phone next to your ear, bringing your knees up to your chest. It rang three times before he picked up.

“Hello, this is Kim Mingyu.” He sounded irritated.

“Hi, it’s Y/N… is this a bad time?”

“Oh, Y/N.” His voice immediately changed when he heard who it was. “Sorry, I thought you were someone else… how are you?”

“I’m good…” You took a deep breath. “Are you?”

“I’m fine, sweetheart.” The name slipped out of his lips naturally and causally, but it made your heart flip in your chest. “I just put the kids to bed, so we should have some time to talk.”

“Mingyu…” You cringed at the shake in your voice. “I’m sorry for walking out on you.”

“I understand- you had your reasons,” he said. “I’m sorry for not telling you about the kids.”

“We didn’t talk much, did we?” Mingyu’s laughter was like heaven to your ears, even if it was short and quiet. The tension in your shoulders started fading away.

“You’re right,” he said. “We should meet up sometime. Talk things through.”

“We definitely should…” You bit your bottom lip to try to contain your happiness. “Maybe for coffee?”

“A public space sounds smart.” Mingyu chuckled. “I’ll look at my schedule… I’ve been pretty busy lately.”

“Is that why your parents have been picking up the twins?” you asked without thinking.

“It is,” he admitted. “I try to do it as much as I can… it’s just hard being a single dad.”

“If it helps, your girls seem to think the world of you,” you said, remembering the way their faces had lit up when he walked into the classroom.

“Thanks, Y/N.” You could hear the smile in his voice. “I’ll try to pick them up more… Are you always there during pick-up?”

“Don’t change your schedule to come see me at work,” you joked.

“Can you blame me?”

“I guess not.” You grinned. “... I’m taking care of Ari’s and Jiu’s classes all days except for Mondays. I’ll be there for their play at the end of the month too.”

“Shit- I forgot about the play…” Mingyu groaned. “You know what? I’ll make time for it… I just have to move some things around in my schedule.”

“They’ll be very pleased if you show up,” you promised. “Those girls have been working extra hard, from what I heard.” You heard someone crying in the background and Mingyu cooing at, who you thought must be, one of his daughters. He was holding the phone away from him, but you could hear his comforting words and the shuffling of clothes as he probably lifted the child into his arms.

“Sorry, Y/N, Ari had a nightmare,” he said in a hushed tone. “I’ll see you soon. We’re still on for coffee, right?”

“Of course,” you hummed. “Don’t forget the play.” “I won’t,” he promised and hung up.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ PART TWO. After that phone call, Mingyu kept picking up the girls. He couldn’t do it all the time, of course, but he tried his hardest to show up. Mostly for his girls, especially after you told him how excited they get when they know he’s picking them up, but in part because he gets to see you again. Moreover, the increase in the days he would pick them up wasn’t going unnoticed by the twins. It was late afternoon.

Everyone had left the classroom except for Jiu and Ari, who were sitting in their places drawing. You had been cleaning up, but as soon as everything was put away and the tables were wiped, you sat down next to the girls - which is when you noticed an unusual detail in Jiu’s drawing. Ari always used to make scribbles, preferring to finger-paint or make interesting patterns across the paper with a pen, but Jiu always drew things as she saw them. This time, she had drawn a family portrait. On the page were two smaller people and two taller people. It was a man and a woman. The twins had never met their birth mom, but there was still a woman on the paper. You tried to calm down your nerves - but what if this was a cry for help? What if Jiu needed counseling and she just didn’t know how to say it? She was the quiet one of the two, so it wouldn’t surprise you if she had decided to hold it all in. Not wanting to make a scene, you decided to start a conversation with both of the twins.

“What are you making, girls?” you asked the both of them, looking over at Jiu’s painting with a tinge of worry in your chest.

“A rainbow flowerfield,” Ari said casually as her pen ran across the paper.

“A family portrait,” Jiu said quietly, intently focusing on the details of the grass.

“... could you tell me more about your painting, Jiu?” You studied the four figures on the page.

“That’s dad, me, and Ari.” She pointed out the figures on the paper, eventually getting to the fourth figure. “And that’s you.”

“Me?” You didn’t know if you misheard her, but Jiu nodded confidently. “Why am I in your family portrait, Jiu?”

“Because Dad talks about you all the time,” Ari answered for her sister. “And when Dad comes to pick us up, he always stays and talks with you.”

“You girls are attentive…” You cleared your throat.

“What does attentative mean?” Jiu asked. Before you could answer, Mingyu knocked on the already-opened door to gain your attention. You looked up at him, all of your thoughts disappearing at the sight of his smile.

“Ready to go, girls?” He asked.

“Gotta go, Mom.” Ari put away her things and grabbed her painting before running over to her dad. You hoped that Mingyu hadn’t heard her, but one look at him said otherwise. His eyes were wide, confused over whether he should laugh it off or be concerned. He opened his mouth to say something but shut it when he looked over at you. Jiu was still gathering her things and with Ari hanging onto his leg, Mingyu walked over to the table where the two of you sat. You stood up immediately, walking away to pretend that you were busy.

“It happens all the time,” you said, looking over your shoulder. It didn’t happen all the time, maybe once or twice per semester.

“I’m so sorry- I think it’s because they see us together so much and-”

“It’s because you talk about her all the time,” Ari interrupted her father. “And she takes care of us when you’re not here, like a mom.”

Mingyu’s face went red and avoided your gaze. Ari’s comment gave you the confidence to walk over to the small family again, having the upper hand now that you knew he talked about you.

“Do you talk about me, Mr. Kim?” you teased.

“Maybe sometimes- you know, before they have to go to school, I tell them to not cause any incidents for you,” he stammered out. "Last night, you asked if Ms. Y/L/N was sick,” Jiu added to the conversation, aiding her sister in the battle against their dad.

“Because you looked a bit tired,” he explained. “And I care about this school's staff- as anyone should.”

“But you never talk about Mr. Hong,” Ari said, “You only ask about Ms. Y/L/N.”

“Alright, girls, I think it's time for us to go home now.” Mingyu ushered the girls towards the door.

“But I want to stay with Mom.” Ari grinned widely, seemingly enjoying making her dad embarrassed.

“I won't go if she doesn’t.” Jiu joined in, crossing her arms over her chest and making her sister do the same.

“Girls, this is really inappropriate-”

“I could go get something to eat right now…” you said. “You girls like cake, right?” The twins cheered, hurrying to get their backpacks and coats. Mingyu looked over at you with a relieved expression. You walked over to your desk to grab your things, and when you turned around, you were met with a thankful-looking Mingyu.

“Cake always works,” you said. “It’s okay right?”

“Of course.” He smiled before turning to the girls again. “Let’s get some cake, ladies!”

There’s a cute little café around the corner from the primary school. You had gone there to celebrate your new job when you first got there, and you remember that their cakes and coffee were delicious. The four of you found a free corner of the booth, where the two girls got to sit on the couch while you and Mingyu took the chairs on the opposite side. While the twins were enjoying the cakes they had gotten, you were waiting for Mingyu to bring over the coffee. He came over with a small tray; standing on it were two cups of coffee and a piece of red velvet cake.

“You still like red velvet, right?” he asked.

“I do- but you didn’t have to.”

“It’s an apology,” he said. “For putting off our date for so long.”

You smiled and let your objections die down. One thing was for sure, Ari had gotten her stubbornness from her dad - and you didn’t want to start something you knew you would lose. Looking over at the two girls talking between themselves, then back at Mingyu, the realization of what you were doing washed over you.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” you mumbled.

“I’m happy you are, though,” Mingyu answered. “When Ari’s put her mind to something, she won’t stop until she gets her way.”

At hearing her name, Ari turned to her dad and stuck out her tongue - to which he, of course, responded by sticking out his tongue at her as well. You chuckled at the interaction and took a sip of your coffee.

“It’s a nice trait.” You put your cup back down. “And she finally got me that promised coffee date with you.”

Mingyu put a hand on your knee under the table, trying to convey that he was sorry for not doing this sooner. You sent him a gentle smile in return, making him take his hand away. You picked up the spoon from the tray, sliced into the cake with it, and took a first bite. It wasn’t as good as the muffins Mingyu had given you, but it was still lovely. Using the spoon to get another piece, you held it up to Mingyu’s lips this time. Holding your gaze, he let you feed him. For a moment, everything else disappeared. You had forgotten just how much Mingyu’s eyes could make you feel. However, the moment was ruined as you heard giggles across the table. You quickly put the spoon down and pretended like you hadn’t just gotten butterflies in your stomach.

“I’m glad you can be our mom,” Jiu said suddenly. “The other lady wasn’t as nice as you.” The other lady? You looked over at Mingyu again with an arched brow, silently asking him to explain himself.

“I was seeing someone before I met you. It ended pretty quickly… that’s why I spent some time at the cottage last year,” he explained, and the tension in your shoulders disappeared. “It isn’t nice to talk behind people’s backs, okay kids? And Ms. Y/L/N isn’t your mom.”

“Why not?” Ari asked.

“Because…” Mingyu tried to find an answer but trailed off instead. You weren’t one to put yourself into other people’s business, but explaining things to kids was your job - and you trusted that Mingyu wouldn’t take offense to you saying a few words at this moment, especially not since he kept glancing over at you.

“You know when you really like someone?” You said, getting the girls' attention. “You might decide that you’re going to hold hands or be together, right?” The two girls nodded. “We adults do the same thing,” you explained. “Except for us, there’s a stage before we say that we’re together. We spend some time getting to know each other better by going out and doing things like getting dinner or seeing a movie.”

“Are you doing that right now?” Jiu asked.

“Not exactly…” You looked over at Mingyu, who gave you a supportive nod. “Usually, you spend time alone together, and I haven’t gotten to do that with your dad… so we’re not together, and that’s why I can’t be your mom.”

“Then I think he needs to hurry up,” Jiu deadpanned before taking the last bite of her cake. Glancing over at Mingyu again, you saw how flustered he had gotten from the comment. You decided at that moment that you’d join the girls in their teasing - seeing his flushed face was enough motivation.

“He should hurry, shouldn’t he?” you said, and both of the girls nodded. “Well, I’ll forgive him since he’s been so busy - but he needs to make up for it.”

“Could he take you out to dinner tomorrow night, then?” Mingyu asked with a sheepish smile.

“What do you think?” You turned to the girls. They were both furiously nodding, making you break out into a chuckle. You turned back to Mingyu, pretending to think it over. He looked like he was about to fall apart, so you decided to put him out of his misery. “Absolutely.”

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ It’s a Saturday evening when you’re getting ready for your date. You had spent your day at home, trying to find an outfit to wear for your night out. Mingyu had texted you to wear something pretty, but that it should be comfortable for you. With the vague directions, there were a myriad of things that you could put together. You hadn’t been on a real date since before Wonwoo - unless you counted what you and Mingyu did at the cottage as dating. The expectations were high, which left you feeling stressed. However, when you find an old dress in the back of your closet, you feel the tension in your shoulders melt away. It was a dress you had bought two years ago that you hadn’t gotten to wear yet - you had bought it yourself, which was unusual during your last relationship, without a plan for when you were going to wear it. You had just bought it because it was pretty, and it still managed to make you feel beautiful. For once, during these traumatic few years, you felt pretty and subsequently happy. You knew you shouldn’t base your happiness on your beauty, but was it so wrong to feel glee over getting ready and genuinely liking what the mirror showed you? The apartment phone rang, and you pressed the button to answer. A surge of energy went through your veins at the thought of Mingyu coming to get you - your heart quickening to a pitter-patter pace.

“Hello?” You said.

“Hi, sweetheart.” His voice rang sweetly in your ears. “Could you let me up?”

“I’ll come down to meet you!” you chimed. Mingyu’s soft chuckle even managed to make you weak in the knees over the apartment phone.

“Alright, I’ll see you soon.” When the elevator doors open, you can see Mingyu’s figure through the glass of the front door. Sprinting toward the door, you excitedly pulled it open to see all of him. Mingyu smiled as soon as he saw you, making your heart feel even warmer. His eyes traveled up and down your body, drinking in your appearance. He looked fantastic himself, in his usual suit and perfectly styled hair.

“Hi,” you said as you closed the door behind you, unable to look away from him.

“Wow,” was all Mingyu said.

“Do you like it?” You looked down at the dress, twisting and turning so that he could see a little more of it.

“You look stunning,” he said, holding his hand out for you to take. “I love it.”

You take his hand, and he guides you away from the apartment complex. His words made you feel giddy, the kind of feeling you get when you watch a very romantic movie with a handsome lead. At the end of the street, you see a cab waiting for you. The walk to the car is silent but filled with anticipation. Mingyu’s hand is warm in yours, his thumb gently rubbing the back of your hand. When you arrive at the cab, Mingyu opens the door for you and holds your hand while you get in before he gets in beside you. The evening started with drinks. As you had expected, the restaurant he took you to was fancy. You had been to these kinds of places before, but it had been a while - and you had never been to this particular place. Mingyu ordered for you, per your request, and you ended up being pleasantly surprised. The food was almost too pretty to eat, but when you did, it was like your mouth had an orgasm. Your eyes widened as you chewed, looking over at Mingyu to see if he was having the same experience. He was looking at you with an amused smile.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

“More than okay.” You put down your fork as if you could take a break from the intense flavor. “This is delicious.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Mingyu chuckled.

“I do- I mean, maybe it’s because I haven’t eaten something like this in a while…” You picked up your wine glass and brought it to your lips.

