New Horizons (Park Seonghwa) (Ch. 3)
Chapter 3: Scorpions
Pairing: Park Seonghwa x Fem!Reader
Words: 3.5K+
Warning(s): insecurities and discussion of insecurities, angst, someone's rude to MC :( (None of the guys), slight hurt/comfort, dumbdumbs in love but dont realize each others feelings
A/N: Here is chapter 3. I think this one is the second hardest to write (The fourth chapter is kicking my ass rn). I'm not sure how I am feeling about this chapter? I had like three/four different ideas for it. Sooo I did a 'spin the wheel' and went with what it landed on for this lol. I feel like this is the weakest chapter but it has some charm. Regardless, I hope you all enjoy <3
Reader is implied to be living in the US bc uh TIMEZONES ARE FUCKY and i didnt realize how reliant i was on mine (PST) when looking up KST
Summary: Attempting an all-nighter while playing Animal Crossing alongside your bias, you didn't expect your turnip prices to be such a high amount... nor did you expect Park Seonghwa to actually accept your offer to sell his turnips on your island.
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"I can't tell her, Woo." Seonghwa sighed.
Wooyoung nearly ripped out his hair at the very similar phrase he has heard you tell him before. The others all groaned as they lounged around in the recording room, 10 minutes before they needed to start recording and re-recording lines for their last song on the next album.
It was now February, two months since Seonghwa figured out his feelings towards you that night you fell asleep on video call. He immediately told Wooyoung the next day he had been right and ever since then, the younger has been trying to push Hwa into confessing. He even tried assuring the older male that you most likely returned his feelings without giving away you told Wooyoung you developed a crush on Hwa just a few days before Hwa told him.
Woo's mind thought back to his conversation with you a week ago.
"I don't think he likes me like that, Woo. No matter how much you tell me." He heard you say with a dejected tone through the call. He had snuck away on his own during practice, having the choreography down before the others. "I mean, I met him as a fan. I don't want him to think I offered him to sell turnips for this outcome."
"I don't think he assumes any ulterior motives, (Y/N)." He said softly. "He speaks fondly of you."
"And that's another thing. He is Seonghwa. He is the super kind, very lovable, handsome, and talented guy who loves to mimic his villagers, build Legos, and is an all around great person. It's hard not to fall in love with him... and then there is me. The average looking, college student working at the local bookstore. I feel so inadequate-"
"Hey. Don't speak like that about yourself." He scolded, his tone and facial expression serious. "You are amazing. You are beautiful. You've been a great friend and we all deeply appreciate and love you."
"Sorry." You sigh. "I just... I want to believe you, but it's hard, you know?"
"I get it, I do. Just... keep thinking on it, okay?" Wooyoung smiled sadly. He could see the self-doubt was still eating at you and his words didn't fully penetrate the self-conscious wall you built up. He just hoped you'd keep holding out long enough for him to try and push Seonghwa into confessing.
"Okay, why not then?" Yuhno asked, exasperated.
"It's clear she only views me as a friend. And I am fine with that."
"You don't know that for sure, hyung." San offered a kind smile.
"Are you guys sure (Y/N) likes me like that?" Hwa gave them each a pointed look. Everyone tried arguing that it was clear to them you did, though the only one who knew for sure was Wooyoung. "I... I truly come to appreciate her and every time we speak I feel like I am falling further and further for her. She is sweet, funny, gorgeous, and I feel my heart is always about to burst when talking with her..."
"He's a love sick puppy." Yeosang teased, making everyone chuckle. The eldest's face adorned a bright blush but he made no attempt argue against the notion.
"It's adorable seeing you crush so hard on someone, hyung." Mingi cooed.
"Why not try and talk to her now? It should be..." Hongjoong looked at the time, seeing that it was nearly 10am for them. "... about 6pm for her. Try gauging her feelings for you and bring up wanting her to visit next month for her spring break."
"I don't know..." The eldest unlocked his phone and had your contact pulled up. Wooyoung immediately moved spots and sat next to Seonghwa.
"Seonghwa-hyung, just go for it. We are all here cheering you on." Jongho smiled softly and the others nodded in agreement.
"And its not like your confessing now either. We've told you the signs, now watch for them." Wooyoung added. The others decided to join in on the call, hoping to catch anything that gave away you had feelings for their friend.
Seonghwa took in a deep breath before slowly exhaling as he pressed the call button. He felt two large hands on both shoulders pat him and give a firm squeeze as he slowly extended his arm to make sure everyone could be visible to some extent. He felt anxiety building up with each ring, waiting anxiously for you to pick up.
