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inthedayswhenlandswerefew · 4 years

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Eccentricity [Chapter 2: You Can Run Around Infinite In My Head]

Series Summary: Joe Mazzello is a nice guy with a weird family. A VERY weird family. They have a secret, and you have a choice to make.

Potentially a better love story than Twilight (we’ll let @killer-queen-xo decide when it’s all said and done 😉).

Chapter Title Is A Lyric From: Rome by Dermot Kennedy.

Chapter Warnings: Language, mentions of violence.

Other Chapters (And All My Writing) Available: HERE

Tagging: @queen-turtle-boiii @bramblesforbreakfast @killer-queen-xo @maggieroseevans @culturefiendtrashqueen @imnotvibingveryguccimrstark @escabell @im-an-adult-ish @queenlover05 @someforeigntragedy @imtheinvisiblequeen @seven-seas-of-ham-on-rhye @deacyblues @tensecondvacation @brianssixpence

Please yell at me if I forget to tag you! 💜

Missing In Action

I wish she would stop staring at me.

Lucille sat at the Lees’ usual table and apathetically picked through a heaping salad. (Friday was salad bar day, which I appreciated considerably more than the chicken finger obsession that marred Mondays at Calawah University.) Every once in a while, Rami nudged her and Lucille would spear a cherry tomato with her fork and bite it in half with perfectly even, white teeth. But her large blue-green eyes—they reminded me of webs of seaweed tumbling in the cold, frothing La Push waves—always found their way back to me, strangely focused, inquisitive, perhaps accusatory.

Ben probably told them how much he hates me for whatever nebulous reason and now they all hate me too and I’m going to spend the next two years being death-glared by five ridiculously attractive and somewhat incestuous foster kids.

Chemistry was a three times a week class. Ben hadn’t shown on Wednesday, and I was 99% sure he would skip again today. I spotted him around campus periodically, always from a distance: dropping quarters into a vending machine, clandestinely vaping behind dorm buildings (what self-respecting pre-med student VAPES?!!), browsing YouTube videos in the library next to a tower of unopened textbooks, biology and chem and physics and calculus. He wasn’t home, he wasn’t sick; there was no attempt made to construct any sort of pretext. He was patently avoiding me.

I stabbed moodily at the serrated disks of cucumber in my salad. Jessica was blathering away about the latest season of The Bachelor and ranking the contestants’ eyebrows from best to worst. “...Like seriously, has she never heard of microblading?!”

“For real,” Angela offered, not especially invested but forever a good sport.

Lucille’s eyes settled on me again as she sipped a cup of steaming tea, staring until her forehead crinkled with the effort, staring hard, almost leering.

“What’s her problem?” I muttered.

Jessica shot a glance towards the Lee table and slurped her Sprite. The great mystery surrounding her potential Mormon-ness persisted. “Who? Lucy?”

Only Lucille’s friends called her Lucy. Jessica, a shameless aspiring socialite, presumed she was everybody’s friend unless they explicitly informed her otherwise, which of course no one ever did.

“Yeah,” I answered glumly.

“Maybe it’s your dress.”

“My dress? What’s wrong with my dress?”

Jessica wrinkled her nose and surveyed me as if I were a bug, and not a cute bug like a roly-poly bug or The Very Hungry Caterpillar or whatever. Like a really hideous bug. Like one of those spider-cricket hybrid things that hopped straight out of a hell dimension and into the dark, drippy corners of your basement. “It’s, like, very 1960s. But not in a sexy Woodstock way. In a ‘I’m about to join a hippie murder cult’ way.”

“I got it at TJ Maxx. It was on sale.”

Jessica snorted. “Probably for a reason.”

“That’s it. I’m giving all the hippies in my new murder cult your address.”

She and Angela laughed. Mike and Eric, the missing pieces of our daily lunch puzzle, were preoccupied with a campus protest to convert fried fish day (Thursdays) into tacos day. I sympathized with their efforts, but didn’t feel that my one-week tenure as a Calawah University student gave me much right to go around overhauling the dining hall schedule.

“I doubt she’s actually offended by a dress,” Angela said, nibbling on French fries that shed grains of salt like snowflakes.

Jessica sighed dreamily. “But Lucy’s just so fashionable...and that accent...” She drifted off into some daydream which began—I could only assume—with Lucy’s invitation to go shopping together and concluded with marrying Ben on some lush tropical island in the South Pacific.

Lucille was definitely fashionable, especially today: short black dress with sheer sleeves that ran to her fragile wrists, black polka dot tights, black heeled oxfords, dangling ruby earrings like beads of blood. She would have blended in perfectly at Paris Fashion Week. Rami was wearing a cardigan and khakis, per usual; Joe was in dark fitted jeans and a roomy U Chicago hoodie despite the fact that Forks was at minimum a thirty-four hour drive from the Windy City. What did Angela say his major was? Finance? No, Mathematical Economics. So he’s probably aiming at Chicago for an MBA or Econ PhD someday. Angela had told me that Joe was wicked smart. He better be if he’s entertaining fantasies of grad school at the University of Chicago.

Scarlett had come straight from Fencing Club and was wearing bright pink yoga pants and a t-shirt with the sleeves cut out, sprinkling Hot Cheetos into her open mouth, her blonde hair secured in a tight French braid. You know those girls who are so irrationally, gluttonously, unfairly beautiful that it doesn’t seem possible the genetic lottery could spit out so many winning numbers at once, and you comfort yourself with the certainty that there must be some set of circumstances that would level the playing field—I bet she looks like anyone else without all that makeup, she just has a really good sense of style and knows how to maximize her assets, there are definitely some goofy oversized ears hiding beneath that hair and that’s why she always wears it down—and then one day you run into them wearing sweatpants and a ponytail in the tampon aisle at Walmart and they’re still so perfect it stings you, baffles you, makes you feel like there must have been some divergence in the evolutionary chain because there’s no freaking way you’re the same species? Yeah, Scarlett was one of those girls. Scarlett was the queen of those girls.

Ben was conspicuously absent from the table.

Scarlett’s pink leopard-print iPhone rang and she answered. “Hello?” She turned to Joe. “Dad says you left your phone at home. Do you need it?”

Joe was gnawing his way through his third slice of pepperoni pizza. “No, I’m good, thanks though.”

Scarlett relayed the message. “Dad says he’s going to bring it by just in case.”

“Oh my god, ScarJo, I’m fine! Tell him not to!”

“Dad says he doesn’t trust you and he’s going to be here in fifteen minutes. He’s also bringing the Game Theory homework you left by the hot tub.”

Joe groaned and rolled his lively dark eyes as Rami grinned at him; Lucille was still watching me and entirely oblivious.

“Isn’t it weird that Ben and Lucille have accents?” I asked Jessica. “That they’re from the U.K.? I didn’t think fostering kids was an international thing.”

“It’s not that weird. Dr. Lee is British too. Maybe there’s some kind of exchange system, I don’t know. But you know what I do know?”

“What?” Now my interest was piqued.

She smiled. “That the British accents are hot.”

“Ugh,” I exhaled involuntarily.

“Please get a hobby,” Angela begged Jessica. “Start a YouTube channel. Make care packages for orphans. Grow marijuana. Adopt a cat. I have a shift at the animal shelter this Sunday morning, you want to come with me?”

“Sorry, can’t. I have a temple thing.”

Temple on Sunday. The mystery is solved. She’s a Mormon for sure. I mentally resolved not to let her set me up with anyone unless I was still single on Valentine’s Day. Which, obviously, assuming I’m not dead in a ditch somewhere, I will be.

I gathered up my trash and slung my backpack over my shoulder. “Okay, well this has been a bizarre lunch to be completely honest, and now I have to go to Chemistry so I’ll see you later and hopefully we can brainstorm some more alternatives to Jessica’s current life trajectory on Monday. Because I am not looking forward to being a bridesmaid in these impending Lee nuptials.”