“Well, it’s our first date, so it has to be special.” Mingyu was looking down at his plate, an uncharacteristically shy smile playing on his lips.

“It is special.” You put your hand, palm facing up, on the table. “I’m happy you asked me out.”

Mingyu put his hand in yours, locking eyes with yours again. The two of you look at each other, the rest of the restaurant fading away. Butterflies fly out of your ribcage, tickling the insides of your chest with their wings. Mingyu looks like your dream man; kind eyes, a pretty smile, and a beautiful man in general - the definition of tall, dark, and handsome. Not only that, he was kind and understanding; patient and confident. The waiter walking over to give the two of you your next meal was the only reason you broke out of your trance. You thanked the waiter and ogled at the delicious-looking food. Another waiter came by to pour you more wine. While you were reacting to your surroundings, Mingyu stayed looking at you lovingly.

“Do you want to go dancing after this?” He asked suddenly.

“Dancing? What kind of dancing?”

“Ballroom dancing,” Mingyu said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I know a place.”

“Why am I not surprised?” You chuckled. “Sure, I’ll go dancing with you.” Mingyu squeezed your hand before letting go to start eating.

After dinner, the two of you get back into a cab and travel from the city towards the suburbs. You had no idea where he was taking you, but you trusted him fully - maybe it was the alcohol, or Mingyu had truly laid out all of his cards on the table for you to see. In the back of the cab, you were sitting cuddled up next to Mingyu. His warmth was intoxicating, and you found yourself sinking further and further into his shoulder. Outside, the city lights grew fewer and fewer as you got closer to your destination in the suburbs. There were the occasional streetlights, but they were less bright than everything in the city. Darkness lulled over you like a parental blanket, urging you to close your eyes and sleep in the comfort of Mingyu’s presence. However, before you could fall asleep, you had arrived at your destination and Mingyu helped you out of the cab. You had stopped in front of a beautiful, old building with large windows. Music was playing inside, which you could hear from where you were standing on the sidewalk, but it was too muddled to figure out what it was. The chilly air woke you up somewhat, but sleep still lingered in the corner of your eyes.

“Don’t fall asleep on me just yet, sweetheart.” Mingyu came up beside you after paying for the cab and let you hook your arm around his. “This is one of my favorite places, I’m practically a regular, and I want you to enjoy it with me.”

“Then I have to stay awake, don’t I?” You steadied yourself against the man beside you and followed him inside the establishment. When you walk inside, Mingyu says his name to the receptionist, and they let him inside. He wasn’t lying when he said he was a regular. The corridor was wide and lit with warm-tinted lamps, giving everything a golden hue. It looked straight out of an Art Deco architecture magazine; marble floors with a geometric design, dark green walls, and golden details here and there. You were glad that you hadn’t fallen asleep - especially as you approached the ballroom. It was a large, round room - in the middle of which people were currently dancing. You could see a few people who looked to be around your age, but most of them seemed to be pensioners.

“You weren’t joking about ballroom dancing,” you said. “Why would I?”

He grinned and offered you his hand. “Would you like to dance with me?”

“Oh- well, I’m not any good-”

“It’s okay, I’ve got you.” Mingyu grabbed your hand and dragged you out to the dance floor. One of his hands rested on your waist while the other still held yours. It was a simple foxtrot, but you still had trouble following along. You kept stepping on Mingyu’s feet, cringing every time you did. However, when you tried to look down to see what you were doing, you were quickly corrected by Mingyu. He’d remove his hand from your waist to lift your chin back up, making you face him. Each time you’d huff, and he’d chuckle at your annoyance. It all became a little easier when a little slower song came on: Body & Soul by Billie Holiday. Mingyu brought you in a little closer, your chests touching completely. His cheek leaned against yours, and his hand on your back traveled up to rest right by your shoulder blades. The two of you simply swayed, moving in small steps around the room. In this relaxed tempo, you could finally stop and think.

“Why are you a regular here?” You asked.

“I’m not really,” he explained, “They’ve held a few charities here that I’ve donated to, and sometimes they hold events here for the people at the retirement home that you can volunteer for. I go whenever I have the time, so they’ve seen a lot of me.”

“Are you even real?” You jokingly asked as you removed your cheek from his to take a good look at him. “Is there anything you can’t do?”

“Well…” He breathed out. “There’s this woman that I’m practically head over heels for… but I can’t seem to get my shit together and kiss her, even though it’s all I can think about.”

“Oh?” You raised your eyebrow at him, playing along. “Tell me more about this woman.”

“Alright... First of all, she’s gorgeous,” he hummed. “More importantly, she’s warm-hearted, and she’s great with my kids- which is a big deal breaker for me… and I admire her strength, how she can keep going after what she’s been through.”

“Yeah?” You wrapped both of your arms around his neck.

“Yeah,” he said.

“I think she wants to kiss you, too,” you admitted. Mingyu put his free hand on your cheek, bringing you in for a chaste kiss… followed by another, slightly longer one. The two of you stopped moving, focusing on just getting closer. When he pulled away from you, he started smiling proudly.

“As much as I loved being here, I really want to leave with you now,” you murmured.

“Your wish is my command, sweetheart.” Mingyu pecked your lips a final time before leading you off the dance floor.

Outside the venue, the air was colder than it had been when you had gotten out of the cab earlier that evening. Noticing your shivering, Mingyu shrugged off his jacket and put it around your shoulders. You were about to protest, but feeling the warmth wrap around you made you quiet down.

“Thank you,” you said to him.

“I can’t have you getting a cold on our first date,” he mumbled. “Do you want to walk around for a bit? This place is peaceful at this time of night.”

“I’d like that.” You gave him a nod and a smile, locking arms with him again. Mingyu walked slowly with you down the street. It was peaceful, as he had said; most of the lights in the houses were off, but the few homes that were still awake gave the street a certain glow. It all feels magical, too good to be true… which it is. You don’t recognize him at first. You only see a couple walking with their stroller. However, when they get closer, you can’t help but recognize your ex-husband. Surprisingly, he doesn’t see you at first - he notices Mingyu first.

“Kim Mingyu!” He said with a smile and a wave. “What are you doing all the way out here?”

“Mr. Jeon.” Mingyu goes to shake your old lover’s hand. “How have you been? I haven’t seen you since our meeting.”

The two of them talked while you stood frozen in fear. Do they know each other? How had you never seen them together before? Your eyes went over to the stroller, and seeing the baby in it made your heart sink. She looked like Wonwoo - you had seen his baby photos, and she was almost a complete replica of them. Gyeong Hui gave you a bittersweet smile, looking at you with knowing eyes. She had already recognized you. Looking back at Wonwoo, who was still talking to Mingyu, you wondered if he was happy. All of these thoughts were washed away when you finally met Wonwoo’s gaze. For a moment, you forgot that he had moved on from you. His eyes were kind, a soft smile on his lips. However, as quickly as he managed to make you feel comfortable, he also made your nerves worse.

“Y/N…” he said. “Hi.”

“Hi, Wonwoo.” Your voice was weak, more so than you wanted to.

“Ah… is this the Mingyu you were talking about?” He pointed between you and Mingyu, and you could feel the man next to you tense up.

“I… uh…” You looked at Mingyu, who didn’t show a twinge of confusion despite you being caught in your lie. “Yes.”

“Well, I’m glad you found someone like him.” Wonwoo approving of your relationship was the last thing you wanted. You didn’t want him to have anything to do with your new relationship - you just wanted him out of your life. After some small talk, you go your separate ways. Wonwoo goes home with his family, and you’re left standing, feeling like the husk of yourself. Mingyu’s hand rested on your back, rubbing it comfortingly.

“I didn’t know…” he said.

“It’s okay,” you muttered. “I’m sorry about telling him I was seeing you- I didn’t even know what I was thinking. I just met him while on my way to work- I hadn’t even seen you since the cottages, but I just blurted out that we were dating and-”

“You don’t have to explain,” he interrupted. “It’s a little flattering in a way.”

You chuckled, immediately feeling lighter as he joked it away. Mingyu brought you in for a hug, letting you bury your face in his warm chest. Wrapping your arms around him, you felt tears start burning in your eyes. When Mingyu heard you sniffle, he put his hand on the back of your head - silently telling you to stay and cry for as long as you need to. You grip onto his shirt, probably creasing the expensive material. You couldn’t bring yourself to fully sob, but a few tears escaped from the corner of your eyes.

“Do you want me to call a cab and take you home?” Mingyu asked. You nodded, and Mingyu immediately pulled out his phone. Standing outside your apartment complex, Mingyu was still holding your hand. Your eyes were red and puffy from crying in the cab, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“I’m sorry for ruining tonight,” you said.

“You didn’t.” He squeezed your hand. “I knew that things wouldn’t be completely normal with you, and I’m fine with that.”

“Stop being so perfect,” you jokingly groaned and leaned your head against his shoulder.

“Sorry, I can’t help it.” Mingyu laughed. You looked back up at him. Even if it was just a joke, to you, he truly was perfect. His big puppy-dog eyes looked back down at you as if he were trying to figure out what you were thinking about. When you leaned a little closer, Mingyu took the opportunity to lean down and press a kiss on your lips. It was chaste and sweet but left you wanting more.

“Goodnight, sweetheart.” As Mingyu went to leave, you didn’t let go of his hand. You couldn’t.

“... could you stay with me tonight?” You asked.

“Are you sure? You don’t want to be alone?”

“If you have a babysitter at home, I get it.” You put your other hand on his. “But I want you here, Mingyu.”

“Well, I can’t say no to that.” He smiles. “The girls are with their grandparents. I’ll just tell them that I’ll come by a little later tomorrow to pick them up.”

Mingyu made himself at home in your apartment, sitting with you on the couch while a movie is playing on the TV. Your head is on his chest, and Mingyu’s arm is wrapped around you. The domestic scene feels just right as if you’d been doing this for years together. However, as it gets late, you realize that you don’t have any clothes for Mingyu to borrow. He was still in his suit, sans jacket, and that couldn’t be too comfortable. So, while Mingyu was washing up in the bathroom, you were furiously looking through your wardrobe to find something for him to wear. You were so focused on the task at hand that you didn’t hear Mingyu walking into the room.

“Did you lose something?” He asked. His sudden question made you jump, quickly whipped around to look at him. Mingyu was holding his neatly folded clothes in his hands, putting himself on full display. He was standing confidently in nothing but his underwear as if he was straight out of a Calvin Klein ad.

“... I was going to find you something to wear.” You looked him up and down. “I guess that’s not an issue anymore.”

“Don’t act like you haven’t seen me naked before,” he joked.

“No, I-” You huffed. “I just wanted to make sure you’re comfortable.”

“I appreciate it, sweetheart, but I’m fine just like this if you are.” He put down his clothes on a nearby chair. “And if you want me to sleep on the couch, I’ll do that.”

“I want to sleep with you.” You regretted it as soon as you said it, twisting your face in embarrassment as you heard Mingyu chuckle. “I mean… I want to sleep next to you… I’m going to wash up. Make yourself comfortable.”

Before Mingyu could tease you, you left the room. You could hear him laugh behind you, making your cheeks get even hotter. After washing up in the bathroom, you change into your somewhat embarrassing pajamas and go back to the bedroom. Mingyu was lying in your bed. The covers dragged up to his mid-torso. He was scrolling on his phone but looked up as soon as he heard you come in. His eyes focused on your white pajama pants with small red hearts, a big grin appearing on his face.

“Don’t laugh,” you warned.

“They’re cute,” he assured you. Mingyu reached over to the other side of the bed, pulling away the covers for you to get in. Walking up to the side of the bed, you hesitantly sit down. You hadn’t slept in the same bed as him for over a year. It felt weird to see him like this like you were trying to remake a distant memory. Nevertheless, you lay down and pull up the covers. As Mingyu turns over to turn off the light, you watch his back carefully. A need to reach out and touch his bare skin fills you, burning in the bottom of your stomach. When Mingyu turned back around, he shuffled closer to you but didn’t touch you yet.

“... do you still like to cuddle to fall asleep?” he mumbled. Y

ou nodded and immediately shut your eyes as Mingyu wrapped his arms around you. His body was warm, and every muscle in your body relaxed under his touch. Your head was on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. At first, Mingyu’s hands stayed still on your back. However, they soon started moving around - drawing circles on your skin over the fabric of your shirt and even letting his fingers slide under the hem of your shirt.

“Mingyu…” you hummed.

“Yes, sweetheart?” He asked innocently while his hands continued feeling you up.

“What are you doing?” You smiled, burying your face deeper in his chest.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“No.”

Mingyu’s hand made their way to the top of your pajama bottoms. Grazing the skin under the fabric, he whispered out if it was okay - to which you whimpered out a yes. He pulled down your pants to your mid-thigh, groping your ass before turning you around to lay with your back against his chest. You felt his semi-hard cock poking against your ass. The anticipation of finally feeling him inside you again made you dizzy. His hand cupped your pussy over the thin material of your underwear, then let his hand up to the hem of your panties… only to go past them and rest on your lower stomach.

“Gyu?” You mumbled as you were brought out of your daze.

“Are you sure you want this?” he muttered against the skin of your neck. You turned around to look at him. His pupils were blown out, but his eyes were still filled with worry. You got closer to him, pressing your lips against his in an attempt to show him how much you needed him right now. Mingyu responded to your kiss but pulled away just a few seconds later - his lips ghosting over yours.