They all smile when you finally pick up. You were sitting at your desk, adding what looked like the finishing touches of your makeup on your face. You looked at the camera with a small smile before you looked down, picking up a tube of lipstick.
"Hello boys. Usually you text me before you start a call. What's going on?" You ask, eyes flickering to the phone again before you focus on your hand mirror.
Seonghwa felt Wooyoung nudge him off camera. "I wanted to check in on you, (Y/N), and they all decided to join me."
"Aw, really?" Your face seemingly brightened at the fact and the eldest could feel Jongho on his left excitedly tap his leg.
"Compliment her, Hwa." Hongjoong hissed into his ear, a toothy grin was on his face as an attempt to mask any suspicion.
"Did one of you say something?"
"O-oh it must of cut out." Seonghwa nervously chuckled. "I said you look amazing. Is there a special occasion going on?"
You got a bit bashful and smiled, though everyone could tell it didn't fully reach your eyes. "I got asked out on a date."
Seonghwa felt like he was punched in the gut.
But his face remained soft with a smile.
"Really? Who is the person?" He asked, his voice steady.
The others eyed him in concern but did their best to mask it while on video.
"His name is Charlie. He is in my English course this semester. We worked on some in-class assignments together a few times before he asked me out today."
"I'm happy to hear. Well, we better get going. We are about get to recording." Hongjoong could pick up some shakiness in Hwa's voice. "Have fun and please periodically message me, just to give me peace of kind on your safety."
"Thank you, Seonghwa, and I will." You gave them a wave goodbye before hanging up the phone.
It was silent in the room. Seonghwa slowly lowered his arm, resting his phone and hands in his laps. The smile he had dropped just as slowly as he took in a deep, trembling breath.
"Hwa, are you okay?" Hongjoong hesitated, placing his hand on his friends shoulder.
"Yes. I'm fine, Joong." He asserted, getting up from the couch.
"Are you sure?" San asked.
Languidly, the eldest turned to face the rest. Their breaths caught in their throats. His eyes were full of tears, his lips were quivering as he still maintained his smile.
"I told you guys I am just a friend to her. And I will be fine with that." He sniffled, one tear rolling down his cheek. He hastily wiped his cheek with the back of his hand. "Please, lets drop it and get work done today."
"Of course, hyung." Yuhno spoke with a comforting voice and stood up, wrapping an arm around the older males shoulders. "Lets grab some waters together." Carefully, the taller of the two led Hwa out of the room. The second the door closed, everyone exhaled.
"Maybe...Maybe we were wrong." Jongho mumbled.
"No we weren't." Wooyoung insisted, pulling out his phone.
"Wooyoung-" San tried to speak but the younger male kept talking.
"We weren't! (Y/N) told me herself she likes Seongwa!" The others watched as he called you, pressing speakerphone.
The phone rung a few times when they hear the line click.
"It's just me, (Y/N)." Woo gave the others a look to be quiet. "What was that? What do you mean date?"
"Exactly that, Youngie." You sighed, your voice sounding as if it lacked any confidence.
"But you like Seonghwa... You love him."
"... I do." The others in the room looked at each other in shock, their eyes wide.
"Then why did you agree to the date, (Y/N)?"
There was a moment of tense silence before you spoke again, starting your sentence off with a sniffle.
"Because I can't logically believe he likes me the same way. He just see's me as a friend and I just feel so inadequate to be on any level with him." You faltered. "I don't have any particular feelings for Charlie but I... I just wanted to try to get over loving Hwa."
"(Y/N)..."
"I need to get going Woo. I'll... message you tomorrow." Before he could say anything more you hung up.
The room was just as tense as before. No one knew what to say. Wooyoung pressed his lips tightly together as he kept his own tears at bay. When they heard the door open everyone else started getting up and getting ready to start recording. Seonghwa looked to have calmed down. Wooyoung refused to look at his oldest hyung until he could calm down.
---
After the video call with Ateez and the call with Wooyoung, you decided to try to to push any negative thought aside and finish getting ready. You put together a outfit that wasn't too fancy but still looked nice. You styled your hair the way you liked most for things like this. Overall, despite the heavy heart, you felt cute. You left your place with an Uber, figuring you may have something alcoholic to drink, with enough time to get to the restaurant on time, sending a message to Seonghwa letting him know you were heading there...
You glanced at the clock on your phone for the umpteenth time. It had been an hour since your uber dropped you off at the restaurant, 50 minutes since you were sat down at a table, and 35 minutes since that sinking feeling in your gut that you had been stood up started kicking in.
You sighed dejectedly as you finished paying for the meal you ordered. You may have been stood up but you weren't going to let that stop you from a nice meal. Luckily your waitress was kind and nobody paid you much mind. You felt that any pity sent your way would make you feel worse.