“Oh please!” Jessica lamented. “He doesn’t even know I exist. You, on the other hand...”

I scoffed. “Yeah, he wants to kill me. I truly have a gift.”

They waved as I left. I could feel Lucille’s eyes on me until I reached the door.

Sure enough, Ben wasn’t in Chemistry. I tried not to notice. I drew my atoms, wrote my equations, took my notes diligently and in my favorite sky blue ink. But I felt the emptiness in the chair next to me like a black hole, like an immense and dragging weight, like a snag in the fabric of all those interwoven strands of physics that orchestrate the universe like an immortal puppeteer. Why can’t I forget this guy? Why do I still feel like I’ve met him before?

Halfway through class, I hauled my emergency sweatshirt out of my backpack and pulled it on over my dress, floral and flowing and golden yellow like the sun, the sun that never shines here in Forks. I had liked it plenty under the florescent lights of the fitting room at TJ Maxx, and I had still liked it this morning; but Jessica’s words hummed around in my skull like wasps. The zipper of the sweatshirt was broken, but it accomplished the task of obscuring my dress well enough.

After Chemistry, I journeyed to the campus library to find a book I was supposed to read and present for a different class. I looked it up in the computer catalogue, spent an embarrassingly long time trying to figure out how the Dewey Decimal System works, eventually wound up finding the book on the highest floor of the library...and, to add a little extra peril to the mission, on the highest shelf. The book mocked me from its lofty, unattainable stronghold. The title was embossed in gold letters down the crimson spine. The Walruses And Me: A Transformative Experience. Idiotic title, I’m aware. It’s about some marine biologist who spent months alone in the Arctic studying the lifecycles of walruses. A noble pursuit, sure, but still a terrible title.

There wasn’t a chair or stepstool in sight. I tested my weight by stepping up onto the second-lowest shelf. The metal immediately squealed and shifted in protest. I retreated back down to the carpet, defeated by gravity. I scowled up at the book and sighed melodramatically. Ugh.

“Need something?”

I spun around to see Joe in his University of Chicago hoodie and pale flawless skin and intangible magnetism, that bewildering trademark Lee ethereality. I instinctively crossed my arms, clutching the sleeves of my sweatshirt, shrinking inwards like a startled armadillo in the Arizona desert.

“Are you, uh, anemic...?” he ventured.

“Oh no, I’m not cold. I’m just trying to hide my dress. My friend said it was too hippie-murder-cult 1960s.”

I figured he’d laugh, make a snide comment, maybe just blink in confusion. Instead, he glimpsed down at my dress—what could still be seen of it, anyway—and shook his head. “The neckline isn’t right for the 60s. And you seem like you’ve showered at least once in the past two weeks, so definitely not a hippie.”

I smiled, completely unexpectedly. “I didn’t realize Econ majors knew anything about leftist counterculture.”

“Disparaging it is our favorite pastime. Are you trying to get a book or are you just disrespecting university property for entertainment?”

I pointed. “The big red one.”

“The Walruses And Me...?”

“I know, it’s a horrible title. Not my personal preference. It’s for a class.”

“Bestiality 101?”

“Good guess. Marine Mammals.”

“Ahhh.” He glanced up and down the aisle, tapped his chin with agile fingers, pondered something I wasn’t privy to. “Turn around for a second.”

“What? Why?”

He waved his hand mysteriously in front of his grinning face. “It’s a magic trick. I’m going to make your problem disappear.”

“You can’t climb that,” I warned. “You’ll fall and break your neck. Or you’ll knock the whole shelf over and cause a tragic domino effect and the university will withhold your diploma until you pay them restitution.”

“I’m extremely athletic.”

“Are you sure?” I appraised him with exaggerated skepticism for comedic effect. “My dad refers to you only as the spindly annoying Lee.”

Oh my god, WHY did I say that?

Now he would definitely hate me. Now I’d have two mortal enemies on one campus. I mentally calculated how humiliating it would be to transfer to some Florida college, any Florida college, after only one week at Calawah. Hi mom, yeah I’m coming to live with you and Paul, a gang of hot pasty foster kids wants to slaughter me.

Instead, Joe threw back his head and cackled wildly. A librarian—mid-fifties, angry red hair from out of a box, fuzzy cat sweater—glared into the aisle and shushed him.

“Chief Swan...he actually...he calls me that? Really?!” Joe managed, wiping his leaking eyes. “That’s hilarious. I’m so glad my life is in his hands. Okay seriously, turn around.”

“Why would you help me?” I asked suspiciously.

“That’s just what I do. I’m a friendly guy.”

“This friendliness must not run in the family.”

Again, Joe’s cheerful demeanor didn’t falter. “You mean Ben? Forget about Ben, he hates everyone. Don’t take it personally.” Then he added: “Plus, as I’m sure you know, we’re not biologically related. No overlapping genetic material whatsoever. I didn’t get the male supermodel gene, he didn’t get the irresistibly charming gene, life’s not fair but the world keeps spinning.”

“It sure does,” I agreed softly. Unexpected wisdom from my new favorite Lee. I turned away from him. “Fine, I’m not looking, go ahead and dazzle me with your supernatural friendliness—”

“Done.”

“What?” I whirled around. Joe held The Walruses And Me in his hand. “How...did you...?!”

He passed me the book as I sputtered incoherently. “I told you. Magic trick.”

“I don’t....?!” I gawked up at the top shelf, at Joe, back to the top shelf. Sure enough, the space where The Walruses And Me once lived was now just a vacant slit in the row of dusty books. How could he have climbed up there that quickly? How could I not have heard anything? “The shelves didn’t even creak,” I murmured shakily.

“Yes, well, that’s due to my conveniently spindly physique.” Joe winked. “Any other problems I can help you solve at the moment, Baby Swan?”

“No. And don’t call me Baby Swan, or I’ll push this whole bookshelf over and tell the feisty librarian lady you did it.”

“That’s cold, ma’am.”

I liked that Joe didn’t make me feel like Ben did: unworthy, unloved, infuriating. Joe made me feel something else, something lighthearted, casual, buoyant; like the world didn’t have anything in it worth worrying about, regretting, agonizing over. Like unadulteratedly myself was all I ever needed to be.

I heard a muted buzz and Joe slid his iPhone out of his jeans pocket. Dr. Lee must have successfully delivered it. “Whoops, I forgot that Ordinary Differential Equations existed. Got to go. See ya.”

“Bye,” I replied. And then Joseph Lee was gone, very quickly, a little too quickly, the same way that Ben had vanished on that first afternoon after Chemistry.

Forks is weird. Calawah University is weird. And the Lee kids are super fucking weird.

Long Walks On The Beach

“Can I ask you a random question?”

“You just paid me $100 for an oil change that took fifteen minutes. You can ask me anything you want.” He grinned, flashing bright teeth and deep dimples.

It was Saturday afternoon. I had shoveled down a Chipotle veggie bowl as Archer changed the 1999 Accord’s oil in a small garage with a cracked concrete floor and the searing pungency of gasoline fumes thick in the air. He had apprenticed all through high school and rented his own shop after graduation. Archer now had a loyal clientele that encompassed virtually the entire Quileute reservation and a growing chunk of Forks...including Charlie and me, of course. Archer was the only child of Larry Foxchild—Charlie’s best friend since they worked together at Dairy Queen as teenagers—and the closest thing to a son my dad would ever have. I guess that made him like a brother to me, something that seemed intuitive now that I’d thought of it.

After the Accord was serviced we drove it down to La Push to walk on the beach, climb the salt-lashed rocks, toss pebbles into the roiling surf, reprise our childhood enthusiasm for poking dead washed-up marine creatures with shards of driftwood.

“Do you know anything about the Lees?” I asked Archer, investigating a deceased green shore crab.

His brow furrowed. He looked so serious like that, suddenly so much like Larry: the same tan skin, jet black hair, umbral eyes like oil wells, strong jaw overlaid with the stubbled shadow of a beard. We really aren’t kids anymore, are we? “The doctor and his kids?”