“I just mean that you were upset before– I didn’t think before I started this,” he explained softly. “And I don’t want you to feel like you have to or do it because you’re not in the right state of mind… you just looked so pretty, and I-”

“Gyu,” you repeated, getting him to stop talking. “I want you.” Your lips reconnected, and you could feel Mingyu smiling against you. You cling onto Mingyu’s shoulders as he turned you over to be on top of him. In the middle of your kiss, you managed to kick your pajama pants off - only breaking contact to let out a soft giggle at the strange situation. Sitting comfortably with your legs on either side of his hips, you began pressing quick kisses to his jaw. Trailing kisses down his neck, you find a sensitive spot right by his ear - that made a whine slip out between his lips when you attached your lips to it.

“I thought I had figured out how to push all of your buttons already,” you muttered against his skin.

“Guess you’ll have to keep experimenting on me.” He grinned. “I’m a willing test subject.”

“Of course you are,” you purred. You got down to his hips, pulling at his underwear until he helped you take them off. His big cock slapped against his abdomen, and your mouth watered at the sight. While Mingyu’s hands were gripping your pillows, you were trying to take his entire length in your mouth. Peering up at him through your lashes, you could see his face contorted in pleasure.

“I missed your mouth so much, baby,” he whined, and you hummed in response. “Fuck… you’re gonna make me cum from just that…” He gently grabbed your hair and pulled you off him. “Save it for another time,” he rasped. “I need to fuck you, please…”

“Do you have a condom?” you asked. “I don’t have any here…”

“No… but I got checked just a couple of months ago. I haven’t been with anyone since you last year,” he admitted.

“Are you asking me if you can fuck me raw?” You grinned.

“Yes?” You crawled back up to kiss him, letting him taste himself on your tongue. He moaned into your mouth, and you felt yourself getting more and more lost in pleasure. Mingyu grabbed your hips, subtly moving them over his abs. Feeling the soft ridges over the material of your panties made you whine. You broke the kiss, trying to catch your breath.

“Fuck me. I need you to take control of me,” you murmured. “Do what you want with me– just let me forget everything…”

Something in him snapped, and before you knew it, Mingyu had flipped you over, manhandling you to have your ass up in the air. Your chest was pressed against your mattress, your face hidden in the pillows. His cock, after having teased your entrance, stretched you out. He hadn’t prepped you for it at all, but he had gotten you wet enough to slide it in without much effort. A soft moan of relief left your lips as he bottomed out.

“Move,” you grunted. He followed your orders immediately, pulling out almost completely before thrusting back into you. You could picture his expression in front of you; his eyebrows knitted together, his eyes shut tight, and his mouth hung wide open. His hands were gripping your hips, pulling you back as he thrust his hips. The noises he was making were almost animalistic and mixed with the filthy sounds coming out of your mouth, you knew you were going to get a noise complaint. You couldn’t help it, and you didn’t care. Mingyu had never been so domineering before - asking him to take full control of you must have flipped a switch in his brain. So when he pulled you up by your hair, wrapping an arm around your middle to hold you there, you let out a surprised gasp. His thrusts continued while he started kissing the side of your neck.

“I’m better than him, aren’t I?” He grunted. At first, his words didn’t meet your brain, too far gone to process what he was saying. But when you finally understood what he had said, you were shocked at his bluntness. More importantly, you were shocked at how much you liked it.

“Yes,” you moaned. “

Say it.” “You’re better than him,” you whined. “Fuck– you’re bigger than him, too!”

“Yeah?” He thrust harder into you. “Gonna make you forget all about him… do you want that, baby?”

Words couldn’t come out of your mouth. Your jaw was slack, Mingyu coaxing moan after moan from your throat, and you could only nod. With inappropriately gentle hands, Mingyu helped you lay down with your back on the bed. The empty feeling you got when he pulled out of you made you whine, but you were soon shut up by Mingyu burying himself in you again. As he continued thrusting, his lips attached to your clavicle - trailing down to your chest to let his tongue slide over the pebbled flesh. Your fingers entangled themselves in his hair, holding him there.

“You’re making me feel so good, Gyu,” you whined, followed by a string of curses. “Please, make me cum!”

With a new motivation, Mingyu’s lips left you as he focused all of his energy on your cunt. Thrusting into your sopping hole and rubbing your clit until you were convulsing under him. As your eyes rolled into the back of your head, you saw a bright light and felt a warmth spreading from your core. After your orgasm, your limbs grew limp, and you didn’t even have the energy to open your eyes. Mingyu pulled out of you, cumming on your stomach after pumping his cock in his hand a few times. He collapsed beside you, making sure not to crush you with his body.

“Sweetheart?” His voice rang sweetly in your ears, making you smile. “Are you still awake?”

You hummed, turning to hug him closer. He welcomed you in his arms, and when your sweaty skin met his, you could swear that you could feel static between you. After a while of staying in the same position, you found yourself almost falling asleep. You knew that you’d hate yourself in the morning if you didn’t clean up, so you gently tapped Mingyu’s shoulder to get his attention.

“Can you help me to the bathroom?” you whispered. “Sure, sweetheart.”

Mingyu got up, stretching slightly before he picked you up like you weighed nothing. He carried you over to the bathroom with your guidance and put you down to draw the two of you a bath. You handed him some of your bath products - calming serums, bath bubbles, the works - which he put in without question. When your bathroom started smelling like an English garden and the bathtub was filled with water, Mingyu helped you into the tub and then sat down behind you. You settled in your place, relaxing your muscles in the hot water, and leaned your back against Mingyu’s broad chest. A sigh escaped your lips, and Mingyu chuckled.

“Feeling tired?” He teased, and you nodded.

“Yeah,” you breathed out. “It was worth it, though.” Mingyu wrapped his arms around your waist, burying his face in the crook of your neck. He pressed chaste kisses to your sensitive skin - suddenly so different from the way he was before. You turned your head to give him more access, but Mingyu’s kisses stopped.

“It was good then?” he asked with a slight hint of worry laced in his tone.

“Really good.” You looked at him over your shoulder. “I didn’t know you had that side in you.”

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me.” He pecked the side of your mouth. “You’ll find out.”

You grinned and turned back around, settling back into your previous position. The two of you sat there for a while until the water wasn’t quite as hot anymore. When you got back out, you drained the bath and washed off quickly before wrapping yourselves in fluffy towels. Your legs were still sore, but not as much as they were before the bath. Still, Mingyu insisted on helping you back to bed. After laying you down, he pulled the covers over your body and went around the bed to get in himself. Neither of you had bothered with putting on new clothes, and you found yourself enjoying the feeling of his skin against yours - nothing was in between you.

“Do you want me to stay tomorrow?” Mingyu asked suddenly.

“Why wouldn’t I want you to stay?” You chuckled. “I thought you might want space,” he mumbled.

“I’ve had enough space from you,” you reminded him. “Stay for as long as you want, Gyu.” Mingyu let out a giggle - you would never get over the feeling you got from hearing this big, confident man giggle. His arms wrapped a little tighter around you, pressing your face into his chest, and he put his chin on the top of your head. Mingyu’s giggle was contagious, almost like he was transmitting his energy to you.

“What?”

“I like it when you call me Gyu,” he said.

“Good,” you hummed. “Sleep well, Gyu.”

“Goodnight, sweetheart.” He pressed a kiss on the top of your head. You stayed with your ear pressed against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. It started out fast, but as he slowly fell asleep, it started slowing down as well. The rhythm made you drift away to sleep.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ PART THREE. The next time you saw Mingyu, it was unexpected. You had decided to go to the park to enjoy the spring warmth and an excellent book. It was Sunday the week after your date, which meant that you didn't have any work, and you could do whatever you liked with your time. The thought of asking Mingyu if he wanted to meet up certainly popped into your brain, but you assumed that he was busy. You had been texting him frequently, and he had shown up to pick up his kids almost every day the past week, but you still felt a little awkward to ask him out suddenly. The possibility of rejection was too high - he could be busy with work or with his kids, and you didn’t want to interrupt either of those things.

The park was big, another plus of living in a well-off neighborhood, and it had many benches where you could spend your leisure time. The weather was just right, not too cold and not too hot. There were some concerning dark clouds in the sky, but they were too far away for you to care about them. Most of the park was just fields, which was perfect for the dogs running around, but there were also small patches of trees and a few playgrounds here and there. It was a peaceful scene this early in the day. After walking for a while, you found a spot by a small duck pond with a bench looking over the water. After sitting down, you pulled out your book and started reading. It felt nice to get out of your apartment. if you hadn't, you would've been sitting on the couch watching yet another show by now. The thought was tantalizing, but being here was better for your overall health. Besides, if you hadn't ended up sitting down at that bench, you wouldn't have met up with Mingyu. In the distance, you could hear a familiar pitchy voice shout your name. When you looked up, you saw two kids running toward you.

“Ms. Y/L/N!” Ari shouted with a big smile, her sister running right beside her.

Behind them, you could see Mingyu walking towards you. He was unusually dressed down - just light-wash jeans and a white collared shirt under a thin jacket - but it suited him. You put your finger where you left off on the page before closing the book. A smile spread across your lips as you watched the two girls approach you, and you put the book back in your bag to greet them.

“What are you guys doing here?” You asked as they reached the bench you were sitting on.

“We decided to take a morning walk to the duck pond.” Mingyu had caught up with the twins, now standing just a little bit away from the bench. “We tried our luck on the other side of the pond, but the ducks over there didn’t like us.”

“He was going to feed the ducks with us, but the ducks swam away,” Jiu explained.

“Yeah…” Ari disappointedly looked up at her dad, “He scared them away.”

“I was trying to get closer to them!” he exclaimed with an embarrassed look on his face. You let out a soft laugh at the trio. Their antics were endless, but you enjoyed watching the show they put on. A small ache took its place in your chest. Watching them made you remember the family that you had always wanted.

“Dad's also helping us practice for the play,” Jiu added. “Because he said he can't come on Friday, so he wanted to watch us do it now.”

You had almost forgotten that the play was just in a few days. Seeing the brave faces the girls put on, despite clearly being sad at the knowledge of their dad’s absence at the play, made your heart sink.

“You can't be there?” You furrowed your brows as you looked up at Mingyu.

“There's a meeting I have to be at, and it ends right as the play is supposed to start.” He sighed. “I told them I would try to make it, but, you know…”

“Well, I heard that they record the plays, so... maybe I can get you a copy of that,” you suggested. “But I do hope that you at least try to get there, even if you only see the last parts.”

"Of course…” He nodded, and the conversation faded into silence. “... I texted you this morning.”

“You did?” You took your phone out of your bag. “Sorry, I put my phone on silent earlier.”

It was a short message, a simple question if you would like to meet up in the park. You smiled when you saw it. When you looked back up at him, he was looking away. A slight blush was spread across his cheeks and the tips of his ears.

“Dad said you couldn't come with us to see the ducks. Did you change your mind?” Jiu asked. Her question made Mingyu's face grow even redder, and your smile grew fonder. You looked down at Jiu, brushing a few strands of hair out of her face.

“Yes, I did,” you said and stood up.

“Oh, but if you're busy-” Mingyu started, but you quickly cut him off.

“I'm not busy,” you assured him.

Mingyu’s smile when you told him you’d join them made your heart soar, and you realized at that moment that you’d do anything to make him happy. You spent the day with Mingyu and his daughters, feeding the ducks, going to the playground, and simply enjoying each other's company. Towards the middle of the afternoon, the clouds that you hadn't bothered being worried about were a lot closer than before. Mingyu helped the girls zip up their coats before he turned to you. You were just wearing a blouse and a skirt since you weren't expecting to stay at the park for so long. It was cold, but nothing you couldn’t handle.

“Are you cold?” Mingyu asked, although he was already shrugging off his jacket.

“I’m fine, Mingyu,” you tried to protest, but it was in vain. Mingyu's jacket engulfed your shoulders as he draped it around you. He fixed the collar of the jacket to hang securely, also letting his hands stay near you. You looked up at his face. He was staring right at you with a warm look in his eye. You remembered the night you had spent together last week, wishing to go back there.

“I wouldn't want you to catch a cold,” he murmured. “You take care of my kids, after all.”

“Is that the only reason?” you asked, faking being offended.

“Of course not,” he said with a small smile as he gently pushed some hair out of your face. He opened his mouth to add something, but before he could it started raining. Small droplets landed on your nose. You looked up at the about-to-be-downpour and took a step away from him.

“We should go home,” Mingyu said, turning to his girls. “What do you say, girls?”

“Will Ms. Y/L/N come with us?” they asked.

“No, girls, I have to go home.” You crouched down to their eye level. “But I will see you tomorrow, okay?”

They both nodded and unexpectedly swung their small arms around your neck - the force almost making you stumble backward. You hugged them back and glanced up at Mingyu.

“I will see you tomorrow, too then?” He asked as you stood up.

“Of course.” You smiled. “I have to return this jacket, after all.”

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ The very next day, you were in your usual classroom, waiting for Mingyu to pick up his daughters. They were the last ones there, as they always were, but this time it was getting very late. You were stealing worried glances at the clock every other minute. What if something had happened to him on the way here? It was late enough for you to call him up and ask him where he was, and if he didn’t pick up, you’d need to call the kids’ grandparents.

“Did your dad say that he would be later than usual today?” You asked the girls carefully.

“No,” Ari said. “But he looked tired, so maybe he fell asleep.”

Before you could question her any further, Mingyu barged in through the door. If you thought seeing him in jeans and a t-shirt was weird, it was even stranger to see him in sweatpants. Like Ari said, he looked exhausted - even sick.