You slowly walked outside the restaurant, your phone out as you get ready to order another uber, when you heard loud cackling. Your head turned to the left and just a few cars down in the parking lot was Charlie in a car full of people. They were all laughing and looking at you.
It felt like a bucket of ice water was poured over you.
Ignoring them and the button to confirm the uber, you started walking in the direction of your apartment. You needed to get away. You could feel your chest tightening with humiliation and panic.
"Oh come on, (Y/N). It was a joke!" You heard Charlie yell but you just kept walking. You heard the car roar with life and could hear from their rolled down window various jokes directed at you.
They all cackled and decided that was enough teasing. Charlie then nearly squealed his tires as he drove away. The tears you kept at bay finally spilled over. You hiccupped as you glanced down at your phone. It was 8pm for you, which meant it would be around noon for him.
You didn't think, really. You just knew you needed to hear his low toned, comforting voice. You opened your phone and immediately dialed Seonghwa, pressing your cell to your ear as you walked back to your place. You felt pathetic but you knew you needed to speak to someone or else you would be a sobbing mess if you were left to stew.
---
It was lunch time in the canteen area at KQ when Seonghwa heard his phone ring. His brows furrowed when he saw your name on the screen. He finished his last bite and quickly wiped off any possible crumbs on his hands with a napkin.
"Didn't she leave for her date like an hour ago?" Mingi tilted his head, everyone else had a confused look.
Seonghwa pressed the green answer button and raised his phone to his ear.
"(Y/N)?" His voice with smooth and low. "You're calling me so soon-"
"Seonghwa..." He heard your voice trembling, making him freeze. His face must of gave away to the others something was wrong, as they stared at him intently.
"Hold on, (Y/N). Let me go somewhere private." He quickly got up fron his seat and wasted no time getting into the hallway where there were less people. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"
"I-I got stood up." You sniffled.
"What?"
"I sat there for an hour looking like a fool. And then... And then I went to leave and I saw him outside in his car with his friends." Seonghwa could feel his blood start to boil with anger. "They laughed at me. They made fun of me." He could hear you take in a shuddering breath.
"Where are you now?"
"I'm walking home..."
"How long until you get back?"
"Maybe... Maybe 10 or 15 more minutes?"
"Stay on the phone with okay? I want to make sure you get home safe." He needed to take deep breaths to stay calm. In the corner of his eye he saw the others leave the canteen, though they stayed back, giving him and you some privacy.
"I just don't get what I did wrong to-"
"You did nothing wrong, (Y/N). Don't start blaming yourself for some asshole's behavior." He glanced to his friends, feel a pinch of confidence. "You are a wonderful person. It's his loss."
There was silence for a moment.
"Did I interrupt work?" You asked in a small voice.
"No, I was just finishing lunch. Did you eat?"
"I had something small after I realized he wasn't showing up." Hwa felt some relief when he heard your voice getting steady. "I'll probably have some ice cream when I get home."
"It better not be mint chocolate chip." He joked and smiled when he heard you giggle. "You really did look amazing, by the way. You should send me and the group chat any selfies if you took any. I'm sure the others would like to see the full look."
"Really?" Your voice was meek.
"I would never lie to you... You truly look beautiful. You always do."
"Thank you, Hwa. I really needed to hear that, especially from you." He could hear your voice tremble again.
"Don't start crying because of me, jagiya." He gently teased, the petname slipping out seamlessly.
"Where are the others?"
"They are watching me down the hallway I'm in." He looked over and saw that they were still there. Wooyoung, San, and Jongho kept their eyes on him while the others were looking at their phones, occasionally looking back at the eldest.
"Am I keeping-"
"I want to be talking with you. They can all wait." Seonghwa huffed, which pulled a giggle from you. He was glad he was able to get you to cheer up, even if it was a miniscule amount. "They are very concerned for you though."
"You can tell them what happened. Woo will bug me when he can until I tell him."
"He is good at that isn't he?"
"Too good." You snort.
There was another moment of silence before Hwa spoke again.
"How close are you to home?"
"Uh..." You pause. "I'm pretty close. I'm passing the park thats nearby. I'll probably be there in two minutes."
"Good." He hummed. "I'm glad you called me."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. Besides enjoying the sound of your voice, I am glad you felt comfortable enough during this vulnerable time to reach out to me. It warms my heart."
"I'm glad you answered."
"For you? Always. Well, unless I am on stage or Joong is lecturing us." He couldn't help but beam when he got you to laugh again.
"I see my apartment. I'm walking up to the door now." Hwa heard your keys jingle in your hand. "I'll let you go now. Thank you for everything, Hwa."