“Yeah. The foster kids. They’re really pale and strange and half of them are British.”

Archer chuckled. “I know who you mean. They’re hard to miss.”

“Are they...” Just eccentric rich people? Traumatized from abusive childhoods? Government experiments? CIA agents? Secret murderers? The image of Ben in that first Chemistry class came roaring back to me, including the adjective that had flashed red behind my eyes like an emergency exit sign: fierce. Finally, I decided: “Dangerous?”

Now Archer full-on laughed, gripping his belly, shaking his head. Drops of saltwater flew from his short hair. “Seriously?!” he exclaimed. “Come on, they’re freaks but they’re not, like...that kind of freaks.”

“Are you sure?” I was starting to feel better already. Of course they’re not actual demons, you fucking idiot. This is Washington, not The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror. Not goddamn American Horror Story.

“Yeah.” Archer skipped a grey pebble over the water, something I’d never been able to do. “I’ll be honest, I don’t know them all that well. They usually keep to themselves. But I’ve never heard anything bad about any of the kids. And everyone respects Dr. Lee and appreciates him for taking the pay cut to come to some bumblefuck town like Forks. He’s insanely highly credentialed, has degrees from Harvard or Yale or somewhere like that. Super impressive. We’re lucky to have him. I definitely sleep better at night knowing he’ll be the one to fix me up if I ever get a few fingers ripped off on the job.”

“Don’t even say that. Then who would I grossly overpay for oil changes?”

Archer smiled, then sobered as he peered out over the Pacific Ocean.

“What?” I asked, feeling a plummeting in my guts like primal fear.

“Well...okay, so there is one thing that’s always bothered me. You remember Grandpa Foxchild?”

“Yeah, of course.” He had been an impossibly ancient man with long grey braided hair, a low rumbly voice, gnarled arthritic hands, ceaseless wrinkles. I remembered Charlie calling me when he passed away last spring. Renee and I had picked out a flower arrangement to send to the funeral.

“So,” Archer said slowly, like he was still puzzling it out himself. “Grandpa used to say things like ‘That Dr. Lee has been around a long time.’ Which of course makes no sense, the Lees moved here like two years ago. And I’d tell Grandpa that, but he completely ignored me. He would just keep repeating it. ‘That Dr. Lee shouldn’t still be here.’ ‘That Dr. Lee should go on home to where he came from.’ ‘That Dr. Lee isn’t right.’ Creepy shit like that. My dad and I always assumed it was the dementia talking, but...I don’t know. It just bothered me. Because Grandpa...he wasn’t just being gossipy or suspicious. He was angry. And he was afraid. Grandpa was at Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima and he would talk about that no problem, mention landmines or flesh melting off a soldier’s face like it was nothing. He was a tough guy. Immeasurably tough, I’ll never be half the man he was. But if you mentioned the Lees, Grandpa got scared. Why the hell would he be so scared of them?”

I didn’t have an answer for him, not a single word. I just stared at Archer, my eyes growing huge, my heart sprinting, blood pounding in my ears. He knew. Grandpa Foxchild knew there was something off about them, and now I know it too. I don’t know how I know, but I do.

Archer tittered nervously. “Anyway, that was genuinely disturbing. But like I said. It was probably just the dementia.”

“What if it wasn’t?”

“It had to be,” he insisted. “There’s no other logical explanation.”

“I guess,” I agreed, scooping up the green shore crab corpse with my bare hands. I hurled it out into the waves, imagined it sinking through murky water and suspended grains of sand, the body settling into prehistoric silt, the scavengers descending upon it, the inescapable wheel of birth and death and resurrection through those who unwittingly carry our atoms with them into the next generation, into the perpetual future.

That night my dreams were full of pale skin and scorching eyes, Ben and Joe and Rami, Lucille and Scarlett, crashing waves, cold water and bleached bones; and Grandpa Foxchild’s mistrustful refrain: That Dr. Lee has been around a long time.

Benjamin

I soared down the staircase and through the dining room. Gwil was working late at the hospital, Mercy outside tending the animals, everyone else presumably scattered throughout the house. I had to get out before anyone noticed me. I had to get out without Rami or Lucy knowing.

I yanked open the door to the back porch. Rami was waiting there.

“Good evening,” he greeted me in that slow, thoughtful drawl.

“Stay the fuck out of my head.”

“You know how it works, Benny Boy. I can’t ignore the loud thoughts. And you’ve been having some very loud thoughts lately.”

I stared down at my shoes, all black Adidas. Black is good. It doesn’t show stains. For example, purely hypothetically, splatters of human blood and organs. “I can make it quick. I can make it painless.”

Rami’s aura flared maroon; not enraged, no, not quite that, but certainly revolted. I was always finding new and horrifying ways to revolt them, whether I was trying to or not. “She has a family, Ben. A father. You know Chief Swan, you’ve seen him around town. He’s a good person. She’s a good person. You really want to do this? You really want to relapse like this?”

I didn’t reply. I didn’t have to. Hearing thoughts is a tricky thing, and not a gift that I would ever want; unspoken words are rarely a steam and usually a storm, disjointed and twisting, interrupting each other, bottomless layers of whispers and screams. But I was sure Rami could catch the important parts: that I didn’t know the difference between good and bad people, that I didn’t know what to think of people at all, that for me her blood was not a desire but a compulsion. I couldn’t stop envisioning it spilling over my tongue and teeth, down my throat, hot and pulsing erratically and fading. “Why can’t you hear her? Why can’t I see what she’s feeling?”

Rami shrugged, characteristically placid and restrained. It was maddening. “There are seven and a half billion people on this planet. So maybe every once in a while you get one that lives in our blind spots, there’s something chromosomal or psychological that puts them on a different frequency. I don’t know. How the hell should I know? All I know is that you definitely shouldn’t be seriously considering...well. What you’re considering.”

“Have you ever met someone whose thoughts you couldn’t hear before?”

“No,” Rami admitted; and was that a ghost of unease that crossed his face?

“Please, Rami. Let me go. Pretend you never saw me.” My words come out strained, hushed, like a spilled secret, like a confession. I’ve never wanted anyone’s blood like I want hers.

He heard that; I could see the dismay in his eyes. Now his aura is dark grey, almost black. Disappointment. Resignation. Mourning. “I told you what Lucy saw.”

“What she saw is impossible and you know it.”

Again, Rami shrugged. That blind, mindless faith. I wished I knew what it felt like. “She’s never wrong.”

“Have you told him?”

“Who, Joe?! Of course I haven’t told Joe. He...”

“He wouldn’t believe it either?” I snapped, like it was a victory.

“No,” Rami amended carefully. “No, he would believe anything Lucy saw.” Lucy had visions: flashes of the future, the past, the present. They were rare and unpredictable, often fragmented, snapshots rather than arcs. But they were always true. Or, rather, the other Lees claimed they were. The real Lees. “I don’t know what he would do about it,” Rami said finally. “So I’m waiting it out. And killing one of the primary participants is definitely not waiting it out.”

I seethed as I glared at him, hating him in that moment, hating myself only slightly more; and he heard that too. But then that wispy, fleeting haze around him was a pink like the last threads of sunlight sinking into the Western horizon. Forgiveness. Attachment. Love.

“Come with me, Ben,” Rami said gently, opening the door. “Come back inside. You can beat this. You’re better than this. You’re a good soul. You wouldn’t be with us if you weren’t.”

I tried to laugh. It came out like a snarl. “I haven’t had a soul in a long time.”

#joe mazzello fic #joe mazzelo x reader #borhap #borhap fic #borhap cast fic #twilight au #twilight #supernatural au

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badchoicesposts · 5 years

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Don’t Dream It’s Over Chapter 3

Series Summary: Liam and Ali thought that their relationship was perfect, but their whole world came crashing down when Constantine called him back to Cordonia. Four years later they meet again at Liam’s bachelor party, determined to make things between them work even if it isn’t always easy.