“I’m so sorry,” he said, and you couldn’t tell if he meant it for you or his twins. “I didn’t mean to be late, and I fell asleep in my study-”

“Slow down-” You tried to interrupt his ramblings, but he ended up interrupting himself with a sneeze.

“Mingyu, are you alright?” You got up from your chair and approached him. At first, Mingyu was apprehensive to let you near him. However, he didn’t have the energy to get away from you and ended up even leaning into you when you put your palm against his forehead.

“You’re burning up,” you mumbled.

“I just have a small fever, I’m…” He let out a soft sigh as you repositioned your hand to cup his cheek. “That feels nice.”

The girls giggled behind you, reminding you that they were still there and that you should try to not make a scene to worry them. Despite how endearing Mingyu looked right now, you took your hand away from his face. He was stumbling even though he wasn’t moving, and you quickly got him to sit down in a chair.

“Why didn’t you let your parents pick them up?” You whispered to him. “You didn’t go to work like this, did you?”

“I did... they sent me home, so I worked in my home office,” he explained with a goofy grin. “It's a lot nicer to work from home. I don't have to dress up... but I didn't want to miss seeing you, so I didn't bother asking my parents.”

Your blood started pumping with irritation as he kept smiling. He was taking this way too lightly - this was his health he was talking about, and he was joking it away. Did he just not care?

“Kim Mingyu, you are so incredibly irresponsible,” you said, making his smile fade away. “You should be resting… Did you drive here?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“I’ll drive you home.” You sighed. “Is that okay with you?”

Mingyu handed you his keys, which you quickly accepted. This was definitely against some sort of work code, but you didn't care. These girls needed to get home safely, and Mingyu needed to rest as much as he could.

“Let’s go, girls,” you said. “I’m taking you home.”

You walked out with Mingyu leaning against you and the twins following close behind. Lucky for you, your coworkers were nowhere to be seen - probably because of the late hour. It went smoothly to get out of the building, and the parking lot was pretty much empty too. You remembered what Mingyu’s car looked like and found it with minimal guidance from the man beside you. After getting the girls into their respective seats and buckling their seat belts, you got into the driver's seat. Mingyu was sitting beside you, leaning his head against the headrest. Now that he could settle down and had his eyes closed, he looked peaceful. You still had his jacket from yesterday that you had tucked under your arm before walking out of the building. Mingyu was shivering despite you turning up the heat in the car, so you took the jacket and draped it over his chest. Looking back at the girls, you tried to look confident and not like you were worried sick about their dad.

“Are you ready to go home, girls?” You asked and they both nodded. Turning back to face the wheel, you took a deep breath before starting the car. You drove them to their home, following the GPS' orders carefully. Mingyu was asleep during the drive, and the girls sat in the backseat, whispering and giggling. When you got to the destination, you had to wake him up, shaking his shoulder gently while keeping your eyes on the road.

“Sorry to wake you,” you murmured. “Where am I supposed to park?”

“It's this house right there. Just park the car right in front of the garage... I'll fix it later,” he mumbled.

It was a big, modern house - probably newly built just a few years ago. Big floor-to-ceiling windows took up most of the otherwise white walls with dark wooden details. It was pretty much a box with a lot of interesting extensions, giving the whole house a very structured geometric feel. Shaking off the wonder you felt from just staring at the outside of the house, you parked and got out to help the girls. Mingyu went out shortly after you, still stumbling slightly as he walked towards the door.

“I’ll unlock the door,” he said with a yawn.

The inside of the home was well decorated and had dark wooden floors, matching the exterior details. There was a big living room area, which was connected to a patio. You could see back into the garden through the big glass sliding doors, quickly noticing a pool back there. The kitchen was also in the downstairs area. The cabinets were black, and the floor was lined with classic black and white tiles. Everything looked neatly put together, especially compared to your apartment. You helped the kids with their shoes and jackets, letting them run ahead after you were done. Mingyu took off his shoes by himself before slumping against the wall.

“You should go to bed,” you told him.

“Will you go with me?” He asked in a flirtatious tone.

“You’re getting on my nerves today…” You sighed and tried to bite back your smile. “I’ll put on the TV for the girls and help you to bed. Is that okay?”

Mingyu nodded, and you quickly went into the living room. The twins were already sitting on the couch, whispering between themselves.

“Do you girls want to watch something?”

“Yes, please!” They sounded in unison. You turned on the TV, after a few tries, and put on a show that the girls said they wanted to watch. They were sucked into it before you knew it, and you hurried over to Mingyu, who was still slumped against the wall.

“Let’s get you to bed,” you murmured. “Where’s your bedroom?”

“Upstairs.” Mingyu’s bedroom was neat, but the bed was unmade. Everything was decorated in black, giving it a sleek look. Leaning against the headboard, you helped Mingyu get into bed and pull the covers over him. You sat down on the edge of the bed, watching him with worried eyes.

“Did you get sick yesterday?” You asked.

“I’ve been feeling a little under the weather for a while now,” he explained. “But I don’t think yesterday helped.”

“I’m sorry.” You took his hand in yours, bringing it to lay in your lap.

“It’s not your fault, sweetheart,” he said. “Thank you for taking me home… you were right. I was being irresponsible.” “Do you need anything else? I can make dinner for you and the girls.”

“That’d be very nice.” He nodded and closed his eyes. “I’ll help you. I just need to rest for a bit.”

“No, you won’t.” You sighed. “You’re going to rest up. I’ll bring food to you.”

“Thank you… please take care of the girls first. You can give me my food after putting them to bed- actually, I could get it myself. Just tell me when-”

“Mingyu,” you warned. “Let me take care of everything. I’ll put the girls to bed and get you food afterward, okay?”

“Okay…” Mingyu took a deep breath. “Their bedtime is eight o’clock sharp. Their room is down the hall to the right, in front of my office.”

“I’ll take care of it,” you promised and tucked him in a little better. “Rest well, okay?”

Mingyu let out a grunt for an answer as you got up to leave the room. Taking a final look at the sleeping Mingyu, you close the door behind you. The upstairs area wasn't as big as the downstairs area, but it was around the same size as your entire apartment. You looked around in awe, never having imagined that this was what Mingyu's home would look like. Despite having two kids, he kept everything clean - at least you thought so until you saw the kids' room. Toys were scattered here and there, but there was still enough space to walk around in the big room. There were two beds placed in separate corners of the room and a door to a closet in one of the corners. There was a window right in between the beds, allowing light to flow inside. The mess wasn't a big problem, just some stuff on the floor - it was easy enough for you to put away. You didn’t deep clean it, but you put away the toys where you thought they should be - a box with other toys in it put under the window. Once that was done, you explored further. You found the upstairs bathroom, where you noticed a toothbrush stand with three toothbrushes standing next to each other and one empty slot. After the bathroom, you found Mingyu's study, which you only took a glance at. This room was even messier than the girls' room. It was probably because he had left in a hurry before. Tissues were piling up in the trash, and papers were all over the dark wooden desk - as well as a few lying on the floor. The blinds were closed, leaving the room feeling closed off. You quickly left that room, not wanting to intrude any more than you already had. On your way to the staircase, you passed the upstairs bathroom and a room right in front of Mingyu's bedroom that you had somehow missed. The door was closed and even though you were curious, you decided to let it stay that way. When you got down the stairs, you found the girls still watching TV. Their attention went away from the screen as you came in to check on them.

“Are you feeling hungry?” you asked, and they both nodded. “Do you want to help me make some food?”

Making food with the girls was a fun experience. They were helpful when they were helping you find utensils or ingredients, but they still messed around a little. Whenever they had done something they shouldn’t have, like hiding the spices from you, they would let out a cute giggle. It would always give them away, but you still played along with them. After making dinner and tucking Jiu and Ari into bed, you got a plate of the leftovers and brought it up to Mingyu's room. The room was still dark, and he was still lying in bed in the same position you had left him in. Maybe he had shifted around a bit because his hair was a bit messier than before, but except for that hint, you couldn't tell. You sat down beside him and put your hand on his arm.

“I have some food for you,” you murmured. “And water.” Mingyu opened his eyes ever so slightly, shifting in the bed to bring his hands up to his face to rub the sleep out of his eyes. When he was done, he sat up, leaning his back against the headboard.

“You’re too nice to me,” he muttered in a raspy, sleep-laced voice.

“You would’ve done the same to me.” You handed him the glass of water. “Drink.”

You put the plate of food on his bedside table while he drank. A nervous feeling started spreading in your chest, suddenly realizing the position you were in. To combat these unfamiliar emotions, you got up and started closing the blinds.

“I put the girls to bed,” you said as you worked on closing the blinds. “They weren't very happy to go to sleep when you hadn't kissed them goodnight yet.”

“They get antsy if we don't follow the routine.” He chuckled. “Could you hand me the plate?”

After picking the plate back up, you sat down next to you. Without thinking, you took the spoon to feed him, like you used to do with the stubborn kids at the kindergarten you worked at before. Mingyu looked a little shocked but accepted the spoon by opening his mouth. Only after he had taken the bite did you realize what you had done.

“Oh- I’m sorry.” You felt heat rise to your face. “I didn’t mean to be patronizing- it’s an old habit from my last job-” Mingyu’s laugh stopped your rambling. You attempted to give him the plate, but he pushed it away. He couldn't get a word out, still trying to chew through the fit of giggles. His hand was over his mouth as he looked away from you. If he were to look into your lost puppy dog's eyes, he would start laughing again.

“It’s alright,” he said eventually. “I don’t mind being pampered… especially not by you.”

Your eyebrows shot up over your forehead. Mingyu motioned for you to come a bit closer, and you shuffled a few inches closer to him. He looked expectantly at the plate and then back at you. With a slightly shaky hand, you brought another spoon of food to his mouth, which he gladly accepted. Seeing him genuinely happy over this made you a bit more comfortable. You shuffled even closer to him, sitting down in a better position to feed him. It felt strange, and you couldn't help but chuckle at his happy expressions.

“Your cooking is good,” he mumbled between bites.

“It’s just something I threw together.” You brushed off his compliment. “It’s nothing special.”

“Thank you anyway,” he said before taking the last bite. After putting away the plate on the bedside table, you went to get up, but Mingyu grabbed your hand before you could leave. He peered up at you through his eyelashes, and you could’ve melted at the sight. Gently, he pulled you back towards him, and you sat down without any resistance. He let go of your hand and put his hand on your thigh.

“I’m sorry for causing so much trouble for you today,” he said. “It’s alright,” you hummed. “I wanted to help… and cooking with the kids was nice.”

“Well, I’m happy you could enjoy yourself.” He had a look in his eyes that you couldn’t figure out, but it was warm and loving. You wanted to know what he was thinking - what he thought of you. Suddenly you started hearing giggling from behind you. When you turned around, you saw two black-haired heads peeking out from the side of the doorframe. Your body was in the way for Mingyu to see them, but his daughters were grinning widely at the sight of the two of you. Even though he couldn’t see them, Mingyu understood that they were there from your reaction and the sound of their laughter.

“Girls, it’s bedtime!” Mingyu dictated with a stern yet kind tone of voice.

“But we didn’t get to say goodnight to you,” Ari argued. The girls ran inside the room and crawled up on the bed. You were about to get up to give them space when you noticed that Mingyu's hand hadn't moved from your leg. He squeezed it gently, and when your eyes met his, it looked like he was silently asking you to stay. So you sat there with them, watching as Mingyu spoke with his daughters and apologized for not saying goodnight earlier.

“I’m a little sick, so I had to rest,” he explained to the girls. “I’m sorry I missed your bedtime.”

“Are you better now?” Jiu asked.

“Did Ms. Y/L/N make you better?” Ari added.

“He's doing a lot better than he was before,” you said as you glanced between the man in front of you and his daughters. “But my expert opinion says that he still needs a full night's rest.”

“You can't kiss it better?” Ari asked, giggling with her sister.

“Yeah, you can't kiss it better?” Mingyu asked in a mocking tone, gently squeezing your leg again. You put your hand on top of his and put it down beside you again without looking over at him. Even if he was able to be very mature most of the time, he tended to bring out his childish side from time to time. As you took his hand away from your leg, he almost looked like he regretted saying it.

“A good night's rest is all he needs, I promise you,” you assured the twins, “And you two should also go back to bed.”

After a bit of complaining, they said goodnight to their dad and scurried back to their room. You looked after them until they had closed the bedroom door behind them. Mingyu’s hand snuck back to its place on your thigh.

“I’ll go check that they’re sleeping before I leave,” you said.

“You’re leaving?” He sounded surprised. His grimace after saying it made it clear that he didn’t mean for it to come out like that.

“Mingyu, I couldn’t possibly intrude any longer-”

“You’re not intruding,” Mingyu remarked. “I have a guest room, and you can borrow some clothes from me- you can take a shower if you want to, too. Just… I don’t want you to leave all on your own this late at night.”

He seemed so determined, and how could you give up on such an offer? His hand squeezed your leg again, a kind gesture that asked you to stay. You thought back to all the time you had spent together in the cabins. It had been so long that you seemed to have forgotten that you knew him quite well for just being his children's teacher. You took his hand in yours again, looking down at it to try to distract yourself from his strong gaze.

“I’m sorry for leaving before,” you mumbled. “At the cabins… it was so wrong of me, I’m sorry.” Mingyu turned his hand to intertwine his fingers with yours. You looked at him with a shy smile. For some reason, you had thought of your second meeting as a new beginning - but you can't just erase memories with another person to start over. The fact that you ever thought that felt deranged now.