"It wasn't a problem at all. I'll check in on you when I have the time okay?"
"You don't have to." He faintly heard you unlocking the door and then heard the door close.
"I want to." He smiled. "Get comfortable, have that ice cream, and smile for me okay, (Y/N)? I'll talk to you soon. Have a goodnight in case you fall asleep."
"Have a good rest of your day, Hwa." There was a lingering pause before you ended the call.
Seonghwa let out a deep sigh, his face dropping into a scowl as he pocketed his phone. The rest of Ateez took that as a sign to approach him. They nearly froze when they saw the angry look on his face.
"I'm going to need one of you to stop me from buying plane tickets right now." Hwa muttered.
"What happened?"
"Why are you so upset?"
"Is (Y/N) okay?"
Were questions all asked at the same time.
"Let's get back to the recording studio first." Hongjoong offered. It took a lot of restraint for them to not run down the hallways.
The second that door closed to the studio, everyone turned to look at Seonghwa, who still looked pissed off. He sat down on the couch staring past the glass that viewed the recording booth. He needed to take a moment to calm himself down.
"Did something happen to our dear (Y/N)?" Wooyoung sat next to the older male, looking at him with desperate eyes.
"She called me crying, saying her date stood her up." Seonghwa finally spoke. Everyone let out shocked noises and some curses. "That's not even the worst of it. She said he and his friends were waiting for her to come outside to make fun of her."
Wooyoung pulled out his cellphone. "I'm buying you and I plane tickets."
"Count me in, I want to beat that guys ass for making her upset." San sat on the other side of Seonghwa.
Hongjoong quickly snatched Wooyoung's phone.
"Hey-!"
"You won't be making a spontaneous trip to her place and you all are definitely not going off to fight this guy." He said, using his captain voice.
"Come on, hyung. It'll be worth it." Jongho tried bargaining but quickly stopped at the look he got from their leader.
"Seonghwa." Seonghwa's attention was on Hongjoong's face after he called his name. "You already did most of your recording today. Unless you want to hang out with those who still need to record and need to re-record, or do some choreography practice with Yuhno, you should head back to the dorm and spend some time with (Y/N)."
"Thank you, Joong." Seonghwa smiled and gathered his belongings.
"We want to spend time with her too." Wooyoung whined.
"Too bad. You're assisting Yuhno after you re-record your lines." The eldest male smiled at his friends playful banter as he left the room.
He quickly fished out his cell and called you as he walked down the hallway. He was heading to his managers office to get home. He wasn't entirely sure if he had the confidence to confess right now, nor did he want to spring on a confession to you after the night you had... but he wanted to let you know he would be there for you. That he would never let you feel less than or alone. That stupid guy lost his chance and Hwa wanted to be the one treasure you. He was going to confess and tonight would be the start to his plan to do so.
"Seonghwa?" Your voice sounded confused when you quickly answered.
"Hongjoong is giving me the rest of the day off. Do you want to watch a movie with me? Or we can play Animal Crossing? Whatever you want, I want to do it with you." He took in a deep breath. "I'll even pick up mint chocolate chip ice cream and we can eat it together."
You laughed. "Sure, I would love that."
There was a pause in the conversation. Seonghwa was now waiting in front of the manager's office.
"I have a question for you, (Y/N)." He wanted to wait for later to ask his question but Seonghwa felt he had the confidence to ask now.
"What is it?"
"You said you took time off work for your spring break next month, right?"
"Yes, I have the Friday before that week off to Monday after it. Why do you ask?"
"Come visit me." He was shocked he got it out.
"What?"
"Come to Korea and visit me. I'll help pay for the flight and you can stay with us at the dorm. Is the issue with your passport?"
"My passport is fine." You sighed and took a moment before speaking again. "Are you sure, Hwa? Are the others okay with that? What about-"
"Everything will be fine. The others, our manager, and I have already discussed this in length and will probably want to discuss with you later."
"Well..." You didn't speak, which had Seonghwa feeling rejection would soon follow. "I would love to."
"...Is this a yes?"
"Yes it is." You chuckled. "I've been actually thinking of planning a visit after I graduate in May, but honestly, the sooner the better."
"Make sure to message the others about this, they'll be so happy." He smiled, unable to hide his excitement. "I am about to leave the office here soon. I will call you when I am back at the dorm."
"Get back safely."
"Of course. I will talk to you soon."
"And- Fuck!" You swore loudly.
"Is something wrong?" Worry seeped into his veins at how your voice sounded.
"I got stung by scorpion while island hopping."
Taglist: @stopeatread@hee0soo@pocketjoong-reads@seonghwaddict@tridkeys
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