In this AU, Liam and MC (Ali Moonessar) dated for a year in New York while Leo was still crown prince. They broke up when Constantine asked Liam to come back to Cordonia, but they meet again at Liam’s bachelor party before the social season. The story will contain flashbacks, which will be italicized, of their relationship and follow them as they try to navigate the season with Ali as a suitor. I’ve messed around with the timeline a bit so that it fits the story better. I’ve also added in a few OCs of my own.

Pairing: Liam x MC (Ali Moonessar)

Word Count: 2,752

Taglist: @flowerpowell, @timmagicktoad, @kingliam2019, @ao719, @emceesynonymroll, @hopefulmoonobject, @dcbbw, @qammh-blog

If you would like to be added to the tag list let me know!

A/N: In this chapter you’ll get to learn a bit more about Ali’s family.

This is my first time ever posting a fic. Please let me know if you enjoyed it and would like to read more. I thrive on validation, lol. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

Ali had spent time in Drake and Liam’s apartment before. She spent most of her time there if she was being honest. She was lucky that Drake liked her enough to tolerate her presence there as much as he did. However, she had never really spent much time in the apartment alone. One of them was almost always there with her.

She let herself into their apartment, looking around as she waited for Liam to come home from work. It was strange to be here without either of them. This place had been a second home to her for the past six months, but without Liam, it seemed big, cold and empty. Ali kicked off her shoes and made her way into Liam’s room. She dropped down onto his large bed, the soft mattress relaxing her muscles and alleviating some of the ever present pain in her lower back.

Her eyes began to close as she gave into the drowsiness that had overtaken her body. However, the peaceful moment was interrupted as a sudden chill went up her spine, and she immediately shot up in bed. A soft scratching noise seemed to be coming from inside the walls, and the lights above her head flickered. She looked around the room frantically for a moment before the scratching noise chased her out to the living room, where she waited impatiently for her boyfriend to come home.

When Liam arrived he saw Ali curled up on the couch, the decorative throw blanket pulled up over her head. Even though he had sat with her and calmed her down, it was obvious that he thought she was being ridiculous. He had laughed at the suggestion that what happened had anything to do with the supernatural universe and simply went to change the light bulb. Ali had the same experience several times after that night. Each time a chill would run up her spine before she heard the scratching noise and saw the lights flicker. Each time she had felt a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach, and each time Liam had blamed it on faulty wiring or old light bulbs.

This time, however, Liam was lying in bed next to Ali when it happened. His face had been buried in her neck, and as he began to press gentle kisses to the skin there, the lights flickered. She jumped out of his arms as the scratching began and looked at him pointedly.

“There’s a fucking ghost in your bedroom,” she said, almost hysterical at this point as she watched Liam look around the room with furrowed eyebrows.

“I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for this,” he said calmly, attempting to pull her back down next to him.

She pulled her arm away from him and placed her hands on her hips.

“There is no logical explanation for this,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm around the word ‘logical’. “You have to move.”

Liam began to chuckle as he looked at the girl fondly. He stood up and walked over to her, wrapping her up in his strong arms. As his body enveloped her much smaller one, she could feel his chest vibrating with laughter.

“Don’t laugh at me!” she said angrily, her words muffled as she spoke against his bare skin.

“Sweetheart, I promise you there’s no ghost,” he said, trying to hold back his laughter, as to not frustrate her further.

“Then why does that keep happening?” she asked, turning her head to look up at him.

Liam brushed one of her dark curls out of her face and kissed her forehead gently.

“I promise I’ll talk to the landlord, and we’ll figure it out,” he said softly.

Ali pulled herself out of his arms and made her way back over to the bed.

“You won’t figure it out because it’s a goddamn ghost,” she grumbled under her breath, pulling the covers up around her.

Two strong arms pulled Ali backwards, and she crashed into a hard chest. She looked up to see Bastien holding her close and reaching to grab Liam’s arm as well. Another member of the royal guard pushed his way in front of the two of them, stopping the reporters from getting too close. Bastien kept one arm wrapped protectively around her small frame, and his other hand rested on Liam’s back as he guided them towards the hotel. His jaw was clenched, and as the three of them rode the elevator back up to their floor in an awkward silence, Ali could tell he was extremely agitated.

The rest of the guys from last night were all lounging around the sitting area of Liam’s room when they entered. They were each nursing their own hangover, but could easily tell that something was wrong as a negative energy entered with them. Maxwell looked over at them from where he was smothering jam on a piece of toast. The look of hope that was on his face from seeing them enter together quickly disappeared.

Bastien paced up and down the length of the room, and for a few minutes everything remained completely silent.

“Your father is going to be furious,” he finally spoke.

He didn’t look angry anymore. Instead, a look of concern crossed his features. Liam released a deep breath and his shoulders sagged the slightest bit.

It was unsettling for everyone to see him look so defeated. He had always been strong-minded and strong-willed. It had been drilled into his brain from a young age that he should never show weakness and that it was always necessary for him to carry himself with an air of confidence.

Ali stood glued to her spot by the door, not knowing what to do. The only time she had seen him like this was right before he had gotten on the plane back to Cordonia. Every one of her instincts told her to go to him and comfort him, but there was a voice in the back of her head saying that it wasn’t her place anymore. Even if it was, she wouldn’t know what to say. The world of media and nobility wasn’t one she knew anything about. Instead she just watched him. She watched as he took a breath, straightened his spine, squared his shoulders, and put on a mask of neutral expression.

“I’m sure my father will find some way to properly address the press as he’s done for Leo several times in the past,” he began calmly, before turning to face her, “Ali, you were completely right. I have a responsibility to Cordonia, and I should have never said the things that I did last night or this morning. It was a poor judgment call on my part. I apologize for upsetting you and my momentary lapse in judgement. I’m afraid you won’t be able to leave until the crowd outside disperses, but you are welcome to remain here in the meantime. Please excuse me.”

With that, he walked to the bedroom of the suite and closed the door behind him. His words were short, and Ali could see that he was struggling to say them with as little emotion as possible. However, knowing this gave her no comfort as she once again felt tears stinging her eyes. He spoke as if he were addressing the public as a politician, not to the person that he claimed to love. She roughly bit down on her lip, desperate to not cry in front of a group of men that she hadn’t even known for twenty-four hours. She felt exposed, and she wanted to run and hide. But, her feet were rooted to the floor.

Drake approached her slowly and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she barely registered his presence.

Ali wasn’t sure how long she stood there watching the door that Liam had just disappeared behind, but she probably would have been there longer if the sound of several phones going off hadn’t pulled her out of her thoughts. Maxwell, Charlie, and Leo all pulled out their phones and skimmed through something before looking at her and each other nervously.

“What is it?” she asked, her voice hoarse. Maxwell made his way over to her cautiously and handed her his phone.

“Damn, they work fast,” she heard Drake say as he looked down at the phone over her shoulder.

The web page was opened to a Cordonian news site, and the title “Prince Liam’s Bachelor Party Hook-Up” was staring back at her in bold letters. There were pictures of the two of them kissing on the street outside the hotel and some of the group leaving the bar last night. The reporters had caught bits of their conversation, and the article told of how he begged her to stay with him, speculating how the pair knew each other.

Ali handed the phone back to Maxwell and stepped so that her back was pressed against the wall, depending on it to keep her upright. She was aware that everyone in the room had their eyes on her now. Taking a look at her own phone for the first time that day, she saw several frantic texts from Cole’s sister, Emma, and a few from his older brother, Luca, asking where she was.

“Moonessar, do you want to take a walk? My room is right down the hall,” Drake said cautiously, as if he were expecting her to have a meltdown at any moment.

“No,” she said, already bringing the phone up to the ear as she spoke.

She listened to it ring several times, relaxing at the sound of the voice that picked up.

“Luca, I need you to come get me,” she said, before turning and walking out the door.