“And I’m sorry for being a mess,” you continued when Mingyu hadn’t said anything for a while. “And for acting like nothing had happened when we finally met again-”

“Y/N,” he interrupted. “It’s okay. I wouldn’t have pursued you again if I didn’t accept all that. I like you, and I know you’ve been through something horrible. I can be patient with you. I want to be someone you can lean on… even if it doesn’t seem like it right now.”

You let out a stifled laugh and looked down at your intertwined hands. It felt nice to finally let your walls down a bit like you could finally let go of some of the tension you had been holding in your shoulders. Mingyu squeezed your hand, getting your attention back on him.

“I'm not going to ask you to sleep in my bed with me because, frankly, that'd be very stupid considering that I'm sick,” he said, making you laugh again. “But I just want to make sure that you don't have to go home alone and that you're safe.”

“Okay, I’ll stay,” you hummed. “Thank you.”

After taking a shower and changing into clothes that Mingyu let you borrow, you went straight to bed. It almost felt like a hotel bed, and the cozy feeling made you fall asleep immediately.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ The next morning you woke up to your alarm ringing an hour before you had to leave the door. Hearing sounds coming from downstairs, you quickly got up and went to see what was going on. The clanging came from the kitchen. You hadn’t made a plan for what would happen in the morning, and you wouldn’t be able to forgive yourself if you had accidentally left the kids unattended. However, when you arrived in the kitchen, you found Mingyu making breakfast and the girls tiredly waiting at the table. The noise was coming from the stove as he was cooking something that smelled delicious.

“Why are you up? Shouldn't you still be resting?” The words tumbled out of your mouth before you could even process them.

“Good morning to you too, doctor,” Mingyu said with a raspy voice and handed you a newly brewed cup of coffee. “You'll be happy to hear that my symptoms have-”

You pressed your hand against his forehead again, interrupting whatever he was going to joke about, his fever had gone down, and he looked a lot better than the day before. Mingyu took your hand away from his forehead.

“My symptoms have died down,” he repeated. “Just a runny nose and sore throat. What do you think? Am I too sick to make breakfast?” His eyes were glimmering in the low light of the kitchen lamp, and that warm smile never left his lips. If it weren't for the fact that he was sick, you would've kissed that smile off his face.

“No…” You sighed. “I overreacted, I’m sorry-”

“You didn’t,” he assured you. “It’s nice to have someone care for me like you do.”

Mingyu's arm sneakily wrapped itself around your waist and brought you closer. He leaned his forehead against yours, still looking into your eyes. You did your best to not spill anything out of your cup, but it was getting increasingly hard since you were starting to be distracted. You peered over your shoulder, noticing that the two of you had started getting the attention of the twins.

“Could we save this for another day?” you asked and put a hand on his chest. “Maybe when we're not being watched?”

Mingyu looked up, immediately locking eyes with Ari and Jiu, who were standing on top of their chairs to see. His face twisted from worry to irritation, and you could hear more laughter coming from the table. At the sound of the bell-like giggles, Mingyu had trouble holding his scolding gaze and not replacing it with a warm smile.

“Hey! Sit down in the chairs, or you'll fall over!” Mingyu said and let go of you to bring the girls their breakfast. You watched him walk away, chuckling at his attempt to scold them. As he warned the girls of the dangers of standing up on chairs, he was placing their breakfasts in front of them and making sure that they’d start eating. Mingyu was still grumbling when he came back, but when you walked up next to him and pressed a kiss to his cheek, he quickly quieted down. He looked at you with big eyes, doing mental loops to try to figure out what he had done to deserve it.

“Thank you for the coffee,” you said. “I’m going to go get ready, but I’ll see you soon.”

“Let me drive you,” he blurted out. “I need to take my girls there anyway.”

“If you feel fine, then I don’t see why not.”

“Oh, I’m feeling more than fine.” Mingyu leaned closer to you, but you put your hand on his chest to stop him.

“I don’t want to get sick,” you teased. “Besides, I’ve already given you a kiss.”

“I need another one to get all better.” He pouted.

“All you need is one,” you responded. “Doctor’s orders!” You watched his jaw go slack, tonguing his cheek as you started walking away.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ Arriving in yesterday’s clothes, wearing whatever make-up you had with you in your bag, caused suspicion. Not only that, you had walked in just a little bit before Kim Mingyu - a hot, single dad. Many of your coworkers didn’t notice or care, but your closest coworker Joshua definitely noticed. He was what some people would call your work husband, and usually, you’d tell him everything while you were welcoming your kids in your separate classrooms.

“Did you have fun last night?” He asked.

“My night was just fine, Mr. Hong,” you responded. Most of the time, the two of you would gossip loudly with each other - but you couldn’t yell about staying over at Kim Mingyu’s house. Especially not with so many kids around - his kids included. When all of the kids were in your respective classrooms, Joshua got a little closer.

“I saw you walking in here with Mr. Kim. What’s that about?” He whispered. “And I’ve never seen you in the same clothes two days in a row, so you have to tell me everything about last night.”

“I will…” You paused to let him celebrate getting your new gossip. “... At lunch.”

“You’re no fun.” Joshua sighed, making you laugh.

At the anticipated lunch, you sat down in the teacher’s lounge with Joshua in a corner of the room. The two of you sat in mostly silence, except for a few comments about your day so far or what you were going to do later while waiting for as many people as possible to leave. When it was just a few people in the room, Joshua turned to you with an expectant look in his eyes.

“Tell me everything,” he said.

“It was nothing.” You put down your cup of coffee. “He came in sick, and I helped drive him home…” Joshua raised one of his eyebrows, silently urging you to keep talking. “And I might have stayed the night at his house…” You sighed.

“How?” he questioned. “I mean, if that’d happen to anyone else, they wouldn’t let them stay in their house.”

“I might’ve known him since before I started this job…” You dragged out each word as if it’d help contain your secret a little longer. Your coworker stared at you with his jaw on the floor. He put away his lunch and sat back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You have a lot of things to tell me,” Joshua asserted. “

Well, you know about my ex,” you said, and he nodded. “While trying to get over him, I stayed at my aunt’s cottage in the forest.”

“Yeah, you’ve said this.” He furrowed his eyebrows. “You stayed there for two weeks and came back to get your shit together. Am I missing something?”

“I didn’t tell you about my neighbor…” As soon as you said it, Joshua’s eyes widened. “The reason I decided to ‘get my shit together’ in the first place is because of him.”

“Mr. Kim?”

“Yes. He was there for me, and we developed some kind of relationship… but then I left without giving him my number or even saying goodbye.” You looked down at your lap. “I didn’t want to get hurt again.”

“Y/N…” Joshua put his hand on the table for you to take, which you did. “I’m sorry for prying about this, and you don’t have to continue.”

“It’s okay… I actually need your advice,” you said, and he nodded. “We met again when he picked up his kids- I didn’t even know he had kids, but it’s fine now. Now we’ve been seeing each other from time to time, trying to sort of pick up where we left it.”

“Oh my god.” Joshua leaned back in his chair again, letting go of your hand in the process. “You’re living in a rom-com.”

“Stop.” You chuckled. “Anyway, I care about him… but I don’t know where to go from here.”

“So you’ve been on dates?”

“We went on a date a few weeks ago, and then we ended up meeting in the park last Sunday,” you explained.

“And you’ve…?” Your silence spoke for itself, and Joshua cheered. He’d been on your ass to get back in the dating scene since you had told him about your ex. “You just need to get laid” was a daily comment you’d receive from him. “How is he?”

“Joshua.”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry! I’ll drop it.” He paused and studied your expression for a few seconds. “He’s good, isn’t he?”

“I almost forgot my own name,” you whispered with your hand covering the side of your mouth, shielding your words from any potential listeners.

“Alright, alright.” He nodded proudly. “So you guys are getting serious?”

“I think so.”

“Okay, well, I’m happy for you,” he hummed. “He seems like a nice man, someone that you can grow with.” Joshua put his elbows on the table, leaning forward slightly. His otherwise silly and easy-going expression changed into a more serious look.

“Do his kids know?” He asked. “They’re suspecting it, but I don’t think they understand it.” You sighed. “I know, it’d be weird for them…”

“Not just them,” he reminded you. “If any of the other kids find out - let alone their parents - it could get very complicated, you know?”

“I know.”

“I’m not telling you to stop seeing him. You deserve to be happy.” He sighed. “But sadly, you have to be careful with it. You never know what might happen when others find out, and they will. More importantly, if it doesn’t work out, it can be hard on the kids.”

You took a deep breath as his words settled in your head. You hadn’t even considered what would happen if you ended up breaking up. Joshua’s words would stick with you through the rest of your much lighter conversation, and for the rest of the day, it would chafe in the back of your mind. For the rest of the week, you barely talked to Mingyu. Partly because he was busy getting over his cold and then catching up at work, but also because you were ignoring him. Sometimes you’d see his call and let it go to voicemail. You texted from time to time and let your excuse for not talking to him be the preparations for the play on Friday.

A part of you still thought that he might show up to the play, for the girls' sake, of course, even if it was naive of you to think. You didn’t even see Mingyu at pick-up. With the amount of work he had to catch up on, he didn’t have time. His parents would pick up the kids instead. Friday, the day of the play, was spent making preparations for the afternoon - when all of the parents would come to see their kids perform. It wasn't anything particularly well-made, it was made by kids, after all - but the work that the kids had put in truly made you proud. The morning of the play, you asked Jiu and Ari if they knew if their dad would come after all. They had confirmed your fears of him most likely not coming at all. Despite them putting up a brave front, you could tell it made them very disappointed. You sat down with them backstage to make sure that they were okay.

“Why don’t I act as your grown-up for today?” You suggested. “Then you’ll still have someone watching you.”

“It’s not the same,” Ari said.

“You’re a teacher. You have to watch all the kids,” Jiu added.

“I’ll tell you what.” You looked around before shuffling a little closer to them. “If you promise not to tell anyone, I’ll promise to pay extra attention to you two.”

It seemed to cheer them up. they even made you pinky-swear on it. However, you knew it wasn't as good as having their actual parent there - so you were determined to make Mingyu at least see the few last minutes. When everyone was in their costumes and had prepared for the play to start, you took your seat right by the stage. You saved a chair next to you, putting up a fake "reserved chair" sign on the seat. Before the play started, even before the parents had started coming in, you pulled out your phone and called Mingyu. As the phone was ringing, the nervous feeling in your chest started growing.

“Hey, sweetheart.” He sounded tired.

“Hi… um…” You took a deep breath. “I know that you’re busy, and the play starts in twenty minutes, but the twins… They really want you here. I tried cheering them up, but I don’t think it worked.” You heard him sigh and shuffle around. The sound of papers and other office supplies getting moved around could be heard over the phone. A door opened, and you heard mumbling.

“Cancel my next meeting, please,” Mingyu said with the phone held away from his face. “I have to go see my daughters’ play.” You heard more talking from the other person and a door closing.

“I’ll be there,” he said. “Give me fifteen minutes.”

“Thank you, honey.” The nickname just slipped out. You hardly noticed it. “I’ve saved you a seat at the front.”

“You got me front-row seats? Wow, you really know how to spoil a guy.” Mingyu naturally fell into his flirty tone. Joshua sat down beside you on the chair that you hadn’t put a piece of paper with “RESERVED” written on it. With the sudden interruption, you couldn’t bring yourself to answer with the same flirty tone. You could hear Mingyu walking into the elevator on the other side of the line.

“Just be here, Mr. Kim…” you murmured.

“Mr. Kim!?” Joshua whisper-yelled, hearing you despite your attempt to hide it. Joshua leaned in closer to try to listen in on the conversation, and no matter how far you leaned away from him, you couldn’t get away.

“Mr. Kim?” Mingyu questioned. “No more ‘honey’? Have I done something wrong?”

“I have to go…”

“Y/N.” He sighed. “I know something’s wrong. You haven’t talked to me all week.”

“It’s nothing, Mingyu,” you hummed.

“But it is,” he argued. “Listen, we’ll talk later… I’m glad you called, sweetheart.” The two of you said goodbye, and you hung up. You don’t dare look at Joshua, but you can feel his gaze burning a hole in your skin.

“He calls you sweetheart?” He whispers.

“Joshua,” you warned.

“You guys are cute…” he mumbled. “Is everything okay, though? You’re okay, right?”

“... I haven’t talked to him in a while.”

“Y/N, no…” he whined.

“You’re the one who told me to be careful!” you exclaimed.

“I told you to be careful, not to ignore the poor guy!”

“Keep it down!” You hissed. You knew that if people found out that you used to sleep with one of the parents of the children you educated, suspicions of special treatment would arise even if they had no real claim.

“Seriously, Y/N. You should go for it with him. He seems good for you,” Joshua said. The parents started coming in before you could say something in response. His words stuck with you yet again, and you were struck with the realization that you had been a paranoid jerk. Your eyes were completely focused on the door, smiling at the occasional parent you would make eye contact with, but your main goal was to see Mingyu walking through that door. All the parents had settled down and were talking amongst themselves.

Fifteen minutes felt like hours, and you were still impatiently looking back to the door now and then. The lights dimmed. Mingyu still wasn't there. A teacher came out on stage to present the play. Mingyu still wasn't there. The parents clapped after the teacher's short speech, and as he walked off the stage and the music started, Mingyu came through the door. You happily waved to him, and he sprinted toward his seat just as Ari and Jiu walked out on stage. He gave them two thumbs up and a supportive smile before sitting down.

“Thank you,” Mingyu whispered in your ear. You wanted to thank him, too, for coming despite all the trouble, but the kids had already started speaking.