************

Ali had known the Larson family her entire life. The four Larson siblings had been born into a household with an abundance of money but absentee parents, and when Ali was young, her mother had worked as a maid and nanny for them. Ali grew up alongside the siblings and became fast friends with Cole and Emma because the three were close in age. When both of Ali’s parents died in a car accident, Cole’s older brother, Ezra, had insisted that she move in with them. She was only nineteen and had been such a mess at the time that they all agreed it was for the best. She had been living with them ever since, and the Larsons had become the siblings she never had and the family she needed. They had always been there for her.

Luca was the oldest of the four siblings, and even though he and Ali couldn’t be more different, their connection had always been different than they one she had with the others. Luca was the most put together person that Ali had ever met. He had expensive tastes, always wore a suit that had been perfectly tailored to his body, and was a prominent lawyer in one of New York’s biggest law firms. However, regardless of their differences, Luca and Ali seemed to balance each other out and had a natural chemistry that made them unstoppable when they worked together. Luca was kind-hearted and very obviously cared for her in a way no one else ever had.

The other siblings had often joked that the two should just get married and finally make Ali an official Larson, and while Ali knew that Luca was everything she could possibly want in a partner, there was always a piece of her that couldn’t commit to a relationship with him. It was the piece of her that had always and would always belong to Liam. She had casually dated other people after Liam, but she had too much history with the Larsons to even consider that with Luca. If she entered a relationship with him, there would be too much pressure from the family for them to get serious, and she knew that she wasn’t able to fully give herself to him. So, she didn’t, and instead they had formed a different relationship. They weren’t like siblings, but they weren’t in a relationship either. She couldn’t explain what they were. They were just close.

Now, sitting in the front seat of Luca Larson’s car with tears streaming freely down her face, Ali wanted nothing more than for him to pull her into his arms and tell her that everything was going to be okay as he had done so many times in the past.

“Luc, I-I m-made a mistake,” she choked out as he pulled into the parking complex a few blocks away from the building they lived in.

After parking the car, Luca turned in his seat to face her and placed a hand on her knee, tracing soft circles on it through her jeans.

“Let’s get you inside. We can talk there,” he said softly.

He got out of the car and ran to the other side to open her door for her. He kept her locked tightly in his embrace as they rode the elevator up to the large penthouse apartment they all shared. Upon entering the two were met with the angry face of Emma Larson.

“Where were you? You know that if you spend the night away from home you’re supposed to let someone know! You’re lucky we didn’t call the police!” she began, before Luca shot her a look that quickly shut her up.

Even though Emma was the youngest in the household, there was no doubt that she was the one in charge. She currently had a tape measure hanging around her neck and was clutching fabric scissors tightly in her hand. From a young age she had been into design and had recently been trying to make her way into the world of fashion. She tended to “stress create”, and it was evident that she had been doing so for quite some time as there were varying fabrics in different colors spread across the living room floor. Her loud voice had pulled Cole and Ezra out of the kitchen, and they both straightened their bodies into a protective stance upon seeing Ali’s tears. Luca led her over to the couch, and Ezra went back into the kitchen to get her a glass of water before joining the group.

“What happened?” Luca asked, his voice was gentle as he spoke to her.

Ali shakily pulled up the article on her phone and handed it to him. She watched as his jaw clenched momentarily while reading it and had to stop herself from crying even harder.

“I’m sure it’ll all blow over in a day or two,” he said, a soft sigh escaping his throat as he handed the phone to his siblings.

“The article isn’t what I’m upset about,” she breathed out. “I- I slept with him, and I shouldn’t have. I know I shouldn’t have, but I saw him last night, and I didn’t know how to let him go again.”

“You slept with him?” Emma exclaimed.

“Well, obviously. What did you think she was doing when she didn’t come home last night?” Cole asked casually as he lounged back in his chair. Ezra and Emma both glared at their brother.

“I feel so stupid. You should have seen him this morning. After we got mauled by the press it was like he just turned all of his emotions off. After everything, after telling me that he loved me, he just dismissed me like it was nothing in front of all of his friends. It was humiliating. God, I’m such an idiot.”

A fresh wave of tears began to fall down her cheeks, and she pushed off her glasses.

“This is all your fault!” Emma said, glaring angrily at Cole.

“How is it my fault? I didn’t tell her to sleep with him!”

“You don’t leave your friend alone in a bar with their ex!”

“I didn’t leave them alone! All of his friends were still there! Drake was there!”

“Children, please,” Luca said in an exasperated tone, his siblings’ antics only furthering his frustration.

Ali buried her face in the decorative cushion next to her, wishing that she had actually used her common sense the night before and hating Liam for the things that he said. In a hotel room less than an hour away from her Liam was staring at his computer screen, hating himself for hurting her and dreading the conversation he was about to have with his father.

#the royal romance #trr #the royal heir #trh #liam x mc #the royal romance fic #trr fic #liam x mc fanfic #liam #king liam #my fics #choices fics #choices #playchoices #playchoices fic #king liam fanfic #the royal romance fanfic #liam fic #playchoices fanfic

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cinemaglitz · 4 years

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Four More Shots Please Season 2 Web Series Review: Four More Shots Please, claims to make a statement but loses to its own high.

Web Series Title: Four More Shots Please – Season 2 Direction: Nupur Asthana Writer: Devika Bhagat Cast: Sayani Gupta, Bani J, Kirti Kulhari, Maanvi Gagroo Music: Mikey McCleary Cinematographer: Neha Parti Matiyani Editor: Jabeen Merchant Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance Rating: ∗∗

What is it about:It’s an Indian web series which follows the story of four unapologetically flawed women as they live, love,…

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#Bani J #Devika Bhagat #Four More Shots Please #Four More Shots Please Season 2 #Four More Shots Please Season 2 Web Series #Four More Shots Please Season 2 Web Series Review #Kirti Kulhari #Lisa Ray #Maanvi Gagroo #Neha Parti Matiyani #Nupur Asthana #Sayani Gupta

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killingmebtob · 6 years

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What Can I Do? ~Mini-Series~ 4: Wrapping Up // Lee Minhyuk

Author: @killingmebtob // Sara

Mini-series: What Can I Do?

Part 4: Wrapping Up

Author’s Note: We’re almost at the end. Please give me about one to two more parts to really wrap this up. Enjoy and please do let me know what you think. Hehe. :)

Summary: Lee Minhyuk, the all-around and athletic idol, finally meets (Y/N), a female idol well-known in the industry, who doesn’t seem to swoon and fawn over him like most of the female idols he met before.

Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 5

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Your name: submit What is this?

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The rest of the shoots became a blur as they started to wrap up the web drama. Both idols became loaded with other work as the days rolled. It was difficult for the both of them to spend time together after filming because they both had to rush to other venues for their own schedules. While (Y/N) was busy with recording and album preparations, Minhyuk was occupied with BTOB schedules—some of which were overseas.

Jiyoung watched over the female idol with worried eyes as they were on their way to the set. (Y/N) had her eyes closed but her mind was filled with so many thoughts that it kept her awake. Last night’s recording ended way past 2 in the morning earlier today. Then at 5 in the morning, she had to go back to the studio for a meeting and recording with a different composer. Now was the only time she had for rest and she wasn’t getting any of it.

The same could be said about Minhyuk who just got back from an overseas joint concert. He smiled at their fans who welcomed them at the airport. He and the other members of BTOB walked briskly. Minhyuk was riding a different vehicle because he was heading straight to the filming location with Daegyeom.

“Hyung,” Sungjae slyly grinned as he wiggled his eyebrows knowingly. “Have a good time,”

The other members chuckled as they bid Minhyuk goodbye for the meantime. They all told him to do well and to not forget to rest. He returned those words before he entered the van. Minhyuk didn’t have much time to wave at the fans but he still stuck his hand out as the vehicle moved past them.