At the end of the play, you stand by the door and watch all of the families walk out - praising the kids and thanking the parents for coming. Mingyu is still in his seat, happily talking to Jiu and Ari. You glance over at him from time to time, a big clump of worry stuck in your throat. You had ignored him for days. Would he still want to stick around? All you wanted to do was wrap your arms around him and tell him how much you cared for him, but you couldn’t. As the last family left, Mingyu started walking towards you. Joshua, who was standing on the other side of the door, gave you a thumbs-up before leaving. Mingyu walks up to you, his face somewhat colder than it usually is.

“We have to talk later.”

“I know.”

“I’m dropping the kids off at their grandparents’ house,” he said. “Could we meet up after?” “Sure. You can come by my apartment whenever you have time.” You clasped your sweaty hands together behind your back.

“I’ll text you,” he hummed. The small family walked away, the twins happily saying goodbye to you before running to the parking lot - blissfully unaware of the strangling feeling of guilt in you.

After pacing around your apartment for at least ten minutes, you got a text from Mingyu saying that he was on his way. Your heart was beating fast in your chest. In less than an hour, this could all be over. Taking a deep breath, you tried to calm down your racing heart. Every moment of your time with Mingyu flashed before your eyes. He could irritate you and make you worry, but in the end, you were the happiest you had ever been when you were with him. Even in the beginning of your relationship with Wonwoo, you hadn’t felt this way. If fate existed, this was it. You loved him, and you had realized it far too late. What anyone else thought didn’t matter. You wanted to be with him. A deep blue wave washed over you, your entire body going slack as you took another deep breath - this time, it reached into the deepest corners of your lungs. You felt refreshed as if simply admitting to yourself that you truly did love him had made you a new person. You loved him, you loved him, you loved him… the words echoed in your mind. Nothing had ever been so clear to you.

When your doorbell buzzed, Mingyu’s voice sounded over the intercom, asking if you could let him in, and you did so without hesitation. The few minutes it took for him to finally come upstairs were hell for you. You were waiting right by the door, expecting his knock at any moment now. His knuckles only met the wooden door once before you ripped the door open. Meeting his shocked gaze brought back the clump in your throat. He looked tired - hurt even. You had done this to him, and you’d do anything to fix it.

“Come in.” You stepped to the side and let him inside.

Mingyu walked inside, took off his shoes, and followed you into the kitchen. You were quiet and in desperate need to distract yourself with something. Looking back at him in the bright kitchen light, you could see the bags under his eyes more clearly now.

“Do you want coffee?” you asked.

“I just want you,” he rasped.

His arms hung by his side, his entire body standing completely still. You looked down at your feet, trying to stop yourself from crying - and if you couldn’t, you at least wanted to make sure that he didn’t see you cry.

“Are you sure?” you questioned. “I’ve been… I haven’t been very good to you, Mingyu.” Mingyu took a step forward, now standing right in front of you. One of his hands grabbed yours while the other lifted your chin to make you look at him.

“I’m sure.”

“What if I’m not good enough for you?”

“You’re more than enough for me,” he assured you. “I just… adore you. I can’t imagine my life without you in it.” You brought your hand up to his cheek, cupping it in your palm and letting your thumb run over his cheekbone. Bringing your other hand to the back of his head, you pull him in closer for a kiss. As your lips met, Mingyu put his arm around your waist to pull you closer to his body. Fireworks exploded in your stomach as if it were the first time all over again. The kiss didn’t last long, your lips parting with a soft sigh rolling off your tongue. Your eyes stayed closed for a moment, still feeling the ghost of Mingyu’s plush lips against your own. When your eyes opened, you saw Mingyu looking right back at you.

“Please, never scare me like that again.” He leaned his forehead against yours. “When you stopped calling, I thought I had done something to upset you.”

“No, not at all,” you murmured. “I was… scared. I wasn’t sure of what to do next. You and I were doing well, but… what about your kids? If this ends, what will happen to them?”

“This won’t end.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.” Mingyu put his hand over yours, which was still holding his face, and turned his head slightly to press a kiss to your palm.

“I’m in love with you,” he mumbled against your skin before turning back to look at you. “I haven’t felt like this in a very long time. I’ve been on many dates since my wife died, trying to pick up the pieces, but it always felt like something was missing. When I met you for the first time, I felt like you were the missing piece… and when I found you again, it felt like fate had given me a second chance. So, I don’t care about what your coworkers think when they see us walking the kids to school together. I don’t care what other parents would whisper about if they saw me kissing the teacher before the parent-teacher meeting. And I definitely don’t care about who you used to be with - even if we go to the same meetings.”

You let out a soft chuckle at his words, your hands falling to his shoulders. Even if he was joking, his words comforted you - so did his gentle hands on your waist. Your shoulders relaxed, and no more tears were threatening to spill onto your cheeks.

“Are we clear?” He asked.

“Yes.” You nodded, giving him a big smile.

“Good.” He pulled you in a little closer. “... can I kiss you again?”

“Please do.” Your whisper was almost inaudible. You barely got the words out before his lips were on yours again. The warmth from his hands on your waist burned through your clothes, leaving your skin tingling. His hands moved slowly around your body as if he desperately needed it to last as long as it could. Your chest was pressed against his now, your arms lying on his shoulders and your hands in his hair. His long, romantic kiss turned into short, sweet pecks along the corner of your mouth and down to your jaw.

“Gyu-” You tried to interrupt him, but it was useless.

Mingyu continued his attack on the rest of your face, giddily kissing whatever surface of your face he could reach. Laughter, like silver bells, echoed in your small kitchen, a place that’s been previously filled with anxious mumbles about the man who was now in front of you. He paused, looking into your eyes, giving you a smile that you recognized easily as his mischievous and flirty grin. He bent down slightly, gripping the backs of your thighs as he muttered, “Jump”. You did as he said, wrapping your legs around him as he lifted you up - you put your head in the crook of his neck. Without worrying about it, you let him carry you over to wherever he wanted to take you. The woody scent of his cologne was intoxicating, and you tried to bury your nose deeper into the soft skin of his neck - Mingyu let out a chuckle at the tickling feeling.

“I’ve been thinking about getting you all to myself ever since I made you breakfast last Monday,” he admitted.

“You have me now,” you murmured.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” You lifted up your head from his neck, pressing a soft kiss on his lips. “Bedroom?”

Mingyu grinned, taking long steps toward your bedroom door. Before you knew it, he had thrown you on the bed - crawling over to you to finish what he had started. The two of you had been there for what felt like hours. Mingyu’s movements were soft and slow, thrusting in and out of your dripping pussy. You were delirious, wanton moans escaping your lips every other second. Mingyu’s mouth was latched onto your chest, sucking dark marks on your skin. His body was pressed against yours, your legs wrapped around his waist, keeping him there.

“I’ve missed this…” Mingyu groaned. “I’ve missed you.”

“Gyu…” you whimpered. “Please, just a little faster.” For all this time, Mingyu had kept the pace slow - his excuse was that he needed to take his time with you, which you accepted… for a while. Now, you were suffering - simultaneously overstimulated and not stimulated enough.

“Why won’t you let me take my time?” He pouted.

“I have,” you answered. “I need to cum, Gyu, please- I want you to cum inside me.” Mingyu swore under his breath, his hips stuttering at your words. When he was distracted, you managed to flip the two of you over. Being on top gave you control of the pace, and, despite your burning thighs, you immediately started bouncing on his cock.

“Sweetheart-” He gasped. While the pace had been kept slow earlier, the overstimulation made you sensitive enough to feel your orgasm approaching already from the sudden change of pace. Mingyu felt the same, evident by his stuttering hips and loud whines.

“Cum inside me, Gyu,” you urged him again.

“You’re going to be the death of me…” Mingyu soughed. Mingyu grabbed your hips to thrust up into you. Your head lulled to the side, your limbs growing limp, as a wave of pleasure spread from your core to the rest of your body. His hands gripped your sides harshly, bruising the skin, and kept you pressed against his pelvis as he came inside you. You could hear him say something, but you were lost in your paradise. As you were about to slump over him, Mingyu handled you carefully to lay down on his chest - putting his hands on your back and rubbing patterns into your skin.

“Are you feeling okay, sweetheart?” he whispered in your ear, and you hummed in response. “Do you want me to draw you a bath?”

“No, it’s okay,” you murmured. “Just stay here with me.”

“We should clean up,” he said, and you whined at the thought of having to move. “I’m serious. And you should go to the bathroom.”

“Stop being so responsible…” you groaned.

“Can’t help it.” He sat up, bringing you with him. “I like taking care of you.” Mingyu stood up with much effort, making sure that your legs were wrapped around his waist. He carried you over to the bathroom, despite your constant whining. After cleaning himself up, he left you to your privacy - but not long after, you walked out of the bathroom again to go back to bed. Mingyu was already there, waiting for you under the covers. He pulled the covers to the side, making it easier for you to get in. As he wrapped the covers around you, you snuggled up against his chest. His skin against yours felt like heaven, and you got as close to him as you possibly could.

“Gyu?” You murmured.

“Yes, darling?” He answered with a playful tone.

“Thank you.” Your words floated in the air. Mingyu stayed quiet but wrapped his arms around you a little tighter. He pressed a kiss on the top of your head, his lips lingering there. Your hands went to his back, feeling his muscles under your fingertips - smooth skin, but you could feel knots there, probably caused by stress. You could picture yourself helping him massage out those knots, him laying with his stomach on his bed, you straddling him and gently moving your hands over his back. The fact that you could picture flashes of your future together felt promising. You felt safe in these daydreams.

“For staying,” you added.

“I know,” Mingyu murmured against the top of your head.

“Promise me something?”

“Anything.”

“That if I ever start doubting us again,” you said, “you'll tell me off like you did today.” Mingyu’s chest rumbled with a laugh, and you broke out in a small chuckle at his response.

“I promise,” he said. “Is the sex afterwards included?” You hit his chest with your palm, just lightly, and hid your flustered face against him. Mingyu only kept laughing, clearly enjoying your embarrassed state.

“Shut up,” you muttered.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ A year later, you’re teaching your last class of the day when the bell rings. The students pack up their things as you remind them of next week’s homework. Soon enough, you’ve picked up your things and are walking down the hallway to Mr. Hong’s classroom. The doors opened, and the many kids ran past you to get out to the courtyard where they could meet their caretakers - Fridays were always hectic. You spotted Joshua in the classroom, and he gave you a smile and a wave.

“Are they here?” you asked as you walked inside.

“We’re here!” the twins shout happily. “They did exceptionally well today!” Joshua praised. “Ari’s figured out multiplications, and Jiu’s reading gets better every day.”

“I’m glad to see the two of you working so hard, even when you’re not in my class anymore!” you told the girls before turning back to Joshua. “I hope you have a good weekend, Mr. Hong.”

“Mhm, have fun playing newlyweds with your man,” he teased and went back to a few papers on his desk.

“We’re not even…” You sighed and turned your attention to the girls. “Ready to go home? Pick up your things, let’s go meet your dad!”

Jiu and Ari were running ahead of you as soon as they saw their dad. Mingyu was standing by the gate, talking to another parent who was also picking up their kid. You recognized them from your parent-teacher meeting last year. As soon as Mingyu heard the happy shouts of his daughters, he excused himself from the other parent and crouched down with open arms. The girls ran into his arms, almost making him stumble back in the process. You caught up to them just a few seconds later, giving the other parent a nod before they walked away to their kid.

“How are my princesses doing?” Mingyu asked and kissed their foreheads.

“Good! I finished another book!” Jiu grinned.

“And Mr. Hong said I was good at multiplication!” Ari added.

He congratulated them both before standing up to take a look at you. His smile widened, and he opened his arms for a second time. You walked into his embrace, giving him a short hug. However, as you tried to pull away, he held you a little bit tighter.

“Mingyu, people are staring,” you whispered.

“Let them,” he whispered back. “I’ve missed you, sweetheart.” You finally managed to pull away, but Mingyu’s hands lingered on your waist - you let them stay there, knowing that he would only start pouting if you tried pulling them off.

“You saw me this morning,” you reminded him.

“For way too short of a time,” he added.

“Darling, you almost made us late.”

“Details…” Mingyu scoffed and turned his head away from you. When he glanced at you through the corner of his eyes, he got to see your bright smile. Proud of his achievement, he grinned as he turned his face toward you again. Before you could tell him to go get the girls’ names crossed off the list, he stole a kiss from you.

“Gyu-”

“Go tell the teacher that I’ve picked the girls up, I know.” His smile was contagious. “Just needed to tell you that you look beautiful today, Mrs. Kim.”

“I’m not Mrs. Kim yet,” you remind him.

“You’ve been Mrs. Kim in my mind for a while now, sweetheart,” he argued. “Besides, you’re about to put the last of your furniture in our house, and my kids call you mom. The papers are nothing but a formality at this point.”

“Fair enough,” you murmured. He took your left hand in his, his thumb grazing over the ring on your ring finger. His hand lingered on yours as he walked to get the pick-up finalized, only letting go when his arms couldn’t stretch any further. The girls followed after him as he walked up to the teacher with the name list, standing in the middle of the courtyard. As soon as it was done, Mingyu grabbed the girls’ hands and led them back to you.

“Ready to go home?” he asked, unaware of the fact that you were already home as soon as you had seen him. You nodded, taking the lead toward the gate. Mingyu was still holding the girls’ hands, so you opened the gate for them and watched them walk out. A few kids said goodbye to you, and you took some time to wish them a good weekend. When you turned back to your small family, they had already gotten to the car. He had parked close to the school, so it wasn’t very far, and you quickly jogged up to them. Mingyu had managed to get the girls into the car seats by himself, closing the car doors just as you arrived.

“You’re always so busy,” Mingyu joked.

“Says you,” you countered and went to fix his crooked tie. “You took the weekend off, right?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He grinned. “Ready to serve.”

“It’s just invitations, Gyu.”

“You say that now…” Mingyu opened the car door for you, putting his hand on the edge of the entrance to make sure you didn’t hit your head. When you had sat down, he carefully closed the door behind you and walked around to the other side of the car.

“You’re the one who agreed to help me,” you argued.

“And I won’t complain,” Mingyu said as he sat down in the driver’s seat. “Promise.”

You looked over at him as he buckled his seatbelt. His tedious behavior was enough to make you frown at him. Mingyu looked at you as he started the car. He gave you a charming smile - a classic Kim Mingyu distraction. It worked, as it always did. You sighed and turned back to the girls.

“Are you two okay back there?” you asked, and the two of them nodded before going back to their whispering. As Mingyu backed out of the parking space, you turned to sit normally in your seat. Mingyu put his hand on your leg as soon as the car was on the road. The warmth from his palm radiated through your clothes. You put your hand on top of his.

“I don’t think making invitations will be very fun,” he said, “but I’ll enjoy spending time with you.”

“Just don’t try to distract me,” you warned as you intertwined your fingers with his.

“No promises.” He looked over at you with a mischievous spark in his eyes. You scoffed and looked out the window. Your hand was still holding his - he brought the back of your hand to his lips, leaving a chaste kiss there. A smile crept up on your lips as Mingyu put your hand back down.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“I love you too.”

#svt #seventeen #kpop fanfiction #kpop fanfic #svt fluff #seventeen fluff #mingyu #smut #kpop smut #fluff #mingyu x reader #kim mingyu fanfic #mingyu seventeen #kim mingyu #mingyu smut #mingyu fluff #mingyu imagines #mingyu scenarios #bee buzzed εїз✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

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idyllic-ghost · 15 days

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Can I make a request of a comforting fluff? Because.... *Sigh* The world seems to be losing hope and humanity these days and it's getting too much and I am already traumatized enough for ALMOST a year now! And it feels like sometimes I feel like my Kpop fangirl life has need to give a break for a while because I can't stand so much sad Kpop moments at all. Which is why I am currently get into Honkai Star Rail and Love and Deepspace lately... 😞

you most certainly can! if you send in an idea and what/which members you'd like me to write about, then i'll start writing that whenever i can! i'm currently working on some bigger projects, and i'm in the middle of a lot of exams, so i'll most likely only be able to write blurbs

however, don't forget to read my guidelines before doing so!

#bee buzzed εїз✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*#ask #sadfragilegirl

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idyllic-ghost · 30 days

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People used to comment on web comics.

People used to comment on fanfiction.

People used to comment on fanart.

People used to comment on OCs.

I hate "content" culture.

I hate "consuming content" and scrolling immediately to the next thing.

People used to be excited about the art that other people created.

People used to want to share that excitement with creators.

I hate this future.

#artists of tumblr #fanfiction #writblr #writeblr

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idyllic-ghost · 1 month

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title: Hopefully pairing: idol!hongjoong x reader genre: domestic fluff, slight angst, idol!au, secret relationship, hurt/comfort warnings: anxiety over a relatively new relationship, a sexual innuendo, general fears about abandonment and the future of the relationship, not proofread synopsis: You haven’t seen Hongjoong in a week and it’s starting to take a toll on you. wordcount: 3k taglist: @d0nghyuck, @fantasy2wonderland, @niktwazny303, @wonwoospartyhat, @stariightjoyy, @hyneyedfiz, @crazywittysassy, @yeosayang rating: PG

a/n: this is a bit inspired by “oxalá” (aka hopefully) by MARO! i know i was going to write something else, but this story came to my mind and i needed to get it out😭

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You’ve got one (1) new voicemail!

“Hey, babe, I’m not going to make it to your place tonight. I got stuck at the studio and lost track of the time- I’m sorry, I know I said I would come over… I have practice tomorrow morning, but maybe I can try to sneak off to you tomorrow evening? I promise I’ll try my best to make it work! Sleep w-”

The beep cut off the message before Hongjoong got to finish. It was the second time you had listened to it. He had called you while you were at work, doing overtime, and you hadn’t heard your phone buzzing in your bag. It was typical of the two of you; you always managed to miss each other by a hair. You sighed and put down your phone on the counter. The clock on your kitchen wall said 12:30, and you’d usually be in bed by now but you couldn’t bring yourself to lay down in it. Not when you knew the bed would be empty, and the sheets would be cold. Therefore, you sat by the counter with a cup of tea in front of you.

You were nursing the cup in your palms as if the warmth of the mug would be as comforting as your lover’s embrace. It was late when he had called you, and it sounded like he was heading off to bed, but you were still mulling over whether or not to call him - you just needed to hear his voice. Your phone was next to the cup on the counter, its dark screen was taunting you with your reflection. The little amount of willpower that you had was not enough to keep you away from him; so you picked up your phone and texted him.

You [12:32]: are you awake?

After pressing send, you quickly put your phone down and sighed. You had lost to your needs and wants yet again. The two of you weren’t even official - you couldn’t be. It was easy to fall in love with him, but harder to keep loving him. Everything had to stay secret, no matter how much you wanted to shout to the world that, yes, you were very much in love with Kim Hongjoong and he actually liked you back! However, with his line of work came a lot of restrictions. Seeing him was difficult, meeting up with him in public was even more difficult, and telling people that you were dating was out of the question.

As much as you enjoyed sneaking around with him, you couldn’t deny your want to be his and for him to be yours - you wanted to be his partner, and you wanted others to know that you were his partner. Instead, you’re stuck in an in-between-relationship; where you’re exclusively seeing each other, but unable to do things that partners would or tell anyone that you were partners - a relationship where you were still scared to seem clingy, despite the two of you barely seeing each other. The low buzzing of your phone brought you out of your spiraling thoughts.

Hongjoong [12:34]: yes, but why are you awake?🤨

You smiled at the message, trying to contain your excitement by biting your bottom lip. The cup was set to the side, the comforting warmth on your palms no longer needed, and you picked up your phone.

You [12:34]: I couldn’t sleep.. did I wake you up?

Hongjoong [12:35]: no, I’m still in the studio🥲why can’t you sleep?

You sighed yet again, trying to come up with an excuse that wasn’t utterly embarrassing to type out. Before you could answer him, your phone buzzed again.

Hongjoong [12:36]: do you want me to call you?

It was as if he could read your mind. You quickly sent him a yes, and put your phone down to wait for him to call. It only took a few seconds. After waiting for a few seconds, trying to figure out when the appropriate amount of time had passed to answer, you pressed ‘Accept call’ and held the phone up to your ear.

“Hi, baby.” Hongjoong’s voice was raspy like he hadn’t spoken for a long time.

Baby. The nickname had slipped out so casually that you almost didn’t realize that he had said it. Now it was all you could think about. Hongjoong didn’t call you by pet names often, they’d slip out in the heat of the moment and he’d get shy. He could suddenly go from slightly irritated over you touching something in his studio, to a flustered mess because of you teasing him about calling you babe. You would never get tired of it.

“Hey, am I interrupting?” You brought your hand up to your mouth, biting down on your thumb’s nail.

“No, I’m packing up for the night soon.” He sighed, and you could hear him push his chair away from his desk. “I’m sorry for not coming over today.”

“It’s okay, I understand,” you murmured. “Work is important.”

“Not more important than you,” he countered a little too quickly. “I’m working on work-life balance. I promise.”

“I know.” You chuckled under your breath.

The line went quiet for a moment. You could hear his breathing - soft and steady - and you could picture him, sitting in his chair with a large hoodie draping over his frame. A mixture of comfort and disappointment flooded your veins. Comfort from hearing his voice, disappointment from not being able to hear it in person. Hongjoong cleared his throat, bringing you out of your thoughts.

“Why can’t you sleep?” he asked.

“Oh, I don’t know…” you trailed off, but shortly thereafter continued, “I miss you.”

“I miss you, too.”

His words lingered in the air, and you closed your eyes to savor them. A part of you wanted to yell that if he missed you so much he should try to be here more, but you knew it wasn’t fair. It’s not his fault. You shut your eyes tighter, bowing your head down as if to curl into yourself, and tried to hide from the angry feeling bubbling up in your stomach. Tears started stinging in your eyes, and, despite your efforts, a weak sob made its way past your lips.

“Y/N…” You could hear the frown in Hongjoong’s voice. “I’m sorry, please don’t cry.”

“I’m not,” you lied as you wiped away your tears. “I promise, I’m not. It’s okay. I’m okay.”

The line went quiet again as you sniffled. You could hear shuffling from his end, as he gathered together his things. As you pieced everything together, you quickly tried to protest - telling him that he didn’t have to come over and that you really were fine.

“Stop it.” His voice was shaky. “I’m coming over, and you can’t stop me.”

“I wasn’t trying to-”

“I know.”

“... could you stay on the phone with me until you get here?” you asked quietly, your voice coming off as weaker than you wanted it to.

“Of course.”

You grabbed a tissue and wiped your face from tears and snot, and the realization of what you were doing hit you then. It felt stupid to cry over this, but it had gone too long since you had seen him. The urge to cry, kick, and scream was overwhelming - but you kept it inside your chest with a deep breath.

“Thank you,” you mumbled. “I really didn’t mean to pull you away from work.”

“I know, it’s okay,” he assured you. “I’m heading to the parking lot now, it’ll only be a few minutes.”

A few minutes until you get to see Hongjoong. You could wait just a few more minutes, right? Despite the assurance that he’d be here soon, the empty feeling in your heart didn’t dissipate. In fact, the cavity in your chest only grew larger. You knew he wouldn’t get here for a while, but you still got up from your chair and walked over to your front door.

“How long has it been since I got to see you?” you thought out loud.

“I think it’s been a week already.” Hongjoong groaned. “I’m really sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, okay? I knew what I signed up for with you.”

It was meant as reassurance, but it came out wrong and you cringed as soon as the words left your lips. Hongjoong laughed, making you feel just a little lighter on your feet. You heard the jingling sound of his keys, signaling that he was already near his car.

“That came out wrong,” you said.

“It’s okay, I get it.” You could hear him open the car door. “Let me put you on speaker, hold on a second.”

You leaned against the wall and listened to the rustling sounds of Hongjoong getting into his car and putting down his phone. The engine started, and he stayed quiet as he focused on getting out of his parking space. The parking lot must have been almost empty because it didn’t take long for him to get back to you.

“Alright, I’m on my way now!” he chimed.

“Thank you, baby…”

“Baby?” he teased, laughing as he finally got to take revenge on you.

“Shut up-”

“No, I deserve this,” he argued. “You never call me pet names, I’m taking advantage of it.”

“Well, now I’m never doing it again.”

He gasped on the other side of the line, and you could practically hear the fake-hurt pout on his lips as he muttered something under his breath. No matter the situation, Hongjoong could always find a way to make you smile.

“I teased you once and now you’re revoking my pet name privileges?” He scoffed.

You liked him like this. It made you forget about everything else; this was the actual Hongjoong, and only you could witness it. In one slow movement, you slid down onto the floor and crossed your legs. With your head leaning against the wall, you looked up to the ceiling and smiled.

“I thought you didn’t like the mushy stuff,” you said, “I would include pet names in that.”

“I don’t dislike mushy stuff… I just get shy,” he admitted quietly.

“You don’t seem very shy when you go on stage,” you countered.

“That’s different!” he exclaimed, and added with a hushed voice, “I just get shy around you.”

Your smile grew wider. You wanted to tell him that you got shy around him, too, and all of the other things he made you feel - but you couldn’t find the words. His words were saved in the back of your mind, for you to think of later and come up with something equally heartwarming.

“I’m almost there,” he said to break the silence, and you could hear the clicking sound of his blinkers as he was probably driving up to the car park already.

“Good,” you said. “Hongjoong?”

“Yes?”

“I’ll stop teasing you for calling me nicknames,” you said, “if I get to keep calling you ‘baby’, too.”

“Deal.” You can hear the grin in his voice. “I’m getting out of the car now, baby.”

A laugh bubbled up your throat. Partially because of his silly tone, but also out of pure excitement. Your giddiness was apparently contagious, as Hongjoong let out a giggle as well - and you could hear the echo of his shoes hitting the concrete floor as he sprinted towards your building.

“I’m almost at the elevator!” he whisper-yelled.

“Hurry!”

He swore under his breath, clicking the button to the elevator multiple times. Eventually, you heard a ding and the doors opening. He was so close. You wanted to run out of your apartment and meet him halfway, but you knew that his being here was already a risk in itself. So you settled beside the door, no longer sitting on the floor. And when you heard the keys you had given him unlock the door, you quickly opened it and pounced on him. He stumbled back slightly, pressing ‘End call’ on his phone before hugging you back. With your arms still wrapped around him, he walked into your apartment and closed the door behind the two of you. Only then did he fully embrace you. You buried your head into his coat, cold from the chill air outside but it smelled like him so you didn’t mind. Your hands balled up into fists, creasing the soft material of his coat, and you pulled him even closer to you. Hongjoong’s chin found its rightful place on the top of your head.