Instead of resting, he decided to check his SNS accounts and the happenings around the virtual world. There were only a few things that caught his attention. It seemed like nothing much happened while they were away. He was about to close his SNS app when he saw an article that made him curious. The male idol didn’t know what to feel about it.

PeachBubble at 2018: 3 Years Since Disbandment

It’s been four years since 4-member idol group PeachBubble disbanded due to differences in goals. Let’s look back at their journey as we cross our fingers for a possible reunion.

2011

PeachBubble debuted in May with their single Oh My! from their mini-album Hear Me. The public’s reception of the group was average. They released a second mini-album in November that was filled with songs for the winter season.

2012

PeachBubble released two mini-albums this year as they slowly built their fan base. It was during this time that the group went around universities to promote their songs. The group ventured out into the genre of ballads in an attempt to grasp the public’s interest.

It was at this time that the group appeared in different variety shows with other groups in the industry.

Late in 2012, (Y/N) was casted for a minor role in a web drama series.

2013-2015

There were barely any group activities from PeachBubble in 2013 to 2015 aside from their comeback in the third quarter of 2013. The members took on solo projects to promote the group’s name.

Seo Yeon started appearing in musicals. (Y/N) released an OST and worked on three dramas, one of which she was casted for a major role. Sunhee and Haewon became hosts of different television shows. Haewon also ventured into becoming a DJ for a radio show.

2016

Fans of PeachBubble were anticipating the comeback of the group in mid-2016 after a photo of them in the studio was uploaded in their official SNS accounts. However, a surprising announcement was made by their agency that the group would not be pushing through with their comeback. It was also included in the announcement that Sunhee and Haewon would be transferring to a different company while Seo Yeon and (Y/N) would be staying with their current agency.

A month later, (Y/N) announced that she will be coming back with a solo album that would start her career as a solo artist. The female idol received numerous amounts of backlash from fans saying that the reason why the group disbanded was because of her solo debut and her focus on dramas.

The other members were quick to debunk the issue saying that there was a conflict of interest between the group, the members, and the agency itself.

2017

Sunhee and Haewon debuted as a duo in their new company late in 2017. Haewon stepped down from her radio show due to health complications.

Seo Yeon left the idol life to pursue her musical career. That year, she landed three different major roles.

(Y/N) released a few solo tracks, some of which were OSTs.

2018—Present

Early this year, Sunhee released her own fashion line for ladies called sunSHE.

Solo artist (Y/N) is also currently working on a web drama that is set to show late in spring.

It is rumored that the duo Sunhee and Haewon will be making a comeback in the next 2 months.

Seo Yeon, on the other hand, started teaching in a well-known university for the arts as she continued her musical career.

It seems like the members of PeachBubble continue to shine bright as they continue on in their own paths. While still a few years away, we’re hoping that the group will release a reunion album on their tenth year.

“So that was today,” Minhyuk uttered under his breath.

“What was today?” Daegyeom asked because he was startled by the idol’s sudden words.

“Huh? Ah, it’s nothing,” the male idol chuckled as he waved dismissively. When Daegyeom shrugged and faced forward again, Minhyuk sighed as he wondered about what the girl was possibly feeling.

“Cut!” The director called.

Minhyuk eyed the female idol who let out a heavy sigh. It was apparent that there was something on her mind even if she seemed like she was doing well while filming. The male idol was wondering if he should ask but (Y/N) was already walking to the screen to review the shot. He huffed as he followed the girl. There was an awkward feeling inside him as his eyes shifted between the girl and the screen.

“Let’s do a retake,” the director commented.

(Y/N) bit her lip as she nodded. “Okay. I’m sorry. I’ll do better,” she said. On the screen, one could clearly see how unfocused she was.

“Are you okay?” Minhyuk asked when they both stepped onto the set once again.

“Huh? Oh,” she sighed before trying to muster a smile. “Yeah, I’m okay,”

Minhyuk didn’t sound convinced but he decided not to pry any further as the girl seemed like she didn’t want to talk about it. They continued on with the shoot with Minhyuk worrying over the female idol. There were a lot of times when the director had to call for retakes while in the middle of filming because (Y/N) would either mess up her lines or her expressions and actions weren’t enough. Everyone could see the director’s annoyance despite her multiple apologies that he called for a 15-minute break.

The staff and actors dispersed to do their own thing. Minhyuk chased after the troubled girl.

“(Y/N)!”

The female idol stopped on her tracks and looked back. Minhyuk was surprised by the frustration in her eyes despite her expressionless face. She was breathing heavily as she looked at him.

“I’m fine,” she didn’t mean to but her words came out harshly, almost as if she was shouting at him. “I’m fine,” the female idol repeated a little more calmly this time but her voice was still raised. “It’s nothing you should worry about,” after she said those words, she couldn’t meet his eyes because the girl knew that at any moment, tears might build in her eyes.

It pained Minhyuk to see her this way. His heart was clenching with hurt because he didn’t know what to do. He wanted to take her frustrations away but if she wasn’t letting anyone help her, how would he? Never did he feel so far away from her until now. Even if she was just an arm’s length away from him, it felt like she was standing at the other side of a long bridge.

Words wouldn’t form on his lips as he watched her trying to calm herself. He kept on pushing his mind to come up with something but he was empty-handed. Minhyuk felt so lost. It was like he didn’t know her—or at least this side of her.

“If there’s nothing, then I’ll be on my way,” she uttered and turned back around.

The boy just watched her briskly walk away from him. Unbeknownst to him, she didn’t want to burden him with her own problems. Walking away seemed like the easiest option anyway. For her, Minhyuk didn’t have to know.

The male idol heavily sighed as he walked back to the set. On his way, he passed by Jiyoung who gave him an apologetic smile before rushing after the female idol.

Daegyeom approached him with a knowing look. “Don’t let it get to you,” he said.

“Let what get to me?” He tried to coolly play it off but his manager just shook his head at him. It was as if Daegyeom was telling him not to lie and that he knows. But Minhyuk continued to pretend that he didn’t know what his manager was talking about.

The shoot continued and this time, it was smoother than before. While (Y/N) still had some slip ups, they were a lot less frequent than earlier. Her eyes were also more focused now and even her movements and delivery were almost like before. Still, Minhyuk knew that she was pushing herself to seem okay to everyone else.

The male idol wanted to try one more time to talk to her and somehow comfort her. He had outlined in his mind the words he was going to say. However, Minhyuk wasn’t able to because she was rushing to leave for who knows what. He could’ve called out to her but it really did seem like it was someone else in front of him.

Her eyes, which were focused earlier, were now cold. She gave off the vibe that she didn’t want to be bothered as she went on her way to leave.

Minhyuk felt a huge wave of pain wash over him as he realized that maybe, despite his efforts and their budding relationship, that everything he was feeling for her was only being felt by him—that maybe she could only see him as a friend. Actually, a friend who she can have just good times with. Sure, she shared about how lonely she is as a solo artist but that was it. It dawned on him that in the time they’ve spent together, she never opened up to him about her troubles while he shared some of his. It hurt to think that maybe the female idol doesn’t trust him enough.

He chewed on the inside of his cheek as he continued to think. He wanted to mean more to her. He knew that he could continue to pursue her but the idol kept on thinking if it was the right time and if it was right at all. Minhyuk knew what he felt but could he afford putting his heart on the line when he does decide to chase her?

The days flew and soon enough, they were all clapping as the director called that they finish filming the last scene. Proud smiles were on everyone’s faces but especially on the two idols’ lips. Both (Y/N) and Minhyuk bowed in gratitude to everyone for taking great care of them.

“Don’t forget our party tonight,” the producer smiled. Everyone in the cast and crew were cheering as they looked forward to the wrap-up party.

The female idol watched them and she was happy that everyone was excited. Her mood was slightly better and she was more focused than ever. She was thankful that Jiyoung was there to snap her out of her thoughts that day. However, she was worried as she glanced at Minhyuk who had already walked away from her without any word.