“I’ve missed you,” he repeated, and you felt your tears threatening to spill onto your cheeks again. “Fuck, I’ve missed you.” His voice was trembling now.

As you tried to get out of his grip to look at him and comfort him, Hongjoong put his hand on the back of your head. He held you in place, soft enough to still allow you to leave if you really wanted to let go but firm as if he was silently begging you to stay. So, you stayed and pretended not to notice the tears that fell from his eyes and hit the top of your head. He shifted to kiss the top of your head and gave you one last squeeze before letting you go. You watched as he wiped his tears with his sleeve, quickly as if you wouldn’t notice. For his sake, you pretended that you didn’t.

“Have you eaten?” you asked.

“I ate some take-out for dinner.” He bent down to take off his shoes. “If you’re hungry we can eat, but I just want to go to bed with you.”

Yes. Bed. The concept that had seemed so daunting before now felt like a long-lost dream that had come to life. He stood back up, and you took a long look at him. He had colored his hair, you had seen pictures but you hadn’t seen it in person yet. Blonde always did suit him. He was busy taking off his coat while you watched him. It hadn’t settled in your brain that he was actually in front of you, it felt unreal.

“So?”

“Hm?”

“Are you hungry?” he asked with a smile. You had really missed that smile.

“Oh. No, I ate earlier.” You held out your hand to him. “Let’s go to bed.”

He took your hand gleefully and followed you like a puppy who’s just been promised a walk. You brought him to your bedroom. It was clean, and the bed was still made from this morning. While Hongjoong sat down on the edge of your bed, you pulled out some of the clothes that he had left there - an old pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt, that you desperately didn’t want to give back.

“I’ve been looking for this,” he hummed as you gave him the clothes. “I didn’t know I had left it here…”

“I, uh… I may have stolen it.” You sent him your best smile, trying to look as innocent as possible.

“You’re cute.” Was all he said before he went into the bathroom to change.

You had the sudden urge to follow him - and, despite what he would think and tease you for, it was not with sexual intent. Now that you finally got to see him again, you couldn’t stand him leaving even for a second. However, you stood your ground and decided to fix up the bed instead. You removed any throw pillows, and pulled down the covers. Just as you got into your side of the bed, Hongjoong came back from the bathroom. He left his clothes on a chair, before he all but ran to your bed. When he had gotten under the covers, he shuffled closer to you and began peppering your face with kisses.

“I’ve missed you, I’ve missed you, I’ve missed you…” he muttered between every other kiss.

You laughed until you were gasping for air, but you didn’t dare lean away from him. As he planted a final kiss on your lips, you let out a low hum of approval. Hongjoong pulled you closer, letting you snuggle up against his chest. It was almost impossible for you to stop smiling. As it settled in your bones that he was actually there, right in front of you, you finally relaxed.

“I want it to be like this all the time,” you admitted.

“Me too,” he murmured. “I’m sorry it’s so complicated.”

“It’s okay,” you hummed. “I guess it makes times like these more special.”

“I’ll try to make a plan for the future, okay?” he said. “I’ll talk to the company and we can figure something out. We could find a good apartment and-”

“You want to move in with me?”

“Yeah, I love you.”

Maybe it was the fact that it was late, or maybe he hadn’t been sleeping a lot since you last saw him, but the words slipped out of his mouth so casually that you almost didn’t register that he said it. You looked up at him. He was still talking about his plans, not having realized what he had said. Putting one of your hands on his face, gently cupping his cheek, got his attention. His words faltered and you brought his lips to yours for a chaste kiss.

“I love you, too.”

At first, he just seemed shocked, but you could see the gears turning in his head. When he finally remembered what he had said, his face was practically glowing in the dark. He quickly tried to explain how he was very tired, and that he was going to make the moment more special but he had forgotten. You simply smiled and put your head on his chest again, the action silencing the man lying next to you again.

“Keep telling me about your plans,” you said.

He started talking again, and you felt the soft vibration of his words in his chest. As he talked about your future, you slowly drifted off to sleep. Hongjoong kept talking until he finally heard you snore. He brought the covers over your shoulder and hugged you closer. Hopefully, he’d be able to spend every night with you just like this.

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idyllic-ghost · 1 month

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Since my hiatus is over for now, I want to start posting more. I have a few WIP's to work on, and one of them is a part two of A Helping Hand. It's an office au drabble that I made a long time ago, and it's been living in the back of my mind since😭

Is a part two something that you guys want or no? (Part 2 would include more of a storyline and smut, if that helps) If not, I'll keep working on new things instead!

#i think it's safe to say that you have picked #a helping hand part 2 it is!#i'll be doing more polls in the future :))#bee buzzed εїз✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

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idyllic-ghost · 1 month

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^^me sitting down to think of ideas bc i love these tropes

GUYS

MY BRAIN

ITS WHIRRING

#bee buzzed εїз✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

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idyllic-ghost · 1 month

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title: sunday morning pairing: seungkwan x reader genre: fluff, comfort warnings: mentions of food synopsis: the comforting bubble of a romantic getaway by the beach was just what you needed to relax and recharge wordcount: 1.5k taglist: @enhacolor, @shuabby1994, @junhui-recs, @dkakapizzaboy, @just-here-to-read-01, @loviehan, @userjunhuii, @novalpha, @bubblymoon, @aaniag, @d0nghyuck, @fantasy2wonderland, @seunghancore, @woozixo, @niktwazny303, @lllucere, @uniq-tastic, @wonwoospartyhat, @stariightjoyy, @hyneyedfiz,

a/n: spring is coming and seungkwan is important to me. that's it, that's the post.

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The room is barely lit up by the first few rays of sunshine peaking in through the thin blinds, but they still manage to stir you awake. Reaching out to your side, you find it empty and cold. You open your eyes and look around the unfamiliar room, trying to find Seungkwan somewhere. He's gone. Just last night, he was laying close beside you and keeping you warm with his arms wrapped around you. He must have slipped away while you were sleeping. The clock on the bedside table says 5:13 AM. With a groan, you threw the covers off of you to go look for your boyfriend.

You never like waking up without him, but especially not when you are supposed to be on a romantic getaway together. With lazy steps, you walk around the room until you find Seungkwan's suitcase. He doesn't like it when you steal his clothes without asking first, but he would have to accept that now. You put on an old t-shirt of his, and find your own pajama shorts lying somewhere on the ground. The fabric was cold against your naked skin, but you pushed on.

Walking down the wooden staircase of the beach cabin is difficult when you aren't completely awake yet. The stairs are steep and you are still dizzy with sleep, so you clutch onto the railing as hard as you can. Each step creaks and croaks under your feet, and you have to keep your eyes down to make sure you don't miss a step. As you successfully reach the bottom of the stairs, you also succeed in waking up Bookeu.

Your search for Seungkwan continues, now with Bookeu walking around your legs. The beach house is small, and it doesn't take long before you've looked into every room - but Seungkwan is still nowhere to be found. Then, Bookeu must have heard a noise because he starts sprinting toward the door to the back porch.

When you slide open the door, you're hit with a nostalgic chill. It isn't cold, just enough for you to wake up properly. Spring is here. Peeking your head around the glass door, you find Seungkwan sitting on the bench lined up with the wall of the house and staring at the ocean. He's wearing a warm fleece and has a blanket pulled over his lap - a sense of calm washes over you at the knowledge that he's at least not cold. The sun is halfway up now, painting your lover with a golden hue. Bookeu runs out on the porch and up to his owner, silently begging him to lift him up. After doing so, Seungkwan looks over at you with tired eyes.

"Good morning," you say. "Do you want coffee?"

Seungkwan, looking solemn, simply nods a yes. You smile at him before heading to the kitchen. From the kitchen window, you can see the top of his head. It's slightly hidden behind a plant, so it's no surprise that you didn't notice it before. The coffee machine is old, and it takes long for the drip coffee to finish. Enough for the sun to have fully risen above the horizon. You wash a couple fruits in the meantime, setting them aside in a bowl before looking around for a knife. The day you have already spent here isn't enough for you to know where everything is.

When the coffee is finally ready you bring two cups of it, along with the bowl of fruit, out to the porch. There's a small table in front of the bench, so you put the things down there. Seungkwan is still just looking out over the water, and Bookeu is sitting in his lap. After handing him his cup, you just stand there. You hesitate to sit down, not knowing if this is supposed to be his alone time. He seems to sense your hesitation and quickly pulls the blanket up as an invitation for you to sit down. When you do, he puts the fluffy fabric over your legs.

"Good morning," he says. "Sorry for leaving you in bed."

"It's okay."

Seungkwan wraps an arm around your shoulder to pull you closer to him - and when you put his head on your shoulder, he puts his head on top of yours. Bookeu, who had grown a little bit antsy, jumps down from Seungkwan's lap and runs back inside. You can hear him run around the kitchen, his paws making happy little sounds against the wooden floor. You take the opportunity to hog a little bit more of the blanket, and Seungkwan lets you - pulling at it and making sure that both of your legs are covered properly. He's definitely noticed that you stole his shirt now, but he doesn't say anything.

"Why did you come out here so early?" you ask.

"I couldn't sleep," he admits, "and watching the ocean was comforting."

"You should've woken me up," you murmur as you snuggle closer into his side.

"You looked so peaceful, I just couldn't." Seungkwan presses a kiss on the top of your head before loosening his grip to put down his cup. "Why the fruit?"

"Have you eaten yet?"

"... no." He shuffles around in his seat, making you lift your head from his shoulder.

"Then it's for you."

You watch as he picks up the bowl, holding it gently in his hands. There are a few grapes, a couple apples and oranges, and strawberries. The knife balances on the edge of the bowl, and Seungkwan picks it up and hands it to you along with an apple.

"Can you peel it for me?" he mumbles.

Without another word, you take the items from his hands and start peeling the apple. Laying the sharp edge of the knife against the waxy skin of the apple, pressing down hard enough to break the seal but not to cut into its flesh. As steady as you can, you move the knife around the apple - creating a spiral of fruit peel. Seungkwan watches your hands intently, careful not to disturb the process.

The waves crashing against the shore in the background force you into a rhythm, only to be broken by Bookeu's high-pitch bark. You had only managed to peel half of the apple when the skin broke. Still, you held it up proudly to Seungkwan - and he ooh-ed and aah-ed at the spiral-shaped peel. With a small smile, you continued to peel- Seungkwan now had his chin on your shoulder, giggling whenever you messed up. His breath tickled against your exposed skin, as your shirt had its collar stretched out with age. His laughter made you giddy, only making it harder for you to peel the fruit in your hands.

Eventually, you had peeled the entire fruit. Its white flesh now laid bare for you, and you cut into it with the knife. Cutting out a big chunk of the juicy apple, you hand it to Seungkwan for him to eat. He takes it happily, bringing the piece of fruit to his lips and putting the entire thing in his mouth. You laugh as he grimaces at the too-big piece. Next time, you cut a smaller piece - which he chews with more ease.

You feel warm under the blanket, contrasted with the salty, chilly air. Nevertheless, you welcome the breeze as it gives you an excuse to get a little closer to the man next to you. You keep feeding him fruit, and he wraps his arms around your torso - keeping his head on your shoulder to watch over your hands, making sure that you're careful with the sharp knife.

When the apple is nothing but a skinny pit, you put it on the table, and pick up a strawberry from the bowl. Seungkwan presses a kiss to your cheek, his lips slightly sticky from the fruit juices but you don't mind. You carefully take off the hull before cutting the red berry in half. The halves look like hearts, and you happily show Seungkwan.

"Here." You give him one of the halves. "You can have my heart."

"You're so corny," he huffs but takes the strawberry anyway. "Then that's my heart, right?" He motions to the other strawberry half before putting his berry half in his mouth.

"Of course."

"Good." He sits up straight. "You better not be eating anyone else's heart."

You snort at his comment but eat the heart-shaped strawberry anyway. Its sweetness coats your tongue, and you close your eyes for a moment to savor it. When you open your eyes again and look over at Seungkwan, he's staring at you. His hair is a mess, he probably hasn't looked himself in the mirror yet today, but you only find it endearing. His hand finds yours, and you quickly intertwine your fingers with his.

"Thanks for sitting with me," he murmurs.

"Thanks for letting me," you say. "It's the perfect way to spend a Sunday morning."

Seungkwan nods, wrapping his arms around you again to steal some of your body warmth. The two coffee cups are forgotten, and are slowly getting colder and colder. You can't be bothered with coffee or fruit, when all you need is Seungkwan's embrace. The sun is far above the horizon now, and you can taste the strawberry on Seungkwan's lips when he kisses you. The kiss brings you more warmth than the sun ever could, and you feel so lucky to have your own bright star to light up your day.

#svt #seventeen #kvanity #svthub #kpop fanfiction #kpop fanfic #svt fluff #seventeen fluff #seungkwan imagines #seungkwan fluff #seungkwan x reader #seungkwan #bee buzzed εїз✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

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idyllic-ghost · 1 month

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this ramadan we pray for peace and aid for the people of palestine. this ramadan we remember the previous ramadans, where thousands of palestinians were massacred. this ramadan we honour palestine, and may we see a free palestine next ramadan

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idyllic-ghost · 1 month

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Is a part two something that you guys want or no? (Part 2 would include more of a storyline and smut, if that helps) If not, I'll keep working on new things instead!

#bee buzzed εїз✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*#svt #seventeen #kim mingyu #mingyu #kim mingyu fanfic #mingyu x reader #mingyu fluff #mingyu scenarios #mingyu imagines #kpop fanfiction #kpop fanfic #svt fluff #seventeen fluff

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