At first, she thought that maybe he was just busy but as the days went on, the girl realized that he really was avoiding her. (Y/N) had wanted to apologize to him but every time she tried, he always had an excuse to give her. It was getting more difficult as the days passed not just because of guilt but because it was actually painful for her that they weren’t talking. The girl had gotten so used to their everyday interactions that she missed those moments. Even when they were standing together, she missed him. She missed how he made her feel like she could take on the world.

(Y/N) kept on beating herself over how she treated him on the anniversary of her group’s disbandment. She wanted to spill her heart out to him but she couldn’t bring herself to do so. The female idol knew him well enough that he wouldn’t judge her and blame her for their disbandment but her fear was bigger than her knowledge. Shaking her head, she rushed through a crowd of people congratulating her in the hopes of finding him.

“Minhyuk,” she smiled once she did. He was exiting his tent when she found him. Minhyuk looked at her impassively causing her to feel a bit of coldness exuding from him. “About the other day,”

“Sorry,” he sighed. “I have to go to another schedule and I’m running a little late. Maybe you can tell me later at the party?”

“Oh,” (Y/N) tried not to show her disappointment. “Yeah… Yeah, sure. Later then,”

Minhyuk barely smiled at her before leaving her to watch him just like she did to him the other day. A deep sadness settled in her chest as she gazed at his figure that was slowly starting to fade from her sight. His exit felt like a goodbye and it didn’t settle well within her.

“There you are,” Jiyoung’s voice cut her thoughts. “Should we leave? We have to get you to your cover jacket shoot and then to recording. I’ve placed your stuff too in the van,”

“Ah,” she half-smiled as she nodded. “Thank you,”

“Have you talked with him?” Jiyoung asked when they settled in the van. Her question caught the younger female off-guard.

“Minhyuk?” She questioned despite knowing the answer. “No. I feel terrible about what I did. Every time I try to talk with him, he just slips away. He did say later tonight so I’m really crossing my fingers that we get to talk about it. I really do want to apologize. And I…,” (Y/N) shook her head.

“And you…?”

“I just… I just miss how it was. I don’t know why but I’m always waiting for a message from him. I keep on waiting for a pun or a joke. Anything at all but there’s always none. I don’t want my mistake to end our friendship,” she admitted to the older woman.

The cast, crew, and everyone involved in the web drama were gathered in one of the restaurants in Itaewon. Everyone aside from (Y/N) who informed the director and the producer that she would be running late because she had to record some tracks again for her new album. They couldn’t start the party yet without one of the main starts of the web drama. Everyone kept on mingling with each other. Some doing more than just mingling.

After all, it was a time to find connections—both work and life connections.

Daegyeom kept his eyes on the male idol who had been constantly approached mostly by different female staffs from the project. Minhyuk would smile and constantly entertain them. After all, there was nothing wrong with being a little flirty here and there. He decided to humor them. No one would mind, right?

One of the staff caught Minhyuk’s eye. She would constantly bat her eyes at him when their gazes met. He was just going to have a little fun and hopefully, maybe slightly bury the thought and feeling that (Y/N) would only see him as a friend during the good days.

“So so so tired,” the female idol whined. Truth be told, she didn’t want to go to the party but she couldn’t skip out on it.

“At least you’ll be able to eat a lot of meat at the party,” Jiyoung tried to encourage the girl. “You deserve at least that much for everything you did today,”

“I wouldn’t have been able to survive today without you~” (Y/N) grinned.

“Just today?”

The girl rolled her eyes. “Okay fine. Everyday,”

Her manager laughed at her response. “You know, as I watch you every time, I always think of how far you’ve come. You grew up into a wonderful artist. Sure, you may have difficult times but everyone has those days,”

“Hey,” she pouted. “Why does it feel like you’re saying goodbye to me? Are you leaving me, Jiyoung unnie?”

The older woman shook her head. “No, not any time soon. I’m just really proud of you,”

“Thank you,” the idol smiled but her smile was quickly turned upside down in worry. “Hey… Do you think that Minhyuk is really mad at me? I’ve been thinking about it a lot,”

“Maybe a little hurt and disappointed but I don’t think he’s mad at you,”

“I wanted to send him a message but every time I try, it’s like there’s this invisible force stopping me. I miss him,” she whispered. “How is it possible to miss someone who’s just beside you?”

Jiyoung sighed. Even if (Y/N) never spoke about it, she noticed changes in the female idol who she had known for years. The manager was worried that the two idols were ending this project this way. When (Y/N) realizes what really is happening, Jiyoung wonders how she’d take it.

“It’ll be okay,” she assured the girl. “Don’t worry,”

“Okay,” the female idol was unconvinced.

The rest of the car ride was spent planning about other album details and joking around. When (Y/N) got to the venue with Jiyoung, she was in high spirits. Her smile could light up a dark room. The two knew that they were running late so they weren’t surprised to see everyone cheering when they arrived.

A shy smile graced the female idol’s lips as they cheered her name. Her eyes searched the crowd immediately in hopes of finding her co-star. Her smile widened a bit when she saw him. To her, it was weird how a simple glance at him would make her happier even just by a little bit. It seemed as if Minhyuk hadn’t noticed her. She was hoping that he saved her a seat even if they weren’t exactly on speaking terms. The female idol was about to walk to where he was but then a woman who was older than her went up to him and smiled flirtatiously at the man. She was taken aback because this older woman was someone from the web drama’s team of stylists.

(Y/N) could feel her heart dropping when Minhyuk tucked the woman’s loose hair behind her ear before pulling out her chair for her. She watched him sit on the chair beside hers before wrapping his arm around the woman’s shoulder. When the stylist looked at and leaned closer to Minhyuk, the female idol averted her gaze as she felt her heart clench in pain.

‘Why am I feeling this way?’ She asked herself as she tried to look at anything other than them. However, she’d always find her eyes travelling to their direction. It didn’t help when (Y/N) and Jiyoung settled themselves on a table where the female idol could easily see them whenever she would glance up.

Jiyoung instantly felt the girl’s high spirit dwindle down. She’d often glance at her as they celebrated. The fake smile on the female idol’s lips was obvious to her. After all, she had known her since her debut.

The female idol continued to laugh and pretend that nothing was wrong as she bonded and celebrated with everyone who took part in the drama. She’d smile and laugh at their jokes. She’d share the funny things that happened on the set. She kept on trying to distract herself but every once in a while, when she was the one listening, her eyes would move to Minhyuk and the woman. Every time, she’d see them laughing together as if they were the only ones in the room. The female idol would chew down on her lip as her hands tightly close around her metal chopsticks.

Jiyoung’s comforting hand landed on the female idol’s knee causing her to take in a deep breath and loosen her hold on the chopsticks. Inside, Jiyoung was fuming. If she could, she would’ve glared a hole through the male idol’s head. But she had to keep calm for (Y/N). All she could do was calm her down the best she could.

A heavy sigh left (Y/N)’s lips as she continued to look at Minhyuk. ‘Why can’t I take my gaze away?’ She questioned herself. If anyone was paying attention to her, they would immediately figure her out. But the female idol was dense. She kept on asking herself why but she didn’t know the answer to anything.

Minhyuk’s gaze met hers and she almost felt her heart stop. He just looked at her blankly before returning his attention back to the girl who was keeping him occupied. She watched the smirk that cracked on his lips as he chuckled at whatever his companion said.

Her gaze dropped to her lap.

“(Y/N)?” The director called to her.

She quickly snapped out of her thoughts and faked a smile. “Yes?”

“Please say a little something to the whole cast and crew,” he requested. Immediately after, everyone but Minhyuk started cheering and clapping. Shyly, the girl licked her lips and nodded before she stood up.

“Hi,” she tried to push her worries away. “I’m extremely thankful to have been given this opportunity to work with every one of you—the directors, the producers, the writer, the staff, the crew, the different teams, and my fellow actors. I know there were times when we experienced difficulties but we’ve done it. Thank you for all the help and advice you’ve given to me this whole project. I will forever treasure those moments in my heart and I’ll keep those learnings in mind always. I’m really praying that our web drama will touch the hearts of people,” she smiled and bowed at them. (Y/N) avoided mentioning Minhyuk because she felt that it might be awkward for her and him.

The female idol sat as they clapped for her. Without the director even saying anything, everyone else started chanting Minhyuk’s name. (Y/N) was silent as she clapped along but it was obvious that her heart wasn’t in it.

“Okay, okay,” Minhyuk chuckled as he stood from where he was. “I know everyone here knows that I personally contacted the producer asking if I could audition for my role. I’m glad that I did. I was able to meet and work with amazing people,” he said as his eyes looked at everyone. However, when his gaze landed on (Y/N), his heart tightened. Her eyes weren’t on him. Instead, they were downcast on the table as he spoke. The male idol’s lips felt dry but he knew he had to continue talking. “I can’t fully express how thankful I am to be a part of this but I really am. If this were an alternate universe, I would have still taken the chance to do this project. I learned a lot while having fun. Thank you,” he smiled as he gratefully bowed.

His eyes fell on his co-star the moment he sat down. He couldn’t even hear what the stylist was telling him. She’d smile at those who were at her table but Minhyuk knew that it wasn’t real. He wanted to go up to her and talk to her but he couldn’t. If he does, he knows that he wouldn’t be able to leave the trap named (Y/N). And he couldn’t have that when he thinks that she couldn’t even see him in the way he sees her.

But he wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked today. He wanted to click glasses with her as they cheered. He wanted to talk and laugh with her as they shared their moments on and off the set. However, the one thing that he really wanted at the moment was for her to smile brightly. He wanted to see the smile she used to give him—her smile that could light up the darkest sky.

The thing is, the male idol didn’t realize that the reason why she was being that way was because of him and the stylist who was in his arms.

“You spilled some sauce on your shirt,” Jiyoung told the female idol.

The celebration was still on full blast as the meat kept on coming. She can’t remember the last time she ate this much, especially now that her comeback was coming soon.

“Oh shit,” she uttered as she took a tissue and dabbed it on the spot. “I’ll just try to wash it off,”

The female idol quickly made her way to the washroom. The moment she turned to the washroom’s hallway, she stopped on her tracks as she almost bumped into Minhyuk who was checking his phone. They were both slightly wide eyed as they looked at each other.

“Sorry,” he lowly uttered before side stepping her.

(Y/N) didn’t know why but it made her blood boil as her heart tightened. She quickly turned to face his back and called out, “Are you really just going to keep on avoiding me?”

Minhyuk stopped but he didn’t turn. He didn’t even respond before he continued to walk back to where everyone else was. The female idol growled in annoyance as she briskly walked to catch up to him and pull on his wrist. The gesture made Minhyuk look at the girl who was glaring at the floor.

“Why…” She started as her grip on his wrist tightened. “Why are you avoiding me?”

“I’m not,” he flatly said.

“Bullshit,” (Y/N) retorted and the male idol was surprised not just by what she said but also by how hurt she sounded. “The past few days, you’ve been giving me excuses whenever I wanted to talk with you. All I wanted to do was apologize for snapping at you but you kept on saying that you had to do this and that. I let you go. Not once did I ever try to question you or stop you because I believed in you,” she sighed as she loosened her hold on his wrist. The female idol eventually let him go and her hand immediately felt cold.

Minhyuk just watched the girl as she kept on sighing. He noticed how her hands would clench into fists and unclench repeatedly. It was almost like she was fighting an internal battle and all he could do was watch.

“I’m sorry for snapping at you. I’m sorry if I kept lying that I was okay but I’m not sorry for not talking to you about it. I badly wanted to but I couldn’t bring myself to do so,” she continued. “I didn’t want to burden you with my insecurities and a part of my past. I’m sorry if you thought that I don’t trust you enough to lean on you,”

He wanted to hold her but he couldn’t move at all. Minhyuk wanted to tell her that it was fine and the he understood now. But before he could even say a word, the stylist that was with him suddenly wrapped her hand around his arm. It surprised the two idols.

“Oh, (Y/N),” she smiled at the female idol who did her best to return it. “Congratulations,”

“Thanks. The project wouldn’t have been finished without you too so congratulations as well,” the girl civilly responded but Minhyuk knew that she was forcing it.

The female idol turned her attention back to Minhyuk. The fake smile on her lips and the pained look in her eyes made his heart hurt. He watched as she opened her lips and he was quick to notice how they quivered. His heart was yelling at him to drop the act and just go back to normal but he couldn’t.

“Thanks for listening,” she softly said before she turned and walked away.

Minhyuk felt a tug on his arm as he watched her walk away from him once again. His eyes were glued on her figure that looked smaller than usual.

“Is everything okay?”

Minhyuk smiled at the woman who was holding onto him before gently taking his arm away from her grasp. “Yeah. Let’s go back inside,”

From then on, Minhyuk kept his arms to himself. It was like he couldn’t do it anymore because of the heaviness in his heart. He watched (Y/N) when she came back from the washroom. The male idol could see how she kept on pursing her lips as she talked with Jiyoung who quickly nodded and stood up. His eyes were on her as she and her manager went up to the director, producer, and writer to say goodbye. He kept his gaze on her as she waved at everyone but him with a small smile on her lips. Even when they were gone, his eyes were glued to the door they went through.

“Will you be fine?” Jiyoung asked the young idol. They were about to drop off (Y/N) at her place.

“Huh?” (Y/N) pretended to not know what was wrong. “Yeah. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. It’s not like I haven’t been at my place alone,” she grinned jokingly.

Jiyoung eyed the girl but she didn’t break. She kept on smiling at her manager like everything was fine. “It’ll get better. Maybe it’s just not the right time,” (Y/N)’s manager smiled at her comfortingly. “Get a lot of rest tonight and tomorrow,”

The idol gratefully smiled at the woman whom she looked up to like an older sister. “I really don’t know what I would do without you, Jiyoung unnie. Please get home safely. I’ll see you on the day after tomorrow,”

The girl briskly went up to her own unit. Once she made sure to lock her doors, everything fell into routine��from changing out of her clothes to preparing to sleep. Even when she was already on her bed ready to lose herself into the world of dreams, she couldn’t. Annoyed, she got out of bed once again and grabbed her phone before heading to her kitchen.

She took out a milk carton from her fridge and poured herself a glass. The female idol went to sit on her couch and set the glass on the coffee table in front of her. Her eyes were glued to the screen as she scanned through her SNS accounts. When she refreshed her feed, she was surprised to see an update from Minhyuk.

She smiled despite the slight twinge of pain that she felt. His update was a compilation of 10 photos from the wrap-up party tonight. The smile on her lips faded when she saw a picture of him with those whom he sat with. To anyone, it would be a normal photo but to (Y/N), her eyes were quick to spot his hand that was holding the stylist’s shoulder. She noticed how the girl leaned into Minhyuk and how the male idol’s head was tilted towards the stylist’s direction.

The female idol quickly locked her phone and threw it to the spot beside her on the couch. She angrily drank from her glass.

“Why am I even getting mad?” She groaned once she set down her drink. “It’s not like there’s anything going on between us. It’s also not like I want anything to happen between us,” she sighed. “…or do I?”

When the right guy comes, it’ll happen, her words to Jiyoung from that time when she gave her the schedule for the chemistry reading came back to her. (Y/N) furiously shook her head.

“No, no, no,” she mumbled to herself. Without even knowing, it seemed like the girl fell for her co-star. With no warning at all, it seemed like the only idol who made her feel butterflies in her stomach and made her heart do twists and turns was trying to take himself out of her life. “What do I do? What can I do? Is there even anything that I can do?”

After all, if tonight was anything to go by, it looked like he preferred women who’d bat their eyes while looking at him with hearts in their eyes.

At least, that was what she thought.

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